“In the mountains
Atticus became more of what he’d always been, and I became less—less frantic,
less stressed, less worried, and less harried. I felt comfortable letting him
lead, and he seemed to know what I needed. He always chose the best route, if
ever there was a question, and my only job was to follow.”
Middle-aged,
overweight, and acrophobic newspaperman Tom Ryan and miniature schnauzer
Atticus M. Finch are an unlikely pair of mountaineers, but after a close friend
dies of cancer, the two pay tribute to her by attempting to climb all
forty-eight of New Hampshire’s four-thousand-foot peaks twice in one winter
while raising money for charity. In a rare test of endurance, Tom and Atticus
set out on an adventure of a lifetime that takes them across hundreds of miles
and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. Little did they
know that their most difficult test would lie ahead, after they returned home.
. . .
At the heart of this
remarkable journey is an extraordinary relationship that blurs the line between
man and dog, an indelible bond that began when Tom, following the advice of
Atticus’s breeder, carried the pup wherever he went for the first month of
their life together. Following Atticusis ultimately a story of
transformation: how a five-pound puppy pierced the heart of a tough-as-nails
newspaperman, opening his eyes to the world’s beauty and its possibilities. It
was a change that led to a new life among the mountains; an unforgettable saga
of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family; and an inspiring tale
of finding love and discovering your true self.
************************************************************************
I haven't read this book yet, but I have heard many good
things about it, and I follow Tom Ryan's Atticus blog. This week he adopted a
second schnauzer, William, 15 years old, mostly deaf, mostly blind, who had
been left at a kill shelter in New
Jersey . I just read the blog post he wrote about how
in spite of people telling him he was crazy, inviting heartache, he's taking
this precious four-legged angel into his home to live out his days with love.
I've taken older animals into my home. Sam was around 10 when I rescued him
from a neglectful neighbor. We only had a few years together before I lost him
to kidney disease. Sashi was 9 when I adopted her; we had 7 years together. Tara was approximately 7 when I adopted her 5 years ago.
It's not easy taking in an animal that you know you're not
going to have as long with as you hope to. You lose your heart to them and then
they break it. But older rescue animals know you have saved them, and they love
you all the more for it. They have all been dealt a lousy hand and deserve a
second chance. And all you can do is appreciate the time you do have together
all the more.
Please read William's story, and if you're in the market for
a pet, consider a middle-aged or senior pet. You will never find a more loving
and loyal friend.
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