Yesterday was Crystal's birthday

This week was really a pretty tough week for me. It just proved how much these little dogs are really a part of me.

Crystal would have been 11 years old yesterday.

I miss you Little Missy. I love you. I can't wait until the day comes when we meet at the bridge and I can hold you in my arms again.

It still hurts like hell every time I think about Crystal being gone.

I was going through some pictures last night and found the one shown here. This was taken July 18, 2006 at 6:43pm. My gardener had just finished doing the yard. I thought I'd go out and take a picture or two before the dogs drug all their toys back out.

Anyway if you look closely at the picture - there is Crystal - evaluating Aurelio's work.

The yard was Crystal's kingdom. She loved to lay on the stone patio but she adored standing at the fence line looking through what is a crack in the masonry, and barking at the dogs in the next yard. And barking! And barking! If Crystal wasn't in the house she was out at the fence or patiently waiting on the patio for her buddy next door to come out and play. In the blazing summer heat she would lay at the patio door on the cool tile in air conditioned comfort patiently waiting for the sun to cross over the yard so she could go back outside and do what she loved to do most. Bark at the neighbor! She would be out there until nightfall some evenings in the summer. Laying, lounging, chasing, resting, rinse, repeat. And the neighbors never complained.

After Crystal was gone, one of the neighbors was out and asked where she was. She noticed the familiar happy bark was gone. I told them Crystal had gone on ahead. They expressed their condolences and then laughed about how she loved her yard so much.

I miss you baby girl. There will always be a place in every backyard I will every have for you to run in spirit. Rest in peace.

Pictured above is Lady Crystalline of Foxhollow in her kingdom within Phoenix.