Jane Seaman
Linda and I met through our mutual friend up the street, Judy Johnson. We attended several Civil War lectures, such as History At Sunset talks around town or at the battlefields (different venue each week). We also drove out to Port Royal to the plantation out there where James Madison was born. (He didn't live there long, just born there.) I forget the name. Was it Bellevue? Anyway, we got a tour of the beautiful inside of the main house and also walked around the grounds.
I can also remember sitting in Linda's living room many times before she got sick, discussing whatever came up, and petting the dogs while we were at it. I considered Linda quite intelligent. She could speak to many issues.
Linda saved a dog for me one time. Nikki's mom was dying and could no longer take care of her. She was given to the mom's house cleaner one day, but the mom admitted that it was not a good home. Petrina had known her years earlier, and the woman had a bad temper. She could be abusive when angry. Besides, the woman had pit bulldogs that Petrina was afraid were going to eat her dog.
Anyway, the woman was persuaded to return Nikki, but she did it in a beligerent way: she dropped her off at Petrina's with all her stuff, but just left the dog and her stuff in the entrance hall, yelled at Petrina, and left. Petrina could hardly get up that day to let Nikki out, so she called me (as if it were my job to find her a home). I had previously spoken to Linda about taking in this dog, Nikki, but she had declined. The day I had the dog shoved on me, I called Linda and told her what had happened. She agreed to take her.
Petrina paid for all food, vet bills, etc., but it still was a big thing for Linda to take in another dog! I told Linda many, many times how appreciative I was for taking Nikki and giving her a good home. I think Nikki was glad to have canine siblings, because she had been an "only child" up until then. Also, she had not been on walks beyond her own property until Petrina hired me to walk her twice a week. The day I brought her down to Linda's, we sat on her front porch. The dogs came out, and her own two went down the steps into the beautiful yard with the nice lawn. Nikki sat at the top of the steps, not realizing it was okay to go down onto the lawn. For several days, she had to be encouraged to enjoy the yard. After a while, of course, she needed no encouragement.
So for seven months Linda gave that dog a much better home than she had had. Then Nikki developed some health issues but was ineligible for surgery. So, with Petrina's blessing and even encouragement, we put her down. (Petrina died two months later.)
When Linda got her diagnoses of terminal cancer, her first thought was, "What will happen to my dogs?" So I pat myself on the back for finding them great homes. When that was finalized, Linda was quite visibly relieved and said so.
Anyway, Linda and I didn't know each other very long, maybe 5 years. But we were there for each other when needed. I also admire her for giving the outdoor cats a warm place to stay at night during the cold winter months, and in fact letting them use her back porch all year round. She fed them, etc. This was in addition to the four indoor/outdoor cats that were her own.
I miss her, and I probably will for a long time.