OK, so long ago....  I had Cookie and Rufus.  Cookie was old and suffering so my sister and I did our normal doggie dispatch routine.  We took her to the vet, Candy went in with her to send her to doggie heaven and I stood in the lobby and sobbed while total strangers hugged me.  Candy came out crying, slugged me in the arm and we went to do some retail therapy.  Through the years, we've repeated this many times, but not with Peabody because his death was unexpected and in my arms on the kitchen floor. 

I ended up getting Peabody because Rufus was in serious mourning for Cookie.   I got over her death and was eventually happy to have half as many dog fur dust bunnies, but Rufus never got over her death.  So here we are again with Rufus in mourning. He hadn't eaten since Saturday and I finally brought his food dish in my bedroom tonight and ordered the dog to eat, which he did.  He's not barking at the mailman and just lays around with his chin on his front paws.  He lays on Peabody's rug and sighs.  Frankly, I layed on Peabody's rug and sobbed the first couple of days and still can't bring myself to pick it up and wa****

So he's my dilemma... To new dog or not to new dog?  My first thought was to wait a while and see how I feel, but Rufus is a dog's dog and is very lonesome.  I'm now working 60 hours a week so it doesn't seem right to bring in another dog while I'm not here until 10:00 at night some nights and it doesn't seem fair to leave Rufus alone until 10:00.  I won't get a puppy because that's just not right for any of us and I have to be cautious of a full grown dog because of the cats, but WHAT TO DO???  I've even thought about farming out Rufus to The Man some days when I'm gone for long hours, but he is abnormally and psychotically attached to me so that wouldn't work. 

What do you guys think?

Reenie,

I said it before in my reply to Joanie's post, I don't want anyone to leave.  You need to do what feels right for you, but again, I don't think we can afford to lose anybody.  Think about what attrition has already done.  We started out with hundreds of us and now were down to a handful.  There will always be people over 50 or 40 or 30 who will fill those boards, but there is a finite number of people who had surgery in March of 2004. 

Don't worry about people not replying to my post.  I lob the ball and if nobody swings, that's OK.  I wasn't hurt by it at all. 

I've thought about what Margo said about the rules of conduct and I'm leaning towards agreeing with her.  Remember before the election when I asked people to vote because of the insurance issue?  Things got active and Mike came on and asked us all to cool our jets.  He was right, but I was also miffed.  I wasn't miffed at Mike, but just at the situation.  I've decided that I'm just going to have my own code of conduct for nobody but me.  I might post it, but it isn't intended for anyone to follow except me. 

I've been thinking a lot about Marilyn.  I hope that she's safe and busy living life.  I don't know if I missed a post from her telling us that she's eloping or won a million bucks or some other explanation for her absence, but I hope all is well. 

OK, Reenie, have a wonderful weekend with Jillian.  I'll be here when you get back.

Hugs,
Connie

Thanks for responding, Kim. Marueen