Snowie and John

Snowie never missed a birthday. She sent me a Happy Birthday card for probably the last ten years at least. I think she kept better track of birthdays than anyone I know. I have tried to emulate her and remember to wish my friends Salutations on their big days. Today is John Myers birthday and I know she would want us to wish him the best.  Happy Birthday John. We miss seeing you and we all miss Snowie.
She always wrote lovely Thank You  notes after any and every occasion, no phone calls or emails, but a beautiful, thoughtful written note. About two and 1/2 weeks ago, I invited friends over to hear about Mongolia. Snowie called the night before and asked if she could come, "Would love to hear the tales!", she said. I was delighted to see her and managed to have a few minutes to ask how she was and how was John. She seemed a little frailer but was happy to be with friends and talked about maybe moving to a house on the water. Never a word about her own health. Mike and I managed to give her a kiss goodbye on the cheek as she left and I still have the thoughtful note that came two days later saying how much she enjoyed seeing everyone. I never heard Snowie complain about any health issue and she had several scares in the past years. We all worried about her heart. I remember one day hunting at Morelands, I was returning to the trailers and came upon Snowie literally hanging onto the tail of her horse who was quietly walking back to the trailer. I jumped off and asked what was up. I think it was one of her first episodes with her heart and because she never wanted a fuss made,  she never radioed for anybody to come help her,  but let her horse bring her back. She was the original "tough old bird!"
When I first started hunting she was riding sidesaddle and whipping with John. I remember the very quiet but insistent, " John, John, John...."  slightly louder as he might have moved on a little quicker after a view. In fact, Leonard, our mutual blacksmith, said to me after hearing about Snowie's passing, that if he had a dollar for every time he heard that " John, John, John,..." he would be a rich man. Still brings a smile to my face.
Snowie was the most gracious lady and she never had a bad word to say about anybody. She loved hunting and her help with hounds in the last years was invaluable. Her home was the site of many memorable parties and Hunt Balls, in fact, I will never forget a few legendary conga lines. She taught me a lot about watching hounds work over the years and I loved to chat with her as we met at a check once in a while. She waited with a book in that big truck of hers and kept on hunting as our best road whip even when it was harder for her.