POSTED: August 1, 2024
Last months post The Rose Garden was notionally about roses, but it was really about relationships, and this post is only sort of about a Tulip. You see Tulip is my friends Janice and Jims dog. As a family Janice, Jim, Jade and Jason have had a lot of pets: finches, canaries, love birds, a rabbit, lots of tropical fish and three dogs. While each of these have special places in their hearts and memories, the attachment to their dogs has been significant. I think this is pretty normal for dog owners.
Their first dog, Scamp, was something of a rescue. He was advertised as free to a good home by a family who could no longer care for him and there was quite the stream of people interested but Janice and Jim were the lucky recipients of this middle-aged cockapoo. Scamp lived for many years and was a big part of their lives, largely before they had kids. Scamp went to work with Janice at her fashion design business each day.
Then later, when the kids were young, Paddington, a big male Bearded Collie came along. If Disney designed a dog this would be it. Long brown shaggy fur, and big enough to mean business (about 27 kilos or 60 pounds) but enough of a softie to leave with kids. Paddington, like scamp spent a lot of time with Janice at her art studio, and then with Jim when he retired early. At fourteen he passed.
When Paddington passed it was not clear that Janice and Jim would get another dog. There was a big hole in their hearts and they were not about to artificially try to fill it with another pet. Then one day Janice posed the question – are we never going to get another dog? Jims fast response was that no, he would not say that. This led to the debate about just how old they would consider be prepared to care for a dog. Shortly thereafter they were on the lookout for another pup.
That pup, was Tulip. 
Tulip acquired that name because as a Shapendoes, or Dutch Sheepdog, it seemed appropriate for her cultural heritage and her short form TULI was quickly adopted.
Tuli came along when the kids were university age. We tend to think of pets being significant to little kids, and of course they are, but for young adults they are equally important. Tuli has seen Jade and Jason through job changes, partners, different housing, tragedies and triumphs. Along the way a bit of Covid was thrown in of course.
When I first started writing this little piece I had thought I would do a bit of a chronology of how this 13 kilogram (28 pound) dog affected all of their lives but no one wants to read tens of thousands of words – particularly on a computer screen, and especially written by me! Suffice it to say she was very loved and important part of their family and will be very missed.
I will let some pictures tell the story.
Django
