Our dear little dog died late yesterday.
She had been poorly for several days, and we could see that she was thinking about calling it a day, because she went off her food, then didn't want to drink. It was a quiet end, and in fact I was actually on the phone to the vet when my wife called out, so our lovely chum stayed right here with us at her end and is now asleep for good.
Nolly (Nols) was about fifteen. She'd had a rotten start to life, and had been chucked into the Blue Cross in Northiam when about a year old. A family had taken her on for a very short while, but because she chased their cats around all the time, even getting in and out of the catflap - she was very small - they took her back without giving her a chance.
We nearly missed the phone message from Blue Cross in March 2007, but we'd seen her picture, and although we'd both noticed that she needed a home, we hadn't said much to each other as up to then we'd had four cats, but were without pets at the time.
Anyway, we went to see her and that was that - Nols was certainly coming to live with us, and so she did. Her arrival changed our lives. It wasn't a good time in business, the government and banks were trashing the country, and we really did need some help, and by God, she did just that! We walked everywhere, The Pinetum, Cotherstone for a holiday, the village twice daily, Bodiam Castle, you name it!
We've managed the first few hours without her. She'll stay in our garden which she loved, and we'll always remember her as a feisty, noisy, fun-loving, forgiving, loving, little dog who brought us such joy for well over a quarter of our married life.
Sleep well, you gorgeous little girl.
27 comments:
Thank you for sharing. Hard.
My condolences. She looks like a sweetie.
Thank you Doonhamer, and you're right, it is so hard at the moment, but writing a few words helps so much! I do appreciate your thought.
Thank you Sackers, she was indeed a lovely little girl, and she's now buried here safely. In the past I've found it easier to grieve by writing stuff down, and I appreciate your thought as well.
I'm with you, having lost several dogs and cats over the years. I shed more tears over the last cat who died than I've ever shed over any human. Remember the happy times!
Take care
My condolences, but it's remarkable how many amusing memories dogs leave with you.
Thank you, The J.
I don't know if we'll ever do all this again, but Christ, it hurts at the moment.
We will remember thos joyous times though!
Thank you AK!
Those gorgeous memories are still here, and by golly, we need them!
BRISSLES here ! and like the rest of us who have lost our 'heartbeat' you will wander around the house listening to its silence. Its the worst of times, but take heart she had a life of love after such a rough start. We all say the same - never again, but, we do. I heard today that so many dogs bought during lockdown are now being left at dog homes, I could string up those people who could do that. Cry for your girl, we've all been there - and have got it to come !
Thank you so much Linda. It's been a sad week, and to finish it off, I've just watched the ambulance move away with Senora O'Blene inside. She's fighting some infection or other, I don't really know, but it took four huge fire brigade chaps and a lovely lady and chap (paramedics) to do the shifting. Our stairs are difficult because of the stairlift.
Need the carapace to work at the moment.
Oh, don't we all just have crap in our lives ? We struggle with life events for decades with the hope that calmer times will come in our Autumn years, but then one drama follows another trauma and you start to wonder how many Robins you've killed !! Take heart that your lady is now in the best of hands - understandably you will not look back at this weekend with affection, with the loss of your beautiful dog to grieve over as well. You'll get through it, because you have to - there's no option. I will be glad to see the back of this year as well - as you know I live alone with my dog, so in early August when chest pains began I called my brother (and an ambulance), but my only thought was for my little dog. As it happened I was only in germsville overnight, so a friend had her. But that, plus another minor op, then my parked car outside was crashed into by a hit and run scaffolding lorry resulting in my car being written off (a neighbours cctv caught the bastard, but it was just all the inconvenience of it all) - all this within a few weeks, and now being told I have 2 further ops in the future, and you wonder "what the hell ?". You get to a point when you really could write a book. Stay strong.
So sorry to hear it and you well know I have a real soft spot for dogs. I don't know how I'm going to cope when I lose mine... so much so that I now read the Tibetan Book of Living and Dying daily.
I console myself in such things by realising that life plays continuously on repeat - so live the most joyous life you can with the least suffering and the quickest exit you can.
Sounds like your dawgie lived the perfect life and will go through it again and again for eternity... so well done you for giving her it !!!
Think of her as NOT dead. She is still alive *then* and so are you, with her there too.
(My theory has sound scientific basis.)
You've come off much worse than we have, Linda, that sounds like one crisis after another one has even finished! She's stable now, but they might pop her down to intensive care, as her sugar levels are all over the place at the moment. Elder Daught is on the other end of the phone, so plenty to help is around if it's needed!
I was thinking of you this morning, as I believe you know Thanet well! In the Kentlive News, there are loads of pics of Margate
https://www.kentlive.news/news/nostalgia/gallery/38-kent-photos-1960s-1970s-6080237
Back in the 90s, I worked in St Dunstan's Street, Canterbury, and the 'House of Agnes' was the regular watering hole most days too... John Durkin ran a great place then but I never get that far East now!
My company helped get The Yarrow Building on the Uni campus up and running a few years back! It's an incredible building and has a huge history of a great man funding the original place for destitute children - the corridors were built especially wide so they could run around all day! The Scrobs posts about Broadstairs were from around then!
Been looking at the BBBC site again, and reckon that Zephir is Darcy with a different address - he often commented here, and I think I recognise his style! Hope he's OK, Fed asked him to leave I think...!
Thanks again for keeping in touch, it's chums everywhere like you who help so much!
Kev, that's very thoughtful of you to write that - thank you. Senora O'Blene is in A&E at the moment (see posts to Linda above), but making progress - we had a crap night, but everything improves one way or another!
Nols joined us around the time we all started chatting on blogs, and back then, she was signal in helping us get over a rotten business environment - Lils will tell you more, and she's left a huge hole in our emotions, but like you say, we have so many memories of her buggering about, which are comforting!
I like your posts on Cap@Work, you bring a different brand of seriousness to the site, There are so many more old friends there these days, which is great!
Stay well!
Hope this afternoon finds your dear lady much improved Scrobs.
Thank you for the weblink to the Margate I remember of yesteryear. I was very much the 'Mod' in those days - one boyfriend had the complete set of a scooter awash with so many lights he could be seen from space, the Parka with the fur hood and not forgetting the tiger tail on the back !! and though not part of the beach riots, I remember the packed beaches when day trippers from London would come down to Ramsgit and Margit !! I was born in Ramsgate, and left school at 17 in 1965, but all socialising was done in Margate at Dreamland dance hall, occasionally St Mildreds at Westgate, and the Skylight Room at Cliftonville - all times long before the migrants or the benefit tenants were moved in.
I'm not on social media, but there is a Facebook Group - which contains many nostalgic photos. https://www.facebook.com/groups/weloveoldramsgate
Hi Brissles, thanks for asking! I've just got back from Pembury, where she's in intensive care to keep an extra eye on her kidneys which took a battering!
She's on the mend, but it might take a few days, but the full time nusing they operate there is second to none!
The most difficult issue is trying to make the blasted car park machines to work!
Back again tomorrow so will know a bit more! Thanks again!
typo - NURSING not 'nusing'! Doh!
Oh No! I am SO sorry Scrobs. She was a little darling, and our Pig dog puppy loved her when they met. We lost our beloved Pig this summer, one day after his 14th birthday, and two days after one of his daughters had a litter. Calfy has one of those pups now, so his granddaughter and son are both in the family which softens the blow ever so slightly. His last day was great! Old friends over to schmooze with, a couple of sherbets at the local then back home for supper. Then he had a stroke. That's the way, living 'till he died in Elby's arms. They leave such a gaping hole because they keep us sane and love us even if we smell bad.
And now I read that your (extremely beautiful) lady wife is so poorly. Christ. I sometimes pray (what to, don't really know but....) and I am going to be doing that for you both till you have better news.
So much love and hugs
Lils xxxxxxx
Yes. My thoughts are with you too.
So much bad news around here as well. A little too close for comfort, some of it.
Thank you so much Lils! And now Dear Pig's up there as well! You and Elby loved that dog, he was part Patterdale wasn't he? That's a grand old age, especially as he was a Grandfather!
Yup, Senora O'Blene's still in intensive care, but it's more for the availability better kit down there, than an emergency! She should be fine, but as we're all getting no younger, it might take a few days to level her up!
You take care too, and love to Elby!
Mxxx
Thanks Elecs!
Pembury is such a great hospital, and has everything needed to get well again. You'd hardly know there was supposed to be a panic on, they just get on with it!
Catch up soon!
Thank you for your well wishes Scrobs on the 'other' site. It was (I was told) a 'tricky' operation - removal of gall bladder, but it had fused to my liver so had to be separated - yikes ! Nevertheless it was 10 days ago and I am much improved, just a slight 'stitch' like twinge when I cough,sneeze or try to yawn. Sleeping on my side is still iffy. Yes it was 'interesting' to differentiate the working practices of the nurses from my sick bed.
Pleased to hear that Mrs Scrobs is now ok, and I am now building myself up to yet another op next week for the removal of a C lesion on my back - a naughty mole !! its only a 'local' but I'm hoping its the end now of all these procedures.
Best
L
Linda, this is so good to know you're getting over all this, thank you for your kind words too!
You're perfectly safe emailing me on 2ndmktx - at - gmail.com (trying to keep the spammers at bay, hence an ampersand), I just like keeping in touch with good chums at any time, it makes up for not going to the pub or even Tesco or Waitrose, and I've met so many good people on line! The 'other site' is so great to read, although we never watch anything on the awful BBC these days they really are taking the proverbial!
All those chums started years ago when a fabulously funny site called 'Scotton Pinkney' started up, and believe it or not, I also found and always chatted with, a lovely lady who actually came and visited us one day! It was hilarious! She's Lilith and wrote above! She was also Bunty Binstock on that site, and we had a whale of a time!
And, more importantly, you must take care and look after yourself too! No heavy work, just a tincture or three and a cosy chat with your dog too!
Keep in touch any time you want!
Mike x
Woohoo, seems like your blog is a bit thin on the ground this year !!! hope its still running.
Hope you and Senora Scrob are well, and coping with this heat. I'm ok up to 20 deg then I'm wiped out - along with little dog. Funny how when we were teenagers it didn't bother us at all, and in the summer of '76 I was growing tomatoes on the windowsill at work !!!!
Am I alone in wondering what MarkyMark does for a living ? unless he WFH or is retired, because he is a never ending 'poster' which I confess I just skim over, because there are just too many to read, and its mainly historical stuff, so he must spend an awful lot of time reading back issues of newspapers !!!!
Nevertheless I think everyone is in agreement that GBN is the go to news channel, and with the exception of a few shouty contributors, seems to have got its act together after a shaky start.
Take care
Linda
Hiyah Linda!
Lovely to hear from you again, and I've just read your latest post - First eh...? I reckon you and Fed are up to something!
Yes, Senora O'Blene is getting back to normal thank you. Spirits are high, even if the legs don't always go in the right direction, but we're on top of the situation again, and this weather helps enormously!
Agree about Markymark! I tend to skim his stuff too, but on the other hand, it's sometimes good to read an article from some time ago, and realise that it's been buried very quickly, so I guess he's doing some sort of public service! JohnC seems to be an incisive bloke, and luckily we didn't get the troll on her normal Thursday cut and paste! She really is a saddo, but let's leave it to Taff and Yasser, as I really can't be arsed - other than when she was just plain nasty to Debs, and that doesn't happen in my book!
We can always chat via email if you want - address above, I keep well away from twitter and bookface, I've got a garden to see to!
Best wishes and keep in touch any time you want!
Mike x
Sorry, can't see any indication of email anywhere. L
Hi Linda,
Sorry, it was further up than I thought!
2ndmktx - at - gmail.com
BTW, the troll is Maxi if you were wondering!
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