Angel Jake at the RBC (Rainbow Broadcasting Corporation)

Angel Jake at the RBC (Rainbow Broadcasting Corporation)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Jake Elijah: Our Passover Puppy

This is the time of the year when Jack and I get nostalgic about those sweet puppy days when Jakey first came into our lives. It was in March 2002, just before Passover. But let Jake tell the story himself -- very fitting because during Passover we tell the Exodus and other stories and talk about what freedom really means.

Our old friends may remember this story from a blog in 2008; but here it is for our new friends.



(Yes my ears were both down when I was a puppy.)

It seems that I was an unplanned addition to the family. Mom and Dogdad had been at the hairdresser in a shoppng center in her old neighborhood. After she was groomed, they walked over to the nearby pet shop, just to look!! (I know, shame! shame! shame! but what if they hadn't?) There I was in the first pen, all of twelve weeks old. Cute? How not? They walked around looking at all the other sad, sleepy guys in their pens, and kept coming back to me.

After a moment, they asked the attendant if they could see me out of the pen. I was brought out to the front and placed in a shallow oxagonal pen filled with shredded newspaper. I was so excited that I kept scratching at the paper and scratching at the paper -- never even looking at these two people. But they were looking at me, and looking at each other -- and before I knew it, I was family!!!

A name? What about a J to go with Jack and Joan? Mom pondered, and Dogdad pondered and when Mom finally said, "What about Jake?" Dogdad said, "That's what I was thinking." So Jake it was.


I got cleaned up, with a bow around my neck, and the Live Animal plastic crate in which I had come from a puppy mill in Joplin Missouri, and off we went to the PetSmart next door, to buy food and a few other necessities --- and home we went.


They forgot one thing, though. I wasn't potty trained!!! And Mom, bless her ignorant heart, didn't have a clue as to what to do. Little by little, though, she figured it out -- or rather, I should say, I figured it out. They put baby gates at both sides of the kitchen, and that was my paper-covered palace. Since Mom works from home, I got to go outside pretty frequently, and we managed.


But then, Mom had to shop for Passover food and left me alone for an hour or so. I don't know what got into me -- or what got out of me -- but when she came home, the kitchen was a mess -- and so was I. She screamed. I just put my little poopy paws on the baby gate and smiled. Her reaction? She called Dogdad at work, and screamed again COME HOME!!!. They needed their combined four paws to handle the situation. And that was what came to be known -- fondly in memory -- as Black Friday.


Once the kitchen and I were pristine again, Mom started cooking for the holiday. Her dad and brother and sister-in-law were coming for the Seder, and she had lots of special foods to make, including chicken soup with matzoh balls, brisket, "charoset' -- a combination of apples, nuts, cinammon, and wine, to make a paste that recalls the mortar used in building the pyramids -- boiled eggs, bitter herbs, and other items for the Seder plate to commemorate the Hebrews' flight from Egypt.


But then, what to do with me while the family had the Seder? Remember, this was before I had learned manners. It was Dogdad who decided the upstairs bathroom would be the answer. And up I went after greeting everybody. Well, I'm sure you all can anticipate what happened. First there was the non-stop barking that accompanied the meal -- but second, let's just say that when Dogdad went up to get me, he came back down pretty quickly and said to Mom, "You don't want to go up there. I'll take care of it."

And that was my first Passover.

But how did I get my middle name? Part of the Seder includes pouring a special cup of wine for the Prophet Elijah, who, it is hoped, will come to spread peace throughout the world. And Mom and Dogdad, who love me lots and lots and think I brought them joy, decided that I was now an integral part of the holiday and deserved the middle name of Elijah.

So that's my Passover story!!

Hag sameach to all who celebrate!!

And just in case you're wondering: Things got a lot better very quickly, and now I and Just Harry get to sit at the table, or at least enjoy the food and songs with the family.



Jake Elijah

19 comments:

Kari in Alaska said...

Happy Passover :)

Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com

Asta said...

Sweetest Jake Elijah,
fiwst off,
Hag Sameach to you and all Just Hawwy and Dogmom and Dogdad
That is a most wondewful stowy and I know mommi couldn't have wesisted you eithew(my angel bwuvvew Nikki was in a stowe too fwom a puppy mill and mommi had similaw amount of knowledge about twaining at that time, hehehehe)
I know that youw family can't imagine being wifout you and i'm so vewy glad!!!
May you have many many mowe Passovew celebwations togethew as a pawfect family
smoochie kisses
ASTA
pee ess all that food sounds soo yummie, I'm dwooling hewe

Unknown said...

Wow, that's a great story Jake. And funny too!

Dexter said...

That was a great story. Happy Holidays to all of you.

Slobbers,
Mango

KEY WEST COLLIES said...

We love the story. Happy Passover to you.

Essex & Deacon

How Sam Sees It said...

We love the story! Thank you for re-telling it to your new friends!

Sam

Lacy said...

w00fs, happy gotcha day Jake...I know u had them both around your little paw..Happy holidays to u all..

b safe,
rocky

Two French Bulldogs said...

Happee Passover
Benny & Lily

Angus said...

Unplanned additions are sometimes the best !

Molly the Airedale said...

We love your story, Jake Elijah! Happy gotcha day and happy Passover to you and your family!

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

What a story!! We're glad you grew up and now get to sit at the Seder table. Sometimes we have to get our pawrents trained, don't we?

XOXO
Lilly, Piper, Carrleigh, Ruairi and The Sweet Babes

Gus said...

That is a wonderful story, and each time we read it, it gets better and better. why? Because we know more about you and have had the honor of meeting you and JH in person, and we know the joy and love you bring to your humans.

Thank you for sharing your story.

Gussie n Teka

rottrover said...

Jake Elijah and Just Harry. We just came over from Wilf's to tell you that we loved your comment there. After reading this lovely post we've bacome your newest followers!

Rottie Kisses,

-Gizmo, Bart and Ruby

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

We hadn't heard this story before, Jake, but it was so fun to learn about your early days - sounds just like most puppies:) We all hope you and your family have a wonderful Passover.

Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

Kess And Her Mama said...

Thanks for sharing your story Jake. I'm sure our humans don't miss that part of puppy days!!! Happy Easter.

George The Lad said...

Thanks for sharing I enjoyed reading about your life.
Happy Easter to you all
See Yea George xxx

Pippa said...

That's a lovely tale - I can't remember whether I have read it before or not. Misery thought about you all today when she went to the supermarket and noticed a sign saying Chag Pesach (?) and telling people they could get all their goodies for the Seder.

Anyways, have a lovely Passover to that part of your family and a lovely Easter to the other.

Pippa

Bocci said...

Awe, Jake Elijah-we are so glad you re-posted that story. Truly beautiful!
Happy Passover to you and your family!

Scruffy, Lacie and Stanley's Place said...

Mumsie sez puppyhood is like the trials of childbearing...you SO don't remember until you're at it again...We can just see the look on your mom's face when she came home and found you um well, decorated.

Scruffy was a horrid puppy and had a few tales to tell of nasty messes...I was perfect. Course I didn't come here till I was four months old and pottytrained...same with Stanny who was even older.

We loved you story and adored your puppers pic!!

Kisses,

Lacie