I remember

The first time I met Ellie she was sprawled out in the middle of a food bowl to keep the other puppies away so that she could eat all she wanted. She was the runt of the litter of the half-Australian-Shepherds-half-origin-unknown puppies on my mom's farm. My grandmother, who swears that she cannot stand animals, was quite insistent that we go get this puppy before she starved.

Ellie Mae lived a very respectable fifteen years. I'm proud to have been her friend. But boy am I sad she's gone.