Emma has left for the Rainbow Bridge

Emma
December 01, 2004 - January 22, 2019

Tonight, my Emma is running free at the Rainbow Bridge. 

Emma was just a baby when her dad brought her home - a wiggling, happy, silly, plump little yellow lab puppy to be company for our border collie-rough collie cross Charley.  I was on sabbatical from work and would be at home for the first eight or nine months after Emma's arrival, a great opportunity to teach her and exercise her and bond with her.

Hai! Can I come live with you?

I promise I'll only chew things I'm supposed to.
I'd never, ever, ever, chew your shoes. No, never. 

Emma in snow

Mah big sister Charley can show me the ropes.
Sit!  I can Sit! 

Part of her socialization was to spend one or two days a week at doggy daycare, where she loved playing with dogs of all breeds and sizes, and went hiking for hours in the hills of the Fraser Valley. 

Emma (in front) and her daycare buddies on a spring hike

When Emma was about 18 months old, her dad and I split up.  We both desperately wanted Emma, but as we had two dogs and the law considers dogs 'property', we were given no choice but to each take one.  As Emma was bonded to each of us, but Charley only to me, Charley came with me, and Emma stayed with her dad, with an agreement in place for me to continue to see her regularly.

Emma grew from an exuberant pup to an exuberant teen to an exuberant adult.  There is a saying that labs remain puppies until they are about eight years old, and this was certainly true of Emma.  She had lots of energy and that legendary happy lab attitude, and would coerce anyone she could into throwing a ball or a stick for her, especially if treats were involved.

Food motivated, play motivated, happy happy happy Emma was a quick learner, and even as the years went by and distance made visits a bit less frequent, she still happily went through her routine of sit, stay, down, come, heel, fetch, etc. whenever I visited. 

The older I get, the more I like doing "down"

Emma remembered me from visit to visit, greeting me enthusiastically.  But when treats were gone and playtime was over, she quickly ran back to her door and her dad and her soft spot on the couch. 

Mom! You came! Hiya!

Emma love water - from the time she was a pup and right through her senior years, you could not keep her out of a pool or a lake or a stream.  And if you had a stick to throw for her, she would happily pursue it, using her strong lab tail as a rudder as she retrieved it and swam back to shore, head up and proud as punch.

Several years ago, Emma and her dad started spending summers in the interior of BC, where  Emma reveled in the attention of new friends and enjoyed frequent cooling swims in the streams and more time with her dad.  In 2017, they moved there permanently.  She had aged considerably the previous year, and I knew there was a good chance I wouldn't see her again.  Her dad kept me updated on her well being and activities and sent me photos of her enjoying her new life.

Emma having summertime fun in BC's interior

Emma and her best friend Abby

Yesterday, Emma went for a nice long walk with her dad.  This morning she got up as usual.  And then this afternoon, she appeared to have suffer either a stroke or a cardiac event from which she could not recover.  Her dad and a caring vet were with her at the end, and she peacefully slipped away.

Emma, you were the bestest, happiest, most loving lab in the world, and I smile through my tears just writing this.  You made me laugh with your antics, your expressions, your funny little wrinkles on your brow as you worked something out, your ball-crazy and water-crazy and stick-crazy energy. 

You had lots of friends, human and canine, but most of all you had us. A mom who gave you a good start, a dad who continued to love you and take care of you to the very end.  Run free, happy girl, run free at the Rainbow Bridge. 

Thank you, Emma's dad, for all the love you gave her and for keeping me in her life.  She was one very lucky and very loved dog and neither of us will ever forget her.

In life we loved you dearly, in death we love you still,
In our hearts you hold a place no one could ever fill. 
(Author unknown)  

Happy 14th Birthday, Emma!

A happy, happy 14th birthday to my beloved Emma, who lives the life of a spoiled, happy lab (is there any other kind?) with her dad who keeps me posted on her well-being.  May she continue to enjoy her treats, her toys, her scritches, her pals (human and canine) for a long time to come.  Love ya, Ems! 💗

Baby Emma

Senior Emma

Happy 13th Birthday, Emma!

Thirteen years ago today, a wiggly, happy yellow lab was born, and a few weeks later she came to live with my then-spouse and me.  She still lives a joyful and well-loved life with my ex.  The first photo was taken at about three months, shortly after she came to us;  the second photo was taken on my last visit with her in May of this year.

Emma, early 2005

Emma, May 2017

And, since it is the first day of December, which in my household officially marks the start of the holiday season (decorations come out, Christmas music is played), here are a few photos of her on her second Christmas (her first with us), December 2005.

She knew exactly which stocking was hers!
(The other dog one was Charley's)

Her new Christmas toy

Whaddaya mean, there's no more cookies?

Emma, exxhausted, at the end of her first real Christmas

Happy December, and Happy 13th Birthday Emma!

Thinking About Emma

Last May, my trip to the mainland to bring Maggie home was a bittersweet one. Sweet because I was adopting Maggie, but sad because I was seeing Emma (the yellow lab who stayed with my ex when we split more than ten years ago) for very likely the last time. Emma and her dad were moving 800 km further away, or about 900 km from where I live.

Emma, May 2017

When Emma's dad and I split up, Charley (the border collie cross) came with me and Emma stayed with him. We came to an agreement, with the help of our lawyers, regarding my visitation rights. The first couple of years were tough -  for me, for her dad, and quite probably for Emma. But over time it became clear to me that the bond between Emma and her dad was deep, and while she still greeted me enthusiastically on each and every visit, I had no doubt she had become her dad's heartdog, and he was her heartperson. I continued to see Emma - monthly when I lived on the mainland, and several times a year after I moved to the island - but no longer needed that reassurance that she was loved and well taken care of. She was - and is - the apple of her dad's eye.

HEY DAD!  I'M DONE VISITING WITH MOM - LET ME IN! 

Last fall, her dad talked with me of his desire to semi-retire and move to the place he and Emma have spent their last several summers, in eastern BC.  Emma loves it there, and each summer her dad sent me photos of  Emma swimming in the river, lazing around with many good friends including her best doggy friend Abby, soaking up the sun and the attention.

WHEEEE!  I'm a happy stick-fetching water dog! 
(Photo by Emma's dad, a couple of summers ago)

Her dad's intention had been to stay on the coast until after Emma passed, giving me continued access to her.  But for personal and familial reasons, he didn't want to delay the move any longer.  And I fully and unhesitatingly supported that decision.  I know only too well that our future and that of our loved ones is never guaranteed.  Sometimes you just have to grab life and run with it.

Or grab a stick and throw it!

And so in May, with his house about to go on the market and his annual summertime migration fast approaching, I went for one last visit.

Over the course of the last year or two, Emma's health and vitality had been declining. She is nearly 13 now,  old for a dog as large as she. At the May visit, the change in her was remarkable since the previous one a few months before - for the first time she did not bounce up to greet me, for the first time she did not wish to run through her paces in exchange for pieces of her kibble, for the first time she did not pester me for attention but simply lay quietly on the grass as her dad and I talked.

I can still hear everything you say, y'know!
One ear up! 

Her happy lab get-up-and-go often got up and went, her dad reported, and even that insatiable lab appetite had dissipated to the extent that sometimes she didn't want to eat at all. She still has her moments of happy lab silliness, of course, but we both agree that she is in God's Waiting Room.

I'm not tired - I'm just resting my eyeballs.  

And so it is only right that both she and her dad should be in the place they love most, sharing some summer and fall splashes in the river, being among friends and family doing all the memorable things that friends and family do.

Emma is living the good life, for whatever length of time she has left.  But between my health, Maggie's anxiety issues,  Emma's health, and the geographic distance, the chances are very slim that I will see her again.  At least, not on this side of the Rainbow Bridge.

Until then, she is in good hands. Thank you, Emma's dad, for loving her as you do.

 

Your regularly scheduled programming.....

...is interrupted for system maintenance.

In other words (if you read yesterday's post) Blogger has been so inundated with complaints from people unable to upload photos to their blog that they are actually working on the problem - trying to identify the cause and fix it!
I have no idea how long that might take - or if it will be fixable.  So no photos for a while perhaps. Just words.  

Two things that make this day important to me:

1.  Happy 11th birthday to my sweet yellow lab Emma, who lives with my ex.  She is doing well and I see her whenever I go to the mainland.  Her dad was home with her today and gave her a couple of extra treats for me. Emma loves swimming and going for walks and food and balls and wagging her happy lab tail. She's a lot whiter around her muzzle than when we first got her, but she's still the same happy dog!

and
2.  This is Giving Tuesday.  If you "saved" money shopping Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, how about sharing some of those savings with a worthwhile charity?  Or if you are trying to think what to give someone for Christmas gifts this year, consider donating in their name.

Some of my current favourite ethical animal rescues in BC:

Hearts on Noses Mini Pig Sanctuary, Mission, BC
RASTA (Rescue And Sanctuary for Threatened Animals, Chemainus BC
Broken Promises Rescue, Victoria BC
Barn Rats need Barn Cats, Victoria BC
Cowichan and District SPCA, North Cowichan BC
Richmond Animal Protection Society, Richmond BC
Bully Buddies Rescue Society, Vancouver BC

There are, of course, many other worthwhile animal rescues.  These are but a few of the ones I love hearing and reading about, and supporting whenever and however I can.

And in the non-animal area, a charity that aims to help children with a very, very rare disease, called Peroxisome Biogenisis Disorder - a disease that recently took the life of a friend's thirteen year old son. The charity is  The Global Foundation for Peroxisome Biogenisis Disorder .  

Find a cause you are passionate about, and then find a way to help - with donations, with volunteerism, with spreading the word.    Caring for others is part of our humanity, and it makes the world a better place to be.

Mainland Trip: Part one - A dog and two cats

Last week, I went to the mainland to see my family in Vancouver.  Before heading to my brother's, however, I made a quick side trip out to the Fraser Valley to visit Emma and her dad.  They showed me Emma's favourite trick - catching pieces of kibble mid-air.  Emma was very skilled at this;  I was less skilled at catching it on camera.  Instead I ended up with this:

Later, Emma and I went through her paces (the commands I had taught her as a pup) in their beautiful back yard where the trees were in bloom:

My dogs could take some lessons from Emma.  She has a far better 'stay' than all of them put together.  Or perhaps she just knows how beautiful she is and likes to have her picture taken:

Emma
April 2014

Then, on to my brother's for a couple of days.  The day before I left the island,  I purchased two catnip toys for his cats, Rina and Clancy.  Unfortunately, Allie  jumped up on the table, opened the cloth bag, pulled out the package, ate through the plastic wrapper, and absconded with one of the toys (I found it yesterday, underneath my couch).  So Rina and Clancy were expected to share:

Clancy:  Num num num

Back off, Rina - it's mine!

Rina:  Auntie Jeeeaaaaan......

Rina:  Maybe my toy is still in Auntie Jean's purse

What?  You only brought ONE?

Clancy:  Pfffttttt!

Nom nom nom

Rina:  I can't believe she only brought ONE.
And  Clancy won't share!

Rina soon got over it, though, and forgave her brother for hogging the toy.

Friends

I enjoyed their company and the distraction they provided as I sorted through the last of mom's belongings, including all 28 photograph albums.  Clancy was more outgoing and adventurous than Rina, but both proved very photogenic:

Clancy:  Hey Auntie Jean, lookit me!

Selfie!

Rina:  My brother's crazy.

Rina and Clancy

Rina:  Is she finished yet?
Clancy:  I think she's looking at the view. 

It was difficult to choose my favourite shot, but I think this one of Clancy and the photoalbums is a top contender:

Clancy
(c) Jean Ballard 2014

Stay tuned for Part Two - birds, ducks, and a big surprise at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary.

Camping with Eddie - Ema and Emma

The day after the big thunderstorm was a day of making new friends and seeing old ones.  First, Ann's friends Sharon and Ema came up to the campsite. We hit it off right away - they both have the kind of teasing, witty sense of humor that I grew up with, and immediately felt like family.  We all laughed and laughed, ate, told stories, and had a wonderful time - just the thing to dispel any aftermath of the storm.

Sharon and Ema
New friends who I hope to see again!

That evening, I visited with another Emma (this one with two 'm's)  - my Emma who lives with my ex.
As usual she was excited to see me:

Mom!  You're here!

As usual, we went through her commands that I taught her when she was just a pup - sit, stay, down, come, heel, shake paw, kiss, speak  - and she posed for pictures.

Speak?  What would you like me to say?

"Come!"  My favourite word, next to "Cookie"! 

Do I look distinguised in this pose?

She is eight and a half years old now (where did the years go?!!), and for the first time I saw some grey on her muzzle and the beginnings of aging in her face:

Dontcha know?  Us  labs are puppies until we are eight.
I'm just entering adulthood now!

And the highlight of the evening was that my ex popped the question:  "If I die before Emma, would you take her for me?".

You bet I will.

Not that I wish him ill.  The odds of him dying first are slim - he is, after all, not yet sixty, and Emma is almost a senior. But it filled my heart with joy to know he loves her so much that he plans for her future if he can't be with her, that he chooses someone he knows will love her unconditionally and always give her a good home.

It warms my heart to know Emma is so very much loved by both of us.

She is one happy, lucky girl.

Well of course I am!
I'm a lab!