To Honor an Airedale & His Rescuer
(as written by Miles Billion-Nims)

Friday night, earlier than usual, Mike was packing the coolers from the fridge in Birmingham. This time there were three coolers from the kitchen, and I was sure we were headed for Deerfield House, in Meredith. Kirk was also home early so Andy IV & I knew something was going to be different this weekend. It also took us longer to unpack at Deerfield House and Kirk & Mike were making all sorts of preparations rather than just going to bed as usual.

Ed Woelfert with Stoney & Moses Sprankle & Jake Woelfert

Saturday at noon time Auntie Annette Hall arrived with Hoover, Penny foster'dale, Beamer the Lab, &little Dozie terrier-mix. It took a while to unload all the stuff from her car and we had lots of fun playing with our buddies - especially Andy IV and that young pup Penny from my birth place in Ohio. Auntie Annette said Rally was there but I couldn''t see him anywhere. He and Andy IV would have been lying and playing biteyface for hours but I didn''t see him.

Penny Hall

A short time later, my Foster Mom & Dad, Sandi Sprankle & Don Brighenti arrived from Wadsworth, Ohio with my buddy Jake, and his friends Moses, Stoney & Sadie. Sadie is like me - when things get too crazy, we just go away to lie down in peace & quiet. That afternoon, there was lots of grilling & cooking going on and they had a big dinner. Mom Sandi always sneaks us treats from the table and we love when she comes to visit!

Kirk being watched by Jake Sprankle & Jake Woelfert

Sunday morning, there was a big breakfast, and more preparations than normal in the kitchen. They kept shooing me away from my fridge. They were drinking bubbly wine while eating and we sat around on the deck after the sun came out from the clouds. Late in the morning, new people arrived. Auntie Annette introduced us to Ed & Penny Woelfert, from Boyne City and their rescue'dale Jake & his young sister, Sammy the Standard Poodle. They were lots of fun, especially Ed. He brought great big bags of cookies for all us four-legs to munch.

Beamer Hall

In a little bit, a big RV pulled in with Bob & Lynn O'Shaughnessy and more cousins and friends. I was at their house once with Andy IV. Rescue'dales Katie & Dusty came with their buddy Killian the adopted German Shepherd. There was lots of talking, eating, and playing on the deck. Fifteen four-legs is too much for me, especially those pesky children that do nothing but play and wrestle. I laid down in the bathroom for some peace and quiet.

Annette Hall with Miles Billion-Nims & Dozie

All of a sudden there was a lot of barking and another car pulled in. It was Ivy, Annie, Poppy, & Abbey's mom & dad, Patty & Ken Eisenbraun. But the silly sisters weren't with them. There was more eating and drinking and Patty & Ken wandered around talking with the humans and meeting all the four-legs.

After a while, lots of us were leashed, and we all walked around to the front of the house under the big white oak tree where Kirk goes sometimes to talk to a pile of stones there. He keeps saying Andy's name when I go with him, but Andy IV is usually off sniffing and hunting.

There was a new hole in the ground by the rocks and Auntie Annette & Kirk were standing by it. Beamer & Dozie went to check the hole but were shooed way. The rest of us didn't know what was going on but we sat quietly by our humans and listened as the humans talked about Rally, Annette, Lynn, Ed, Patty & Ken and Rally's visits to Deerfield House, and some us four-legs that often played with Rally. Auntie Annette put a chewed-up leather toy in the hole and then sprinkled some ashes into the hole. Then Kirk filled the hole carefully and put a flat stone carefully on top of the hole. Kirk said that Andy III would now have Rally to keep him company. Then we all went back to the deck and the humans ate and drank some more as we played and got lots of pats and treats.

By regular dinner time, all the new visitors had departed but I heard them say that they would come back again. We like when relatives visit. Don & Kirk were talking and naming off all the four-legs that came to visit and said that there were 17. But I only went sniffing with 15 today.

Sir Miles Doo Bop Monster'dale Extraordinaire

Rally, Hoover, Beamer, Dozie & Penny shown with the kind permission of Annette Hall

Jake shown with the kind permission of Ed Woelfert

Andy & Miles Nims shown with the kind permission of Michael Billion & Kirk Nims