Lady Ambassador of South Sunset

May 7, 1997 – August 27, 2010

International Prayer Day 1999  was a time for contemplation.   Imagine our surprise when we returned from the water’s edge just after sunset to find a big yellow lab satisfying an eating disorder by consuming our entire picnic.  With minimal urging, and no one else around, she came home with us.  Her tag identified her owner, we called, and he came to pick her up about 3 AM.  This time my talking disorder proved to be a stroke of genius when I blurted out that if he ever wanted to part with her we’d take her.  He brought her back to us the next afternoon, together with her food, leash, bed, and toys.  She was often in a kennel, he said, because he traveled a lot, and when he was home, she’d do anything to get to the water, like going through the screen door.

Matilda, forever to be known as Tillie Elizabeth Louise, found just the place she wanted to be, a dog beach to the east, a huge sandy beach to the west,  and a jillion people walking by to greet. 

And greet them she did, stationing herself at our gate and barking “hey, c’mon over you guys”.  Her love for our close-by neighbors, Aunt Arline, Ron and Mary, John and Phil, and all of the wonderful neighbor dogs, made every day a special day for her.  And she made every day a special day for us, teaching us love, patience, forgiveness, and how to wag our tails at the world.

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The above is a guest post from Ross (my dad) and Wendy, who lost their beloved Tillie in August.  They're not kidding when they said how much Tillie loved the water.  Here's a link to a post I did on this blog about my experience taking Tillie, Miss B and another little friend swimming. 

We miss you, Tillie, and will remember you every day!