Thank you Bailey fans!

Thank you SO much to everyone who followed along my week-long tribute to the sweetest Norwegian Elkhound ever to live. Your comments and shared thoughts mean more than I could ever tell you. I know Bailey feels the same.

I looked up a few books recommended for those who've recently experienced pet loss and found two that I really like. I would love to receive either of these from a friend :wink: but I know I'll keep them in mind should any of my doggie friends lose a buddy in the future.

For Every Dog an Angel by Christine Davis. Despite the cheesy cover art, I found the excerpts I read online to be very touching and sweet without inserting too much religion into the message.

Paw Prints in the Stars: A Farewell and Journal for a Beloved Pet by Warren Hanson. This book got great reviews and I love the idea of the inclusion of blank pages for personal photos and notes.

I successfully dried the rose the vet's office had delivered to me the day after Bailey died, and it has been added to his memorial shelf in my bedroom. I also added his collar, name tag, paw print and a tiny framed photo. I feel it's complete now and absolutely perfect.

Again, thank you so much for your support! I promise that barring any unforeseen tragedy :knocks on wood: my next post will not be a tear jerker!
xo from Angel-Bailey, Zoe and me

Bailey week, day 7

This is the last post of Bailey week, but I'm sure he'll crop up in future posts since he'll always be a part of my life.

This photo was taken in January of 2000 when I lived in an apartment in Raleigh. We got 22 inches of snow and Bailey was in heaven. He was treated to off-leash romping and went hog wild.

I hope it's snowing for him in doggie heaven!

Bailey week, day 6

I labeled this photo "Pepto Puppy." Bailey always had a sensitive stomach. Doggy diarrhea was a common occurrence. In turn, I was often beside myself as to what to do for him. On the most desperate occasions, I poured Pepto Bismol down his throat. I took the photo below after realizing that more than 12 hours after a dosage Bailey still sported a hint of Pepto on his nose.

Photo was taken in 2009.

Bailey week, day 5

Always an avid UNC fan, I photographed Bailey wearing one of my UNC caps. I love my friend Jen's description of this photo and others like it. She says he looks like an old grandpa thinking, "Time to go to the game kids. C'mon. Grandpa gets tired early."

Photo was taken in 2005.

Bailey week, day 4

This photo was taken in December 2005. Bailey still looks so healthy! He'd just turned 8-years-old. Abby was four-years-old.



I made the shadowbox below shortly after adopting Zoe - probably early 2006. The bottom right photo - the one you can't see very well - was taken in early 2002 in Michigan. Bailey loved the snow!

The shadowbox resides on a shelf in my bedroom, under which now resides Bailey's memorial: his ashes, a framed copy of the Rainbow Bridge and my beloved "angel dog" from my mom. Bailey is my angel dog!

Quote of the day

My friend Kerry gave me the sweetest card today, and this quote was on it. I thought it was perfect for Bailey week.

"All that we love deeply becomes a part of us"

-Helen Keller

Bailey week, day 3

This photo was taken in December of 2003. We'd been back in NC for about 4 months.

Sierra, the other dog in the photo, belongs to one of Kerry's friends who now lives in California. Both doggies are waiting patiently at attention for the delivery of a treat.

Bailey week, day 2

One of my friends requested a Bailey puppy post, so here you go Caro!

I don't have regular electronic files of these pics, so I scanned and cropped them from my scrapbook pages. Bailey is about 8-9 weeks old and approximately 7 pounds.

I love his puppy belly!

Bailey week, day 1

It's Bailey week here on Life by the Hill. Each day this week I'll post one of my favorite photos of Bailey. Enjoy!

For day one I've posted a 2003 photo. Bailey was in the back of my car awaiting our departure to Tennessee for Christmas at Nana's. He had just had his sixth birthday.



"Grief is like the ocean. It's deep, and dark and bigger than all of us..."

Bailey remembered

My parents and my brother's family came to town to have dinner with me Saturday night. I was supposed to go to them, but I've been quite a mess lately, so it made more sense for them to come here.

Abby brought me the drawing below. It is another of many drawings she's given me of Bailey and/or Zoe and I love all of them. In this one, I particularly admire how observant she is. She has me in a Life is Good t-shirt after all!

This is Bailey and I at the beach.

Of course her drawings don't usually make me cry, but this one did. I love it just as much - if not more - than all the others that have come before this one. Thank you Abby!

Quote of the day

"Dogs don't know about beginnings, and they don't speculate on matters that occurred before their time. Dogs also don't know — or at least don't accept — the concept of death. With no concept of beginnings or endings dogs probably don't know that for people having a dog as a life companion provides a streak of light between two eternities of darkness."

-Stanley Coren

Farewell Bailey: Dec 1997-June 2010

I had to send Bailey over the rainbow bridge today. I stayed with him while he slipped away from me. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I know I made the right decision, but it still hurts so much.

I found the poem below online and thought it appropriate to post here because it was inspired by a Norse legend and Bailey was, after all, a Norwegian Elkhound.

I love you buddy.


The Rainbow Bridge
inspired by a Norse legend
By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.

For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.

No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.

They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.

For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.

The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.

When hair removal goes wrong

I used to have a widow's peak. About a year ago I shaved it off and continued to pluck the new growth with tweezers. Then one night after perhaps a glass too much of wine, I took the clippers a bit too far into the hairline. Now I have bangs - the only option to cover up my shaving mishap.

I haven't had bangs since high school. I don't like them, but I've received a decent reception to the new style.

My favorite compliment is, "It makes you look younger."

I'd do just about anything to look younger, so for now I'll keep the bangs. I have to until the "tuft" underneath grows out anyway.

The morals of the story are:

1. Think long and hard before making cosmetic changes to your genetically determined appearance

2. After thinking long and hard about the aforementioned changes, make certain that you are sober when/if you decide to carry out said changes.

Calling all angels for Casey

My brother's dog, Casey (a Shetland Sheepdog), hasn't been well. He's relatively young (8 1/2 years old I think), but he's been on meds for high blood pressure and kidney issues for a while now. He is apparently in the late stages of kidney failure from what I understand at this point.

Casey's parents have been keeping him in and out of the vet, on fluids, etc, for a couple of weeks. As for his "normal behavior" I loved my mom's email stating that Casey looks pretty ill, but that when she arrived at Todd's house, "Casey still walked over and barked at me."

Aww Casey. He will apparently never completely warm to Grammy and Fuzzpa. I'm happy to say his barking at me weakened long ago.

I never imagined that my brother would be going through this before me since Bailey is much older than Casey, but that's how the ball bounces. It all sucks in any circumstance.

Casey's hanging on. Send him love. He needs and deserves it!

Quote of the day

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

T Gardener

My neighbors have been heavily stroking my green thumb ego for the last couple of days so I felt the need to post some updated pics.

Pardon the poor photo quality - pics were taken after sundown. The first is of my most recent planting: trailing verbena, petunia and vinca.


Next are those baskets I posted earlier, which have filled out quite a bit.



And lastly - my hydrangea - that which I have been bragging about for weeks.

My neighbor came over with her daughter last night to ask me to "teach her how to make that lovely plant." Of course I told her I didn't make it - I acquired it with a rewards certificate from Lowes - and that I truly have no idea how it turned out so well. I parked it in my back yard and left it there all winter without any care whatsoever, but lo and behold it sprouted a brood of lovely flowers.



Hoping to find a place for it in the ground for next season.

Quote of the day

"Be delighted that the future is unsure. That's the way it should be."

-William Sloan Coffin

Breathe Me - Sia

If you've ever heard this song and NOT been emotionally affected then I'll wonder what is wrong with you.

I first heard it during the Six Feet Under series finale in 2005, and was moved beyond tears. The same song has been used for several other promotions, most recently during the 2010 MTV movie awards.

Beautiful - definitely worth a listen.

Bathing Cutie

The girls and I went out for dinner last night to celebrate Kerry's February birthday - but like she said, that means she just now turned 3X-years-old. :)

She and I both enjoyed seeing Miss Ansley after way too long. Ansley is such a happy baby and she loves bath time! One of her favorite parts of the bath is apparently catching "shower-drops" in her mouth via the removable shower head, as you can see below. Bathing beauty indeed!!!

Tank update

The cichlids are doing well, although I think the convict cichlid (the blue one with stripes) would appreciate a body guard. Mr. Orange is pretty aggressive, but I've learned how to assure they both get enough food. It involves a great deal of thought and timing.

I've thus had more luck caring for cichlids than goldfish - geez those goldfish can be a pain. So I'm back in the aquarium game. No more goldfish, that's for sure.

And I'm glad I didn't give up the idea of having a fish tank due to my goldfish funeral marathon; because watching those little cichlids flit all over the tank is more entertaining than one could imagine. I've thought of adding another but I don't want to push my luck. For now I'll nurture the two cichlids I have as best I can!

Quote of the day & new blooms

"Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."

- William James

I took some more blooms from my hydrangea. They're pinkish now. I am so proud.

Quote of the day

"Between the wish and the thing life lies waiting."

- Unknown

Fresh cuts

I have a beautiful hydrangea in blooming prime so I took a few cuts for a vase. I might have to take a few more because the plant is completely laden with blooms, or what many people call "snowballs". I'm pretty proud. I just hope it doesn't shrivel up and die when I go on vacation this summer - my aqua globes only last a day at best. Gonna have to find a hydrangea sitter!

What'dya think?

In the Weeds

I was lured into purchasing Showtime and TMC for two years at about $5 a month just before the new season of Dexter premiered (major incentive). Said $5/month included Showtime on Demand and TMC on Demand, which fortunately included "All Things Weeds".


LOVE this show.

Extremely short breakdown: Suburban wife turns suburban widow. Suburban widow becomes drug dealer. Complications arise regarding drug-dealing widow's juvenile children, as well as drug-dealing widow's choice of bed-partners. Actually this lasts for quite a few episodes as well as partners. And my goodness, Mary-Louise Parker makes 40 look like the new 20.

Performances by Kevin Nealon and Justin Kirk bring on the worthy laughs the show deserves. Elizabeth Perkins is fabulous; and newcomers Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould and Allie Grant give hope to future television greatness.

Weeds is a 30-minute Showtime comedy/drama that is about to begin its 6th season. I encourage anyone with access to Showtime on Demand to Begin the Begin and follow the Weeds as far as their reach allows.