Muddyboots

Follow the fortunes of Muddyboots & Family on their East Yorkshire farm which has changed from dairy farm to luxury ice cream manufacture

Tuesday 1 May 2007

Dogs, kleenex & sea fret




Last night the phone rang at about 9'ish. I knew that, even before l picked up the phone, it was going to be an emotional, heart breaking call. At the other end of the line was a close friend & also our manger here. You see we are 'dog buddies', this in layman's terms means that whenever one of us has an elderly or sick dog that needs to escape from this world to the next, we are there for each other.

It was my turn 2 years ago when Sam, at the grand old age of 15 was ready to move on. She was there for me as we sat in the dog kennel keeping the elderly dog company whilst waiting for the vet, using up vast amounts of Kleenex & trying to keep jolly by remembering Sam's rabbit jaunts that lasted all day. Last night it was her turn. Pip, who at the grand old age of 16, had finally succumbed to arthritis and could no longer stand was in need of the Dog Buddies. Pip had always been an active collie, who did a grand job of herding the sheep & pigs, but had become stiffer & less mobile over the last few weeks, now she was lying quietly waiting....

It's never nice to loose a pet. At least they can die with dignity surrounded by the 'family', a luxury that few humans can hope for. Sam now sits in a wooden box on the kitchen dresser & will be joined in turn when their time comes by our current batch of labs. I had a lady ring the other night. She & her husband were due to come with their caravan this weekend. The breast cancer that had made her ill had now progressed to the secondary stage, her bones. Christmas this is morbid. Anyway, l cheered her up by telling her that we could postpone her visit until she felt a bit better once the treatment which she was to start on Thursday was complete.

I'm sorry, but l didn't mean to be so maudlin, [is that the word?], normally I am a rather bouncy happy laughee sort of person who can never take anything seriously for a moment. Life is a big game into which we can either have a riotous time or weep in the corner. I riot.

Poor hubby is being teased this week. He has had no sympathy whatsoever about the trek up steep paths. Perhaps he should just keep quite on that one. Do you know, when we went to see REM in Hull, he had to leave early because It was toooo loud. l ask you, what is the matter with these Yorkshire men?

Tonight l have another local YFC coming for a talk n walk, except the sea fret has rolled in & you can't see a thing out there. As Harry is in tonight l think l'll get the little darling to do the talk. Bound to be women in the group so he'll be fine. Talking about Harry, he was extremely cross that we went away last week without him. he is 18! Anyway Harry's off camping weekend after next. He's bought himself a tent plus camping gear from ebay so ...we'll wait & see how he gets on with out mother!

Oh tonight's picture is an 'enhanced' one.. [sounds a bit plastic] l have been messing about trying to design a back drop for shows? Well, l found a free edit picture thingy & this is the result. It should look fine with text & pictures set on top.

7 comments:

lixtroll said...

We have our dear old Billy, our beloved (deceased I hasten to add) dog, in a wooden box in a glass-doored cabinet right beside my work space - so glad to hear others do the same. Life isn't always the boysterous romp we would like it to be, and a blog is about all kinds of things. One day I will write the blog about when I can finally bear to place Billy in a resting place on the hill beside the house - but I know that is going to be so heart-breaking! It's all part of life's rich tapestry, as they say.

Suffolkmum said...

Emotional stuff, Muddyboots, but no less a worthy blog for that. It's heartbreaking watching animals die, like you say though at least they have the options that many humans don't. Hope your friend is OK about Pip.

Tattieweasle said...

I am so glad you have a Dog Buddy I dread the time for mine - but perhaps if you don't mind I'll take a leaf out of your book and get a Dog Buddy of my own...

Milkmaid said...

Dog buddies, what a good idea, mine would have been busy this week. Has your Harry not been to Torquay, we didn't have YFC last nigt as the older ones were still parting down there - lucky things

Sally Townsend said...

Best therapy is to just let the tears flow, I could not believe how much I missed our huge guard dog Basil he had trailed after me every day come rain or shine. REM too loud, oh dear what is the world coming to ? Send me a dollop of ice cream over will you ?

Un Peu Loufoque said...

Gosh I had forgotten all about sea frets lving here in central brittany you would need a B long neck to spot the sea!! You're a good woman Muddy!

ps I could do with some enhancing does it work on people too do you think?

Posie said...

It is awful to lose a dog, horrendous, sheep dogs are even worse in that they serve you so well, you depend on them, love them and when they go, well I know how crappy that is.

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