I can still remember those early days when you were just a couple months old, I was so naive about the responsibility I was about to undertake. I can see you and your sister Buca behind the baby gate in the kitchen, and you guys would seemingly poop about every hour :)

Luckily we knew someone that had a pool and you were able to learn to love the water at an early age, and boy did you love the water. I couldn't walk past any river, creek, pond, or puddle without you wanting to get in there.

You never fussed or pouted through all the years of changes - from moving up North and then out West. As long as we were together and you had tennis balls to chase down, bones to chew on, and water to swim in you were happy as could be.

No matter whether I came home late, was in a bad mood, or was otherwise preoccupied with my own issues, you were always happy and wagging that tail when you saw me.

I'm so glad we were able to spend the last days together at home. I know you're once again back to your old self running, jumping, and swimming with all your friends. The temperature is never too cold, too hot, the breeze is always just right, and the water is always perfect. Say hi to Buca and Daisy and we'll meet again one day.

Just know you are missed and will never be forgotten. We think about you every day.

Love Dad!

6/20/15: Happy Birthday little monkey. Miss you greatly. I've got your memorial on my mantle at home and I make sure to say hello every day. You're 16 today and I like to think you're up there playing, running, and jumping will all your friends. I also wanted to let you know we've added a new addition to the family. He's a wonderful boy named Hemi and he's about a year old. He's doing pretty good but has had a couple of accidents in the house. Remember when you were going through your potty training:) he loves bones and he gets along great with your sister Shyla (although he can be a bit much for her at times). Hemi does not replace you by any means but I thought it was good for Shyla to have someone to run around with. Today I took them to a swimming pool but we needed you there to show him the way. He is not much of a water dog. Shyla on the other hand does ok in the water. She's reluctant but she does swim. I remember when we would go swimming, you were like a little fish. I'm hoping Hemi will eventually take to the water so he and Shyla can swim together. Happy B-day and enjoy yourself. Until we meet again.

12/31/15: Merry Christmas Simmer Dimmer. We're thinking of you today. First Christmas in 15 years without you and it's not the same. I spoiled Hemi and Shyla with lots of walks and treats, just like I used to with you. I'm wishing you have lots of bones and such where you are and that you have lots of friends to run, play, and swim with. Been meaning to write you, for some reason Shyla has become a little grumpy with other dogs (mostly at the dog park). We need your calm energy back down here to show her the way. She's actually gotten into it with a few dogs this summer to the point where I feel like I need to be right next to her so I can be there if something happens. Haven't had this issue with her for 4 yrs now, it's just started all of a sudden this summer. The only big change in our lives is Hemi but he's not aggressive at all. He likes to play and gets along with all dogs. I think maybe Hemi has taken over the alpha role at home and maybe that's what's causing her change with other dogs. You were such a sweetie pie and didn't have a dominant/alpha bone in your body. I just loved that about you. So docile and sweet. Don't get me wrong, it's not as if Shyla is seeking dogs out and attacking them or anything like that, but if a high energy dog gets in her space or another alpha dog tries to dominate her, she pushes back quite a bit and I end up having to pull her off. To my knowledge she hasn't bitten any of the other dogs (yet) but it sure sounds scary when it happens because she's growling something fierce and she's really bearing her teeth. I've tried to read up on it and if you believe everything you read it says I haven't created a balance home life for her so I'm trying to work on being a better pack leader for her. I hate to think she's not getting fulfilled at home and that's causing her to be this way. Anyway, if you were here it would be easier because she could just feed off your calm energy. We love Shyla at home so if we can't get her back on track, worst case is that we just don't go to the off leash park. Till next time.

3/29/16: Hey little monkey. It's been a year since we said farewell. I hope you're living large and having a great time with all your friends. I'm thinking about you and I'm always telling Hemi how much he would have enjoyed knowing you. One day you'll meet him and can run around together.

6/20/16: Happy Birthday little monkey. You would have been 17 today, that's old :) Shyla and Hemi are doing well although Shyla has had a bit of a limp last few months. I took her to the doc and he gave some anti inflammatories which helped right away. She seems back to normal now. Sad news about Dad though. He's got liver issues and doc says he doesn't have much time left. I went out to CA to see him this past weekend and you could tell he's pretty weak and gets fatigured pretty easy. His spirits are pretty good considering which is good but chances are he'll be joining you soon. If that's the case, I want you to take good care of him until I can be up there with both of you. Anyway, hope you're enjoying yourself up there with all your friends. One day we'll be together again. - yours, E

3/30/17: Little monkey, I hope all is well and your romping around with lots of friends somewhere. It's been two years now and I still think about you often. There are many times where Hemi and Shyla do something and I'll say to them, if your sister Simmer were here, do you know what she would say or there have been times where I thought if only Simmer were here to show them how to behave. I've given up trying to get Hemi to swim. He just hates the water. You have to promise me that when he comes to join you that you'll run and play with him on the shore. Sounds easy but I know Shyla loves the water so I can see you and Shyla swimming around like little fishes so I'll ask you to take breaks every once in a while to make sure you play with little Hemi. You're never far from my thoughts, and one day we'll be together again. Be well, farewell for now. Love - E

6/20/17: Hey little monkey, hope you had a great birthday. I changed some of the toys and shrubs for your little corner of doggy heaven. I think about you often and I know Hemi would have loved to have known you. One day (hopefully not too soon) Shyla will be there to keep you company and then sometime after that, you'll get to meet Mr. Hemi. He's a great boy and I know you'll get along famously. Until next time, love dad

2/23/18: Hey monkey, how are you. I was just thinking about you today. Thought I'd say hello. Been really rainy here last 5 or 6 days. I've had to keep the doggy door closed so Hemi and Shyla don't track all the mud in the house. You would never do that :) Be well, talk soon.

3/30/18: Hi there monkey, just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you. I like to imagine you're splashing around in the creek chasing a stick or ball. Miss you.

8/05/18: Hey monkey, was thinking of you today. Shyla went splashing around in the pond a bit and I couldn't help remembering how much you loved the water. Neighbor down the street has a golden retriever who barks at us when we walk by. Not in a mean way as you can imagine. It's more of a "hey, I'd like to say hello and play" kind of bark. Miss you all the time. Love dad.

11/18/18: Hey little monkey, was thinking of you yesterday. I've been donating to a Golden Retriever rescue group and they sent all donors a video of a Golden Retriever gathering in Scotland called The Guisachan. This is the House where the first litter of Golden Retrievers was bred back in 1868. The 2018 gathering had 361 dogs attend and it was pretty cool. I thought of you and how much you would've enjoyed something like that.

3/30/19: Hey monkey, how you doing. Thinking about you today. Had Shyla and Hemi out this morning for a run at the soccer field behind High School. Really windy today but a little over 50 degrees so not too bad. I'm always having to watch out for Shyla because there's a creek just behind the field and if I'm not careful, she'll get down into it and get dirty and wet (just like you used to do). Be well, talk again soon. Love Dad!

6/21/19: Hey monkey, happy birthday. You'll never guess, we've got a new member of the pack. Her name is YOYO. She sort of found us. We were walking out by Shawnee Park one Sunday and this dog was running loose with no collar. She came right up to us and when I could immediately see anyone looking for her, we got in the car and she hopped right in. We tried to find her parents but could so in the end decided to keep her. She's a true mix, about 40 lbs and full of energy. She's 25% Alaskan Malamute, 12.5% American Staffordshire Terrier, 12.5% Aus Shepard, 12.5% Chihuahua, 12.5% German Shepherd, and 25% Breed Groups. She gets along well with Shyla and Hemi although she's a bit high energy for Shyla at times. One of these days I need to take her to the doggy swim pool and see how she does. My guess is not well because she sort of fell in a stream one day following Shyla and even though I think she could've stood up she kind of flailed around. Anyway, there's 4 of us now. Miss you, love Dad!

3/30/20 - Hey little monkey! I wanted to say hi and let you know we're all doing well. We've got this virus called COVID-19 (or Corona virus) that's going around the world right now so anyone who can is now working from home. I don't mind that at all, gives me more time with Yoyo and the gang. Yoyo is doing great, she's still quite a spaz but maybe after a few years she'll mello. You'd like her, she's very playful with lots of energy. Shyla had a bit of scare not too long ago. She stopped eating around Halloween and didn't eat (on her own) for about 10 days. I was literally force feeding her at one point. Her liver numbers were out of whack so we did a biopsy. Nothing conclusive but she got better once they got her on a course of steroids and one or two other meds that she'll most likely be on rest of her life. I think they called it "idiopathic liver disease" which is just a fancy way of saying they don't know what caused it. She's doing great now with a very healthy appetite and she's back to normal. Hope you're well in doggy graceland. I think about you often. Love Dad!

6/20/20 - happy b-day monkey! Thought about you today. I told YoYo that even though she doesn't know his grand sister (if that's a thing), she would love you and that today was your b-day. I really don't know when YoYo's b-day is so I guess we'll just consider it the day we found her. Matter of fact, I think you're the only one I definitely know the b-date based on your papers.

3/30/21 - hey monkey, thinking about you today. I know it's been a number of years but I still miss you. Don't tell the others but you're still my favorite :) I swear you're my spirit dog, we were perfect together. Everyone is doing well, even Shyla. She had her health scare Oct 2019 but since then she's been doing great. Be well and run and swim till you can't stand it anymore. Love Dad!

6/20/21 - happy b day monkey. I think about you often. Have your pictures up on the mantle where I can see them every day. Shyla just had a checkup and everything came back looking good so we're happy about that. The one negative is that Shyla has gained about 10 pounds and even Hemi has put on weight. I think the problem is I'm working from home now and so I give them too many treats. Have to adjust to account for the fact that I'm home and I can't give them treats every time I go in the kitchen. Be well, Love Dad!

3/30/22 - hello monkey, thinking of you on your anniversary. Miss you all the time. The other monkeys are doing well, Shyla is hanging in there although she moves more slowly these days and Hemi and YoYo are close pals. YoYo has had teary eyes lately and nothing we do seems to completely work. She's on an alergy med now that seems to help but doesn't totally make it stop. Not a big deal, there's no infection and she doesn't seem bothered by it so it's really just that she looks funny. Don't think you ever had the watery/teary eye problem. You had a couple ear infections if I recall but that was about it. Be well and run and swim till your hearts content. You're always on my mind. Love Dad!

6/18/22 - Your b-day is not until the 20th but I'll be traveling this year so wanted to let you know I was thinking of you. Going to Costa Rica, pretty cool eh. Craig and his family are coming to stay with me for the night and then we all fly out together tomorrow and I'll be gone for a week. Miss you, love Dad!

3/30/23 - hi monkey. Thinking of you as always. Shyla has come through a medical scare. She had a grade 3 sarcoma but we got lucky and were successfully able to get it removed and then she had a course of chemo treatments and now she's considered cancer free. She also had another liver flair up after first surgery where she stopped eating again but we're through all that now and she's doing much better. She's 12 now (or thereabouts) and doesn't move around as good as she used to but as I write this she's up on the couch enjoying a nap. Aunt Judy (who you never met) is also having health issues. She's in the hospital right now recovering from pneumonia. I had been planning to visit her but now that's postponed. Aunt Carolyn comes to see me end of May and Mom and Don come visit me in August. Well, that's the news for now, miss you every day. Love Dad!

6/20/23 - hi monkey, it's your birthday today (or as close as I can figure it). I have a photo of you time stamped 8/19/00 and I can tell it was taken in the apartment we lived in down in Fort Myer. I'm pretty sure we got you when you were 8 weeks old so that's how I came to say your B-day is roughly June 20. Shyla is getting older but hanging in there. She's through all the cancer treatment now and seems to be doing well. She has a check up in couple days. Hemi and YoYo are going strong. Hemi is getting up there now, he's probably 9 or 10 so no spring chicken. Miss you. Love, Dad!

3/30/24 - hi monkey, been thinking about you today. The gang's all doing well. Shyla is maintaining which is good. She's had couple of tumors removed over last couple years but for now she's doing well. Her biggest issue is her arthritis, so she gets around pretty slow right now but nonetheless, she still gets around and still loves to go on walks (much like you did). I changed your toys and the flowers so hope you like them. Just always know you're missed and never forgotten. Love, Dad!