She came to us from Missouri from Misty Lane Breeders at 8 weeks old. I picked her up at Newark Airport in the cargo area. Poor little one flew in a crate in the belly of the plane. She was so tiny and scared. She had poop and pee on her but I held her the entire drive back to Tappan. I was so exited to bring her home. We had discussed with the kids that we would have a family dog when Amanda was 10, but I surprised them and got her a year earlier. Amanda was so thrilled and I remember her beautiful round face so happy and shocked we had a puppy. You could feel the love in the air as it was palpable. Nick and Jules came home off the bus and as I remember Jules was just so very excited and Nick, who was just 5 years old started to cry. This was a little boy’s dream. Misty had more attention than I think she wanted, as we were all over her. Picking her up, playing with her and just adoring her soulful eyes which were still a tinge of baby blue.
She was a feisty little girl. Cavalier King Charles’ quintessentially don’t really bark much but Misty did and often, especially when she wanted to get her point across and get what she wanted. As a young girl she was quick. She would take off chasing cars down the street. Bryan had to run after her on Cedar Street before she would make it to Western Highway. With utter abandonment she would run down the front steps and across the street if she saw our neighbor Joe. She adored him. She cared less for her safety as long as she got a good belly rub from him. She would wander onto the neighbors lawn to see if there was a better spot to do her business, which she never had performance anxiety in that regard. She only had accidents in the house when she was feeling sick or one of the kids neglected to take her out for a long period of time.
When she first came to us we had Willie the cat we had rescued since we were dating. We didn’t rescue him as much as Bryan was given a kitten that was abandoned in a park in Jersey City. My sister thought it was a great gift for him for his birthday. We aren’t really cat people but we couldn’t be awful to a living thing. Willie was an angry old soul. He was never nice but we tolerated him even though Amanda had a cat allergy and we should have found him another home. We knew no one would take his nasty cat self so he remained with us. Misty thought it would be fun to play with him and after many, many attempts and cat scratches she never gave up until Willie was met with his own demise under the wheel of Bryan’s truck. To this day he says Willie wanted to go and it was an accident. It took us over 10 years to share that with the kids so they didn’t think dad was a cat killer.
Once Willie was gone Misty had run of the house. She was always a good pet. She slept in our beds and we would have it no other way. She traveled well in the car but hey if u had to fly in the belly of a plane when you were 2 months old a car would seem like a joy ride. Oddly enough there are so many stories of Misty beating death. Once when Bryan left the basement side door open and Bob our neighbor found her wandering around the block. He thought she was our dog so he just opened the side door and put her back inside. Bryan is a danger to animals it seems. Then there was the time she got out of the pop up camper when we were at North South Lake camping with the Cascone’s and others. Our campsite was down the road and around the corner and it was dark, actually pitch black. Misty smelled where we were and I’m sure the s’mores we were cooking helped her locate us and luckily someone found her walking on her own down the road. They thought they saw her in our campsite and brought her over. She could have been lost forever but she found her way with a little help.
Then there were two times at our lake house in Pennsylvania. When she was a puppy we got to the house and it was winter. It had snowed and was dark. Austin, our nephew was still with us and his friend. As they opened the car door and put her on the snow covered driveway she took off down the side of the house and all the way down to the lake which luckily was frozen. It was quite a far distance and she made it half way across before the boys caught up to her. Thankfully they were skinny, fast boys. She would have been gone. Then when she were an older girl and didn’t wander quickly but still wandered around she was outside with Bryan, Nick and our friend John. They were not paying attention and she ended up struggling to stay head above water in the partially frozen lake. She fell in and they finally started looking for her. Nick found her and pulled her up out of the muck of the lake and brought her back from near death. She was remarkable.
Then there were two times at our lake house in Pennsylvania. When she was a puppy we got to the house and it was winter. It had snowed and was dark. Austin, our nephew was still with us and his friend. As they opened the car door and put her on the snow covered driveway she took off down the side of the house and all the way down to the lake which luckily was frozen. It was quite a far distance and she made it half way across before the boys caught up to her. Thankfully they were skinny, fast boys. She would have been gone. Then when she were an older girl and didn’t wander quickly but still wandered around she was outside with Bryan, Nick and our friend John. They were not paying attention and she ended up struggling to stay head above water in the partially frozen lake. She fell in and they finally started looking for her. Nick found her and pulled her up out of the muck of the lake and brought her back from near death. She was remarkable.
She was expectant of a treat every time she did her business as if she were doing us a favor. She loved ham and John did her in one Easter as she habitually put her snoot under his arm and looking like a little seal pup he kept supplying her with meat. Let’s just say the business she produced subsequently was explosive. She has been the most amazing pet and member of our family.
When we got Potter when she was 8, which was done to keep her active and young she was none too pleased. She had settled into a very sedentary life and he was a lot. But as we soon saw their love as brother and sister would eventually be natural as though they were litter mates or at times she was his momma just tolerating his craziness. The only time we ever saw any aggression from her was when a marrow bone would be given, so over time we just didn’t give them as our girl was sweet. Any vet or vet tech, groomer or dog watcher would always say she was just so sweet… a lovely temperament. She did however have resting bitch face which was labeled as such by Kelly who cared for our doggies when we were away. In fact the night we came home from Prague she had a stroke. Jet lagged and at 2am she was unable to stand and her eyes were rapidly going from side to side and her tongue was distended in a manic pant. We thought we were going to lose her that night but she bounced back again! She was resilient.
When we got Potter when she was 8, which was done to keep her active and young she was none too pleased. She had settled into a very sedentary life and he was a lot. But as we soon saw their love as brother and sister would eventually be natural as though they were litter mates or at times she was his momma just tolerating his craziness. The only time we ever saw any aggression from her was when a marrow bone would be given, so over time we just didn’t give them as our girl was sweet. Any vet or vet tech, groomer or dog watcher would always say she was just so sweet… a lovely temperament. She did however have resting bitch face which was labeled as such by Kelly who cared for our doggies when we were away. In fact the night we came home from Prague she had a stroke. Jet lagged and at 2am she was unable to stand and her eyes were rapidly going from side to side and her tongue was distended in a manic pant. We thought we were going to lose her that night but she bounced back again! She was resilient.
She would mark you with her eye goobers, which she especially loved to do to our friend Colleen, or as we call her the treat whore. As a rule Misty didn’t play catch or tug. She would wink, so it is believed, at our friend's daughter Hayley. She had kidney stones, lots of them when younger, didn't complain and bounced back. There was an odd bug that embedded itself on her rear leg, which my friend Patty had to help extricate. She just lay there calmly.
At a past groomer she had a horrible allergic reaction to something they used on her and off to vet we went and stayed overnight. She was back home with us the next day.
These past weeks have been hard on her and hard on us to see. She was coughing, struggling to breathe and walk, as well as she filled up with fluid in her abdomen. Last Thursday we took her to the vet and he drained a liter and half from her and she rallied again, but not for long. We cancelled a vacation as we knew she wasn’t long for days. We decided to go to the lake house just to get away. The car ride to the house proved to be too much for her or I believe she was meant to be there for her final days. Bryan built that house and it is fitting she be where I consider time is of no concern. It is a very peaceful place. She was struggling and we knew it was happening. Bryan who had slept on the floor with her for weeks spent the night trying to keep her at rest. Earlier that evening he laid on the grass under the harvest moon thinking she was ready but she held on. He was so strong. He was with her all night. He was with her as she took her last breath. I’m not as strong as him. I’m heartbroken. So true we never have our beloved pets long enough. She was just shy of 14 and I feel like it was just yesterday she was a puppy in my arms. We let Potter say goodbye, but he is alone and we can see he is “off”.
As we buried her, Bryan found a beautiful white feather nearby, which is said to be the most common angel sign telling us our loved one is safe and well. Then there are the white moths that come by as I am sobbing in the driveway, backyard or as we buried her. They are believed to be incarnations of the soul of the deceased one who hasn’t yet passed into the afterlife and would like to linger on for a while in order to peacefully part from those who are left behind.
Whichever way it be, rest In peace my dear sweet girl. You were a special dog and our family was so lucky to have you.
