Last night I returned from Washington, D.C with my little bundle of love, Violet Annabelle Rose Von Schnorkenheimer; she just turned 8 weeks on Friday. She curled up on my lap in the car, and awoke just as I arrived back in Connecticut. My doorway was filled with balloons and a “welcome home” sign that my neighbors Dave and Kate added while I was gone. What a wonderful welcome: touching and celebratory.
Violet is everything I could ever ask for in a new puppy: calm, fun, and full of personality. Although I only met her less than 24 hours ago I feel as she has been waiting for me my whole life. I believe she is a gift from those who I have loved and who haven passed from my life; they’ve seen to it that I have been rewarded with such an amazing pet. I’m in love!
What about Corky, you ask? It is a sad story that has been hard for me to tell, until now. On December 16, 2008, Corky joined all her beloved friends in doggie heaven, and although it’s been impossible to talk about it or even write, I feel blessed that on December 12, 2009, Violet was born and was somehow waiting for me to find her. It was with luck (and that spiritual intervention I mentioned earlier) that we found each other. Corky was hard at work, and I know she wanted me to move on and give the endless amount of love and passion I had for her to my new little girl. Soon I’ll be documenting Cory’s last days but for now I leave you with this: She was adored, she was loved, and she is forever immortalized in my book, in my show and online. Her portraits will survive even my life. She was a gift and I was a humble recipient, blessed to have the chance to love her and take care of her. Her short 14-year life spanned my most precious personal and professional growth, a period of my life that will be forever know as “the Corky years”.
Although it’s bittersweet, I could not ask for such a well behaved puppy in Violet; she quickly adjusted to her new surrounding. Although I prepared a bassinette next to my bed to keep her close, I found it unnecessary as she quickly made her way to my bed to cuddle. She awoke only twice to lick me and advise me that “I don’t pee or poop where I sleep.” I took her out, and sure enough she needed to go. This miniature schnauzer is like no other: incredibly smart and already giving daddy plenty of kisses. Even feeding her has been easy, and all she wants is to be with me either in bed, on my lap or in her basket. She is a dream come true as you can see from the photo.
So stay tuned for more adventures and stories to come. Check out my photo gallery often for updated puppy pictures on a regular basis.
