This is my blog, and there’s no rule that says I’m only allowed to write about education. Right now, I want to write about the animals I lost in the past three years. It’s been really hard because I miss them. I miss them every day.

Molly, a Tibetan terrier, died in 2010 at the age of 13. Molly had lymphoma for three long, hard years. What a wonderful, funny dog she was. She was a clown, and her last few years were so hard. Traditional western medicine didn’t work for her. The traditional vets said “put her down.” She survived on Chinese herbs after we found a vet whose specialty that was.

Lady, a cocker spaniel, died in 2011, at the age of 14. She had diabetes for three years. We got her in 2001 as a rescue dog. We wanted Molly to have a companion. Molly was depressed for six months after Lady arrived, but then they became fast friends. What a great dog she was. Lady never learned how to play when she was a puppy. Her strong point was loyalty. She made you love her. There was no escaping her fierce love.

Schatzie, the cat, arrived in 2006. She adored the dogs. She cuddled up next to them on their dog beds. They ignored her. She didn’t care. She loved them unconditionally. They seemed indifferent to her. Schatzie was a great girl. She was regal, as cats tend to be. She went into hiding when it was time to take a car trip. She was a great lady. She was seriously sad when the dogs died, so we brought in Dandy (aka, Dandelion), thinking that he would perk her up.

Bad idea. Didn’t work. Schatzie didn’t like Dandy, didn’t understand why we needed another cat. Dandy was an alpha male, and he was not intimidated by the 6-year-old Schatzie. He became increasingly aggressive with her.

She seemed so withdrawn. She stopped eating. We took her to the vet, who had no diagnosis. Then another vet, no diagnosis. Then to the Animal Medical Center, a major hospital.

Bad news: Schatzie was diagnosed with FIP: feline infectious peritonitis. The doctor said simply “She has a disease that is fatal and incurable.” Schatzie died a month ago at the age of six.

This is so hard.

Dandy lifts our spirits. He’s so funny, so spirited. Such a kitten.

But at night I think of the girls who were such an important part of my daily life for a decade. And I miss them.

Diane