The Last Post Has Come Too Soon

Little Boney 10 weeks old 

We had to let go of our little furry bundle of love, Boney last night and I can't handle anything. The loss is overwhelming. The grief is there, then gone, then back again. No way to control it. No way to make sense of it. No clarity. Just empty space. A hole. My eyes hurt. My heart is so broken I don't know how to fix it yet. I "know" time will help. But right now nothing does. I try to tell myself that people in Ukraine have it sooooo much worse than I do. But I relate to their grief and loss even more than I did before. My pain is real. Not to be diminished by others also in pain. This is what I tell myself. Nothing helps. I took off work this morning but will go back this afternoon. I will be brave. I will do what I must. I will not be able to not think of Boney, so I will let the tears come as they will and do the best that I can.

Bonaparte (Boney) May 15, 2012 - April 6, 2022

2016 was evidently the last time I posted about our boy. Life turned on a dime and now we're in Ohio, having gone through North Caroline first from Georgia. And in all the movement, our little one has gone with the flow and adjusted beautifully. In a month he will be seven years old. He still holds my heart as much now as the day I brought him home, no, actually even more so. I love love love this little being...

Most recent of Boney

Trying to help Papa play

True love

Not a fan of the vet's

Do I really have to wear this?

What did I do wrong? Why am I being punished?

My friend Scully

My other friend Worf...

Papa loves me

I help Mama write...

OMG, He Is Almost Four!

My oh my how time flies. I missed a year writing about Bonaparte, who will, in May be a whopping FOUR years old! I can't believe it. He has stabilized in weight now at 9 lbs. His hair/fur barely sheds, if at all and has lost all of the darkness of his puppy days. He has learned very well how to stay around us when we are outside, and to come when we call him. We noticed a huge leap in his "understanding/listening" right around three years old, when I no longer had to keep a lead on him whenever I was out working in the yard. He stays, usually, within our sight and if he happens to wonder just a bit too far, he comes back when we call him. He LOVES to go for rides in the car and jumps in whenever he gets the chance, whether or not we're going anywhere! He is loving my husband being home so much more, now that he has quit his job and is in school full time, for a degree in Math.
This year also marks a new adventure for us three, Boney, my husband and me. Our house is just about empty and we are readying it for the market. We HOPE to sell before the end of the year. We are realistic in the outlook not being great, but we will hope, we will send positive energy to that goal. So, now, on to more photos of our little love. He has been so brave with all the worker folks and auction folks and numerous others traipsing in and out of our house, his territory, guarding fiercely the front door each time the doorbell rings, and chasing off the stray cats invading our back yard...

December 2015

February 2016, checking out the new dock

February 2016, sunbathing Boney-style...

2-2016, new dock celebration

More celebrating 2-2016

Ahhhh, cute boy

Emptied son's room, one of the only one who had no need for wall repairs!

Closing In On Two Years...

Okay, haven't been here in awhile but now have a moment to drop some photos by of the still scruffy Bonaparte! He's a little over eight pounds now and that seems to be his full adult weight. He listens well, loves walks and chasing anything that moves in our yard. He sleeps like a baby at night and entertains us during the waking hours. He's discovered that we tend to drop crumbs and other sorts of food during preparation time in the kitchen and loves to scarf up whatever he can find, except celery, or spinach. He loves carrots and almost anything crunchy. He's loving and fun and we adore every single day with him...

He'll sleep anywhere but loves it next to us best

New carrier so I can ride a bike with him or walk in crowded places

With our daughter and her fiance

Sleeping on the couch next to me

With my new goofy pjs

In the kitchen playing around with me and my new "piggy" pants. Pigs all over them!

In Blue Ridge, GA, with Boney's female look-alike! We couldn't believe it!

Bonaparte in all his glory

Do I have to get up now?

With Jim a great friend...

This is what I do while mom is working...

Oh joy you're home! And in a new car too!

Happy First Birthday Bonaparte!

Boney with his "lion" look going on

Bonaparte is One Year Old! On May 15^th of this year our little love turned one year old! We had a wonderful celebration that evening with new friends coming for dinner and Boney was the star of the party. We took him in to the vet for a weigh in and he’d actually lost some weight since March! He weighs 7.4 right now.

He got a happy birthday text and photo from one of his brothers, Livingston, who we are going to see next week!

Brother Livingston on their birthday!

Boney's "Gandolf" look

On a boat ride!

With new friend Nolwen, who he adores

Okay, enough already. Time for a nap...

 

Yeah, you only think you're driving!

 Boney loves to travel, loves his friends Ruben and Frank, loves to be in the yard with us, and is learning to stay with me whenever we go out!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BONAPARTE!! We love you dearly.

Eleven Months Old Today!

Boney in his bed in our room 4-13

Bonaparte turned 11 months old today! Almost a full year old. Wow. It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. We found Bonaparte and invited him into our lives when he was ten weeks old, so we still have some time to go before he’s been with us for a full year. But even so it feels like we’ve had him for only a little while, not almost a full year!

With me

He’s grown, probably to his full size which is now 7.6 pounds. He might be a bit more than that, but not more than eight pounds. He is still scruffy looking, but soft and full of life. Appropriately named Bonaparte, a little body with a big ego, we’ve finished with our “intermediate” training classes and are debating if we’ll do anymore. Mostly my goal for us is for him to come EVERY time I call, and to stay beside me when we walk, oh, and to stop barking when it’s inappropriate. I don’t really care for him to do tricks. He sits, waits, leaves it, drops it, “go get it” meaning he fetches and brings whatever he fetches back to me. So he’s doing really well. Every day when we go to get the mail, he knows to stay with me, and where we are going. He doesn’t run off, and comes when I call him back to the house. Now if we can get that good while on walks around the neighborhood, I’ll be happy.

He loves to go and play at Frank and Ruben’s house and was so happy we house sat them this weekend. He and Ruben especially love to rollick and pounce on one another. We’re glad Boney likes other dogs.

With Geoffrey, his favorite man

Before Christmas 2012 in my father's room with his hat on

The rest of this will be photos of the little one. Hope you enjoy!

Sleeping in my Dad's car waiting for me

My scruffy men!!

Yes, I love you too, Bonaparte

Chez Giles and Susan, with Chantal, Giles and Papa

I know you're leaving so I'm hiding

On a boat ride! 4-13

On the porch with Papa

It's raining. I'm sleepy

Frank, Ruben and Boney played hard today 4-13