Then my mind drifted to Cocoa Joy and I wondered, “If Cocoa could give me something for Mother’s Day, what it would be? Would she give me a well-chewed sock (a friend gave her several pairs of socks for Christmas a few years ago, a half destroyed ball that no longer squeaks (we have a dozen of these), one of her prized leopard-spotted EEs (these remain her favorite toy because when she squeaks one, it goes EE, EE, EE!), some rouge pull toy that has seen better days or her latest favorite Hurl A Squirrel (We got it when we moved to the mountains)?”

My house is usually awash in dog toys. Fact is, I’ve given up trying to keep the dog toys in the toy bin because they are pulled out, played with for a few minutes, and then left in all kinds of strange places. The other night I got up to get a glass of water and halfway down the hallway, I stepped on a stuffed cow that began mooing at me.

Honestly, I don’t know what she would give me and I certainly don’t know what I would do without Cocoa. Maybe she would give me nothing more than what she gives me every day and that is unconditional love and acceptance. And for that very reason, she can have a house full of EEs, chew toys, deer antlers, and most anything else she wants. Nothing tops love and nothing means more than the joy she brings to my life.

And then there is Chipley. What would he give? I believe he would give kisses and lots of them forever and ever and ever! Kiss By A Dog!

Many of you remember my Smyrna neighbor Opal. She’s a legend, and she is the person who taught me how to keep my yard looking nice, along with planting maple trees and blowing leaves out of my gutters. Cocoa loved Opal from the first moment she saw her, and she still does.

Every Sunday evening Opal would drop by the house and watch television with us. Over the years, we have cried together,  laughed together, and battled ice storms together. We have eaten ice cream together, celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving together, and rounded up stray cats together. When I changed jobs and moved to northeast Georgia, Opal was one of the  reasons that I did not want to go. Where could we possibly find another Opal—someone who totally loved dogs, walked two miles a day, and baked awesome banana bread? Best friends can’t be replaced.

Sometimes on summer afternoons, Cocoa and I would walk down to see Opal and we would end up sitting on her carport and talking. It wouldn’t be long before other friends would drop by and join us.

Cocoa and Chip in Opal’s backyard waiting for me to return.

Here is Opal with Cocoa when she was just a couple of months old. I called her my “baby bean” as in a Cocoa bean. She was so chocolate.

When Cocoa was young, she loved to sit at the end of the driveway and watch for Opal. If you look closely you can see her and Betty at the left. They were getting ready to cut a dead limb out of a dogwood tree.

One of my favorite breakfast places is BJ’s located in the downtown area. Usually, I see people there I know—people who live and work in this community. Across the room in this photo is Dr. Bob and his wife Frances. We go to church together—what fun! The guy who is my dentist came in with his wife. As I was leaving, he said, “See you later.” Gulp.

I don’t eat like this way often. Even though I would love to have French toast and fresh sausage at BJ’s every Saturday morning, I refuse to do it. . . . just refuse it! (Be strong my waining heart!)

Breakfast and then it was time for a little county music on the city corner. Honestly, I want to do something fun and cool like this when I get to be this guy’s age.

Later, we all headed out to buy fresh strawberries. These are wonderful!

I noticed that fresh Vidalia onions are available. Here’s a secret. Don’t buy anything that does not have a label like this one. A few weeks ago, I bought an onion that said it was a Vidalia but it wasn’t. Morgan Farms is located in south Georgia—the real home of Vidalia onions! Don’t be fooled by big corporations that say theirs are Vidalias. Nope. Everyone in Georgia knows the difference is in the soil. And these onions are great when grilled outside on a grill with smoked apple wood.

And then there were peaches! These are from south Georgia, too, but the guy who owns Jaemor Farms made sure I knew theirs would be ready in two weeks! We’re having an early Summer!

Here’s my beautiful Cocoa Joy. She was with me every moment of the day. Well, not at BJ’s but she was with me the rest of the time. I can’t leave Cocoa behind.

Last Sunday, a group of us went to Dukes Creek Falls with the dogs. I have been there several times before but this time was the best because the weather was perfect and also because we had our dogs with us. Buddy, Jeremy, Cocoa, Chip and Sam, who’s in another photo below.

It is a 1.1 mile hike in and the view is worth every step. Here’s a photo of the lower platform—the one Buddy walked down to first.

Cocoa and Chip had their own private collapsible, cool green water bowl.

Chip was hot and ready for a swim but there would be no swimming for these two doggies on this day because the stream was moving way to fast.

Sam belongs to Frances who once was Cocoa’s best friend on our long walks. But on this day Frances was her main puppy.

My good friend Sharon showed up in time to take a sweet photo of Amy and Galen Allen—friends at FPC Toccoa.

Here is one of favorite views . . . the dogs  walking together on a wooded path.

“My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet.”  ~Edith Wharton

It is officially hot in northeast Georgia. We’ve been flirting with the high 80′s for a while but yesterday at a friend’s soccer game we realized summer is truly almost here! Cocoa had to find shelter and comfort in the shade of a tree and in what was left of a muddy spot.

Sweet Cocoa listened to my friend Rebecca tell what was happening in her daughter’s soccer game.

“Yikes! I’ve been kissed by a dog. I have dog germs!” Lucy from Peanuts says it best: http://tinyurl.com/699l2u

Knowing it was too soon to get another dog, I opted for a cat and I have never been sorry that this one is in my life. He was a rescue from the Cobb County Animal Shelter. Eventually, I did get a dog — Cocoa Joy —and she loved PJ from the first day she saw him.

What are these two doing? PJ the cat is “baby sitting” my grandmother’s oak hall hat rack that arrived at my house last weekend. It’s his new place to sleep and probably will be for a while but Cocoa . . . who knows what she is up to. It was something because she looks pretty guilty.