02/28/2021
Things have been quiet here on HMH's FB page. We break that silence with a heavy heart - at 0815 this morning, our beautiful BeBe, aka Rico's Bady Blue, crossed the rainbow bridge. Just two short days of her
12th Gotcha Day. She would have turned 14 in April.
On 1 March 2009, Jenifer and I picked up a 22-month-old Bebe from her foster mom in the back-parking lot of Potomac Mills. She had failed racing school and was put up for adoption early. Jenifer was overjoyed at having the opportunity to having a rare blue greyhound - she has been waiting for 'the next one.' she jumped right into the van without question -and her big adventure began.
What we didn’t know was that Bebe was one of the happiest greyhounds we would ever meet. It didn’t matter what the circumstances were, she saw the good and fun in what ever it was. No matter how bad a day you could have, when you walked in the door, she was there to greet you with total love and joy. You could walk out the door to take the trash out and come back in and she greeted you the same as if you had been gone all day. The only thing in her life was the joy of living.
With that said, her true love was the Virginia Renaissance Faire and it's people. She loved being Her Majesty's Hound, in her tent and having all the 'commoners' come and 'pay their respects' by lavishing her with affection. When it came time for our show, she was determined to be the fastest and get to the hare first. When she got older and unable to really compete, we could see the frustration in her eyes that she couldn't perform as she used to. So, we changed the game- we allowed her to be our 'closing act.' We put her in the field, began playing the theme to Underdog, and let her jog a short distance. I would toss and let her catch the hare. She would run around in front of the crowd, throw it up and catch it a few times and then would come to a dead stop direct center front- as if we had taught her - wait for the auduence, you, her people, to burst into thundering applause. Bebe would just stand there soaking up the love.
Sadly, with Faire cancelled in 2020 due to COVID Bebe never got to go to Faire again. She missed it, like all of us. We had to take her by the empty sure and show her no one was there.
Bebe was one of many greyhounds in my life, but was had such a unique personality. Those who knew her well won't find her easy to forget.
As Jen and I reflect on and celebrate her life and positive impacts she had on all of us, we will miss her dearly but take comfort in knowing that she enriched our lives and the lives of everyone she met for 12 crazy years. Until we meet up again my friend, you are and always will be the happiest love bug.
(She joins our Sweet Emma whom crossed in November, leaving MaJoR alone for the first time ever in his life.)
If you have BeBe stores stories w**d love to hear them.
If you'd like to help carry her message, please make a donation to either the Virginia Renaissance Faire or Paws On The Mountain Greyhound Adoption in her memory.
God save you all.
(Photo credits to Kevin Hedgecock- he always got her at her best.)
