…is like a fine old wine. Mellowing and becoming more complex with age. Our dogs are aging. Many of my friends have kids the same age as mine. We met through playgroups, at the park, at the schools our kids attended. We invited dogs to join our families at a similar point too. The kids … Continue reading A Fine Old Dog
Category: loss
Separation Anxiety
Pandemic pups are struggling. Originally adopted to brighten the lives of people isolating in their homes as they followed social distancing guidelines and didn’t see friends, family, or co-workers, the pups are now finding it’s hard to be alone as their families resume their former activities. Since I don't know anyone with a pandemic puppy, … Continue reading Separation Anxiety
A Senior Moment
On a lovely evening sitting around the firepit with dear friends we found ourselves confronting some sobering truths about the future. We met when we were one-child families and have stayed friends as each of our families have grown to include a second child and, inevitably, a dog. In my friends’ cases, make that two … Continue reading A Senior Moment
Can’t Nothing Hold Me Down
Pettigrew epitomizes the can do attitude. As an elder statesman, well into his double digits, Pettigrew is slowing down. But for the things that matter most, he finds a way. As a pup, Pettigrew was all grace as he leapt on top of walls, cleared logs that had fallen across the trail, and bounded onto … Continue reading Can’t Nothing Hold Me Down
Leave While You’re Still Having Fun
Leave while you’re still having fun. All good things must come to an end. My mother dutifully did her best to instill these truisms. But I didn’t believe. I wanted to eek out that last drop of pleasure. Stay until the bitter end. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I was a trailblazer … Continue reading Leave While You’re Still Having Fun
The Presence in the House
I spent the weekend with my nephew, an up-and-coming movie producer, whose latest piece deals with the effects of a sudden death; how that person’s presence can linger. (The End of Summer) But it’s not only ghosts that leave a mark. Pettigrew has a presence. When he’s not in the house, the air feels different. … Continue reading The Presence in the House
Just Love
“Just love,” I call out, throwing my voice ahead of me, as Pettigrew hurries us towards the woman in the neon yellow jacket standing in the middle of the street with her arms stretched wide. Sandy, the school crossing guard, keeps a pocketful of treats for the dogs that pass her intersection. A flash of … Continue reading Just Love
My Dog Has a Death Wish
My dog has a death wish, or maybe he’s trying to prove that cats aren’t the only ones with nine lives. He can be competitive that way. This week on one walk alone he cashed in two lives. It was the mail truck’s fault. We were on the sidewalk, minding our own business, when the … Continue reading My Dog Has a Death Wish
Remembering the One Who Got Away
As Garth Brooks's memorably sang, "Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers." We went to the shelter to adopt Shadow, but Pettigrew is the dog who came home with us. We got lucky.
Trying Not to Think About Loss
Pettigrew has had a tough week. He’s still limping. His stomach is off. And the temperature has soared into the 90s. He’s not a stiff upper lip kind of dog, so I’ve had a hard week too. He’s kept me busy getting up early to take him out, boiling rice, and poaching chicken. He finished … Continue reading Trying Not to Think About Loss
Ruth Polk 