This comes as an especially hard surprise because over the last two weeks I’ve had lots of ups and downs with the big dawg Zeus, who is 11 and a half years old, and well past a Saint Bernard’s life expectancy. He has problems with hygromas on his elbows (swellings of fluid and build up of callous-like tissues), which periodically get infected and need to be drained (yes, it’s gross). He had an especially big/bad one last week which sent us to the vet on an emergency visit which required antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and lots of stress that this was going to be “it”. Eventually the infection opened and it drained, but now its a gaping wound that requires extra care. Our vet advised that these wounds are especially hard to get healed and there may be a tumor underneath. Right now he’s wearing children’s leggings that have been fashioned into a “shrug” so we can keep a bandage over it (that bandage being a maxi pad – you’d be surprised how well this is working). I’m actually working on a design I’m inventing for a knitted shrug that will fit better and look less silly! More to come on this later.

So it’s a sad day here, and we both already miss the little “Sky Hook” immensely (Spud had a slightly deformed tail which meant that it was hook-shaped at the tip). Spud came to us with Smokey via a friend who moved to Hong Kong and was not able to keep them any longer. The two, while not related, lived like brothers, and Spud came from a shelter at about 5 months. He may have been abused or at least neglected because he was very shy for quite some time, but he immediately had a calming effect on Smokey, who was a holy terror at the time. Spud eventually came around, and evolved into one of the sweetest, most loving cats I’ve ever owned. He loved to hang out in sunbeams, watch the birds outside and visit me while in the bathroom. He was especially fond of our duvet, and rejoiced in October when we got the new king-sized bed. One of his latest and most endearing behaviors was to come up behind me while I’m standing, reach up for a stretch with his front paws and basically “grab my ass”.

Rest in peace little snugglebug. We miss you terribly already. Here’s to you little buddy: