HOLLY’S STORY
“The Garage Door Has Closed For The Last Time.”
I suppose that’s an unusual way to start a memorial story.
A little history about Holly’s rescue may help. Barb and Dennis drove to Iowa to get Holly. Her original owners had her since she was a puppy, and Holly (then Angel) was a companion to the woman who was wheelchair-bound. There were many pictures in the house of the woman and Angel. Sadly, the woman died when Holly was about 7 years old. Now, the man was ill and in hospice. Holly needed a new home at age 11.
Although a local citizen had voiced interest in Holly, it was not an ideal situation — (keeping her in the barn, no fenced yard, by a highway!!). While Barb tried to obtain this information from the interested party, there were multiple dropped calls on two different cell phones…like, maybe that arrangement was not meant to be!
The caretaker then decided that Holly should be surrendered to GRRIN. While Barb completed paperwork with the caretaker inside, Dennis stayed outside with the dog. Then, he noticed that the garage door started going up and down by itself! Barb also noticed this strange phenomenon from inside the house. It seemed like maybe Holly’s prior Mom was telling GRRIN to “take the dog and go.” Barb and Dennis related it was one of the most unusual surrenders they had ever experienced.
So, we were the lucky ones who got her and made her a part of our family. “Miss Holly” was a big, but quiet girl. She loved the cold and rolling in the snow. As she aged, we gave her the nickname “Speed Bump.” She always laid down right where we needed to walk or where we were working. She wanted to be where we were. We just couldn’t ask her to move. Step over, walk, walk, pivot, back up…it was like a well-rehearsed ballet. She pretended to be asleep but we knew better — she was aware of exactly what was going on and where we were.
She had gotten to go to Canada with us in 2016 and 2017, and she loved it there. Her health had started to fail before we went in 2017, but she rallied when we got there! She had a special meadow she liked to visit; she remembered it this year and practically drug Jane up there. We plan on taking some of her ashes with us this year and spreading them in her special meadow.
On second thought, maybe we should say that “The Garage Door Is Now Permanently Open” — because Holly is running, rolling, chasing balls and squirrels pain-free now. Our three years with her was not as long as we would have liked, but we are thankful for the time we got to spend with that big, sweet girl. Can’t wait to see her again at the Rainbow Bridge!
Jacque and Jane
Read Holly’s adoption story here.
