Skruffy’s Ninth Anniversary

Sister’s House, Citrus Heights, CA

Nine years ago this month this little critter came into my life.  Above Skruffy is sitting in my old office at the library sticking her tongue out at the cruel world that she left behind when she came into my life.    You see, she was “rescued” off the streets of Pine Bluff Arkansas…where for nearly 3 weeks she had been living under construction equipment such as large trucks, tractors, and other equipment where she had been abandoned by her former owners.  She had just had a liter of pups, and the vet felt she was just over 1 years old.  The construction people gave her the name Skruffy, I decided to keep it spelling it with a “K” instead of a “C”.   Below is a picture of her after I had her for a few months, taken care of her heartworms, had her fixed, and groomed.  I told them to leave her face looking “Skruffy”, and they did. 

For 16 months she went to the library with me day and night…even went on library trip to Colorado where I put her into Doggie Day Care during the day while I was in meetings.  For the first few months when she was in my office, if I had to leave to talk to a staff member, fix a computer, whatever, I would have to shut my door.  She would start barking fairly quickly, but it got better with time and she was able to stay in the office when I left it with the door open…but within ten minutes she would let out a quick bark or two…wait…and repeat.  Staff would go by and say, “He will be right back Skruffy…”, and that would quiet her down…for about 5 minutes, and then she would repeat her two quick barks.  “IF” my absence turned out to be a longer one than I anticipated, I would take her down to the bottom floor staff area and she would do just fine sitting in an office with a staff member.  When Marcia and I married in February 2011, along with Marcia came Bubba…and Bubba has allowed us to leave Skruffy without her going crazy because she was “alone”.   A year later we were on the road for 7-9 months each year.

On the road in Texas, almost blown out of a tree…

On the road to Crater Lake Nation Park, Oregon

On the road to Glacier National Park, Montana

On the road to Yosemite National Park, California

On the road entering the Alaskan Highway, Dawson Creek, BC

One the road being the chief navigator, California Desert

On the road being the driver in the snow and rain…on the way to Alaska

On the road searching for grass with Bubba, California Desert

Skruffy’s road almost comes to an end…Soldotna, Alaska

Skruffy and Bubba’s FAVORITE moment of each day in Sacramento
(now she gets about 1/2 ounce of pork due to diabetes, followed by 

her breakfast and her breakfast shot of insulin)

And although Skruffy is the one in many of our photos as we visit places, BOTH Skruffy and Bubba are “STARS” in our eyes. 

(Bubba just can’t sit there, he wants to wander off)

Skruffy helping Marcia, Service Dog with phone at the ready (pink bag on her back)

Nope…she isn’t getting any birthday cake, just more love…