Saying Goodbye to Dopey xxx

7 weeks and 2 days until departure date:

Old boy Dopey

My long term friends in Derby will remember a few years back when I was ready to leave Derby.  We put the house on the market, with plans if/when it sold, we would buy a house in Exmouth and move there.  It didn't sell, and I changed my mind about moving.  My gypsy dreams, and thoughts on Derby, are a whole different blog!  What happened?  Our long time friend/pet/companion; our 14 year old Dog, who we had his whole life, died.   Keeping a sad story short, he was old and went down hill very quickly, until he couldn't walk anymore.  I waited longer than needed, to know it was his time to go.  He didn't move for days, but it took us that long to come to terms with what had to be done.  After making the decision to send him to a lighter place, where he could run on the beach and chase fish forever, we buried him in the back yard, planting a lemon tree on top of him.

Right: Charlie; Middle: Dopey's Lemon Tree; Left: Puppy.

Once Dopey's final resting place was settled and secured, I had an over whelming need to stay not only in Derby, but in my back yard.  Although the lemon tree hasn't grown at all,  I now have a beautiful green lawn, for my new puppies to run on, and a wonderful tropical garden surrounding my whole yard.  I am proud of the tranquil paradise I have made for Dopey, and myself.  I enjoy sitting in my back yard, beside the lemon tree, which is in the shade of our big gum trees, after mowing our big lawn, and having a cold beer, just chilling, remembering 'old boy' sitting beside me, as he did for so many years when he started ageing.

Dopey left us a few years ago now.  We already had Charlie and Puppy before he went, I made sure of that!  I didn't want replacement dogs, I wanted them to be part of the family! Over the years I have watched Pup, and I see Dopey in him, I'm sure he learnt a few tricks from the old boy, he often sits like an old dog, with his elbows sticking out as if he can not hold himself up.  I laugh, and sometimes cry, picturing Dopey Dog, and it makes me even happier that I got Pup before Dopey passed, giving him the chance to learn from the old dog!

Pup, myself, and Charlie recently enjoy the beautiful garden I created for Dopy, beside his never growing, but still alive Lemon Tree.

Time heals!  I still cry for my old boy, I still miss him!!!  But these days I cry over babies and dead birds as well, and I never used to, maybe this has something to do with being in my 40's?  Or just my new understanding on how connected everything in life is.  But lately I've realised it's time to let go...not of Dopey, but of the peaceful garden I have made for his resting place. Young Dopey would rather be running on the beach anyway!

Younger Dopey on holiday at 80 mile beach.

Then the dreams started.  Intense, very real feeling dreams.  Then I knew it was ok.  It is time.  It's ok to leave this place, leave his resting place.  I cried a lot after the first dream I had about saying goodbye to Dopey, but then I started to understand.  Once I came to terms with the fact that it's ok to say goodbye, I wasn't 'leaving' my long time best friend in the garden!!!  Once I cried some more!!  Then I know it was time to move on.  WOW, everything has happened SO FAST since then!!!  Bless you Dopey Dog!

We went from, we will go on a beach holiday some time this year, to lets go camping on the beach in May, to....lets go live on the beach NOW, all within weeks!!!

Suddenly we are frantic with renovating, gardening, cleaning, selling, packing, sorting, all while still doing our normal jobs.

I still get sad just writing this, thinking about my Old Boy, who in the last few months couldn't even follow me down the beach, but in earlier years would have chased the fish, caught his own, and then demand I cook it in butter and garlic...no raw fish for him!!!  But I also get excited about taking my new Mates, long term camping on the beach.  Pup and Charlie LOVE the beach!!! They have learnt, thankfully, from LOTS of shouting on my behalf, that they are not aloud to swim in the rivers around Derby when we go fishing (CROC's!!! For those who don't know Derby!).  They go crazy as soon as the car stops at the beach, running up and down the sand dunes, in and out of the water, and when they slow down enough to see them, they chase the bait fish in the shalllows!!  I'm excited that it is their turn to live on the beach!!!  Dopey grow up on the beach.  These dogs have been deprieved, it's their turn!!

Last photo of all dogs (with Johnno) on beach together: Quondong Point, a place Dopey spent a BIG part of his life!

Looking forward to using 'Charlie Cam' on the new beaches we discover together!