April 2006 - March 2019

Our daughter, Karma, was a vet tech for HSCO (Humane Society of Central Oregon) in September 2006. She was on the lookout for a dog pal for her dad, Bob. He'd had to give a sad farewell to his 14 year old chocolate lab, Ginger, a few months prior. When a frightened, shy chocolate lab puppy arrived at the HSCO with no history other than she may have been the runt of a large litter and likely had not received much attention, Karma made a quick call to her dad.

It was love at first sight as the little puppy tried to hide under a bench quivering with fright. We brought her home. We named her MEG. Thus her journey began with her forever family.

As in most "happily ever after," life dishes out a few bumps in the road. One day while Meg was sitting in her usual position on Bob's lap our "Big Tom" cat greeted Meg with a lightening fast claw in her right eye. The 24 hour ER clinic were able to save the eye along with follow-ups to our vet clinic. Karma fostered kittens for HSCO. Meg became accustomed to the kittens but never completely trusted them -- always kept a wary eye on them from Bob's lap. She absolutely was convinced she was a LAP dog. Not LAB dog. Big Tom was not a HSCO foster cat. He invited himself into our home shortly after we moved to Central Oregon. Perhaps he took exception to a top dog after being top cat.

The next sticky situation was not one but two encounters with a porcupine. While out doing her evening yard cruise a sudden shrill mixture of barking and howling interrupted the usually quiet night. Both times her muzzle was full of quills. Bob put Meg on his lap in the recliner, calmed her. She stoically allowed Bob to remove the quills one by one pulling them carefully and as quickly as possible with pliers. After the second encounter we decided to accompany Meg outside. She was tempted to chase or attack but with a few words of caution she quickly gave them a wide berth and went about her business.

Bob took Meg nearly everywhere with him. They enjoyed a special loving bond. It took Meg some time to accept me in place of Bob when he became ill and passed away in 2017. She loved visits from the grandchildren. Emily would love on Meg and sometimes sit on the couch with Meg beside her - Meg's head on Emi's lap. When Justin sat in "grandpa's recliner" Meg quickly landed on his lap.

Meg and I didn't share recliner time. We shared the bed. She was my foot warmer and reluctantly moved when I climbed into the warmed space. She moved but not far. Meg always slept close enough to me just so we touched. Near the end of her life her hind leg wasn't strong enough to help her jump into bed so I lifted her up. I could not resist those piercing eyes with "the look."

Our family was so blessed to have Meg become a much loved family member.