r.i.p. mickey … [personal]

Not every story worth telling has a happy ending.

Mickey’s story, for example, came to a sad end at 3.30pm this afternoon.

You might not think the story of a dog – especially a lap dog like Mickey – is worth telling. A few years ago, I might have agreed with you. But our sadness over losing him is very real, and our desire to honour him with a small tribute on this blog is difficult to ignore.

If he was an ordinary dog, we might not have much to say about Mickey’s 10 years on this earth. But for all his barking, escaping, conquests of imaginary lady friends and determination to walk in the opposite direction to his lead, he accomplished a lot in a short time. Before we get to the photos, here are a few things we can remember:

• As a puppy, he consumed wallpaper, chairs and other delicacies.
• Later in life, he developed a fetish for McDonald’s Cheeseburgers. He would even go to town on the bun. Sadly for him, Michelle always stole the pickle before he could get to it.
• At the tender age of 14 (dog years), he survived an escape attempt despite being hit by a car on a major expressway. (I swear he was half-cat.)
• In 2002, he made the cover of Playboy the Newcastle Herald. Just for being cute at a Christmas lights display thing.
• In 2003, he scared off a home invader before he could pick up much more than a mobile phone stereo remote. Ha!
• Until recently, he slept in our bed, near our feet. Amazingly, there were no problems with claustrophobia OR oxygenation!
• He was a road-tripper extraordinaire. He went with us to the Gold Coast, Coonabarabran and Tuggerah without being sick ONCE.

So many happy memories.

Today, however, will be remembered as a day of heartbreak. Last week, we were told that Mickey had a tumour. The treatment and care involved in keeping him alive was going to be risky, traumatic and costly. So we decided that his time had come.

We’re happy that he’s not in pain anymore. But we miss him. A lot.

Here are some photos from his life. A few of them predate me being serious about photography, so please overlook the poor quality.

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When Michelle and I got married, Mickey and Gloves became siblings. Mickey was very much under the paw.

Bella joined the menagerie a few months later. They only ever cuddled by accident, and they certainly had a few fights, but all in all, they got on pretty well.

Mickey's eyes were bright and intelligent until the very end.

He made a habit of stealing Bella's basket. Occasionally, Bella retaliated by stealing his. We still don't know how she managed to fit!

Mickey always was a mummy's boy ... hardly surprising, considering she was the only human who stayed in his life from beginning to end.

His head wobble was legendary. This is only a mild example. I'm surprised he didn't break his neck every time we said, "walk?"

Here's a series from a visit to Mickey's favourite park. We returned here the day before he was put to sleep. I'm so grateful for these photos.

Nothing quite like marking a piece of litter!

Michelle was ready to pop with Josiah, so it was bath time! Definitely NOT a happy event for Mickey. Running the taps would usually kick off a game of hide and seek!

Bella wasn't such a big fan of bath time either. Mickey sympathised. Awww.

Eventually, Josiah arrived! Here's proof that Mickey still got cuddles. And was at least mildly interested in the human child ;)

Somewhat mildly interested?

Fan heaters were heaven on earth for Mickey. He never quite understood heat sources that didn't blow hot air all over his face. How he managed not to ignite is still a mystery.

I wasn't sure whether to include this one or not. In the end, I decided that this post would be incomplete without it, even though it would be easier to enjoy the happy photos without being confronted with the reality of Mickey's death.

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If you have any memories from meeting or knowing Mickey, feel free to share them by leaving a comment.