On July 5, 1991, Perfesser Chaos and I -- just engaged, still in graduate school -- counted out five fifty-dollar bills and came home with the better end of the deal.
Within a week we were semi-desperately looking for a bigger job for the little German shepherd we'd brought home to be our backpacking companion and my teaching assistant.
Within two months we were setting up puppy SAR runaway tasks, more or less with puppy in one hand and instruction book in the other.*
Within four months we had found our first SAR unit, and been informed that we'd somehow avoided ruining our puppy, who looked to be a pretty good SAR prospect.
Within a year (!) Lilly had fielded on her first search, and made her first live find. Precocious, much?
Over a decade of working partnership, thirteen and a half years of wisdom and tolerance and gentle companionship. Over half my SAR career under her tutelage.
Thank you, Lilly. Thank you for the last twenty years of my life.
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*NB: I recommend this route to no one.
Well, three cheers for Lilly!
ReplyDeleteI loved my granddog Lilly (Lilith) and remember vividly the excited phone call after her first live save "Dad! Dad!! Your granddog is a heroine". Also remember with fondness your wedding especially the look of outrage on Marlene's face when she enter the pew and found a large German Shepherd member of the wedding party wearing a large pink bow already there (the clergyman wouldn't let her Lilly) on the altar. Love Dad
ReplyDeleteI disagree on one thing, H2 -- thank you, Lilly, for the next 20 years of our lives.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tribute to a great dog and partner.
ReplyDeleteYou had your dog in your wedding?
ReplyDeleteAdmiration just skyrocketed even MORE. :)
And a second chorus of cheers for Lily!
Correction. Fr. Bowles had *nothing* to say about who was, and was not, up at the altar. He was, in fact, barely aware of the population there, and kept looking puzzled at Cliff, my Bridesman, but remained oblivious to the Bitch of Honor.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the bow was a sedate bow tie.