He's gone...

"He's gone.  Brick is gone."  I got that phone call a week ago from this past Thursday around 8:45.  Brick was our older Scottie.  He was  a major reason I am with the husband.  Some of you may know that the first night the husband and I met we had relations- oh stop clutching your pearls you prudes, like none of you have done it.  I noticed he had  a leash and dog food.  I asked him what kind of dog he had and he told me a Scottie.  I told him right then and there I may date him just for his Scottie.  A bit over five and a half years later I've been more than dating him just for his Scottie.  Brick was a huge part of the husband's life and he had him for close to eight years- he adopted him from his former neighbors when they had the second kid and the dog went by the wayside. 

I last saw Brick Wednesday morning.  I got out of bed and ready for work and he and the younger dog both knew that once I was up out of bed they got to go up in bed and crowd the husband into a corner while they sprawled for at least a hour.   This had been the routine for almost two years now.  The husband accused me of spoiling them but looking back I am glad I did spoil Brick and would not change a thing.

Thursday morning was the usual, the kids had spent the night in the bed with the husband as I was up in JC.  They woke him up to let  him know they needed to go out and do their business.  They did, came in and knew it was breakfast time.  The husband was getting their breakfast ready when he heard a thud and yelping.  He ran into the foyer to find Brick on his side still yelping.  He said it sounded like a human crying.  He picked him up and ran to the car.  I happened to just call at that time to see if they were up.  "Something's wrong with Brick I gotta go!"  He called me back after rushing him to the vet to tell me he had gone.  I did not get to say good bye to my grumpy old guy and I am upset about that.  The vet said he was not sure what happened, most likely catastrophic organ failure but he was not in pain.  The husband got to hold him as he left and I know a part of the husband died with Brick.

The rest of the weekend was not easy either.  We had our race and the boys.  The race went well except my swim sucked.  The bike I finally broke a hour on and the run I did very well on.  After the race we, the boys and ST went to lunch and saw Green Lantern.  The movie was ok, good comic book entertainment and we got to see smokin' hot Ryan Reynolds in tighty whities- woof!

It was also our anniversary so we had dinner made at home with the boys.  We then made S'mores over the grill.  Traditionally the 4th anniversary is linen but I went off-grid and got the husband a hand blown glass globe lamp.  The husband stuck with traditional and got me a nice linen shirt form J. Crew.

Sunday was Fathers Day and I surprisingly got gifts with thought put into them from the boys.  I got two books.  My oldest gave me World War Z and my youngest gave me Abraham Lincoln:  Vampire Hunter.  I already own both and have read them but I was so happy for the gifts I did not say a word and neither did the husband.

The week at work was only three days.   I had two end of school events on Thursday for the boys so I took it off months ago.  we were also supposed to have our friend MM visit for the weekend and she was going to come Friday morning.  We have not seen here in almost a year so I figured I'd take Friday off as well and make it a four day weekend.  She canceled the week before Brick died so I decided to keep it a four day weekend without guests or the boys and we could get more work done on the yard.  After Brick died that changed.  We decided to get a new dog immediately and the husband said he didn't think he could do another male Scottie so soon.  We decided on an Irish Terrier, found a breeder in Massachusetts about 40 minutes from my smart brother the doctor and his children.  We drove up Friday- left the cottage a bit after 10 AM and hit serious traffic on the GWB, in New Haven and New London.  It took us a bit over six hours- it was a long ass day.  We had tapas for dinner with the family, watched some t.v. and hit the hay.  We got up the next morning, off to DD for coffee and donuts.  Spent some more time with the family then drove up to pick the pup out and take him home.  We brought our dog with us so she could meet them and see if she had issues with the pup.  She did not.  The breeder had the look of Bible thumper or cat lady so we were surprised she was a dog lover.  We spent about forty five minutes with the three pups available and made the pick.  We then headed back to the family so the kids could meet the new pup.  His name is a reference only a sci-fi geek/nerd would get.

Then the drive home last night only took us a bit over four hours- amazing what no traffic problems can do for a drive.  This morning I went and picked up the boys, we stopped to get some breakfast, then back to the cottage so they could meet the new dog.  They were excited and so was the pup.  Then I took them back to their mom's house as they had to get to Maryland for a week long family reunion.

It's amazing what you can find in grass piles you raked up a week later.  I first found a birds egg.  It was a burnt orange color and rather large.  I am not aware of any ground nesting birds in the area so when Mr. Barrett makes it up here in two weeks I'll have to quiz him.

The next thing I found was a snake.  It couldn't have been more than eight inches long.  I actually caught it.  The thing tried to bite me and I grabbed it behind its head, squeezing a bit too much as part of its guts came out.  I then ran tot he kitchen window to show the husband as he has a fear of snakes and I felt like Riki-fucking-Tiki-fucking-Tavi!  BTW, I think that was one of my favorite Chuck Jones cartoons of all time and loved it!  I watched it any time I could.  Don't get me wrong- it was no Nag or Nagaina I killed, it was a common garter snake.