The little bow of acknowledgment lifted this humorous encounter into something so much more ……special I always think.
This moments are rare
I was moaning about something only yesterday.
Something about a friend letting me down.
I what’s chunnering away to myself, whipping things up when there was no need to.
I don’t deal with rejection well, I never have.
Friends don’t let me down, they just say no occasionally
And Dorothy listened to that,
She always did.
Yesterday I went banging along and the Welsh remained firmly dozing.
Sure an ear would twitch
And a half eye would open,
But content they were not the centre of my moan,
They rested the rest of the just,
And slept.
Dorothy however would take everything on board.
I miss those big eyes, unblinking and watching carefully as I moaned and kvetched and shared that life isn’t always a bed of roses.
Like Mr Kim’s nod, she had the ability to acknowledge things with a long serious look
Even though she had no idea of what was being said.
She was my confidante, my conscience….my priest
And she would never look away……….
My little old Jack Russell, Olive does the same for me. I moan and I cry, and I honestly feel she is listening. She’s 13 now, and I don’t know what I’ll do when she’s not there anymore x
ReplyDeleteShe had bad habits, which made people dislike her, she could be aggressive to other dogs if they made her feel jealous and I was constantly “ fighting her corner” with family .
DeleteBut off the lead on her walks she was a joy, walking to heel and returning to me by a click of a finger
Everything about you was of interest to your devoted Dorothy.
ReplyDeleteYou summed the obsession very well
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ReplyDeleteIs it time for another dog or cat? Dorothy is a hard act to follow, but so was Winnie!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
At some stage yes….of course….I feel the bulldog gods are circling
DeleteYou must miss her. Losing a well-loved dog is hard, and the pain lasts!
ReplyDeleteDorothy left a void that is hard to fill but also many good memories.
ReplyDeleteWe all need a Dorothy in our lives. Someone to listen and not judge, just acknowledge that what you feel is important to you. xx
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ReplyDeleteYou were everything to her and you must miss her very much.
ReplyDeleteDearest, irreplaceable Dot. But every single one of our pets is unique in its own special way, even if knowing it doesn't make their absences any easier to take..
ReplyDeleteKim's Convenience is a great show! I don't remember that episode at all but it was a typical Mr Kim moment.
ReplyDeleteI've never kvetched to a dog, I should. It would save my kids
Some people can go through their entire lives and never have that special dog. Dorothy was meant to find you and become a team, regardless of any other dog in your reading chair. Luck and loss come together. I still miss my special sheltie, Jack, every day. My special dog who was an old and poorly dog when he came into rescue and we found each other. I only had him for 44 months. But every day was special. Go find another Dorothy when you feel ready. Have you tried Many Tears? Or Dogblog? There are homeless bulldogs out there.....go seek.
ReplyDeleteOf course you are missing Dorothy. X
ReplyDeleteDorothy‘s attentiveness was astounding. It’s rare to find someone who hangs on your every word. The best ones are the ones who have no clue what you’re saying but hang anyway.
ReplyDeleteI knew you would be missing her - she was always there for you wasn't she. Sadly terriers usually concentrate on food and walks - especially is there is wildlife around to watch and maybe chase.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment on my blog yesterday John - it was much appreciated. Wish you lived next door!!
And she would never look away... until I gave her a saveloy.
ReplyDeleteOh John, ditto with my first Rhodesian Ridgeback Jodie, all you have said about your Dorothy hits a nerve with me. Glorious memories but occasionally the hurt of loss comes from nowhere. Take care, Jan in Castle Gresley
ReplyDeleteThis brought tears to me dear John. We have had many dogs over the years and loved them all and yet, a few have been extra special. At the present, we have dear little Annie (a lab mix) and she is solid black. Now, she is getting that white face and I tell my husband that with every white hair I see on her, another rule goes out the window! Thinking of your sweet Dorothy and you this morning as I have my coffee in Georgia USA. - Jackie
ReplyDeleteMy Pug Suky is the same, she's now completely deaf but a movement from me and she's watching my face in great detail to see what's going on. She'll let me rant a bit and then she closes those dark pools of eyes and leaves me to it. The I catch a little check up on me a few minutes later and I smile and know that all is well in our world.
ReplyDeleteAs I read your post, my mind drifted back to my beloved Murphy. He didn't always know what I was saying, but in a way he did. Even though I love Shirley to death, I still miss him, and I think of him everyday.
ReplyDeleteSomething to remember, one thing that we all need, and too few happen, is someone to listen without judging. Dorothy was you four footed therapist.
ReplyDeleteOh dear, she was special wasn't she?
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough it's our young terrier rather than the lab who seems in tune with emotions and comes up to empathise if I'm teary and yet in all other respects he's a bit thick.
ReplyDeleteHelps me to read that others get a bit mopey when friends occasionally can't keep arrangements etc. - I struggle a lot with that.
Alison in Wales x
I wasn’t looking for a dog in Grenada, but my friend said to go down to her laundry room as she had found a dog and her 7 puppies under an abandon house. She brought the 3 largest home to hand rear and left the others with the mother dog where she kept putting out food for her. So I went down and one puppy kept coming over to me. Finally I picked her up and immediately fell in love. I called my not yet husband and told him about the pup and he said me or the pup, so I told him it would be the pup. He then said OK what are you going to call her. Grace lived for 161/2 years and she was our Dorothy, a real character. She looked after both of us. The black guys in Grenada were afraid of her as she wouldn’t let anyone get to close to us. It wasn’t only the black guys, it was everyone until she checked you out. I still miss her and my replacement dog at 8 years old is just starting to measure up. Gigi
ReplyDeleteI am not silly about dogs. When it’s time I’m almost happy to be able to let them go . There’s no hanging on to life, sick dogs in my house ,
DeleteDorothy was complicated and blossomed under our care.
She vindicated her place here
You're happy to let them go? Not something I expected from you. I've known only sadness when it's been time for mine to go and then I grieve.
DeleteHmmm, puts you in a whole different light.
There's been a few things you've said recently that haven't quite gelled. I put it down to the counselling course but not so sure now.
Perhaps my time of reading Going Gently (years) is coming to an end.
Remaining anonymous today.
I disagree, anon. Rather than see our animals suffer, I think many would be ALMOST (John's word) happy to see them go. I wish I could have been happy to see my parents go, instead I had to watch them suffer. When they did die, I felt relief that their suffering was over at last. Doesn't mean I grieve or miss them any less.
DeleteYes, relief is the word for both pets and humans who are suffering.
DeleteAnon,
DeletePeople choose how they look at things,
You also choose to remain in the shadows
You have a choice and your negativity leads me to only one conclusion of my own
Please stop visiting
I don’t want to hear your opinion
John, I have always been relieved to see a dog out of it's misery and once I realise it's neccessary it's painful to have any delay. I don't think it's a bad thing, it's realistic. They say the way to a good life and a good death is to acknowledge it's going to happen and you are surely an expert at that.
DeleteI talk out loud to myself or to a photo of my Mom. It's good to vent.
ReplyDeleteI’ve had three Welsh, 2 scotties , and four bulldogs …9 dogs in all die and can honestly say that Dorothy has affected me the deepest .
DeleteI forgot just how heigh maintenance she was
It seems normal to miss such a close companion as D was. More important is why were you so upset that you found yourself ranting along to yourself. So sorry you felt rejected, tho I believe you're not alone. Who among us handles rejection well?
ReplyDeletehugs!
lizzy
My Queenie - " white mongrel not to go to house with men " lurcher jack russell staffie ? My concerned companion x
ReplyDeletewhite mongrel not to go to house with men - but what about your husband, weren't you married then flis?
DeleteJohn, you were so sensitive, caring, and loving during Dorothy's final time. I'm sorry you're having a bit of sadness presently...but isn't that the way of it all when our precious pets are gone? Takes so long to adapt. My rescue pal, LilyLuv, is showing signs of age and I dread the time I will have to let her go. It's unselfish and brave to make the decision. Hugs.
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DeleteHugs.
ReplyDeleteJohn, so much to love and understand.
ReplyDelete