Thank you, thank you.

I received so many wonderful sympathetic, empathetic and supportive e-mails about the loss of my dog that it's almost enough to completely renew one's faith in humanity.

E-mails and messages from complete strangers who clearly understood and related to my loss as well as love and well wishes from those who knew me and what Abbey meant to me! Wow.

Thank you to everyone who wrote, I cannot tell you how much it meant to me.
Bless you and all your loved ones.

Now, back to what's hip!

In Memoriam

Abbey

March 7, 1993 - May 12, 2007

As some of you know, my dearest friend and devoted canine companion of 10 years, Abbey, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last september. After pallative treatment of chemo and radiation in October, and several efforts at staving off infections with various antibiotics (and yet making sure she has a positive quality of life), at the age of 14, she is finally leaving me.

A jack russell terrier with tons of attitude who was smart as a whip and equally as beautiful, her absence will leave a hole in more lives than just my own.

Not everyone understands what the love of a dog can do for your life. I am thankful that I do. Abbey basically saved mine by coming into my world at a point when I was suffering from severe depression, a broken heart and was painfully lonely.

I never had any pets growing up. Well, okay, not entirely true. I did have some of those tiny turtles in a plastic bowl with a fake palm tree and a hamster named Cream Puff, but never knew what it was like to have a pet who curled up with you during an afternoon nap or lick your face in the morning to wake you. The birthday wish I made as I closed my eyes and blew out the candles from age 5 to age 16 was to have a dog.

I'm forever grateful to my friend Kim, who was Abbey's original mommy but whose life at the time was complicated and wasn't the best for raising a dog. She saw that I needed something to love and she generously let me adopt Abbey in 1998. Not once did she ever ask for Abbey back nor during her numerous and frequent visits over the following years, did she make me feel like Mommy #2. Because of her generosity, I had the wonderful unparalleled experience of having Abbey for 10 years.

Abbey and I drove across the country, just the two of us, twice. She was my partner in strange hotels and adventures in towns I'd previously never seen. The perfect road trip companion, she never wanted to change the radio and not once asked "Are we there yet?" She helped make every unfamiliar place comforting. She gave me strength to do things I'd never undertake alone.

I moved to Michigan for work in 2003 and returned in 2006. Part of what made that experience endurable and void of homesickness was Abbey. Wherever she was became home to me.

It will be hard to adjust to life without Abbey. In the past ten years there were very few nights she did not sleep tucked under the covers with me. More often than not, hers was the last face I saw before going to sleep and the first face I saw as I woke. But, like all living things, no matter how wonderful, she cannot grace the world forever.

She is being peacefully euthanized today in the comfort of her home, in the safety of my arms. And someday, someday I hope to see her again. To hold her, to let her nuzzle her snout in my neck and to give her kisses on the belly.

Until then I can happily say I have no regrets. None at all. I'm so happy that I spoiled her rotten, put her needs before mine, and spent every penny on everything from gourmet dog food, beautiful collars, the finest medical care and all those deposits for hotel rooms.

It was completely worth it.



Goodbye Sweet Abbey.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below are a few of my favorite pictures from the past ten years:


Abbey, 1999


"Abbeytude" 2000


Abbey, 2002


Portrait, 2002 photo by Jon Pearce


The perfect passenger, road trip 2003


Dec. 2005

Luxuriating in bed, 2006


Napping in a hotel in Sante Fe, 2006


March 2007


April, 2007


Yesterday: Abbey sleeping peacefully on the porch the last day before her death.

Goodbye Sweet Roxanne. The World Loses a Loveable Pug.

above: A recent and sweet picture of Roxanne taken by Monika a few months ago

I've been very sensitive to animal lovers these days with my little Abbey being as sick as she is.
Yesterday, my dear friend Monika had the difficult task of having to put her pug, Roxanne, down due to the toll that years of arthritis was taking on her.

Rox lived a long and wonderful life with my sweet friend being a loving mother and wonderful owner to this little black pug with lots of character.

In remembrance of Roxanne, and with sympathy and condolences to Monika, here's a few pics.


Above: Monika with Roxanne and Ozwald (also now in the Great Dog Park in the Sky) several years ago

Not to fear, Monika, who opens her heart and home to foster dogs as well as giving love to some of her own, still has Woody (below) to comfort her.


And just so you can see what kind of loving dog owner she is, here are my favorite pics of Monika with my Abbey:

My heart goes out to you Monika.

Karin Jurick Continues To Impress Me

Karin Jurick is not only one of my favorite painters, she's one of my favorite people.

A beautiful woman, both inside and out (she no longer posts her picture on her blog, but I've seen it and she's so pretty), Karin's work is increasing in popularity and critical acclaim. I simply needed to put this up because I was so touched by the gesture. Please keep in mind, I've never even met Karin in person, but have long been in touch with her via e-mails since discovering her fabulous work and becoming a collector. Once she read my blog and saw that my dog, Abbey, who was recently diagnosed as terminally ill, suffered a stroke a little over a week ago, and is now nearing the end of her 14 years, she actually painted a portrait of her and sent it to me as a gift!

 Look!



  I am touched beyond belief and wanted to share it with you all. It's people like Karin who make this world a better place, with both her work and her compassion.

Be sure to see her beautiful work at her site here