My Mossy-dog...

Its been about 2 months since I said good-bye to my sweet Mossy, and it still feels like yesterday. Different dogs draw different feelings from you, and as much I have loved my other pups, Mossy was different. Mossy was the dog of my heart. I'm working on being able to say more, to make her memorial video, but right now all I can say is this: I miss her so very much.

My Buddy-Dog, The Infamous Mikey

Buddy was my dog. He chose me.

He made me laugh, was constantly by my side, (and under my feet), and illustrated the word "neurotic" the way only a terrier could do.

He chose me, and I loved him for it, 11 years and forever.

Little Miss Muffiupagus

I'll never forget the first day I saw her little owl-ringed eyes on that Ewok face. Sure, her name was Muffin, but she was mine/ours. My Muffer-pupper loved to play hide-and-go-seek, and tag. When I tried to teach her to play dead, she'd bark at me for pretending to shoot at her. While no obediance star, she did learn to sit, shake with either paw, and speak on command. She was not a kissy, slurpy dog, but preferred to sniff your nose to show her love. Muffin was not vicious, unless you were a dog groomer or delivery man. She had 5 puppies, and outlived all of them, perhaps out of spite. She loved to wade in the lake, and hated going out in the cold. She knew the second I opened a can of tuna, and also that I would give her a piece. She was my first puppy, my first dog, and the best Lhasa Apso in the world. My Muffer-pupper, finally resting on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.

I've always missed her, and always will.

A Shirted Grey

"Daddy, why did Maegan wear a shirt?"

3 days ago, Belle asked this random question of Sean- and he had no idea what she could be referring to. When he told me about it- I knew. We put a baby onesie on over her bandages to keep her from getting to them. It's so odd what little kids remember, and even odder the timing of when they bring up their memories.

I am just so happy she remembered Maegan.

A Well-Trained Dog...

Okay- that's pushing the truth a little bit, but Maegan did have a training once upon a time. The dog trainer called today, out of the blue, and asked about the Beast. Maegan was the only greyhound besides her own that she has trained. Maegan learned to heel, sit, and stay for about 5 seconds. For a greyhound, that's like 10 minutes.

Last Christmas...2007

One of the first things we found when taking out decorations this year was Maegan's stocking. It was very special, we had made it for her on her first Christmas. Also, every year, we make ornaments, so there were many Maegan memories on our tree. Maegan really enjoyed previous Christmases- she loved being next to you while you opened gifts, and just watching all the action. That last one, she enjoyed decorating the tree, but really hung back on the holiday itself. All the pictures I have of her on Christmas are like this- she is in the background, watching. Her gigantic t-shirt bandage is covering her sutures and drains. One of the worst things about bandages and greyhounds is their fine hair and delicate skin- tape just rips them both off. Her head is positioned low because her breathing was getting difficult for her. Her medications may have had an effect on her behavior, then again, maybe she knew. We missed her this Christmas.

Always On My Mind...

It has now been over 7 months since Maegan died. It's a wonder how memories fade. I used to be able to remember how she walked around the pool, so very carefully. Sure I remember how she did it, but I can no longer picture it. I used to remember how she would greet friends, earning the nickname "crotch-shot" or how she loved to watch other dogs run. Well, the other day I was sorting pictures and came across a movie. A movie shot in a time when "babies" were our birds, and we had Buddy and the Beast. It was titled "Superdogs". Maegan chased down one of her favorite crazy toys, a psychedelic pony, then stole Buddy's toy, and barked victoriously. My lutino cockatiel, Lucy, had died just before Quinn was born. In the video, she was chirping happily. It was about 5 minutes long, much too long to post, but maybe someday. Just to have it, to be able to see them, when they were alive and happy, means so much. I'm sure when I shot that, I never had a second thought- I'm lucky I didn't delete it at some point. I was there with them at the end, so seeing them in their glory days, well, I don't have words. The moments we have are priceless, precious, and few. Capture as many as you can.