Finally back after a couple months off...so much to tell!

Josie and Blues trying to stay still....LOL.

My blue-eyed boy Blues.

My brown-eyed girl Josie, sitting up for a cookie.

Josie looking sweet.

Those blue eyes.....

Blues snuggling with Nigel.

Gertrud and myself after our tubing adventure.

Josie giving Nigel some loving.

As you all know, I took some time off after my patient John had passed away in March and I befriended his wife Gertrud. All this after sleeping on the floor on a doggie bed with Josie for three weeks while John was in Hospice care. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I don't regret a second of it.

I did stop back in on my birthday, May 24th, only to find out that our beloved friend MaxDog had passed on that day. What a sad day that was. I posted my condolences to MaxDog's mom, who has a new beautiful blog called Living Life to the Max, but decided I still needed to take some time off to spend with Gertrud and myself.

I had grown quite close to her and she to me. Something I was not ready for was the sadness that accompanied John's passing in March. It enveloped myself and Gertrud. At first I didn't understand what it was. But it crept up on me until I was fully wrapped in it. I couldn't escape the feelings. I didn't know what to do, so I went to see a Therapist. Funny, the Pet Therapy person seeing a Therapist. But, hey, what I do is all volunteer work. I am not trained. I just give from my heart. And someone had passed away. And there was a great loss, a void. And I also had became very attached to him and his wife. Now what?

And not only was I down or sad from it, now there was his wife, who was dealing with his death, and 54 years of marriage and I wanted to help her. So I did what any friend or family member would do, and I was there for her. I still am. What I learned was that the best thing I could do for her is just "be" there for her. Let her "be" sad, with me being with her. Try not to "cheer" her up. That is my natural persona. Try to make them laugh or smile, but I learned, just to be. And it's an awesome lesson.

We have become very close, Gertrud and I, and I am very blessed to have a good friend like her. We have adventures together. She's experienced some firsts with me. I took her tubing down a river. We ate crabs together. She flipped out of a pool and was okay (that was not planned!). She bought a new car. Yes, a new car. I helped her trade in her two cars, one of which only had 2,300 miles on it, the other 30,000 miles and buy a new car. My cousin works at a local car dealership, so we got her a fantastic deal.

Josie and I have been visiting the hospital on Fridays to visit Pediatrics and we visit a special school for children every other Wednesday on our lunch hour so the kids can read to her. Once in a while we do adults at the hospital, but it's only because I am spending so much time with Gertrud right now. I also went and got Josie's and my certification at another hospital right around the corner from the one hospital we go to so in the Fall we can start going to both hospitals.

Blues has been growing like a weed. Seriously!! I think he has Greyhound or Whippet in him!! When he runs his ears go next to his head the way a Greyhounds do and his legs are sooo long and so is his tail. He just screams Greyhound! So I think he is a Shepherd/Husky/Greyhound mix. But he is so sweet. I really think he is going to make a wonderful Therapy Dog one day. Love those Greys!!

I seriously want to thank all my FB friends (you know who you are) who gave me my boosts each day to keep me going through all of this and all my Blog Friends who checked in with me. God Bless you all. My hubby (love him) got me a Macbook Pro for my birthday so I will be checking all of your blogs.

Thank you for being so supportive and loving. I love you all. xoxo

Much love and Woof!!

MB, Josie and Blues

P.S. A very special THANK YOU to our good friend Nigel for his "nipping at my heels" about getting back to blogging. Thanks Nigel. It's good to be missed. Love you dear friend.

P.S.S. A shout out to Sierra Dog and her folks. I will talk about them in my next blog!! They went and did a very nice thing!

P.S.S.S. I hope you all like my new look. I am working on it as we speak...much love!