I may have felt like staying in bed for a few days, curled up in a fetal position with the sheets pulled up over my head, but that wasn't possible. In the immediate aftermath of Della's passing, we first went out and had a beer, but then drove up to pick up Cara, one of the dobie pups. She came back home with us for the night and early the next morning she and Rex were picked up and taken to a clinic in Fredericksburg for their spay/neuter surgeries.
Bailey has soaked up the time and attention if not the treats that I had been lavishing on Della, taking me on two walks on Thursday and and two more on Friday, a total of six miles each day. After the morning hike on Friday I drove over to Green Dogs to meet an incoming shepherd, Bear, who went to a temporary foster today but may be coming to us after we get back from vacation in a couple of weeks. And of course there's Marvel, who gets fed four times a day, and her marvelous puppies, who eat whenever they aren't sleeping.
They all have continuous needs and are dependent on me just as Della was when she first arrived here, regardless of whatever had happened the day before. Failing them is not an option. I like to think of it as active grieving, dealing with loss by throwing myself into something useful and productive, keeping busy and preventing grief from becoming depression. It has worked for me anyway.
This is the new shepherd, Bear, emerging from his crate after transfer from North Carolina.
He's got some very big ears.
Very good looking dog.
I got Marvel out to run around the yard for a while today.
She really enjoyed it.
I've been waiting for these morning glories to bloom all summer and they finally are.
They don't look very active here, but the puppies are becoming more mobile and more active. Their eyes are open and they are defecating on their own now.
Elektra
Thor
Storm
Wakanda
Rogue
Monday evening hike with Bailey
Posts
1 comment:
Bear is a handsome boy.
Post a Comment