Seven Years Ago

and it still feels like yesterday.

R.I.P. Simon, Sept 24, 1997 - Apr 25, 2006

April 25, 2006.

We came home to find our beautiful Golden Retriever, Simon, lying on the kitchen floor, unable to get up.  Gary brought him into the emergency animal clinic that night around 7pm and as soon as the veterinarian checked his gums, he immediately knew that we would have to put him to sleep.

I cried for a week after he passed.

It was months before I could open the front door and not expect to hear his jingling collar.  

And even longer before I stopped searching under my desk while scrapping to feel for that warm furry body to warm my toes.

For the longest time, I adamantly shook my head when people asked if we were going to get another dog.  How could I replace him?  He was the kindest, gentlest soul you would ever meet.  He was so well trained, having had the advantage of Gary working from home during the first six months or so of his life, and me only working three days.  

• When we first discovered I was pregnant, we would randomly walk by him and tug gently on his ear, or pull his tail, just so he would be used to the "loving" of children.
• We could place his food or treat on the floor in front of him and he would wait until we said the magic word, "OK!" before he would eat it.
• We held onto his food while he ate from our hand so he would never "snatch" and inadvertently bite small (or big!) fingers.  
• We could tell him to sit/stay, leave the front door open and cross the street to check the mail.  No worries that he would run away or into busy traffic.
• He was housebroken within a week.
• He was very protective of our family.  One night, I was out for a late night walk through the park and there were a group of noisy teens.  He moved to walk between them and I, and when one inadvertently lunged out towards me (probably enacting a story he was telling), Simon went BERSERK, barking and growling.  It was all I could do to hold him back.
• We used to call him "Hoover".  For months after his passing, I would exclaim to Gary, "Why is the floor so dirty!?  (Especially under the kitchen table...).  It then occurred to me that we had lost our furry little Roomba...

So many other stories and reason why he couldn't be replaced.  It wouldn't be fair to that new little Golden puppy, to be compared to such a dog.

But now?  Now, I'm starting to think that a puppy may be just the thing...  It's too bad that we discovered that Aili is allergic to dogs, or another Golden would be on my list!

Now, to convince Gary....

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the other challenges on my blog for a chance to win:

Sketchy Challenge:  April 2013 (deadline:  Apr 30/13)
Leave Your Legacy: Embrace Change (deadline:  May 31/13)