a Big Dream that come true

Every year around this time I start thinking about dachshunds. I know that isn’t typically what most people think about at Christmas.  When I was a little girl my mom was fixing hot dogs for lunch and I saw a picture of a dog on the hot dog wrapper. I asked her what it was about, she told me “that fool company is havin' a contest and they is givin’ way a wiener dog”.(said in a heavy southern accent)  I put the wrapper in my pocket and that night I questioned my grandmother more about it. I knew it was silly to ask my mother as she has a intense hatred for pets, dogs I particular.

Grandmother read the contest rules to me and we sent that wrapper in with my name and grandmas address. She told me that you can enter the contest every time you have hot dogs and send in the wrapper from the package.  I had decided I wanted that wiener dog.  Oh, I wanted him bad. I was going to do everything I could to win that wiener dog.  It was all I could think about. For the next few months, I went door to door asking people if they would be eating any hot dogs from “that famous hot dog company” and would they save their wrappers as I was trying to win that wiener dog. People were very generous in saving hot dog package labels for me at times there were so many coming in; I thought the entire town was helping me on my mission “To win that wiener dog”.  I had so many wrappers collected, there were days we had several to send in at a time. My grandmother filled out the information needed and funded the postage to send in the contest form.  We had agreed that it was our secret between the two of us that we needed to keep from my mom knowing what we were doing. 

My focus for three months was all about that dachshund dog prize. I went to the library for books on dog care and my grandma would read them to me as a bedtime story. At night kneeling at my bed, I concluded my prayers, “Please Dear Sweet Jesus, let me win that wiener dog”.

The following spring a delivery truck stopped at our house and a man came out said he was looking for a girl named Patty, he was carrying a wooden crate with my name on it. Inside the crate was a small brown wiener dog.  He told my mother, “Your daughter has won a contest and here is her prize - this here wiener dog”. My mother pitched a fit never to have seen before; she did everything to get that man to take the dog back.  He informed her that he only makes the delivery and can’t return the dog. She was so angry. That week she tried everything she could do to get someone to take that dog from our house. She cussed that dog for months. Over the years, she never warmed up to the dog and would launch into a tirade about filthy dogs should not be house pets and we were all probably come down with some incurable disease with that mangy mutt in the house. That flea bitten dog may even try to kill us in the night.

To this day, I do not know if I actually won that contest for a wiener dog or if my grandmother purchased the dog and set the delivery man up to say that I had won the contest. I strongly suspect grandma was behind the arrival of my wiener dog. She would never admit to it. That does not matter because what it gave me was the optimism that dreams and wishes really can come true. It may mean lots of hard work and door to door canvassing for hot dog wrappers but dreams are within our grasp. We just need to know what our dreams are, dream big enough and then go after them.

  

Thank you grandma for instilling in me the optimism of wishful thinking and making me believe that all things in life are possible. 

One last thing, I am sure my mom was directly instrumental in getting the addition of a disclaimer in the fine print of all contests that you must be 18 years or older to participate in any contest or sweepstakes. She never learned to like that dog.

 

Me with my wiener dog, I would read bed time stories to him. His favorite book was “Green Eggs and Ham
 

I end this year of blogging with big thanks for you all that follow me in this blog and I will see ya’ll next year.

I am sending you all the best for a Happy  New Year filled with dreams, wishes and hopes.

 

**I will resume regualr blogging after the holidays**

Comments

[willireb]

Thank God for your grandma!!! She was wise enough to know what was important to a little child. That wiener dog was one lucky puppy.

[liz a.]

what a wonderful grandma. being as i am also a grandma, i hope i can do something, someday for my little granddaughters just as delightful, just as wonderful! my son doesn't like pets...hhhmmmmmmmmm! hahahha! thank you for sharing such a sweet story!

[Kim Owens]

What a wonderful, heart-warming story!! Your grandmother was an amazing woman - you must miss her :-) Thanks so much for sharing this holiday gift with us!

[carmen nessman]

merry Christmas!
as much as i am always looking for all the wonderful eye candy you offer us here when you go for storytelling with words you are also wonderful
hugs!

[katiejane]

Patty, I have tears rolling out of my eyes as I read this. This little story is so touching. I grew up with dogs and desparately wanted a cat. Oh, how I wanted a cat. My mother hated cats, so dogs were all we were allowed. I vowed that when I left home I would always have a cat, and I have. I presently have two. I still like dogs, but I want cats. My husband always wanted a dog, so we will probably get another (we've had five) in the spring.
Have a happy holiday and we'll see you next year.

[nelda ream]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story. Merry Christmas! We look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

[Julie Prichard]

Merry Christmas, PVD....to you and your little wiener dog memories.. I love this story. It is perfect for today's post.

[Jane Stewart]

What a great story. I am a grandmother, and I definitely would have done what your grandmother did. You deserved that little dog and look at the wonderful memories you have. Funny how your mother never warmed up to the little fellow.

[Star]

Patty what a wonderful story; it brought tears to my eyes. What a very sweet Grandma you had!
The picture of you and the much loved doggy is just precious!
Happy Holidays!

[Mary]

I don't understand people who do not like dogs...bless your grandmother for helping you with your dream of gettting your weiner dog. This is a great story...wishing you and yours a happy holiday season. I really enjoy your blog and that fabric journal...oh my!
Cheers,
Mary

[debra cooper]

That is such a beautiful story, Patty! I'm going to be carrying it around with me throughout the holidays. thank you for sharing!!!

[Brooks Ann Miller]

I was hoping you would end the post with a photo of you, Ralph and a new daschund puppy...I also love weiner dogs and miss mine of several years named Ruby Tuesday...maybe for my birthday...You have a splendid holiday also and thank goodness for Grandmas like yours!

[Robin]

oh my gosh this is the sweetest story ever! I read your blog but I don't know if I've ever commented. This story made me remember my sweet little poodle Gypsy. I'd been asking for a dog of my own (we had a "family dog" already. The way I remember it, I talked and talked for days about it...and around the 5th day my mom pulled up in the driveway with a sweet little poodle. (in all reality my mom probably brought the subject up first and I took off with it" but in my mind, I dreamed, wished, prayed and all of it came true. I was 7 when I got Gypsy and she was still alive when I married at age 19. I found out YEARS later that Gypsy was a stray that someone at her work had found and they were trying to find a home for her...so my sweet mom had PLANTED the seed in my head and it grew from there. I always thought it was MY idea, MY wish, MY little dream.
I'm sure your sweet grandmother was behind it all, but you never know....dreams and hopes do come true if you work at it long enough!
This MADE my morning!

[bkasstle]

Have a wonderful holiday my friend! See you after the New Year! Your missed!

[Katy in Fort Worth, Texas]

You've made me miss my own grandmother (also a "Kate/Katy" - and my dog (a chihuahua named Maria)!

You have a great Christmas.

[Gwen]

Wonderful story. I could have loaned you my mom. She LOVED Dachshunds. We had two, Brandy and Joey. They hated little kids. :-)