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<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>After a full week it is still difficult to even think
about posting her passing from congestive heart failure. She was
fifteen and a half years old and was running on Pine Point beach just twelve
days before she died. Em went to school with me every day for years often
being the end result of a pass from the principal for some middle school
student in the throes of of an adolescent storm.
Although I knew when she passed it would be tough talking to kids about the
passing I had no idea how hard it would be for all of us. Students came
with cards for both of us, posters were drawn and placed over her bed and in the
end her death served as a spring board for kids to talk about the
losses they have endured in their short 12 to 14 years. My buffet is
covered with cards from her friends and my family all over this
country.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>A week has passed and I attended a conference on suicide
today. The presenter asked who had children, adolescents and then
dogs.............it washed over me that for the first time in a quarter of a
century that I didn't have a dog. What a protective factor for
all sorts of emotional issues our pups are. Tears were squished back
although colleagues who attended with me knew and tenderly acknowledged
the effect of this question. Arriving home after the conference I
found a large box from a dear friend in NYC containing a beautiful stuffed dog
with a card saying that the dog was to be used to absorb tears until they
stopped and then passed on to the friend who will need it
next.......</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>I continue to greet her each morning with my good
morning girl greeting, leave the house encouraging her spirit to 'guard
the house' and look at her bed in the kitchen and in my office seeing her lovely
old bones stretched out in sleep. Sleep well dear girl...you were so loved
and will be forever missed and remembered...your work is done here....until we
meet again with the eight bassets who preceded you...sweetest of aroos.
You were the best........</FONT><FONT face=Calibri></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>Janice and Emily ATB June 1, 1995-November 11,
2010</FONT></DIV>
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