Our beloved golden retriever, Kenai, died unexpectedly Wednesday morning. Brad wrote an eloquent blog post eulogizing our good dog here.
As the incredibly nice woman at Boulder Veterinary Hospital said to me, it's a "painful blessing" that he died so unexpectedly, and I'm glad I was at home and able to be with him at the end. He was 12, which is a good long life for a big dog. He had ACL surgery a couple of years ago and his legs were a little shaky, but he was full of life and energy and doggie happiness just the day before he died.
His last morning he didn't want to come downstairs for his breakfast for the first time ever. I brought his food to him and he ate it all. I canceled yoga and a morning meeting to stay with him and took this photo of him not feeling very perky, which turned out to be his last portrait. A couple of hours later he was gone -
We are obviously devastated, but Brooks and I are keeping each other company, as we will do without Kenai for the next years.
"Good dogs are with us for a little while to teach us how to love like it's our job -- because it is."
