There Will Be No More Whistlin' Dixie :(

Sad post alert!  That is if you have a soft place in your heart for dogs.  If you already read Tabby's blogpost yesterday, you know what is coming.

 My high hopes for January faded yesterday morning, when I answered the phone at 7:00.  There was a very distraught woman on the other end of the line.

“I’m so so sorry - your dog Dixie - she was hit.  And she’s passed on.”

Oh no. 

My first question was, “Are you OK?”  I couldn’t handle knowing our dog had caused a wreck or harm to someone.

“Oh I’m OK,” she replied.  Then she angrily went on, “I’m a nurse and was coming home from work and the car in front of me hit her and that jerk ... that jerk just kept driving.  I couldn’t.  I had to check on her.  And oh I’m so sorry - she was already gone.”

“Oh no ...  Oh no Dixie ...  Where?  Where are you?”

The woman described where she was with Dixie farther down our road.  I was getting confused though as my mind was racing.  She asked if I would like her to bring Dixie to me.  (My goodness - how kind is that?!)

Since my kids were just getting up and I was feeling rather shaky so I thankfully accepted her offer.  I asked if she would please do so and said she could leave Dixie at the end of the driveway.  I thanked her profusely for calling.

Dixie - a German Shepherd-Collie mix

By the time I could get Solomon dressed, the kind woman had already dropped Dixie off.  I went upstairs to tell Tabby and burst into tears.  Tabby wanted Dixie’s collar.  Then the boys watched from the window as I went outside to get Dixie’s body.

I cried as I walked towards her.  I was so touched to see that that kind woman hadn’t just tossed out Dixie’s body on the driveway. She had wrapped her in some type of cover and laid her carefully in the grass at the side of the driveway.  I pray I get a chance to thank her properly one day.

I uncovered Dixie and petted her soft silky fur.  I took off her collar for Tabby.  Then I started to carry her to our barn.  Dixie’s puppies, Sherlotta and Exhaust Pipe, ran up to see what was going on.  I remember reading that animals understand death, so I knelt down with Dixie so the puppies could see her. I thought it was important that they know so that they don’t keep looking for their mama.

Sherlotta started sniffing Dixie’s face and kissing her.  Awwwww ...  Exhaust Pipe acted afraid and wouldn’t come near me at first.  Finally he crept over and sniffed his mama.  Lucia ran up and did the same.

Dixie and Sherlotta

I carefully put Dixie down on the barn floor and covered her up.  I wanted to bury her but the ground here is so blasted rocky that I just am not strong enough to dig a deep hole.  Thankfully our temperatures are very cold right now so I knew her body would be ok until Frank could bury her. 

I cried as I walked back inside.  Goodness, crying is just exhausting!

Why is it so very sad when we lose one of our furry companions?  I think it’s because our relationship with them is usually so easy.  Dogs especially are so loyal and ours are all so sweet, though the puppies are still very rambunctious and obnoxious at times.  So our feelings towards them are not all complicated like they are towards people.  People relationships tend to be pretty messy.

Tabby took many great photos of Dixie

Out of curiosity this morning, I looked up when we got Dixie.  I found my first blogpost about her.  We brought her home on January 12, 2013.  So that meant we had her just a few days short of 2 years. 

Lots o' hugs

Dixie you were a good, faithful dog - even though you wandered a bit too much.  You were loyal and beautiful. You were so smart and such a help in rounding up chickens or herding guineas. You were Tabby’s special companion.  You are already much missed!

Sherlotta, Exhaust Pipe, Dixie