Posted by Kitty
I braved the crowds this morning to go shopping in Windsor. I bought my mum a Christmas present. All perfectly normal you might be thinking. Except that she died several years ago.
As I walked past the Dogs Trust charity stall with its banners inviting people to sponsor a dog, I was suddenly aware of tears pricking behind my eyes. And then I remembered. When we were sorting out our mum’s papers all those years ago, we discovered that she had been making a monthly donation to a charity for dogs. She had never told anyone. We cancelled it, along with all her other standing orders and direct debits.
I went back to the stall and filled out a form. The Dogs Trust volunteer gave me a car sticker – ‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.’
I’m sponsoring Patch. Merry Christmas, Mum.
Now we’ve all got tears in our eyes – I wonder what MY Mum would have sponsored…. probably a cot death charity – thank you for inspiring me to think about ‘gifts’ like this. I don’t know why I haven’t before…. At the crem the other day I noticed people arriving to visit graves with Christmas Wreaths, but what a double proper gift this would be… feeling that you had honoured your loved one AND benefitting a charity. Thanks Kitty.
I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before either. By the way, the puppy in the picture already has a loving home so please don’t worry about her! She is now fully grown and running rings around us!
Aww, I thought that WAS Patch…
Sorry Jed. But Patch is adorable too. He’s a pointer cross, five years old. Mine is a whippet/collie cross – a lurcher!
This is a lovely post and a great idea. Merry Christmas Patch!
Thank you Louise. The more I think about it, the more I love this idea. Especially good if your parents don’t have graves to adorn with flowers.
How simple and how lovely Kitty. Sometimes the best ideas are the most obvious – except that you never thought of them. By the way I’m very glad Patch is settled – he looks like a professional heartbreaker to me.
Vale: to see the real Patch please use this link http://www.dogstrust.org.uk/sponsor/default.aspx?pageNum=2
The gorgeous puppy in the photo above is mine. And, yes, she is a professional heartbreaker!
A Lurcher you say Kitty, good taste.
Oh Kitty,
What a lovely and obvious idea. So obvious, it’s overlooked. Simple and beautiful and reaches the heart of what Christmas is all about. Happy Christmas, Kitty’s mum….and happy Christmas Patch.
Thank you for your comments Ru and Quokkagirl. Yes Ru, lurchers are gorgeous dogs! The man at the Dogs Trust stand was pleased to tell me that they don’t have too many lurchers taken into care these days.
Here is a doggy good news story! My sister, lives in a fairly rough area of LA. Howard, one of her guard dogs(only house not burgled)had to ‘go to sleep’ a couple of months back. Major heartbreak for family. This week whilst searching for replacement on re-homing sites across California. Trying not to look at appealing photos. Just checking for build, age, temperament etc. Her Daughter exclaims “it’s Howard, it’s Howard” giving in and looking at photo, my little Sis sees young dog very like Howard; breed, colour etc. Puppy’s name……….. Howard. Pound? The one Howard one came from 13… Read more »
We all dream of that, Rosie, when a dumb chum comes to the end of the line. What a lovely story. My highlight of the year, now that I reflect.
If I can organise it (you know I’m c**p at IT) would you like to see a picture of the Howards? I will email her now.
Rosie
Fab. I’ll find a way of posting it.
Howard is dead – long live Howard. Fab story. Meant to be…. and who knows hey?