She slept on the floor by the side of my bed,
Snoring softly in the darkness.
When it was time, she’d awaken me gently and
I’d reluctantly lurch with her to the front door;
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, clear, rain, wind, snow…it didn’t matter;
I’d let her out and trust her to come back.
If it was wet or snowy, I learned to have a towel handy.
My parents never stirred, nor did my sister,
It was just me and the dog.
She’d come back; I’d let her in and we’d go down the hall to my room,
But she’d stop at each door to make sure nobody’d left while she was out.
Before I fell back asleep, she always thanked me with a sniff
And stretched out on the floor where my hand could trail to touch.
Sometimes I’d hear her snoring begin again;
Sometimes I wouldn’t.
(Moon: ajr.org; Schnauzer: schnauzer-help.ru)
Narble Furt Lives 
Good one Jim!
On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 4:05 PM Narble Furt Lives wrote:
> Jim Stewart posted: ” She slept on the floor by the side of my bed,Snoring > softly in the darkness.When it was time, she’d awaken me gently andI’d > reluctantly crawl out and lurch to the front door to let her out;Winter, > Spring, Summer, Fall, clear, rain, wind, snow…it didn’t m” >
She was on my mind when I woke up from a nap. It was a nice gift.
i love it!!! She was a good dog
Anne Stewart disneysport@comcast.net
>
🙂
A beautiful story….not just about the dog.
True. It was a time and a state of mind. We were so lucky.
She looks so much like Patsy, our grey medium sized poodle when I was a kid. One time she paddled out in the ocean after my brother and I went out on our rafts, when our parents had night time bonfires. We didn’t know she was there until we heard her barking in the black night of the sea. We were panicked to get to her. We did. She rode back on my brothers raft.
That’s a great story. And a memory you’ll carry forever.
Snap was a standard schnauzer but had her original ears and tail.
Love this. Made me miss my Jazz.
Every once in a while, they come to visit.
This deeply touches me, Jim. It really is true that they never leave our hearts. I loved this.
She was a great dog and was my first lesson in profound grief.
Proof that all you really need to be content is a solid woof over your head.
Ha! That was punishing.
Ha! Then my work here is done.