Thank You

Much thanks to everyone who has so kindly commented or emailed about Daffy's death. I hadn't planned on dragging everyone with me along through that sad event but the more I reflected on those words flashing into my mind, the more that I felt perhaps I should share it.

I actually do feel very calm and peaceful about the whole thing which I attribute to the many prayers that have been said for me and for our family. Which is amazing in itself when I think of how many people have been so kind over our dog's death.

Some people, who know us more personally, have been asking about Pepper's reactions. He is our gentle giant, a black lab-Great Dane mix of 115 pounds who is sweet, self-effacing, and terrified of our cat (which tells you something). Pepper doesn't seem to have noticed a thing, unless we are doing something that used to be a "group activity" such as when Tom takes the dogs along on the way to put the trash out and Pepper checks down the hall to see if Daffy is going to come barreling along at a breakneck speed.

On the contrary, it is interesting to watch his personality bloom a bit. Daffy was not a bully but she was always "on" and we wonder if that may not have been overpowering for Pepper. He is suddenly lying in main traffic areas, bringing in all his bones from the backyard "bone yard" and leaving them around, and when I took him for a walk this morning he went at a relaxed pace and didn't pull my arm off as usual.

We were talking about getting a new puppy fairly soon (or puppies ... we think it would be fun to have two Boxers to play with each other and while training one, we might as well train two, right?). However, now we think that we will put it off until the spring to let Pepper continue being an "only dog" for a little while and perhaps to gain some more confidence as "the" dog of the house.

Again, thank you for your many kind wishes, condolences, and prayers. I am truly touched.