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Current blog look inspired by and dedicated to Chance, Blaze, Fiona and Zappa who all kicked ass against cancer and liver disease.

Brut Quote

Brut Quote

Thursday, January 14, 2021

The best unlaid plans

 It was a new morning.  The clouds were parting for the first time in weeks, showing a faint blue sky and some hazy sunshine.  It was mild again today, the temps in the 30's.  Fantastic weather for mid-January in Northern Michigan.  

Hubby and I had our morning ritual, talking about all we could do on this nice winter day and what we'd like to get done.  For the most part our minds were content.  The dogs were doing well and we couldn't ask for more.  

Despite our excitement over our plans for the day, we moved slowly through the morning hours.  Taking our time with the dogs, when we noticed Fiona in pain.  That darn torn tendon in her right shoulder.   We'd been lucky so far with walks on ice and snow and in the yard, but she most have strained it somehow.  

Watching her pace back and forth is difficult to watch.  Or she stands, then lays, then is back up again, only to walk to another spot and do it again.  

And that was all it took for our day to crash to the floor.  Between Silver's anniversary yesterday, Brut Thursday (today) and Chance, our emotional plate was full, only to have it toppled over now that our little girl was hurting.  It became a day of hugging the dogs and spending time with them.  Which isn't a bad way to spend the day, it was just hard under those circumstances.  It just makes for more tears when you are sad and scared. 

By the end of the afternoon Fiona was doing much better and moving without pain or extra pain medicine.  Mark walked Chance, Blaze was at my feet and Zappa was comfortable in his chair.  

And it turned into a great day after all.  Even with all our plans being squashed and the daylight fading away, we spent the day with the ones we love most, which was the best unlaid plan we could have had.  ♥   

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Love you Silver!

 Four years ago today, we lost our sweet Momma Dog Silver.  It still feels like it has been an eternity since she left us.  It doesn't feel like she died, but just faded away.  She was a spunky girl who had a gentle life force and a nurturing soul.  Silver was the counter balance to Brut's aggressive ways.  Her genes softened the rough edges in their kids.  I see Silver the most in Fiona and Zappa, probably because Silver rubbed off on them being part of their pack.  

Silver was our first puppy together who started this whole journey we are on with her kids;
who are now as old as she was when she died.  It doesn't seem possible.  


She was a good first-time mom.  She already had the mothering down by practicing on me.  lol  She really was a natural.  We were so blessed that she took good care of her puppies.

And when those  puppies grew up she took a backseat to her own needs and made sure they got the care they needed.  She was amazing that way.  I always felt so guilty that she was always last compared to Brut and the kids, not realizing, that is what a mother does.  

 

All those years I didn't understand.  I thought she just didn't fit in with the rest of them and she didn't.  She was a mother first and a dog second.  She'd been that way from almost the start of our relationship.  I thought I understood the true mother Silver was to me when she was here, now I'm finding a deeper root of what
her mothering has meant to me.  Silver was exactly the mother I needed and still do.  

So on this day, I honor my girl, who taught me the true meaning of what it means to be loved unconditionally and forever.

                                                   Love you Silver!





Saturday, January 9, 2021

Chance is stable

 So far, so good with Chance.  Stable is the best word for his condition right now and we will take it.  He's lost weight over the last couple of weeks, but that seems to have balanced out at this point.  We made some changes to his diet and he is now eating all his breakfast. It is a nice sweet spot to be in and we are all getting a little respite out of it.  Just enough to take a few breaths and savor the moments.  A little God-given peace to enjoy that extra time with our special boy.  

Chance thanks you for thinking of us.



Saturday, January 2, 2021

Bittersweet 13th Birthday


Woke up in tears this bittersweet day of January 2, 2021.  Crying about Silver and the day she gave birth 13 years ago to 10 healthy puppies.  There, in our master bedroom where we were part of the beginning.  Squeaks, oohs and ahs filled the room as we reveled at the miracle that was before us.  So many wonderful memories on that day and so many more that came that are still with us now.  

13 years later and the puppies are all considerably older.  Each with their own set of ailments.  How fast time has changed them, even with the difference from a year ago.  

So, while this will be a day of celebration, it will also be a somber one for hubby and I.  Our babies are old dogs and the inevitable is waiting.  It has been a tough year for the Power of Ten litter, as I wonder about the other homed puppies and how they are doing now that they've hit the 13 year mark.  If any of them are still alive?  What ailments they may have?  Questions, we may never know.  I just hope there was a lot of love in their lives and to let them know how much we still love them.