Our sweet Milly passed away Wednesday night. She has left a big open space in our hearts and our house. Think of her tomorrow when we will bury her in our back yard. We will plant a fruit tree over her so her sweetness will sweeten the fruit it produces.

We adopted Milly on Valentine's Day, almost five years ago, from DAWG (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group) in Santa Barbara. I asked them, "Who is your oldest dog?" and they brought me
to Milly who I knew at first sight would come home with me. She quickly adjusted to our home in the hills of Santa Barbara and fell in love with Rick and took him to be her charge for the next four years. Yes, she loved me, but when Rick came into the room her tail wagged and her whole
demeanor perked up.

She and Jack, her "kennel mate" at DAWG (who joined our family two weeks after Milly)were known as "Pancho and Lefty" by our neighbors who regularly saw them on their daily walks down our dirt roads. Milly was the leader and Jack devotedly hopped beside her as they explored Refugio Road.

Milly adjusted to Madison and grew to love her daily neighborhood leash walks, but she kept her independence, leading the way as Rick and I walked behind her. Although she became deaf her last few years, she knew our hand signals for "follow us". Her sense of smell took top billing and she could sniff out a dried up worm on the road from three feet away.

Milly passed away in our bed, lying between us. We think she was about 14 years old.

Rest in peace, Mildred.