Glen Duff wrote:

I'm really sorry to lay this on you guys especially this time of year
and when Annie my shop dog died suddenly a few weeks ago I wasn't going
to say anything, just keep a stiff upper lip. She was an 11 year old
Beagle-Basset cross and was the best dog by far that I ever had. I have
never met a friendlier dog. I was hoping the pain of her loss would go
away after a few weeks but I can't help think of her every time I expect
her to be around and she isn't. The only thing that really helps is to
remember the great times, especially her unconditional love, patiently
waiting in or near my shop. I don't know if it was a premonition or not
but this summer I took more time than ever petting her and enjoying her
company as I realized she was getting older and would not be around
forever.

One of the hardest things I ever did was to build her coffin, just a
simple box of rough pine that her body fit in comfortably. It took
about 30 minutes to build and I cried uncontrollably the whole time.
I'm usually really careful with my wood but she got the best 1 x 10
rough pine boards in the shop. The coffin will be kept out of the sun
in a north facing corner where my shop joins the barn. It will be
insulated with straw bales until the frost is out of the ground next
spring. She will be buried at her favourite spot just to the side of
the driveway under a maple tree overlooking our country road where she
could keep an eye on the action and was always there waiting for us to
come home. A brass remembrance plaque will be fixed to the tree.

For those of you with dogs, take a little extra time to comfort them and
give them back just a little of all that they give you. I am grateful
and privileged to have had Annie in my life for all those years. I
don't know if there is a heaven for dogs but if there is I know one that
will be there.

Happy New Year,

Glen Duff

Man that really sucks, I had to put down the family cat last week that had
been with me for 18 years. Boo cat outlasted two failed marriages and my
children growing up chasing her around the house. She had been with me
during the bad times and good times and never new the difference, unlike a
few women I knew and have known. Every night she would jump up on my lap
and just want a few pats and a warm welcome.

A few weeks ago I noticed she had come down with something she was not going
to recover from, unlike so many other times. Believed in her 18 years she
probably went through 10 of her so called lives. She stopped eating then
the next day stopped drinking and was miserably crying with a sound I had
never heard, more like a shreak. Walking a few steps then losing her
balance and just barely standing looking into space. My girlfriend and I
decided it was time but no vets were open (Sunday)and if they were to come
in they wanted 300.00 bucks to administer a shot. What a rip!

We decided to give her an overdose of sleeping pills. That was one of the
hardest things I have ever done. Her looking up at me as I held her mouth
open and my g/f giving her the lethal dose through an eye dropper. My heart
sank, the tears ran and an uncontrollable sobbing took over as I held her
in my arms and she went to sleep. I held her for at least an hour and then
noticed a final last labored breath and she was gone. The whole time
wondering if I had done the right thing? The next morning I buried her
under a huge pine tree she loved to climb. I think of her everyday and yes
I really do miss her. Pets are one of the few stable things in our lives
and they never really ask for much, unlike most humans their unconditional
love is constant and forever.

I know she was just a cat but she was a good friend that I will never
forget!

I know what you're feeling! Cause I'm feeling it now.

Rich
--
"You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"