Just Cured - Experience Fine Foods

This weekend, we are entertaining out-of-town house guests.†† We met this couple only four short years ago; yet it is sometimes hard to remember a time when we were not friends.† As they live far from us, we see each other only two or three times a year, usually on coordinated vacations.

We met by chance on such a vacation.† In our initial conversations they explained that they were traveling with two of their four dogs.† The two elder were too frail to travel great distances.† In fact, they said, the eldest would not be with them much longer — at 13 years, this large dog was nearing the end of her days.

Later that year, we had the opportunity to visit our new friends and meet the grand-mere pooch.† She was, as they had told us, very frail and, perhaps, the sweetest animal on the earth. † We had two subsequent opportunities to visit our friends and spend time with the dog-matriarch of the family.

Tonight, on this first visit of our friends to our home, their petsitter called to say that this dog was in distress.† A bit later, our friends instructed the sitter to take the dog to the emergency veterinary hospital. † Within an hour, this dog had left this earth.

I am quite sad that our friends were not with their old friend at the end.† So long as they were not, I am pleased they were with us on this mournful day.† We toasted a life well lived, told stories of her life, laughed a lot and cried more than a little.

Godspeed Kody.† You were a joy and a faithful companion.