Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

In loving memory of my Grandmother,
Mary Mattocks
who passed away on Sept 8th, 2007, at 100 years old,
with my sister, my nephew and myself at her side.
We love you Gramma...

Gramma's lesson in life was this,
do what makes you happy,
gossip, be with your friends,
sing all the Irish songs, even if you can't sing,
learn to love bagpipes,
and most of all, 
LOVE....
you don't even have to say it,
just be sure everyone knows...

This is a story written by a friend of mine who is owned by
Sophie, AKA Star, out of our Calvin/Jas litter....

Used with permission...

Of cars and canines: Trade the keys for a collie

By Wendy Fickbohm

It could have been a car.. sleek, silver, Audi TT coupe 225 horsepower. I never loved cars.
They depreciate, they are costly to insure, and they lose their luster.  But the first time I saw a
little TT, I was wearing driving gloves, speeding down, the road, wind in my hair.. I felt
exhilarated young and free. That was only the fantasy; I knew the reality had to be even better.
So the search began.  It was going to be a 2003 Silver Audi TT coupe, low mileage, maximum
horsepower. But I would hear a little voice.. "is it really going to make you happy?" .Probably not,
only I can do that, but I will recapture those exhilarating moments of lost youth and freedom and
that would be okay.. until the day I was shopping at Lowe's and a couple walked into the garden
section with the most beautiful, elegant dog I had ever seen.. just floating at their side. A large
dog, with a body of long flowing white hair, a black and tan face, and sweet dark eyes. I was
mesmerized.  What kind of dog was this? A white collie was their reply.  Can you handle all of
that hair? We love him so much it does not matter"  ..and that was it.  The dreams of my TT
vanished and in its place, I had become the owner of a collie.

 I read everything from Jon Katz wonderful book "Katz on Dogs" to Cesar Milan's theories of
discipline and searched the internet. I read about all of the dog breeds, even though I was
partial to a Collie.  I considered adoption from the Humane Society or a rescue group. I would
have seriously considered adoption of an older dog, but I planned on bringing my dog to my
insurance agency every day.  Because of the interaction with the public and all ages, including
small children, I wanted a breed with some behavioral predictability. I kept going back to the
Collies.  Intelligent, easily trainable, family oriented, excellent with children and other animals,
couch potatoes at home, but active outside. The only downside was the hair and the size.  I kept
hearing, "but we love him so much it does not matter." .  The other questions were answered.. can
you walk your dog every day? Can you provide vet care and proper nutrition and attention??  Yes,
yes. But the deeper question was never asked. Why?  Why after 37 years of only a cat filled
marriage would you introduce a dog into your life? Why, when you enjoy traveling all over the
world, dining out, going to movies, theater, and concerts would you intentionally create schedule,
discipline, and structure in your life? We could come and go as we had been since our daughter
left for college, marriage, and family (in a proper progressive order!) nineteen years ago! So why
not only a dog, but a puppy!  My husband, Greg, always enjoyed dogs and seemed to have a
"sixth sense" about their behavior, but never owned a dog.  We had a twenty year old cat that
never had lived with a dog. We knew we would have a future of housebreaking, obedience
classes, schedules, vet bills, feeding, walking...a schedule! Something that as you age, you want
less and less. 

 But now as I walk down Main Street with my beautiful Sophie at my side, prancing and joyful
about another adventure in the beautiful outdoors, I am struck by the answers.  When I am with
her, I melt into her world.  Her world is about the small blue butterfly on the new crabapple bud,
the blades of grass exuding the exotic scents of her fellow creatures, like perfume to her nose.
  Her world is about what is just now, this moment.  She has had no sorrow, no anger, no
resentment.  She does not carry her feelings into the future.  She opens her heart every day to
the people that lean over to pet her and give her a smile.  She does not know when we pass
someone who is not interested in her, she stops and looks at them and still wiggles her tail in
greeting.  She is living life like I want to live.  Happy, grateful, present.  When I am with her at
the magnificent dog park in Louisville, I am as free as she is.  Watching her run with her pals, roll
in the grass, play chase, and yet always look for my presence, reminds me that life is sweet and simple and good.

Because of Sophie, I walk an hour more every day, I meet new and beautiful friends.  We belong
to the same Club.  We love our animals not only because they love us but because they give us the
truth and the meaning to life.  It isn't about cars or houses or bank accounts. It is about love and
nurturing, teaching and learning, doing the hard work to get to that dear sweet moment when you
look at her and she looks at you and you know that you are both connected to each other and all
that lives and breathes around you.

 That is what I was looking for and although I know I could find that without Sophie, she will
show me the way when I retreat to my self centered emotional place that whines and cries about
the tomorrows that may never come or the past that is gone. She is my daily reminder to stop, look
and smell the beauty and love around me.

An Audi TT could never have come close.

And yes, she is a white collie, with a merle face and merle splash on her side.

We picked her up at 8 weeks, she is now 7 months old. She has been to my office everyday, looks
forward to her daily tours around Louisville, and meeting and greeting my clients, friends, and
family with an open heart and wagging tail.

Nope, that TT could not even come close.....

Thank you all so much for your kind words and giving my babies an incredible
home....