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Our Very Own
Whippet Angels...

"It came to me that every time I lose a dog
they take a piece of my heart with them.

And every new dog who comes into my life
gifts me with a piece of their heart.

If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog,
and I will become as generous and loving as they are."
~ Unknown

Our Angel Poppy
1995 - 2009

Poppy came to live with us in 1999.
We were so lucky to have her.
She was bossy and lively and quick as a bunny. 

Poppy was the referee.
She would break up a rumble and hump the boys.
Poppy was always the one getting scraped up in a tussle,
but she was tough and with a few staples or
stitches was always good as new.

But this time we could not put our
Poppy girl back together with a band-aid. 

At age 14, she did not have enough resources to heal
from a sarcoma turmor removal surgery, kidney failure
and sudden onset vestibular disease. 

Princess Poppy, your purple velvet bed
sits in the corner as a shrine
to the regal whippet you were.

Poppy, you are dearly missed.

Poppy is survived by her sister littermate, Beamer of Kansas,
her FreeRanger roomies, Lucy, Noah Bones and Chippie,
her first mama, Sue, in Eugene
and me, the one with the big broken heart.

Poppy was cremated in her beautiful, embroidered coat by "Luise" ,
along with her Frisbee, bunny and cookies.
a private service has been held.

Thank you to Dr. McCoy and Dr. Shanks
and staff at North Portland Animal Hospital
and to
Dr. Frost and Dr. Grossen and the staff at
Pacific Veternary Hospital for their care of Poppy.

Thank you to Jean Pierson PT
for the skill and care she gave Poppy.

Thank you to Dr. Karen Comer, DVM
for her generous heart and genuine concern

Thank you to Sue Carbajal
for letting me love Poppy

&
thank you to all our friends
who held us up with their love and strength
during the last few weeks.

Poppy enjoying a nap in the warm sun

Poppy Posing

Lacey and Poppy

Snoodly Poppy

Model Girls !
Poppy and her friend, Heather

Poppy (right) and her beach buddies 2007

Poppy and friends

Poppy with roomies Mariah & Sadie

Poppy with Mariah, Lacey and Sadie
All angels now....

Sweater Girls - Lacey, Poppy, Mariah and Sadie

Poppy's first day as a Free Ranger
with roomies Sadie & Lacey

*

Our Very Own Angel
Sky
1995 - 2009

Sky passed away after a long, lustful life filled with adventure and love.
He celebrated his 14th birthday in May, 2009, with 18 whippet friends. 
He enjoyed all the love, kisses, cupcakes, and all generous gifts.

Sky sired at least 100 whippet puppies
during the ten years he enjoying performing
as a stud dog at a house of ill repute.
Many of his offspring have visited Sky over the years. 

Sky was a loving devoted whippet boy with the most soulful eyes. 
Many succumbed to his look of love.  He was aptly named "Riverbend's Sky Affair"
and it was a long affair for those who loved Sky.  He will be deeply missed...

Sky is survived by housemates, Poppy and Lucy Rose, Noah Bones and Chippie. 
He was preceded in death by Sadie Rose
and his partner in crime, Henry Rose. 
He leaves behind many devoted children -
Billy Bones, Coco, Chi Chi, Abbey, Bonny,
Scout, Simon, Puma, Arthur, Nula, Mooney, Piper, Rocket,
and his fourth and last wife, Willow Applewhite. 
And me, his last human of the past four years...
Sky, your old tired bones are light and free again,
to chase all the squirrels and bunnies in the clouds...
run sweet boy, run.
cremation and private service has been held

*

"The one best place to bury a good dog
is in the heart of his master."
~ Ben Hur Lampman
Portland Oregonian September 11, 1925

*

Our own
Henry Rose
April 1998 - March 2009

Henry Rose quietly passed away in his sleep.
His head was on the pillow next to me and Chippie was tucked in between us.
Henry had been diagnosed with a severe heart murmur last year and was slowly declining.
Henry was 11 years old. We will miss our bunny soft, lumpy bumpy, big daddy dog.
We will miss the sound of his little sharp chirp when company arrives
and his humping of the housemates to keep them in line.
Henry was a laid back, bad mam-ma jamma and loved to drift to Pink Martini.
Henry is survived by Poppy, Sky, Lucy, Noah Bones & Chippie,
along with dear friends, Billy Bones, Scout, Dash, Mehl and Anna,
Nula & Paddy, Russia, Coco, Sergio and Marcus
and Godmothers, Janet Willmann and Barbara Ruth Smith.
Private service has been held.
Cremation at the Oregon Humane Society.

*

Our own
Sadie Rose
The Queen
of FreeRangeWhippets
July 7, 1995 - May 3, 2008

Our own, Sadie Girl, left us due to complications of kidney failure.
She was diagnosed in April 2007 and lived with the disease for one year.
Her Auntie Lea Ann gave her sub q fluids and love every day.
Without this love and dedication, Sadie would have left us long ago.

Sadie was the perfect whippet girl.
She never got into trouble.
She was independent and very smart.

Sadie was the great hunter and
nothing escaped her keen eyesight.

She vocalized her wants and needs
with her own whippet language.
err err err err...er er er

Sadie would endearingly raise her little front leg up
and ask to have her armpit scratched.
She would sit on a lap and put her front legs on your shoulders for a hug.

Sadie loved to go for car rides and
demanded to sit in the middle with her front legs on the console;
nose pointed straight ahead... an inside hood ornament.

Sadie tolerated the rescue fosters who stayed in her house
and the friends who came to visit,
but she insisted on a calm atmosphere
and steered clear of any ruckus.

She loved her stuffed toys and
took very good care of them.
She was cremated with the little pink piglet toy
she had since a pup.

Sadie leaves behind a large family and many friends:
Her "sisters" Poppy and Lucy; "brothers" Henry, Sky, Noah and Chippie;
Her godmothers, Lea Ann, Lianne, Bette and Holly & godfather, Elton;
Her distant cousins twice removed, Ajax, Abby, Scout and Billy Bones;
and her dedicated friends to the end ...
The Carlson Family
The Muckridge Family
Karen & Cricket Comer

But most of all, she left me behind, her mama, and I miss her terribly.

Be at peace Sadie Girl.
You were always such a good girl.
You are dearly loved by many,
except the squirrels
who used to reside in your backyard....

roo roo roo Sadie Girl.

*
Our own
Mariah
1997 - 2003

Our own, Mariah
You left too soon !

There will never be another Mariah

"They Call The Wind Mariah"
By Jed Brighton

Away out here
they have a name
for rain and wind and fire.
The rain is Tess, the fire's Joe
and they call the wind Mariah.

Mariah blows the stars around
and sets the clouds a-flyin'
Mariah makes the mountains sound
like folks was out there a dyin'.

Mariah. Mariah.
They call the wind Mariah.

*

Our own, Lacey and Willie

Lacey Rose 1988 - 2002
Sweet Lacey Rose gently left us to join her love, Willie Whippet.
Lacey was 14 years old.
She was my dearest friend.

Willie 1986 - 1998
Wild Will - Chasing squirrels from cloud to cloud
I see you in the evening sunset

Whippet Friends who are now angels...

 

*

************************************

I have little in the way of material things to leave. Dogs are wiser than men. They do not set great store upon things. They do not waste their days hoarding property. They do not ruin their sleep worrying about how to keep the objects they have, and to obtain objects they have not.

There is nothing of value I have to bequeath except my love and my loyalty. These I leave to all those who have loved me, especially to my Master and Mistress, who I know will mourn me the most.

I ask my Master and my Mistress to remember me always, but not to grieve for me too long. In my life, I have tried to be a comfort to them in time of sorrow, and a reason for added joy in their happiness. It is painful for me to think that even in death I should cause them pain.

Let them remember that while no dog has ever had a happier life (and this I owe to their love and care for me), now that I have grown blind and deaf and lame, and even my sense of smell fails me so that a rabbit could be right under my nose and I might not know, my pride has sunk to a sick, bewildered humiliation.

I feel life is taunting me with having overlingered my welcome. It is time I said good-bye, before I become too sick a burden on myself and on those who love me.

It will be a sorrow to leave them, but not a sorrow to die. Dogs do not fear death as men do. We accept it as part of life, not as something alien and terrible which destroys life. What may come after death, who knows?

I would like to believe that there is a Paradise. Where one is always young and full-bladdered. Where all the day one dillies and dallies. Where each blissful hour is mealtime. Where in the long evenings there are a million fireplaces with logs forever burning, and one curls oneself up and blinks into the flames and nods and dreams, remembering the old brave days on earth and the love of one's Master and Mistress.

I am afraid that this is too much for even such a dog as I am to expect. But peace, at least, is certain. Peace and a long rest for my weary old heart and head and limbs, and eternal sleep in the earth I have loved so well.

Perhaps, after all, this is best.

One last request, I earnestly make. I have heard my Mistress say, "When Blemie dies we must never have another dog. I love him so much I could never love another one". Now I would ask her, for love of me, to have another. It would be a poor tribute to my memory never to have a dog again.

What I would like to feel is that, having once had me in the family, she cannot live without a dog!

I have never had a narrow, jealous spirit. I have always held that most dogs are good. My successor can hardly be as well loved or as well mannered or as distinguished and handsome as I was in my prime. My Master and Mistress must not ask the impossible. But he will do his best, I am sure, and even his inevitable defects will help by comparison to keep my memory green.

To him I bequeath my collar and leash and my overcoat and raincoat He can never wear them with the distinction I did, all eyes fixed on me in admiration; but again I am sure he will do his utmost not to appear a mere gauche provincial dog.

I hereby wish him the happiness I know will be his in my old home.

One last word of farewell, dear Master and Mistress.

Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long, happy life with you:

"Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved".

No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

I will always love you
as only a dog can.

 

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