a dog named "Courage".

"Courage is a tall girl with a shiny coat and greying in her face.
She has big brown eyes.
We do not know her exact age nor her breed.
Probably like we used to say 47 Heinz variety.

Courage had another name and home at one time, she lived outside on a chain with a dog house.
My daughter in law would bring home anything on 4 legs and disliked most species on 2 legs. She kept watching the black dog and saw that she did not get much in food and nill in attention. Then one day she saw the dog being beaten. That night the rescue effort was made and Ari climbed over the fence and took the dog and ran for her car.
Delighted she came home to show her new live-in. Bob would not have anything to do with it, you go to the Sheriff right now and explain and they will confront the owner and you will get the dog!!!!

Ari figured he was right and the rest is history.
The female settled in with cats, and some angora rabbits. They named her "Courage".
But she was a bit short in the courage department. She hid, she was frightened.
She no longer had it to fight back, she gave in and hid.
Oddly enough she took to Bob. Since a male had beaten her we were not sure she would trust another one but she adores Bob.

At some point the gang moved to Texas, including a tank with hermit crabs which we still have but now bigger. Bob wants to save the crabs from the ugly gift shops who paint them sell them for 9.95 and then the cage etc....and the hermit needs certain food in captivity and certain temperature. Bob can't save the crab population but he has kept 7 of them for about 7 years now.
They are tame to some extend as they know when he comes with the food.
Special organic food !!!!

In Texas we all lost our Ari. Her dad was in charge of her things as Bob had come home for a short visit to help with old Dad. Bob had of course left the cats and dogs in Texas ans was going to return within a few weeks.
Bob has agoraphobia, he got worse and worse and could not leave the house. Brie and I found out that they had put Courage and the cats in a shelter. They were to be put down tomorrow. Brie pleaded and pleaded so they kept the animals for us to come and get.

We took a plane to Dallas and went straight to the shelter and accepted a giddy Courage and some neglected scared cats.Long hair all messed up.
We put them in boxes , got Ari's car and drove home the same day.
We had to get into a motel at some point. So we found one and said we had a dog and paid for him but kept quiet about the cat menagerie.

We settled in put out a cat box and hoped for the best.
One kitten had been crying the whole 300 miles and we still had a day to go.
All went well. Courage kept waking up and looking at us. It was a long night.
Next morning we pack up and miss a cat....we look everywhere...no cat...panic sets in....no cat to be seen. We know no one had opened a door we had blocked it with a chair and double lock. The cat had to be somewhere. Sabrina undid the beds and there she was between the box spring, she put up a fight and did not want to leave her safe place.

Back en route we ordered in drive-ins, less we would have one animal bolt out.
We had a delivery of one cat ordered in Atlanta by Ari's friend.
So with the meowing out of the way we had it a bit quieter on the rest of our trip.
Courage behaved very well.

The reunion of Bob and Courage was all joy. They make a terrific team.
She loves it here and she became a bit overweight. That worried me but not enough to share my dinners with the lot of them. No we did not keep the other cats, friends of Ari all wanted one of them and I had one already so lets just stop it there.
Bob loves the dogs but his big love is cats, so I keep quiet about that.

In the autumn I noticed that Courage was losing weight, she did not go gobble the food and became somewhat distant. The changes came very slowly but I kept feeding her more and more and she would refuse, finally I am feeding her out of my hands or with a spoon. I said to Bob that she is senile. Say what?

Her walking around from room to room sometimes stuck in a corner reminded me of old Bob and his walks. Everything showed me "dementia" and sure enough that is what
the old girl has. We are trying vitamins which are supposed to help a lot with hearing and recognition. We are guessing she is about 14 and has had a terrific life with Bob not to mention that I spoil her. She does sleep with Bob that is her friend and she tolerates Bijou and the Corgy.
Sad to see but Ari saved her for a better life.