Ode To Bracken.

In 1999, when I was 7, my parents bought a puppy. A little tri (black white and brown) border collie who we called Bracken. My mom did agility and obedience with her until she was four years old, when she has a fit at the side of the canal because someone had illegally put some pesticide stuff down that she reacted badly to. After that, she wasn't allowed to do agility anymore because she had problems with her bone structure in her back. She had 2 more fits in the next few months and she calmed down, she became much more reserved, quiet and shy than she had once been. I started doing obedience with her, and in 2004, we got another tri border collie called Skye, who my Mom did agility with.

In December 2007, she had to have an operation that went well and they said she should be fine again for the next couple of years.
It was the 13th March 2008. Only 3 months after the operation. It was the day after a Maths exam that I had been completely stressing about, and the one single day that I just happened to be coming home late after school. When I came home, Skye was the only one in the house. No family and no Bracken. I knew something was wrong. When the car pulled up and my parents walked in. They shouted up to me to say hello and I could hear that my Mom had been crying. I came downstairs and the first thing I noticed was that Bracken wasn't with them. I knew. My Mom said she'd waited until my Maths exam had been over - waited until I was less stressed - she was trying to wait for me, she followed my Mom around for about 20 minutes and waited for me to come home. But she just couldn't wait any longer, and lay down. Mom took her to the vets but there was nothing she could do. I've never been so upset about anything in my life.

I wrote this about a month after she died, and I was thinking about her and looking through photos of her today and I thought I'd dedicate a blog on here to her, because she was such a wonderful, good natured girl.

Bracken.
I miss you...
We all do.
Skye's lost without you.
You were too young. My gorgeous puppy! ='(
I'm sorry for everything bad that happened to you. You didn't deserve it.
But it was a great 8 years, darlin', and I'll never forget a moment of it.

There's nobody to collapse onto me when I'm sitting on the floor...
There's nobody to lie under the table when I'm in the kitchen.
There's nobody to be patient with me.
There's nobody to come home to every day.
There's nobody calm and lovely to hug at home.
There's nobody to sit with me for hours.
There's nobody here when I'm "home alone".
There's nobody to keep Skye company in the day.
There's nobody to take out when I can't stand it anymore.

"She was my beautiful girl."
"She was my best friend..."

Remember the time Carly and I took you and Bonnie out for the day?
I'll never forget that day. It was so fun...
On the bus... you hid and sat like a good girl. Like the good girl you always were.
Bonnie wanted to explore...
And when we went through the lanes and you both nearly went into that pond.
And when you went into the stream and I thought you were going to get stuck...
You two made a great pair.
RIP, both of you. I hope you're keeping each other and Monty company.

And what about the time we bought Skye home?
I sat with you all the time because she annoyed me... She annoyed you too.
She loved you to bits. It was amusing to see you put her in her place.
You got used to her though, as I did.
You were her mother, her sister, and her best friend.
She misses you so much. She waited by the door for weeks for you to come home.
I think she realised you weren't coming... She's not as bouncy as she used to be.

I think of you all the time.
Especially when it rains.

I will always love you. And I will always miss you.
I'll compare every one to you.

See you again someday...

x




And this is my ode to Bracken from September 2009. A year and six months later...

Now, we have a new puppy... She's called Myst, she's chocolate and white - slightly different. Oh babe, she'd love you. She's just like you, except she's much more annoying and not as well behaved, and a she's a bit weird and edgy. Dad hates her - him and Skye are friends now. She has her doolally moments, just like you did. She runs around the garden in circles for ages and then comes in and jumps on whoever she sees first. I don't know whether you'd be her biggest fan, but I know you'd teach her and put her in her place when she tried to step out of it. I don't like dog training with her - it's not the same as it was with you.
Skye misses you. She's doing well in agility though, Mom and her recently got into grade two. You'd have celebrated with us. She went away with Mom for a week and Myst moped around the house and wouldn't leave my side until Skye got home. It reminded me of Skye the week you left us.
They always come to me when I'm upset though, just as you did. Except they come and paw and lick me. I know they're only trying to make me feel better but it was much nicer when you just come and lay by me and you would rest your head on me.
I still miss you, and think of you every day.

I still wish on the stars - and I know you're there because they sometimes come true.
I love you.

x