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.

Tribute to My Beast