ON FEBRUARY 14,1989 PEACHES WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY THE BREEDER. SHE WAS SO TINY AND CUTE WE INSTANTLY FELL IN LOVE WITH HER. SHE WOULD GET BEHIND THE MATERIAL IN MY HUSBANDS RECLINER AND GO TO SLEEP IF SHE WASN’T SITTING WITH HIM. SHE WOULD TAKE THE END OF THE TOILET PAPER AND STRING IT ALL OVER THE HOUSE WITHOUT EVEN BREAKING IT.
AS THE YEARS WENT BY SHE WOULD CHASE LITTLE RACECARS THAT YOU PULLBACK AND LET GO. SHE WOULD SHOOT RUBBER BANDS BY HOLDING IT WITH HER FOOT AND STRETCHING IT WITH HER NOSE. SHE LOVED ICE CREAM AND WOULD GO TO THE FREEZER,SCRATCH ON IT TO LET YOU KNOW SHE WANTED SOME.
SEVEN YEARS AGO SHE WAS DIAGNOSED AS DIABETIC. SHE DEVELOPED CATARACTS IN BOTH EYES. DESPITE SURGERY, SHE STILL WENT BLIND FROM THE DIABETES. I GAVE HER 2 INSULIN SHOTS A DAY AND HAD TO MAKE HER EAT SO HER BLOOD SUGAR WOULD NOT GO TOO LOW OR SHE WOULD HAVE A SEIZURE WHICH WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH OF US.
I HAND FED HER GERBER BABY FOOD AND TOOK CARO SYRUP EVERYWHERE WE WENT. AND WE WENT A LOT. WE LIVED IN TENN, LA, AL, TX, AZ, MS, NC, SC, AND FLEW TO NEW YORK 3 TIMES LAST YEAR TO SEE MY HUSBAND WHILE WORKING THERE.
SHE GOT OLDER AND LESS ACTIVE AND SICK RIGHT AFTER MOTHERS DAY. I TOOK HER TO THE VET HE RAN BLOOD TEST AND IT WAS A VERY SAD DAY FOR ME WHEN HE GAVE ME THE TEST RESULTS THAT SAID HER KIDNEYS WERE FAILING AND SHE WAS FULL OF TOXINS THAT WERE MAKING HER SO SICK.
I LOVED HER MORE THAN ANYTHING, BUT YOU KNOW SOME TIMES WHEN YOU LOVE YOU JUST HAVE TO LET GO. I COULD NOT BE SELFISH AND TRY TO KEEP HER ALIVE BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT HER TO SUFFER ANY MORE.
SO I AGREED TO LET HIM PUT HER TO SLEEP.
IT WAS PAINLESS AND FAST AS HE GAVE HER A POWERFUL SEDATIVE AND A FEW MINUTES LATER GAVE HER ANOTHER SHOT BUT SHE WAS ASLEEP AND NEVER KNEW IT. SHE HAD STOPPED FIGHTING THAT DAY AS IF SHE KNEW IT WAS TIME TO GO. THE VET WRAPPED HER GENTLY IN HER BLANKET AND PUT HER IN A SMALL BOX. HE CARRIED HER TO MY CAR AND HUGGED ME AS IF TO SAY “I UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN”.
I CAME HOME AND OF COURSE IT WAS STORMING THAT DAY, BUT I MANAGED TO BURY HER MYSELF IN A PRETTY LITTLE WOODEN BOX WITH HER POUND PUPPY, A BALL AND A PICTURE OF US, UNDER A DOGWOOD TREE ON MY PROPERTY. MY HUSBAND MADE HER A HEADSTONE AND THEN PUT MARBLE ROCKS 6 INCHES OUT ALL AROUND WHERE I PUT LIVE FLOWERS AND TWO STATUES OF PUPPIES AND A BUNNY ROCK THAT LIGHTS UP AT NIGHT. AND A FAUX ROCK WITH THAT QUOTE FROM THE BIBLE
“FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON” ETC.
I GO TALK TO HER EVERYDAY AND
I SAY “MAMA LOVES YOU.
| PEACHES BOND |
| AUDREY BOND |