Panda

By now you may be accustomed to my wit.
And certainly my charm.
I thank you.

Mom says not to get a big head, but Mom....really??
Does it look like my head is the problem?
Have you seen these feet?
Can we please talk about that pedicure you promised?

While Mom is coming up with reasons to not do a doggy-pedi, I need to share something with you that happened last week.
I would have brought it up sooner, but it was too difficult for me to blog about it.
Dogs have feelings too, despite what some people may say.

This week we lost one of our own.
My dearest friend next to Mom, Dad, and the kids.
Remember me telling you about Panda? The old soul of our crew?

He decided to take a nap the other day and after a while he just didn't get back up.
I didn't know what was wrong, and wanted him to come play, but since Mom had told me that it wasn't nice to pester old souls, I was trying my best to let him be.
In the meantime, I played with Rodney so Panda could get his "old soul" beauty rest.

But I knew something was wrong when Mom tapped on the glass and Panda didn't wake up to see her.
Right after that Dad came outside and tried to talk to Panda about waking up.
But that didn't work either.
Rodney and I stayed very quiet during this talk because we could tell that Dad was so so sad.
Then Dad explained to me that we had to find a special place for Panda to take his last "old soul" nap ever.
My heart was too sad to keep playing with my favorite new rope anyway, so I lay down close to Dad while he worked with the dirt and a shovel.
Mom came out to talk to me about Panda and I tried to perk up, because everybody loves Mom.
She bakes cookies and smiles a lot.
But my heart just wasn't in it and she said she understood and went back inside so I could be with Dad.

When Dad was finished, I helped him put all the dirt back in the right place.
Later the kid came out and asked me how I was doing.
I showed him the place where I had helped Dad with the dirt and he patted me on the head and told me I hadn't done anything wrong.
Funny how it sorta feels like I did.
Maybe if I had played with Panda instead of letting him take that last nap?

Anyway, all I could think of was how much Panda always liked my rope toy, so while the kid was standing by the dirt, I went and got my toy and laid it on top of the pile to show the kid that I was giving my toy to Panda.
I can always get a new toy.
What I really want is my old friend back.

It may be a while, but I'll blog again soon.
The name's George...
man's best friend...