Petie was a Parson Russell Terrier who was abandoned as a pup. My mom claimed him from a co-worker in 2005 and, like most dogs, ingratiated himself to the family from the moment he ran through the garage and into the kitchen.

Gracie was a Shih Tzu I found wandering a road in a remote part of the county in 2012. The friendly and energetic little furball jumped into my car the moment I opened the door. Dirty, underweight and without an identification tag, she too had likely been discarded by an uncaring owner.

Gracie died on December 1, 2019. Petie followed on February 17, 2021. They saw me through a lot, and they are missed.