On a sunny but cold evening of Friday, March 19, 2021 – the last day of winter -- I had returned from a nearly 30-minute long walk with Galena our golden retriever with a curly tail. The cold did not bother Galena but since I didn’t have the usual multiple layers of warm clothing – I was a little uncomfortable. The temperature was 34 deg. F with wind at 8 mph. This was her second or third walk of the day.

When I came to our backyard – I unleashed Galena who suddenly started walking toward the big shrub by the west side of our house. As I got closer – I saw her exchanging greetings with Smokey (the mother) and Gingy (her son) – our two outdoor cats. The exchange was so friendly and loving – no aggressive posturing or growls – that the setting reminded me of the painting – The Peaceable Kingdom showing a group of animals and children in total harmony.

The top portion of attached photograph #1 – a composite -- shows the painting The Peaceable Kingdom by the American Painter Edward Hicks (1780-1849), painted around 1833. It is an Oil on Canvas, and is shown here, courtesy the Worcester Art Museum, in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Mr. Hicks, a Quaker preacher painted over hundred versions of his now-famous The Peaceable Kingdom.

According to the Internet: “The theme of this painting, drawn from chapter 11 of Isaiah, was undoubtedly attractive to Hicks and fellow Quakers not only for its appealing imagery but also for its message of peace: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and fatling together; and a little child shall lead them."

The lower portion of #1 shows a photograph of Galena, Smokey, and Gingy – animals from two species – a canine and two felines embodying the same message of peace. The bright sun – showering its golden rays on the trio – from 93 million miles away -- was affirming that the universe was in sync with the setting.

A larger version of the painting is shown in #2 and of the photograph in #3 -- below.

Smokey and Gingy were there when Galena was rescued from the Cleveland City Kennel on June 24, 2014. At that time we had six indoor cats – all rescued from outside – including four sisters who were born in our garage. Using nature’s well known law – that all living beings have a limited life – that can be cut short any time – no matter how advanced the medical technology – we now are down to three indoor cats – Kara and Duffie (two of the four sisters) and Tess their aunt – because she is older than them and wiser.

Our Galena was named for an Irish word related to lead. The name sounded very nice – it had a melodious ring to it. There is also a place called Galena, ILL. – a wee bit of Ireland in Illinois. (When I first came to the U.S. – in 1966 -- I landed in Chicago – and went for graduate study in Structural Engineering to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana). My late wife (Sarah Clingain Puri, affectionately known as Sadie) was from Derry (Northern Ireland) and had stipulated that all our pets should have Irish names – over the years – we came up with names for 18 felines and one canine.

Galena coexisted with all her indoor and outdoor feline friends – and also with our neighbor Nancy Csorey’s collies.

On June 25, 2014 – one day after we rescued her – I took Galena for a 50-minute walk around Jefferson Park. She enjoyed the walk – needless to say – I did too. It was a totally new experience for me – to be pulled around the park by a young, energetic, and exuberant Galena.

 

#4, #5, and #6 are three photographs, pertaining to Galena, among others of our pets -- that have been shown to hundreds of students, in various grades, at Riverside Elementary School (a public preK-8 school in our west side neighborhood) where I am a volunteer teacher, Last school year (2020) was my 15th year. In my experience – sharing information about your pets with your young scholars establishes a permanent bond – as most families have pets. I still meet my former students and the first question they ask is how the pets are doing? And of course – I have so many stories to tell!

#4 shows Galena relaxing in one of the 8 tennis courts in Jefferson Park. I love playing tennis – so I was eager to show her the courts.

#5 shows Galena relaxing after her walk around the park – with the signs in the southeast corner – obviously complying with the rules – with a smile!

#6 shows Galena having a tete-a-tete with Zander our neighbor, Nancy Csorey’s collie – across the border fence – tied to the driveway gate – which would play a very important part during the time she stayed with us.

Galena was 7-years old when we rescued her in 2014. In June 2021 – she would have been 14-years old.

 

In mid-February, 2021, Galena was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. She was drinking a lot of water to wash out the toxins in her body. Her appetite was slowly going down. She went, within a five week period, from eating her dry dog food, to special wet food, to special canned stews, to boiled organic chicken, to boiled chicken with boiled rice, to boiled chicken with boiled rice and steamed corn, back to dry dog food, to puppy chow, to mixtures of puppy chow and dry cat food, to dry cat food, and finally nothing.

She loved the dry cat food above all other foods.

She would sneak into the kitchen when I was not around – knock down the plate with the dry cat food (for Tess, Duffie, and Kara – our three indoor cats) from the low-rise table on to the floor – and then eat the food off the floor.

She never liked the special food that she needed to keep her kidneys functioning. When I told her that the food contained unique – very appetizing ingredients – that were good for her – she would give the food a quick look – and move away – as if to say – if it’s that good – why don’t you eat it?

Kulsoom Uruzgani, a dear friend and close-by neighbor, and a gourmet cook, made the boiled chicken and the rice for Galena with loving care. I heated the corn on the cob in the microwave – took off the corn kernels – and after warming the chicken, boiled rice, and the corn for about 15 seconds – fed it to Galena. For about 2-weeks she enjoyed the special food – relishing plates of it as if there was no tomorrow -- but slowly as the toxins took over – she moved away.

Of the nearly 60 houses around Jefferson Park – our neighbor Nancy’s house and ours – both have 40 x 120 ft. vacant lots – also called double lots. Nancy’s collies and our Galena both enjoy walking in the lots -- like their own private parks.

 

#7 shows Galena returning from her morning walk in her very lush looking vacant lot on August 29, 2020. Galena knew the lot’s landscape very well – the shrubs, the trees, the fence, the shortcuts around obstacles, Smokey and Gingy, squirrels, birds, the sunshine, and the changing seasons. Given a choice, Galena would rather be in Jefferson Park than in her house with a double lot. She was very adept at making a dash for the park and sneaking out of the driveway gate.

#8 shows Galena – standing in front of the driveway gate – on a 2020 summer morning -- ready to see if she can escape outside. And, if not – she would stand there – and bark and wag her curly tail, bark and wag her curly tail, bark and -------- in one coordinated move -- till she was taken outside. She never found her large vacant lot to be big enough – it was always the outside – the world beyond the gate that she wanted to explore.

 

 

#9 shows Galena in the front lawn of her house, on the afternoon of August 29, 2020, when Nancy Csorey, our neighbor, walking Dakota -- her collie, spotted her. Galena, it appears, is telling Dakota how much fun it is being out on your own without a leash. Nancy alerted me and when I ran after Galena, she made a dash across Cooley Avenue to the south side of Jefferson Park.

#10 shows Galena wandering on the south side of Jefferson Park after she got out of the gate on the afternoon of August 29, 2020. When I was alerted by our neighbor Nancy – I ran after her without the leash – well she ran ahead of me – first crossing Cooley Avenue - – and then going up and down the south side’s wide- sidewalk. Galena did her best to avoid me – and it took some effort to bring her home.

 

 

Summer Waterless Baths:

Giving Galena a summer bath was always a challenge until Nancy (our neighbor) got Galena her first container of the waterless spray.

#11 shows Galena receiving her first summer bath of the season using waterless shampoo from Dr. Abid Ali, our dear friend and a close-by neighbor, on a hot and sunny morning of Independence Day (July 4, 2020). After the shampoo, she was dried up with a hair dryer. After the bath, Galena was beaming from ear to ear. See #13 for how she looked the next day.

#12 shows Galena with Dr. Abid Ali, our dear friend and a close-by neighbor, and his lovely family on a pleasant early afternoon of June 5, 2019. Kulsoom is a gourmet cook (cooked chicken and rice for Galena). The three lovely kids are young scholars at Garfield Elementary School – in spring 2021 – in the first grade (Farhan, center), fifth grade (Tabasum, right), and seventh grade (Imran, left). They all loved Galena and took care of her and the cats whenever I had to go out of town. Galena had a mind of her own – and would not turn around to smile for the camera.

I love plants and in the summer time – Galena would sit in the concreted area in front of the garage as I planted our scores of pots with an assortment of flowers – cosmos, zenias, marigolds, and impatiens. The geraniums are perennials – so at the end of the season – I move them to the sun room on the second floor. They should be coming down very soon. Except for the impatiens – I grow the remaining flowers from seeds that are saved from the previous year. Every spring – I walk down to Marc’s in Kamms Corner – and pick up containers of impatiens in assorted colors.

#13 shows Galena at the top of our rear porch (with 4 steps) on the evening of July 5, 2020 – one day after she received her first bath of the season -- surrounded by summer foliage – a maple tree on the left and a catalpa tree on the right – both plants growing out of pots – and because of the restricted root growth – they grow like miniatures – up to a height of 3 to 4 feet and no more.

#14 shows Galena surrounded by summer plants – lush tall pokeweed plants in the background, marigolds to her far left, and multi-colored zenias to her right, on the afternoon of August 29, 2020 – looking totally unfazed -- about 15 minutes after the return from her escapade to the south side of Jefferson Park.

Starting in May, when the plants (grown from the previous year’s seeds) were being transferred to the pots – Galena would sit down – a short distance away – in the posture of the Sphinx Statue of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut -- looking beyond the driveway gate -- and provide very good company all summer long (see #15).

#15 shows Galena (our golden retriever with a curly tail) surveying her kingdom in the posture of the granite Sphinx Statue of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut – with paws frontal and sitting down -- on the summer afternoon of September 2, 2020. She was facing north – looking at the driveway’s plants and flowers – pokeweed, orange cosmos, marigolds, and zenias, Cooley Avenue, the two sidewalks, and the southern edge of Jefferson Park with the maple trees. She would bark at anyone walking across the sidewalk – a good 100 feet away – as if to announce – loud and clear -- that she was guarding her kingdom (house).

The composite photograph shows two views (front and rear) of the Sphinx Statue of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut when it was in place in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. My late wife, Sarah Clingain Puri (affectionately known as Sadie -- we are both from NYC and moved to Cleveland in 2001), before we were married – did a paper on the statute for her art course at Queens College of the City University of New York in April 1969. She was working for a Bachelor’s degree – working full-time during the day and taking classes in the evening.

The way our Galena would sit – reminded me of the two views of the Sphinx Statue – front with the face and two paws, and the rear – with the rear body and tail. Of course the royal tail was no comparison to Galena’s unique curly tail.

#16 shows Galena (our golden retriever with a curly tail), romping through leaves from the maple trees, around noon, November 12, 2020. Given a choice, Galena would rather be in Jefferson Park than in her house with a vacant lot. She was very adept at sneaking out of the driveway gate and making a dash for the park.

#17 shows Galena waiting patiently, in front of our driveway gate, to be taken out on the morning of Sunday, December 6, 2020. I was surveying the damage to our plants caused by a recent snowstorm that dumped wet snow in our area and buckled the dry pokeweed stalks. This plant has been growing along our driveway for the past two or three years. The plants grow to a height of 7 to 8 feet and provide very lush greenery (see #14 background) and yield dark black berries that had dried and fallen off a few weeks ago. While the plant is poisonous –according to the Internet -- it has a history of being used for food, medicine, as an herb, dye for clothing, ink for writing, colorant for wines, and much more.

 

#18 shows Galena taking a walk in the backyard of her house on the afternoon of February 20, 2021 – a special day when the sun came out for a change – in a month when we got 12 to 14 inches of snow.

#19 shows Galena’s footprints in the deep snow in her vacant lot as observed on the afternoon of the same day. Even with so much snow – Galena would still go out and take a walk.

#20 shows Galena with Imran Ali, our dear friend and a close-by neighbor, and a seventh grade young scholar at Garfield Elementary School, in front of the Cooley Avenue sidewalk leading to our driveway on the afternoon of March 1, 2021 with a food package for Galena – boiled chicken and rice cooked by Kulsoom his dear mom and a gourmet cook. Imran traveled on his scooter for fast delivery!

#21 shows Galena showing love for Nancy Csorey, our neighbor, on the morning of March 2, 2021. While out on her morning walk – we stopped by Nancy’s house to say hello. Nancy loves dogs – and has provided home to many collies. At present she has Dakota – a collie. In 2014, when Galena arrived – Nancy had Maggie and Zander – both collies – now at the Rainbow Bridge.

#22 shows Galena, posing reluctantly, by her favorite fire hydrant (opposite our neighbor Nancy Csorey’s vacant lot) on the south side of Cooley Avenue, on the early afternoon of March 7, 2021 – during one of her daily 3 to 4 walks to observe the world outside her house. The fire hydrant (the only one in our immediate area) was a favorite stopping point for Galena to check out.

#23 shows Galena observing how she can sneak out around 1:30 a.m. on a cold Friday, March 19, 2021 -- the last day of winter. She was barking and wagging her tail, and barking and wagging her tail, and ----- insisted on being taken out for a short walk on the south side of Cooley Avenue. Given a choice, Galena would rather be in Jefferson Park than in her house with a vacant lot.

#24 shows Galena (our golden retriever with a curly tail) taking a walk along the south side of Jefferson Park on the first day of spring – Saturday, March 20 – a nice sunny day with a high of 50 deg. F. She enjoyed her walks once the snow cleared.

#25 shows Galena (our golden retriever with a curly tail) checking out the entrance to the 2-car garage (no cars – I walk, don’t drive, and use public transportation) on the morning of March 20, 2021 – the first day of spring. The left garage door is left ajar – so that Smokey (not shown) and Gingy (her son) in the foreground can stay inside during cold weather. Now Galena is trying to see how she can crawl inside – and if I were not watching – she would have no problem getting in. And once inside – after she had explored the place – she would bark and bark – because she didn’t know how to get out.

#26 shows Galena walking in her 40 x 120 ft. vacant lot on the afternoon of Sunday, March 21, 2021 – a nice second day of spring -- devoid of the summer lushness. Every day, as long as it was not raining – she would walk all over – from top to bottom – left to right – and back -- 3 to 4 times without getting tired.

 

Galena used to sleep in the basement where I did most of my writing work – surrounded by computer equipment and books, magazines, documents, etc.

She had two beds.

Her first bed was on the floor – padded with pillows – and with easy access to water and the bathroom. She used this bed, when I was out of the house or when I went upstairs to sleep. She had a long leash to help facilitate easy movement.

Her second bed was on the big couch by my armchair. This too was padded with pillows, blankets, and cushions for resting her head. A step stool was provided for Galena to help climb to the top of her bed. She learned very quickly how to get on and off and move around with rapid ease.

Galena used pillow covers that Sadie had sewn for us. She also used the baby blankets that Sadie had picked up from Goodwill and similar stores for our pets.

#27 shows Galena relaxing on her bed, with her head resting on two cushions, on a couch in the basement after taking a walk or after having a meal. This was Galena telling me that she was happy!

#28 shows Galena relaxing on her bed, with her head buried in the top cushion, on a couch in the basement after taking a walk or after having a meal. Her head took many positions on the cushions. And, she also moved, frequently, from one side of the couch to the other side – as if the couch was a place to walk on – back and forth. Of course, Galena was moving around to keep herself comfortable.

Sadie had made the lower cushion for our pets. I got the upper cushion for Galena (actually a headrest from Marc’s). Galena loved to bury her head in the headrest – as if to say – “please, don’t disturb me”!

#29 shows Galena relaxing on her bed, with her head on the top cushion (above a lower cushion) observing me as I worked on the desktop computer (not shown) – a few feet away. She preferred that I sit in the armchair (to her right – not shown). Her eyes would pop up if I moved from the armchair – closely observing what I was up to. If I went to the laundry room – she was quick to follow me. And, if I sneaked up for a quick errand – she was up promptly. Galena was my constant eyes and ears!

 

 

#30 shows Galena on the right side of her bed on the couch – looking affectionately at me sitting in my armchair (not shown) – just 2-feet away. She was very happy when I was within her sight. Whenever we came down to the basement together – she would make sure that I took my seat in the chair – before she came over – got on the step stool and climbed on to the couch. And then she would do her dance – moving her head from one position to another and her body from one side of the couch to the other and back – to keep herself comfortable.

And all the while – Galena would be watching me.

Many nights I would fall asleep on my armchair. Galena loved this arrangement – this way she did not have to sleep on her regular bed.

And if I did decide to go upstairs and sleep in my bedroom – boy did I have a challenge coaxing her to come down from the couch to her regular bed. She would keep on looking at me affectionately as in view #27 or #29 or bury her head as in #28 -- pretending she did not hear me. She was playing with me. And once she was in bed – and after checking everything was in order – I blessed Galena, blessed our cats, blessed every one else, and then blessed myself – before wishing her good night! I believe she enjoyed the ritual!

Galena was my constant companion when I was in the house or outside in the yard. If I came in for a short errand – she was right behind me. And as soon as I went out – she was able to nudge the porch door open – and she followed me.

When I was outside in the yard and went inside the garage – she was right behind me.

And if I went outside the gate – she would nudge the two leaves of the gate – and was right behind me. And if I were not looking – she would make a dash across Cooley Avenue – to the south side of Jefferson Park -- and then make me chase her – from one side to the other. For her this, without the leash, was play and a lot of fun!

Once I became aware of her moves – I would then put her leash on and let her sit in the front porch. She liked the street view from the higher vantage point.

Any time I was having a snack in the backyard – Galena insisted that she be fed her snacks too. So here was the rule – one bite for dear Galena -- and then one bite for me!

Galena had her meals by her bed in the basement.

And when I was eating in the dining room – I used to feel so bad eating alone – I would let her come up – she would sit at my feet – and we were back to our rule -- one snack bite for dear Galena -- and then one bite for me!

She got very spoiled – sometimes insisting for a bite of cookies or ice cream that I was eating.

Monday, March 22, 2021 – I was up early.

I got ready – and came down – around 6:00 a.m. – and Galena was so excited to see me – as she was most mornings – wagging her tail -- ready for her first of the 3 to 4 walks of the day.

I took my seat in the armchair – this was her cue to come and sit on her bed on the couch, which she did. Once up, Galena started her dance – moving her head from one position to another and her body from one side of the couch to the other and back – to keep herself comfortable.

I knew what was up for the day – our Galena did not. On Saturday (March 20), after she had stopped eating -- I had made an appointment with Dr. Chauhan for Monday at 11:00 a.m. at the Buckeye Animal Hospital.

At 9:00 a.m. – Galena and I came up – with Galena leading the way.

We came out to the backyard and I took her out.

#31 shows Galena out for her last morning walk on Monday, March 22 on the south side of Jefferson Park – looking for microbial life – and not one bit bored -- on her last day on Spaceship Earth. She was being aided with up to 300 million olfactory receptors in her nose, compared to about six million in mine.

Galena enjoyed the walk – like all the previous countless walks, for the past nearly 7-years-- beyond the driveway gate.

When we got back from the walk – Galena was still on her leash – I brought her up the porch steps inside to get blessed before leaving. She came in – walked around after she was blessed --she looked at me – and turned around to go down to the basement to her bed on the couch.

I had the leash on her – I was afraid – if Galena went down – it may be difficult to bring her back up.

So I was able to lead her out – took her off the leash -- and let her walk in her vacant lot.

But this is not what Galena wanted – she wanted to go down to the basement and relax on her bed on the couch.

That I had to decide what was good for Galena – to keep our appointment at the Buckeye Animal Hospital – because she had stopped eating – was a very painful decision! .

#32 shows Galena (our golden retriever with a curly tail) contemplating what it’s all about living on the last day on Spaceship Earth on the morning of a sunny Monday, May 22, 2021.

She had a short while ago come back from her walk along the south side of Jefferson Park -- went inside to get blessed -- wanted to go to her bed on the couch in the basement – I held her back and brought her out --and then she walked in her large vacant lot (in the background) which she had done so many times before for the past nearly 7-years --and later romped with Smokey and Gingy.

While Galena had stopped eating – she was otherwise very active and full of energy.

She really didn’t want to go for the appointment I had scheduled.

Galena, after her morning walk, wanted to go to her bed on the couch! This is what she did every time --this was part of her daily routine!

Every one says you have to let your darling pets go when they are healthy and not let them suffer any longer!

.

Holding her back – would have increased her life span by a few days – but with her not eating – she would not be comfortable. Tying her to a dialysis machine was never an option. Dr. Chauhan concurred with the decision.

I did let Galena go against her will to the Rainbow Bridge -- one of my most painful decisions – something I have pondered on every day afterwards!

May be Galena will tell me when we meet again if she agreed with what I did!

#33 shows Galena with her friends – our two outdoor cats – Smokey (mother, right) and Gingy (her son) on her last day on Spaceship Earth on a sunny morning of Monday, March 22.

Note how Gingy and Galena are walking – as if this was an African plain – in an endless march – Gingy, young and more active-looking leading the way – and Galena, the senior member, following him – her head down – as if waiting for the final sunset!

 

#34 shows Galena being held by Dr. Abid Ali, our dear friend and close-by neighbor. She traveled in Dr. Ali’s hybrid RAV4 (rear) on her way to the Buckeye Animal Hospital via St. Vincent de Paul Church on the morning of Monday, March 22. Galena loved Dr. Ali and was very happy to let him give her the summer bath with waterless shampoo.

#35 shows Galena photographed in front of the main steps leading to St. Vincent de Paul Church (Sadie’s parish) shortly after I said a prayer for her on a pleasant Monday morning of March 22, 2021. I am not a religious person – but I can recite a brief prayer when needed. Galena was blessed multiple times every day when she was at home. She enjoyed the attention. The prayer perked her up and she got so excited – she was pulling on the leash – as if to say:

 

 

 

Galena knew a thing or two about steps – she climbed so many of them in her house.

She lived in the basement. She had to walk up 11-steps with an intermediate landing for a total height of 7 feet and 6 inches to get to the first floor. Then she had to walk down 4-steps (total height of 2 feet and 8 inches) from the rear porch to the backyard. She repeated this feat – three to four times every day for the nearly 7-years she was with us. And if you do the math – she climbed and descended nearly 150,000 feet of steps – over 28 miles – one step at a time – dragging up and moving down her 31 pounds, supported on four paws, of an engineering marvel of a golden-haired canine body!

To which, quoting Robert Frost, the American poet (1874-1963) – Galena, whose Irish mammy, dear Sadie, was very knowledgeable of English Literature, would have responded:

#36 shows a happy Galena (our golden retriever with a curly tail) photographed on the weighing scale at the Buckeye Animal Hospital – shortly before noon on Monday, March 22, 2021.

She enjoyed sitting on the scale -- sat there for seven minutes -- as if to say:

The happy look was Galena’s way of saying:

And, Sadie, my late wife from Derry (Northern Ireland) would have added:

Shortly after noon, Galena made her way to the Rainbow Bridge!

Her cremains were brought home on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 – after being blessed outside on the steps of St. Vincent de Paul church. She is at peace now – sharing the space with her big feline family – Annabelle, Bertie, Cassie, Fenian, Heather, Lizzieanne, Maddie, Maggie, Maisie, Maxie, Nellie, Oonagh, Patrick, Riley, and Willie.

Many thanks to Dr. Surinder Singh Chauhan and his staff – Kathy and Darian -- who took excellent care of our darling Galena during her trips to the Buckeye Animal Hospital!