My Guardian "Angel"

Some of you have read about my lab/chow mix, Blackie Bear. I will share a secret with you..... he is my guardian angel of sorts. He weighs about 98 pounds,covered in thick black fur, with a spotted tongue and these days sporting a grey beard.

He is my constant companion. Every night as I write this blog, he is in the floor beside me waiting patiently until it is bedtime. When Jordan is here and we are outside, so is Blackie Bear. When I take a walk every morning, he walks the first 10 minutes or so, then goes up to the front door, waits for me to open the door and tell him that it's ok, he can rest, I'll be back in a little while.

He is maybe 14 or 15 years old, not sure, because he was abandoned. He has been with us twelve years.

A couple of weeks ago, when I was very sick, he never left my side. There was one day, when I could barely breathe, he went to the bathroom door and waited for me for a couple of minutes, then pushed the door open to make sure I was ok.

Some days, when I am not breathing so good, I take short naps, so does he right by the sofa, ever watchful.

He knew this week when my brother was ill, and I was upset, every time I sat down, he was in my face as if to say, it's ok, I am right here!

He loves to swim, not as much as when he was younger, he's short of breath too.

The photo is of our garden a couple of years ago, when we had days of rain. Blackie thought we had built a pond just for him! He was so happy!

There is a pond down behind our barn, in winters past it has frozen, but that never stopped

Blackie Bear, he would dive right in, then come home with ice crystals on his fur. Last winter we had a couple of snows, as we walked through the woods, Blackie would roll in the snow and bark as if to say, this is my kind of life!

Some days I just need a hug, and he knows.........he will take his paw and nudge me until I hug

him, how does he know these things????? On a good day, he loves to prance and I try to savor

all these incredible moments with him, I know he like many of my friends came into my life for a reason. I am really grateful for this big, black, furry angel!