Monday 31 December 2018

Tommy: August 21, 2007 - December 27, 2018


#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:


With Fernant:


Discovering the big city:


Our car:


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:




A visit to Germany:


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.