Grieving the loss of a friend

We lost an amazing friend today. Our wonderful black lab mix Sparky has passed away. Despite his age, his passing was extremely unexpected. He had a strong heart and strong lungs, but has been ailing over the past several months.

Sparky was about 14 years old, 98 in dog years. We don't know much about his puppyhood, but we have loved him since he was four years old. He has provided our family with so many happy times, visiting Danville will just not be the same without him there to greet us with his regal profile and his dopey grin.

Jeremy and I picked Sparky out at the Dublin animal shelter when we were 14 and 18respectively. Our parents sent us to maybe look for a small dog that doesn't shed. Two hours later, we called and said that we met a great dog and that I (using my newly established adult and legal signature) had adopted a dog. Several days later, after the customary shelter procedures, my father and Jeremy went to pick up the giant and hairy black lab that would become the most loved and spoiled member of our family.

Sparky came with the name Sparky and we didn't have the heart to change it on him. However, it took on several forms, including, Sparkplug, Sparticus, and Sparkles, among others. He was particularly close to my mom and would bark loudly whenever anyone attempted to hug her. He was a black lab who hated water and refused to fetch. He avoided the kiddy pool in our backyard, never drank from the toilet, and would stare blankly at you if you were silly enough to throw a ball or a stick. He seemed to be saying "Well if you wanted that stick, why did you throw it across the yard?"

He was a bit skittish and hated hair dryers, vacuums, and strangers, but once you earned his trust, he loved you forever. He loved giving kisses and getting a good long back scratch. He was the sweetest dog you could ever hope to meet.

We will miss you so much Sparky. I feel honored to have known you.

Reed couldn't tell the difference between his Uncle Sparky and his Uncle Jeremy.

Sparky was so gentle with Reed. Patiently watching him till he could sneak in a big kiss.

We love you Sparky. You'll be missed.

Making Friends- A Video Diary

So Hot

It has been warm here in Seattle the past few weeks. Very warm. Like, Danville California in August warm. In fact, it has been hotter here in Seattle than it has been in Danville. We hit a record high. For the first time in recorded history, I think they said the record books go back to the mid 1800's, we hit the 103 mark. It has been nearly intolerable. Danville, where it regularly hits the low 100's, is tolerable due to the miracle that is air conditioning. We don't have air conditioning in Seattle. We have giant south facing windows (see the myriad of blog posts about why I thought I loved this window) that just soak in the heat, and then multiply the power of the sun rays through the glass. We also have three fans that do little more than maybe give the illusion of air movement.

Anyway...there has been a lot of whining about the weather, but I have more important things to talk about. We have a five and half month old who not only crawls with purpose, but who is also PULLING HIMSELF TO A STAND. While some (my husband) are incredibly proud of this feat of strength. It makes me nervous. The advice my parents gave us seems very wise: When they stand up, knock them down. This video is one of his earliest attempts. He is becoming more and more adept at this nonsense.

Reed hasn't worn clothes in about a week, trying to keep cool. We also have him in disposables instead of his regular cloth because they are thinner and we assume cooler. Our days have consisted of sitting in front of fans, taking cool baths, and trying to find a parking spot in the shade so that we can go into some sort of shopping establishment with air conditioning. Oh wait, how did I manage to get back to whining about the weather?