It's funny how, after suffering the loss of a loved one, the smallest things can set off the water works. Today I was in Bed Bath and Beyond, buying a set of (badly needed) new pots and pans, and spotted the premiere issue of Rachel Ray's Every Day magazine. Being a Rachel Ray fan, I picked it up. There is a column in the magazine titled "Recipe for Boo". Boo was her dog, who died last year at age 13. Apparently she used to cook for Boo, recipes that both dog and owner would find healthy and tasty, and decided to include them in the magazine. I finished reading the column and immediately burst into tears.

As I mentioned a few posts back, my own family dog Bo died a week and a half ago, at age 16. Bo lived with my parents, and while I knew in my head he was gone, it hadn't yet become truly real to me, much like my grandfather's death didn't feel real until the funeral. (In contrast to my cat Pocket's death, which was immediately, heart-wrenchingly real b/c I was there for the entire, agonizing ordeal.)

While I did feel sad about Bo, because I wasn't there when he died, and hadn't seen him in a few weeks, I didn't expect it to REALLY hit me until I went back to my parents' and he wasn't there. Rachel's column about her dog suddenly made it feel real. Upon reading the last line, "So, whether you are dining with a four-legged guest or not, have a bite for my girl Boo," the floodgates opened. My dog, my friend, a beloved member of my family who's been a part of my life since my freshman year in high school, is gone. Really, truly gone. And yet another piece of my heart has broken.