#1 here. I said I would do a memorial post for my Tommy, but I am wondering how I can even begin to do such a thing. We had 11 years of a myriad shared experience. How does one distill all of that into a single post?
This is going to be a long, long post. Perhaps I can start with one of the first photos I took of him, on November 13, 2007, when he was 2 months old, and still with his birth family:
Learning from Auntie Madrac, two days after he arrived home:
His first Christmas with his pal Sen-Chan:
The Flying of the ears!
His first overseas trip, to the Lake District in England:
Playing with Sen-Chan:
A few days before his first birthday:
With his friend Pie:
Cultivating the world's best smile at age two:
With one of his Boxer friends, aged two:
Frisbee crazy at age two:
Snow Frisbee!
So handsome at almost three:
The arrival of Fernant, in February 2011:
Funny boy, aged three and a half:
Flying ears at four:
That perfect half-smile:
Lounging on the sofa at five:
Tommy at five, with his Mama, Minnie
Christmas at five:
With Da Beebs:
Ready, Set...
With Genji:
With his buddy, Harley:
With neighbour, Damia:
Peek-A-Boo
Sixth Birthday:
T-Shirt Tommy!
With Fernant at six
With Sei-Chan:
Dandelion Tommy:
With Tama-Chan and Sei-Chan:
Shortly before his seventh birthday:
Tommy's Seventh Birthday:
Discovering the beach at Ile de Ré:
Part of the Family:
With his friend, Gipsy:
Being spoiled at his favourite pizza restaurant:
Autumn Dog at seven:
Festival Dog:
Eighth Birthday:
Family Tommy:
The Ball!
Helping to hang my exhibition:
Coming in from the rain!
With Genji:
Autumn in the Woods
Wet Ears:
Golden Boy:
Christmas 2015:
Throw that ball!
Hay Bale Selfie:
Flying Ears:
Friends!
Celebrating his Ninth birthday with his Mama, Minnie:
And with me. We shared a birthday!
With Gabriel (Mr.G):
More flying ears!
Dining out:
The Snooze:
A good roll!
Come on!
The stick!
Windblown:
Discovering the big city:
With his sisters and niece:
Tenth birthday portrait. Could anyone be more handsome?
Can you see me?
Shower time!
Romantic portrait:
Always happy:
And still and always, that smile:
Tenth year snow:
Carriage-driving in Belgium:
Tommy of the Bluebells:
Visiting Le Mans:
Hanging with pals and neighbours Fernant and Damia:
At a family lunch:
Café life in Chartres:
Eleventh birthday at the beach with his sisters:
Autumn of his 11th year:
With Tama-Chan:
Mid-December 2018:
The day after the diagnosis:
The two of us on December 22nd:
Christmas Day 2018:
Tommy's penultimate day with us:
Tommy's final resting place is in our garden, at the foot of the Japanese cherry tree:
Tommy was a true prince, a gentleman, sweet, funny, loving, loyal and brave. I could not have dreamed of a better companion. Thank you, my sweet boy, for 11 wonderful years.
