There's no easy way to break the news and there's a lot of sadness around here. Our Lunenburg friends, Billy and David, told us today that after some health issues worsened, Dill's quality of life declined to a point where they didn't feel right that he should continue to suffer. With the help of their vet, they held him to the end on Saturday morning.
He had a lot of friends here on 365 when I'd post his photo. Thank you all who loved seeing him and said as much. Ken and I feel we've lost one of our dearest little friends in Lunenburg. Our hearts go out to his family who loved him so much.
That is such a shame, and indeed sadening. It is so much more humane to avoid any unnecessary sufferring though, but it still is quite painful. Thoughts are with all who loved him.
I can't speak :( I'm sorry for Dill, his family, and you and Ken as well. You know that when an animal gets to that point, it's the right thing to do, but it is still never easy. Bye, Dill. You'll be missed.
@chard@kmackenzie One little life touched so many...thanks for being there. And Richard, as soon as I saw you'd posted your picture I wanted to tell you...
Oh my wasn't expecting that when I saw Dills sweet sweet face. Biggest of hugs to all that loved that little bugger, especially for you as I know your return to Lunenburg will be a little darker not having Dill there to great you.
Oh no :(:(. This hurts my heart so much. My eyes are all teary. He will be missed. He definitely brightened this site up a lot last summer. I hope his owners are doing okay.
Oh! No... not Dill... such a lovely cat and so photogenic too! He was one with such character and beauty that we all would have loved to meet him (even us with allergies) and now he won't be here for your friends or you anymore.
It's so hard when a pet has to leave our lives. They have this tendency of getting under our skin and into our hearts. It's so hard to let go isn't it? The best part is that they leave us with wonderful memories to smile upon.
This compounds my sorrow at the loss of my daughter's kitty last month. When you open yourself to love you become vulnerable, but a wise man once wrote "It is better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all." so I guess we will continue to have our hearts broken. My sympathy to all of Dill's very extended family.
oh louise. this brought tears to my eyes. i'm so sorry for you and your friends--i know how painful it is to lose a pet that is a family member. this is a beautiful picture, and a lovely tribute to sweet dill. sending a big hug to you.
@mozette I just wrote Billy to tell him I'd send your mom an email, knowing she's been away on vacation. You and she were such fans of Dill's...he certainly had an extended family on far shores! Thank you for taking the time to write; it means the world to us all!
@allie912 Thank you so much for your heartfelt message. As empty as the space is that Dill leaves, I wouldn't have chosen to miss a moment with him. Good-byes are hard...there must be a lesson in them...
@bcurrie I needed a place to express how I felt, and I knew this dear community would want to share the news. Thanks for being here in spirit; Billy & David will be very touched by the notes, I know. Again, thanks...
How awful :-( So sorry to hear of his loss...I actually thought of him today when I was visiting your photo, and realized you would be headed his way soon....how sad. He was certainly a friend to us all, and will very much be missed. Best to You, Billy and David....So long Dill, we'll miss you
@msk1p2@christijo We share a love of cats... Thanks for coming by one last time for Dill.
@tjramutkowski Small world, isn't it, that our thoughts and memories collide sometimes. Earlier today I commented on a photo of a white kitten with blue eyes and had a myriad or thoughts about the owners who'd come to love this beautiful cat...all the while, thinking of Dill, of course... Thanks for your thoughts and your note.
@Weezilou I called Mum just when I read about Dill and she was upset about the sad news (as they arrived home on Saturday night our time). I was in tears when I told her, and she said she'd have a look immediately as soon as she could.
No.....! I was so looking forward to hearing more about Dill and seeing his cute face. I can't believe this. So sad.....! Thank you so much for sharing him with me.
Oh, Louise. I'm so, so sorry to hear this. I'm actually tearing up and I only knew Dill through your photos. Thank you for sharing him with us. Please pass along my condolences to Billy and David as well. My heart goes out to you all.
Oh, no... I'm so sorry. He was quite the cat - well-loved by many with a life to be envied. Lunenburg will not be the same without him. {{{Hugs}}} to all of you.
Oh that is so sad. Losing a beloved pet is such a hard thing to go through. My family went through that last summer. On July 29th, 2010, my husband and I held our beloved 13 year old Scottie, Abby, as she slipped away from us. She was our "first baby" as we got her two years before our daughter was born and 4 1/2 years before our son was born. It has been very difficult on all four of us to be without her.
Louise, this is sooo sad... :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( Dill was so precious! What a beautiful photo of him! He will be dearly remembered! Hugs to all of you! I know you'll miss him...
@cglist You're right that our summer visit will be different this year... Thanks for your kind words.
@lisaconrad Thanks for your thoughts. I sent thislink to our friends who I know will appreciate what people have written.
@crickle1969 I was sorry to read about the loss of your beloved pet; I appreciate that you took the time to commiserate. My best to you.
@slava I appreciate it so much that you stopped by, and it will mean so much to the guys to read your note. He played a large part in our summer days...now a little less sunny :-(
I'd only just posted to you about Dill. Knowing you were returning to your wonderful place, this was one major thing we would all enjoy once again with you. Such sad news Louise........these blimmin animals take a piece of our heart and it leaves such a hole when they move onto the great land in the sky. We are so sad at this news.......big hugs to you and all your family and friends.
What a sad time for you, Ken & the boys.
thank you for letting us all know on 365.
Dill was a "Star" on 365 & he will be dearly missed.
What a great shot of him & we have many of those in our FAVS to look back on.
Billy & David, I am thinking of you. Hugs to you.
This news fills me with sadness and brings tears to my eyes. Through your photos and your wonderful tales of breakfast with Dill, etc., I felt I really knew him. My heart goes out to you, Ken and to Dill's parents.
I'm so sorry for your loss Louise. I loved seeing pictures of Dill because he reminded me so much of my Sid who died almost ten years ago now. Seeing Dill's face brought back great memories. So at least you can find some comfort in knowing all your great pictures of him will help keep him in your mind and your heart forever. Peace to you all.
So sad, Louise. Gosh, it's a hard thing when we lose our pets. Then we realize how much a part of our family they are and were. Bless you all. Peace to you all.
o wow~ i don't get to check out many posts here any more, but i just happened to catch this ! he was such an adorable kitty ~ loved all your shots of him. so sorry to hear this news. take care.
I'm so sorry to hear this, Louise. This must be such a sad time for you and Ken, and Billy and David. What a great loss for all that loved him dearly, he was so special. And what a beautiful picture you've chosen of him for today, he looks so gorgeous. Poor Dill, though it's probably a blessing for him to be in a better place now, with no pain and suffering.
I send you big hugs from across the ocean, for now and for the sad days to come.
Thank you, Louise, for asking about me. I miss being on 365 so much. I still come here and brouse and it makes me sad to see that so many people have left/finished their project. I still hope to finish mine some day. My hip is healing well. I am walking unassisted, but need to build strength and stamina. I have other major health issues now. I have breast cancer that has metastisized to the bone (hence the broken hip) and lungs. I am going to CTCA (Cancer Treatment Centers of America) near Chicago for treatments. Right now I am on some orarl drugs that I seem to tolerate well enough. I am weak and tired. I have not even held my camera in months. It is depressing. Photoghaphy was/is such a large part of my life. It will be on hold for a while yet.
So sorry about Dill; I remember how special he was from last years pictures. Hugs to you.
Oh sweet, sweet, precious, beautiful Dill, I will miss you terribly. Wherever you are, maybe you'll run into my sweet boy, Hobbes; I think you two would get along!
Sweet lil' Dill will be very missed. Perhaps their is a kitty party going on somewhere. Dill, Hobbes, Mac, Dusty, and TJ. For some reason, I see Mac annoying the rest of them ;-) I miss all those kitties =-(
Such sad news about our little Dill, and still so hard to believe. He was quite the accomplished "poser" for his friend, Louise, and her photos of him brought many a smile to the faces of his many, many 365 fans from around the world. We will miss you, dear sweet Dill. Sending hugs today to Billy, David, Louise, Ken, and all who loved him.
@Cherrill Yes, you were one of the first to recall we were on our way north to see Dill again. Thanks for the kind thoughts...
@loey5150@sytse@hbdaly You were always there to cheer on & fav the pictures of Dill...it meant so much! I know what animal lovers you all are; how nice to have that in common! Thank you for stopping by...
@mary1440@rophoto Thank you for coming by to share your thoughts. Our friends, Billy & David will really appreciate the outpouring for Dill who was a family member as much as a pet.
@fotofem We share a love of our pets and an appreciation for their dear, loving personalities. Where would we be without them as muses for our photos? Thank you for sharing your thoughts here.
@swiegers@kaustin@lily Thank you for your condolances; it means a lot to all of us who loved this little guy!
I can't believe this very popular portrait is not on the popular page. I always knew there was something fishy about those monkeys. With 127 views and 9 favs, that sure makes the grade as far as i'm concerned.
Thank you for your kind comment about my watercolor painting. Whenever someone new to me looks at my photos, I see it as a chance to explore theirs. I haven't gotten very far with yours yet, because this adorable portrait of Dill came up immediately. My heart goes out to your friends (and you) for your loss. I'm sitting here in tears at your loving tribute to this clearly wonderful being. Where would we be without our 4-legged friends?
@Weezilou Returned to the PP and saw Dill. Good. Congratulations on your 42nd anniversary. Another month til ours, July 19. (The church was already booked in June!)
Oh dear..I'm so sorry. I know that you and Ken loved him so much and he was practically always at your summer home. we have enjoyed many a nice picture of Dill and I was looking forward to seeing more of him once you are back in Lunenburg (or are you back in Canada already). I'm so sorry for your loss. . Tell your friends Billy and David
that I feel their pain but I think they made the right decision,.
Oh I'm so sorry Louise. I was tearing up reading this. Please tell Billy and David how sorry we all are about Dill. He was such a precious cat and was well loved around here. He will definitely be missed greatly.
Weezie Lou, Clark, Billy, David, @allie912 and all our 365 friends...I am sitting here with all of you crying my eyes out...I guess some of the tears may be for my father who may be joining Dill before too long...but isn't it amazing how Dill brought us all even closer together ...and we were already pretty dang close! Must FAV this as it is such a sweet reminder of Dill...what a wonderful personality he had! Love and hugs to everyone!
@bruni@jennarichards Thank you SO much for your thoughtful and touching words! The guys have been sent to this site and I know it's going to mean the world to them to have heard from so many old friends in this community. Our Dill was certainly something special to have elicited so much love...thanks for that!
oh wow...beautiful photo and words...I'm going through something similar with my 13 year old dog. Not sure how long he has with us. But he has made some friends here on 365 to carry on his memory :)
So so sorry for the loss of your little friend! It makes me so sad... I feel like he was my friend too! Please express my sympathy to Dill's family. It is so very difficult to lose our furry friends.
@hwy61 Your comment was so endearing...so thoughtful...for that I can't thank you enough. I can't imagine what you struggle with for the present as you've let us come to know your dad as well, his military service and patriotism. Loving well is always worth the pain of separation; treasure your time together. You're in my thoughts...
@ellen Thank you so much for your multiple sweet notes. I know you've recently been through this sort of loss with your kitty, and Dill felt every bit my little companion through the summers. Saying goodbye isn't an easy thing, but weren't we lucky to have had them a while?
This is such a sweet picture, one to cherish. So sorry for the loss of your little friend Dill. It's so tough when our pet friends pass on. My thoughts are with his family too. He'll be missed by many of us on 365 too as we remember all the pictures and stories from last summer.
My smile quickly vanished after reading your caption Louise. It's been many weeks since I've been on 365 and I started to go through a few friends here just to synch a bit and naturally I thought of you. So sorry for the loss of Dill. He was a special one that touched so many people. Take care Louise. Sending positive thoughts and energy your way.
I'm so sorry your you and your friends loss. I know Dil was well loved and most appreciated in this community too. Sometimes we have to do what is best for our animals, but it breaks our heart. This is simply a gorgeous tribute shot.
@scatcat@dmrams@maggie2@kerristephens It meant the world to me to have you take the time to share your thoughts. Dill's family has seen this, too, and were most appreciative while being amazed at how far their cat had traveled!
Such a beautiful photo of our Dill... so sad to say goodbye. Kind of amazing how this site has brought so many of us together thru the good times and sad times. My thoughts are with all of you who loved Mr. Dill. I so loved seeing him in your photos last summer and I will miss him.
oh no, this is so sad. Tears in my eyes. I know how you loved Dill and how he loved you. my thoughs to Billy and David sute they lost a wonderful companion.
Oh no.....I'm so sorry about the loss of Dill. This is a great photo of remembrance of such a beloved pet. I will miss hearing of his adventures and seeing his photo as you and Ken travel back to Lunenburg.
I've not been on here much this week so missed the sad news. We grew fond of Dill as you posted pictures of him over the months .... feel sad for your friends.
Aw, no. I was just about to post "say hi to Dill for me" on your trip back to Nova Scotia (on your recent photo) and started going back to see photos of him again. That made me cry. Darn it.
Oh, no. I'm so sorry to hear this. It is a hard thing to do, I know. This is a fabulous shot of him. I think we were all looking forward to catching up with him again this summer. My thoughts are with Billy, David, and with you as he had adopted all of you as well.
It's so hard when a pet has to leave our lives. They have this tendency of getting under our skin and into our hearts. It's so hard to let go isn't it? The best part is that they leave us with wonderful memories to smile upon.
@bcurrie I needed a place to express how I felt, and I knew this dear community would want to share the news. Thanks for being here in spirit; Billy & David will be very touched by the notes, I know. Again, thanks...
@tjramutkowski Small world, isn't it, that our thoughts and memories collide sometimes. Earlier today I commented on a photo of a white kitten with blue eyes and had a myriad or thoughts about the owners who'd come to love this beautiful cat...all the while, thinking of Dill, of course... Thanks for your thoughts and your note.
@lisaconrad Thanks for your thoughts. I sent thislink to our friends who I know will appreciate what people have written.
@crickle1969 I was sorry to read about the loss of your beloved pet; I appreciate that you took the time to commiserate. My best to you.
@slava I appreciate it so much that you stopped by, and it will mean so much to the guys to read your note. He played a large part in our summer days...now a little less sunny :-(
thank you for letting us all know on 365.
Dill was a "Star" on 365 & he will be dearly missed.
What a great shot of him & we have many of those in our FAVS to look back on.
Billy & David, I am thinking of you. Hugs to you.
I send you big hugs from across the ocean, for now and for the sad days to come.
So sorry about Dill; I remember how special he was from last years pictures. Hugs to you.
@loey5150 @sytse @hbdaly You were always there to cheer on & fav the pictures of Dill...it meant so much! I know what animal lovers you all are; how nice to have that in common! Thank you for stopping by...
@mary1440 @rophoto Thank you for coming by to share your thoughts. Our friends, Billy & David will really appreciate the outpouring for Dill who was a family member as much as a pet.
@fotofem We share a love of our pets and an appreciation for their dear, loving personalities. Where would we be without them as muses for our photos? Thank you for sharing your thoughts here.
@swiegers @kaustin @lily Thank you for your condolances; it means a lot to all of us who loved this little guy!
that I feel their pain but I think they made the right decision,.