The Empty Dog House

By Maggie Tellado

Eleven dog stories about lost and abandoned pets and how they seem to always find their way to the home of one woman. The different trials and returns of the pets happen in most unusual ways and even while on vacation in another state, the woman is confronted with a certain little one who manages to steal her heart and tugs away at her feelings for the pet and owner. How does she handle the situation. Go along with them and see!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 28, 2011
• ISBN: 9781467081382

Maggie Tellado

The death of Maggie Tellado's two daughters from cancer four years apart and the death of her grandson the following year brought her to return to writing. It had been a few years since she felt inspired to pick up a pen or log on and begin to write. The grief she felt was turned into making birdhouses and eventually back to her love of writing, but in a different genre. Rhymes and poems seemed to be her inspiration now. The minute she went ahead with writing them, she felt a closure and release of feelings and emotions from her loss. Alongside her daily, was the support of her husband and fellow friends of her community and those out of state. Love of life and how precious it is, drew her to verbalize, in her own style of writing. Days and nights were filled with rhymes and poems as she saw it, and to say it. Maggie is very observant of nature, people and the things around her. She is passionate in her writings and wants to share her view with you. Maggie stays active with walking, reading, lunches with friends and her birdhouses. Her faith in God has brought her through the seasons of sadness and renewed her in every way possible. To Him, be the glory!

Book preview

Contents

DEDICATION

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

DEDICATION

To all animal lovers who have lost a pet under any circumstance, my heart goes out to you and I feel your loss. Stay passionate about adopting another pet that is waiting somewhere for you and to have a good home. Put yourself into a mindset of a pet who is sitting alone, unaware of new and unfamiliar surroundings, without the ones they love, especially if children were in their lives. Their spirit alone will dwindle in time if love and compassion do not set them free. What more can a person ask for than the unconditional love and joy a pet can bring. Help save a pet!

LOSING MY BEST FRIEND COCO

(Written by Frank Anthony, Age 15)

Screech! My head whipped around in a 180 degree spiral. My father’s truck! I thought to myself as I was interrupted with the joy of riding my Hot Wheels bicycle. I slowly peddled over to him noticing a glimmer of a tear running down the left side of his cheek. I was frozen, drenched with sadness.

He leaned close to my shoulder. I could feel his hot breath whisper into my ear, and that’s when he said it, I don’t know how to tell you this Frankie, but Coco won’t be with us anymore. My dog that has been a part of my family since before I was born, was not going to be with me anymore. Who could sleep with me, who would lick my tears when I was upset?

My eyes began to water like a leaky faucet. I didn’t know what to say or do. I didn’t know what to believe. This felt not like a dream, nor a nightmare, but something completely different, as if a drama scene in a movie. I turned towards my father’s chest and soon found myself sobbing in his shirt.

I saw both my grandparents glance at my father’s truck through the window, take a step into the backyard and joined us in sobbing. Both of them chanting, It’s okay to cry. We are upset too, just let it out. So, in the blink of an eye, my best friend that I had seen every day, had vanished before my eyes.

Arriving home from my grandparents house, I came to find my mother crying on the couch. She ran up and hugged me before I could take a step off our welcome mat. Everyone was in awe about what had happened and the more I saw everyone crying, the harder it was to forget about it.

I came to realize that everything and anything you have can be gone in a second. So, if you don’t appreciate every good thing you have, you will miss it even more when it is gone. Now, I appreciate everything good that comes into my life because in an instant, it could be gone.

(Note: Frankie was five years old when he lost Coco and the recollection stayed in his mind for him to write this short story about his beloved pet. He is a family friend for over 13 years now and has grown into a fine young man. Pepper is now the family pet and loved by all.)

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CHAPTER ONE

FAWN, THE BLACK LAB PUPPY

The day was lovely, the sky was ever so blue and the soft breeze made it a perfect excuse to be outdoors. My good friend, Evie and I had the same thought as she phoned my number while I was dialing hers.

This is a great day for a drive. How about a ride to Cripple Creek to see the beautiful Aspens here in Colorado, said Evie.

The yellow leaves of these magnificent trees are simply breathtaking and there are five aspens which are all native to cold regions with cool summers in the north, extending south in the mountains. All of the aspens grow in large clones derived from a single seedling. Each tree can live for 40 to 150 years above the ground, but the root of the colony is long lived, in some cases, for thousands of years, sending up new trunks as older ones die above the ground . They are able to survive forest fires since the roots are below the heat of the fire. Yet, aspens do not do well in the shade. The bark is base rich and act as food plants for larvae of the butterfly. Aspen wood is white and soft and fairly strong. The shredded wood is used for stuffing and packing and is also popular for animal bedding. The leaves and buds have been used to treat burns, irritation, aches and swollen joints.

Well, Evie didn’t have to ask me again. I was ready in an hour and we were on our way to enjoy the day and have lunch in Cripple Creek and walk around the town. Evie and I had the whole day to ourselves and promised ourselves we would not leave there without the best ice cream at the General Store. So many flavors, yumm! We must have changed our minds a half dozen times as we drove there, laughing about our choices. Of course, both of us were talkers and were never lost for a topic or two. The site of the Aspen trees were simply breathtaking and we took several photos.

Evie found a parking spot not far from the restaurant we usually went to on our visits to Cripple Creek. Both of us were hungry and ready for a nice lunch, more talks and a few laughs too. We order the same thing every year and