Reflections on a soggy day

It is pouring rain here today in Tofino.  It is the kind of "movie rain" that makes you glad you are snuggled up safe and dry somewhere.  We will be adventuring out soon for a walk because two dogs in a small trailer without a walk all day will make for a very long evening :o).  My very good friend K is visiting with us and yesterday we all had a glorious walk on the beach.  We have been friends since grade 7 and her dog Mozart (beagle) was the first dog our Lucy met outside of her own litter.  Lucy obviously figured that the friend thing was a good gig and thought of Mozart as her best buddy.  Mozart pre-deceased Lucy by a few years and one day we were discussing what she would do with the ashes.  We almost at the same time commented how we would like to spread our dogs on Long Beach (Tofino).  We decided then that she would wait until Lucy passed and then we would set the two friends together at the beach.  I wasn't ready yet this time last year as Lucy had only been gone for a month but had prettty much decided that we would do it this year. 

West Coast beaches were some of the places where Lucy was happiest in the world.   Our vacations in her later years were always planned for those beaches because it brought her so much joy.  The combination of the soft sand, cool water and ocean breezes dropped years off of her each time.   There is also something about this place that is peaceful and soothing to a human soul.

Unfortunately as we were boarding the ferry I realized that I had forgotten to bring Lucy.  This caused several moments of anguish but in the end perhaps it was because we really aren't ready to say goodbye.  Currently her ashes sit on my desk in an urn in a box and I frequently say hello to her.  This might sound a tad strange but it is a comfort to have her there and also to see her pictures scroll through on my screen saver.  Most of the tears have long since been replaced with happy memories and I am moving towards the final goodbye but she will always hold a very special place in my heart.   I plan to keep some of her ashes and will plant a rose bush (any roses named Lucy out there?) next spring with the ashes before returning here again next year.