Yesterday I was away from my home duties as well as my blog because an old friend was passing. My Sister-in-laws faithful old dog, Uno. Those who are not dog lovers or owners may think such reverence silly for just an ‘animal’. But, those who share their lives with “man’s best friend” will no such a passing really does touch one.
It also felt the passing of a phase of my life as well. I recall going with my Sister and Mother in law to pick up Uno as a puppy. That was 14 years ago. Yet, it seems only yesterday.
I can remember him running in the snow with one of my Italian Greyhound puppies back then and she, too, is gone now. Two Christmases ago we had a lovely white holiday and went ‘coasting’ and he followed along. Being half husky he loved the snow and was chasing and nipping at our voyages down the snow laden paths, licking us happily as we collapsed in snow drifts at the bottom, racked with laughter.
I was glad I was there for my sister in law. It felt fitting that we two, who first rescued the unwanted runt of a litter, should be the last to lay the farewell kiss upon his brow as he took his final sleep.
In our family we have dogs. We are simply a dog family, always have been always will be. There have been dogs there by our sides for generations. There are pictures and portraits of ancestors happily accompanied by some four legged companion. They have been an integral part of who we are, in so many ways.
We have very few children in our immediate family and so one can imagine a family so childless but so filled with dogs have endless photos of their furry children at every event. Puppies smiling from the decks of sailboats in the summer, lounging on beaches with us, even hidden in bags under tables at restaurants for birthdays and celebrations. They form a large part of our life and so to see one pass can be hard.
Today I am off to a friends birthday party and so will be cheered and happy again. I shall return tomorrow with more fun things to discuss but today I shall close today with a link to a post I made in 1955 saying good bye to another old family four-legged friend, Gilbert. HERE is the post, enjoy.
Happy Homemaking.
