Roast, Toast and Public Apology
I always say you shouldn’t wait until people are dead and gone to tell them how much you love them and let them know how awesome they are. It’s not always easy to let people know that but your dog, well that’s another story. At least at our house… we tell this big dog countless times a day how much we love him. “Love you boy!”, “You’re a keeper, boy!” Then there are the songs we sing to him..”Tootie, fruitey Awe Rudy…..” “I love you Rudy, Oh yes I do!” And the games the kids have played with this more than tolerant pup over the years!
Ok you get it…we really love our dog, Rudy. He is 14 1/2 years old which in dog years is like 105 ,which in real life is like as old as dirt. My husband bought Rudy with a jar full of change after we first got married when I was newly pregnant with Jake. I don’t know how to scan those old photos in! But trust me he was cute!!
We named him after Rudy Rutegar (from the movie Rudy) and even took him to the gratto at The University of Notre Dame to light candles. My Dad would have been proud!!
It’s hard to believe this old dog used to run and take Jake down in the back yard or that he used to run so fast and hike for miles and bark up a storm. It is so hard to watch him get old. It is a constant reminder of life passing by. And that your body deteriorates….you lose your hearing, you get arthritis, you revert back to having accidents, You can’t keep up or go as far or long as you once did. But on the bright side, you’re still happy, interested in life and you still enjoy eating…because once you lose your love of food, what else is there (he was fixed a long time ago!).
In the past few years I have bitched about having to go find him as he lets himself out the back door and wanders around in the park. Last month I found him enjoying Spring training at the High School ball field. We have also complained our family bed wasn’t large enough for his adult sized body. But now he prefers the floor as his old bones can’t make that leap from floor to matress any more.
And now for the public apology……Rudy, we are so sorry we forgot to let you in last night! Sorry you spent the chilly night outside on the cold concrete! Sometimes with 3 kids and 2 other dogs and a cat we get busy. And we forget that just because you can let yourself out, you can’t let yourself back in. Sorry, boy!
I am welling up as I re read this post as I know his time is short. This dog represents the past almost 15 years of my life. He has been there everyday for me with out fail and we all love him so. I wanted to roast and toast him while he was still around to enjoy it. Thanks Rudy, we love you!!!!
when V asks about wylie and says she wants him back, i tell her what a wonderful life wylie had, but his time has passed. and him passing has allowed us to open our home to two more deserving cats, both from a local rescue shelter. that makes it a little easier.
kittens fix everything!
well, sort of.
I hope he has recovered just fine from his Doggie All-Nighter!