Sweet Lily

• Posted on 11 April 2025
• By Anne
• 0

With great sadness, I say goodbye to my dear, sweet best friend, Lily. Remembering the best things she brought to my life, and how I'm handling her loss. Thank the stars for her, and of course, the craft of knitting.

We welcomed the new month with one less bright light in our home. Following a very sudden and serious illness, we said goodbye to our 10-year-old Labradoodle, Lily. As I wander the house, I'm constantly reminded of the many wonderful things she added to each day. Here are some of my favorite.

Strike the Pose. Lily slept in a big, comfy chair next to my bed. Even though it gave her ample space to spread out, she invariably flipped on her back, scrunched in the corner with legs in the air. What we lovingly called 'the Doodle Pose.'

Those paws! An endearing (and sometimes annoying) traits of all the Doodles I've ever met is their inability to keep those fluffy paws grounded. Bouncing on her hind legs at the gate when the granddaughters arrive. Greeting me each time I entered the room with a full on jump up and hug. And 'the swipe' - pawing my hand to pet her, and pet her, and pet her. If I stopped, that paw was right there again, smile on her face, tail wagging, and the unmistakable message "please keep petting me."

All eyes and lashes. Lily had a look that melted hearts every time. If she did something naughty, like stealing a scrap of food (or entire sandwich) from the counter, she had only to look at you with those big, beautiful eyes, and . . . well, it was my fault for leaving my food within reach. A loving, sad gaze with her bottom trying its hardest to stay on the ground, tail wagging wildly? Irresistible, and always rewarded with a pat and a hug. And oh my goodness, those eyelashes! Long and lovely, they grew to below her chin. Literally the first thing everyone commented on when meeting her. Oh what we wouldn't do for lashes so gorgeous.

Head in my lap. The mornings are the hardest, as this was our time. Lily got the day started for us all, waking up hard-to-get-out-of-bed Andrew with a big juicy lick in the face, then bounding down the stairs, leading the way for the two lazy Terriers. She'd then take her position on the couch, watching out the front window for passers by and keeping a close eye on her home. After taking care of the morning's business and settling into my spot for some quiet time to knit, I'd be rewarded with a soft, sweet head in my lap. Lily and me, enjoying the start of our day together. I will miss this the most.

Lily was forever happy, so I'm determined to carry on in that spirit. Which is why I'm so grateful for my craft. Dealing with sadness is hard, so I needed something hard to occupy my thoughts. Enter my MANY WIPs. In my quest to stay busy, I began organizing, finding projects I'd started but stuffed away incomplete. Trying to figure out where I left off was exactly what I needed. One such challenge was a wrap I started several years ago - Venus, first published in Laine's 52 Weeks of Shawls. Of course I didn't make any notes as to where I left off, so game on! It took a lot of concentration, but I finally figured out the puzzle, and am happily continuing on with this lovely work of Tosh Merino Light and Silk Cloud. It would have been so pretty wrapped around Lily's goofy shoulders.

Another unfinished project is my Stonecrop Cardigan. Stared long ago and set down on numerous occasions, it's at the point just past dividing off the sleeves. But whoa! The sticky note I used to mark where I was on the chart has long lost its stickiness. Again, intense concentration (which did the trick, taking my thoughts away from sadness) did the trick. And hooray - I stopped just after a row of those pesky bobbles. Another project once again being worked toward completion.

In sum, while those mesmerizing and endless rows of garter stitch are relaxing, a mind teaser is the best medicine for working through grief, at least for me. And mornings, while a little less wonderful without Lily's head in my lap, continue to be my favorite part of the day. Albus the wild Cairn and Petunia the endearing Westie have taken up the charge, snuggling with me as I play with pretty string. Thank you LIly for 10 magnificant years. You are loved and very much missed.