Seventeen years old today, Angel is, as she has always been, the sweetest dog in America. Though she walks stiff-legged due to her rigid joints, she still enjoys a short stroll. And though she only sees out of her one, somewhat cloudy eye, hears only loud noises or those directed at her, and struggles to stand up at times, she is still full of life. At times her younger sister even gets her to play.
I do not have the words to describe what Angel has meant to me in my life. She joined me when I lived in Lafayette, Louisiana. There she suffered the impossible heat of the summers but was always happy and energetic. Angel of course moved with me to New Hampshire and learned to be an inn dog. Or more accurately, Angel taught me to be an innkeeper, to remember to approach matters with patience and understanding.
I grew up with dogs, and at most stages of my life have been fortunate to have a loving four-legged friend. All have been special, I think of each of them from time to time, including Mary Sunshine, the first dog of my childhood who I clearly remember. But Angel stands alone as that perfect companion. We learned to live in New Hampshire and to operate an inn together, then we learned to operate an inn alone together.
When we first arrived, she showed off her self-taught skill of jumping off the Follansbee Inn dock to retrieve balls. To this day she loves swimming, though now she is satisfied to slowly motor about in circles in shallow water while Grace does the heavy lifting of retrieving.
Guests have always loved and embraced Angel. More than one now are the happy owners of miniature Aussies because of meeting Angel.
But of all the amazing feats this sweet, beautiful soul has accomplished for me, the greatest is that she is the cause of Kendall and me meeting. On a visit to see Kendall in New Hampshire, Kendall’s dad was a guest at Follansbee. He was so impressed that Angel climbed the stairs and scratched on his room door in the morning, seeking entrance, that he told her she “just had to come meet this dog.” The next morning Kendall joined her dad for breakfast and I was surprised to learn that I had such a beautiful (and single) neighbor. Angel ensured that I’ll be set for the rest of my life.
Thank you Angel, and Happy Birthday.
Love,
Your Dad
