This is about a mutt who traveled across seas and land bringing joy to everyone she met. She was named Tummeli Luppakorva. Tummeli was my third dog called Tummeli. Tummeli one, was a pure blooded Lapland Dog, I gave her to my two sons who lived at Sylvia Lastenkoti with their father, in Orimattila, Finland. Tummeli two was bought at the RSPCA in Tasmania, she was a miniature Doberman pincher who thought she was a full size Doberman. So full of spunk and determined to run the 52 hectar mountain sized retreat I had in Claude Road, Tasmania.
Isn't Claude Road a funny name for a community?
Tummeli three, or as I call her, Tummeli Luppakorva was a mixed breed, Chow Chow, Boarder Collie and Labrador. A great mix for a very special dog.
All three Tummeli's were great friends and wise and wonderful dogs. But this story is about Tummeli Luppakorva.
Tummeli Luppakorva came into my life in Arlington, Virginia. My husband had left his job at Launceston University, and went to Washington DC to work there. I was totally bored with the fast pace of life, the artificial environment of the diplomatic circles and military echelons, and was so fed up with doormen and highly secure living in those massive Crystal City enclaves, that I was going stir crazy. I just didn't want to be one of those spouses who was perfect.
I was used to donkey dung, worming horses, fixing water pipes that clogged from the higher dam to the house in Tasmania, and now I had running water, which at times the news said don't drink it has fecal bacteria in it. At least in Tasmania, it wasn't human. Just sheep, horse or donkey, plus the wildlife on the mountain side. Wallabies, possums, rabbits feral goats, Tasmanian devils, and a platypus who lived in the damn. Most was filtered out by the long drop to the house, 500 meters long, so by the time I made my tea it was tasty and sweet.
So one day I drove about looking for an SPCA, and I found one. They were remodeling and all the dogs were out in another town and I drove out there to look at the dogs. There were a group of Siberian puppies, so sweet, but suddenly this woman, called Linda said, those aren't for you,this one is.
There was this black furry bundle with big dark brown eyes looking up at me and my first thought was, she is too old. But Tummeli was just 4 months old, really just a pup. So I said take her out, she has to pass my test. I spoke to her I Finnish, come here I called and she came. I told her to sit, she did and than I walked her out to my big red truck and asked her to jump in, and this little pup jumped to the floor and onto the seat and I knew she was my dog.
I told Linda I would have her, but it wasn't easy. First she asked me questions: Am I married, do I have other pets, etc., etc., etc.. Because I was married I had to obtain my husbands permission; this didn't set well with me, I have never asked permission for anything. I am a free being, he doesn't own me and I was upset, but contained myself and said it would be okay with him. But they had to meet him, so it was set up for 7 PM that night.
I also said we had a cat, so this dog would have to be tested if she liked cats. She would be brought to the other building in the evening to see if she liked the house cat there.
Now seven PM came and my husband came to this meeting, having said earlier a dog would be an anchor. But DC was a sinking ship and I needed and anchor as well as a life boat. The ladies asked my husband questions, and he agreed I could have a dog. It was a bitter sweet moment. They brought the dog in and he fell in love with her at first sight. Now it was time for the cat test.
I never prayed so hard that the dog would ignore the cat, but she did. Now the dog would be ours, I had "the husband's permission" sigh, and the cat was of no concern to Tummeli. How little did I know what was next. No they had to have a home inspection. This had gone to far, I wanted that dog and I wanted that dog now, this moment,and somehow we persuaded them to let us have her and they would come in a day or two for a home inspection.
It pays to have Sicilian blood running through my veins, I made them an offer they could not refuse, money.
We paid a 100 dollars for her, a generous amount, but I wanted to show them we wanted her.
Perhaps they came for the home inspection but I'm not sure the the security guard would have let them in. He had to have my permission and I have a habit of never answering the phone. So I will never know.
Now she was ours, my Tummeli Luppakorva. We were Tummeli's 4th home, her original birth home, the people who she was given to first, the SPCA and now us. I would give Tummeli so much love and care that she would forget any unfortunate things that had happened to her. To the end of her life though, she cringed when she saw a broom handle of any long handle like a rake. Someone must have hit her in her first months before we rescued her, although Tummeli really rescued me from the DC way of life.
Will continue this story soon with added photos.