Gus & Trixie

One year later – Missing Jonco

It’s been 365 days since Dad passed away. It’s hard, of course, as expected… but we’re doing ok. We’ve adapted to a new normal. I’m most grateful that Mom has so many good friends that love and support her.

There are a few memorials that were put in to place this year. For example;

Mom ordered a bench for the club Dad belonged to; it says “In Memory of Jonco – A friend and a beer are always near”.

A monetary donation was also made, for a few repairs that Dad had wanted to make at the club; they were carried out by son Dave, grandson Vince, and friend Kurt.

Kurt and Vince taking a break

A ‘Thanks for the Memories’ video was made for Dad and his good friend Dave (who is retiring from emceeing) for all the Christmas Show hosting they did over the years. Here are some stills from the video..

A paver stone at Give Kids the World has been placed on “the Avenue of Angels” in Orlando FL. This was arranged by Dad’s brother, Paul.

Mom has arranged the tickets to take all the grandkids to Las Vegas (Dad’s favorite) in a few months, using all the miles that Dad had built up.

This framed pic of Jonco and Trixie, from B&P’er DJ, was hung right above the doggy door. (Yep, that’s Buster below!)

Jonco’s friend, Derek, (who named one of his cats Jonco) wrote a song about missing him.

Jonco the cat

Repass (for Jon)

We sit here
finding things to laugh about.
Friends and family–
all the people we can’t live without.

Scratching off the numbers
and missing you.
Telling all the stories
and missing you.

The world outside is quiet.
No one to ruin our day.
“Treat everyone as you would want to be…”
That’s such a “you” thing to say.

Measuring reactions
and missing you.
Random acts of kindness
and missing you.

Tell the person behind me
that this one’s on me.
I know I’m not always wrong or right.
I just see things how I see.

And all I can see right now
is that I’m missing you.
I’ve got all these Bits & Pieces,
but I’m missing you.

I’m missing you.

Here’s a LINK to the SONG

Memorial Posters were hung at the annual Mud Volleyball Tournament that Dad helped organize each year.

And of course, I also have to say, thank you for all the nice messages we’ve received from the B&P community. It truly means the world <3

Love to all,

krisgo and fam

Trixie – One Year Ago…

It was one year ago tonight, on Halloween evening, that our dog Trixie died on the way to the emergency veterinary hospital.  She seemed fine 24 hours earlier.  You just never know.  

Then just six weeks later, a few days before Christmas, we lost Gus too.  His health had been declining so it wasn’t as much of a surprise as Trixie’s passing.

Having Buster rescue us has sure helped ease the pain of losing these two.

I wrote about Trixie in this post: Trixie – Rest In Peace

Trixie in Slow Motion

I received a copyright infringement notice this morning because of the music in this video of Trixie I posted in 2011. I was trying out the features of a camera at our old house on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The video won’t change but someone else will get the ad revenue when it’s played. I don’t care about that.  I had forgotten about the video and it was nice to see Trixie at this time.  Her fur was longer and curlier but it sure is who she was.

 

Trixie – Rest In Peace

It is with a heavy heart that I write this to inform you that Trixie passed away this evening. She was fine yesterday and now she’s gone.  

Trixie had been having issues with her rear end and/or girly parts off and on but especially for the last month or so.  She had been to the vet three times in as many weeks, most recently this past Monday. All tests she had turned out okay. She was put on antibiotics and another med to try to knock out any infection that might be there. She seemed fine on Tuesday, acting perfectly normal. 

About 11:00 pm Tuesday night I awoke to the sound of her throwing up. I looked up and she was sitting on the carpeted steps I built so the dogs could get up on the bed, having just thrown up on the floor of the bedroom.  She would then go in and drink a lot of water, much more than she normally would, and a minute or two later would throw that up. This went on several times and I was up with her most of the night cleaning and comforting her.  It seemed like she was trying to drink as much water as possible in order to throw up and get whatever was bothering her out.  She vomited mostly water by now but everywhere including on the bed twice. She settled down a little about sunrise and I was able to get a couple of hours of sleep.  When I got up I called the vet and we thought that she might be having a reaction to one of the new meds. They told me to stop the meds and see if she’d stop vomiting and to bring her in tomorrow if she was still sick.  

Trixie pretty much laid around during the day but it became obvious that she wasn’t eating and she was getting weaker and that we needed to get her to the emergency vet.  My wife got home from work and we put her in the back seat of the car and I sat next to her on the ride to the vet. I was trying to comfort her as her breathing was labored and about halfway to the vet, I told Pat to pull over somewhere because she had stopped breathing.  

We took a few moments and then continued to the vet clinic and they were as nice as they could be.  They will cremate her and we’re going to get a clay cast of her paw.

We are sad beyond belief and I’ve lost the best dog I ever had.  Trixie was so smart and so loving and definitely a daddy’s girl.  Trixie was about 11 or 12 years old, we don’t know for sure.

Hug your loved ones and your pets!  You just never know.

  

 

 

Pups at rest

Trixie had a pretty good night, all things considered. Her anesthesia has pretty much worn off. She’s now on pain medication and antibiotics to fight the infection. She tried to eat a little but was having trouble keeping food in her mouth last night.  She did a little better this morning.  I put her meds in some cheese and that seems to work.  There was a little bleeding last night but that seems to have stopped. Occasionally she moans but for the most part, is doing really well.  

 

 

Trixie – Stoned after surgery

Trixie had oral surgery today.  She was due for a cleaning and a couple of extractions but after they put her under anesthesia they discovered a gum infection and many bad teeth.  They ended up extracting 24 teeth.  She was so high when I picked her up that her tongue was hanging out the side of her mouth. You can kind of see it there under her facial hair.  Her little tail wagged a little when I picked her to carry her to the car but that was the only sign of the Trix I know. We have pain meds and antibiotics for her infection.

She has walked around a little and tried to eat but couldn’t keep anything in her mouth. There’s a little bleeding still.  She sleeping on the bed now.

 

Miss Trixie

It was 8 years ago this month when Trixie came into our life.  We’d had Gus for about 6 months and he had quite a few issues with having been a stud at a puppy mill for his five years previous.  He had lived in a cage for most of that time from what we know and he really didn’t know how to be a dog. He had issues going in and out of doors. He was constantly spooked by noises and items not in their place.  If a trash can was moved to a slightly different position he would go way out of his way to get around it if he would do it at all. 

Gus got along well with other dogs but was leery of people.  You had to approach him slowly and be very patient with him.  His tail rarely wagged and would be tucked under his cute little butt most of the time.

I had seen a photo of a dog that had been picked up as a stray in a neighboring town and brought to my local shelter and was in danger of being put down because no one had wanted her.  I decided to go to the shelter and first saw this hyper little girl who would soon be known as Trixie.  She couldn’t calm down as was so excited to be out of the pen at the shelter. She took to me almost immediately. The gal that ran the shelter was very nice and said I could get Trixie for free if I promised to get her shots and have her fixed. I was worried that she wouldn’t get along with Gus and was hoping I wouldn’t have to bring her back to what might be her final days.

It was an excellent move on my part.  She’s my constant companion following me everywhere I go as long as I let her.  She has also been instrumental in teaching Gus how to be a dog. His tail wags when we come home now, though I’m not always sure he knows why. Gus follows Trixie around and has finally been using the doggy door on his own whenever he wants or needs to go outside. Gus is going deaf and in some ways, that’s a good thing because it’s less likely something will startle him. He still has no interest in dog toys or balls like Trixie or other dogs.  He’ll never be “normal” but he’s come a long, long way.  And much of that is thanks to Trixie. 

Gus will be 14 this summer and Trixie is about 10 or 11 years old.