much merriment rang out

It was April 1972, after working for Chuck Earl since 1964, We decided to have a go at the sign business on our own....Chuck was selling his business and of course he gave me first shot at it....but we thought maybe we could make a good living without all the debt....S was working now....the kids were in school......the financial part was much better with her income....although in hind sight, buying that business would have been a fine deal....but nevertheless that is what we decided to do.....I worked from our house...I had closed in the carport ....borrowed a few dollars , bought a good used van, new ladders, a saw, air compressor, and a few good tools and away we went.....I was pretty uptight for a while , it was an exciting time....I had lots of support from friends and others who had gone into their own business...and it worked out fine....There was no lack of work or enthusiasm and we paid back our debts quickly. We made friends with Ces and Audrey Annis at this time .....they were realtors in Chilliwack...I did sign work for him and I was over to their place a few times...we met their little dog, Jock....Jock was a Scotty dog....an independent, comical, shaggy little Scottish Terrier..... Well ,the kids fell for him in a big way....after a month or so Cecil phoned me and offered to sell him for a very reasonable amount, they were having to much trouble trying to be there for him....they figured a home with two little girls would be much better...We decided a mutt for our family would be cool.......Wow, the kids were excited when they found out......Jock and his basket moved in, and took over fairly quickly, if we did not know where he was....we knew where he had been as there was a pile of dust left from his trimmed mop like haircut . His legs looked like they were 2 inches long , like he had a motor running when he trotted about.....he loved to play "bite me" and managed to sting the hands of both Grandpas, they loved to rough house with him....... I painted "Jock" on the door of the Van...He constantly had his head stuck out in the wind, or he would look out the window.....everyone could read his name under his face...pretty cute...ha ha ....it was also cute when S was sitting on the passenger side and the "Jock" sign was under her window ....one time we were traveling on Brooks avenue, Jock had his position out the window....and he spots a cat...yep out he goes .....we were doing 50 k....the girls are shrieking ...Jock...Jock....I looked in the rear view expecting a pile of fur...nope he was running fast after the truck, his legs shifted in to super trot ..the girls said he hit the ground running....put the cat up a tree then ran after the truck all in one super Jock motion.....Airplanes and helicopters were kept out of the yard, he was good at that.... He never crapped in our yard...always someone else's. He was black as coal and managed to trip most everyone around the fire pit when we went camping....Once on a trip to Deer Lake over Harrison way..... Jock was Lost...Missing....Gone....O man....the kids were upset...we were upset......our friends were deliriously happy (Naw)...we looked high and we also looked low...but not low enough. After pretty well giving up ....(he was gone....or stolen.....or ran away.....or a eagle got him...or an animal......he was gone)........we were all sleeping in our little trailer ...there was a noise...what....under the bed...a storage area...with a little door on it......omygawd.... The girls opened the flap and this little fur ball came out, yawning and stretching....much merriment rang out in the trailer.....Jock soon woke up....... he was pulled, pushed, lifted and hugged ....he had been sleeping there for hours and hours....hey, that bit had a great ending................Jock was our pal for about 5 years.........We went on a trailer trip to the coast of California......Jock was on his best behavior.....he was so good and easy to be with.....alas, we learned why, soon after we got back home...... Jock was sick...very sick.....and soon he was gone....that's the bummer with having pets ....... but he left a great memory of that time in our lives.