Ek was bevoorreg om in \u2019n huishouding groot te word waar daar altyd \u2019n hond of twee was. <\/p>\n
Ons was ook glad nie uitsoekerig oor watter ras die hond moes wees nie. <\/p>\n
Nou, toe ek nog \u2019n papnekkie was, het ons vir Lappies gehad. Lappies was \u2019n wit hond met swart kolle. <\/p>\n
Iewers in een van die familie-albums is daar nog \u2019n foto van Lappies waar hy met my kom kennis maak toe ek skaars twee maande oud was. <\/p>\n
Die jare het aanbeweeg en toe is daar Toenkies, Bonnie en Clyde, Bella, Emma, Lassie, Tobie, Lucky, Cocoa, Vicky, Rusty en selfs Oupa. <\/p>\n
\u2019n Familielid het altyd gespot en grappenderwys na Oupa verwys as \u2019n ou tandeborsel. Oupa was \u2019n steekbaard wat ek destyds by \u2019n ho\u00ebrskool-vriendin gekry het. Hy was baie stout.<\/p>\n
Soos die jare aanstap, het di\u00e9 spannetjie ook later deel van ons gesin geword: Heidi, Kelly, Naomi, Timothy, Matthew, Willem, Jacob, Akin, Rubin, Jaimie, Amber, Mary, Charl, Ralston, Pat, Kerneels, Rozie en Fiona.<\/p>\n
Daar was selfs Darren. Di\u00e9 siel het sommer al by geboorte vir drama gesorg toe hy met die bevalling agter in een van ons ou weggooi-rusbanke \u2013 waarop sy ma (Heidi) gekraam het \u2013 beland het. <\/p>\n
Ons het hom daar uitgehaal toe my ma sy gekerm hoor. <\/p>\n
Nou, my ma kon nooit op Darren se naam kom nie. Wanneer sy van hom sou praat, sou sy altyd s\u00ea: \u2018man daai enetjie wat gered was\u2019.<\/p>\n
Toe word Darren sommer Gered gedoop. <\/p>\n
Heidi was Kelly se ma. Die dag toe Kelly geboorte gee aan Timothy en Naomi het my ma vir Heidi opgetel sodat sy haar kleinkinders kon ontmoet. <\/p>\n
Sy moes dit nooit doen nie, want so liefdevol soos Kelly was, het sy woedend uit haar kraambedjie gespring en my ma en Heidi vinnig \u2019n les geleer deur hulle om die huis te jaag \u2013 my ma al gillend met Heidi op die arm. <\/p>\n
Glo my, ek het my dierbare moeder nog nooit so vinnig sien hardloop soos daardie dag nie. <\/p>\n
Elke liewe hond wat ons gehad het, het maar sy unieke persoonlikheid gehad waarop ons verlief geraak het. <\/p>\n
Lucky was die happy go lucky<\/span> een \u2013 letterlik, terwyl ou Kerneels (Neelsie) altyd lus was vir \u2019n fight<\/span> \u2013 dis nou as jy met hom sukkel.<\/p>\n Heidi was ons Brooke Logan, terwyl Charl weer die stil een was. <\/p>\n Tobie (ons alsatian<\/span>) was weer onder die indruk al die tewe in die buurt het \u2019n ogie op hom. <\/p>\n Wanneer een van ons honde afgesterf het (ek weier om te s\u00ea gevrek het), was dit of \u2019n familielid oorlede is. Lucky se geliefde speelding was \u2019n ou plastiek-speelgoedvuurwapen wat in ons agterplaas gel\u00ea het. <\/p>\n Hy het ook daarvan gehou om met die granate \u2013 wat onder die granaatboom gel\u00ea het \u2013 in sy bek rond te hardloop.<\/p>\n Voordat ons ou Lucky kon toegooi, het Moeder geroep: \u201cWag! Wag!\u201d <\/p>\n Die plastiek-speelgoedvuurwapen en een van die granate wat daar in die sand gel\u00ea het, is toe nader getrek, afgevee en langs hom in die gat geplaas. <\/p>\n Natuurlik is \u2019n traan of twee ook weggevee. <\/p>\n Ons viervoetige vriende verskaf ons tog soveel plesier en dis tog so lekker om vreugdevolle herinneringe met hulle te bou. <\/p>\n Nou, liewe lesers, die feestyd is om die draai en almal is in \u2019n vrolike bui. Baie maak reg vir groot makietie hou.<\/p>\n Van ons gaan tuis bly terwyl ander die pad gaan vat.<\/p>\n Sommige van ons word oorweldig deur die feesvieringe \u2013 soveel so dat ons heeltemal vergeet van ons viervoetige kinders. <\/p>\n \u2019n Mens het al aaklige stories gehoor van diere wat vir weke alleen by die huis gelos word \u2013 sommige sonder kos en water \u2013 terwyl hul gesinne elders gaan vakansie hou het.<\/p>\n Indien jy di\u00e9 Desember-vakansie beplan om \u2019n bietjie weg te gaan en nie in staat is om jou viervoetige vriend saam te neem nie, tref tog net die nodige re\u00eblings.<\/p>\n Kry \u2019n betroubare versorger om vir jou hond elke dag skoon water en kos te gee, hom of haar so \u2019n bietjie geselskap te hou, met hulle te speel en vir \u2019n wandeling te neem vir die nodige oefening. <\/p>\n Alternatiewelik kan jy hom of haar na \u2019n hondeherberg neem, waar hulle uitstekende sorg sal kry.<\/p>\n S\u00f3 kan jy die feestyd met \u2019n geruste hart 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