Veronica - my second mum

Hi everyone, I think it is time I introduce to you another very important human in my life. Her name is Veronica, she is mum's best friend, and I call her my second mum!

Veronica

Veronica came into my life about five years ago when she came to mum's high school in Victoria to study. They became good friends and mum introduced me to Veronica. However, true to the Airedale personality, I was fairly aloof to Veronica at first. You see, we Airedale Terriers will give anything and everything to people whom we consider "part of our pack". However, if we don't see you as part of our pack, we really don't give you much of a second thought.

Well this was the case when Veronica and I first met. She was a cat person who didn't pay much attention to me, and I ignored her most of the time. After high school graduation, both mum and Veronica moved to Vancouver to continue their studies. Even though they both rented places of their own, they lived together 80% of the time. It was then Veronica started to see that "dogs" aren't so bad afterall. So from a cat person, she became a somewhat dog person. She liked Labrador Retrievers ............... Labs are nice dogs, but they are basically the opposite of what we "Terrorists" are like.

Slowly, I warmed up to Veronica, and Veronica observed the "bond" mum and I had, the things I was willing to do for mum. She realized this was not just any usual human-dog bond; it was something "special" as she had never seen such dedication and devotion from both master and dog. Voluntarily, she started to prepare my meals for me, went for walks with mum and me, gave me my supplements (some of them required pilling), played my favorite keep-away game with me, and TALKED to me (mom caught her baby talking to me HAHAHA). At the same time, I realized maybe she was a good addition to my pack!! We started bonding, and the rest is history!!!

Here are photos we have taken over the last few years.

Thanksgiving 2002 - notice their "turkey" and my Thanksgiving "chicken"??

Veronica holding my little cousin "Meemo", mum hugging me (07.2003)

Veronica knew of my elbow problem, and just like mum, she discouraged me from doing anything that might potentially hurt my elbow. For example, when she came home from school and I welcomed her with my happy leaps, she would catch my front end in the air and set me down gently so my arthritic elbow wouldn't have to endure the impact from landing. Because of my arthritic elbow, mum doesn't like my doing a lot of stairs. So mum usually carries me down flights of stairs to limit the amount of impact on my elbow. However, when mum was not around, Veronica, who weighed a mere 115 lbs, would carry all 62 lbs of me down flights of stairs because she cared about me just as much as mum does. Veronica also hated it when mum would feed me junk foods that they were eating. She thought it was unhealthy, and the heavier I got, the more stress I would place on my elbow. (Mum knows that, but she just can't resist my ever hopeful eyes...). My begging success rate with mum is about 100%, and was only 20% with Veronica. She did give in if she felt the food was not too strong tasting, but would only give me little teeny bits.

December 2004

Veronica looked after me while mum was in Taiwan and we had so much fun together. Mom rarely goes back to Taiwan to visit relatives because of me. She doesn't trust anybody other than Veronica or grandpa to look after me because of my "special needs". Veronica is able to "read" me just as well as mum does. She could tell just from looking at my eyes if I was sad, or happy, or scared, or "thinking". She could tell by my body language what I was about to do next.

This picture was taken when mum was in Taiwan and Veronica was looking after me - look at the pillow she made for me because my head was hanging off the bed.....hehehe

Veronica's sister, Cecilia came over to visit us from Taiwan in the summer of 2002. She is two years younger than mum and Veronica, but she was still very fun to be with.

Me and Cecilia in 2002

Drawing Cecilia did of me from..................................................

THIS PHOTO!!!

Cecilia has a canine buddy in Taiwan as well. His name is "Gary" and he is about six years old. Cecilia has a soft spot for all the unlucky strays running around the busy streets of Taiwan, so she rescued Gary off the streets when he was 4 months old. Look at what a handsome guy he has grown up to be!! (I think the wrinkles on his forehead is kinda SEXY....hehehe!!)

However, all good thing must come to an end I guess....(sniff sniff) On January 26th 2005, Veronica left Vancouver to go to the world renown Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) in Caux Montreux, Switzerland to study hotel management.

Please take a moment and visit Veronica's photo album. Check out how beautiful Switzerland and SHMS is!! We are so envious of her.

http://www.wretch.cc/album/album.php?id=Ver620&book=5 http://www.wretch.cc/album/album.php?id=Ver620&book=6 http://www.wretch.cc/album/album.php?id=Ver620&book=7

Nonetheless, it was a sad sad day for all of us. Mum and I took Veronica to the Vancouver International Airport to see her off. Even though dogs are technically not allowed inside the airport unless they are in crates, mum still brought me in. I was a very calm girl, because I knew something was going on. I could sense the sadness in both mum and Veronica, but I didn't know why just yet. As usual, I had lots of admirers, but I cared less about them. I just wanted my two mums to cheer up. Veronica spent as much time as she could with me in the airport, I could see water in her eyes, but I didn't know why. When Veronica walked passed the security checks and mum and I didn't, I finally realized why they were so sad, why Veronica had water in her eyes. I stood there still as a statue, at the end of my leash, staring into the security gates hoping and waiting for Veronica to come out again like she had done many times before in different places. But she never did. I started giving out pitiful cries that broke mum's heart. Many people came over to try to comfort me, but it was no use. I just wanted Veronica back, not anybody else. Mum tried to get me to go, but I wouldn't move an inch away from the security gates. I waited and waited, cried and cried even more, still she didn't come back. I was tired from standing for so long, so I laid down, but I was still waiting, hoping that if I waited long enough, showed her my loyalty and devotion, she would somehow come back. She still didn't. I realized then she wasn't coming back. So when mum again tried to ask me to walk with her, I had that "empty" look in my eyes and followed mom out.

Here are pictures taken at the airport the day Veronica left Vancouver.....

Mum, me, and Veronica (1.26.04)

Ever since the day Veronica left, I have been keeping a look out for her wherever I go. Any Asian female who possesses the slightest resemblance to Veronica in any way gets to be checked out by me. I usually run up with my tail going at 100 miles per hour, ever hopeful that it is my Veronica, but so far, I have been disappointed every single time........... Just a few months ago, I saw a caucasian lady at a park from about 200 ft away and I started storming towards her. Mum had no idea what I was doing as I normally never react to caucasians (no offense). She called and called until I eventually stopped for a second, gave her the "COME ON MUM!!!!" look, swung my head around and kept running towards the person. Mum ran after me and when she finally caught up to me, she realized why I was running. This lady who I was running towards to was wearing the exact same white "Columbia" jacket Veronica used to wear all the time. I really thought after so many months, she had came back...... My tail came down immediately and my happy bounce disappeared when I saw the lady's face. It was not my Veronica. She was a nice lady who tried to pet me, but I walked away. The scene brought tears to mum's eyes, it broke her heart.

This is my devotion to the people I love, to my pack. I would do anything for Veronica if she would just come back............

COME BACK PLEASE???

Mum and Veronica sometimes talk on the phone and mum always holds the phone to my ear so I can listen to Veronica talking. Sometimes I cock my head non-stop, sometimes I listen intently, followed by a good sniff. However, the phone never once smelled like my Veronica, it is just not good enough for me.