Nessie the Scottie

08/27/2022

On National Dog Day I want to honor the sweet miss who ignited my love of dogs, Nessie, our wheaten Scottish Terrier, adopted from a rescue in Allegan County, MI, on July 13, 2006, when she was 8 weeks old. Nessie lived a joyful life with our family for 12 years, 2 months, and 3 days, when we lost her to a brain tumor. Our grief gave way to a yearning for another dog. Then came Peat, also a Scottie, but the opposite of Nessie in so many ways: black, barking, male, snuggly. Today I wear a necklace in the image of F***y, the beloved dog of the 19th century English architect, John Soane. When I put it on today, I didn’t realize it was National Dog Day, because I honor my precious canine friends who have made me more human every day.❤️

08/15/2021

Nessie crossed the Rainbow Bridge three years ago this morning. Sweetest girl. We speak of her every day and will always miss her❤️

05/26/2021

Happy Birthday to our angel Nessie who crossed the Rainbow Bridge on August 15, 2018. She would have been 15 today🌈❤️🙏

04/12/2021

The life and times of Peat (Peaty) the Scottie, a jaunty little lad who helped heal our hearts after Nessie the Scottie crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

03/24/2021

A rare sunny day in Galway, Ireland, with my Irish friend Anne and her sweet boy Scott! I met Anne because she was walking a Scottish Terrier! I ran up to her and got her cell phone no--we regularly walk Scott together. He is my Scottie "fix" since I am thousands of miles from Peaty, who is doing just fine, by the way. Living the good life with our friends and their Scottie back in Bloomington, Indiana.

11/16/2020

After dinner washing up, with Nessie’s paw print behind me. Not a day goes by without her spirit present.

09/07/2020

Peaty loves playing in the pool with his friends at The Dog House❤️

08/27/2020

In these scary days of pandemic lock down and political turbulence, if you have a desire to read about the joyful exploits of Nessie the Scottie, please consider ordering her memoir, which is available on Amazon. Last weekend, I received a moving letter from a woman in Oklahoma previously lived in Bloomington while attending graduate school at IU and had actually met Nessie!

"LOCK NESS!": And Other Tales of Nessie the Scottie

08/26/2020

This has been my cell phone photo for the past 10 or so years, sweet Nessie, in the dining room of Eric's mom and dad's condo in St. Louis. She always had the face of an angel, and she lights my way many a day.

08/15/2020

Today marks the second anniversary of our sweet Nessie's crossing the Rainbow Bridge. Although we welcomed darling Peaty into our hearts and home, we think of our dear girl every day and will light a Yahrzeit candle in her memory, which is surely a blessing to us all.

05/26/2020

Remembering our sweet Nessie who would have been 14 today. Her spirit is with us, and our love for her helped open our hearts to a little Scottie boy last summer. This photo has been my phone wall paper for years.

05/22/2020

Please do this with your pet, take a break from Covid for a bit!
Hello 🐾

My name is: Peat (Peaty)
My nickname: Big Boy, Wikipeatia, Love Muffin, Chunky Monkey
My breed is: Scottish Terrier
My age is: 11 months old
My zodiac sign is: Gemini, the same as Nessie; birthday June 11. I will be having a pool party with my friends in the backyard
My favorite human food is: Beef Brisket
My biggest fear is: vacuum cleaners; garbage trucks
My favorite things to do: Play with other dogs; lick Noah's face
What I hate most: Going to the vet
Where do I sleep: In my crate
Do I love car rides? Not especially. If they took me somewhere other than the vet or the groomer, I might enjoy them more.
Do I snore? I'm told that I do.

04/21/2020

Lockdown.

04/18/2020

Waiting for pancakes on a sunny Saturday morn.

04/13/2020

10 months with a fresh haircut ❤️

04/11/2020

Peat turned 10 months old today and celebrated with a dapper hairdo. We took him to an awesome groomer who has the table and whole set up in her home. We all wore masks and gloves and she came out the car to take his leash. This is the same protocol used at the veterinary hospital. If anyone's dog needs grooming and wants the contact info for my person, please message me.

04/07/2020

The life and times of Peat (Peaty) the Scottie, a jaunty little lad who helped heal our hearts after Nessie the Scottie crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

04/05/2020

I commissioned our former mailman, Walt (don't know his last name), to paint this portrait of Nessie as a Father's Day gift for Eric in 2008. Nessie was two. The painting hangs in our home office.

03/28/2020

Tongues Out! The spirit of Nessie lives on in Peaty and other members of the terrier brat pack. Thanks to Jenny El-Shamy
for these great pics!

03/23/2020

A few days ago I received this beautiful card from my friend Robin Ver Hage, who lives in Glendale, CA, with Pepper, her Chinese crested-Chihuahua mix. Robin read "Lock Ness! And Other Tales of Nessie the Scottie!" and was writing to tell me how much she liked the book. It means so much to hear from a friend and dog lover that the book held their interest and that she actually read it twice! I call the card's image, "Nessie in the Sky with Bone" but the real title is "Everywhere I Look I See You" which is still true. Little Peaty is so different from Nessie--male, black, very much a dog's dog. He is affectionate and wants to be on my lap, which Nessie never did, though she wanted to be right beside me or at my feet under the table. Right now Lenten Roses are springing up behind Nessie's limestone marker in our back yard, where she last sat down.

02/13/2020

A shout-out to my friends in St. Louis, Missouri: I will having a book signing at The Novel Neighbor Bookstore in Webster Groves on Sunday, March 1, from 3-4 p.m. My new book, "'Lock Ness!' And Other Tales of Nessie the Scottie" explores pet loss grief and the process of healing from it. Book sales benefit the St. Louis Scottish Terrier Rescue (STLSTR). It would be wonderful to see some old friends that afternoon!

Join us as we welcome local Author Lee Sandweiss, who will be discussing her book “Lock Ness!” And Other Tales of Nessie the Scottie. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit The St. Louis Scottish Terrier Rescue (STLSTR), a non-profit that helps provide medical care and re-h...