One of my hounds, Sir Chadwick, passed away last week so it's been a sad time for the Traveling Hillbilly. My other hound and I are doing okay but we miss our buddy terribly. After a few days of mourning, I thought a change of scenery might do both me and my other hound some good. Palm Springs seemed like a great place for us to heal. So loaded up the car and we headed out. Palm Springs truly is a beautiful place and like Arizona, I feel at peace the moment I arrive. There's just something about the desert that brings peace to my soul. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Spa & Resort in Indian Wells, a beautiful and pet friendly resort.
As I sit in Palm Springs with thoughts of Chadwick close to my heart, I realize the many things I miss about him. I miss his independent spirit. I miss his spunk and sometimes grumpy attitude. He was an old soul and had the personality of a crotchety old man, but he also had a very sweet and loving side. He had a playful side that enjoyed chasing and teasing my other hound. I miss his walrus like nature, his need to "waller and holler." He was a very vocal hound and let you know when he wanted to be petted and when he wanted to be left alone. He was a wise old man, with a big heart and even bigger ears. These thoughts of him make me realize he was also a great teacher. There are many things we could all learn from him. He was always true to who he was. He was not a people pleaser. He wasn't afraid to speak up and let his opinion be known. He was a strong and independent hound. Now Chadwick had no eyes, so he was completely blind but he never let his blindness stop him from living his life. He just accepted it was part of who he was but he wasn't defined by it. He was Sir Chadwick. He was not, "the blind dog." He was my Sir Chadwick, my Chaddy Paddy, my boo, my teacher and my friend. He was one hell of a hound and he will be missed. Sir Chadwick, know that we love you, we miss you and we will never forget you!
