Rootbeer
R.I.P 1-30-17
I met Rootbeer in 2006 at the Corona Animal Shelter in July of that year. He was in cage # 34 with his blood sister at the time, and they were caught in the parking lot of the Crossing shopping center in Corona CA.
When I showed up at the shelter, they had only been there a few days, I told the clerk I wanted #1 in cage #34. Little did I know it was a male, but that I couldn't adopt him until Friday, and it was only Monday.
So on Tuesday, I drove back to the shelter and asked them if I could spend some time with the golden in their gated grass area. Rootbeer reminded me so much of my Golden Brandi, who was my best friend and side kick for the past 6 years I had her.
Before I go any further, let's give you a quick rundown of my life with my goldens.
Ginger my first golden came into our lives in 1997.
We loved her so much that we decided to adopt Brandi from the same people where Ginger came from.
Brandi came from Ginger's blood brother's litter in 1999.
Ginger was Brandi's aunt. Ginger raised Brandi as if she was her own.
Then I was offered Ally girl in 2000 by her breeder Stacie in Corona CA. She was I believe inbreeding her goldens because Ally's sisters looked very funny and no way looking like a golden retrievers.
So there you go so far. My 3 beautiful golden girls Brandi, Ally and Ginger. I called them B.A.G for short when talking about them, since they were so much a part of my life, I spoke about them ALOT!!!!
In 2000, life was great for the Blackmon's. We had bought our own house on 20 acres in Corona CA and I was working at Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona CA, and Ron my hubby had his full time job. Ron's job had Ron go to Durant Oklahoma to build a Target warehouse and we thought he would be a few months only. But in Dec 2001 Ron flew home with the intent to drive us back to Oklahoma because the job was going to take longer. So we packed up some clothes, got a camper shell for my Toyota for the goldens to have cover & took off.
Arrived in Durant Oklahoma on Christmas eve and ended up staying in a motel with 3 goldens for a few weeks until we found a home to rent that would take 3 dogs. Found the perfect place.
While in Durant, we bought a boat.
And everyday it seemed like, after Ron got in from work, we would all take off to Lake Texoma which was about 15 minutes away and spend the hot afternoons with B.A.G, my hubby and just having a great ole time together. Life was so good.
Sadly our time was up in Durant after being there almost 8 months. So we decided on our drive back we would stop at Lake Mead and rent a houseboat for 3 days and then drive back to Corona CA and continue on with life. Packed up what we could and off we go.
Got to Lake Mead the week before 4th of July weekend and it was perfect. Met my best friend Lorrie there with her then hubby Dave and spent 3 days enjoying ourselves with B.A.G, the boat and good friends.
Lorrie
Lanie & Lorrie
We had so much fun that weekend. We came home final July 5th 2003. The house we left was a mess. The person who was suppose to take care of it, didn't at all. All the weeds had grown back in our yard and the inside was a mess. He didn't pay any of the bills and thank God we sent in our mortgage or we would of lost the house most likely. Fought this guy tooth and nail and got some of the money out of him but not all that was owed, so we let go.
Time to move on in life.
So after putting a new home on our property
and doing all the landscaping myself, life was great.
Our 3 goldens Brandi, Ally and Ginger were thriving and happy and so were we. We were so blessed.
In August 2005, I was rubbing Brandi all over and noticed lumps on her neck area. Next morning I took her to the vets to see what it could be and did blood work, only to find out Brandi had Lymphoma Cancer. My heart was broken. I couldn't think, act, or go on without Brandi. She was my side kick, my best friend.
We were referred to a cancer hospital to find out what we could do.
My Brandi was dying and I couldn't deal with it. We decided to give her the best treatment and went and got a $20,000.00 loan out. Every week I would drive Brandi down to Orange County
To the Veterinary Cancer group hospital and she would get her chemo treatments and was such a trooper. Slowly she started losing her hair and getting sick, and this went on for 8 months.
On June 12th 2006, my sweet girl passed away.
I went into a total depression. I locked myself in my roon, didn't want anything to do with Ginger & Ally and started popping sleeping pills and also started doing rum 151 shots. So I was either drunk or sleeping. I didn't feel the pain in my heart during those times. This went on for about a good 3 weeks when one morning I opened my drapes to see how the day was and I saw Brandi in my flower garden. I had to shut my eyes and re-open them and she was there. I hear a tiny soft voice whisper in my ear to get out of bed and go to the nearest shelter and they are waiting there for me.
I thought "who is?" I look out the window and Brandi was gone. Well I threw on some clothes and a baseball cap and went to
Corona Animal Shelter and asked the clerk if they had any Golden Retrievers. He said to go take a look. I came around a bend to Cage #34 and saw these 2 golden retrievers staring back at me.
The one laying down looked just like Brandi and so I ran to the clerk and told him I wanted #1 in Cage #34. He told not till Friday and it was only Monday. So the next morning I went back there and wanted to spend some time with this golden and see how it was towards me. The clerk brings both of them and informs me that the one I wanted was a male and the other is his sister. I thought "Oh gosh, I never had a boy dog before". Well after watching these two together and playing and so loving towards me, I knew what I had to do. I had to adopt both of them. Ron would kill me but I knew I needed them.
On Friday I was to go get them, I was so nervous and they jumped right in. It was about 100 degrees that day and when we came home, we had this little pond outside and the male golden jumped right in the pond.
Now we had 4 goldens
who would of thought!!!!! I knew Brandi lead me there because she wanted me to love again and get my mind off her. It worked. These two were terrible in the beginning.
I named the female Mandi,
Which means "worthy of Love"
and I named the male,
Rootbeer after Brandi's dad.
These 2 sibling duo were always together, always touching.
I never saw a love like this between to dogs
Everyone seemed to get a long.
Ginger & Rootbeer
Everything was great until 2008 in the month of June.
One day Ginger is running with the other 3
and 2 days later she was gone. Just like that. She stopped eating and couldn't even drink water. She was weak, and her last night I slept on the kitchen floor with her telling her how much I loved her.
Ginger passed away on June 18th 2008.
Ginger was 11 years old.
I went from 4
to 3 goldens
Ally, Rootbeer & Mandi.
Life went on and all 3 were happy and living life to the fullest when in March 2013, Mandi started getting sick. Same as Ginger with not eating or getting up etc and so we took her to the vets and she was bleeding internally. Had to put her down.
Mandi passed away the day before my birthday
on March 10th 2013. This was the last picture I got of Rootbeer and Mandi, the night before she had to be put down. Its as if they are feeling God and God is telling them everything will be okay.
So now I am left with 2 goldens
Ally and Rootbeer.
Ally became my love bug. Always with me and sleeping with me while Rootbeer was still very depressed over Mandi passing. He was never the same after she was gone.. seriously.
All he did was sleep and didn't want to go outside and didn't play with Ally anymore and I felt so bad for him.
Then in November 2014 Ally went to the vet and they told me she had kidney failure and wouldn't make it 2 more days. I was shocked and brought her home with me so Ron could say good bye to her. I slept the last night with Ally on the floor, thanking her and telling her how much I loved her.
Ally passed away Nov 17th 2014
My little polar bear was 15 yrs old
Now I was left with just Rootbeer
Rootbeer is now 15 years old and just sleeping and doing nothing. So one day I went back to Corona Animal shelter and came upon a small dog and she was a mess but the only one who came up to me. I had to get her. I don't know why but I felt she needed me and I needed her.
So in Feb 2015 I adopted Zoey
she was a mess.
Her coat was down to the ground and all matted and I was told her life was lived on the streets and she was only 1 years old. So I had them shave her and brought her home, thinking it would help Rootbeer.
Zoey's home with us.
At first Rootbeer wanted nothing to do with her, but slowly I started seeing them together.
They became friends finally.
In January 2017, Rootbeer was not eating, sleeping all the time and could hardly get up. He is now 16 years old and I think he was tired and still missed his sister Mandi. Then at the end of January he stopped eating, and would not get up. He would look at me so tired looking when I knew it was time. Ron got him in the truck and we drove to our vet and had him put down.
Rootbeer my only handsome golden boy & passed away
on January 30th 2017.
Rootbeer was a good boy. My handsome boy, my lover boy. we miss him very much. Zoey has been a little sad and to this day is not eating much as she did when Rootbeer was here.
Rootbeer was my male version of Brandi. I miss all my goldens and now I have for the first time just 1 dog and a little dog.
Zoey
I just adore her so much. I am so happy with her and she has come a long way. But she will be my last furkid, no more after her. I have a long ways to go with her since she just turned 3 years old in Feb 2017. So that was my story of my love for my golden retrievers and now for a terrier mix named Zoey. Hope you enjoyed my journey as I have. My furkids were my heart and Zoey will be very happy with us. She already is happy being the only furkid. Yes she is very spoiled.
God bless
P.S My story about Brandi was put in a book . Its on page 103 or you can go to my family website and read my story in my words. In book they did it in 3rd person.
Brandi's page where my story is and also the poem I wrote after seeing Brandi in my garden and a lot of dog sites and people use my poem called Soft whisper.
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