June 7, 2012.
As Carolyn arranged herself in the front passenger seat of our FJ Cruiser, I tenderly placed a tiny “furball” into her arms. The new Nowack ”baby” sighed, yawned, and then rested his furry face against her loving bosom. He, without a moment’s hesitation, closed his eyes, yawned once again (curling his long sweet tongue in the process), and fell immediately into sleep.
His sleep, however, did not last a very long time.
After approximately 15 minutes, our newest Family Member once again opened his eyes, and welcomed all the wonder and excitement of the trip to his new home.
Both I, and Carolyn, spoke to him gently throughout the ride…and, repeated his name with every sentence and phrase we uttered.
“Hobbes, you’re such a good boy! Daddy and Mommy love you forever and ever!
AND…that LOVE was manifest on both sides, his and ours, throughout the next 8 ½ years.
Hobbes rarely, if ever left our sides. He was ALWAYS with us, no matter where we would go.
BUT, he DID have several “special” places:
• Walking along the old abandoned railroad track are near the Spillway;
• Long walks together down the length of North Lake Road to both the abandoned Tuttle Campground and Manning boat launch;
• Walking the opposite direction to the Espyville Marina, where he would seat himself on the top of one of the picnic tables;
• Playing “CATCH” at the Conneaut Lake Bark Park;
• AND his most favorite spot…walking the beach with Daddy at Presque Isle (a spot we called the “PENNINSULA-LA).
A GIFT TO MOMMY
Throughout all of his years, he was a devoted companion to Carolyn every moment. He watched over her ALL the time, especially when Bert & Lizzy (our two Birman Cats) tried to steal her away. Hobbes was NEVER aggressive to the kitties; but they KNEW…Mommy was his!
In fact, Hobbes was never aggressive to anybody or anything. HOWEVER, he DID like to bark whenever someone approached the house or the automobile! Yep, he had a BIG MOUTH!!!!
Mommy repaid all of his attention by creating Artistic masterpieces of him over the years.
A GIFT TO DADDY
As most folks know, the Summer and Autumn of 2018 was a VERY “touchy” time for Hobbes’ Daddy. After several life threating situations, rehab situations, and a battle against cancer, Daddy was at the lowest point of his emotional Life.
BUT…Hobbes brought him back! The furry boy was always there to give “kisses!” Always there to prompt Daddy into action. Always there….ALWAYS THERE!
Without his undying Love, would Daddy have survived??? HMMM!
TIME PASSAGES
When Hobbes reached approximately 4 years of age, he began to develop and display what was “diagnosed” by several veterinary establishments as a “simple “ allergy. He was tested, prescribed innumerable medications, etc.
Then, after nearly 4 MORE years of difficulty, with no apparent success in sight, we were referred by a dear Friend, SUE ANDERSON (owner of the Bark Park) to take Hobbes to Dr. DONNY CONSLA at the Conneaut Lake Veterinary Hospital. We did.
Dr. Consla was, other than Mommy and Daddy, Hobbes’ GREATEST FRIEND. He loved Hobbes completely, and with his accurate treatment, Hobbes began to show dramatic improvement.
SUDDENLY
Late on the evening of 8/12/2020, x-ray, in Erie, revealed that Hobbes was suffering from advanced lung cancer and an extremely enlarged heart. He was given only 1-2 weeks of Life.
We took him home.
Once again, Dr. Consla came to our side, and provided words of encouragement to both Hobbes and Daddy and Mommy. Dr. Donny is truly MORE than a GIFT!
TIME CAME
On the morning of 8/31/2020, Hobbes decided that his Time to Journey Onwards had arrived.
As Daddy held Hobbes’ face to his own, nose to nose, lips nearly to lips, eyes to eyes, Daddy and Mommy whispered over and over to Hobbes once again:
“Hobbes, you’re such a GOOD BOY! Daddy and Mommy love you Forever and ever, and EVER.”
His eyes whispered back to us. And then….
Hobbes entered Eternity without any pain whatsoever. Dr. Consla told us that Hobbes was TRULY holding-out for us…to be assured we were safe and OK.
HOBBES’ TRUE MESSAGE AND TEACHING
When word “leaked-out” concerning this event, I was INCREDIBLY flooded with a tremendous innumerable amount of messages…through Facebook, by phone contact, etc.
All the messages came from individuals who had been touched by my photos and Carolyn’s Artwork of Hobbes over the years.
BUT…perhaps most noteworthy were the messages from various individuals stating that Hobbes has, as he had to myself, brought them from the depths of despair and once again into the Light of Life. Literally THOUSANDS of folks uttered the same response. AND…each insisted that Hobbes’ words NEVER STOP!
And…they won’t!
YESTERDAY
After receiving a call early in the afternoon, I got into our vehicle, and drove over to the CONNEAUT LAKE VETRINARY HOSPITAL to bring HOBBES home.
Shortly after arriving, DR. DONNY CONSLA (HOBBES’ Dear Friend) came out to meet me.
He placed a large package containing HOBBES into my hands.
The package contained not only HOBBES’ “remains”, but also a LONG section of hair obtained from his tail, a paw-print cast impression, and an envelope containing several other items:
* Two additional paw prints
*A heart-shaped package of memorial flower seeds
* AND...two sympathy cards.
After our conversation, I returned home, and Carolyn and I welcomed HOBBES back into our Lives.
Then...I decided to place a call to the ANIMAL FRIENDS CREMATION SERVICES (in Waterford, PA)...the organization which, so beautifully, handled HOBBES’ “transition.”
The woman to whom I spoke was INCREDIBLE...it was totally obvious that she LOVED HOBBES like so many other innumerable people have. Her concern totally overwhelmed me!
WELL (again)........
HOBBES is Home once again. He will never, ever leave us. AND...as I, Carolyn, and (perhaps) you know: he will be THERE to meet us someday!
FINALLY....
I add to my message the song which HOBBES and I have sung to each other for many years....and, the version which was ALWAYS his Favorite.
OVER THE RAINBOW
(Israel Kamakawiwoʻole)
Ooh - Ooh
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby, I
Oh, somewhere over the
rainbow skies are blue
Clouds high over the rainbow, makes all your dreams come true, ooh
Someday I’ll wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That’s where you’ll find me, oh
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Oh why, oh why can’t I? I
I see trees of green and
red roses too
I’ll watch then bloom just for me and you
And I think to myself
Oh, what a wonderful world
I see skies of blue,
clouds of white
The brightness of day, the dark, say goodnight
And I think to myself
Oh, what a wonderful world
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people passing by
I see friends shakin’ hands
saying, “How’s it? How you?”
They’re really saying,
“I love you”
I hear babies cry and
I’d watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than we’ll know
And I think to myself
Oh, what a wonderful world
I think to myself, yes
What a wonderful world
I think to myself, yeah
What a wonderful world
Ah-ooh
Oh, what a wonderful world it is
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Oh, na, na, mama
Yeah, yeah, aloha
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