Cayman or bust

Pound puppies get an extra chance at life when a good person like you takes them home for a chance at another, better life.
And when a pound puppy has a physical challenge, yet still gets adopted, well that’s extra special!
Our friend Beverly wrote to us, to tell us about her miracle Tripawd dog, Drake. Although he passed away recently, his beautiful life story is one that will leave a pawprint on your heart forever.
Here’s Drake’s story, in Janel’s words:
“We got Drake from Central Indiana Lab Rescue (he really wasn’t a lab however). They had a Lab that no one would adopt. Even though we already had two dogs, Sophie and Abby, we thought, “we can do this.” So we took Drake in, and that was the best decision I have ever made in my life.
Drake was six months old and they think he was hit by a car. He had drug his mangled leg for days before someone picked him up. Poor Drake spent three weeks at Purdue University, had his leg removed and was neutered. He also got treated for kennel cough.
Drake was fostered by a vet tech in Lafayette Indiana. The day we went to see him, the poor lady was so sad, that I told her we did not need to take Drake from her. But she said this way she could help another dog.
We have an invisible fence system in our yard, and once Drake learned the boundaries, he never went out of the yard. However he could break out of any and all crates. He could open doors too, and friends and family started called him “Whodeenie” or “Tripod.”
We have a big hole in the wall where Drake would jump down the stairs, to make the turn on the stairway, hit the wall and continue on down the steps.
About two weeks ago, I went out to work in the yard. I only had two dogs at my heels (Sophie and Gabby). I called for Drake, and the poor guy came to me, pulling his body with just his front legs. I had noticed that the last few days, he was laying around more than normal for him. I took him to the vet, and he had nothing left of his hip. The ball and socked more or less disintegrated. The hip over the last six years just worn out. Maybe it was because of the wreck or whatever happened to poor Drake when he was a puppy.
We lost him just over two weeks ago. Our other Lab is lost without him. Our one year old Schnoodle has finally stopped looking for him.
We miss Drake so much. I can only wish that everyone would live life as Drake did. He lived every day to its fullest, was happy every day and brought such joy to our home. Drake was loved by all.”

Uncle Carol
I remember when…
Uncle Carol would stop by Mom and Dad’s house on Friday nights during the period he built bridges along Interstate 69 with the Winslow construction company. I would have my bags packed hoping he would say “Nelly do you want to go home with me“….. I would jump at the chance and without missing a beat run out and sit on his tool box in the back of his Chevy Car-Truck…after he finished his coffee and chit chatting with Mom and Dad…Uncle Carol would come out and say…“it might get kind of cold back there…how about ridding up front with me.” All the way to Salem he would tell me stories about his life, the boys, Toby, Aunt Emily and my parents….but my favorite was when he would sing… “Love Letter’s in the sand” or hum along with the radio. As we would get close to Salem around Seymour he would stop and always get us a piece of Apple pie or a Root Beer float. He used to cross his feet on the accelerator and sing along the way..
Vance used to tease Lonnie and me all the time…Marcia and Cara would get in on it sometimes too…. Uncle Carol had me convinced that Bears lived in the woods down the road from their house. I believed anything Uncle Carol would tell me…One time while Lonnie and I tried to catch the bears in a small trap…Vance, Marcia and Cara put all kinds of chicken parts in the trap (they obtained from Roy’s chicken coops) and we thought we really almost caught something….and the poor thing was ripped apart while trying to escape from our home made trap. Looking for those bears was always the topic of conversation with Uncle Carol and me on the way home to Indy from Salem.
Uncle Carol would build those big fires out at the Winslow’s lake….pour on gas and then while the flames were out of control….he would give us a hot dog to cook on a whittled branch. You had to stand back from the heat of the fire to cook your hot dog and on more than one time my stick caught fire. The hot dogs usually had that gasoline favor, but I loved being out there and being with the Winslow’s. I still love hot dogs cooked on an open fire, because it brings back found memories of Winslow’s lake.
　
Uncle Carol taught me to drive, unknown to my parents. When we were younger he would let us sit on his lap and steer while he drove around Salem. When older he would let us drive his Truck-car out at the Winslow Construction company’s office/barn all the time.
　
Aunt Emily and Uncle Carol were both IU fans and we would call each other and talk about the game, the players and coach Knight. Just last summer he told me that he was glad that Mike Davis was gone and wished for Knight’s return.
Dad and Uncle Carol would set off fire works on the Forth of July and they seemed to enjoy the event as much as we all did. I can visualize them out back on the Winslow’s basketball court setting off one bottle rocket after another. Lonnie and I took the heat from Aunt Emily and Mom, a number of times for setting off fire crackers when it was usually Dad or Uncle Carol with the matches.
I will miss Uncle Carol, he was such an influence on my life. Little did he know that his work ethics and love of life would and did have an impact on me. I truly think Uncle Carol knew how much I loved him and I know he loved me in return. I had told Aunt Emily that I can only wish that my nieces and nephews would love me half as much as I love Uncle Carol and Aunt Emily.
Some more Salem memories
Winslow lake was a hot bed of fun back in the early 70’s…. the photo of the Winslow’s and my family is one to remember and cherish.. I think Lonnie has given all of us a copy of the group shot. I can see Aunt Emily packing up her fruit salad and hot dogs and then telling us to get our swim suits and towels. We would all load into the Chevy Truck-Car, and off we would go to the lake. I thought it was haven.
One of my favorite stories of that famous Winslow lake is the one about my Mom, Cara and Aunt Emily.. (oh and some unknown observers that were truly innocent bystanders). Lonnie and I were out playing around in the rowboat, talking about life, etc as any normal teenager back in the 70‘s would have….Mom, Cara and Aunt Emily were busy fishing at the bottom of the Dam … Lonnie and I had just finished our discussion about our family and how wacky and out of touch they seemed to us both. Then to back our opinions up we watch the following from the boat.
My Mom had to go to the restroom which at that time was a large tree trunk that Uncle Carol had cut down for wood for his famous Bomb fires. Now Mom who basically is and was a city gal…was giving it her best Girl Scout leader bend over to pee attempt. All the time Lonnie and I are watching this… saying things like “look at them, are they really are relatives?” ….. When just as Mom is thinking she is hiding her situation , a family of about ten are observing all this from the top of the dam. Lonnie and I yell…“hey someone is up on the dam” and pointing towards the family of observers. A young lad of maybe eight , yells down at my Mom “hey that lady is shooting a moon at us”… Mom in shock pulls up her shorts while still going and how she is red faced and has wet pants…looks over at Aunt Emily who now has wet her own shorts from all the laughter…. Emily protests that it was water from sitting in the rowboat that caused her wet spot.. Cara too had this same wet short look that both Emily and Mom were sporting.
Mee Mee / Little Bow peep/ Tang/Bacon
I can’t remember a time that we did not drink Tang in the morning while visiting Salem. . I loved the pitcher that Aunt Emily had to serve her Tang to us in…a small quart size pitcher of Little Bow peep. Emily would mix up the Tang every morning for us and I thought it was the best ever. I even told my Mother she needed to get Aunt Emily’s recipe for her Tang. (my family says it was the Salem water, I think it was the love of my Aunt). In the morning Aunt Emily always ware one of those raised rib robes…..I think of Emily every time I see one in the store or if someone has one.
Along with the Tang was a Aunt Emily’s way of cooking bacon. Emily would always cut up her Bacon in small pieces before frying … I wanted my Mom to do the same.
I turned the big 5 O a few years ago….my sisters Cheryl and Cara searched on e-bay and the internet until they found a Little Bow Peep pitcher for me… it is by far my favorite possession.
　
　
Small containers
My Aunt seemed to have had more small containers with little dabs of left over food in them then anyone I knew.. Aunt Emily and Uncle Carol actually ate this food. . Every time I save leftovers they usually turn a nice shade of mold green. Then I think of Emily and what a good job they did of using up those leftovers. Peaches always come to my mind when I think of small containers… Uncle Carol would always say “ Emily do we have any peaches”….and one of the small containers would come out of the refrigerator. Oh and then followed by cookies.
Who is giving who comfort
About a year before we lost Aunt Emily…she was in the hospital in Salem, I went down for a visit. When I walked into her hospital room she was in need of some medial help… Being the non-nurse in a family of all nurses, I told Aunt Emily “you have the wrong niece here today” without missing a beat… Aunt Emily said “ I think I have the right niece here” Wow… talk about making me feel better, when I was there to lift her spirits.
After we lost Aunt Emily, I drove down to visit Uncle Carol. During this one visit I think Uncle Carol could feel my pain. He told me that he missed Emily too. He told me that they were times when he would be watching TV and turn without thinking and say “Emily! did you see that?”…. Again, I thought I was the comforter….but it was important for Uncle Carol to let me know he too missed my Aunt too.
The last time I was in a car with Uncle Carol it was about six years ago. I was driving and he was showing me all around Salem. The new correction center, a new bank, the bowling alley, one of the many Winslow construction bridges….talking about the Chevy-Truck/Car he used to own…the lake…etc… then he told me he wanted to drive to a special place. This special place was the Salem cemetery, he pointed out all the graves of his family and then he pointed to where Emily and he would be buried. He said that someday I would be driving here and he wanted me to know where it was and to remember this sunny day and all our good times and to not be sad.
　
Love,
Janel
　
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Camp Janel

Drake

My Uncle Carol

Cayman or bust

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