Their Names Both Start with "L"

In the early part of this past week, the National Weather Service predicted a major winter storm would affect our area. I accepted the news as bittersweet. I wasn't looking forward to large amounts of snow, possible power outages, and being stranded in the house. However, I knew the storm would give me a Sunday morning story.

It turns out the storm would be part of my story, albeit a small part.

The story starts quite a few years ago. My younger brother, I will call Les, came to me with a proposal. "Hey, would the twins like a puppy?" I told Les we already had two dogs, "but hey, what's one more!"

Me: Where did you get a puppy?

Les: I have six female Great Pyrenees puppies I would like to give away for my in-laws. They have a sheep ranch and use the dogs to protect the sheep. However, they only use male dogs. If you know anyone who would like a puppy let me know.

Me: We could take one and I will ask around

I found a neighbor who would be delighted to have a free puppy. That's where it got a little weird. I received two puppies from Les and brought them home for the twins to pick the one they wanted. I forgot I had twins. Twins won't choose one puppy, they each want a puppy.

After a HUGE family discussion, I decided to tell my neighbor I was keeping both puppies.

Me: I have a problem, I need to keep both puppies.

Neighbor: You promised me a puppy and you are going to give me one

Me; Look, I have two kids, I need two puppies. I hope you will understand

Neighbor: Sometimes you will disappoint your children, This sounds like one of those times. I want the puppy

Me; I'm keeping the puppy

The conversation got a little hot. I was amazed SHE knew "construction language" and wasn't afraid to use it. She didn't seem surprised that I was able to understand what she was saying and was able to speak the same language.

I mentioned my situation to Les and he said, "I told you I have six puppies, I'll get you another one." Although my relationship with the neighbor was never the same, Les saved the day.

The puppies that we kept were as different as the twins. Girl Twin chose the classically beautiful Great Pyrenees, an aggressive puppy she named Maggie. Maggie kept our family safe until she passed about a year ago.

Boy Twin wanted the dare I say, ugly mutt-looking puppy with hair over her eyes. He named her Lizzie. I think he had a lot of help with that name. The name Lizzie has Elaine all over it. Lizzie has no aggressive traits whatsoever. She doesn't growl at people, she doesn't growl at other dogs. She is an over one hundred-pound ball of hair.

With the two other dogs long gone and Maggie passing last year Lizzie's personality changed. She follows me wherever I go. She sleeps next to my bed where Maggie used to sleep. A couple of months ago Lizzie slipped and fell climbing the stairs and going to bed. She didn't seem hurt but she would never climb the stairs again. She stands at the bottom of the stairs looking up the stairs but wouldn't take a step towards the stairs. She plays the guilt trip real well standing there trying to get me to sleep in the recliner on the first floor. OK, what are recliners for if you can't sleep in them?

It started snowing Wednesday night. The National Weather Service was right. We had a tremendous snowstorm. More than twenty inches of snow by Friday morning. Our driveway was snowed in and would need to be plowed with a tractor. (I have a tractor)

Friday morning I got up, looked outside, and made the coffee. Lizzie was lying on the dining room floor. I couldn't get her to stand up. She wouldn't stand because she couldn't stand. She was looking at me through those hair-covered eyes.

With the snow in the driveway getting Lizzie to the veterinarian would be hours away. Since she fell on the stairs, Lizzie has been taking painkillers. We gave her a painkiller.

While we were getting Lizzie comfortable and I was preparing to plow the driveway. I received a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. The person on the phone didn't call me Monner. She used my other name.

Caller: D@##$%L, this is Karen (Les' ex-wife) Les died during surgery yesterday

The world stopped. How could this be? Les was young(er) and healthy

Les and I haven't been close for a while. Truth is we haven't spoken in quite some time. As we grew up I was the big brother and he was the little brother. Maybe we never got over that. If Les's family reads this, I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I enjoyed my years of playing men's fast-pitch softball together. It is quite possible that Les could throw a softball harder than anyone in town. He learned that by throwing shoes at his older brother when we were kids.

I/we took Lizzie to the veterinarian late Friday afternoon. You already know she didn't come home. She is with Maggie and the others.