Monday, September 16, 2019

In Memorium

Last night my friend and companion of the last 14 years was diagnosed with cancer which had advanced to massive internal bleeding.
Friday she could barely make it around my block. Saturday she did about a mile and seemed to be improving, Sunday she collapsed and couldn't get up. The vet said she likely would not make it through today so last night we had her put down. She was everybodys friend and will be greatly missed.

Now I have to walk myself those 600-800 miles/year and completely wash my own dishes.

4 comments:

Merle said...

Sorry to hear that.

Merle

Anonymous said...

It's the shitty part of loving our pets so much. I will be going through it yet again myself in the near future. But I will do it over and over, anyway.

Truly sorry for your loss.

Anonymous said...

That's hard. So sorry.

David

Greg Smith said...

The Power of the Dog
Rudyard Kipling - 1865-1936

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
But… you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!).
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone—wherever it goes—for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long—
So why in—Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

So sorry Billll.