I FINALLY FOUND THE PROPERTY I HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR. EIGHT ACRES, SURROUNDED BY CHAIN-LINK FENCE AND A TWO ACRE POND FOR MY TWO LITTLE BABIES TO RUN AND PLAY 'TIL THEIR LEGS WERE WEARY. OH HOW THEY LOVED IT SO ! I MET NEW FRIENDS AND THEY SHARED MY MEMORIAL DAY PICNIC CELEBRATION AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. JUST AS WE BEGAN OUR COOKOUT, MY LITTLE COMPANIONS COULD NOT BE FOUND, THEIR USUAL OBEDIANCE AND ABSENCE STRUCK TERROR IN MY HEART, AS I HAD BEEN WARNED OF THE NASTY NEIGHBOR TWO PROPERTIES DOWN WOULD SHOOT ANYTHING IF IT VENTURED ON THEIR PROPERTY. I WILL NEVER KNOW HOW THEY LEFT MY PROPERTY THAT DAY, BUT SUSPECT SOMEONE AT THE COOKOUT LEFT A GATE OPEN MOMENTARILY. THE SOUND OF GUNFIRE FOREVER SADDENED ANY MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATIONS FOR ME. I BURIED MY BABIES, JUST AS THEY ALWAYS SLEPT, IN EACHOTHER'S ARMS, AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE, PROMISING THEM JUSTICE FOR THEIR INJUSTICE. AFTER ONE YEAR OF NUMEROUS COURT SHEDULES, I KNELT AT THEIR GRAVE AND LET THEM KNOW HOW THE JUDGE SENTENCED HIM TO ONE YEAR, $500. FINE AND 8O HRS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE AT THE LOCAL DOG POUND. I LET THEM KNOW I HAD NEVER GIVEN UP AND KEPT MY PROMISE TO THEM, AS PRINTED ON THEIR CROSS, "LITTLE JOE AND VIOLET", "RUNNING TOGETHER FOREVER", "I PROMISE YOU JUSTICE". LITLLE JOE AND VIOLET, I STILL SEE YOU RUNNING ACROSS THE PASTURES AND AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE FROM TIME TO TIME. I KNOW YOU STILL LOVE YOUR FREEDOM AND ADVENTURE. MY HEART IS SADDENED BY MY INABILITY TO CARRESS YOUR HEADS AND FEEL YOUR SOFT TONGUES ON MY HANDS, BUT ONE OF THESE DAYS I WILL ONCE AGAIN. I STILL LOVE YOU AS MUCH AS EVER, MOM