Ruby left us physically on Monday. Her loss has been felt all week to everyone, human and animal alike. Her companion Annie has felt it most keenly. I’ve been working diligently to engage with Annie, taking her on multiple walks, letting her pick the route through the neighborhood as well as the distance. Even at nine years Annie is still full of energy and playfulness, but you can see how she wanders around the house and yard looking for Ruby. Ruby’s scent is still around this place and will be for some time, so that’s going to stretch out this process.

I’m keeping these as keepsakes of Ruby’s passing. I didn’t realize it until I looked closely, but there’s a Christmas tree on the calendar date. I had hoped that perhaps Ruby might stay with us one more Christmas, but nature called her well before that. But I felt it appropriate that coincidence had the calendar publisher print the date of her passing with a Christmas tree. I think I’ll plant some white narcissus now like the calendar entry says so that when they bloom at Christmas, they’ll represent Ruby in spirit.