"Fess" was our beloved Cocker Spaniel. He was adopted from the local animal shelter. He got his name after a famous New Orleans Blues man by the name of Professor Longhair because when we adopted him he was bald from having mange and was blind too, but he was still very much alive and talented in spite of his disabilities. He eventually grew a beautiful red coat like that of an Irish Setter. Fess left us as a result of old age.

"Jezebelle" was a Boxer mix that we found on the side of the highway abandoned by humans. She was full of herself and had a very loving personality. She was severely injured in a terrible accident with a car, but lived to have a litter of ten puppies.

My big boy "Fellow" (aka "Fella"). My second of two Great Pyrenees'. The breed is known as "The Gentleman With White Fur" and I can tell you it's appropriate. He was the most lovable pet I've ever had the pleasure of owning. His full name was "Mellow Fellow". I had lost another Pyrenees to illness and while at the Veterinary office, was told about a woman who had to give him up to the pound because she had a stroke. He developed bone cancer at the age of ten and we had to relieve his suffering.

"LeRoux" was a beautiful Calico female. I had her for only a brief while. She was quite a little lady and loved to snuggle. She was very friendly and got along very well with our dogs. In fact, I think she thought she was a dog! LeRoux disappeared awhile ago and never returned. I like to think she's just made new friends.

"Rusty". He was my first horse, or should I say pony? He was half Shetland and half Welsh. I got Rusty on a rainy Christmas Morning in California when I was about 6 years old. I'll never forget it, I cried my first happy tears when I saw him. He was very, very intelligent and could count.

I can hardly begin to tell you about "Sheba". I grew up with her as my constant companion and friend. She was a gift from our next door neighbor when my first cat died of distemper. Sheba lived with us for 25 years! I can't say enough to express my love for our "Sheb". There will never be another like her. She was a beautiful Lynx point Siamese.

This was the first of my two Pyrenees, "Snow" or "Snowman". My husband brought him home thinking he was a white St. Bernard. He was found on the interstate during the Mardi Gras Holiday. Apparently, someone lost him while stopped. He had been lonely and looking for home for quite some time and was very ill with a respiratory infection when he came to us. We tried everything to bring him back to health, but he passed to Rainbow Bridge after about three months.

"Zydeco" was adopted from a litter of kittens that my neighbors cat had. She was a great hunter! She was also very popular with the male cats because of her beauty (and she knew how pretty she was too). She gave birth to four litters of little kittens. Zydeco was struck by a car while on one of her hunts.

My little Tabby cat. "Dixie" was my traveler. She lived with me in California, then Louisiana, back to California and finally, returned to Louisiana. She lived with me when I was single and was my room mate for just over 10 years. She disappeared on Halloween Night several years ago. Maybe she's haunting her enemies!

Little man, "Bitterman". I chose his name after the butler in the movie, "Arthur", with Dudley Moore. He had a sophisticated look about him, half Siamese and half Calico. This little guy was Mr. Personality. He loved everybody and everybody loved him. He was as rambunctious as a pussycat can be. On Valentines Day, my husband found him struck by a car. His nickname was "buddyster".

"Ziggy!" Ziggy was our neighbors dog, but came to live with us when they moved away. She was crippled by a mailman while still a pup, but we always said, "she got around better on three legs than any 4 legged dogs. An unfortunate case of untreatable heart worms took Ziggy from us not long after she had the litter of puppies from which our little dog, Iggy came.

and finally . . . Black Sugar Sadie's Sugar Magnolia "Sugar" We fondly called her just "Shug". She was the perfect Black Lab! (I may be prejudiced, but she really was of excellent bloodlines). Sugar was a direct descendant of the legendary "King Buck". She was his granddaughter. Many champions came before her. We were fortunate enough to get her from a family who was divorcing. She quickly became the heart of our home. We went nowhere without her. We were able to keep her until she was 10 when she fell ill to diabetes and lapsed into a coma. We gave her peace around Christmastime a few years ago. We will never be able to replace our girl in our hearts.