One Last Post on Bailey

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ~ Roger Caras

Judy made me cry again this morning... she made up this little banner and emailed it to me:



DH and I were talking about the fact that we got Bailey as a puppy on almost exactly the same date as we lost her. Eleven good, solid years. I want another eleven.

Yesterday was tough. We stayed away most of the day, but once we were home... it was the little things. Slicing food on the chopping board always made Bailey run to the kitchen. She loved fruits and veggies, and always got the bits I didn't use: the core of the tomato, the ends of the cucumbers, etc., and frequently got a little more than that because she was just so darn cute.

Opening a can was another thing that always got her attention. Cans = food of some sort! She loved to lay at my feet when I cooked, and I'd forever be tripping over her, but I never made her leave because I enjoyed having her nearby.

"Whoops!" was a sure way to get her attention. Again, it usually meant we'd dropped food on the floor. Last night, while we were having dinner, DD dropped a bit and said, "Whoops!" automatically (because, hey, having a dog is like never having to clean up the floor) and then burst into tears.

Bailey was, without a doubt, "MY" dog. She loved everyone, but I was pack leader. She hated being away from me, and would follow me everywhere. When I got up in the morning, so did she. When I went to bed, so did she. If I was on the second floor... so was she. As she got older, it was harder for her to do stairs, so she would watch to see where I would settle down before she decided where to go. I keep expecting to trip over her, to turn and run into her, to automatically pat her on the head as I pass by.

Even my cat it confused. DH cleaned up all things Bailey... so no doggy bed by our bed, no food dish by the entry way, no toys all over the floor... and the cat has been wandering around sniffing, meowing...

DH, though, is taking it the hardest. He's this big guy who never lets anything get to him. But he has been felled by this. He can barely function... it's the most painful thing I've ever had to watch.

And that's all I'll say here on this blog. I promise.