My little protector is gone. People can ring my doorbell or knock on the door and nobody barks. It’s just quiet…so quiet.
My neighbour whose two children have studied with me for several years let me know how sad they all are that Toffee is gone. Her son, when he started lessons with me was absolutely terrified of all dogs, including Toffee. For weeks Toffee knew he had to stay in his crate. Then gradually I could let him out, but hold on to the leash during the lesson. Finally one day “A” let Toffee sniff his feet. At the lesson two weeks ago I could see how much “A” had changed as the first thing he did when he came in the door was encourage Toffee to roll over for the weekly belly rub.
Toffee loved it when students would come to make music, and especially when siblings had to wait and could give him some undivided attention. The pandemic changed that, and he became lonely at times since students were not able to come to the house….but during online lessons Toffee could be found under the piano or on his favourite chair, listening and resting.
I promise I’ll move on from this wallowing in self-pity and loneliness, but I need a few more days just to remember, with tears.
Reflections 