We will miss you so much Buddy. Our dear beautiful gentle giant, Buddy.
Last week, Aug. 3, Buddy didn't come in after he was last seen playing with Gracie, one of our other large dogs out by the pond. Jem and I became suspicious when night fell and Buddy didn't come into the house...The next morning our precious Buddy was not in the living room waiting for us and Jem knew to drop everything and get on his scooter to find him...Buddy was found in our pond, he had passed away. I saw Jem stop on his scooter and just sit there. He drove back up to the porch, I'm standing there in my robe...Jem says, Buddy is dead. In the pond. I blindly just walked in pjs and robe to the pond saying, No, this can't be...this cannot be.... It's amazing how we remember things in these times... The light colored sand and dirt being like powder below my feet, the shoes I was wearing as I stared down...
We have no idea really what had happened, we first thought perhaps a snake bite but after research I'm wondering about a heart attack, something vascular in nature.
One of Buddy's favorite things was going in the pond lapping water up with his tongue just getting the biggest kick out of it all...I would laugh and laugh, he was a delight to watch in those times.
Jem and I at the pond, I could see Buddy's precious hamster-like ears below the water that I had so lovingly pet, often remarking that they were like velvet, the swirly part of his white fur by his arm... Jem gently taking Buddy out of the pond turning his large body over...Jem finally trudged to the big tractor after quiet deliberation, and drove it to where Buddy lay...And we lovingly put Buddy in the large scoop of all things...It seemed so horrible, so undignified for our precious Buddy but it was all we could do to get Buddy to his place of rest,we had no extra help that morning.
Jem said it was agonizing for him, bringing Buddy to the back of the property, the same trail he and Buddy happily traipsed many a day...just the evening before. Jem was and is taking it hard and so am I. So am I.
I cannot tell you the times our precious bulldog would sit on my feet, guarding me. Where I napped, he napped. When our married daughter, Zuzu would come over with her kitten, Buddy would sit in front of whoever was holding the kitten in typical, nanny fashion. He was so very sensitive, he sensed feelings keenly, much like me...He was afraid of our cats, running across the room from them...He would give us his large paw and we would say... Yeah... Buddy. Big baby Buddy. Sometimes I would get his large cheeks in my hands, as I smiled and move them playfully, gently, lovingly saying...Buddy, Buddy, Buddy....Big Baby with my lips in a pout.
When Buddy first found us.
Buddy had been dumped in our area and it was obvious that this beautiful creature had been abused, he was literally afraid of his own shadow. Just last week he had jumped and ran from his own shadow, much like me, I had thought to myself...
The last thing I said to our big baby Buddy out by our back garden near the shade of the Lilac bush...I was taking care of our blind little dog and Buddy was looking up at me feeling rather insecure as he most often felt when I gave attention to our other dogs...I said... I love you Buddy, I love you Buddy. You are MY Buddy! He looked at me in what seemed a nonchalant way and went in the direction of the pond...That was the last time I saw our Buddy.
Jem and I both are heart broken. We miss our Buddy.
His friend, Coffee is lost at times, she would nap with her friend, Buddy.
Buddy and Coffee
A hard week. Very hard, very difficult.
Following are two blog entries with photos and sweet thoughts on our Buddy.Buddy Heart Valentino, a recent blog entry
When Buddy first Found Us my entry from two years ago...
