This is baby Quest, on our first night at home. What a cute little guy he was. Love at first sight.
Tired baby Quest, maybe dreaming of the huge leaps he would someday accomplish on the agility courses in his life.
For a while yet he will just enjoy cuddling up with his big brother Spirit.
Young Quest, visiting at his girlfriend's house.
Spirit (L) and Quest (R), traveling on the little red caboose.
Traveling with mom in the RV
"Playing at the beach with Romeo and Spirit. Sadly, I could not be trusted to come when called, so mom had to leave a leash on me. It took a while."
Quest and Raven enjoying the sunshine on the boat - Lake Arrowhead.
Quest, preparing to dive off the dock - Lake Arrowhead, California
Quest & Spirit in California
Quest, herding some real big sheep.
One of Quest's first tries at dock diving.
Lure coursing.
Quest watching some hang gliders at Yale Lake in Washington.
Quest running in the snow.
Quest doing what he was so very good at doing, agility.
Nice jump over the double.
Weave poles.
Quest loved water.
Quest coming out of the tunnel.
Quest joined me at the table in the RV. He looked like he needed coffee.
I was often not sure what Quest was saying with his toy displays. "I would like to have a chicken dinner"?
A one on one walk with Quest, at Lake Sacajawea.
When Quest was stricken with Hemangiosarcoma, a virulent form of cancer. The ER doctor asked if I wanted to have a plaster mold of his foot print. I have one of Spirit's footprints also. I said yes, but as time passed, I just never seemed to get back to the hospital to pick it up. I kept thinking something would cause us to make the trip but as luck would have it, we had a healthy year and I just did not make the trip to the Emergency Hospital. It is a long drive, and right through the heart of Portland Oregon. It takes about an hour and a half to get there. I never forgot. I was embarrassed to call to see if it was still available. Recently one of the women from the front desk called and asked if I still wanted it. I said yes and admitted it was a combination of stressful feelings that had kept me from picking it up. She was very kind and said it was no problem and that it would be there when I wanted to stop by and get it. I have been working on myself trying to schedule the trip down there. Quest died in December of 2014, so it has been about 14 months.
This morning, I got a call from someone at my gate. She said it was Stephanie from the VCA Emergency Hospital in Oregon. I hurried down to the gate and met one of the dearest, kindest people I have ever met. She handed me Quest's footprint and we talked for much longer than was comfortable outside on this chilly winter day. I invited her in for coffee, but she declined. She was enjoying watching my other crazy pups as they played and raced each other and slid in the mud, acting silly. I told her I really was planning to come get the print and that she should not have felt any obligation to drive all this distance. She told me that here was a big box full of these unclaimed footprint molds and that they keep them until someone tells them not to bother any more, or they pick them up. She said it was just something she wanted to do and she felt that it was important. It was her day off and she had chosen to spend at least half of the day making the trip to my home, delivering Quest's footprint.
The framed picture above is one that was taken by my daughter at her studio. I have it hanging on the wall. I think maybe I will get a small deep frame and mount the plaster footprint inside. Then perhaps I will hang it next to the picture. Whenever I look at this footprint, I will not only think of my wonderful Quest, but also will remember this beautiful soul who just felt a need to get Quest's footprint to me.
