Our heart is broken again. This year it is the lost of our beloved "Jackson". Jackson was Ben's dog. He inherited him as a puppy from his sister-in-law's brother. Ben swears he used to be as big as a polish sausage!!
Our sweet Jackson has been on "hospice care" for the past 6 months with a paralyzed vocal cord, suspected cancerous tumor on his front paw and pain meds twice a day. He had been doing well, but has been having laryngeal spasms attacks, which cause him fear and shortness of breath. Unfortunately, this time, he did not recover from his exacerbation. He had wandered off, got overheated and the spasm, fever and heat were just too much. We are just glad that Jackie got to enjoy one last stroll through his neighborhood, knowing he probably had a full belly and a grin from ear to ear.
To celebrate his life, I am including our favorite remembrances of him......
"Jackie" riding in the backseat of the truck with Taylor. That's right...Jackson was Ben's first son and always treated like a son. I smile as I remember our "dog friendly honeymoon" where Jackie rode in the front seat and I was wedged in the back seat with ole Georgia (she died last year) and Ole Faithful Guinnie! Only dog lovers choose a honeymoon destination where our ole faithfuls could go with us!!!
My favorite photo of sweet ole Jackson. This was the most recent time we took him back to his ole stomping ground...St Simon's Island. Jackie loved that island and knew it so well. I still laugh out loud at a story that Ben told me about him. Jackie has always LOVED to wander. In his younger years, he would wander away from home in search of food. Twice, Ben had to pick him up....once at the Mc Donalds Drive thru and another time, he had let himself in the back door at the Outback Steakhouse. Jackie loved cuisine...fine or not! Not too long after moving to Charleston, we looked out our kitchen window to see ole Jackie walking proudly down the street with some poor ole Mexican's leftover take out lunch box in his mouth. We could always find him at the closest construction sites!
Jackie loved the boat, water and the beach. He and Ben have always walked and swam together. When I first met Ben, we would hit the beach every weekend to exercise. Jackie would swim beside his daddy. Many times as Guinnie and I would walk on the shore, people would stop to stare in fear that Ben was being chased by a walrus, seal...you name it!! Jackie loved to stand at the front of the boat and bark at dolphins. It was his favorite pasttime!!!
A relaxed Jackson Brown after stealing the boy's lunch. He was famous for giving those " who me?" looks. I remember the first chocolate pound cake I made for Ben was consumed by Jackie. Aluminum foil and all. We left it on the counter, went out to dinner and came back to find no remains. The only evidence was the alum foil poops that Jackie emitted for two days!! This was the first of many robberies...nothing was safe within reach. He did not discriminate. Butter, raw chicken, a pot of chili, my leftover filet (take out box and all), nothing was too bad to be eaten. Jackie 's neck and tongue were like Mr Gadget's arms. You could throw anything to him and his neck would twist to reach it. I swear he could have been entered into a catching contest and win first place every time!!! Though, don't ask Mrs. Slade because she was not impressed as Jackie once stole a whole Christening cake off of her dining room table before the party had started. We smile at the thought of him gobbling it down in a few minutes.
Ole Faithful loved his daddy. They were true soul mates. He and Ben just got each other. It broke my heart to see Ben's sad eyes as he packed up Jackie's stuff. Ben and Jackie made many a road trips together, slept together and spooned like ole lovers and loved to hit the convenience stores together. One snack for daddy and two for Jackie. Ben always shared his treats with his buddy. Another favorite story is when Ben and Jack went to pick up our boat in Florida. Ben was driving away with the boat and looked to the left as he drove away. Jackie had let himself out of the back and was running free, with his tail wagging and his ears flopping. Jackie was a hippie dog. He liked to be free. I smile as I know he is stealing biscuits in doggie heaven and running free.
The boys love Jackie!!! And Jackie loved the boys. He was such a gentle soul. He would let them ride all over him. He would steal their food straight out of their hand or stare at them until guilt would cause them to give it up. I know they miss his presence!!!
Here's the famous Jackson position. Ben kept a huge dog bed up front for his comfort. We love that dog. Miss that dog. Have cried many a tears in the past few days over that dog. That dog was our Jackson! A true best friend. We love you, Jackson Brown!!!
"Fishy" goes on a bike ride.
" Fishy" goes on a car ride to the old bridge.
"Fishy" got thrown back into the marsh. He was started to smell and mommy wanted to puke, so somehow, Turner agreed to let him "go back to his mommy".
T, T and daddy off to go crabbing. We love this place. Daddy and the boys can go crabbing for bait for daddy's fishing days and mommy can enjoy the cool breeze and a cold beverage.
Taylor posing with the Arthur Ravenel Cooper River Bridge in the background!
Turner stretching!! Yes, it was too hot for shorts!!
Turner zooming down the pier's slopes.
Taylor "kabbing" for hot dogs in the crab's bait bucket.
Taylor showing off the hot dogs he caught!
Little T and T watching the sun set at the Old Bridge in Mt. P.
