Dear Joe,
My brother and sister in law surprised me the other night with the portrait rock of Franny, Joe, and Toby.  It is so perfect, and I had trouble controlling the tears.  I will take it with me when I go to the hospital again, and you can’t know how precious a talisman it is to me.  Thank you so very much!  Looks just like them!

As an aside, I want to tell you another dog story:  In 1981, I moved back to Ely from Mpls and was living with my daughter in “the castle” on Camp St.  In the Shopper one Wednesday, I read an ad – “Free Puppies.  Call us up and we’ll tell you what they are.”  Well, what else could I do?

It was an older man who said ” Doberman and Great Dane.”  I had to see them, so with no intention of taking one, I road out Hwy 1 (I think) and this lovely man started pulling them out of a box.  At the sight of the first one, I knew she was mine and I took it from him.  He kept pulling girl puppies out of the box and they were all bigger and prettier than she was, but she had been mine from the second I saw her, and I was right.

Her name was Mrs. Rose, and she was beautiful – long legged, dark brown with a hint of red, gorgeous dark eyes, and a face the perfect mix of Dobe & Great Dane.  She lived to be 10.5 years old, and I wept many times when she left me.  She was much loved.  Still is, 26 years later on September 11.

The old man, I think was your grandfather.  I have blessed him many times when I think of him over the years, including now as I write this.

So in a way, I send you a double thank you.  His name was Joe Baltich, too.

Sincerely,  K. F.