There are no pictures. That’s right, none.

The weather was cloudy and raining pretty much the entire time we were there. Not good for pictures at all.

I’ll admit I was a bit nervous or apprehensive about going. This was our first trip in 7 years that we took without Gryffin. He was always such a big part of our lives that I really wasn’t sure how it would go without him.

Oddly enough, it went really well.

Indy and Beowulf were actually fantastic in the truck on the ride out. I’m used to Indy being great in a vehicle, but not Beowulf. The sleeping part of the trip worked extremely well. Beowulf is usually on the bed (Alex would be there too…), and Indy and Gryffin would find places on the couches behind us as we use an air mattress out there. It would be normal to be woken up with a punch/kick/paw to the head/throat/you name it. That was Gryffin’s thing. Or he’d wake up and smack his lips for 20 minutes. While it certainly goes without saying that I would rather he’d be alive and well with us, the weekend went really well. I really didn’t expect it. Although I didn’t expect a disaster, either.

Yes, I was a little sad now and then. But it really seemed that when I was sad, Indy and Beowulf would do something incredibly cute or cuddly to make me happy.

It worked.

Again I ask you to give your dogs extra belly rubs and of course, food, in Alex’s memory today.

If you’ve ever introduced a new dog or puppy into an existing household or pack, you know what happens. The existing dog/dogs make the new dog go through a waiting or decontamination period. When we got Beowulf in 1996, it was several months before Alex would play with him. When we brought Gryffin home in 2003, it took Alex a few months and Beowulf even longer. When we brought Indy home in May, Gryffin played with her almost right away. I think that’s a Swissy thing. But the others have not yet played with her. Until today.

As I was getting ready for work this morning, Indy was in the hall dozing and Alex came charging up barking and in a play stance. I thought this was a ruse at first to get Indy away from the door so Alex could come hang out with my in the bathroom. Indy was a little freaked out at first. She wasn’t sure what to think. Is this real? Does she want to play? Or is she just going to chomp down on my ear when I respond?

After about 30 seconds of pondering, Indy answered with a play stance and howl, and the two proceeded to run up and down the hallway barking, snarling and smiling for about 5 minutes. (That’s a long time for a 14 year old beagle.)

I think I will have to celebrate tonight.