Hope as we called her, came to our house on 08.12.2015, most likely an abandoned dog(which I remember to blog about why suspect being abandon later). Together with the kind souls who picked her up and some other dog lovers, we named her Hope; In hope that she would be reunited with her owner. We walked house to house to ask if anyone knows this dog, had seen her before but to no avail. I offered to take her in while we try to reunite her with her owner.

For the next days and weeks, efforts were made to reunite her and her owner. The kind soul who had originally picked her up had put up posters in the vicinity and we all made efforts to spread the news of her being lost by posting on various pet lost FB forums but no one was even looking for her. There were sayings that she was ever seen being used as a 'guard dog' at one of those farms in Seletar Farmway. If this is the truth, then she might have just ran off. 

As time passes, we, including the folks who picked her up, began to believe that she was abandoned as no one on the entire social media platform seemed to be looking for her. Furthermore, after spending some time here with us, we believed she might be deaf as she doesn't seem to respond to sounds..not even her own name. She doesn't bark. I have only heard her bark once when she felt sudden pain (i supposed) from my mum's nails accidentally piercing her. She sleeps very very soundly that even when I on the vacumn cleaner right beside her, she had no response.

Sometime later, I offered to officially take her in and the rest is history. Some said Hope is a god-sent gift to me. Some even said it is Golden who sent Hope to be with me in her absence.

So, she came at a moment when I was totally not ready to take ownership of a new dog, when I was still nursing silently from the loss of my soulmate.

Whenever I think of her and him, my eyes well up with tears. Behind my smiles and laughter, there will always be a place deep down in my heart, thinking of them and all the lovely moments they went through with me.

11 months has passed. Hope has settled down in our house. She no longer attempts to run out as often as before, she no longer rummages through the dustbin for food. She is a very sweet gal who adores attention and love your every touch. She is so puppy-ish, she brought back memories of how G&S were when they were puppies and young. Now she even knows the way back to our house after a walk.

Since couple of months back, I have begun to warm up more to her, more than just the everyday touch, pat and chat.

I didnt dare to cosy up to her just like how I had with G&S. I am afraid of countless possibilities. I do not know them all. Some just a feeling beyond words. Last night, I cuddled her on the cushion. Last night, a stormy night was probably one of the first night she slept on the cushion inside the house. There was that split second when she laid on the cushion, that side profile look, she seemed so Golden. But I know she is not. She is not a replacement. She will never be. She will be Hope herself, the strong and optimistic survivor who probably ran through days and nights out there, rummaging through bins to find food.

Hope, as the name was given, was to have hope in reuniting with her owner. However, Hope has instead given me hope in being myself truely with dogs once again.