A Heartfelt Thankyou

I want to thank you, Dear Friends, for your 

kind and caring expressions of sympathy 

for the loss of our rescue dog, Champ. 

Reading all of your kind words has helped so much, 

and makes me realize, once again, 

how very Dear you all are to me. 

You are a community of the most thoughtful, 

lovely, empathetic people and it is 

the one reason I love to blog. 

I know that losing a pet is not the most world

shaking event in the scheme of things, 

and that a pet can never equal the loss and 

pain that occurs with family members, 

or the daily struggle of those dealing

with serious health issues and 

other tragedies. 

But you have extended your love and kindness, 

for this small grief, sharing your own 

personal experiences to ease the sadness. 

For that I am most humbly grateful. 

I think what touches us most about our pets is

their capacity for unconditional love, loyalty, 

patience, and their silent long suffering. 

Most of all, I think it is their innocence

and openness that captures our hearts. 

All qualities that we, as humans, 

find so difficult to sustain, 

except for those in the sainthood. 

It is the loss of this innocence that effects us

so deeply when we lose these 

precious companions. 

It is this that we recognize as the common

bond we share as pet owners, 

and what makes us kindred spirits. 

I know some of you have expressed concern over Whitey, 

in the loss of his best friend, once again. 

He is definitely grieving, and we are doing all we can

to help him along. He is doing the same for us. 

We have brought in reinforcements in the form 

of these two little sweetie-pies - Weenie Baby

and Peanut, my daughter's mini-dachshunds. 

They have been frequent house-guests over the years, 

and once again, they will be having an extended

stay here, as my daughter is preparing to move

in as a room-mate, to save for a home of her own

for a few months, and can't take these little ones with her. 

They are a wonderful distraction and companions

for Whitey at this time, and they all get along

very well. 

It is a blessing for me, too, having these little 

charmers to cheer up my days.

They bring some happiness to our morning walks, 

as this was a favorite activity for Whitey

with Champ. 

Whitey has most definitely lost his enthusiasm, 

but I am hoping in the next few weeks that these

little bundles of activity will help bring him around. 

Of course, we will have to find him a companion

eventually, but for now we can't even begin

to think of replacing Champ. 

We also have this little character to keep us company -

Ling Ling, my Dear Mother's cat,

 who is always full of mischief. 

We took her jingly bell collar off because she has

no protection from those wild things with Champ gone

(until Whitey recovers and is interested in going outside once again). 

I hope the birds watch out, but luckily she hates the cold and wet 

weather and mostly stays inside. 

As does Miss Maggie, who wouldn't think of getting her 

little toes wet and stays burrowed in the blankets

until spring arrives. 

Like all cats, they keep us entertained! 

And then there is this guy - Birdy Boy, 

the cockatiel, who shares my time

in between, especially when I am blogging, 

as the computer is in 'his room'. 

Here he is taking a peek out the window

on a furlough from his cage. 

What would we do without these sweet, innocent

companions we take into our hearts? 

If only they could live forever. 

I want to thank you all, once again, for your kindness

and compassion. All of your words have helped

to mend a broken heart. 

A special thanks to Claudia for sharing the 'Rainbow Bridge'

with me and my readers. 

It gives all of us as animal lover's, hope. 

xoxo

I will be taking a short break 

and hope to return soon

with a stitched together, mended heart. 

xoxo