I have started this over and over during the last month, but never found the right words. So with aching heart I tell that exactly one month ago, Arwen crossed over the rainbow bridge and became one of the furry angels and – she got to meet her beloved Fiona again. Loosing one dog is hard, loosing two over 9months time is painful beyond words.
No one can said that Fiona was overly enthusiastic when we brought Arwen home a bit over 11 years ago, in fact quite the opposite. Not that Arwen cared, she just buffed herself into Fionas life, not taking no or an answer. She was not the brightest dog, more of a bleached blond (sorry all blonds) but had the most loving, sweet and kind heart. And those eyes… even the vets that that they where the cutest ever seen. And she was like Michel Jackson said “I’m a lover, not a fighter. Not one for obedience, that class was a total wast of money “me obey? Tell me once again why?”But don’t let this big, brown velvety eyes fool you: behind them a very cunning mind lurked – the thieve of all things edible, a dog who never and ever learned the word NO! She didn’t hesitate to jump up against the kitchen counter, try to snag anything good smelling thing, licking the cutting board or, as we had friends over for dinner, snatched an entire pork tenderloin. Luckily we had two more so no one went hungry that day 🙂
The last 1.5 month she started to follow me round the house like a shadow, wherever I went she went too. Laid next to me on the couch across my legs, even sat on my lap , a RR lapdog? Yep, worked just fine from her perspective. LOL. So the decline started, hip joints gave her trouble, the bump on her nose grew, one eye a bit swollen, growths here and there seemed to multiply and she who always have been on the skinny side, started to look starved. Well then the day came when she sat down in front of me and did what Fiona did – gave me a soul penetrating stare. The day after all her joints seemed to give in, she couldn’t manage the stairs so The DH had to carry her upstairs and there and then we made the decision that it would end then and there. The next morning, me and John took her for her last car ride and the ending was quiet and calm.
As it was when Fiona passed, Diego was very low and in mourning for some weeks and as with Fiona, we can’t mention Arwen’s name without him sitting straight up with perked ears and just waiting for her to come home. The other day we saw a RR looking dog at Bögs gÃ¥rd (show working farm) and Diego couldn’t tear his eyes of her until he caught her scent and realized it wasn’t Arwen. She was really truly his mom and a very great one too and Diego never have realized that he is a Jack Russell, but a minor version of a Ridgeback. The house is very quiet, but every now and then I hear her (and Fiona?) castanets claws agains the wooden floors, see a shadow at the corner of me eyes.
Arwen my sweet, lovely baby I miss you as crazy but feel comforted by the thought that you are with Fiona and you both are running wild and free like a true Rhodesian Ridgeback should.