August 2nd 2016
It’s been a long time since my last blog post and again, it’s not because nothing has been happening, but rather that too much has happened, much of it very saddening to both Melisa and me.
Having pets, especially dogs, can be very rewarding. They worm their way into our affections and become part of the family. Even when they are naughty, and get up to mischief, they can usually get back into our good books quickly, sometimes with something as simple as a single repentant look, or by laying their head on our lap and giving a big sigh.
The biggest problem with pets is that they have a lifespan so much shorter than our own. They may occupy a brief period in our lives, but they make us feel like they have been there forever. And that little trick of theirs, making us feel that they are an integral and indispensable part of our life, makes the end, when it comes, so much harder to bear. The worst part is that, sometimes, we are the ones that must let them go. It is a difficult decision to make and in our fear of making the wrong decision we sometimes wait too long before accepting the inevitable. It’s a decision that Melisa and I have had to wrestle with too often already recently as our canine family are all very old for dogs.
Since we moved to Michigan, just over three years ago, we have had to say goodbye to eight of our dogs. Todd (above) and Prue we lost in 2014, and Domino and Tessa in 2015. In the last few months we’ve lost four more. I’m going to make posts for each of the dogs in order and try to date the posts retrospectively. There have been other things of note, some good, which I will try to post in-between, but all those good things have been overshadowed by the sadness of our reducing furry friends.
