Saturday was a very hot and still day. I called my friend and neighbor Trish, wondering if she would like to go on a walk with Rat and do the deed. She seemed eager, excited and pleased that I suggested it. Three months have passed so I thought Trish might be ready. She would occasionally mention that we should do it but the timing was never quite right. You know, weather and all. It had to be a calm day. Tricia was putting it all together by the time Rat and I walked down the lane. She poured some white powder from a circular tin can into a baggie and held it out to me. I opened it and took a pinch and rolled the dust between my fingers. I asked her if it would be bad to lick it? She laughed and said "ooooh gross!" Patricia is from Devon, England . She has lived here for over 15 years, teaches 2nd graders and has adopted some of our vernacular. Trish asked me to have a look at something on her table before we left. It was a purple velvet bag with colourful words embroidered on it and a little tear sprang to my eye. "Wow" I said, I say wow a lot, "How sweet!" and she replied "Yes, isn't it?" Ratty was ready to roll, so off we went. It was so beautiful on the walk, nice and warm but not like summer heat. Trish emptied a little of the contents of the baggie, here and there as we headed up the steep incline towards the plateau. It was as if Rat knew too! He would typically want to stop at the bridge and swim in the water, but not today as he kept climbing higher up the path. This did not go unnoticed by Trish. We talked about our week and tramped even higher up the hill. Soon we arrived at "The Spot", believed to be a higher place where the Chumash hunted and lived. She let Rat look in the bag and take a whiff, he snorted, we laughed. We each took a handful and twirled around letting the dust fling all about the canyon. Goodbye dear girl, we love you! There will never be a heart as sweet and loving as yours. I shouted out the words I read on the purple velvet bag, "Until we meet again at the rainbow bridge..." We miss you Murphy!
3 comments:
on a more personal note, Rat would like you all to know that Murphy was his girl. He is into older women and he does not really care for dogs to much but Murphy was special and Rat adored her. As Rat and I were on the walk today I noticed the piles of powder here and there as fresh as they were on Saturday! It made my heart smile to see little piles of Murph all over the place and when it rains it will embed into the earth and live here forever.
Lovely sentiment,lovely old dog. Reminds me of my almost 15 year old Zoe, and how we should appreciate her while she's still here.
Rat looks very pensive! Maybe reminiscing on the good old days with Murphy!
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