Alafair's pond

It has been two + weeks since we said goodbye and we are doing better. I say that after having one of those moments we call "Alafair moments" over the last few days that are painful and yet also nice. We miss her so much. We adopted her from an organization up in the city (Pets for People). She was sickly and shy and scared of everything. We loved her and she loved us back and for ten years, our lives were better for knowing her. We named her after a James Lee Burke character (the main character (also a nickname--Streak) adopted a daughter--Alafair), though she took on numerous nicknames. Her tail was thin and kind of curly, so she became the Monkey. The short version of Alafair was 'Fair' which became 'Bear.

One of our friends said that she brought joy to everyone in her world. And that is true. She made our lives better every day she was with us. She would bark at us with this half bark--actually more of a soundless bark--when she wanted a walk. When she felt good in the backyard, she often ran from spot to spot in a full frenzied way that brough a smile to us every time. Her happiness made us happy. Even when the stress of the mundane got us down. We loved her so very much.

This week, I finally started her pond. I know she would have been scared by all the machinery and swearing it took to get it operational. I still have to do more to add fish and plants. But the soothing sounds of the waterfall--I know she would have liked that. She was the best that life has to give us--a glimpse of unconditional love, and unconditional friendship. We miss her very much.