Adventures: Busy Weekend Full of Fun

This weekend was full of fun.

Saturday, we went out for lunch at The Village at Leesburg and went to Noodles & Co.  We scanned some munzees when we were there and got a geocache too.  We stopped at Hamilton Sofa Gallery which is going out of business (at that location only) to see what bargains there were.  We saw some items we liked for the basement, but we still don't know what we are doing down there decorating wise so no sense in purchasing anything yet.

In the afternoon, I went to my friend's house (in West Virginia) for a Jamberry party.  I'm glad I got to go since I was shown how to correctly put on and take off the wraps and given some ideas to prep my nails better so they don't come out like last time.  I also signed up for another Facebook party (September 28).

The two wraps I had done at the party.

Sunday, we went to the Lucketts Fair.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but for $5 each, I figured what the heck, it's something to do.  We had a good time.  There were a lot of vendors and I really didn't expect to purchase anything (except maybe a funnel cake).

We ended up getting Zed a new bed and I got a (thumb) ring with Esa's name and dates.  I have been looking for awhile for something (and I lost her portion of the keychain that I made for me).  This was perfect.  I asked Dan about getting matching ones, but he wasn't really sure about it.  So, I just got one for me.  I love it and have been wearing it non-stop (more than my wedding ring).

The food was very tempting, but we ended up just getting funnel cake and bringing it home.

Z on his new bed.

My memorial ring.

Adventures: This Week is Rough.

I think both Dan and I are dreading Friday.  Esa would have been 7.  Over the last 2 weeks I have been thinking about her so much.  Dan said he had a dream about her Sunday night.  Of course that lead to me having a dream about her last night.

It's already a recurring dream - just different settings.  The basis of the dream is that Esa is lost, but I always find her.  This time she was injured though (weak and just laying there on top of a dog house), and I had to fight my way to get where she was (some crazy buck wouldn't let me by).  The setting - The VFW Cootie Club Park, up the street from the house I grew up in.

So of course I woke up sad and have cried today.  I laid down after lunch and now feel better.  It's just a hard week.

Adventures: Esa is still with us

At least one a week, I cry for Esa.

Last week I had a REALLY good cry, it cleared my sinuses up.  Seriously - since the beginning of the year, I have had sinus issues (stuffed up, headaches, etc.).  Then I had a really good bawl and my sinuses felt better.  During that bawl, I basically cried out to Esa, "Please let me know you are still with me."

Now, I will admit, we have Esa fur dust bunnies.  Not that I don't clean, but if you have dogs or cats, you know what I mean.  Basically, the fur has gathered at the baseboards or on the stairs (we have carpet throughout the house).  No real hair strands, just fur dust bunnies

So anyway, a couple of days later.  I brought the mail upstairs to the office and as I was going through it, what do I find.  A strand of Esa fur.  Plain as day, you can see the blond to white end.  I put it in an envelope, and later told Dan about it.

This week, I found ANOTHER single strand of Esa fur.  This time, it was on the kitchen counter.  Nothing else was on the counter where I found it.  That's when it hit me.  I had asked for a sign, and I got it.  I didn't even remember when I found that first strand that I had asked for a sign.  Not until that 2nd strand did I remember.

I added that second strand to the envelope, and found a little peace.  She is still with us.

Adventures: We have some answers

We received a call today from the vet who did the autopsy.  He got the lab results back on the tissue samples of Esa.  Surprisingly, they found something in the results.

Esa died of Arrythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) which is common in boxers.  Crazy - but the first known sign can be sudden death.  We NEVER saw any signs of any heart issues in her 6 years.  I guess we can find peace that she died fast.  I feel better that we at least know what happened.  She lived life to the fullest (as any dog would), and I'm glad she was never sick.  We would never had been able to give her an EKG.  NEVER.  Proof in point is when we took her to the vet for Lyme disease, let alone trying to get a shot in her at home!

Still, it's hard.  This is something that goes undetected, dogs and humans.  We never expected this.  Zed is the one with a heart murmur.

Esa's ashes are home and we have a little shrine in her chair (ashes, collar and her "red" which is her red kong bone that she liked getting her treats in) for now.  Part of the grieving process.

In her chair when she was little
July 2007

 



July 2013

Adventures: In Memory of Esa - Still Feeling the Outpouring of Love

Six days later and we are still feeling the love of everyone and how much Esa affected others lives and not just ours.

One of the people that was hard to tell was Leslie, who had been Esa's trainer at Petsmart.  We stayed in touch after training was done, and Leslie also came over to visit Zed when we first got him.  Esa LOVED Leslie and her classes at Petsmart.

Puppy Class Graduation
June 2007

Intermediate Class Graduation
December 2007

Advanced Class Graduation

June 2008

Our neighborhood friends are also reaching out.  If it wasn't for Esa, we wouldn't have meet so many of our neighbors.

One is Esa's neighborhood "sister", April.  April was also adopted from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation around the same time as Esa.

One of the neighborhood dogs that Esa is now playing with in heaven is Rugby who passed away last year of cancer.  Rugby was younger than Esa and were best friends.

Rugby (l.) with
Esa at the Doggy Dip 2009

Rugby's mom, Moo, stopped us when we were walking Zed yesterday and really helped us because we know she understands.  Moo gave us the best advice and guidance for the future - how it's going to get better, then worse, then better and when we think we are ready, waiting because the emotions will start flooding back with the new pet.

Today (actually as I was typing this in), our neighbor, Elijah, who is about 13, brought over flowers and a wonderful card.  What he wrote in the card was from the heart and brought tears to my eyes.  Dan said when he gave him the card and flowers, Elijah couldn't even speak it ("Is Esa...") and just said "I'm sorry for your loss" with his head down.

Elijah has some great memories with Esa.  He used to come over almost daily and play with her in our yard when she was a pup.  He also used to tell his family that Esa was "his dog".  Esa loved playing with him too.  Unfortunately, I never got pictures of them playing.

Today is rough just because it's a week later.  The first snowfall of the year and Esa would have loved it.

Thank you for all of the support this last week.  We appreciate it, and it hasn't gone unnoticed.

Adventures: The New Normal - Day 3

Another day without Esa.  I know eventually it will get better, and I know she will always be with us.  Thank you (again) for all of the support during the grieving process.

Today has been a little different.  My nephew, VJ, came and spent the night with us.  Although it was a short stay, I think it helped Zed a little.  He loves his cousin Vinnie.  This morning, Zed came downstairs and looked in the living room to see if VJ was there.  After I had Zed go wake VJ up, he kept looking to see if he was coming downstairs. 

I also saw a glipse of the happy, playing Zed.  He went and got a rope toy for VJ to play with him.  We haven't seen that since Sunday and that is a daily ritual.  Zed also jumped up on the bench by the door and looked out the window & was barking as VJ was leaving.  Something else Z hasn't done since Sunday.

I think Zed is all set with the morning treadmill walk routine (at least while it's cold out).  As soon as I finished my breakfast, he ran to the basement door.  It was like he was saying "OK, time for your walk Mama!"  That was confirmed with this pose by the treadmill when I started the walk.

"MOVE IT, MAMA!"

Zed is also starting to leave my side some.  He went downstairs while I was taking a shower today.  Yesterday, he stayed by the bathroom door and also kept walking in to make sure I was still there.

I tortured myself some today watching videos I had of Esa.  I do regret not getting a video of her barking "LET'S GO CAPS!" and her barking in our face to get us to play - that video plays in our heads though.

Yesterday on the afternoon walk, we ran into a couple of people and had to tell them.  As soon as they saw us walking without Esa, they knew something was wrong.  One is a dog owner & we always stop and visit with Shelby when she is out.  The other is our neighborhood UPS driver, Eric, who I have know for about 15 years (he used to deliver to the airport where I worked).  Esa LOVED Eric.  I know he gives all the dogs on his route treats, but I don't think all of the neighborhood dogs acted the way she did towards Eric.

Esa would run to the window if she heard the UPS truck drive by.  She didn't do that with any other delivery truck.  If she was outside, she would run to the fence and just start barking (even if he was just driving by).  Like she was yelling out to him, "ERIC! STOP BY!"  If he stopped next door, she would run up to the fence and just watch him.  It doesn't stop there.  If we were walking and Eric was making a delivery down the street from where we were, she would stick her feet in the ground and just wait for him to drive by.  I always joked with Eric that Esa was the president of his fan club.

One of our friends posted to my facebook timeline the below:

 



 

I thought of posting in the comments, but here is more fitting.  I guess first let me say, it's nice to know that everyone knows how great fur baby parents we were/are.  We don't ever regret not having kids.  Our animals have filled our lives.

 

I believe that everything happens for a reason.  I guess because of the major turn of events and choices that have happened/had to be made in my life.  I don't see it now, why Esa was taken from us so soon, but I'm sure we will eventually know.

 

Maybe this is the moment why Zed came into our lives?  We weren't planning on getting another dog.  We were waiting for the kitten season.  Now I can't imagine not having Zed here with me while we grieve.  It wouldn't be the same with a cat in the house or if there were no animals in the house at all.

 

I know that Esa was meant to be ours. Way back then, I was blogging on Yahoo360, so the entries were cut and pasted into blogger and some of the pictures didn't transfer.  Check out the entries from that week. 

• Entry for May 1, 2007
• Entry for May 2, 2007
• Entry for May 3, 2007
  Entry for May 4, 2007
• Entry for May 7, 2007

We know we were meant to be with Esa.  She was returned by the first family who adopted her and we weren't the first people there to adopt her (when the procedure is first come, first serve & needs to fit requirements) - it was meant to be.

 

We succeeded in what we wanted to accomplish with her.  One of our main goals was to have a dog that we could take places.  She hated the car, but enjoyed wherever we went once we got there.  Once we got Z, it was easier getting her in the car.  She didn't want to be left out.  She traveled to Canada every single year of her life and LOVED visiting the family cottage.  She went to the beach, different dog events and dog parks, geocached all over with us, and enjoyed visiting the "Clark Compound" and spending time with her uncle, aunt & cousins (especially cousin (kitty cat) Tom).

 

 

 

 

 

One of the things I wanted was a frisbee dog.  Esa was NOT that.  She rather chew the frisbee than catch it.  I didn't expect an agility dog.  She LOVED going to classes at Petsmart when she was younger and loved the agility "training" we did in our back yard.

 

 

She had such a personality and she was way too smart.  She was our baby and will never be replaced.  I am sure she knew how well she had it.  We knew how well we had it.