Life without our golden retriever Mac
Scott and I have been so overwhelmed by the outpouring of condolences for the loss of our golden retriever Mac. Last Thursday we said a very tearful goodbye to our boy, who would have been 15 in April. This is the first time in twenty-eight years that I have not had a golden retriever or a dog for that matter, in my home.
Our friends and family have been asking, how are we doing these past few days. Let me tell you, it’s been a tough journey. Scott and I deliberately took a quick trip to Las Vegas to distract us from our sorrows. If you love going to Vegas, this trip was not your typical “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” trip. It’s hard to enjoy the bling and scenery, when your heart is so heavy. Keeping ourselves occupied, we did go see Treasure Island, as I had not seen the pirate ships before.
We stayed at the Bellagio and ironically their courtyard garden theme was “The Year of the Dog” for Chinese New Year.
In fact, everywhere we went in Vegas, the theme was “Year of the Dog”; a cruel irony, but that’s part of life. Unfortunately, just 48 hours we were back home to an empty house.
Grief is like an ocean
There is a quote that says “Grief is like an ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.” ~Â Vicki Harrison
That quote described my first full day at home without Mac. As I did chores throughout the house I was constantly reminded of our loss. His fur balls would appear, his leash still hung on the coat tree and the cookie jar was still on the counter.
Scott and I have decided to take a break from having a dog and give ourselves time to grieve for both Maggie and Mac. With that said, we are donating their beds, bowls and toys to the Seattle Humane Society. Gathering up his things, was overwhelming.
My entire home is full of “all things golden”, from coasters, to door mats, to trivets and pictures. Those things are simple reminders of the love we have for the breed and our precious pups. As time moves on, we will slowly replace some of these. Right now, it’s far too painful.
The love from social media
When I posted on Facebook that we were saying goodbye to Mac, I had no idea that over 275 people would react. The number of condolences and kind thoughts have been overwhelming. Mac made an impact on so many people, even those he had never met. Many friends posted photos of their lit candles or memories with Mac. Some left us messages on our Facebook pages. Some cried with us.
Thank you to all of you for your love and support. The love that has come out of this sad moment, has shown me that there is a lot of good in people and life. Never forget that.
Life without Mac, what’s next?
Scott and I bought this house because it had a huge yard for the dogs and we had planned on having children. Now it seems silly to live in this big house all by ourselves.
So this spring, we will most likely put our house up for sale. Are we moving onto a boat finally? Not yet. Most likely, we’ll simply downsize for a year or two.
Scott and I don’t know yet what our boat plans are for 2018. We will either look for the next boat, a 40′-45′ cruiser or keep Kokomo for another year. We’ll keep you posted on that plan.
Seattle Boat Show Weekend
This weekend is the Seattle Boat Show – one of the largest boat shows on the West Coast. There are three locations for the show this year and we are hoping to take lots of videos and share those with you on our new YouTube channel. So stay tuned for next week’s update.
Scott and I are planning on staying on the boat this weekend, so we can finally say we stayed on it during the winter. Again, another distraction from our sadness.
The day we pick up Mac’s ashes and deliver his dog items to the Seattle Humane Society will be extremely emotional. It’s part of life, but it’s never easy. I remember cleaning out my childhood home after my father died and then just four years later, taking care of my mom’s apartment when she died. The best advice I have for myself and Scott, is take each day one at a time. As the quote says, “grief comes in waves”. Take one day at a time.
Thank you again to all of you who left us condolences here on our blog, social media pages and sent us cards. It means more to us than you realize.
Our new chapter is here……….Scott and Ally