It’s been one heck of a year. The year began with Amanda recovering from surgery. Then Amanda travelled to California to visit her aunt who is fighting cancer. Keep up the good fight Beverly. A few weeks ago a windsurfing friend Daniel Silipo died off the coast of Blyth beach, one of our favorite places to go. Daniel was the kindest and friendliest person I have met. I am still not that good of a windsurfer but he didn’t mind sailing with me.
Then I had a midlife crisis and convinced Quoc to throw a kegger party. So we threw the kegger, had a great midlife crisis and had him do an upside down stand on the keg (a.k.a. keg stand) while drinking beer. A few weeks after that he had a major hole in his stomach, had to have surgery and three long touch-and-go weeks in the hospital. He is still recovering but it was pretty scary for some length of time there.
Tonight, my mom called and our dog Cecilia who she has been taking care of since we left for Germany in 2004 was not able to move her front feet, and was vomiting throught the night. My mom said she held Cecilia all night long like a baby. Cecilia cannot hear anymore but mom talked to her through the night. Amanda and I wish that we could have been there. Now Cecilia is convulsing in the hospital and the best thing for her is to let her go.
She was the friendliest dog I’ve met. Amanda got her when I was starting my PhD as our first child (to help us to prepare for later having children) and I think to keep us both company. Amanda had seen her at the pound and we went to see if she would make a good dog. We took her to the outside play area and she found a hole in the fence and took off. We thought this dog is not ever coming back. We called after her and although she was running away from us she did a roundabout and ran just as quickly back to us. She loved to run. We knew then and there we were all made for each other.
We lived next to a park with a large grassy area. I’ll never forget one day when Amanda and I stood at the corners and one of us would call Cecilia. As soon as she heard her name she would bolt through the field throwing grass in her wake. I loved watching her barrel towards me with grass flying everywhere. Then she would knock me over and kiss me. I would not have a friendlier welcome for years until the kids would start to greet me as I came home from work.
Cecilia also kept my grandmother company while she was alive. She kept my mom company, and I think mom now realizes how much that meant to both of them. My son Julian used to walk her with grandma and my daughter Maya loved cuddling her although she is allergic to dogs. Years ago, before we lost Kristopher and Joseph (Al’s boys) they used to run with her and the other dogs at the Presley family ranch.
Looking back now, Ceclia touched so many of us and we didn’t even know it at the time. Farewell good dog. Sleep now, rest.
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