I have so many memories of the Blyss Borzoi that overwhelm me but especially on these winter days with the snow from several storms is piled high everywhere, as if we were in Moscow! I have memories of my only litter of puppies, born on December 8, 2008 playing in the snow as soon as they were able and appearing to be very happy in it! I felt their joy by watching them, and we took a hundred photographs at the time, at least. That was at our grand Blyss House, now gone. I am in a smaller home in my town now, far easier for me to live in yet not lacking in charm and love of borzoi in any way.
I remember one day after a particularly heavy snow fall and the sun shone brightly. We took all of the borzoi, Casanova, Mikhailya, Paris and Tresor, to the Scouting Field in the Watchung Reservation to run. Nothing seemed to please them more! I remember in particular Tresor, the youngster from Mikhailya’s litter we got to keep, was particularly energetic, leaping and rolling in the snow. Soon, I noticed his coat was covered in snow balls! I had never seen that happen before. He looked ridiculous. They were everywhere. We thought when he got home, they would just melt in a few minutes and everything would be fine. How wrong we were!
The snow balls were in fact solid ice balls. We spent hours chipping away and blowing the blow dryer on them to remove them from his coat. It was not an easy task. But worse after they were melted the fur inside them had turned to hard matts. Frustrated yet again, we spent even another hour with him on the grooming table working away at this tedious task, wanting to spare his beautiful coat.
So with the best of intentions you never know one day to the next what is going to happen to the borzoi or what they are going to do that will surprise you and remind you that you exist for them and their comfort and well being. We knew well we had a job to do and a life style to support, in particular when it came to vet bills. They tried you in so many little and unexpected ways. However they are borzoi after all and we had a small pack of them.
Today, what I would not give to have those days back! I wish I could look around this room where I am writing, this lovely room that is so warmly decorated, where it is so comfortable and bright, that is so welcoming to all who enter, and have them here with me. Where I have an ample deck off the dining room that overhangs a fenced back yard with lovely masonry walks and paths amidst the lawn, I wish my borzoi were waking to and fro, sniffing the grass, and hunting for cats, skunks and raccoons that are here in abundance. It would be so wonderful, too, if they could come back to visit, for they came with me but left too soon. They were robbed of the special home I selected just for them, with them in mind. How can I possible be here, and they are gone, except for my Paris? Even he must think the world has gone mad.