apple blossoms

April means fruit trees blooming and both of my granny smith's are dotted with white. They were planted as free twigs from the Arbor Day foundation. Everything out there has a history because either the Councils or I myself planted most of it. I once spent the grocery money on bulbs from Breck's but by golly they greet me year after year. There are also a whole lot of pets buried hither and yon and today Ryder is getting laid to rest by her own momma Faith out in the pine grove prior to a thunderstorm. The entire pack chases cars along the roadside and when she came running off the daffodil hill she didn't make it across without a pretty solid hit by my brother's truck. He stopped and we checked her out but she scurried on in the house. There was a little poop but nothing remarkable. She climbed up on the futon and bonded with Sophie for a bit but seemed to be in a lot of pain. At one point I called a vet's office for help with euthanasia but since I'm not a regular customer there was no call back from them. She wouldn't take water and threw up. Then she rallied and changed positions and we thought all was well. BG and I both hit the hay.

I heard her creep into my room at one point and normally she jumps up and snuggles my back but she just sprawled out on the floor next to my bed and I rubbed her belly feeling the breaths and her heartbeat which was really fast. Dying is hard work even for non-humans. I felt her ears twitch a couple of times as if to wince, then her breathing slowed and the heartbeat finally stopped. I hated to do it but woke up BG and we had a big old snotfest right then and there. We covered her carefully and both left for work, even early. Long night kids...long night.

I started last night trying to make arrangements to be off today so I could either take her to the vet or do whatever needed to be done but nobody was "available" so I went on in and told everybody about the night. Most all understand because we are nothing if not pet lovers. Everybody knows the names of everybody else's and how cute they are. Chester's owner works there too and I thought he was gonna' cry right along with me! We're pimping out pups as I type and cry.

People who don't have a bond with animals can never understand the trust and loyalty that can be had just for being kind. Animals are a huge way to reach people in therapy who need unconditional love. Both of my brothers love furbabies and Bubba made things easier on me by starting the whole thing before I got home. Said he said he thought it might be "easier on me." Damn, I love that guy. But then EVERYBODY loves Bubba...even the Pope.

^j^