How do we walk that last mystery of life with our beloved animal companions? How does the human-animal bond end? I write this as our mystery is over: I lost my dying dog, my beloved Murphy, on March 8, 2012. I continue with our diary because her life ran out before our story did, and […]
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Are You Stuck? Or Living a Bald Eagle Life?
(c) Gary R. Jones If life were easy we wouldn’t get stuck. Or laugh. It’s all in our perspective. Which reminds me of the bald eagles who share our beach with us. I love these birds, and I sometimes think it would fun to be one. And then I think: “raw fish.” Eww. Yes, […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 15
How civilized are we, really? As things stand in our society, grief is a reality largely reserved for humans. By humans. My grief is not. Neither is my family’s. I was at an expo last weekend in Portland, a place where people come together to celebrate and explore metaphysics, from crystals to healing arts to […]
Daily Rituals with Our Animals: Saving the World One Family at a Time, Update 3-2012
I first published this article on January 17, 2011. On March 8, 2012, the story changed: that was the day I lost my beloved Cavalier, Murphy. In the coming days and weeks I will have much to say about grief, dying, death, and loss, but for now, perhaps this says it best. Twice a day […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 14
Murphy Brown Fritz July 16, 1998 – March 8, 2012 Beloved companion Devoted sister Terror of squeaky toys Friend to the universe AMBASSADOR TO THE DRAGON KINGDOM Our hearts are broken. We have lost our beloved Murphy. Our thanks to the wonderful people who have both honored Murphy and tried to ease our […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 13
So here we are, at Part 4 of a four-part series on dying dogs and veterinarians. Like life, the series hasn’t been quite linear, so you can find the other parts in this diary here: Entry 6, #1, where we lose our long-time vet; Entry 8, #2, where we meet up again with a former […]
The Alchemy West Committee at Work
There is a thing called the Alchemy West Committee. It is a real group, a business and life group, and not what you’d generally expect in either—because it includes me (a human), my animal family, two volcanoes, a beach, our condo, our car, my crystal partner Fallon, all my crystal friends, guides, and, well, all […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 12
Not every moment in an old, dying dog’s life is grim. Far from it, or neither humans nor animals would, or should, put up with it. Way back when, Murphy was a puppy. Now, at over 13-1/2, I think about the funny moments. Many of those involve that chew toy, Kong. I got it so I […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 11
We were just sitting on the deck together, and I was reminding Murphy of the very first time we were in that exact same position: back in October 1998, when she’d just come home to live with me. She was 11 weeks old, my introduction to Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Today she is over 13-1/2, and […]
My Dog Is Dying: The Real Life Crappy Choice Diary, Entry 10
I say it and it doesn’t sink in: my dog is dying. Not just on that you’re born you go through crap (and good jokes) and you die bit, but the real life one none of us get to skip. In a few weeks, Murphy will be gone. She has a splenic tumor, and they […]