Sasha Pike

 Who was Sasha Pike? She was adopted from the Butte Co. Shelter when she was a few months old 14 years ago. Michael said she was the cutest dog there and was amazed she wasn't claimed. She was half Airedale and half terrier. Each summer, due to the extreme heat in our valley, she got a racy stripped down look and the rest of the year she was a wirey haired girl with soft ears, luminous eyes and an unfailing faithful attachment to Michael.

 As you may know we just returned from an almost four month adventure. We've been home just over a week. Sasha seemed to decline the last few days, showing little interest in being loved on but still eating... somewhat confused perhaps with deafness that had been getting worse. She had her tail down alot which was always her way of expressing fear, unhappiness or pain but she had some good moments when she was her usual self.

 Michael and Sasha have had years of adventures with and without me. I only have the last year and three quarters of photos on this computer but Sasha has been central in our lives since we've been married, these 10 years. We have always accommodated and enjoyed our little threesome, although sometimes I'd be the odd one out. Both our lives have been enriched by her presence in subtle and concrete ways.

 And now she's gone. She somehow managed to break her femur at some point today. She came to Michael with a flaccid leg after hours of not being able to find her. The vet said the expensive surgery and long recovery was not guaranteed to give her any good time in the future. Michael knew she would not like to live as an invalid so in a tearful and gentle environment we parted, our human hearts wrenched by the anticipation of the loneliness without her.