Goodbye Motion

Recently our dear friend and companion Motion was put to sleep after a long and sweet life.

Motion came into our lives without us quite realizing it until one day it was clear that he had weaved his way into our home and our hearts. We became a little family of sorts.

My sister Anna got Motion when she was 9 years old--about 15 years ago-- and he was her dog for many years until she went away to college when my mom and stepfather became his primary guardians. For a good many years Harley (my other sister Louise's dog) and Motion were a pair, both on the dog run and just in general. Harley was sort of the dumb bully while Motion was sort of the silent sweet one.

We came along in 2003, moved onto my parents land and built the yurt. Shortly thereafter Nancy started taking the dogs on walks in the warm months and on ski excursions in the winter. The dogs loved it and thus began an informal borrowing of the dogs from my parents. Nance would call Felton up and say "Release the hounds!" and they'd come running up to the yurt, all excited and ready to go. Over time, Motion made a habit of just coming up. I don't remember when he first actually spent the night, but somewhere along the way he started spending most of his time with us. We took him back down to my parents each day so he could get his meal. Most evenings, he'd come right back up after eating, announcing his presence with a good scratch at the door. "Insistafoot", we'd call him as he'd scratch two or three times if we were slow to let him in.

Over the last few years this became the routine. Motion basically stayed with us but went back down to the house for meals and when we went away on trips. Coming back from a trip was always a moment of joy for us because Motion would be there hanging out under the the garage overhang waiting for us to show up. He'd be all excited and hopping around running back and forth to the door when we got out of the car.

As time went on it was clear that Motion was getting old and slowing down. His legs were stiffer, he didn't travel far, he was graying, and, towards the end, he was loosing control of his ability to "hold it". In the last 6 months or so we could see that the end was not so far off and were reluctantly preparing for the day when he'd be leaving us. His departure came more swiftly then we were prepared for owing to many hands being in on his welfare.

We mourn his loss and remember and honor a great great friend who gave us so much pleasure and joy. He was a part of our lives, our home and our daily life. Many many nights I'd crawl into bed and just be taken by the immense sense of love and comfort I'd feel with Nancy with on one side of me, and Motion on the floor on the other side. What a safe, warm, loved feeling.

We did our best to celebrate and love Motion. We're grateful for the richness he gave to our lives, and we miss him dearly.

Rest in peace dear friend.