Sauvignon Blanc Stare: Lucky Dog

Guess who is 11 today?

Which is excellent news for all living things at the Sanderson Resort and Spa. I can be trusted!

Sweet, sweet Hettie. At 11/77, she has really lived an already interesting life.

Hettie's siblings arrived at the Chi Omega house on a Wednesday night before our weekly meeting. By the time I decided getting a dog was the best idea I had ever had, they were all spoken for. Devastated, I was told by my sorority sister whose dog had the puppies, there were 2 more.

My dear friend Jessica and I agreed we would take the remaining two dogs. She was going to give hers as a gift and I was going to keep mine and raise it to be a movie star.

Jessica was leaving town for the weekend, so I arranged to pick-up both dogs and hold hers until her return. That way, I got to pick which one I wanted, too. I seldom do anything without a motive.

It is always a good idea to take 2 puppies to your rented apartment. Especially, when you have 0 dog care experience. When I called my parents to tell them the good news, I believe their direct quote was "This is possibly the dumbest thing you have ever done. You need a dog like you need a purse." To spite them, later that day, I bought a purse.

Over the course of that weekend, Hettie quickly emerged as the dog that would be staying. She sang, she danced, she did a monologue from Gone With the Wind...

From that day on, we have been inseparable.

She has cheated death 3 times. The first, when she ran into the busy road in front of my Grandparent's house. Lucky for her, I have excellent traffic management skills.

The second time, she was staying with my cousin, when she ran away. Thankfully, the search party found her and she was rescued. You can probably find the press conference on YouTube.

The last time, was the worst.

After leaving class one morning, I returned to my car to find 18 missed calls on my cell phone. Quickly realizing that I would no way give my phone number to 18 people, this was clearly an emergency. In listening to the voicemails, all I could understand was "Hettie" and "Shivley Animal Clinic."

After getting out of the shower, my roommate saw a trail of blood. She followed it to Hettie. When she got her to allow inspection, it was clear Hettie had eaten a razor blade. Fun fact: that roommate is now in medicine at Vandy. I think she would thank Hettie for some early training?

Thankfully, when I got home, I found the blade. Hettie, would live.

Since then, she has dedicated her time to living life to the fullest. She will be living in her 4th house when we move. She was here before JD, Farley and Sweet B. In that order. Which she reminds me of, constantly.

She is part of the family. She is the reason that Sweet B's first word was dog. I blame Hettie for all the hours I spent listening to Sweet B in the monitor yelling "Hettie.... Hettie." Poor Hettie. She fell for that trick more than she would like to admit.

She hates thunderstorms like poison. But lucky for us, we know before any of the TV meterologists that weather is afoot. While she does not hold an actual "degree," Hettie's ability to accurately predict the weather is second to none.

She has always let us do silly things to her, never asking for anything in return. Although, I have recently found her diary with these pictures and a letter to PETA.

She is an excellent snoop. We rely on her to inspect all guests here at the Sanderson Resort and Spa. She sniffs for drugs, cancer and gum. Your gum is NEVER safe.

In her older years, she has taken more of a relaxed role. She also claimed this land for Spain.

She used to get a walk everyday. In years past, she got a ride in the car at least 3x a week. Now, she is lucky if I remember to feed her.

But she isn't mad. She has adjusted to all the changes and continues to win crowds over to this day. Also, she knows that wherever Sweet B is, a snack and a nap are sure to follow.

Sweet, sweet Hettie. When I think of her life, I am reminded of those like her; Shirley Temple Black, Nancy Reagan and more recently, Betty Ford. Like them, she has had a fantastic and full life supporting her family and winning over fans. Also, she might have a small and contained drinking problem.