Throw Back Thursday - Gemi

 My little angel has been haunting my dreams (in a good way, we have been spending time together), so I thought it would be fun to share some pictures of her.

These are from March 2011.

Take at our old house. 

Thanks for letting me share my angel, whose loss is still often too much to talk about

Throwback Thursday - Halloween

 Angels Loki and Gemini - 2009

Angel Gemi and Hailey - Halloween 2010

Flashback Flower Friday

Angel Gemini - 2011 (a few months before her death)

I like to think of her running free in flowers 

14 Years Of Dogs

Wednesday marked the 14th anniversary of when our first dog, angel Loki, entering our lives. He was a surprise Christmas gift. Those first 10 days were crazy difficult - he was up all night, I was studying for exams - I admit I wanted to send him back.  But since then,we haven't looked back. Our house has always had at least one dog and for about 12 years of this 2.

This week we will try and remember what it was like to live in a dog-less house and to celebrate all the loving and fun memories they have helped us create.

Angels Loki and Gemini

Remembering Gemini

Tomorrow will be 5 years since Gemini died in an accident (I think of it as a friendly fire incident). The guilt and pain around her death still is fresh in my heart. I have accepted that I will never 100% recover from her loss.  I still can barely talk about her, but am looking past my pain to remember my beautiful angel and share her with others.

This picture was taken about 9 days after Hailey joined our pack. It was taken during a storm. Gemini was trying to comfort Hailey. Gemi was a very snuggly dog and she and her best friend Loki had snuggled all the time. Gemi mourned Loki forever, but did try and make our Hailey her substitute love. As you can see Lee wasn't too sure about it.

Flashback Friday

Angels Nin and Gemi - September 2010

Throw Back Thursday - Gemini

Her last Halloween - 2010

Sepia Saturday - Halloween 2010

Angel Gemini and Hailey

Don't forget about Hugs From Around the World. To find out more, please click on the link or go and see Friday October 16th post.

Throw Back Thursday

Angel Gemini - "Let's see if we can find my stories on this thing."

A Story About Gemini

Yesterday was 4 years since my angel Gemini died as a result of a head injury. This accident left me with PTSD and I remember the summer of 2010 being the darkest and heaviest of my life.

4 years later, I can sometimes even smile when I think about her and the 6 great years we had together.

Today, instead of feeling sad, I will share a funny, happy, Gemini story. It is one of my favourites.

I got the bright idea that we should put Gemini in agility as Hailey enjoyed it.  Gemini, who truly was a little princess, wasn't so sure. She definitely didn't like to over exert herself. She would do it, she was obedient enough. However, she was in no hurry to do it. She moved in slow motion while doing it. It cracked us all up! I remember our trainer saying she had never seen a dog go so slowly through agility. We all referred to it as "Gemini speed." For someone like me who is so uncoordinated agility is hard as a handler, Gemi was the perfect dog to work with. I had time to remember what was coming next.

Here are a few pictures of our angel trying it out.

She may have moved slow but she could jump

I think her face here shows how thrilled she was about being there

She was excellent at the table, it was definitely her speed, although she would have preferred it with a pillow!

Flash Back Friday

When I was going through my pictures looking for a few of Nin the other day, I found this one of angel Gemini.

Not wanting to get off the couch, but wanting to be in the sun puddle, Gemi decided to sleep in the following position.  What a silly girl!

Remembering

Today we are taking the time to remember a lot of love.

First, we were devastated to hear that Goose was called to the bridge yesterday. We send our love to his mom, Michelle.

Second, we remember our Loki. It was 5 years ago today he died. He was such a great pup, and really is the one who turned me into the crazy dog lady I am. I can't believe it has been 5 years. It seems both so long ago and so recently. 

Loki, the winter before he died. He was so happy, even in illness. 

Thirdly, today would have been Gemini's 10th adoption day. Her loss continues to be the wound that won't heal in my heart. I hope I live long enough to find peace with her death.

My angel Gemini. 

Remembering Gemini

It is hard to believe our Gemini would have been 10 today. My princess will remain a puppy in my heart forever. Thinking of my girl today, gone too soon.

Three Years Since Gemini Died

It is hard to believe that it has been 3 years since our beloved Gemi died. In many ways it feels like yesterday (the pain and hole in my heart are still the same size) and in other ways it feels like a lifetime ago (so much has changed since her death).

Today we will take time to remember my lovely girl.

Run free Gemi!

Excitement and Best Friends

We interrupt our regular post to say that the world has gone crazy in our house today.

You see, our Aunt C and Uncle D are expecting their first baby, our human cousin and Aunt C went into labour in the wee hours of the morning. So now we are all waiting for this baby girl to arrive. We fear it will be a very long day for us!

Our house is in extra chaos because the Big Guy (Lady's dad who refuses to be called a grandpa to dogs) our Grammie and their 2 labs (Tendra and Barley) are currently packing up and driving to stay with us. They live 650 km away or about 400 miles, so it is a big drive. They will be arriving later today.

Life will be chaos, and hopefully all good chaos and we will do our best to stay up to date. At least if we are gone for few days, we will have lots of adventures to share. 4 dogs in the house, now that could be fun (Lady is hoping Man will see that 3 could be do-able).

Please send all your good thoughts to our Aunt C and soon to be human cousin for an easy and safe delivery! Please send good thoughts to Uncle D. He is gonna have to deal with a cranky Aunt C (whom we love very much, but when she is cranky, look out!)

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Today Ranger has organized Best Friend's Day.

The best friend's (besides the cats and in my semi-chaotic state this morning I can't find a picture of them together) in our house were Loki and Gemini. While Loki disliked Gemini the first few weeks she was with us, they grew to be the best of friends and they were always snuggled together. As I have said before, Gemi was so connected to Loki that when he got sick, she got sick too. It was just the anxiety of knowing he was sick (we had everything and then some tested). That was her love and she mourned for his loss greatly (she would sit and cry).

Gemi and Loki - 2009

Remembering

Today is a day of remembering in our house.

Today would have have been Gemini's 9th Adoption Day.

Today is 4 years since Loki died.

We remember them with a mix of smiles and sorrow, laughter and tears.

Gemini and Loki, best friends

A favourite Loki moment:
Once while visiting my parents, he ran away to the neighbours. As I was calling him, he clearly went and hid so I wouldn't find him! What a monkey!

A favourite Gemini moment:
Gemi was a fairly obedient girl, although she had her own speed, extra slow, or "Gemini speed". When we put her in agility she did all the tasks but at the slowest speed anyone had ever seen. When on an off leash walk, she would get further and further behind.

Black and White Sunday - Angel Gemini

Tomorrow my Gemi would have been 9. It is hard to believe she died over 2.5 years ago. It can still seem like yesterday and sometimes it can seem like even longer.

I still face the challenge of the trauma over her death. It comes and goes and I have accepted that as long as I live I will likely battle this as long as I live.

This week I will try and remember my crazy little girl.

Black and White Sunday - Christmas 2009

Angels Loki (his last Christmas) and Gemini

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Reminder: We are hosting "Make the old cats laugh comedy hour" as part of this party. Submit your best joke (pictures if you wish) your name and the name of your blog to leeandphodATbellDOTnet by December 27th.  There will be a prize for best joke (it will be awarded January 3rd). 

To my dogs at the bridge

Dear Loki and Gemini,

It occurred to me the other day, that you may be sitting on your spots on the mantle wondering "WTF?" The lives of the dogs who live with us now live very different lives from the ones you both lived. When you were with us, you ate good food; You got lots of walks and play time; You had ample toys; There were always treats in the house; You got dressed up less.

The changes in the house started when Loki died in 2010, and I realized how short my time was with each of my dogs. It changed when I met Hailey, a dog who had very different needs then either of you. It changed as I started blogging and a whole world of dog products opened up to me. It completely changed when Gemi died in 2011.

Gemini and Loki

Now, while I am always on the quest to find the best food (to help keep Hailey and Zaphod as long as I can), the dog treats and toys have taken up 2 cupboards and a box, toys are purchased more often (in part because they don't last as long now), I want you to know something. Even though Hailey and Zaphod have more stuff, they do not have any more love than you had. The stuff is just stuff. Some of it is stuff you would hate (Gemi, I can see you looking at a puzzle and saying "A princess does not work for her treats, hand them over woman"; Loki, I imagine the look on your face if I dressed you up as often), I know there is stuff you would love. I wish I had known about it these when you were with me.

The love I feel for Hailey and Zaphod is different from my love for both of you. Loki, you will always be my first dog, and my special little guy. Gemi, you will always be my princess.  I just wanted you to know that even though I was slightly less of a crazy dog Lady with you, I didn't love you any less.

Missing you both every day


Your Lady

Mischief Monday - A blast from the past

Today's post isn't about the current dogs mischief, rather it is about a dog named after the Norse god of mischief, Loki, and our angel Gemini, and what I am sure they would have called mischief.

The following pictures were taken Loki's last Halloween - 2009. He died in May of 2010. At the time these pictures were taken, he was dying. (For those of you newer to the blog, Loki had immune mediated hepatitis that caused cirrhosis of the liver). Halloween would have been about 4 months after his diagnosis. To give us the extra time with him, he was on a crazy drug cocktail, that we adjusted every 2-4 weeks. Loki took all this like a champ (and for the record his suffering and discomfort were very, very low once he got diagnosed and we started treatment). He was a friendly, joyful, not obedient, pup. To reward this, I decided to dress him up for Halloween. His face (and Gemi's) show how they felt.

Loki the spider and Gemi the Lady bug

"Princesses don't do costumes"

"I swallow all my pills. I am good at the vet and this is what I get?"