Life

No, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. School resumed; and we were going 24/7 getting ready. Getting up early, like 5:45 AM has taken it's toll on us all. The royal family was tired. And when I'm tired, I do not go on the computer. I think though I am getting used to the new schedule, so I will be back again. There is a lot of driving for us now, as we do afternoon pickup of the Princesses all over the place. I think the Prince and I drive about 35 miles a day picking up his sisters, and he's cranky for 80% or more of it! Hopefully when he is able to face forward he will be happier, as then he can watch movies. And movies we will have!

The lack of postings has also been due to the fact that our most beloved English bulldog, Winston Churchill, passed away unexpectedly. He was only 2 years old, and in great health as far as we knew. He went to sleep one afternoon, and never woke up again. His death threw us into a tailspin. Winston was Princess Nike's dog, and we have all had to work with her to help her get through this loss. We are all suffering. Princess Nike cries herself to sleep every night. She says the hardest thing for her is that she never got to say goodbye to Winnie as she called him. That is something I can't fix her, and that just hurts me right down to my heart. She loved Winston so very much, and literally would have (& did) anything for him. Princess Nike had completed a project on Winnie last school year. It is a large posterboard with photos and info about him. She kisses his photos everynight before bed, and falls asleep talking to him about her day. I end up crying outside of her bedroom as I listen to her. I wish I could do something to bring that beautiful smile of her's back, but I can never bring her baby back to her so I fail as her protector.

To add sadness upon sadness, the vetrinarians office called me yesterday to inform me that Winston's ashes were available for pickup. I can't go there to get him; I just can't. The unexpectedness of his death still rings loudly in my ears, and I am not ready to see final confirmation that he is gone. I have therefore asked the Duke to go and get Winnie for us. Thankfully he will. Winston was our dog for only 2 years, and people lose family members all the time. I understand that. I further understand that he was a dog, and not a person. You have to understand though, that he was loved and had the most unique personality...so it was easy to think of him as almost person-like. He snored; he slept on my favorite couch, even though he knew he wasn't supposed to; he kissed you when you felt down or when you just needed a little loving; he loved to go on car rides; when you left the car and came back he was sitting in the driver's seat, ready to take on the world; he loved people and all animals and was not unabashed in showing this love with tail wags and kisses, and he was playful with my children. Oh and he was handsome as all heck, if you find wrinkly faces and missing teeth your thing! In time we will heal. The pain is very real now, and Princess Nike faces it every hour.