Dog Days

Last weekend was a bad one. Steve's first border collie, Moss had a stroke on Sunday. Moss was 14 and not in the best health. He had worked hard up until last year when we retired him due to arthritis. We put him to sleep on Monday. He lived a good, long life.



Monday we all stayed up late to watch the Raven's lose. Tuesday morning came too soon and we were all tired and running late. When I went to let Lucille out of her cage it was apparent there was something drastically wrong. She was non-responsive, and her cage was covered in blood. This was a dog who was perfectly fine the night before.
Steve ran up to the school to get Tucker (she is his dog). Within 15 minutes of finding her we were at the vet. She died minutes later. We are not sure why. Probably complications from her stomach issues from a few years ago.

Moss was old. Circle of life, and all that crap. Lucy was not old, not sick, and this has kneecapped all of us.

My house is too quiet.
I walk the girls to school, and open the back door to feed Lucy.
I come in from shopping and hear her quickly jump off the chair; her nails click-clacking on the wood floors.
I see her waiting patiently to go outside.


She is under my feet as I cook, waiting for me to drop something.
On cold, gloomy days we sneak a nap in the morning. Me on the sofa. Lucille on the back of the sofa keeping watch out the window.
As I work on the computer she lays under the table and I scratch her with my feet.



When I make school lunches Lucy runs in as soon as she hears me get the bread out. She knows she always get the ends of the loaf.
When Steve comes home from work, she joyfully greets him. If he does not respond quickly enough, Lucy will grab his pants.
She sits on command and gives you one paw, then the other, and the other, back and forth as long as you will let her.


Lucy may only weigh 17 lbs, but she kick's Algae's butt! They run through the house like crazy kids. Lucille always wins. She cheats a little, because she stand on the sofa to get to Algae.
She is a big dog in a little body.
And she should still be here.

I have no answers for myself or my kids. One thing I do have is great family and friends. My mom sent flowers, goodies, balloons, and some cute stuff. The delivery man put on a good face, despite my puffed up face and snotty nose.
Lisa and Zach dropped off Pumpkin bread and a sweet note.
Sigrid made us dinner-mac and cheese, salad and brownies.
So many sent kind words and hugs via email and facebook.
It helped so much.