A Skruffyless Year

I have many pictures of Skruffy that I like...just can't pick a favorite.  This picture above was taken April 2, 2012 while I was in Indiana getting a lift put on our Class A Motorhome while Marcia was recuperating from her hip surgery.  I had just finished my official work at the Library in Arkansas at the end of March, although I would get paid for unused sick and vacation time along with a few extra weeks tossed in for consultation work until my official retirement day on October 1, 2012.   Skruffy came into my life in late October 2009...went to work with me every day, even took her on a work trip to Colorado, putting her into Doggie Daycare during the day while I was in my meetings, and she was with me at night.  

Good bye my love...say hello to dad.

 

While in Alaska in 2016 she got real sick...diabetes was the major diagnosis, with many complications that went along with it.  She pulled through that, and we enjoyed 3 1/2 more years with her.  All of the sudden on December 23rd she started to act different...stopped eating (she ate two meals a day 12 hours apart along with getting her shots after her diagnosis), and by the morning of Christmas Eve I knew she needed to see a Vet, and I also knew the end was near.  In consultation with the Vet, knowing what she had gone through, and knowing that a dog with diabetes is lucky to get two more years and she had nearly twice that, the hard decision was made to let her go.  Above was her last picture...her loving eyes already lost their luster.  I held her, I talked with her, I reminisced about all our good times, and I let her know that loved her to the end and beyond.  She passed in her drug induced sleep, didn't even need the 'poison' but the Vet gave her that last shot just in case.  My heart this the floor...Between losing Dad on Thanksgiving, and Skruffy on Christmas Eve, how could it get much worse?  Well...2020 ushered in with this thing called COVID...enough said.

Indy's first day with us

The trip to Florida was so sad, and we got through winter, and made it back to California.  Then on July 4th, our new little miracle came into our life thanks to my sister Sandy...enter Independence K Burdick, or Indy for short.  ('K' is Sandy's middle name).  It took a few days for her to adjust to her new forever family...

Indy mid-July after a haircut

...but by mid-July the adjustment period was nearly over, she was truly a part of the family.

 

Then in October we lost Bubba on our way home to Florida from California via North Dakota.  He made it to Joplin Missouri...his ashes were spread at a Butterfly Park, so if you see a Butterfly, think of Bubba.

Skruffy and me in my office at the Library

We figure that Indy came into this world about the same time Skruffy left this world.  What a wonderful gift she has been for us.  My little Skruffy will ALWAYS have a part of my heart...I am just glad my heart is so big that there is still room for not only Indy, but for all my family and friends.   Merry Christmas to one and all...and hoping that 2021 will be a better year for everyone.