The Tale Of A Sweet Heart Named Zoey

 

I am a firm believer that everything in life happens for a reason. With that being said I also know you can't explain them a lot of times, you just have to accept them and know there is a bigger and greater plan for everyone. Who creates this plan? I don't know for sure, but there is a plan none the less and everything does in fact happen for a reason.

Insert a beautiful baby girl named Zoey.

Zoey is an American Yellow Labrador. She is around 7 years old and is the sweetest puppy I have ever had. Zoey's father, Ron, was a very good friend of mine. We first met in high school and later on ended up working together at a local investment company. We were a couple of guys in our early twenties making decent money and didn't have many responsibilities. That equals....fun! Besides Ron and myself there were probably a dozen of us who worked with each other and enjoyed the party scene.  We would go on weekend trips to the Poconos, Atlantic City, etc. We even flew to Cancun for a week (see below):

Then 1998: You can see Ron of the left with the hat and sunglasses on. A hat in the pool. Ron was a rock star! Oh yeah, im the fatty in the Reebok shirt.

Now 2004: There Ron is on the left. In all of his G-Queness. I am the stallion next to my brother and good friend Vinny.

Ron was the kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back. He was genuine and you knew what you were getting when you chilled with him. Ron also had an issue with alcohol abuse. He fought the battle for many, many years but in the end he lost the fight. Ron was in his mid thirties when he passed. He was never married and never had children. The only girl in his life was Zoey, his beautiful baby girl that he absolutely adored. I believe Zoey kept him going for a long time. He lived to make her happy and she did the same. After learning about Ron's passing the first thing that came to our mind was what happened to Zoey? I must have called the local SPCA over two dozen times that day. When I didn't hear anything from them I started getting nervous and the calls started coming in a little more rapidly. Finally that evening the director from the SPCA called me back. They had Zoey!!! Within the next week Zoey was spayed and brought up to date with all of her shots. I picked her up from the SPCA in August of 2013 and she has become part of our family.

This was the first picture of Zoey after picking her up. She was left alone for a little while so she had lost some weight. When we picked up Zoey she was 27 pounds.

Fast forward 8 months and we had a vet's appointment. Yeah, we got yelled at since she was 72 pounds. That's a little too much so we are on a diet now! She is still a happy girl!!!!!!!!!!

Our little angel. You can see the humility on her face.

Yeah, she has settled in just fine.

The two ladies in my life. I aint doin so bad.

Zoey goes to school twice a week to exhaust some of her energy. She is a ball of hyperness when she doesn't go to daycare.

Floyd still isn't sure how to feel about the new addition to the family. Zoey is very good at staying out of his way and letting him do his thing. They get along great!

I know it looks forced, but she wanted it. Trust me!

Dee makes sure she is nice and warm when she goes out exploring. I guess the coat of fur doesn't keep her warm enough?

After exploring she lets us know she is ready to come inside. I have never had a dog so loud....errr...well, as vocal as Zoey is. In daycare they call her One Note Zoey due to her constant one note bark.

She comes in and takes a nap. Exploring will tucker anyone out!

The humanity of it all. I know, she is mortified. Not my doing.

The sweet, sweet baby girl Zoey

Dog Shame! I can't say I blame her. If you've ever smelled Hershey Spa's soap I am sure you would do the same thing, I did! It smells like a chocolate bar. Not a chocolate bar with a hint of soap. It smells like a straight up Hershey's chocolate bar. It doesn't taste as good though. Trust me.

This is after we took the soap from her. She has shame written all over her face!