The Fruit of an Obsession

Amber Opal

Ok...I've come to admit that I may be a little obsessed with greyhounds.  We just adopted our first grey in December 2007, and I would certainly have a house full of them if we won the lottery tomorrow. It's the beginning of this obsession that I would like to explain...

When Newt and I were first married (nearly nine years ago, this week), we vacationed in Ormond Beach, Florida. Newt had grown up visiting this beach with his family and then later as a bachelor where he would frequent the greyhound track for some friendly betting. So, when he asked me if I wanted to go with him to the tracks on our first vacation together, I quickly agreed.  At the tender age of 23, I'd never given a thought to greyhound racing. When we arrived at the track it took about a nanosecond for me to sniff out the adoption room from which Newt had to drag me after what had been several hours. All that week, I begged to return to the track, and Newt gladly obliged.  He had no idea that I was secretly planning on packing one in between the duffle bags for our trip home.  I bought and eagerly read Adopting the Racing Greyhound and spent as much time as I could gazing into the hounds' eyes.  It was like looking straight down into their gentle, sweet souls. I was totally in love!

So, for nearly ten years I have pined away for my very own grey.  At the time we had Dixie and Josephine which we thought was steep on the responsibility slope.  Now we have six animals and two kids -let's just say we've realized the value of those footloose days, a faint glimmer in our memories.

When our yellow lab, Dixie, died at 9.5 years to cancer last May, Josephine was left as our only canine child. I waited until Newt was deep in the throws of pecan season in November before making my move on a greyhound. He couldn't possibly object to a new dog if he was never home! I found SEGA and filled out an extensive application.  When I talked to Patty Winters, of SEGA, on the phone, she informed me that a wonderful senior girl was located in foster in Perry - how convenient!  That was on a Thursday evening, and Sunday, Amber Opal came home to our house for good.  She just turned ten last week, and we celebrated with peanut butter milkbones and a new squawking duck toy which she loves!

Amber is such a joy to our family.  I will probably have a lot more to write about her...stay tuned.