Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Molly

Miss Molly has had a bath and is mad at me so she won't look at the camera.
This ancient old dog came to us three or four years ago when Eileen, her previous person, had to go into a nursing home.


Eileen passed away last year but Molly abides.  She is arthritic -- her hips are as bad as my knees -- and seemingly stone deaf. But she responds to hand signals that mean "Get up and go outside." And when she hobbles outside and off the porch to attend to her needs, she always looks back at me and wags her tail.
Molly's a gallant old girl who still seems to enjoy her life, limited though it is. Not unlike her previous person.

I hope I'll be like Molly and Eileen.
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28 comments:

Bernie said...

Molly is lovely.....:-) Hugs

L. D. said...

You have such a grand dog who really knows your kind heart. Molly is just another noble dog that shares herself with you. Thanks for taking her in and being good to her.

Unknown said...

I love the way Molly won't look at you. Sulking away. I love to think she is spending her old age with kindness.

Marilyn & Jeff said...

Molly looks so fresh from her bath. You are giving her a lovely home and your love. I saw a dog today that had been rescued from an abusive home - he kindly allowed me to photograph him so he is on my blog.

Martin said...

What a grand old lady, Molly is. And lucky, too. She has a good home and loving company in her twilight years.

Miss_Yves said...

Molly is lovely, and she is wise to enjoy her limited, but happy life!

Pat in east TN said...

What a sweet looking dog. Good knowing she has a good life in her 'golden years'.

Liz said...

Beautiful dog, and lovely family to have taken her in. Both of my doggies are a part of my life because the owners could no longer care for them. Here is one of my favorite quotes.

"Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain, just as one wants to live and not die, so do other creatures." -- The Dalai Lama

Jean Baardsen said...

Be like Molly? Does that mean you're also going to hate baths?? :o) Great photos, as always. Love the last quote from Ms EM!

Jill said...

Molly is a sweetie!

BB said...

What a beautiful dog. There's a special place in heaven for people that love and take care of animals. You will be in good company!!

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm sure Eileen is happy you've taken Molly into your good graces. What a sweet face she has.

Louise said...

Sweet Molly! You can see that beautiful soul shining out of her eyes. She knows that you took her in when she needed a home. And, how much easier you made Eileen's life, knowing that her dear dog was safe.

Unknown said...

So true, Vicki - we all just want to be able to shuffle off the porch and take care of our needs! Kudos to Molly!

Tammy said...

Ms. Molly is still a lovely old girl. How old is she? She looks great. There is just something special about the old ones. I'm glad Molly gets to live our her life safe and loved. My old Pom relied on hand signals after he went deaf...then he started losing his sight too! I gave the dogs a bath last night too. Actually gave Boone two, after he rolled in the dirt! Dork.
Tammy

Kaye Wilkinson Barley - Meanderings and Muses said...

i'm totally smitten with Molly

Vicki Lane said...

She is such a sweetie. She's never bonded with the other dogs but she makes it her mission to keep an eye on me. If I leave the place, she hobble outside and waits in the road by the garden for me to come back.

I'm not sure how old she is -- around fourteen, I think.

I hope I don't take on that characteristic, Jean, but one never knows, do one?

Yep, Tammy, I've learned to keep the dogs inside after their baths till they're completely dry because otherwise, rolling in the dirt is the first thing on their list after the dreaded bath.

NCmountainwoman said...

I do hope I will be like Molly as well. Make the most of the quality of life you have. And don't be afraid to show you're angry at your best friend who wronged you by giving you a bath. And be just as quick to forgive.

Brian Miller said...

aww...she is cute...and funny how animals tend to take on the characteristics of their owners...glad you could be there for her...

Friko said...

me too;
Benno's going that way, still game, still wagging his tail, still coming out for walks, but no longer able to jump over the gates and his walks are getting shorter too.

Suz said...

Good golly miss molly..what a sweet dog
and bless you for taking her in...I love ya for doing that..the world would be a better place if everyone cared like you
Eileen must have been a great owner too...

Deanna said...

Molly is a very lucky doggie to have you.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Vicki, I remember Molly and I hope I'll be like her too. Come to think of it, I'm already getting some of her ailments.

Give her a scratch on the ear from me. She's precious.
Sam

Anonymous said...

My furchild was 17 when we had to visit the vet for the last time. I had no idea the depth of hurt I could feel and, oddly, it wouldn't ease. He had cataracs at the end, and his hips were unreliable - a lot like me, but unlike me, he didn't understand why the door suddenly was a wall, or why the floor jumped up in his face when he'd try to jump off the couch. I felt such a sense of betrayal.
My new furchild was a rescue from a puppy mill. Three years he'd spent in a crate. I had to teach him that the ground was for walking on, not trying to leap away from.

What I'm trying to say is that our hearts can only handle one just so much horror before it needs to find a release by helping another.

Folkways Note Book said...

What a beautiful dog she is. Molly seems a perfect name for her. So nice that you gave her a new home when her previous person could no longer care for her. A sweetie for sure. -- barbara

gayle said...

She is a very nice looking dog! We could all learn from her!

maría cecilia said...

Molly is our Blanca, she came about 3 months ago and my dogs pregnant her and now I have 11 puppies that are 3 weeks old, all of them are like is father, a black Mastin Napolitano one, and Blanca is white, a mix of siberiano and... who knows!!! I´m looking for homes to these many...
cariños

Vicki Lane said...

I do hope I will remember Molly's example, NCmountainwoman, if I can't remember anything else.

Brian -Molly is even the same color as Eileen's(dyed) hair! And her walk is quite similar too. As far as I know, Eileen was okay with baths.

Friko - My walks are getting shorter too...

Suz -- My husband's the hero here. He really didn't think we needed another dog but he felt sorry for Eileen. And, like me, he admires Molly's gallantry.

Deanna -- More than one person has called our place 'Dog Heaven.'

Sam - scratch duly administered.

Dana -- To me, it's a privilege to be able to help my dogs or cats to a quick end when they no longer enjoy their lives. And yes, the best healing is to help another one.

Barbara and Gayle -- she's been a good addition to our family

Maria Cecilia -- I hope you post pictures of the puppies! My husband is glad that Chile is too far away for me to go pick one up. I hope you find them homes.