died of a broken heart...

The lovers...Bailey and Simon

Bailey the Golden

Taking a Simon Ride

Catch with Bailey

R.I.P. Sweet Simon

I want to write about the fabulous time Jen, Dett, Mark, Justin and the boys and I had in Palm Springs last weekend, but I wanted to share the story of the dog's at my home in Ferndale.

Bailey and Simon were my sister and brother's dogs that had been left behind to be raised in "Dog Heaven" on the 1o acres at my dad and Charlotte's house. My dad truly has a "dog" hobby as he plays catch nightly with the Chuck It and every weekend (rain or shine) takes the dogs in the back of his car to a dog walk around Whatcom County for hours. Every weekend since I remember my dad has walked the dogs.

Bailey was a Golden Retriever. She always had a smile. She was fast, energetic, beautiful, and a little timid (think neighbors and lightning). Simon was a Newfie Mix. Huge, gentle, and nurturing. He took care of Bailey like she was the love of his life. He had hip replacement surgery early on in his life so Bailey most always beat him to the ball, yet he still played every night. He could not have been more gentle with Jackson and he was clearly over 100 pounds.

Last week Bailey unexpectedly grew sore. This resulted in a possible bruise from being kicked by a horse, but when the lump on her bruise grew the vet took blood and that day decided it was tumor, a hemmoraging tumor, and that afternoon she was put to sleep at 9 years old.

When my dad told me about Bailey, all I could think about was, "Is Simon okay?" I knew he would be heartbroken. My dad said Simon must have known Bailey was sick well before everyone else knew because he'd seen them snuggling next to each other on a few different occasions the past few weeks.

My sister Mandy graduated from college in Texas last week and the dog-sitter phoned my dad and Charlotte and said Simon had taken a turn for the worse. He never ate after Bailey was buried. As my dad and Charlotte raced home and cut their vacation short, he passed away with the dog-sitter while they were in Dallas. He was examined days before by the vet and had the run of the clinic and was the staff favorite--he didn't have any thing that stuck out on the external exam. He just seemed to lose his will to live after his life-long companion passed away. He was such a gentle, loving, huggable doggy.

I have heard the "Where the Red Fern Grows", I have heard the stories of lovers who die on the same day, but I have never heard about two dogs loving each other so much that the other can't go on living without the other. Whose strength in life came from nurturing the other to their best health.

R.I.P. sweet Bailey and Simon. I am thinking of Charlotte and my Dad as they start every day with once dogs running rampant at the farm and now it is quiet and lonely. I am obviously remembering my puppy angel Abigail and wishing she was here today. I am rest assured that puppies are in everyone's future may it be a month from now or in a year. To all the dog lovers hold your doggy a little tighter tonight.