Saturday 25 June 2016

The week from hell and a fond farewell

I'll start with the most important, my fond farewell. Today we had to take our Greyhound Judy to the vets for the final time. It was one of the hardest decisions, with conflicting feelings, the rational side telling you it is time and the emotional time saying I can't possibly let you go. Judy has aged so quickly in the last year and this week stopped eating and couldn't even be tempted by human table scraps, her usual favourite fayre. The week has been full of tears, knowing that time is running short and full of guilt for deciding it was the end.

She has been with us through two houses, an engagement, a wedding, two other dogs and two children. 

Our last photo



Caught on the sofa when she thought we weren't looking (of course we knew, look at the blanket covering it!)

Play with dad

Back when she did long hill walks

Very understanding when your new housemate holds your tail

With Vinnie and mum

Getting some love

Goodbye sweetie x


So with love we said goodbye today after 10 years together and we're all devastated.

Work has been very hard recently and the upheaval of the house is taking its toll, with words spoken this week about the slow progress of the last few weeks. Add to that the bitter disappointment of the EU referendum result, where I can't help but feel my children have been dealt a shit hand and much harder path by a generation who will not to have to live through the results and I will confess that I am feeling very down.

I shall share some more house pictures this weekend, after our conversation there was some effort made to get things back on track.

11 comments:

  1. oh Kirsty - losing Judy is like losing a true and proper family member - only people who really love their pets could ever understand. the decision you made was a very difficult one, but i want you to read this beautiful post as i do believe it will make you feel better....after crying through the whole thing:

    http://thelastrobin.blogspot.ca/2009/12/our-dogs-and-cats-alive-again.html

    i am sorry to hear that work is wearing you out on top of slow progress on the house. why has work been hard recently? as for the house, i feel for you as we, after 6 years, are still living in what can only be called a "shack" and still has so much work that needs to be done to it. mind you, i don't work nor do i have 2 little children to care for....so i really do sympathize.

    as to the EU referendum - i have been checking all of my fave british blogs to find out what people think. i hate discussing politics on my blog, so if you would rather send me an email (when you find the time, of course!), i would be very interested in hearing yours and James' opinions. it affects your country tremendously...but it also affects other countries in the commonwealth like ours.

    i am looking forward to more pictures. and i am sending heartfelt love to you and all of yours. i wish i could do more.

    your friend,
    kymber

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    1. Bless you Kymber, that is a beautiful post. There are not many days when I wish for faith, but the belief that you will truly see your loved ones again is the one thing I wish I could believe.

      As for the referendum, there's a lot of hard feelings on both sides at the moment and if it reflects one positive thing, it is that we are all passionate about wanting the best for our country. Unfortunately we disagree as to what that is and there was absolutely no truth told on either side of the campaign.
      But my favourite out and out lie has to be this corker from one of Britain's finest wankers, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/eu-referendum-result-nigel-farage-nhs-pledge-disowns-350-million-pounds-a7099906.html

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    2. Kirsty - please believe that i am not trying to be preachy! but there is faith inside of you - just look at all of the things you and james wish to accomplish and are trying to build for your children - THAT is faith. you do not have to be involved in an organized religion or hold on to particular dogma....you just need to walk around in nature, enjoy raising your children, your garden, loving your husband, sipping a glass of wine at the end of a hard week....and being gracious about it. people forget that graciousness comes from the word grace. as does the word graceful. and you are very grace-"full"....full of grace. there's your faith right there.

      we'll re-unite with our loved ones in some form or capacity...maybe we'll meet them in their old bodies, maybe we'll meet them as electrons and recognize them immediately - who knows how it works? but i do believe that we'll all meet again...even internet blogging friends!

      sending much love to you and all of yours! your friend,
      kymber

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  2. All have a good cry and hug you have every right to, so sorry you have lost a member of your family such lovely memories you have in those photos, I hope you feel like smiling again soon

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  3. My heart goes to you, we had a worry with my cat Grace and we're lucky she is well. I feel the same as you very let down by the result, heavy hearted as to the future for all of us, no one can say they voted with knowledge the out camp spread fear and people listened.

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  4. We had to make the same decision about Scallywag a couple of months ago. It's a gut wrenching one, and all we all can do is console ourselves that our pets knew they were loved, and that we did what was in their best interests to prevent further / unnecessary suffering.

    So sad. So sorry.

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  5. Sorry your dog passed away. I know I am eccentric in some respects, but I always think this way. Animals, in general, behave a lot better than human beings. So if God made them both, and if humans live after death, why wouldn't animals? Ferret owners have a belief/myth/wish that ferrets go to the Rainbow Bridge, and wait there until you join them. Makes me feel better even if it's not so.

    Hope the EU decision works out in the end. Like Kymber, I think I will not get verbose about it, you have enough on your plate with all this stress.

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  6. We have a time clock ticking on our sixteen year old spaniel who has cancer, so I know how you feel. Sending you and your family lots of hugs and blessings. Vx

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  7. Sending our love. Sounds like a shit week to be fair. X

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  8. Sending lots of love to you Kirsty, always so hard to say goodbye to a family member and Judy sounded like a wonderful dog. She lived a very happy and well-loved life. Make sure you give yourself some time to rest and recuperate, it sounds like you have a lot on at the moment xx

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  9. Been there too. Awful isn't it? But an act of love on your part.
    Re. the referendum. I'm feeling very low too. I guess we will have to make the best of it and certainly not join in all the hateful tooing and froing from both sides.
    Gill

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