Steffi’s Blog

Ja, I know, this was quick…actually I should sit in front of my books and write a term paper for one of my linguistic courses but…well, such is life ! And besides, there is something I really want to write about before I set off for Dublin. As I already mentioned in the last post, some days ago my dog Carry had to be put down. I spent some (actually quite a lot) great years with her and I want this entry to be dedicated to her.
I guess more or less every little girl has this dream: Mummy and Daddy have to buy a dog, a friend to play with and all that. Well, it was the same for me but up to my 11th birthday my parents managed to resist this wish of mine. But then, in the summer of 1993, we got a dog ! I still remember this day and the time which followed as if it were yesterday. The puppies were still sooo tiny, not even 8 weeks old and I know that I fell for a male puppy called Gordon but the rest of the family wanted to get a female one…called Daisy . Well, we changed that horrible name very quickly and a bit later we drove home with our puppy - Carry. The first days, or rather the nights were horrible, she cried heartbreakingly and I remember that my brother sat next to my bed - I was crying too - to hold me back from the dog. However, I did during the days what I wasn’t allowed to do during the nights, namely I had naps with her in the cellar, fed her, took her out and so on and so on. And not long afterwards she followed me on every step ! I think I was the happiest girl in the world though my parents quickly became a bit angry with her because she decided to pee in the most ridiculous places - inside the house of course ! Well, we managed to teach her manners very quickly and soon she became a member of our family.

I could go on now telling stories of, about and with Carry forever and ever but this is not supposed to be the actual content of this entry.
I know that some people say that the dog is the best friend of men and now I know that this is certainly true. Though I did realise that before not only now that she is dead. To me she almost became something like my sister and a very dear friend. Quite often I talked to her as if she could understand me, and many times I really believed that she did.
As the years passed by she was more and more integrated into the family, she got presents for her birthday and at Christmas. Yeah, I know some of you may think that we took it a bit too far but I guess those of you who have a family dog as well will understand that.
All of us knew that she won’t be with us until we are old and grey but somehow I always suppressed the thought that there will ever be a time again without her. Of course, we did talk about it every now and then: What would happen if she were to fall ill etc etc but it always seemed to be so far away.
I was so shocked when my dad told me last week that we have to think about the possibility of putting her down. But I know that she was quite old already for a dog and that she had a good life and one thing was always for sure: She shouldn’t suffer! And since she apparently did that these last few weeks… It was a difficult decision and I was glad that I didn’t need to make it, I know that for my parents and for my dad in particular it must have been horrible. And although I do miss her so much I am sure that they did the right thing.
Anyway, I guess it will be so much different and difficult to come home and she isn’t there anymore. However, we had a great time together and I will never forget her! I’m sure that she is fine wherever she may be now.
Carry, thank you for all the great moments you gave to me and to the whole family and be sure that we will always remember you as having been one of us!