Very touching tribute. We have a couple snow-loving yard rompers ourselves, one of whom is getting up there in age. That loss is tough to describe, because it’s not quite human but it’s hardly mere beast. Be well to you and the Spouse.

Looking forward to reading more posts whenever the urge to write returns.

Mike, as usual you have expressed in fewer and better words the exact thoughts in my own mind. Give Bean a cuddle for me and a skritch behind the ears, and enjoy the time you have together now.

Rich, I’m sorry to hear about Missy but I think you understand exactly what it’s like to have a dog go through all those transitions with you, and to then lose her from your life. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your good wishes.

Again, thank you to everybody for your kind words of support and condolence. They have been a comfort to us all week long. For now, I can’t bring myself to put a new post up; mostly because I’m not feeling either very creative or very funny. I kind of just want to sit and watch crappy TV and feel bummed out for a while. So I may not put anything up hereabouts for another few days.

Take care Ed,

We are lucky to have dogs in our lives, we humans; we would not remember the joy of a snowy day or the heroic feats (killed another bag of dog food AND brought it home?!) we are capable of without them.

The first summer we lived in Boston, 1997, I got Bean for a week by myself; this after careful consideration (finding a house I could rent that allowed dogs, asking the landlady how to walk one, sleeping next to him in the hot still air filled with strange noises in a strange neighborhood) and I remember asking theVet after that first trying trial week what was the benefit — it was like abandoning your child to leave him at home while I went to school, and material possessions suffered greatly as a result — books, records, the floor, the couch, the bed … but now I know. May Popeye rest easy knowing that his love is the most amazing gift.