Saturday, December 22, 2018

My sweetie adored Pharrell and his "Happy" videos, too.

Ha! That's awesome! Programmers sometimes have a great sense of humor.

It was fun. I can't remember is she added my name to personalize it.

What I do know, is she did NOT add a "Ha Ha" at the end that would make it a shared joke. I ended up feeling dissed, and then chagrined because Siri is not real, and then dissed again. Really rather brilliant.

I say Seri deserves a fat lump of coal in her stocking for that snipe.

Well, now that I have had a night's sleep (not the best though - understandably), groomed a dog and had a smoothie and some lunch....

Decorations happened. Yay! Now only a good cleaning is left to do before Christmas Eve family get together. Totally doable. Shopping, well, that's a different story altogether! LOL!

What I did not mention last night was that yesterday was a day of loss. I showed a great dog named Tyler for several years. I took him all the way to grand champion and he retired winning best opposite sex to the number one Airedale in the country at a very large Airedale specialty. Tyler died yesterday. He had just turned 10 earlier this month. I knew he was not well as I had been talking his owner through his illness, but his sudden downturn was unexpected. I was upset, too, because his owner who I consider my friend was incapable of being there with him as he left. I would have gone to be with him. I believe we owe it to our dogs to see them all the way through to the end. We should be there holding them and whispering our love to them as they slip away from this life. It hurt and angered me to know that Tyler didn't have his people with him. I'll get over it, but I can share those feelings here safely.

Later yesterday around 6:30 pm my uncle also died. I am grateful that my uncle lived a wonderfully long life. He would have been 95 in January. He left peacefully and unexpectedly. He had just been to see the doctor that afternoon with my dad. Doctor suggested that my uncle be turned on his side when he slept because he had some minor fluid in his upper lungs, but nothing close to pneumonia - just tired, old body slowing down type of stuff. His caregiver turned him. He expectorated a nice glob of fluid. She cleaned it up and decided to change his sheets. He fell asleep again while she was changing the sheets and when she was all done he had stopped breathing.

My brother and I are off to go with my dad to inventory my uncle's belongings and decide what will go where and to whom. Not how I had hoped to spend today, but it is what must be done and I have to be there to help my dad get through this. He is dealing with the fact that "...of the four brothers I am the only one that is left.." That must be a weird feeling. Unsettling at best.

Merry Christmas.... sigh....

I am sorry about your uncle. Also, about Tyler.

I'm right there with you in wanting to hold my beloved pet as they slip away. It is the very least I can do. With our last set of dogs, DH stayed home from work to give Mindy a wonderful day of love before taking her to the vet. I give him full credit for that.

But, I didn't realize he was just going to drop her off at the (scary) vet and then leave. I still regret not checking on that detail. I still feel bad she was by herself at the end.

With Mindy's pal, Annie, I held her wrapped in her favorite afghan throw as she passed. No regrets.

Oh, Devon! What a sad confluence of transitions you witnessed yesterday. I am so sorry for all your losses.

My sweet husband, who was the bravest of all men I've ever known and who exhibited great courage (loud and quiet) in so many ways, could not bear watching our pets die. I was the one who took them all -- our beautiful Irish Wolfhound (Darby aged 10) and our two long-lived cats (Charlie aged 17, and Sam at aged 18) -- to the vet when it was time for them to go and stayed with them during their passings. He simply could not do it.

Admittedly, as a longtime police officer who'd seen so much tragedy and death up close and personal and who had survived a beloved spouse (his second wife) who succumbed to cancer, his cup of death was more than full.

I wish for you and for your dad eventual peace in the face of these passings -- especially at this season that evokes so many memories of days gone by.

Love,

Ann

Oh, Devon...I am so sorry. Hugging you Big!

My condolences and a big hug to you, Devon.

Lots of hugs Devon!