Yes, this is a fashion blog, or rather a blog about outfits. But it has also evolved into a personal blog about my life. Which is why this week there will be no outfits (you cannot count the big coat I am wearing) as our dog Charlie is no longer with us. We had to put her to sleep at the age of 12 as she was very ill (cancer everywhere) and we didn’t want to wait until she suffered. Which is difficult to see with this breed anyway. When Charlie’s mother showed signs there was something wrong with her, she died the next day. The breeder told us that post-mortem revealed she was in a terrible state but had never let on. We were not going to risk that with our dog.
Over to happier days. This is her happy life story.
Below: A couple of weeks old, still at the breeder. Who can resist this? She wasn’t housebroken yet, hence the wet spot beside her.
Below: Call me nuts, but the first thing that went through my brain when I saw the look on Ron’s face when he held the dog for the first time, was: “OH MY GOD, how is he going to cope when she dies?” He was sooo in love with her. He even brought a little Santa Claus with him on his first visit. It was nearly Christmas and he wanted to make Christmas cards from a photo of Charlie wearing a Santa hat. And he loathed such cards. We call that a 180 degree turn.
Below: So adorable.
Below: Me with short dark hair and red nails, holding Charlie’s sister. A little bit of outfit talk: this means I have had that coat for at least 12 years now. It is my best coat.
Below: She totally reciprocated his love. They were inseparable all her life. Where Ron was, the dog was. Ron used to refuse work assignments if he couldn’t take her with him. I think the hardest thing Charlie ever experienced in her entire life, was waiting at home alone for 5 hours. This sometimes happened, but really, not very often.
Below: At the time Charlie came to stay with us, we had neighbours whose puppy lost one leg, while playing rough games on the parquet floor. We had a parquet floor as well. We took action and had cheap carpet put in over the parquet floor so it couldn’t happen to our dog. Pity she wasn’t housebroken…. Half a year later when her legs were firm, we took away the carpet and found many big black spots on the wooden floor from the little wee-wees that had gong right through the carpet, having the same effect as acid. Never mind, we hired somebody to sand and polish the floor and that was that.
Below: She loved “fighting” with the broom.
Below: Weird looking dog. “Look… I can fly, I am like Dumbo”.
Below: Pedigree dogs are to be examined when they are a year. Hmm… she didn’t cut it as her back wasn’t straight. There was a little dent in it. Perhaps that is what you get when you are the runt of the litter? As she was, which is why she was much smaller than she ought to be. But she was a fighter and according to the breeder, she had a sense of humour, perfect for Ron. The breeder was right.
Below: Does Ron look as if he cares that her back isn’t straight? Nah.. he couldn’t care less. This is my favourite picture of the two of them.
Below: Ron wouldn’t be Ron if he didn’t do things properly: dog training. Not for 2 months or 2 years. No, for 5 years. It has to be said that both Charlie and Ron enjoyed the little weekly gathering of this group enormously. They laughed so much and Charlie became the most obedient dog you could think of. Which is very helpful if you wanted her to stay or not eat the wrong things or to sit nice and still underneath your table in a restaurant (yes, that is allowed in a lot of restaurants here).
Below: She adored the beach and we are only 10 minutes by car away from it. Very convenient. Lots of forests, parks etc around here as well. Ron picked a different spot for each outing (two or three times a day), otherwise Charlie would have gotten bored.
Below: Her breed is called Korthals Griffon and they are hunting dogs. Reality or play, when you threw something away which she had sniffed and say “search”, she started running in big zig-zag movements until the wind is favourable and she could smell it.
Below: Necessity to cool off in the water. Not going in too far though. She wasn’t that keen on swimming. Water yes, diving no. Which is strange as this breed is supposed to take to water like a fish.
Below: As I said she is a hunting dog. And boy oh boy, did she like chasing hares and rabbits. At such speed. Even when she turned blind halfway through her life, she still chased and ran. Ron carefully selected fields for her where she couldn’t run into things. She adapted amazingly to her blindness. Most of the times you wouldn’t know she was.
Below: Pffff…. cooling off again.
Below: Come rain or shine .. or snow, Charlie loved it all. I was her favourite sucker to hold something she could then try and take away from me. As soon as I let go and she got it, she would come back and the game had to be played again. Of course I was careful with her teeth. In this picture she has got her teeth in an old sock with stuffing.
Below: There are mice and such underneath trees. Which means digging for a dog.
Below: You might already have seen this little video, but I added it again as I think it so represents the spirit of Charlie.
Below: Charlie on her last day out with Ron, covered in mud.
Below: It will take time for our tears not to run anymore. We miss her dreadfully but for her it was better this way. She had a very happy life with a peaceful ending.
Next week will be about outfits again. I know you’ll understand the necessity of this post. It works therapeutically.
We received many cards, messages and comforting words from friends and neighbours. And indeed that is really comforting. Today our friend and neighbour Froukje brought us this little portrait of Charlie she made. So sweet and such likeness.
I will not reply to your comments because I can only say the same things and I already said most of them in this post. Please don’t regard it as rude. It is merely a defense mechanism against grief.
Greetje
Greetje, so much love, happiness, and fun you brought to Charlie and she brought to you two.
Heartwarming.
Oh Greetje,
I am so very sorry that I am just now reading this. With my father-in-law being in critical condition, I find myself a bit behind. Dogs are the very best company and I certainly understand how attached you were to this angel. That is amusing and sweet that Ron took five years to train Charlie.
I also had to put my dog to sleep about a year ago. She was about the same age as Charlie. It was very difficult but since they cannot speak, and it is our responsibility to anticipate whether or not they will be in pain. Very difficult all around.
It is wonderful to look at the old photos and just enjoy the precious memories.
❤️❤️❤️
Elle
https://theellediaries.com/
😘🐾🐾
Dear Greetje I’m so so sorry to hear of your dearest Charlie. What a character he was, you must be feeling the loss of terribly. Take comfort in all these wonderful moments you shared with him and the happy life he had with you as his mum. Thinking of you as I grieve for my own xx
Oh Greetje. I am so so sorry. I know all too well this deep kinship and love for a dog. I hope you and Ron heal over the next few months; it gets easier but it always hurts. I still have the ashes from my last dog in my bedroom and photos of him all over my house; I will never let him leave me.
You and Ron are the best BEST companions any dog could have, and I hope in time you will find the space to let a new one into your hearts. Love to you.
DM-ing you
I’m so sorry for you and Ron in your loss of Charlie. Many happy memories of Charlie though!
The love that you, Ron, and Charlie shared was pure and true.
Our empathy for your grief is deeply felt especially in those of us who have loved a dog.
When I saw this pop up in my email I wasn’t sure I could read it. I euthanized my cat Michael a couple of years ago and still miss him to this day. I had him from a kitten for 18 years, even flew him over to London from Sydney! He was like my first child in many ways and certainly my best mate so I know how hard this was for you and Ron.
Those pictures of Charlie and your resolve to celebrate his life made reading this post and your story a real joy. He was a darling dog, it’s plain to see. Thank you for sharing him with us Greetje xxx
So sorry to hear this. Beautiful tribute to a wonderful dog.
I’m sitting here, re-reading this lovely tribute to dear Charlie, tears running down my cheeks…This is a lovely tribute to your time with her, Greetje. My heart goes out to you and Ron – it is always the thing we dread when we lose one of our furry family members. They do not last long enough with us – that spectre always looms. Since I’ve started blogging, I’ve lost two of our dear cats (Othello and Inigo), and have shared tributes to both of them – even now, many years later, I still cry when I come across one of them and read all the lovely comments – it still hurts but it gets a little easier. I’m glad I did it, though.
Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. Sending you both good vibes. Know that Charlie is frolicking over the Rainbow Bridge (this is very trite, but somehow still resonates for me: http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm
Hugs to you, my dear.
What a lucky dog to have had such a wonderful life with you two and to have been so loved.
Beautiful blogpost Greetje. You have done what we should always do when we have lost someone we love: look back at all the good days we have shared with them.
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou
Love, Lieske
Dear Greetje,
I am so sorry to read this post. I am sitting here with my Griffon Molly and thinking of Ron, you, and Charlie……May all of your happy memories with her bring you comfort!
I’m so sorry for the loss of Charlie. My heart goes out to you and Ron. They are our little fur babies and we love them so much.
Sending hugs to you and Ron. Thank you for sharing, I imagine most of us have been there and can commiserate.
Thank you for sharing this lovely tribute. I think the pain we feel when we lose a dog is in direct proportion to the joy they gave us.
I am so sorry for your loss – what a beautiful dog and wonderful life she had
I always enjoyed seeing Charlie in your blog. I am so sorry for your loss. The drawing from your friend is wonderful.
My deepest sympathies for your loss.
What a fabulous tribute to your much loved dog,, Charlie. I hope that it has helped your grief. When my cats died for everyone of them I wrote a wee poem, it helped me so much emotionally to do this. Charlie will always be in your hearts. x
Sending thoughts your way- I know that feeling well from Our dog Jude. I had that same thought you had when you saw Ron about her- holding her as a goofy puppy I literally though “oof. This is gonna hurt one day…” And it did. But it was worth it…
Heel veel sterkte, wat een lief en mooi portret van Charlie. Wat een gemis en stilte laat ze achter. Ik weet hoe het is, laat de tranen stromen, maar lach ook, om de mooie herinneringen aan jullie Charlie.
Oh Greetje you must both be heartbroken… I’m so sorry for you – it doesn’t matter what age they live till, it’s always absolutely heart-wrenching when they go. Riley has just turned 14 and was diagnosed with a tumour a year ago as you know, so every day we still have him is really precious. Thank you for sharing his story and these lovely pics. He had a wonderfully happy life so be so pleased that you did that for him, but let the tears flow as long as they need to…!
Sending much love, C xxx
So beautifully written Greetje and such a lovely tribute to Charlie, you obviously had many happy times together. Thank you for sharing it and the truly gorgeous pictures. Reading it I felt that you, Ron and Charlie were just perfect together … the love shines out!
Sending hugs … Rosemary xx ( loveswitzerlandsnow on IG )
I’m so sorry.
So sorry. Loved seeing the pictures of Charlie. It was a beautiful post to read.
Crying with you xx
So sorry for you and Ron. We have been there – 14 years our Lab was with us and a year later we still notice the absence in our house.
My heart is hurting for you. We lost our beloved dog 15 months ago. The pain is still fresh. Our lives were so much better for having these wonderful dogs share them.
I knew as soon as I saw the title of your post that Charlie was no longer with you. I am so, so sorry for your loss. The photos of Charlie and Ron made me teary – their bond was so obvious. This is such a lovely tribute; thank you for sharing photos from your life with Charlie with us.
Oh Greetje I am in tears of sympathy, so sad. Lovely post.
Bless you for sharing such a warm and loving tribute to Charlie. She was a lively part of your blog and I felt like I knew and loved her too.
I always struggle to find the right words…are they any?…that convey how deeply sorry I am for your loss. Consider yourselves, you and Ron, wrapped in an enormous cyber hug from me. I know how much hurts. As small as they may be…when our four legged loves leave us…it’s as though they take a piece of our heart with them. In time, may the heartache be replaced with happy memories.
All the love Greetje. xoxoxxo
What a wonderful tribute to Charlie, she’ll always be with you as she put a paw print on your heart. Thank you for sharing this with us all and my thoughts are with you and Ron x
i’m so so sorry. He was a beautiful boy, and you and Ron gave him the best life he could have ever imagined. I’ll hug my kitties and pups in honor of Charlie today.
Oh, Greetje, I’m so sorry to hear about Charlie. But what a wonderful tribute to her this post is. Wishing you and Ron lots of strength and courage to deal with her loss. xxx
Ooooh, what a cute dog! So sorry he is gone!
We had to give our white and brown little farmersfox euthanasia last year after 18 years of running in our garden. I know what it means!
But you have great pictures for remembrance.
Take care you both!
One very lucky pooch and two very lucky, and brave owners whose love for their pet helped them do the last right thing to save her any pain. Good for you. With love… x
What a wonderful tribute to Charlie dog. And may I just say, Ron has become even more handsome over the years. (I hope this makes you both smile. 😉 Lucky family.
So let me just leave a hug.
Lovely post Greetje. What a super tribute to Charlie. Thinking of you xx
Beste Greetje, ik wens jou en Ron veel sterkte toe. Jullie beslissing, hoe moeilijk het ook was, hebben jullie uit liefde voor Charlie genomen. Ik weet hoe het voelt, een beslissing uit liefde voor je hond te moeten nemen. We hebben onze prachtige Rottweiler van nog geen 2 jaar oud laten inslapen na twee operatie, veel fysiotherapie en veel medicatie tegen artrose… we hadden zo veel plezier met hem, we hebben er alles aan gedaan om zijn pijn te verlichten zodat ie nog even een mooi hondenleven kon hebben… maar de pijn en de beperkingen werden alsmaar groter… dus dan hebben we aan hem gedacht. Je foto’s en verhalen over Charlie in jullie leven zijn erg mooi. Sterkte
The Power of the Dog
Rudyard Kipling, 1865 – 1936
There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.
What a wonderful life Charlie had – the luckiest of dogs X
This is the sweetest post. I love Charlie too. We have had to put a dog too, remember they need us to end their pain, he was grateful for you care .
You were lucky to spend 12 years with such a lovely dog and she was lucky too as she had a loving family, all any dog needs. We still talk of all the pets we’ve lost and it’s always a pleasure.
What a lucky dog to have had such a wonderful life with you two and to have been so loved.
When I saw this pop up in my email I wasn’t sure I could read it. I euthanized my cat Michael a couple of years ago and still miss him to this day. I had him from a kitten for 18 years, even flew him over to London from Sydney! He was like my first child in many ways and certainly my best mate so I know how hard this was for you and Ron.
Those pictures of Charlie and your resolve to celebrate his life made reading this post and your story a real joy. He was a darling dog, it’s plain to see. Thank you for sharing him with us Greetje xxx
Beautiful blogpost Greetje. You have done what we should always do when we have lost someone we love: look back at all the good days we have shared with them.
“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou
Love, Lieske
Dear Greetje,
I am so sorry to read this post. I am sitting here with my Griffon Molly and thinking of Ron, you, and Charlie……May all of your happy memories with her bring you comfort!
I’m sitting here, re-reading this lovely tribute to dear Charlie, tears running down my cheeks…This is a lovely tribute to your time with her, Greetje. My heart goes out to you and Ron – it is always the thing we dread when we lose one of our furry family members. They do not last long enough with us – that spectre always looms. Since I’ve started blogging, I’ve lost two of our dear cats (Othello and Inigo), and have shared tributes to both of them – even now, many years later, I still cry when I come across one of them and read all the lovely comments – it still hurts but it gets a little easier. I’m glad I did it, though.
Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. Sending you both good vibes. Know that Charlie is frolicking over the Rainbow Bridge (this is very trite, but somehow still resonates for me: http://www.petloss.com/rainbowbridge.htm
Hugs to you, my dear.
I’m so sorry for the loss of Charlie. My heart goes out to you and Ron. They are our little fur babies and we love them so much.
I am so sorry for your loss – what a beautiful dog and wonderful life she had
So sorry to hear this. Beautiful tribute to a wonderful dog.
I always enjoyed seeing Charlie in your blog. I am so sorry for your loss. The drawing from your friend is wonderful.
My deepest sympathies for your loss.
What a fabulous tribute to your much loved dog,, Charlie. I hope that it has helped your grief. When my cats died for everyone of them I wrote a wee poem, it helped me so much emotionally to do this. Charlie will always be in your hearts. x
The love that you, Ron, and Charlie shared was pure and true.
Our empathy for your grief is deeply felt especially in those of us who have loved a dog.
Sending thoughts your way- I know that feeling well from Our dog Jude. I had that same thought you had when you saw Ron about her- holding her as a goofy puppy I literally though “oof. This is gonna hurt one day…” And it did. But it was worth it…
Sending hugs to you and Ron. Thank you for sharing, I imagine most of us have been there and can commiserate.
Thank you for sharing this lovely tribute. I think the pain we feel when we lose a dog is in direct proportion to the joy they gave us.
My heart is hurting for you. We lost our beloved dog 15 months ago. The pain is still fresh. Our lives were so much better for having these wonderful dogs share them.
So sorry. Loved seeing the pictures of Charlie. It was a beautiful post to read.
Oh Greetje you must both be heartbroken… I’m so sorry for you – it doesn’t matter what age they live till, it’s always absolutely heart-wrenching when they go. Riley has just turned 14 and was diagnosed with a tumour a year ago as you know, so every day we still have him is really precious. Thank you for sharing his story and these lovely pics. He had a wonderfully happy life so be so pleased that you did that for him, but let the tears flow as long as they need to…!
Sending much love, C xxx
I’m so sorry.
Crying with you xx
I knew as soon as I saw the title of your post that Charlie was no longer with you. I am so, so sorry for your loss. The photos of Charlie and Ron made me teary – their bond was so obvious. This is such a lovely tribute; thank you for sharing photos from your life with Charlie with us.
So sorry for you and Ron. We have been there – 14 years our Lab was with us and a year later we still notice the absence in our house.
So beautifully written Greetje and such a lovely tribute to Charlie, you obviously had many happy times together. Thank you for sharing it and the truly gorgeous pictures. Reading it I felt that you, Ron and Charlie were just perfect together … the love shines out!
Sending hugs … Rosemary xx ( loveswitzerlandsnow on IG )
Heel veel sterkte, wat een lief en mooi portret van Charlie. Wat een gemis en stilte laat ze achter. Ik weet hoe het is, laat de tranen stromen, maar lach ook, om de mooie herinneringen aan jullie Charlie.
Bless you for sharing such a warm and loving tribute to Charlie. She was a lively part of your blog and I felt like I knew and loved her too.
I always struggle to find the right words…are they any?…that convey how deeply sorry I am for your loss. Consider yourselves, you and Ron, wrapped in an enormous cyber hug from me. I know how much hurts. As small as they may be…when our four legged loves leave us…it’s as though they take a piece of our heart with them. In time, may the heartache be replaced with happy memories.
All the love Greetje. xoxoxxo
Oh Greetje I am in tears of sympathy, so sad. Lovely post.
One very lucky pooch and two very lucky, and brave owners whose love for their pet helped them do the last right thing to save her any pain. Good for you. With love… x
i’m so so sorry. He was a beautiful boy, and you and Ron gave him the best life he could have ever imagined. I’ll hug my kitties and pups in honor of Charlie today.
What a wonderful tribute to Charlie dog. And may I just say, Ron has become even more handsome over the years. (I hope this makes you both smile. 😉 Lucky family.
Ooooh, what a cute dog! So sorry he is gone!
We had to give our white and brown little farmersfox euthanasia last year after 18 years of running in our garden. I know what it means!
But you have great pictures for remembrance.
Take care you both!
Oh, Greetje, I’m so sorry to hear about Charlie. But what a wonderful tribute to her this post is. Wishing you and Ron lots of strength and courage to deal with her loss. xxx
What a wonderful tribute to Charlie, she’ll always be with you as she put a paw print on your heart. Thank you for sharing this with us all and my thoughts are with you and Ron x
You were lucky to spend 12 years with such a lovely dog and she was lucky too as she had a loving family, all any dog needs. We still talk of all the pets we’ve lost and it’s always a pleasure.
Lovely post Greetje. What a super tribute to Charlie. Thinking of you xx
So let me just leave a hug.
Beste Greetje, ik wens jou en Ron veel sterkte toe. Jullie beslissing, hoe moeilijk het ook was, hebben jullie uit liefde voor Charlie genomen. Ik weet hoe het voelt, een beslissing uit liefde voor je hond te moeten nemen. We hebben onze prachtige Rottweiler van nog geen 2 jaar oud laten inslapen na twee operatie, veel fysiotherapie en veel medicatie tegen artrose… we hadden zo veel plezier met hem, we hebben er alles aan gedaan om zijn pijn te verlichten zodat ie nog even een mooi hondenleven kon hebben… maar de pijn en de beperkingen werden alsmaar groter… dus dan hebben we aan hem gedacht. Je foto’s en verhalen over Charlie in jullie leven zijn erg mooi. Sterkte
Thank you for sharing Charlie with us. Hugs. Lise
The Power of the Dog
Rudyard Kipling, 1865 – 1936
There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it’s your own affair—
But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.
What a wonderful life Charlie had – the luckiest of dogs X
This is the sweetest post. I love Charlie too. We have had to put a dog too, remember they need us to end their pain, he was grateful for you care .