Oh no, please not Carroll....

Carroll was sort of a new/old friend, as I had known him for a long time, but we became closer the last couple of years, sharing our love of the Whippets when we met at lure courses and slowly building a strong friendship. Before long we made a habit of chatting by phone every night as we lived far apart most of the year. He was always encouraging, always had a good dog story for me, and vice versa; we told each other the same old stories over and over. We planned to have a good long visit playing with his pups at his home in Southern California, only 5 or 6 hours past my 2009 winter rental south of Tucson . He invited me to come and spend some time with him once the litter was born and I planned to do just that as soon as soon as I could leave my home in northern Minnesota where I was supervising the building of a wall in the creek right next to my house to save it from destruction. The wall project dragged on and on, Carroll became very ill but bounced back, and finally on Christmas Eve I told him the wall was done and I was ready to head out! We spoke again for the last time on Christmas Day, as he was headed out to his son's for a Christmas Dinner. He said he felt just fine, but he passed away that night at home, and I never made it to see him and play with his litter of pups. He so wanted to share the fun of watching them and evaluating them with me, and I will always be a little sad I did not make it in time to see my friend one more time. Carroll had a good life with his wife Ruby and their wonderful Whippets. He was sad without her; we all missed her at the lure courses. I miss him still, he was one of the best and truest friends I have ever had. Many others feel as I do about this wonderful man. I don't have a good picture of him, as he wouldn't let me take one, as he wanted me to always fill the frame with the dog he was holding. So here is his great dog, Spike, the finest, fastest and sweetest Whippet I ever had the privilege to judge, devoted to his master, and always able to bring a smile to Carrolls face. I wish I could see all of the great spirits who passed through my life just one more time, to see them smile, and give them each a hug. Their leaving changed my life forever, leaving me hurt on the inside and on the outside. These are only three of many who are now somewhere else, I hope, where I might someday see them again. But for now I must continue, and see what I can make of the time I have left. I hope that I can turn the memory of the ones I have loved, human and dog, into a strength to continue on the path I am meant to walk.

And then to my gifted Whippet, Roxie...

Roxie was special, and she was sick with a strange disorder that made it nearly impossible for her to do the only thing she was just crazy to do, chase things. She couldn't run if it was over 55 or 60 degrees, so after a brief and amazing career competing in lure coursing, she ran with me, after the frisbee, everywhere and anywhere we could find that was cool and dry, even under the headlights of my car, fast and graceful and quick as ever at least 3 or 4 times a week for the 3.5 years she lived after she manifested the disease, Exercise Induced Hyperthermia, or perhaps a version of collapse, her dna and others remain under study at the University of Minnesota. We had a language, and we did a bit of agility for fun, and she almost gained her rally title, but she was not able to do that thing she loved so much, run full out for long distances, wanting to be faster and go farther than all the other dogs. She tried, but her last summer all her systems began to falter and freeze up until we had to give up, I had to give up I should say, as she did not want to at all, despite the pain, she was more courageous than I will ever be.

Dad, Roxie, Carroll and the old me.

And so I say goodbye to my father, Robert Putnam, Sr., a gentleman accomplished in many endeavors, an adventurer and a scholar. He is still desperately missed by his five children and his wife Karla, who brought him joy he had never known before.

Life gets in the way sometimes...

Life just does that, it can just stop you cold in your tracks, You think you have things in order, and you think your plans will move right along when you are young of heart and spirit, but it's

not so. I think no one is prepared to have life start making ALL the decisions and you are making none, or so it seems for a bit, until you put yourself back together again, even if the pieces are a little beat up, and look around to decide which path seems most alluring. With a brief good bye to once again honor the beautiful people and dogs I have lost since 2007, I will introduce you to what is new, and beautiful and full of hope and love.

Life goes on...