Sleep came fairly easy and although I was up and down, several times throughout the night, I do feel refreshed and ready to tackle the day.

Harrigan ate her breakfast and bounced out the door to potty with the others.  She seems improved but I am holding my breath. I know, firsthand, how deeply human grief can pry itself into one’s soul; I can only imagine how great it can be for the broken heart of a dog whose love seems far greater.

Folks have said raising puppies can be difficult, but working with older, senior dogs, has many challenges. While I am dealing with their aging issues, I am also preparing myself that our time together is terribly short, and the time diminishes with each day. Erma will be fifteen in a few months, and Chief turns fourteen in November. Chief’s hips cause mobility problems and his face holds the beauty of a venerable elder. Erma has grown plumper and older in the face but has the energy of the younger pair, Colonel Deeds and Hoskins. Harrigan will reach eleven years old in October and since Bailey’s death in December, has drastically altered with maturity.

Erma was a senior dog when I adopted her at the age of nine. The others I’ve raised since they were young puppies. For nearly fourteen years, I have watched Chief from a bouncing, curious twelve-week-old puppy to a slow-moving old boy with arthritic hips. The only time he shows any energy is when I call him to eat or when he sees another dog passing by the chain-linked fence.

On with the day. The morning is filling quickly with light and the resident cardinals are quite loud. Tonight, I am at Schuster for a private event and managing the private Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s open rehearsal as they prepare Brahms’ Requiem.

Make it a great day!