It’s been a year today since I said goodbye to my best gal. It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed. How has it been that long since she was here?
When we were young…
I struggled to find the words for today’s post. Rather than force it, I’m going to go get some Tavish snuggles and reminisce about my Bella.
Missing that face today and every day.
Once again, the time has come to engage in a little bit of omphaloskepsis. I’m still firmly in the anti-belly button camp, but I’ll try to gaze at my metaphorical navel without getting too grossed out.
Anyway, that’s a long-winded way of saying I’m participating in the annual Pet Blogger Challenge hosted by our friends at GoPetFriendly.com. Every year, the Pet Blogger Challenge gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past year and look forward – it’s a chance to deliver our own little State of the Blog address. Continue reading
This post is a part of the Caring for Critters Health Issues Round Robin hosted by Heart Like a Dog. As the adorable graphic suggests, pet bloggers will be sharing their personal experiences, health problems their pets have faced, and how we dealt with them. While we consulted veterinarians and specialists in determining our own course of treatment, we are not vets and nothing shared should be considered medical advice. Got it?
I’ll admit – I had trouble deciding what to write about today. My beautiful Bella had numerous health issues over the years, so choosing one was difficult. I also wasn’t necessarily motivated to revisit some of those issues in light of our recent loss. However, inspiration finally hit, and this post is the result. Continue reading
Have you always lived with an animal? College was the only chapter of my life when I didn’t live with a pet. (There was a brief period when I had fish, but it’s safe to say that I was not meant to be a fish parent.) Dogs and cats weren’t allowed in campus housing – and, truthfully, irresponsible college students aren’t in the best position to take care of living beings anyway.
However, we did occasionally watch Molly, a Basset Hound that belonged to the parents of one of my roommates. We’d sneak her in for a few days here and there. She brought some much-needed fur and slobber to our on-campus apartment.
As soon as I graduated and got a place of my own, I started thinking about adopting a pet. A few months after graduation, Bella moved in… and the rest is history.
College was on my mind today after I watched the video below. (Also, the puppies kind of remind me of Bella – especially the one with only a single ear in the air.) If only there had been regular puppy stampedes* at my alma mater…
*I have more to say about puppy stampedes. Check back on Thursday…
See what I did there?
Seriously, Bella was a sleeping champion. Gold medal all the way. I wish I could relax like that! It’s something to work towards, right?
Her favorite letter? Z
Digging the black & white vibe we’ve got going on today? It’s part of the Black & White Sunday blog hop. Stop by Dachshund Nola to link up & join the fun!
My fellow Blogarians,
As you may have noticed, posts have been pretty sparse around these parts for the past few months. April and May were busy months for me – I went on a real vacation (to the Bahamas) for the first time in ages, went to New York twice, and then went to Vegas for a quick weekend. During the same time period, I was preparing to transition to a new job (which I started in June).
In May, we also had to say goodbye to our beloved Bella. Although the past few months have been busy and full of changes, it’s this last event that had the most impact. Most days, I didn’t even think about blogging. When I did occasionally log into the blog, I’d find myself staring at a blank screen.
I did begin to wonder if and when I’d find the motivation to start this whole thing up again. Then, a friend posted about the August edition of NaBloPoMo – basically, you sign up and commit to post daily for the month. I wasn’t sure if I should do it, but then I read the theme for the month.
It’s all about memories.
Kind of perfect, right? I’ve been a bit consumed by memories lately, after all. I’m hoping that signing up for NaBloPoMo will serve two purposes: (1) to help me get my blogging groove back and (2) to help me move forward while I’m looking back.
I realize that I started yesterday off with a somber post, but I promise it won’t be all doom and gloom over here. Perhaps I’ll even recapture some of my whimsy and manage to make it rain on your face from laughter as opposed to sadness. No Frown Friday might even return from its long vacation. We’ll see how it goes.
Stay tuned…
… or, in this case, your Bella.
I was thinking recently about all of the things – both little and not-so-little – that have changed around here since we lost Bella in May. Sometimes it seems like I’m surrounded by a thousand tiny reminders on any given day.
Loosely inspired by this song, here are twenty (out of countless) ways I miss my Bella:
How I miss that sweet and silly face…
Have you ever had one of those dreams that made you furiously happy and deeply sad at the same time?
This past weekend, I had one of those dreams. In it, I was cleaning my house. (Even in my dreams, I channel Monica Geller – at my house, you can eat cookies over the sink!) I opened the patio door to go into the backyard, and stepped out onto our deck. Suddenly, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned to see my beautiful Bella, the very picture of unbridled joy, her tongue hanging out as she raced towards me. I leaned down, just in time to catch her as she bounded into my arms.
Happy tails to you…
I awoke to the feeling of her wagging tail and of holding her tight. Bella was always a wonderfully enthusiastic welcoming committee, and i always felt so loved when I returned home. I woke up feeling that love all around me.
It was the perfect reunion, and I felt a powerful sense of peace and happiness, accompanied by the sadness of knowing that we can only meet in my dreams. However, if it gets me a few more precious minutes with Bella, I’ll welcome all the dreams that come my way.
Two years ago today, this furry face joined our family. We adopted him from Friends of Homeless Animals, and the rest is history…
Happy Tavishversary!
Here’s to a snuggly dog that’s scared of his water bowl and of his own farts… but still struts around the neighborhood like he owns the place. (Bella taught him well. Following her example, he seems to believe that if he can see it, it belongs to him.)
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been two years. So much has changed since then… but not how awesome this little dude is. (He’s pretty darn awesome.)
These past few weeks, I’ve found myself revisiting some of my favorite Bella memories. Remembering all of her wonderful quirks makes me smile, even if that smile is often (okay, always) through some tears. In any event, I thought I’d share a few of these as I try to get back into the blog.
Today’s tale has it all – mystery, comedy… and even MURDER.
It was a cold night. Presents were stacked under the unlit Christmas tree. In the corner of my mother-in-law’s living room, a ceramic assembly gathered around an empty crib, quietly awaiting the arrival of the porcelain Savior. Faux-human and faux-animal alike, they patiently kept watch, anticipating the moment that the giant hand would place the baby in the miniature manger. Distracted by the imminent miracle, they failed to notice that one of their own was missing.
He wasn’t the fanciest sheep, nor the prettiest one. In fact, they never knew how he became a part of the flock. He was always there, but he was undeniably different. The leader of the flock accepted him without question, and the others followed like… well, like sheep. (Just calling ’em like I see ’em.)
That fateful night, the plastic sheep found himself separated from the ceramic flock. As he faced down the giant she-beast, he knew that he would not see the Nativity storage container ever again. Although she did not usually devour miniature figurines, his plastic scent was too much to resist that night.
Later, in the harsh light of Christmas morning, the crime scene revealed itself. Crumbs of plastic sheep littered the manger. It didn’t take a world-class detective to discover the culprit – after all, the small brown and white dog happily pooping out pieces of plastic sheep didn’t seem too ashamed of her heinous act.
The face of a smooth criminal…
