Toby

He had been only with us for about a week when I decided since I was the last one up before going to bed that I would let him out one more time. He would usually wander around in the back yard off the leash and pee then head back to the porch where I would give him a treat. Well tonight he seemed to wander longer in the dark night getting farther and farther away from the house as he sniffed around. Suddenly he was over the back wall into a new territory, another neighbors yard. Well it isn't so much a yard as it is a wooded area of several acres next to the local middle school, in other words, plenty of places for a puppy to explore.  

 And explore he did. With everybody else in the house asleep and me on the porch in my bare feet I panicked. I went to the house for a flashlight and proceeded to check the woods behind the house. I had lost the new dog!!!  My daughter had just started had just started elementary school and Toby was her new best friend. I spent the next two hours circling the neighborhood calling his name. Well I returned to see him wagging his tale sitting alone on the porch. We would have many more adventures during his 17 years. Hiking the woods of Exeter in middle of  the winter with him occasionally chasing deer while I enjoyed the solitude. The backyard baths after his regular wrestling match with local skunk.
Like a lot of things in life we remember the good times as being to short but time has no mercy it just keeps moving not worrying about good times or bad.

 Rest In Peace....Toby