Dex as muse, part 1

Harry and I took a road trip a while back. On our travels friends gave us some more Dexter-inspired art.

Phoebe drew the picture above. She landed on earth just six weeks before Dexter joined our family. She enjoyed getting kisses from Dexter as much as he liked giving them.

From the unlikely but true department:
Phoebe and her family survived a fire down the street from us in Vancouver, just before we moved away. They ran to our house in the night and stayed with us for the first few days.  I see in my mind’s eye Phoebe curled up with Dexter, seeking and giving comfort.

Now that we’re back in Kamloops Harry is often cuddled up with one of our five housemate animal companions. He’ll introduce them to you- and their humans- more fully soon. He’s been feeling rather greebly in his throat and head, so blogging slowly.

In the meantime, here’s some photos of Dex, also from our roadtrip, shared by one of his close friends and favourite photographers, Sharon Kravitz. Dexter had a wonderful crew of friends he hung out with when we were away. Sometimes he chose to spend the day with Sharon and Murray even when we were home.

Often close by.

He’d just chased giant Stanley Park racoons away from our picnic.

Murray and Dex had a lot in common.

Porch sitter

Dex liked to lick slime.

aaaaaahhhhh

A good dog

The day after we brought Dex home from the SPCA in Surrey we hosted our Vancouver parent/kid tribe for a Quebecois-inspired potluck. The older kids were 4 with younger siblings running about. I was apprehensive of course- how would he deal with the preschool/toddler madness? Well he was a nervous, shaking wreck and spent a fair bit of time on the deck. But not once, not that night, or in all his years with us, did he ever snap at a kid or do anything but submit to their affections with gentleness.

We had a ceremony to say good-bye to Dex a few days after the fire. Some of those kids had driven up with their parents to be with us. We all shared some memories.  Lucie noted that he did steal food from kids whenever he got a chance.  A sweet, loving opportunist.

Rocio’s comment reminded me of this moment, with young Marcus and Harry.

https://flic.kr/p/cwrERN

When Harry met Dexter

I won’t try to top Harry’s very sweet intro post. But he got me digging for some pictures of when Dexter joined the family. As you can see, they hit it off right away.

After The Fire

Dex was old and sweet, and had a one in a million personality. It’s almost overwhelming the amount of stories that have surfaced in his wake. Stories of getting him from the shelter, getting to know him, his romp on the edge of death; and him coming back with love and kisses, the “quiet years” and his…death.

I’m hesitant with that word (firstly, it sends me into a crying mess.) Mostly because I half expect to hear him scratching at the door, or hear him clattering up the stairs, or waking up after a nap.

I miss Dex. I miss a lot of things.

I guess that’s why I’m writing this blog. To share our new life even while we are mourning the old. What I want is kind of a community of family and friends, sharing and commenting on different stories (for now all we have is the comment section. (We’ll look into a chat room sort of thing.)

And with that, I welcome you to dexterthedogster.wordpress.com!

Now if you’ll excuse me, a cat just wandered onto my lap!