Missing Macy

This past Monday marked one month since we gave our final hugs to our Macy.  In some ways I can't believe it has already been over a month and I even find myself still looking for her at times.  At other times, I can't believe that it has only been a month since it feels like years sometimes.  I am working on putting a video together, but it takes a while to sort through pictures.

There are so many things that I miss about her and since this blog is about recording our memories, I decided to write about a few more.  Looking back over the blog, I realized that once we became a two, and eventually three, dog household I focused on the interactions of the dogs and may have given the wrong impression about her.  She was often a bully with Buford and Puddin, but she was so very sweet and loving with us.

It's true that Macy was the ring leader around here, but there has to be a boss or there would be chaos, right?  I miss not having the fun police and to be honest so do Puddin and Buford I believe (they looked to Macy for so much and always followed her lead; Puddin hasn't embraced her role as alpha quite as much as I thought she would either).

It's too quiet in our house now.  That may sound crazy with two hounds and a 10-month old baby who is constantly babbling :)  I miss hearing Macy fluff her bed - she did this all the time, the others rarely do.  I miss hearing her dig at the carpet upstairs and tote the rug around downstairs.  I miss hearing that low growl when one of the others walked past her on her bed.  I miss her barking - she was the only one who barked.  She barked at Buford and Puddin to make them give up their toys or beds and at us if she thought we weren't paying quite enough attention to her.  She was so full of personality and was always making us laugh with her silly antics.

I miss her beauty.  She was never the most photogenic of our kids, but in person she was absolutely beautiful.  Yes, Buford is incredibly handsome and I've always thought of Puddin as cute as a button, but there was just a beauty about Macy that was different.  She was exquisite.  Long and lean, svelte and sleek, she had the true build of greyhound art. 

I miss her soulful eyes and those long fawn eye lashes.  Tracy knows that I was always commenting on how gorgeous her eye lashes were.  I always told her she was little blond bomb shell.  Even as I was saying good-bye, I remember telling her that I was going to miss looking at her eye lashes.  Macy was a beautiful light fawn that you don't seen very often.  There are lots of fawns, but few as light, creamy, and even-toned as she was...whenever we went to greyhound events, other greyhound owners always commented on her color and what a beautiful coat she had (even though the hair on those little bald thighs never did fully grow back).  I still find her hair on everything - I know I will for a long time to come and that makes me happy.  I like knowing there is still a physical trace of her everywhere in the house.

I miss her rubbing her head against my leg over and over. Tracy used to try to tell me that she just had an itch, but I knew better.  It was just another way for her to say thank you and I love you.  I loved it every time she did it (which was every day), even in all my dark suits that I wear to work.

I miss her incredibly stinky breath kisses!  She had terrible teeth and gums and the smell from her kisses would linger on your face.  We didn't mind though and gladly accepted every one she had to offer, she was full of kisses!  She gave us morning kisses and welcome homes kisses, thanks for petting me kisses, and lots of kisses for no reason at all, she would just walk up to us on the couch and let us know how much she loved us.  Puddin doesn't give kisses.  Buford gives tons of kisses too, but his breath never stinks.

I miss her understanding.  She was always there for me when I was sad.  We went through a couple of terrible losses in 2009 and Macy knew.  I could talk to her and it was like she understood.  We didn't have Puddin at the time, and I clearly remember that with all the tears and sadness here, Buford thought "oh my God, what do I do?!", but Macy would stay right by my side, look straight into my eyes, listen, and showed sincerity that I will never forget.  She helped console us both just by being her. 

I miss not having to spell words anymore.  Macy was so very intelligent.  Of course, I adore our other two hounds, but Macy was definitely in a league of her own on the intelligence scale.  We could talk to her and I swear she understood English.  She learned lots of words and I'm pretty sure she was even learning how to spell.  We always had to spell the words ride, walk, and cheese around her.  Her whole face would just light up when she heard "do you want to go for a ride?" or "do you want to go for a walk?".  No matter where she was in the house or anywhere in the yard, she came running when she heard those words.  Buford and Puddin heard the same words, but they still don't know what they mean!  We can say those same phrases around them and they just keep sleeping!  Of course, they want to go for rides and walks too, but they only know the actions (pick up a leash and they'll go nuts).

I miss coming home and not having enough hands for all the excited greetings.  The welcome home fanfare is definitely toned down now that we don't have Macy jumping on us with glee.  Buford still goes crazy and although Puddin is happy to see us, she is not a big fan of being whacked by Buford's tail so she doesn't greet us with the same exuberance. 

All of these things, and so many more, that I miss about our heart girl Macy Grey.

I'll end with a few pictures taken on the afternoon of November 24.  We were out as the sun was preparing to set.

It also happened to be the last action shot I have of her.  She was running around like a happy girl and you would certainly never know that was a leg with cancer!