Ripley passed from this earth on May 5, 2016. She didn't eat and was sleeping 23 hours a day, so we had a vet come to the house and ease her across the Rainbow Bridge. I held her and cried the whole time.
Six weeks later (and many tears), we stopped in at the Inyo County shelter in Big Pine and hubby bonded with a 6 month old lab mix who we named Bodie. We were on our way to a 4 night stay at a cabin in June Lake that didn't allow pets, so Bodie stayed, was neutered, was given and flea & tick bath, and was dewormed. We picked him up on our way home. I only stopped once and he spent the entire trip on hubby's lap.
The minute he got into our house, he ran down the hallway and jumped up on our bed and he has slept there EVERY. NIGHT. SINCE! He is the goofiest, friendlies, silliest thing and the grand kids all love him! We are lucky to have him. I made a sign that says, "Ripley's Garden" and I put it in the pine tree where my hollyhocks grew that Spring and where she liked to hang out. I miss her dearly, but we now have Bodie in our lives...