"In Loving Memory"

And so a new day begins, without our beautiful girl and the house and garden seem so quiet and still....

Josh, a close friend going back to childhood days, of my son Ben, who is now a vet, came to our home and helped Tess to end her suffering. We took her to a place in the garden where she loved to sit, an area of lawn near to the pool, and she lay there quietly as if she knew what was to come.

Josh was a God-send with his gentle voice and manner. Tess's acceptance of what was to be, and being there with my two sons and husband as Tess gently closed her eyes was a beautiful end to our dear fury girl's life. Tess now joins our other fury friends, our three other dogs, Sire, Bear and Nellie and our cat, Sunny, in the pet graveyard, in the garden beside the pool.

My two daughters, both who have left home, were both devastated by what was to be and within minutes of my phoning them both after Tess had gone, my son-in-law Jacob had found a gorgeous photo of Tess, which he entitled "In Loving Memory", my blip for today. I wanted to share this photo of Tess, for you all to see her in her prime.

Thank you to all of my blip-friends who have left words of sympathy for myself and family, and a special thank you to Raestelle for the poem. When my daughters (and me as well) read the poem, we all cried. It is so fitting for the day. Your kind words mean so much to us all and knowing others care so much helps numb our sorrow.

So on to today....it's my mother-in-laws birthday today. I added her 80th birthday celebrations to my journal on this day last year, as you will see to the right in my little "one year ago" gadget, which Cathaber kindly told me how to install. We have invited Irene to come to our home this afternoon for "High Tea", which I am sure she will enjoy.

Thank you again to the blip community for your support. Our memories will live on as our family continues to look through photos of our sweet and gentle girl during the next few days. Such a loving girl she was, loved by so many.

Rest in Peace, our Black Velvet girl.