MY BLUE HEAVEN

If a dog will not come to you
after having looked you in the face,
you should go home and examine your conscience.

~Woodrow Wilson

They never talk about themselves
but listen to you while you talk about yourself,
and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation.

~Jerome K. Jerome

BLUE DOG'S SNOW ANGEL

February 3, 2002 was the 10 month anniversary of Luke's passing. Robin went
out on the porch of the cabin that morning and came back in and said "Christine, come
here, you've got to see this". Well, there in the snow was this amazing art
work, created by Blue, our sweet dog. Blue is a fat, clumsy, lazy, loveable Basset Hound,
who usually does nothing but sleep. Blue had been outside that morning and
made the art work in the FIRST photo. We were so amazed and thanked Luke
for the sign from him.

Later that day we released a balloon up to Luke just
as we always did on the 3rd of every month and on holidays. We went back inside and
later went outside to look at our special sign from Luke through Blue, once again. Well,
Blue had made an addition to it as seen in the SECOND photo. She added what
looks like two arms and a balloon on a string. We thanked Luke once again.

Now this fat, clumsy, lazy, loveable Basset Hound would have had to walk in a straight
line and not veer from her path, and then do the exact same thing on the
other side to make the other wing. The wings are shaped perfectly on both
sides of the angel. I think she had a little help from her buddy Luke.

The big brown spot on the right is a boulder in our yard.

Can you see the human face in the second photo? Where the angels head is?
Once you see it, it will send chills down your spine and you will KNOW
that you have witnessed something amazing... Just as we did.

Blue and Luke.... what a team!!!

In order to really enjoy a dog,
one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human.
The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility
of becoming partly a dog.

~Edward Hoagland

A dog is the only thing on earth
that loves you more than you love yourself.

~Josh Billings

THE POOPIEST DOG IN THE WEST

In 2004, about 3 years after Luke died while I was staying at Robin's
apartment in California where he was working at the time.
I brought BLUE DOG with me, of course. So I get this
CRAPPY idea to bring Blue dog to lunch with us... so she can get out a
little. So I put Blue on the leash and start walking so that I can meet
Robin part way, because he was coming to the apartment to pick me up.
Across the road from the apartment is the DOG POOPING AREA... where
everyone takes their dog to POOP, but you don't have to pick up the POOP
there... but you do have to pick up the POOP if the dog POOPS anywhere else.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CRAP!!!!!!!!! I am walking down the sidewalk, heading
towards the crossover for the POOP AREA. Well Blue Dog decides to stop all
of a sudden and take a big POOP, right next to the sidewalk. So I am
saying... "Oh CRAP, don't POOP here." But it did no good.... she POOPED
anyway, but not just your usual POOP... she decides to make a trail of about
5 pieces of POOP. So I think... what the CRAP is this dog doing. But I
know that I have to pick up the POOP or get fined like CRAP. So I am looking
around for "something" to pick the POOP up with... but I assume that I am
CRAP out of luck. Then I see it, a black piece of plastic that is used as a
ground cover under the rocks... So I bend down, tear off a piece of plastic
and proceed to start picking up POOP after POOP after POOP!!!

So now I have all the POOP picked up and I am standing there on the busy
street with a hand full of POOP in one hand and the dog leash in the other
hand which is attached to my POOPING dog. Well about this time... "BLUE"
gets loose from the CRAPPY leash and heads for the road.
So here I am running out in traffic, stopping cars, with a hand full of
POOP. I catch the dog and attempt to get her collar on with one hand,
because the other hand is full of POOP. So I squat down on side of the road
holding the dog between my knees, trying to balance myself, while I try to
get the collar on with my "POOP free" hand. I'm sure it was a sight to
see!!!!
So I finally get the CRAPPY collar on the POOPING dog with my "POOP free"
hand. Then we attempt to cross the busy street, but there are tons of cars
coming, so CRAP!!!!, I just stand there on side of the road with a hand full
of POOP while all the cars are passing and looking at me. There is finally
a break in traffic.... and me and POOPING BLUE Dog and my hand full of POOP
cross to the other side to the POOP AREA. I quickly drop my load of CRAP
and get the CRAP out of there. But I am walking holding my hands out
because I just KNOW that in the midst of all this POOP... I must have gotten
some POOP on me.... CRAP!!!!!
I'm sure that this was very comical to see, especially from the other side
of the clouds. I KNOW Luke thought it was hilarious. So if your life is
CRAPPY, just remember this CRAPPY story and the POOPIEST DOG IN THE WEST.....
but who the CRAP knows.... you may find yourself CRAP out of luck or dodging the POOP when it
hits the fan..... but just remember POOP happens. CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're feeling blue
is that he doesn't try to find out why.

~Author Unknown

THE DEATH OF BLUE DOG

Blue, our Basset Hound died at 8:10 am, April 23, 2008 from Bronchopneumonia at the age of 11 1/2.

Blue was born on the 31st, just like Luke was.
Blue's name is only one letter different from Luke's name.
Blue died in the morning just like Luke did.
Blue died in April just like Luke did.
Blue died from bronchopneumonia just like Luke did.

What a strong connection between two souls! Luke and Blue were best of friends and Blue
slept in the bed with Luke every night. When Luke died, Blue would not eat and she slept
on a pile of Luke's clothes. Each day I would remove one piece of clothing until we were
down to one. I put that one in her bed and let her sleep with one of Luke's shirts for a year.

Blue was diagnosed with bronchopneumonia about a month before she died and was treated for
it and was doing better. The day before she died I brought Blue to the vet because her
breathing had gotten a little more labored, but since the last episode around Luke's
anniversary she has been doing good. I thought old BLUE DOG had pulled through it.
The vet increased her meds, but felt that BLUE would be okay. I let her sleep in the
room with us that last night because I was worried about her, even though the vet seemed
to think she was okay. I got up several times during the night to take her to the bathroom
because the meds made her have to go a lot. The next morning her breathing was labored, but
not near as bad as it was when she first got the bronchopneumonia, and her appetite was good.
She went outside to go to the bathroom and I went to the bedroom to straighten up. Then ALTAIR,
Emily's dog came in my bedroom and just looked at me strange. I said..."OH NO" and I ran outside
to check on Blue and there she was laying in the yard. I KNEW she was dead because she never laid
in the yard, just on the deck. I ran over to her, and touched her and she was limp. I screamed
and ran inside to call Robin and Emily who were both out of town.

I picked poor old Blue up out
of the yard and brought her to the deck and placed her on Altair's blanket that I had laid there.
Then I laid down next to her, while waiting for Robin and Emily to get home.

Zeta, Emily's other little dog,
went inside and got his favorite toy and placed it right next to Blue, then he laid
his little head across Blue's body and stayed there, licking Blue the entire time. I felt the
warmth go from her body, and as the hours passed while I was waiting, I felt her get stiff.
This brought up so many feelings that I had buried deep inside. My feelings for Luke and my
grief for Blue. Robin finally arrived at about 10 and Emily arrived about 11:30. Then we headed
to the crematory where Blue was treated with the utmost respect. Blue was cremated with
Altair's blanket and Zeta's favorite toy. We participated and waited the 3 hours for her ashes.

I sure love that old dog. She is at peace now, running with Luke and sleeping in that old familiar
place, right next to Luke. I feel better knowing Blue and Luke are together again,
but oh how I miss them both.

The dog is a gentleman;
I hope to go to his heaven, not man's.

~Mark Twain, letter to W.D. Howells, 2 April 1899

NO MORE

~ by Christine Ross in memory of Luke and Blue

No more clickety-clack to wake me
In the hall at a quarter to four.
No more wagging tale to meet me
Just outside the bedroom door.

No more howl when I say "Where's Luke?"
With that head turned towards the sky.
No more treats to give when I say
"Blue, I'll be back soon,... goodbye".

No more running through the house
Chasing the spirit of Luke.
No more saving left-overs
For our always hungry Blue.

No more "fat dog" belly to rub
With those groans of sheer delight.
No more loud "old Blue Dog" snores
That can be heard throughout the night.

No more waiting in the kitchen
Just in case I drop some food.
No more "old friend" to comfort me
When I'm in a lonely mood.

No more coming when I say
"Momma loves that little girl".
No more angels in the snow
With that link to the other world.

No more Luke and No more Blue
Our family's getting very small.
No more of a lot of things
No more... no more at all.

© 2008 - Christine Ross

Near this spot are deposited the remains of one who possessed
Beauty without Vanity,
Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferocity,
and all the Virtues of Man, without his Vices.

~George Gordon, Lord Byron,

BLUE DOG'S JOURNEY

~ by Christine Ross in memory of Luke and Blue

Their eyes meet in the distance
Both running fast towards the gate
Knowing who is on the other side
No longer do they have to wait.

Blue dog's eyes begin to sparkle
There's the one she's missed so much
Flying through that portal
To that old familiar touch.

That old dog is full of energy
That tail wagging back and forth
Jumping right into Luke's arms
Just beyond that heavenly door.

It's like they'd never been apart
Not even for a single day
Old Blue dog is young again
And ready to run and play.

They walk together in the sunshine
They nap together on the clouds
Luke plays his guitar like old times
While Blue joins in and howls.

Blue is a long time friend of ours
She helped us when Luke died.
She's earned her place in heaven.
Luke and Blue are side by side.

We miss our special Blue dog
And we miss our special Luke.
Heaven must be rejoicing
With the reunion of those two.

© 2008 - Christine Ross

You think dogs will not be in heaven?
I tell you, they will be there long before any of us.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

ALTAIR, Emily's dog

A few years after Luke died, Emily rescued ALTAIR from the Shelter.
Blue and Altair became instant friends.

SPOOK

Just a few weeks before Blue's first birthday with out her I was in Phoenix.
It was a Thursday and I was out running errands.
I noticed a "Yard Sale" sign and thought I would check it out.
I got out, and looked around at everything, but didn't find anything special.
I was hoping for a sign from Luke or from old Blue Dog... but nothing.
So I walked back to my car, got in and was just about to shut my door when the lady having the sale said...
"Oh, by the way, do you know anyone who would like a free Basset Hound?"
I said ...."What????"
She repeated herself and I thought to myself...
I don't want another dog, but maybe this is a sign from Blue and Luke,
so I said..."Could I see the dog?"
I went inside and there was this cute little Basset Hound Mix.
I fell in love with that little dog right then and there.
I KNEW this little dog was HEAVEN SENT!!!!
Sooooooooo the next day when we headed back home from Phoenix to our house near Flagstaff...
I stopped and picked up our NEW little dog.
We named him SPOOK, because of Halloween (Luke's Birthday)
and because his name was in harmony with "Luke" and "Blue".
A GIFT FROM HEAVEN.... S P O O K !!!!!

ZETA

One cold February day, Emily went to the grocery store
and someone was selling little Border Collie puppies from a cardboard box.
There was ONLY one puppy left.
She wanted him soooo bad, but couldn't decide.
She went back to her car to think about it, turned on the radio,
and the song from Luke's service was playing..."THE SPACE BETWEEN".
That was Emily's sign from Luke to get the little puppy.
This puppy is actually a mix of Border Collie and Blue Heeler,
but we like to think of it as BLUE HEALER (he helped us heal after Blue died).
She named him ZETA... a star near the constellation AQUILLA.
The star that we had named for Luke is in the constellation Aquilla,
and ALTAIR is the location star for AQUILLA,
and ZETA is a star near ALTAIR.
Several months later Emily moved to the other side of the country and we adopted ZETA.
Zeta and Spook have become our best little friends.
ZETA too, was HEAVEN SENT!!!!!!

   
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