Nut- Meg Strode

It was October 2000 and we were visiting a pumpkin patch in order to get our pumpkins  to make Halloween jack-o-lanterns. We were living in Sierra Vista , AZ and so I think we were after a little of that "Fall" feel. This pumpkin patch had a small farm with some animals. Goats, chicken, donkeys etc.

The farm had a few different breeds of dogs that roamed about. The dachshund's had recently had puppies and there was one that was smaller than the rest. it was like a tiny peanut.

Of course the kids wanted to take one home, I have never been a big fan of animals, but it was adorable!
I was just with the kids and jumping up and down begging Dan. "Please, Please"

Dan was strong (although he loves pets) He said "this is not how we buy a pet, we go home and think about it" So we left without the dog. We pulled in the drive way and I said " Go get it!" Being pregnant with Paige may have been a contributing factor. He made me think about it for 24 hours.

I called the farm and they wanted $300 for their puppies. I knew we didn't have enough for that so I specified which dog we were interested in "EVEN THE RUNT?"

"Oh we could give you the runt for $100 off"  I didn't tell them how we were a family of runts and we would think of nothing less (or as others may think better) than the tiny runt. "I was thinking more like $150" I said to the Farmer. A deal was struck and the next day (Which happened to be the day before Tori's B-day party) Dan drove back to the farm, and the pet store and brought us home a puppy after all the kids had gone to bed. He and I cuddled and pet the little rat sized dog. Then we listened to her cry all night and wondered what we had gotten our selves into.

Once the kids got over the excitement, we sat around discussing our new doggie and what we should name her. Dan mentioned we got her at a pumpkin patch and she looked a lot like pumpkin pie. I told him she wasn't pumpkin color, but more the pumpkin mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg, and there it was..... Meg (Nut-Meg)

She ate diapers, pee'd on the floor, bit birds, dug in the mud, growled at dogs bigger than her, licked every blanket pillow and couch she got her nose near. She loved to wait till you got out of the shower and clean up any shower water you would drip on the floor as though it were the best thing she could drink. She was stepped on more times than her share since she was so small and always insisted on hanging out under your feet. Meg would join any other family we were near when out on walks or car trips. Without any doubt she could find other dachshunds in the neighborhood when we were staying at friends and she knew when a small child was visiting to stand near them for the best chance of getting fed. She knew as Seth and Paige were learning to crawl that babies always have food on their face and they are at her height. She didn't care for any of our pools, or diving through the snow like a dolphin in the waves when we lived in Washington to get to the grassy pee area.

Meg was a well traveled Dog, living in and traveling to many European countries, She also had many adoptive families. Everyone who ever sat for her when we went away asked, no- begged to be able to watch her again. Everyone loved her.

Especially her people. Logan, Tori, Seth and Paige

She was a huge part of our family growing up years and we do not have any memories that do not include this wonderful puppy. I know for one I will miss her little click clack following behind me every where I go.

Nut- Meg Strode September 2000- November 2014

Rest in Peace our loyal friend