Holly

This is Holly Berry Bell, my poor little blind daschund. After a couple of thousand dollars of appointments and surgeries..nothing seems to have worked. She still gets daily drops so it doesn't get any worse, but we don't think she will get any better, either.

She copes as well as she can. We live in a quad-level..so stairs are a problem. She has no problems going up, but refuses to come down. Maybe she can't count in reverse? She stands at the top of the stairs and whines until somebody brings her down.

Did you notice that she has a very Christmasy name? I always joke that she is the worst Christmas present we've ever recieved. We had lost a little cocker spaniel, and..getting up in years..didn't want another dog. But..the best laid plans of mice and men. My oldest daughter Julie pranced her out on Christmas Eve. We thought it was a joke. Someone elses ugly little dog. She was supposed to be a miniature. We call her a monster-mini.

All that aside..she has been a good little dog. For most of her life, she has gone to work with my wife at her nursing home. Holly used to sing as she walked out the backdoor.."I'm a dog, I'm a workin dog, I'm a hard-working dog." The patients were always glad to see her. Now..with her sight..it is hard for her to go.

She still likes to go on our backyard walks, but she has to follow our voices, or she wanders off the trail. Her worst habit? She has always barked when she hears a strange car pull in. Now..with sleeping babies back in the house..Grandpa and Grandma do not like Junior to be awakened by a barking dog.

Her color is called brindle. She's really quite pretty, especially after she gets her haircut.