The Birthday Present

Terra Jewell

I use to have the most precious Bassett Hound you could ever have. She was a tri-color that was mostly white with brown and black spots. I got her for Mother’s Day in 1999, and she was all of 8 weeks old. I couldn’t have kids, so she became my only child, or as I often referred to her my “baby dog.” I named her Terra Jewell. Terra because she was low to the ground and Jewell is my middle name. From the very beginning she was going to be an indoor dog. She slept in the bed with me and she ruled the roost when it came to the house. She loved to lie down on the back deck to sun and watch over the neighborhood. She was my pride and joy. If there was a product that had a Bassett on it, I guarantee I had it. I probably had her for about 7 ½ years wonderful years, until I had to leave her. I was getting a divorce and was moving to an apartment. By this time my” baby” weighed about 70 – 75 pounds. I don’t know how things are where you live, but where I live she wouldn’t be able to move into an apartment with me. She loved to bark. She would bark when she was happy, she would bark when she was playing, she would bark if the doorbell rang. After a bath she loved to run through the house rolling on the carpet and barking away. She was a happy baby that loved to bark and run all through the house. After all those years in a medium size house with a deck and big fenced in back yard, it would have been very selfish of me to take her with me. She would never have adjusted to apartment life. I left her in good hands with her favorite grandfather, Papa John. She has always been extremely attached to him, and he has spoiled her rotten from day one. I told you all about Terra Jewell so that you could understand the wonderful thing my husband was going to do for my birthday.

My birthday is this Friday, September 12, and my husband of almost a year and a half decided he was going to get me a Basset Hound. He looked through the classifieds for a Bassett Hound puppy but to no avail. He even planned on going to the local dog shelters looking for a Bassett Hound. He finally told me the other day what he wanted to do for my birthday, but he didn’t think he was going to be successful. I was absolutely floored! I had no idea that he was thinking about getting me a dog. Previously this year we lost our precious, but older Miniature Dachshund in the last week of February. Her name was Misty, however she had about 10 other names that she answered to. Misty had been with Tim about 7 years before I came along. He called me her “Pet Mama.” So after losing her this year and losing Terra Jewell a couple years ago, he thought I might be ready to be a “Pet Mama” again. I told him how thoughtful and wonderful his idea was, but my heart hadn’t healed from losing Misty. I might just have to write some Terra Jewell & Misty stories in future blogs. They may not be by my side anymore, but they will always have a place in my heart.

Misty (My Hound Hound)

To my husband Tim: Thank you! Sometimes it really is the thought that counts!