Dexter

Today did not start out well. This was a very special little man in my life. Yes, sadly that's past tense.

His name was Dexter and he and my niece Melissa belonged to each other. Dexter was getting up there in bulldog years but he was fit and healthy and we always looked forward to his cuteness on Melissa's Facebook page where most of these pictures are from. Melissa lives in the big city and it felt good to know she had someone this loving to come home to each day.

Dexter was such a funny guy and he could have given Walter Matthau a run for his money on Grumpy Old Men.

He helped with knitting the most amazing scarfs, hats and myriads of awesome stuffed animals...

Until the toys were being assembled - then he was pretty sure they were his and Melissa would have to go finish them at Starbucks.

Melissa took Dexter in this morning to have his ear lanced at the vet's. Twenty minutes later she got a call that he had passed away on the table during a blood test. There was no warning.

Melissa didn't get to say goodbye but I think the important thing is that she loved him every single day they were together. She posted this in June of this year:

Dexter knew he was loved and so did Melissa.

Sometimes we expect people who lose animals to get over it quickly or more quickly than when they lose a human. I don't understand that because love is love. And when love is returned in such great quantities, not to mention unconditionally, it will be missed enormously and the time it takes to heal is the time it takes to heal.

Melissa is as resilient as she is smart and beautiful and creative. She will be okay. But tonight, when she misses his sounds and thinks she sees him in the corner of her eye, I just want her to know that there is still a lot of love out there for her and there always will be.

I'll tell you about the Ti Cat game I went to tomorrow, tonight was for Dexter and Melissa.