The care and feeding of dogs in decline.

Good. And it was a good death for Bird. That's the best we can do for animals, at the end.

Thoughts go out to you, boomer.

Sounds like you did well by old Bird.

Bird had a good life and she knew when it was time. She let you know
and you acted on it. You did well, boomer, you've been a good doggie
Mom.

How is the puppy reacting to all this?

Good, Boomer. I was worried there, about Mo. How's Mr. Boomer?

A marker - that would be a good thing.

Oh, boomer. Sorry about Bird,but I'm glad she did not suffer much and enjoyed a full happy life.

We (well, my parents and sister) had a funeral for Krispin this Saturday. Apparently it turned out to be a quite fun occasion - they also made a marker, and a wreath, and sang silly songs they thought Krispin would like. It helped Sebastian to put some sort of a closure on it and help him deal with the whole thing. Rituals...can't live with them, can't live without them.

Bird was most definately the resident dowager.

The pack is in flux.

The cat seems to be the most discombobulated. She is actually quite distressed and impatient. Perhaps this is because she is now the elder statesman within our pack.

The puppy seems kind of perplexed and over eager to please.

He can't quit sniffing.

Bird had a rather distinctive smell. We nicknamed her "Minty" because she often smelled like mint, not from shampoo or other stuff, it was just her natural odor. In the last few weeks she developed a rather unpleasant aroma which I guess was the smell of her dying.

With her gone, both smells - the mint and the other, have simply vanished.

I think I miss that more than anything.

I feel kind of silly thinking this because I'm not a big believer in "signs" and such but....

Today when I was leaving to pick Mo up from school there were two seagulls in my yard.

Of course, seagulls aren't exactly rare here, even inland as we are, but you usually see them in restaurant parking lots and places where food might be abandoned. You don't see them in my neighborhood to seak of.

And you may recall that Bird and her sister (who died about a year and a half ago) were Dalmations - black and white, like seagulls.

Anyway....

I stuffed my pocket with crackers before heading out the door. By this time the gulls had migrated to the median and were just walking around. I tossed them some crackers and headed out for school.

When Mo and I returned a few minutes later the median had a happy little flock gathered. "It's like being at the beach" says Mo.

The beach was Bakker and Bird's favorite place.

And Bird, well, was named Bird.

The flock made me remember all of the pets I have loved over the years.

Maybe not a "sign" but a happy coincidence nonetheless.

I never know what to make of this stuff either, but I always see good in it.

Take comfort wherever, and however, you find it.

Thoughts with ya Boom.

RH

Symbols are a way of making sense of the world.

boomerang i am so sorry to hear of your loss. as long as you realize that when looking backwards that you gave her as much love and devotion as you would have liked to now, you have no regrets. al my best to you.

And I'm thinking, I've heard about everyone else but you about you on this Boomer and have tended to wait as you have reported experience on all this, used to it, and more about being used to it.

Mo this and mate that....




Good thoughts re Boomer and her dog.

Bye bye bird dog.

Or, Boomer, maybe I'm trying to project my feelings on to you, when you have such different experience than me. Never mind all that, but that you get some time re mourning too.

Bird's death affected me much more than I really thought it would.

I got sick. Very sick. Running a fever, waking up the house screaming in my fever dreams sick. Can't get out of bed sick.

I guess it was some kind of stress release or stress build-up sick. I don't know. I feel better now.

Bird was the last of my "old girls" a pack of cats and dogs that I had spent the last 20 something years with.

Mo and I made a stone for her yesterday. Stamping August 4, 1994, Bird's birth date, made me feel ancient and creaky and lonely.

Boomer--

Bird was quietly carrying a lot of woe on your behalf. When she died, so did the last of your career as a childless woman.

Diamond is young to pick up all the slack, but he'll learn.

Meanwhile, you've had several years of stress and Bird's death gave your Puritan Stiff Upper Lip an opportunity to melt for a bit.

Hold your dominion.

We cannot escape our feelings, boomer. One way or another, we'll
start grieving, and in your case it was a physical illness that made you
realize just how much you're hurting emotionally.

We all suffer tremendously when our beloved pets leave us, and we
need to mourn them, no matter how long it takes.

It just never gets easier, doesn't it?

Thank you Noddy, and CJane. I feel a bit stupid being so bereft about a dog when so much else is going on. Even my brother, who deals with major **** all day long called after receiving my email re: Bird's death.

.... sigh.....

..... I a hopeless, silly girl.....








Anyway.





A funny story:

I couldn't sleep last night so I came down to rest on the sofa. Diamond snuggled at my feet. We were there for a bit, in the dark, when I heard a rustling... a mouse?.....

We grew still.

Thump.

Jump!

Diamond races near the MilkBone bowl and gobbles a treat.....

Huh?.... says I.
Is there someone in the house?

I wiggle further into the sofa where I can't be seen and get very, very quiet.

Thump.

Jump!

Again!?

Who is tossing treats to my dog?

I'm frightened. Really. I'm afraid.

I position myself where I can see over the back of the sofa to where the MilkBone bowl is and slowly I sneak a peek....





















It's Biscuit!

The goddamncat!

She is on the bookshelf tossing treats to the puppy from the bowl.

WTF?
















Seriously.

WTF?














The pack is in flux but they have a new sense of humor.

HA!

That's so cool...!