Happy Lollipop Day!

It's National Lollipop Day!

Of course, I can't celebrate without honoring my Dum Dum  lady...

Shortly after losing my husband,  the dogs, Tony and I left my dream house, 

the house on the hill, the house I believed to be my forever castle.

Even though I was happy to be living in town where there were sidewalks and stores...

Parks and of course my friend and walking partner, Deb.

I was so sad...

One day the dogs were out in the yard and I heard them barking hysterically.

I looked out and there was this tiny woman, just a bit taller than the chain link fence,

standing there looking at the dogs, a lollipop hanging out of her mouth.

She saw me and in this gravelly voice said that she knew I was not Bill, but she wasn't sure if I was Jan or Linda.

If you didn't know, I AM the Jan, Bill and Linda were my English Mastiffs.

I was too stunned to ask how she knew and she didn't seem to think I needed to know.

From then on, I would see her (and her Dum Dum) when Deb and I were out walking.

She was always friendly, happy to see us and made sure we were okay.

She was kind of like the elf on the shelf...you never knew where she would show up,

but you knew she was around...she was tiny and cute...get the picture?

Then, during the summer, we didn't see her for a week.  Someone told me where she lived, and I left a note on her door.

The next day, I went out to find a Dum Dum on the windshield of my car.

Every day that week, and it was stinking hot, I'd find Dum Dums stuck here and there around my house. 

Later that week, we found out that she was walking a few hours earlier than usual because it was so hot, but she didn't want us to worry about her.  She called us her Dum Dum girls.

She even formed a bond with Tony...she thought he was the most handsome man in the neighborhood!

One morning, I came out to find a note, scribbled in pencil, on the back of an envelope, in my car.

It was from Darlene, a friend of Jeannie's, saying she had taken Darlene to the hospital, that they thought she had the flu.  She also gave me her phone number.

When I called, I was finally able to put the puzzle pieces together.  

Darlene (who I had never met) was the wife of our new neighbor on the hill.

When my son told her husband where I was going, Darlene told Jeannie and I instantly became one of Jeannie's MANY missions.  Her morning walks were her way of checking on all she thought needed checked on.  She was tiny in stature, but had a huge heart...

Jeannie never came home to the her apartment.  She moved on to her heavenly home.

I don't know if I ever knew her birthday,

I just celebrate her on Lollipop day.

Bill, the lap dog!

Linda Lou, duchess of House on the Hill

I wonder what the neighbors thought when I moved in with these...

For the record, that's about 440 pounds of dog.

Bill was 205

Linda was 175

Winnie was 60