KIM COOK writes:

I have been thinking and thinking about what to say about Sandi . . . . Like many of you, I never met her. But like all of you, she is a part of this wonderful cyber family I have found here at adtlovers. I can't imagine a better life than one so devoted to caring for and rescuing those in need. I am sure Sandi has found her reward in heaven. I can't help thinking of MY favorite quote: "Heaven is the place where all the dogs you ever loved come out to greet you". Imagine the reception Sandi must have gotten.

Peace and Godspeed, Sandi.

Strength to Lee and all of Sandi's loved ones left behind.

LIBBY KARIER writes:

The day I first heard about Sandi, I was looking through the paper and saw a comic that made me smile through the tears. I hope it makes you smile, too.

Libby with Lucy & Molly

JADIE DAVIS writes:

Like the rest of you, I hoped Sandi's hourglass was not yet empty . . . but it was not to be. I read and wept at all the beautiful tributes to this remarkable woman. While I did not know her, I could still empathize with those who did know and love her (I was devastated by ADT-rescuer Morgan Kelley's death in May 2002). Sandi was one of those people who lit a candle in our dark world and now the world is a bit darker for her absence.

I scrambled to see if I had ever personally corresponded with Sandi, and what I stumbled upon was one of her gracious notes which she had written me, acknowledging my imaginative essay on the cusp of 2000 where I wondered what it would be like if our animals could talk to us.

Excerpt: (note: "whymes" are uprights)

- - - - - -

"Jaybird, I first set eyes on you 37 lunars ago. When the Creator sends His watchers to close my eyes upon this world of sun, rain, and stars, you will hold my paw and bid me d*Gspeed on The Journey. To the canine mind, uprights are immortal; we canines, on the other hand, are but fleeting shadows. You are asking me to conceive of everlasting life -- to gaze upon your face without having to go the way of my ancestors.

< snip >

"Guuff, sometimes when we see the Watchers lurking near the deathbed of our beloved whymee, we comprehend his departure weeks in advance of its actual occurrence. I know this to be true because of the oral traditions howled down to me of such wonders. Aside from these not-yets, we breathe in the *now*, frolicking in good times, enduring the bad."

"Noble savage," I muttered. "So what you're telling me is that your powers of imagining the not-yets are quite limited. Is that right?"

Rhu (for once) and Tassie nodded solemnly.

"To us, Jaybird, whymees are--" Tassie searched for just the right phrase. "--(snort) like the Creator." "--(guuff) in *one* sense anyway." "(snort) In the sense that our beloved Alpha exists with no un-existence preceding or succeeding our short lives." Rhu tenderly reached up to puppykiss my ear.

Tassie looked suddenly grave and I had to lower my head to catch her breathy whisper. "Which means it is a terrible tragedy for us when we bond to whymees, and they leave on The Journey before us."

Complete text HERE.

- - - - - - Sandi's 12/31/01 prescient response, written approximately one year before she left on the Journey:

Dear Jaybird,

I love this story - I loved it the first time I read it, and I continue to enjoy it with each subsequent reading. Please continue posting it for the newbies and us oldies.

I love imagining Rhu balancing your specs on his nose and puppykissing your ear. I love the softness you've portrayed in Tassie. It is so easy to mind-see the three of you (you aghast in your chair, pinching yourself).

Happy New Year - may we all be blessed in this New Year, and may we recognize those blessings as they occur, instead of after they're long gone.

The Whymee in Houston, currently loved by Bingley, Alice, Cha Cha, & Motley

Marti writes: Here's one of Pixi, Jasper & Alice watching Motley come up the hill. I never sent it to Sandi. I meant to, just never did it. I guess I thought that she might have had the same shot because John & Lee were both snapping pictures. And then I thought I'd send it when she got home from the angiogram and had to stay quiet for a few days . . . now it's a regret I'll always have - it's a picture she would have loved.

Sandi's Obituary Notice, and a Guest Book, are online HERE

It states:

SANDI FOLTA, 52, passed away January 30, 2003. She was a member of the Texas Airedale Rescue Team and lovingly known as a 'TART'. She was also an avid quilter. She is survived by her loving husband of 25 years, Lee, mother Emilie Hogan, brothers Joseph and Richard Hogan; numerous nieces, nephews and a host of loving friends and relatives. She also leaves behind her beloved companions Bingley, Cha Cha, Alice, Motley, Purrl, and Goober. A Memorial Service will be held at 12:30 pm, Tuesday, February 4, 2003 at Earthman Resthaven Chapel, 13102 North Freeway, Houston. In lieu of flowers, family ask donations be made to Texas Airedale Rescue Team, c/o Becky Preston, P.O. Box 310233, New Braunfels, TX

[Thanks to Cannie Robbins for sending this.]

After the Memorial Service on February 4, 2003, Marti Touchstone writes:

Just wanted to let you all know that Becky Preston, an Airedale breeder and one of Sandi's dearest friends, had printed and bound the Memorial Book that Andréa produced and it was available for people to add to as they came into the chapel. It sat on a table just inside the door with a stuffed Airedale, and at the front of the chapel was a board with pictures of Sandi, mostly with her Airedales. During the service, two of the TARTS (Becky and Erin Blair) read selections from the book: Erin read from Sandi's letter to Andréa when Misha was dying and Becky read the Henry Van Dyke piece about the ship.

Lee told me he was reading the book little by little, as much as he could take at a time. I told him i was there not just because i loved Sandi but because 200 other people did, too. He was just so touched and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and sympathy from Sandi's cyberfamily. I think the fact that Sue Forrester had called Julie from Australia that morning to convey special condolences was mentioned during the service itself, and I know Julie wrote it in the book so Lee would have it to read later.

Sandi and Lee's dogs have been with Carol Scott and Forbes Gordon (the breeders of Harley, the Westminister/Montgomery champ, current reigning Airedale) since she became so critically ill and Lee started staying at the hospital full time. And, with a house of relatives for the funeral, they were to stay there until today. Thus, Lee hadn't seen an Airedale in several days and I think one of the most touching moments of the day came after the service when Cannie let Buck & Ripken out of the car and took them over to meet Lee. His face just brightened and shed years when he knelt down to pet them.

The chapel was packed, not just with people in the seats but with all of you. Your presence was as unmistakeably felt as that of any person there.

It was a sad trip and a sad chapter. But in the morning i'm going to try and shake off the grief and get going with what Sandi would want me to be doing, which is doing whatever I can to rescue Airedales.

And CANNIE ROBBINS writes:

With Marti beside me and Julie behind me, and the mention of Sue calling from Australia, and the selections read from Andréa's memorial pages, I felt that the List was a definite presence.

ANDREA DENNINGER writes:

I was looking through my e-mail files when I found this, from Sandi . . . this was also the time Misha was dying of cancer . . .

PRAYER/ZEN LIST FOR 5-11 AUGUST 2001 (List #114)

**At the Rainbow Bridge, carried off on our loving thoughts**

NO DOGS HAVE CROSSED THE RAINBOW BRIDGE THIS WEEK . . .

There can be no better words in the English language. This is the second time recently I have smiled at those words and said a small thank-you-doG prayer. We've all been blessed with more time with our beloveds.

Those of you whose decision-making time is growing nearer, please know we are all with you. We've been there, and we remember. Now? No. One more day, please, just one more day. Not today, maybe tomorrow . . . .

As our vet advised us, "You think getting to the decision is hard? No, the hard part comes aftewards." And we know that. Rejoicing in their living is hard to do when we so mourn their passing. And we know our tears are for us, because our hearts are breaking, we miss them so, and we will miss them for the rest of our days. But the tears won't stop.

So be thankful for today. Be strong, don't let them see your tears and your fears. Be as strong and noble as they are, for, if they could, they would say "oh, puleeze, we've had such a good time, you and I, what is all this about? Posh. Shed no tears for me. I will never leave you. Just reach out your hand and I'll be there. Feel that breeze? That will be me, brushing by. Hear the wind howl? That's me, singing to the clouds. See the raindrops splashing in the puddles? I'm there, too, playing in the water. Can't find your glasses? That was me, I've scampered off with them again. Picking up little pieces of shredded paper? Guess whooo. I will never leave you. I promise."

One more day, please. Just one more day.

The next day she wrote:

Each day now I want a "happy memory" story. What made you laugh out loud. What made you give a hug. What made you stop and reach down and rub that belly. We want to help you collect those thoughts for your memory book. Oh, and nicknames - surely you use nicknames, we all do. What are they, and why.

Start gathering those memories! I wanna see some smiles!

Sandi & Bingley & Alice & Cha Cha & Motley, Houston TX

For Thanksgiving 2002, Sandi wrote to adtlovershome members:

PRAYER/ZEN LIST FOR 23 November 2002-30 November 2002, (List #182)

THE POSITIVE SIDE OF LIFE

Happy Thanksgiving, all. Get the food ready, spend time with family but remember that this list is family - we may be the only family who really understands your love of/passion for Airedales.

(I'm assuming this is an American holiday, so I hope our friends world-wide indulge us, as we indulge ourselves. Please join with us today as we give thanks for all our blessings, which include all of you)

Sandi & Bingley & Alice & ChaCha & Motley

One day a young woman was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that she had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired her heart for it was perfect.

There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young woman was very proud and boasted more loudly about her beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old woman appeared at the front of the crowd and said, "Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine". The crowd and the young woman looked at the old woman's heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared. How can she say her heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young woman looked at the old woman's heart and saw its state and laughed.

"You must be joking," she said. "Compare your heart with mine. Mine is perfect and yours is a mass of scars and tears."

"Yes," said the old woman, "yours is perfect looking but I could never trade with you.

"You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart, which fits into the empty place in my heart. But because the pieces aren't exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

"Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn't returned a piece of their heart to me. These are the empty gouges - giving love is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?"

The young woman stood silently with tears running down her cheeks. She walked up to the old woman, reached into her perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. She offered it to the old woman with trembling hands. The old woman took her offering, placed it in her heart and then took a piece from her old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young woman's heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.

The young woman looked at her heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old woman's heart flowed into hers. They embraced and walked away side by side.

Let everyone know each day how much they mean to you, they may be gone tomorrow. I am thankful that I don't have a perfect heart. Just think of all the love I would have missed.

Remember; don't be afraid to show your love to those people who matter to you. It's what life is all about! We all miss too many opportunities and have too many regrets, so take this opportunity to share this with someone you love!

(Thanks to Lydia Ross for reminding us of this message.)

On 31 December 2002, Sandi wrote to adtlovershome members:

Happy New Year to our friends in that other hemisphere. Let us know how 2003 is.

Remember Y2K (gosh, that seems soooo long ago)? We looked to y'all to let us know if we'd be safe and so again we're looking to you to let us know how 2003 will be.

It's fun having friends 24 hours or so ahead in time so we know what to expect!

Sandi and the rascaldales and Motley - Houston TX

(Thanks to Cannie Robbins for reminding us of this message.)

On 3 January 2003, Sandi wrote to Sue Forrester & Bill Molyneux:

I'm sitting here at work, tears streaming down my face. My heart is breaking, as I know yours has, and Bill's. I want to console you, but there's no consoling me. I want to rejoice that his last days were wonderful days, but right now there's only pain, and sorrow, and loss. And such emptiness.

I know my tears are not for Aemon, I know they are for us. Such profound sorrow. Such emptiness. My little Aemon boy - such a dear, such a fighter, such a love.

I always asked you to gently kiss him on his nose for me and tell him "This one comes all the way from Houston". I expect, after he runs the High Country, after he makes sure you and Bill will be OK, that he will find his way all the way over here, and I will finally be able to give him that nosekiss personally. I will be on the lookout for him.

Oh Sue, I am so sorry. Aemon belonged to all of us, and we all grieve.

Hug yourself, and Bill, and know it comes all the way from Houston.

Sandi

To make an entry into Sandi's In Memoriam Guest Book, please e-mail me, indicating in the subject heading that your comments are for the Guest Book.

GO TO
MEMORIALS DEDICATED TO MARILYN DOUDT HERE, PAGES 12-15

GO TO
TRULY DEDICATED FRIENDS OF AIREDALES, PAGE 7