It's been almost a week since I last blogged, and since I left so abruptly some of you have been wondering where I went.
And no doubt some may have feared that I had reread my last post, taken a second look at the burning horror of Harperland.
And decided to get the hell out of here, while the going was still good eh?
But of course I wouldn't miss the collapse of the Con regime for anything.
And the only reason I couldn't write for a few days was because I was mourning this old friend...
Kerouac or Kerry the dog who left me the other day after almost seventeen years together.
The end was horrible. Taking him to the vet to be put to sleep was one of the hardest things I've ever done. And when as I held him tightly, he stopped breathing, if Sébastien hadn't been there to hold me up, I would have collapsed with sadness.
For I loved that gentle dog and we had so many great adventures together...
We played chase the stick in the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean off Tofino, and in four of the Great Lakes.
For he was always a beach hound...
Although because he was from Montreal, he also loved the snow.
And made an excellent Christmas
And because he made so many appearances on this blog over the years...
He had friends and fans all over the world as faraway as Japan.
Because that was the best part eh?
Wherever we lived people in the neighbourhood would cross the street to pet him because he was so friendly...
And even the poor sad homeless man in the park would smile when he saw him coming. For Kerry never met a human he didn't like. Or didn't want to greet with a big sloppy dog kiss.
Oh well. Regular blogging will resume
But I'm still so sad.
And I'm going to miss this one forever...
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36 comments:
Je comprend.
Simon,
I am so very sorry and saddened to read of Kerouac's passing. I was thinking of him just last week and then when you didn't post for a few days, worried that something not good was up in your life.
May the wonderful paw prints that Kerouac left on your heart sustain you and yours through your grief.
It's very sad when one loses a faithful companion of so many years. Dogs keep us human and grounded and Kerouac probably did the same for you and Sebastien.
At least you'll have many happy memories for the rest of your life--not to mention the photos and videos.
Torontonian
The bond we share with our pets is like no other, they are so very true, loyal and trustworthy. We as humans have so much to learn from them that in times like this, we mourn their passing and reflect on how much they enrich our lives. One of the hardest things to do is to make that last trip to the vet, I'm coming up to two years Jan 1st and will never forget that day.
So sorry for your sad loss..it's amazing that all of us cannot seem to emulate the pets we all love so much, and give each other unconditional love and friendship..it would be a better world for all of us..
You don't want to hear this right now, but as soon as you are able, get another sweet companion...
17 years as your friend. Sounds like a good life.
My partner just got a similar black lab. I'm stuck with taking it out for a crap in the backyard in the rain at 6 in the morning when she has to go to work early.
Sending warm thoughts your way... we said goodbye to our 13 year old beagle a few weeks ago, and it was heartbreaking, we miss him constantly...
I am so very sorry for your tremendous loss, Simon. Count me as Kerouac's number one fan in Winnipeg. Such a beautiful, kind friend.
Je suis triste pour toi.
17 years together. What a great gift to have had that much time with your buddy.
I bet Kerouac was a stick junkie and tennis balls were the ultimate. I bet he didn,t want to just get close but wanted to crawl right inside.
It,s tears and a farewell mixed with joy and happiness knowing Kerry was also very fortunate to have a long and happy life with a first class master.
Good show Kerry and Montreal Simon. You just can,t do better then that.
A fan from Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.
I hope in time your last moment with Kerry fades and is replaced by all the great memories from the past 17 years. Truly sad to lose a family member and that's what our pets become over the years.
"To err is human, to forgive, canine."
- Unknown
"The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man's."
- Mark Twain, Letter to W D Howells, 4/2/1899
"The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic."
- Henry Ward Beecher
He was beautiful. He was intelligent. I'm so sorry for your loss. Hugs to both of you...
I am so sorry for your loss. Having seen my daughter go through this as well, it broke my heart to see her pain and our own pain and grief.
She had two labs who were so very sick and old. One had a large tumor that burst and the other one was so full of arthritis he could not even climb the stairs to get into the house, and because she is still holding a full time job and really wasn't strong enough to carry him up the stairs. They were both old and gray and already way past their life span years with no chance of ever having a chance of any quality of life pain free.We loved those two labs, even babysat them at times when she had to be else where but could not leave them alone.I still find myself watching out for them when I go and visit her all of the time. It never ends missing them both.
Oh Simon. I am so sorry for your loss.
i will burn incense at the foot of the rock
may he be reborn in a completely pure realm
"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
-Dr. Seuss
All the best Simon.
My heart is with you ~~~ Gemma Grace
hi Oemissions...Merci...I'm sure everyone who has loved and lost a pet knows how I feel. But since this was the first time it happened to me, I didn't realize how much it would hurt. I have to admit that when Seb volunteered to take Kerouac down to the vet himself, I almost agreed, because I couldn't stand the idea of seeing my pet put to sleep. But then I thought I would never forgive myself for being such a coward. I remembered the day I brought him home for the first time in the middle of a brutal snowstorm, tucked under my jacket with only his little nose sticking out. And that's how he he died with me holding him as tight as I held him that first day. He died peacefully but I was gutted...
hi sassy...thanks so much. One of the reasons I wrote this post was that I was afraid old friends like you would think I'd crashed my bike again, and that this time the bus won. ;)
But I also knew that since you and others had followed Kerouac's adventures over the years, I needed to tell his friends how his story ended.
But Seb put together a slide show of some of the pictures he had taken of me and Kerry over the years, and I had to admit he had a pretty good life, So although I'm still sad, and the place feels so empty, I'm smiling again, and definitely on the road to recovery...
hi Torontonian... you're so right, dogs do keep us human and grounded, and the way they embrace life so joyously is a great model to follow.
They also help keep you feet warm on cold nights, when the other bed warmer is away ;)
And the many photos and videos I have of Kerouac, will provide enough warm memories to last a lifetime...
hi bcwaterboy...I'm sorry you have also had to make that last trip to the vet, for it has to be one of the worst journeys ever. But you're right, the way they enrich our lives, more than makes up for the sadness at the end...
hi Wendi...thank you for this. And you're right, humans could do worse than emulate the unconditional love and friendship that pets provide. As for getting another dog, I can't even think of that now. Maybe some day I'll get a puppy. But right now whenever I see an old dog in the street I find myself asking it's owner if I can pet it. For puppies are cute, but right now old dogs are even more special...
hi thwap...thanks for making me smile, for I have been there so many times. Stagger home from work, collapse on the couch, only to see two brown eyes staring at me and saying: "Hey don't get too comfortable, because I still have to go out one more time."
But think of it on the bright side: you can't go wrong with a lab, all that exercise is good for you, and after you pick up your first ton of dog shit, you become rather good at it.
And yes, 17 years was more than I could have hoped for, and they were great...
hi Brahm...thank you and I'm sorry to hear about your beagle. But that's the thing with dogs eh? They are so great, and they don't live long enough...
hi Beijing...thank you, I know you were always his friend, and the President of his Winnipeg fan club.
And yes he was a wonderfully friendly dog, and everyone in the neighbourhood was sad to see him go. If I could be mourned by so many when my time comes, I would be most grateful...
salut anonymous...Oui c'est triste, mais cinq jours de tristesse pour 17 ans de bonheur, est une vraie aubaine...
hi Don...yes I was lucky to have so many good years with him wasn't I? And I think he'd agree that I was a pretty good master. For although I'm sure he wished I had forked over a few more treats over the years, we did share many happy moments, and when I was a starving student, on more than one occasion we did share our last can of corned beef. ;)
And I'm sure he always knew that I would love him forever...
hi Max...Kerouac was always a member of my little family, and I always tried to take him wherever I went, in a specially adapted haversack on my back on a motorcycle, or in the cargo hold of a plane.
And although I am still sad, and miss him so much, now when I think of him, or watch a video, I can smile again. For in addition to everything else he was also incredibly funny...
hi Kim...thanks for the hugs and those great quotes. For he was indeed a god of frolic. And it was almost impossible to be depressed, after being greeted so effusively, by a big black lab, with a cloth bunny in his mouth... :)
hi marie...I'm sorry about what happened to your daughter's labs. But sadly putting them to sleep is the last kind act we can do for them. My dog wasn't in pain until his last couple of days, but when I heard him yelp as he tried to get up, I knew I had to get up the courage to do the right thing, for I could not let him suffer.
And yes, it will be a while before I come home, and don't find it so empty. But I never will forget him...
hi Karen...thank you...I knerw it would happen some day, but even though I prepared myself, it was still so hard...
hi lungta...thank you, and may I just ask you if you can arrange for this new realm to be supplied with some fleet footed squirrels, because although the feeling was not mutual, he did love them a lot... ;)
hi kirby...thank you, and that's a lovely quote. I love Dr Seuss, and since Kerry loved to wear hats and things, clearly so did he...;)
hi anonymous...thanks a lot. My heart is a little bruised these days, but every time I think of Kerry and smile, it gets a little better...
Sorry about your loss, Simon. I can relate; my 15 yr old Siamese cat died recently and having to put her down was a huge strain on everyone in the family. It's very very difficult. These pets are parts of the family. My condolences. Keep up the good work on the blog. These egocentric, arrogant, corrupt, hideously undemocratic, un-Canadian Harperland Cons must be attacked from every possible angle before they completely destroy this nation, and they MUST be turfed from power.
hi Dave... I'm sorry to hear about your Siamese cat, and the sadness its passing caused your family. It is so difficult. But as I told anonymous in French, a few weeks of pain, for so many years of joy, is still a great bargain.
And of course I completely agree with your position on the Cons. They must be attacked from every possible angle, until they are finally defeated. And I have vowed to keep blogging at least until that happy day arrives. Or the day after, so I can celebrate wildly...;)
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