Thursday, December 07, 2006

Bye-bye Ginger

My mom called this morning to say that my darling Ginger passed away. After four days of struggle, the vet finally put her to sleep. There wasn't anything really wrong with her except for old age — she stopped eating and just laid herself to rest. She was 11 years old.

Really hate not being there to cuddle with her one last time. Have put together a few photos from the good old days to cheer me up.


Here she is at 3 months — with her favorite floor mats, which also doubled as urinals. Being in charge of her toilet-training, I kept it our secret.


This is one of my favorite pics — her "wanna play?" look just disarms me.


This was taken exactly 9 years before yesterday... with her puppies only two weeks old. Because of a blood infection, she couldn't breastfeed them and the whole family took turns in bottle-feeding them every two-three hours. She was rather apprehensive and I tried to make sure she spent some time with her pups — despite the vet's advice.


Wheeeeee! It's our wedding day! She saw me clowning around in my sis-in-law's bridal gown and decided to join the fun. Being drunk on champagne, I said I do, of course.


Here she is in a photo taken from last year. Bye-bye, baby!

10 comments:

michi said...

awww. :(

*big hugs for you*

thanks for sharing,

m (who hopes that the vet will not put her down when she gets too old for you)

Arlene said...

thanks, honey!! i wish you could've known her... she'd have made a friendly lunge for your body. and it'll be all because of your animal teeth magnetism.

now that you mentioned getting too old for me... tee hee hindparts. i just asked sharon to marry me in her sexy-of-sexiest poems last night. ta-dah!

a.

michi said...

but darling - i told her you did not mean it. because: who's got the large-cactus-photo? who? yeees, that's right ... i do!

and sharon wouldn't have you now that you have my hoof... er, fingerprints all over you.

m

Sharon Hurlbut said...

Aw, Arlene, I'm so sorry. What a beautiful dog she was! And clearly very much loved. Huge hugs to you.

And as for that *proposal*, well, what M doesn't know won't hurt her, right? Shhhhh.....

SarahJane said...

oh, that's sad. I'm sorry. I'm a dog lover myself.
My sister called me recently in the middle of night & had a bad connection & had to keep calling back. She was crying & I was, like, why is she calling me in the middle of the night...!? My mother must have had an accident. Turned out her cat died. In fact I was greatly relieved, but didn't say so. i understood she was pretty attached, and forgave her the hour.
Ginger looked like a sweetheart. sweet pictures.
At least we're allowed to put animals to sleep when they're suffering.
best

Anonymous said...

Oh, Arlene:

I'm certainly sorry to hear about your loss. There is something in the loss of a certain companionship... you have my condolences, Arlene. Feel better, soon.

And btw, if there is going to be a three-way going on between you, M, and Sharon, then I definitely must be invited to watch... I'll even write a rejection letter for it. Please?

word verification is gumengog, which I am reading as, Gee, you men go, "G". An allusion to the spot, I assume. An invitation, even.

Liz said...

Oh Arlene, so sorry about Ginger. : ( I know how you feel as last year I was with my beloved Luna while she was put to sleep...still totally gives me the shakes just thinking about it.

Love the photos - especially the bridal one : )and the last one of her stretched out and staring into the camera...I bet you have so many great memories of her.

Fanfare and fireworks for any more upcoming wife-taking events ; )

Liz
x

Arlene said...

michi darling, because of my —erm— religion [and god says: mememememe!], i can be married many, many times as long as i can –erm– satisfy each spouse, cactus-wise. sharon actually finds me more attractive with your noseprints all over me. i glow, she says! tee hee blacklight stains!

thanks, sharon! i needed that — the hugs and our psssssssssst! secret engagement.

hugs back at ya, nicole! and a bit of snot, too on your shirt. my baby was irresistible, wasn't she? **slobbery smile**

thanks, sarah. i think i'm like your sister, too. a lot of times i even compare my pooches to other people's babies... much to the irritation of their parents. after being a surrogate mom to three — previously five — shepherds, i feel more dog than human at times. woof!

thanks so much for the kind words, nate. i've been trying to pick myself up today. i'm missing an appendage though. i bet you stole it. give it back. now. preferably clean.
and sure, you can watch... as long as you let us touch the three candles mascot first. steve, obviously, had to choose such a sexist name for a 'zine. it works on (or should i say through?) the females though.

thanks, liz! she was the baby in the family... until she grew up and became became our doting parent. tee hee.
sorry to hear about your luna — in a way, it's probably better that i wasn't there to see her off. or i'd be thinking of it for the rest of my life, too. i saw my dad off and when i think of it, it's like living through the whole thing again.
ha ha hamburgers! i love the sound of that — "wife-taking events". if you're not careful, i might ask for your hand in marriage, too.

a.

Sandy said...

I'm sorry to hear about Ginger. I wish dogs had a longer lifespan, just doesn't seem fair. I recently lost my dog, Asia, this Summer. She was sleeping in the hallway and suddenly passed away. She was also 11 years old. I miss her more than anything, she was more than just a pet to us. Again, my condolences to you.

Sincerely,
Sandy

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Sorry for your loss Arlene. My best to you.