Roscoe 7/10/82 - 9/10/99 When you first entered my life I must admit my emotions were confusing as I was recovering from having to make a painful decision all pet owners are faced with at some time in their life--putting their pet to sleep. Boots was the first pet in my life. It hurt deeply to let go of him but the veterinarian was able to convince me that Boots who developed a brain tumor at 21 years was near death and there was nothing left to do. You were Boots' replacement. You filled these past 17 years with joy and laughter along with worry like when you would break your run and be missing and when you had to have a few teeth extracted last year. You were a tough and courageous dog filled with a lot of determination from the first day we brought you home. When you were a puppy your ears were too large for your head like most Beagle puppys. You would make us laugh when you would run about and play and your ears would make you tumble. You scared us when we went to get license plates for Daddy's truck. Daddy placed you in the back of the truck because you kept trying to jump out the truck window. You weren't content being in the back of the truck while Daddy talked to the notary. You decided you had to be in the middle of everything. You decided to leap out of the back of Daddy's truck landing flat on your face. We were fortunate you didn't hurt yourself. There there was the time there was a snake down near your run. Daddy was getting ready to bring you in the house. I noticed the snake and panicked. Daddy took a tree limp and hurled the snake into the woods laughing. Seems you decided to teach that snake a lesson so you bit his head off. There was the time I bought chocolate for Daddy for Valentine's Day. I had left it on the table while I ran to the store for a few minutes. Upon my return I discovered a trail of Hershey Kiss wrappings. It was a mircale you didn't get seriously ill from consuming all that chocolate. There was the time when as a puppy we kept you in the kitchen to avoid your getting into mischief while we slept. We placed an infant's gate in the kitchen doorway to keep you in the kitchen. In the wee hours of the morning we heard you whimpering. I got up to see why you were whimpering and discovered you in the hallway. You had chewed a hole through the infant's gate and had your head stuck in the middle of the gate. You had walked from the kitchen halfway up the hallway leading to our bedroom with the gate around your head and was stuck in the hallway. Daddy had to get up and free you. I guess this was your way in letting us know that you wanted to sleep in the bedroom near us rather than be alone in the kitchen. There was the time I bought a dog cage for you to stay in when I ran errands so you wouldn't get into any trouble. The first one you bent the bars on the first day. I bought another one that was for larger dogs for you. After 3 days you discovered how to push the tray out of the bottom and lift the cage so you could run free throughout the house. Daddy wired the bottom of the tray to the cage which solved that problem. It didn't take long for you to figure out how to bend the bars on that cage. I took a piece of wood and placed it over the bent bars. That didn't last long. The first day you chewed a hole through the wood releasing yourself. I guess that was your way in telling us that you did not like being penned up and would behave if left alone. Your first winter you decided to explore the basement while I was reloading the wood stood. I neglected to place the infant gate at the top of the stairs to keep you away as you were sleeping when I went downstairs. You must have heard me and you woke up and decided to join me. You missed your footing and tumbled to the bottom of the steps landing flat on your face. Fortunately you were not hurt. You quickly scrambled to your feet and I carried you upstairs to keep you out of further mischief. There was the time I was polishing the floor and stopped for a few minutes to check the wood stove. The infant gate was up and while I was checking the wood stove I heard you wake up and start playing. when I returned I discovered that you had bit the cord in half on the floor polisher. It's a miracle you didn't get electrocuted. There was no need to sweep the floor when making meals or after eating them as you were always there to clean up. I'll never forget how you used to patiently wait for us to finish eating so you could get your special treat after each meal, licking our dinner plates. You especially loved to lick the plates after we had Italian food. I gave you my dinner plate last monday night which had homemade manicotti remains with homemade sauce. You managed to force yourself to get up and lick my plate twice. I knew at that point something was seriously wrong as you usually lick the plate clean. I always felt secure with you being around even when your health began to diminish the past couple of years. I no longer feel secure with your not being here. I enjoyed our many walks through the deep snow and the many sleigh rides we took together every winter after a snow storm. One thing certain, there was never a dull moment from the first day you came into our life. You made life interesting with our trying to perceive things through your eyes and your mind. You brought a lot of laughter into my life during my darkest moments. You were a great companion during these times in my life. You provided me with great comfort when my grandfather passed away. I don't know how I would have been able to get through the grieving period without you by my side. I enjoyed our heart to heart chats. You were always there for me to share my most deepest thoughts. Your health these past two years hasn't been the best. There was last year when we thought you wouldn't survive the extraction of three teeth or the follow up teeth cleanings. Even the veterinarian didn't think you would survive the extractions. Being the tough dog you were you recovered and were just as frisky as ever. I know it must have been frustrating for you to not be able to walk as well as you used to or run and gallop about as you used to these past couple of months. Your eyesight, hearing and sense of smell diminished gratly since February, 1998 along with your appetite and mind this past year. The veterinarian said your eyes were fine and the loss of muscle in your hind legs was normal for a dog your age and that you weren't in any pain because of this. The veterinarian told us to just make your comfortable. I told the veterinarian that your back legs frequently froze up on you and that you couldn't walk and had difficulty getting up. I know that had to be painful for your physically and emotionally regardless of what the veterinarian said. It broke my heart to watch you struggle to get up. I admire your determination in trying to and wept at your frustration in not being able to do so. So my dear trusting loyal companion of 17 years it is with deep sorrow I am forced to surrender you to Our Lord. I know Our Lord has a special place in heaven for you and that He will take care of you and look after you as lovingly as I have. You will no doubt meet Boots my first dog. Together you can share your personal stories of the special relationship each of you had with me on earth as well as the special companionship each of you provided me with for so many years. I often talked to my blind grandfather about you when I would visit him. He always asked about you. I'm sure you will get the chance to meet him too. I know he is going to take to you as I did and will love you as much as I have. With deep sorrow I must let you go. Know that I always loved you Roscoe and that I am grateful for being blessed and having you in my life all these years. Thank you for being my friend and I hope you know how much I love dyou and how greatly I will miss you. thank for for all the joy and laughter you brought into my life all these years. thank you for all the wonderfull memories all these years that I will have to draw upon. I hope you will thik of me from time to time as I know I will often think of you. I hope that Boots and you will look down from heaven and continue to protect me from harm as you both did when you were on earth. It is so difficult and painful to say goodbye my trusting, loyal and loving friend. I wish I could stop the tears flowing from my eyes right now but I guess that's what loving someone is about. Your Daddy called Friday and I told him the end was near. He was upset that he had to go away on business and had hoped the end would have come when he was here as he wanted so much to be here by your side. Mooker and Yoda have been upset for the past two days that you haven't been here while spending the nights at the veterinarian's. They seem lonely without you. I think they knew the end was closer than I did. Your last night home both of them walked around you and rubbed themselves up against you. I guess that was their way in letting you know they didn't want you to forget them. I'm going to miss you very much Roscoe. I'm going to miss all the things we used to do together. Every night since you have been at the veterinarians' has been very draining emotionally for me. I lay awake at night hoping to hear you moving about. The dead silence keeps me away. Always remember Roscoe that you were loved by all of us and will be greatly missed by all of us. With deep love and sorry I remain forever your human mommy. I will miss you and never forget you. God Bless You My Faithful Companion. Love Your Mommy,