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.

Hit a Cold Streak, Indy hit a HOT STREAK

 

Yesterday and today have been the coldest days since we got back to Florida. In some of the eastern part of Pasco County, it got down to the thirties Tuesday night, and it will be in the thirties tonight...in fact, it is 37 in Dade City right now.  

In Holiday where we live, it was in the mid-forties last night, and it will be in low forties tonight.  However, the monthly forecast says that we will be in the forties only six more times through January 2nd of next year.  Most of the daytime temps will be in the 70's...so there will be no complaints about the weather from me, looks like it will be short pants weather each day at least into January.

I posted the above picture of Indy on Facebook, but it is so cute I just had to include it in the blog.  This was Thanksgiving Morning, and here on the East Coast they have the annual  National Dog Show on in the morning, and without saying a word, she just lite up, got up, and watched the show.  I tried putting a chair over by the TV for her, but she just kept getting down.  I did hold her for awhile, and sometimes she watched sitting down...but she can stand like this for a good minute or more.

   

Last night we watched a few dog movies, and she got right into it again.  Trying to take pictures with my cell phone of her standing like this is not easy...I really need to dig out the camera and have it by my chair.

When she was not standing, or sitting on my lap, the was glued to the screen waiting for the "Dog" to appear again.  This movie was Chuck Norris' "Top Dog" from 1995.  A few times the dog ran off screen to the left or right, and Indy would chase it to the bedroom or to the sliding glass door...she wanted to catch that dog so much...

 

 

Speaking of Indy, the girl has been in Heat again.  We think she is almost done, and I plan to keep her away from other dogs for another week.  No trips to the Dog Park, but I have been taking her over to the Public Library where she can wander on leash and smell new smells.  Plan to call the Vet soon and see when they feel she can be spayed. I am thinking it will be late January or early February.  Hmmm...I wonder what type of thoughts she was having watching all these dogs on TV?????