Hank - August 24, 2003 - June 11, 2014

I always knew this day would come but I didn't quite know how hard it would be.  Our dear Hank died suddenly this morning about 9:00.  He had not been 100% for some time and we had him in to see the vet twice in the last couple weeks.  We are still waiting to get the results of his valley fever test, a fungal infection common in the desert.  But this day is tough.  My heart is heavy and the tears won't stop.  I have thanked God for not letting him suffer long....one of my prayers as I saw him go through some difficult days.  I'm also grateful that he died at home in his own bed with no artificial intervention.  He has been an amazing dog.  Smart, funny, beautiful.  He loved car rides and was the best traveler.  It didn't matter how many hours he was in the back seat when we traveled and he was content in any hotel room.  Going to town in BJ's truck was always a highlight and recently I started taking him more often in my car as he just seemed to enjoy it so.  He loved putting his head out the window and always on the lookout for deer.  The joy he exhibited after our travels didn't matter if it was a couple weeks or a few hours.  After some of our longer trips when he was at the sitter, we were always so very excited to come home and see him again knowing the welcome we would receive.    He loved carrots.  He would come over to the counter when I started peeling them and wait patiently.  We eat them every night before dinner and he always got a couple.   These pictures have been in my blog before and were taken on his tenth birthday.  Oh Hank, the joy you gave us.

There was always a quest to find sunshine

We wrapped him in a soft blanket and buried him on the property this morning near the cedar trees in light of the morning sun.  Thank you, Hank, for all the sunshine you brought into our lives.  

Lacked a little luster

So if you are not a horse enthusiast, you probably did not write yourself a note yesterday and leave it on your kitchen island reminding you to watch the Belmont later that day.  This is the last race in the quest for the Triple Crown.  This has not been done, by the way, since Affirmed won it in 1978 so I was very hopeful...and I wanted to see it live if it happened.  California Chrome (CC)was the winner of the Derby and Preakness and was favored to take this, the longest race, at a mile and a half.  I was so hoping this would happen as (CC) was bred for only $10,000, pittance in the horse racing world where most contenders are in the millions somewhere.  The jockey, before the race, said "he had no plan" which bothered me a bit...I mean, a jockey knows best whether a horse is a quick starter, fast finisher or neither.  Maybe he just did not want to broadcast his intentions to the other jockeys.  As it turned out, CC finished a close 4th.  Yes, 4th.  One of the owners, you could see was heart broken.  My heart was still pounding so I can only imagine his physical state.  Then, as often happens after a loss, he was angry.  His poor wife was trying to calm him down but he began to rant how unfair the racing system is.  Here his horse has run in all three big races and the winner only came on the scene yesterday, all fresh.  His argument...whatever horses are eligible for the Derby, have them run all 3 races and see who has the best record for all three, since all three are different lengths.  When he was done ranting, I had been swayed as well.  Seems like a most logical comparison and the most fair.  So now another year must go by while we wait for the next contenders to show their stuff.   Hope one of them is good enough for me to write myself another reminder note to watch the 2015 Belmont.