8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL June 3, 2015
Everyone Can Ride to Local and Metro Destinations
A Jamaican dog...sort of
“
Our previous dog, Willis, looked at my
husband, Ed, with such unadulterated
love and adoration that it melted our hearts,”
said Louise. “When Willis passed, it blew
the wind out of Ed’s sails, and he sunk into
depression. Four months later, Ed’s brother
passed. Ed fell further into his dark pit. I
mentioned my concern about Ed to our
neighbor, Debbie, who responded, ‘Maybe
I can help! My Labrador had puppies and
one is very special. Come and see her.’ So,
my granddaughter, Nova, and I walked to
Debbie’s home ‘to look’ at this ‘special’
puppy. At the very least, it would be an en-
tertaining visit.
How could it hurt? After all, our lives had
dramatically changed after Willis’ passing.
We had no incentive to go for walks, our
laughter at his antics was gone, the house
was too quiet and there was no one excited-
ly waiting for a trip to the store. Our home
and lives felt empty.
Debbie’s fi ve wet-nosed bouncing puppies
greeted us at the door. Nova and the ‘spe-
cial’ puppy instantly connected and played
together the entire visit. After we left, the
puppy followed us to the door, sat there, and
stared at it for an hour and a half, crying.
She knew that we had forgotten something
when we left, and it was HER!
I never told Ed about our ‘play date’, but I
asked Debbie if I could come for the puppy
at 10 p.m. It was late, but that was part of
my plan. If Ed said ‘No’, I was prepared to
say, ‘How can I possibly return it this late?’
It was unusual for me to leave the house
at night, so Ed asked, ‘Where are you go-
ing?’
‘I have an errand to run,’ I truthfully re-
sponded as I ran out the door.
Minutes later, I was back with a black
wiggly-squiggly puppy in my arms. Ed took
one look; he was not smiling, and he ex-
claimed — twice — ‘What have you done
now!’
I announced, ‘I want our lives back. We
have always had a dog. We need a dog for
walks and laughter. Our lives have revolved
around a dog’s needs and we enjoy it. We
are lost without a dog.’ And I handed him
the puppy.
There was one problem. I had already
booked a vacation for us and our grandchil-
dren, a cabin with a no-pet rule. Ed, who
was not happy with the new family member,
volunteered, ‘I will stay and take care of the
puppy.’
On my return, I found Jamaica sleeping in
our bed — in my spot! Ed and Jamaica had
super-glued in my absence.
Jamaica’s name is unusual, but it has a
deep personal meaning. Because she repre-
sents all that is happy and joyful in our lives,
and we have loved our seven vacations in
Jamaica, we named her after our favorite
happy place.
We receive endless joy watching our
grandchildren laugh, play and chase the dog
— and the dog chase the kids. Jamaica is
strong. She pulls a small rug with six-year-
old Nova on it around the house. Jamaica is
such a bonus to our lives.
One night, Debbie was driving home and
she saw a man in a white van in front of our
home, calling Jamaica. She asked, ‘Why
are you calling the dog?’ He responded, ‘I
lost my dog, I am calling him over.’
She gave him the ‘evil eye’ and announced
that she knew that it was not his dog. She
would not leave until he left.
This is how fast pet-nappings happen!
Ed was in a hurry to use the bathroom, so
instead of letting Jamaica out into the back-
yard, he had propped open the front door so
they could both use their bathrooms at the
same time. It scared us! We learned a valu-
able lesson! Ed grumbles about Jamaica,
but she means more to him than he pretends
she does.
I was slated for surgery 1,000 miles from
our small town, the stay was to be ten days,
so we brought Jamaica with us. But after
40 days in a hotel she had become a savvy
big city dog.
One day, as they walked to the car to visit
me, Ed turned to let her in, but she had dis-
appeared. In a frenzy he ran up and down
the parking lot. No dog! Then he saw a
lady emerge from the hotel’s restaurant, her
pant’s belt had become a makeshift collar/
Providing Public, Accessible
Transportation to the Region
Courtesy Photo
541.942.0456
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
www.southlanewheels.org
Grandpa Edgar and Nova with 1-½
year old Jamaica, the “black wiggly-
squiggly puppy” that saved the day.
leash for Jamaica - and she had a dog cookie
in her hand. Jamaica is so smart; she fi gured
out that hotel doors open automatically, and
she smelled restaurant food, so she headed
straight through them to their kitchen!”
TIPS
“For fun,” said Louise, “I cut holes in a
large-black garbage bag for Nova’s head
and arms and slip it on her like a t-shirt.
Nova sits down, holds a leash, Jamaica
grabs the other end in her mouth and drags
a giggling Nova over the carpets from room
to room. We laugh ourselves silly watching
them slip-sliding away.
Plant & Collectible Sale
June 5 10am-4pm
June 6 10am-4pm
Doggy Disposal? No problem! Card-
board and stuffed animals are not safe in our
home! Anytime I fi nd old toys that I want
to get rid of, I leave them out and Jamaica
‘does them in’ for me.”
American Legion Hall • 826 W. Main
Raff fl e Drawing on Saturday
What’s your pet’s funniest moment?
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Do not need to be present to win
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Humane Society for Neuter/Spay Assis-
tance Program. (541) 942-2789
2015 Baby to Grad
Congrats to you all!
Seems like yesterday they were just toddlers, but now they are grads.
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Zac Worley
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Cottage Grove
High School
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Jade Harris
Reid H. Center
Born:
July 15, 1997
Parents:
Scott & Alison Center
Grandparents:
Fred Dunlap
Bob & Flo Center
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Jarett Raade
Cottage Grove
High School
Kennedy
CGHS
Cottage Grove
High School
Born:
September 15, 1996
Born:
June 1997
Born:
January 7, 1997
Parents:
RaJeanna Harris
Parents:
Joe & Lynn Raade
Grandparents:
Tammy Hilterbrant
Grandparents:
Ross & Chris Sieja
Phil & Linda
Raade-Vaught
Grandparents:
Deb & Mike Fullerton
Conner Yearous
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Ryley Yearous
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Cottage Grove
High School
Parents:
Brent & Jolene Borrelli
Grandparents:
Jiom & Ada Noble
KAthy McGrail
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Born:
January 18, 1997
Parents:
Rhonda & Rick
Worley
Tori Fullerton
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Cottage Grove
High School
Born:
October 29, 1996
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Jenna Borrelli
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Mackenzie Roberts
Lincoln
Middle School
Cottage Grove
High School
Cottage Grove
High School
Born:
June 12, 2001
Born:
July 5, 1997
Born:
November 26, 1997
Parents:
Aimee Thompson
Jason Yearous
Parents:
Aimee Thompson
Jason Yearous
Parents:
Mindy Roberts
Jeff Roberts
Grandparents:
Ken & Kerri Stevenson
Paul & Janet Yearous
Grandparents:
Ken & Kerri Stevenson
Paul & Janet Yearous
Grandparents:
Bill & Betty Black
Mary Roberts
Terry & Marge Roberts
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