And then...there were two...

 And then...

there were two....

This was our pack last summer

but things have changed...

again.

On swing: Betsey Belle (L), Biskit (R)
On porch: Fireball (L), Hope (R)

Back in January,

my precious Betsey Belle died in a tragic accident:

 And today..

our beautiful Golden Retriever,

Fireball,

died of bone cancer.

Here she is last summer...

posing with her pack...

she was the queen bee!

Alpha Dog!

She had a remarkable sweet spirit...

and although she was never a mother...

she made up for it by mothering...

everyone else.

Betsey Belle was her first "baby"...

and her very best cuddle buddy.

Fireball took it upon herself to groom and raise Betsey Belle.

She often spit out pieces of her own kibble

for Betsey Belle to play with and eat.

When Biskit came along...

Fireball had a new baby to fuss over...

After a few years, though, 

Fireball seemed a bit concerned/confused that

Biskit had never become a big girl...

but lovingly continued with Biskit's baths

until she could no longer do so.

Hope came along right as Fireball began to really slow down...

Hope was always a bit too bouncy and playful

for Fireball's energy level...

yet...they did bond...

often curling up on the porch together,

Yet...only Hope barked at the birds and tractors. 

When Betsey Belle died...

Fireball became very, very sad...

and never really seemed to bounce back

from losing her best friend.

Lately, the pain has become too much.

And it was getting too hard to walk and enjoy her life...

Yet, as always...

Biskit got excited when she saw me get out Fireball's dinner bowl...

because Fireball would give her a piece of kibble here and there...

she was sweet and nurturing even in her final hours...

Fireball is out of her pain and misery now,

and

We shall miss her dearly...

Such a good girl...

good Fireball.