My baby Thomson's Angus Magee (pictured above in 1990) was born on April 21, 1981. This was an auspicious date since my little
Cairn Terrier shared it with his grandma Jo'Anna. Angus was the happiest of dogs (although he never really realized he was a "dog")
loving walks, car rides and time with his family. Angus loved to travel and moved with myself and his brothers Ti and Pooh (cats) from Minnesota
to Texas to Michigan to Ohio without any fuss.
When I moved to Texas he now had a swimming pool to play in. Unlike MacGregor who couldn't swim a lick, Angus was quite the swimmer - problem
was he was so small he could only get out one end of the pool. If he tried the step in the deep end he couldn't get out. So, I had to teach him what
to do. Once he figured it out he was OK. He also had this thing for chasing the pool sweep with MacGregor and Merlin. They just knew where the
tail would flip out of the water and squirt them, which of course gave them reason to chase it.
When he was six he was diagnosed as a primary diabetic. Being a nurse, this didn't phase me. I purchased a glucometer and the supplies and we
went on with life. He was so good with the blood sugars and all. When I'd put the little tourniquet on his paw to draw out the drop of blood for the
glucometer he'd just sit there patiently until you were done. Never a bark, growl, or whimper. He had implicit trust in anything you did, it was like
he knew it was to keep him better. During the remainder of his lifetime the vets were always amazed at his bloodwork. I kept him closely controlled
and he never showed any side effects of being a diabetic.
Angus loved the cold (good thing, since he spent his early years in Minnesota) so I got him a snowsuit one year so he could continue to play outside
in the winter. Found some deerskin boots that were on suspenders and would put them on under the snowsuit. Add the hat and scarf and he was
ready for an afternoon's romp in the yard. Cousin Kathy's collie Shy (Ch. Shy Lady Lace of Mayo HC TT) thought
Angus' scarf was a chew toy once and tried to lift it while Angus was still in the thing. Now that was a sight to
see!
Angus loved car rides and playing fetch with his stuffed animals. He had about 20 toys in his box at any given time and knew each and every one
of them by name. If you told him to get a particular toy he came back with that toy. He also had the "patience of Job" (biblical reference for those
of you who are confused). If he wanted you to play and you didn't he would patiently sit there for hours with the toy just starring at you - he knew
he could break anyone down! One day I came home and saw him sitting starring at the door knob. When I asked dad how long he'd been doing that
he was like "oh, a couple of hours". Poor little guy had to go pee so bad. I let him out and I swear he let out a lake of fluid. He never fussed, so
dad just didn't notice. Unlike MacGregor, he didn't announce when he wanted out, he just waited until you noticed he was at the door no matter
how long it took.
Angus could wear down anyone with his perserverance. My late Uncle Frank had a doorknob cover on his kitchen door that Angus noticed one day
when he was there with my mom. Uncle Frank was "no way, you can't have it Angus" and walked away. Quite some time later Angus was still
quietly sitting staring at that doorknob cover - you guessed it, Uncle Frank gave in and it became his every time he came to visit. Actually, Angus
had toys at all the aunts and uncles homes - he could "talk" them out of anything.
One time Nancy, Angus and I were visiting cousin Carol. As I said before, Angus loved the cold, so you'll
understand this. Carol had stuffed animals in her guest room and Angus went in and found himself one. It was
summer and even with the airconditioning on, rather warm. Next thing we knew you heard this "chink, clunk,
thud" coming from the bathroom. Angus had tried to climb into the bathtub with the stuffed animal in his
mouth and his collar got stuck on the track for the shower door. The stuffed animal fell into the dry tub, but he was
just hanging there, half in and half out. I thought Nancy and Carol were going to die of laughter. Angus loved
bathtubs, they were nice and cold! I think he spent most of his life sleeping in bathtubs. When I was in the
hospital for two weeks with leg surgery my Aunt Ruth babysat him. At first she was worried about him because he
would crawl in her bathtub. She thought he would get too cold so she put a blanket on the bottom of the tub.
Well, every morning she would find the blanket at one end of the tub and Angus at the other. She finally gave
up and just decided that it was just the way he liked it.
I lost Angus in May of 1991 to colon cancer. Unfortunately, people in the area were having their lawns chemically treated and the overspray got
into our yard. When he was diagnosed with this rapid growing cancer, they had found that one of the lawn chemicals used was the cause. Shortly
thereafter this chemical was removed from the market. Miss him dearly, but find happiness in remembering the joy he brought to everyone in his
short 10 years.
Until we meet again my darling mama's boy....
