Remembering Ripley

We lost Ripley yesterday morning unexpectedly. . He had a series of heart attacks, and while I was trying to figure out what was wrong, and his long term prognosis his last gift to me what not making me have to choose.

Ripley was my baby. When you don't have children to nurture you replace that with pets. In all the time that Roger has been gone, Ripley was my constant. In my time here in Virginia - Ripley was my rock.

Spenser and I picked Ripley up when he was 11 weeks old.  His breeder thought he was not interested in birds....

We left with no real understanding of what having a pointer meant, and no desire to hunt.  Our goals were short hair, medium size and no real emotional or health baggage. We struggled trying to find the perfect name for him.  Roger decided that he needed an English name ... since he was an English Pointer.  He pulled out a map, and found "Ripley's Castle".

This picture inspired his registered name.  He was the king of our castle, and he became "Sir Wesmor's Ripley"

We were amazed at this dogs interest in things that flied.  He would point at fly's and bees for long periods of time. His energy was never ending, and he inspired us to learn to hunt.  Not for us, but to watch him work.  He became an amazing hunter.  He was never more happy than in the field.

He became our faithful traveler, and we took him everywhere.

He was our entertainment.

He hated this hat ... every year.

What you don't see in this Rubber Duckie picture are his 6 siblings below him that are unable to get on the deck, he stole the duckie from him, and is very proud.

He was our tigger that could jump 6 feet strait up.

We all confided in him....

For the last two years I spoke to him more than any other living thing.  I decided it wasn't really a problem so long as he didn't start talking back.

There are so many things I already miss about him.  He was SOOO proud of himself to roll in horse manure, I'll even miss him peeing on everything.

As I begin to grieve  for him I have many questions. 

While his last few hours were not easy for me to witness, I knew he had been happy.  I didn't want to have to watch him suffer, and I was never sure how I could make that decision.  He is gone from us too soon.

I'm left with wonderful memories, but with a huge feeling of emptiness.  I'm left with Ollie - the second rate dog that I got for Ripley's companion.  Ollie has never been alone, and he too is lost.

Everywhere we turn Ripley is engrained in our lives.  He is everywhere in our home, and we are struggling to find our direction, we've lost a member of our family -

and I've lost my best friend.