Last night, I made the choice with my husband, Greg to say goodbye to our sweet dog Seagram. In the past couple months, Seagram declined significantly from the effects of lymphoma. In addition to failing appetite and intestinal distress, breathing problems and muscular-skeleton issues, the last couple weeks rendered him completely blind in one eye with the other failing fast. This being said, I can officially say that I am a complete disaster as my mind second-guesses my decision. It's difficult to process that yesterday, he was here, and today, he’s gone. Words really can’t describe how sad we are and how much we miss him. Seagram has been around for nearly half my life. He was born in New Orleans sometime in July of 1993 and came into our lives after someone found a litter of puppies in a garbage can and took them to the LASPCA. He was a mess when we got him with gross intestinal parasites and a big spot of ringworm on his back leg. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but think he was adorable after watching him pounce and wrestle with his brother. So Seagram went home with us to 916 Audubon Street, his first home of many. During the New Orleans days, he romped around with his fellow college partner in crime, Champ Bell plotting ways to tip over the garbage can so he could drag the trash to Barrett’s bed or how he could eat an entire tray of brownies sent to me for Valentine’s Day from my Grandma Schutte. He also accompanied us on many hikes, the most memorable one to St. George Island where he was carried 2 miles in Barrrett’s back pack on what later became known as the “Spring Break from Hell.” When he moved back to St. Louis with me in 1998, he was able to become a full time roommate to my childhood dog, Charlie, then living with my mother and my cat from 4th grade named Dusty. Seagram pretty much sealed the deal on Dusty’s moving papers and she decided to adopt our neighbors as her new parents because I guess that she didn’t like to be out-numbered. Then came Suzie and Miles who have been his longest companions yet…Suzie for the last 8 years and Miles for 5. He has spent many a day laying in the sunshine with Suzie (and avoiding Miles) watching the birds and clouds fly by. It’s amazing how he seems to be one of the only dogs that I have known to really take in all of his surroundings. Seagram will be forever remembered for his sensitive nature and for his caring intuition for his humans. He was a very good dog and I am lucky to have been able to have him share in my life.
It is the sleeping bird blanket from Lucinda Guy's 
which is the most wonderful book of children's handknit patterns.