We know you are with Peaches now and big sister is as happy to have you as we are sad to see you move on. Back to a few games of "tenny ball" and "feebee" we hope. We are sure you can arrange some kind of "car" ride if you tell someone how much you two cherish them. Not sure but it may be a ride with angels.

We ordered you a special urn which will be here within a week and then your ashes will be coming home to us and placed with Peaches. Please don't worry about us as you always do so hard. We will be fine and we will be running with you again someday, we promise.

A few Bailey highlights:

Rescue adoption at 6 months -- We were graced to have Bailey come into our lives when she was 6 months old. We were not looking for another dog at the time...just walked into a Petsmart in Jacksonville, FL where we lived at the time and there she was with a rescue organization. It was like we were sent there just to get her and bring her home which is exactly what we did.

Yes, that really is my coat - Why does everyone always have to ask that and feel the need to touch me? Bailey had the coat of no other dog we've encountered. Her breed was black lab/golden retriever mix but her coat was that of mink. Until the day she died, even at 16 1/2 years of age she absolutely glowed. She frequently had people stop when we were out and ask about her fabulous fur and ask if they could touch her. Bailey always accommodated and happily let strangers comb through her glowing fleece.

Let me see if I can impress this new male dominant figure. Bet that other dog can't look upside down at him like this! - After a short settle in period, we begin to notice that our loving pet was a bit of a clown. One of our first little indications of this was when she would settle in by "D" in front of the TV at night and proceed to extend her head completely backwards and look at him directly in the eye from upside down. Sometimes she would also part her lips and smile if she thought it would make him happy.

TPO surgery -- don't run! Watch out for vicious animal! - Bailey had a strange gait in her walk which we noticed almost immediately but chalked it up to a clumsy puppy walk at first. We found out within the first month that this was very severe hip dysplasia that required surgery on both hips. It came to the point where Bailey could not walk at all and we were told it would either be surgery or euthanasia. Surgery it was...one hip at a time starting at 8 months separated by a one month period. The surgeries were not easy and Bailey had a period where she exhibited "wounded animal" behavior and would snarl and growl at anyone and anything that crossed her path. We were worried at first that we had damaged her personality but she quickly rebounded and was back to her old self. During the healing period Bailey was supposed to remain calm without much physical activity. Bailey did not want any part of this restriction and was running as fast as she could probably a little sooner than we would have liked. This was a nature that she carried all her life...not very many things could keep Bailey down.

Is that wicker furniture...tasty! Silk plants good too. - Bailey, like many Lab/Golden's took a long time to grow up and although she never did anything too terrible (unlike her sister who enjoyed carpet, drywall, linoleum and so on...) she did have a taste for wicker. Living in Florida when she was young we had quite a few wicker pieces. One of her favorites was a wicker TV stand that held a TV in our den. Bailey liked to pull the slats out one at a time and destroy them. "M" would come home from work at lunch to check on "the girls" to find that Bailey had dismantled more of the stand. Hoping that "D" would not find out "M" would pull the remaining slats out, spread them out and re-insert them so "nobody" would know. This worked well until there were no longer enough slats to support the weight of the TV and "M" had to let the bag out. We decided we were getting a little tired of wicker anyway and bought a new rattan stand (Bailey moved on to silk plants after that).

Lookout Cali cat! - Bailey loved all other dogs, people and even cats. That's not to say that cats were not fun to chase around a little. Our Cali cat can attest to that. Bailey and Cali could frequently be seen chasing each other around (Cali would chase behind Bailey and swat at her tail when she was not looking)

Wading pool with Peaches, did I make a splash? - Bailey like most Lab/Golden's did like the water but not in the normal fashion...she only liked to get her head drenched. On the other hand, Peaches (her Golden Retriever sister) liked her body wet but not her head. We kept a large wading pool set-up for them during the summer so they could go outside with us and cool off at their leisure. Peaches would politely lay down to enjoy the water (trying to keep her head dry) and Bailey would jump in and swing her head back and forth under water causing waves that would drench Peaches (head and all). Peaches would climb out in disgust. Within ten minutes they were generally back in the pool starting the whole ritual over again.

Shawn and John visits...why try and sleep in on your vacation when you can enjoy us wrestling and baring our teeth in bed with you in the morning? - Bailey's Aunt Shawn and Uncle John enjoyed coming to visit with us frequently. Our dogs were never allowed on furniture but they were allowed on all beds. The first time Shawn and John came to visit we forgot to warn them that the bed they were sleeping in was a favorite of the dogs to "rough house" on. Imagine their surprise when Bailey and Peaches burst into their room and proceeded to play "snarl growl" on top of their heads first thing in the morning!

"Here I come mom" running down driveway in Jacksonville -- Bailey was as strong as a bull and a force to be reckoned. "M" learned the hard way to take care when calling her to come. Once she called Bailey from our 200 foot driveway in Jacksonville. She obeyed perfectly and ran at top speed to meet her. Problem is she did not stop and ran right over the top of her. Fortunately, no one was hurt (this time).

Ouch on this one, fractured leg ("M's"). - Not so lucky on this one! Elk grove, California collision during "feebee" practice. "M" and Bailey collide. Nobody's fault...we just were not watching where the other one was.

Why can't I just live in this truck? - More than anything else in the world (except "M" and "D") Bailey loved her truck. If the Yukon was moving then all the better but even if it just sat in the garage with her in it she was happy. When days were cool enough we would her allow to spend the entire afternoon in the Yukon after returning from errands with her. It would finally come to the point that we would have to force her out to get her something to eat at the end of the day. Had we taken her food she would have been more than happy to have remained in her beloved Yukon indefinitely if we could have made some bathroom arrangements.

I will never leave my "M" and "D" no matter what I must endure. - Bailey's hips held up for many years following the TPO surgery. But old age and arthritis finally took its toll although she never complained. Bailey also had two major cancer surgeries after age 13 which she also never complained about. For the last year and a half she battled Degenerative Myelopathy which left her rear legs almost entirely unable to function over a period of time and still Bailey never complained. We feel that Bailey loved us so much that she would never have complained as she felt it was her duty to watch over, love and protect us. May she now rest in peace and know that she more than fulfilled all her duties to take care of us.

Final comment: Good, with the sometimes not so good, we would not change any of this for a minute. You were definitely one of a kind and we thank you for being part of our lives for so long. Sleep well our beauty.

8/25/10 - Hello Mrs. B..."M" here. One week today and seems like a lifetime without you. There is a huge hole in my heart that I don't think will ever fill. I can't tell you how much I miss you, but I feel in my heart that you are in a better place. I can feel you everywhere looking over me. No ashes back yet...I think that special urn delayed things and I will call tomorrow to find out what is going on with that. I have been sleeping with one of your bed blankets at night, which have your smell (even though really never had much of a smell) and that is comforting. I also have that strand of beautiful hair I got from your tail feathers when you were wondering what I was up to. You have had so many people send thoughts and prayers. Everyone says we will be together again someday and I believe that and have felt that all along. So, you and Peaches play for now but be ready for some games of "feebee and tenny ball" when we get to be together again. "D" sends his love. We love you forever and always. "M" and "D".

8/27/10 - Hi beauty, as I am sure you already know your ashes came home today. We are so relieved to have you back with us. The urn is beautiful...it glows just like you! After you are done watching TV with "D" I will get you back to rest by me at bed side stand. Love you and miss you, "M" and "D".

9/5/10 - Hi, It's "M". I just needed to tell you how much I miss you and love you with all my heart. We ran across one of your beautiful pictures this evening with you in the back of your beloved Yukon. It was taken on one of our Oregon trips to Newport and the gold coast coming back through Eugene. You were so beautiful and shining as always! Nothing is the same without you but you live in our hearts so you run and be happy and free from pain and illness. We will see you and Peaches a little later. Love you..."M" & "D".

9/18/10 - "M" here. One month today without your precious body but I read something today that re-comfirms my belief that you are where you need to be so I am trying not to be so sad and know that you are free and healthy and happy now. I know you miss me and I miss you too with all my heart. You are always on our minds and we will love you forever and treasure all the special memories you have left us. We will love you always more than words can say. "M" and "D".

10/13/10 - Just checking in on you here and to tell you how much I love and miss you with all my heart. Love, "M".

10/18/10 - Two months today without your precious/beautiful body but your soul is in our hearts,
strong and for all of time. We love you so much and know we will see you again at a later time. You and Peaches take care of each other until then. "D" sends all his love...he was just talking about you today to a close friend and expressed how much he loves and misses you. Our lives are not the same without you here but we always feel you close in our hearts and still watching over us.
"M" and "D"...all our love.

11/2/10 - Hi, "M" here. Just miss you so much and wanted to tell you how much I love you and miss you. Not the same without your precious body here but I feel I have you, my angel, and Peaches, my angel, watching over us. Things are looking better for "D" (I know you know what I mean) and he sends his love. Thank you for all you have given us...you will live in our hearts forever. Love "M" and "D".

12/4/10 - Oh my, my dear Bailey girl. I miss you so each and every day. Very hard with Christmas near too. Nothing here much going on about those preparations...usually one of our highlights was getting you girls (and you alone for many years) some presents. We hold you close in our hearts. I will keep tucking you in and warm at night. Love you, "M" and "D". P.S. Kiss Peaches for me.

12/25/10 - Merry Christmas our beautiful girl...we miss you so. All our love. "M" and "D".

3/26/11 - I know you know why I have not written. I just needed to come and say hello even though I talk to you all the time. I miss you...have to go now, you and Peaches take care of each other. Love you, "M".

8/6/11 - I think about you pretty much every day and still miss you so very much. The troubles here are still compounding and I am so sorry I have not been out to here to write to you. But, I know you know how precious you (and Peaches) are in my heart and how much I love you as does "D". It seems like more than a just short of a year since you were here with us. I wish you could be here with your strong soul in "person" to help with this mess but I can always feel you here anyway. We might be trying to get away on your "one year gone" in between treatments in case you don't here from us on that exact day. We love you very much, you and Peaches take care of each other until we see you later. Love you, "M".

9/20/11 - Hi my sweet girl Bailey. We miss you so much and I hope you can feel our love reaching out to you. Everything pretty much the same here but no worse. You and Peaches hug tight and "M" and "D" will meet up with you again sometime later. Love "M". (Changed your season to fall although it does not feel that way right now!)

1/2/12 - Hi sweet girl. Nearing almost a year and a half since we had to part. No matter as you will always be in our hearts for ever no matter what. "M" and "D" brought home some new puppies about two months ago. I was thinking about it anyway but then found some Golden Retriever/Lab mixes (they call them Goldadores these days) like you and I could not pass them up hoping they would be just like you and Peaches put together. Double trouble right now but I think they can sense you and Peaches once here and both trying to be good (hard at 4 months old!) Like I told Peaches...only can hope they turn out as good as you. Love you always and forever, "M" and "D".

4/21/12 - Hi Dear Bailey. I am sorry it has been so long and I just changed you to spring. As I am sure you know "D" had to go to heaven with you and Peaches. I am sure you met up by now. I miss him so and I just hang on to that he is there with the two of you. I will take care of the puppies down here and you take care of "D" for me. We will all meet up again later okay. All my love, "M".

8/6/12 - Hi my dear girl. Long time I know...foregive me. It is hard without "D" here. Jadi and McDuff are coming around. You take good care of "D" and Peaches for me please. We will all meet up later. Love you all so much. "M" (Jadi and McDuff too).

10/16/12 - Changing your season. Hug "D" and Peaches for me and one for yourself. Love you, "M".

12/24/13 - Merry Christmas Eve my beauty. Pretty quiet Christmas here. Gramma went to join you in heaven in October. I hope she found all of you okay. I got Jadi and McDuff a few presents. They give my presents every day with the love they share. I would be lost without them. They are nothing like you or Peaches in disposition. They are very sweet to me but very protective and really don't like to let other people get to close until they are sure they mean no harm. Not that you were not protective I think we just had "D" to fall back on so we were a little more relaxed. I'll just say you don't need to worry about anyone breaking in the house or anything like that. Love and kisses as always, "M".

9/27/15 - Hello my dear sweet Bailey. Love you always. "M"

1/2/20 - Love you. "M"

Please also visit Peaches.