I Miss the Flowing Water

The Winter has been a hard one. From the moment we returned with James we have been deluged by cold and by one snowstorm after another. It has been helpful to have another set of hands to help with the animals as there is so much more work in cold weather than in the moderate variety.
Our black lab Mark continues to hang in. We still have him in the barn in a pillow and chux lined plastic dog house, where we can remove the lid to turn him, cover him with blankets and feed and water him. Caring for him is labor intensive because he has meds, and must be hand fed and watered. Other than that, he hangs in. His front legs and head are moving well but those back legs are still not able to balance or bear weight. He is occasionally incontinent, but we have his food and water on a schedule, and so we can change him and keep him clean also on a schedule. He looks terrific, and we have the greatest LOOKING dying dog anywhere. The vet still says that as long as he's eating, drinking, and enjoying his life without pain that there is no reason to euthanize him. How strange that some of our loved ones and our pets evaporate from our midst so quickly, and others hang on beyond what seems rational or sometimes even possible.
I hope snowless flowing waterfalls return soon. I am tired of the cold, the ice, and the snow.

The Open Letter

My pumpkin,
So much has happened since our last post to you and to this blog. As you know, we picked up James, and brought him home. It's very strange because although he is older than you were, in some ways we are reminded of you and of things you liked to do. He likes Pokemon, Bionicles, television, Family Guy, and sweets etc. Of course, in other ways, he is vastly different than you. Of course, you had our love absolutely and completely all of your life, and he never has. Despite this, he is remarkably resilient in many ways. He also has your penchant for telling the God's honest truth, although I think you did it more tactfully, and this makes me think that when you had to leave, that you somehow selected him to come to us. Like any adoption, there are challenges, but as God holds tight to you and takes care of anything you might need, we will try to do the same for James.
Your room downstairs is beautiful, and we keep your things as remembrances. We do occasionally borrow some of your DVDs, but there are name stickers on them, so they are returned......Oh, and you are right, some of Southpark is indeed brilliant satire. I never really paid attention to it until you passed, and I am sorry for that.
Mark (for other readers, our elderly black lab) is still eating and drinking, but is preparing to join you both soon. For all the illnesses that poor dog has weathered, he certainly is the "Energizer Doggie".
I hope you and Papa L. are enjoying Heaven, yet can see all that we are doing here, in remembrance of you both. I love you both wider than the oceans and deeper than the seas.