It is with great sadness that I have to pass on the news that old Bill has died.
He had a full life as a working dog and he will be sorely missed. Please know that his last months on this earth were ones of comfort.
Bill used to come to visit us. You may remember an entry I made entitled Love is Blind. I don't know whether his visits were to see Polly or to have a warm spot to sleep. Polly was always ready to play and he indulged her to no end. After their play sessions, I would let him in and sleep in the orangery. He was quite old and had arthritis. After a lifetime of sleeping outside or in a barn, his owner took pity on him and started to let him sleep in the house at night. This stopped his visits completely. I was glad. It wasn't safe for an old blind dog to be trotting down two miles down a country lane. I still took Polly up to the farm where Bill lived from time to time and they'd have a nice romp.
I have attached a photo of Polly and Bill at Christmas. Bill is on Polly's blankets and she looks as though she is telling on him. "Mum! He's on my blankets and won't share!"
He was run over by a muck spreader and went instantly (no suffering). Life isn't all honeybees and lambs out here in the country. Sometimes good, hardworking farm dogs die.
8 comments:
I'm so sorry, Peggy.
I'm sorry to hear it. He seemed like a fine old dog. I was amazed at the way he could find his way to your house, even though he was blind.
Your attentions made his life happier.
I have enjoyed the stories about Bill.
I will miss him.
I am always saddend by the passing of animals. I'm glad to hear he found comfort and companionship on your farm. Animals can tell a good soul when then meet one.
What is a muck spreader? I can assume it is a machine that spreads muck, but why is that necessary?
Baxter - Thanks for that.
Betty - He was an amazing old dog. Thanks for saying that I helped.
paradise driver - We'll miss him too.
Chris - Thanks for the kind words. A muckspreader spreads manure over the fields. It is an efficient way of getting all the manure that has piled up in the barns out onto the fields where it can do some good.
My favourite dog (an oxymoron for a meter reader?) is an old black and blind lab like old Bill out on a country property. The owner has a sign up on the driveway telling us to be careful. He always trots up to me for a pat and I always sense he knows who it is.
One day I'll arrive and he'll be gone. Like us all.
Hi Peggy
I'm so sorry to hear about Bill.
I'm sure Polly will be missing him too.
Andrea
x
I'm so sorry to hear this. He seemed like such a great old dog.
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