Finding Mandy

I have always loved puppies. Even as a little girl I was obsessed with petting and playing with any puppy that bounded into my path. I was blessed with several memorable dogs in my life, but never that one little baby that I could raise and be a mommy to.
   This past March, I was suddenly inspired. What if I were to find a Golden Retriever, raise her, then eventually sell her future puppies? I could bask in my love of puppies - little paws, wet tongues, floppy ears and all - and make a few extra dollars (Okay... maybe more than a few).
   So I searched. And searched. And waited.
   And she came.
   It was March 2017 and I held in my arms the furry bundle of my dreams. She was eight weeks old - tiny, and sweet. I brought her home along with those little paws, wet tongue, floppy ears...
   ... and a crazy big responsibility.
   Late nights, no sleep, holes in the yard, missing shoes, and a lot of exercise. Running through a yard full of puddles and snow drifts, in my socks, in the middle of the night, was definitely a workout.
   Yet, through it all, I somehow still fell in love with that Golden Retriever. She wasn't perfect, but she was finally mine.
  
   And so my journey with Mandolin Rain aka Mandy began.