Tennis Ball Obsessed Chelsea
(December, 2005 – March 18, 2016)
Chelsea and Pretty play ball
Chelsea never met a tennis ball she didn’t like…
…or a lake she didn’t want to cool off in
Pretty kidnapped TBO Chelsea when she was six months old – scooped her up from Number One Son’s house one afternoon when he was away – and brought her home to join the Pack when they lived in Spring Valley. At age twenty, Number One Son was long on love but short on resources. The old woman Slow pretended not to see Chelsea for several weeks since Annie, Red and Ollie were already on the scene and she wasn’t happy to have a Grandpuppy to raise with the three other children.
But Chelsea persevered and won a place in the Pack and in all of our hearts and stayed with us for ten years. Pretty adored Chelsea, and the feeling was mutual.
While Slow and Red were in Texas, one of the little women of Worsham Street rescued Spike and put him in Slow and Pretty’s front yard. And then there were five in the Pack. When Spike and Red came home to Casa de Canterbury, Chelsea loved Spike and made him feel welcome. She and Spike both loved Dick and Curtis’s swimming pool at their farm – especially when it was covered.
Spike, Chelsea, The Red Man and Smokey Lonesome Ollie
filled up a king-sized bed
Chelsea’s legendary loves for food and a tennis ball were almost equal – with food slightly tipping the scales. She loved her food until her very last breath and munched on treats as she crossed over to look for Annie and Red and Ollie in the field where they were waiting for her.
Chelsea’s legacy is her sweetness. Pretty and Slow both agreed they’ve never ever had a dog who was as sweet…and they will miss her loving self every day of their lives as will Number One Son and his beautiful wife Pretty Two.
Number One Son and Chelsea at Christmas – 2013
Oh Sheila….I’m so sorry for your loss, again. What a sad post to read but a wonderful life on which to reflect. Sending many hugs your way. xxxxxx
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Thank you to our favorite Canadian Amiga for your kind words and sympathy. Chelsea and Red both knew they were loved and both kept trying to keep us from the pain of losing them. They both gave it their best shot, and we are so grateful for the time we had them. Losing them both is made more bearable by the support of our friends who send us hugs from across the continent. Thank you again for your condolences.
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You are always in my thoughts, my friend.
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I’m so sorry. Losing two so close together is too much.
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It truly is.
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Life is not fair! I can’t express how sorry I am. Sweet Chelsea has left to join her spirit pack, but how I hoped she would spend another summer with you. Please give Pretty a great big hug and ask her to give you one in return. They are from me. Your Northern pals grieve with you.
Much love!!
Ann, Pops, CP, Dr. Z, and Frankie
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Life is not fair. The decision to let her go was a heartbreaking one for T and me, but her limp was getting so much worse and her mobility increasingly difficult. We chose to try to end her ordeal after she made it almost 8 months when the oncologist gave her only 1 – 2 last summer. Chelsea was a trooper and tried to hang with us to help us focus on something other than losing Red. Both she and Red went out as they had lived – with us loving them and holding them close. It’s the best we could do.
Thank you for your hugs and love and ongoing friendship – we love all of our friends in the North!
Sheila
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When it rains, it pours. So sorry for your loss. I know it makes hurt twice as tough. Sending you good thoughts this weekend.
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Plgcm, one of the Red Man’s most faithful followers, thank you for sending us good thoughts this weekend. We need them. It is raining in our hearts.
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Although I knew this was a possibility after what you had written, I am heart-broken. For her and for both of you. So heart-broken.
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Oh Luanne, thank you so very much for writing. Honestly, our home seems so empty without her limping around trying to follow us…particularly to the kitchen. Poor Spike is pitiful. I think we all must be, and we see them everywhere in our minds. We are a mess, but we will see our way through. Thank you for thinking of us – I really appreciate it.
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Sending lots of love.
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So very sorry to hear about your loss. They are part of our family. I lost 2 senior pets last year around this time. I miss them dearly. (((((Hugs))))))
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Thanks so much for your words of comfort – and yes, you do truly understand our losses. We lost two in close times in 2013, too, and we still miss them every day. Our home is full of memories. We will miss these forever.
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So sad to hear this. I know she will be missed. Loved her too… Thinking of y’all while I know your hearts are heavy. Love to you both.
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Thanks so very much, Nikki…I know you loved our babies, too. We have great memories.
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I am so very sorry. How your hearts must be hurting. Sending hugs and love.
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Thank you to our best Florida Amigas from a very quiet Casa de Canterbury tonight…we are beyond sad…more like numb. Really, there is no place we can look without wondering where our babies are. Cancer has stolen one of the sweetest labs ever from us plus our loss of The Red Man’s presence is immeasurable. I’m sure we will recover, but it’s a mystery how.
Our love to you all,
Sheila and Teresa and Spike
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So very sorry for you all. You need to go lick some wounds girls. xxx
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Annie, that’s what we decided to do. We are going to follow our women’s basketball team on their road trip to the Midwest – need to try to escape these images fixed in our heads for a while. Spike’s going, too. Road trip necessity to lick wounds! 🙂
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OH, NO…Chelsea too? So quick after the Red Man’s leaving. We are so sorry for your loss again, Sheila and Purrity. Whata hard time this must have been 😦 RIP sweet Chelsea. We are sure you are with the Red Man now and we hope you have a lot of tennisballs to play with. Soft Pawkisses ❤ ❤ ❤
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Thanks so very much Granny and Little Binky for continuing to think of us in this very difficult time for our family. Spike has been as sad as we’ve been! We hope for better days…for everyone.
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I came back to see the photos of Pretty and Chelsea, the tennis ball obsessed “fiend!” Sending you more thoughts and warm wishes that the pain is easing up a bit. xoxo
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I’m so glad you came back for the photos of Pretty and TBO Chelsea – we are doing better. Pain is easing…thank you for your kind wishes, Robin.
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