Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Fred

During my first weeks of public life, after I first joined the late Doggyspace, I made many friends.  But one of the friends had already shed his mortal coil and gone to the Bridge.  I had never had a friend on the immortal side of the River but one night Fred popped into my dreams and showed me the paradise that awaited me when I crossed over.

Fred arrived at the Bridge before dogs began social networking.  The crowds that now greet pups who cross the River were not there when Fred climbed the stairs.  Just  personal friends and family members.  But as soon as his Mom’s dogs, Junior and Luca, got online and made thousands of friends, whenever one of those pups crossed the River Fred was there to greet them.

Before dogs began blogging learning how to adapt to life at the Bridge was an adjustment for new angels  but Fred began teaching them their duties as soon as they got their wings.  He not only taught them how to be angels for their pups and parents but he trained them on how to teach others to do the same.

Now there is an army of dogs waiting at the Bridge, myself included, to greet our friends and to train them the way Fred trained us.  To honor Fred I recently appointed him an Angel Captain.

We haven’t barked as much with Junior and Luca was we would like in the last few years.  Human issues crept up and blocked block our barks.  We know their wonderful Mom would like to giver her dogs the Freedom to Bark they had in the past and hopefully they will in the future.

But for us angels at the Bridge we have Fred to bark with everyday.  And we are better angels for it.

The Tornado Dogs are our June 2, 2013 Pups of the Week

Meika

Friday night I sat in front of the computer scared to death.  I wasn’t watching a frightening video or watching stories about how the humans are messing up the world, I was reading post after post from my beloved friends who were living in the path of killer tornadoes.  

Thankfully all have checked in and were spared from the storm’s wrath, but it made me realize just how fragile our hold on life, and our friendships, are.  One horrible storm can cause so much havoc and devastation it is unimaginable.  The names of towns become synonomous with destruction, Moore, Joplin, Oklahoma City, Rainsville, like the towns that became famous for Civil War battles:  Fredricksburgh, Antetiem, Shiloh, Gettysburgh.

Practically every day we bark with our good friends Reese and Mieka from Missouri.  Reese is very proud that he can howl just as loud as the tornado sirens.  But his talent scares us.  We never want him to use his howler because that means danger is coming.  On Friday night they were excitedly waiting on word of twin family members being born in Michigan.  But they couldn’t contact their family, and they couldn’t contact us, so there was a big circle of worry going on.  We were happy to hear from them yesterday, but their human twin cousin is in a hospital and in need of prayers.

Then there are our very good friend Koda, Josie, Wills and Emme.  They all had to pack up and leave their farm Friday night as tornadoes were headed right for it.  Thankfully the twisters spared their homestead and by the next morning they were back at the farm, but for one night there were lots of prayers said in their name.

Chey’s and Kaizer’s Mom had to ride out the storm in their basement.  They lost contact when the tornadoes grazed their neighborhood and all us friends held our breath. They came through the storms in one piece but the hotel where many friends stayed during last year’s Baronfest was hit.  Chey’s and Kaizer’s Mom made a wise choice pushing this year’s Baronfest until after tornado season.

On Wednesday Chelsea and Junior Johnson’s family got a warning about a major tornado and had to hunker down in their bedroom.  Two nights later they had to go through the same hell and then again on the 30th.  Their Mom’s Facebook page became tornado central, as did many other peep’s pages.

Shakira, Napa, and tiny Travis had to go into the storm cave to wait out the tornadoes that swirled around them.  It was Travis first storm but he came out fine  thanks to his Mom being so calm and Angel Apollo watching out from overhead.

There were lots of other pups in the path of these terrible storms like Summer Grace whose stories we have not told.  But we want them all to know we prayed very hard for them and are so happy they came through the darkness OK and pray it is a long time until they face another week like this.

For now we give you and your parents a big tip of the tail for being calmer and braver dogs then either us or our parents could ever be.

May you have nothing but sunny days for the rest of the summer. 

Luca is our February 21 2010 pop of the week

Gosh, Pocket and I can’t remember the last time we honored a dog of the week who wasn’t either at the bridge or in grave danger of catching the next train to it’s shores. It has been a hard start of the year for our Brigade, but we’re still going as strong as the day we were formed.

And we’re happy to announce this weeks pup is nowhere near the bridge, even though he did have quite a scare. But before we announce the winner I would like to say that every member of the Brigade could be named Pup of the Week because we’ve never been prouder of our colleagues.

First, we have all welcomed the Hammies, who were unceremoniously swept out of the castle. Here they have a happy home where we’ll all watch out for them. I have already asked Hobo to work out a peace treaty between them and the cats so there is no unnecessary violence.

Then there is Lily who has added another fun aspect to our site: the photo shopped pictures: of Smoochy taking our newest members on a bobsled ride, and of Hattie doing the ski jump (the picture of Pocket and I was totally real.) Then there was Kolchak who did the greatest Olympic event of all, the counter surf, combined with the daring eating of chocolate, and came through all of it no worse for the wear.

But this week’s pup of the week put a lump of fear in all our throats almost the size of the one on his back. Dogs aren’t meant to have lumps. They are usually a sign of a very bad thing. We all thought “Oh no, not another sick loved one” but thankfully his lump got debunked and he should be just fine.

As you have already surmised, our pup of the week is Luca. Hopefully, his Mom, who is going on holiday, will see this. If not, it will be a pleasant surprise when she gets back. Luca didn’t earn this just by having a non-lethal lump, with his story contests and his smart, wonderful, comments he is one of our major contributors and a beautiful friend.

Luca, Junior, and Rainbow Bridge’s wonderful Fred have been one of the driving creative and emotionally supportive forces of the Tanner Brigade. We are a better site because we have them and their wonderful Mom. So here’s to her, our Shining Star Mother, to Luca, our Pup of the Week, an honorable mention to Junior, and a Rainbow Bridge Pup of the Week reward for Fred. Well deserved for all.