Saying Goodbye

My co-workers decided to leave me some warming memories of them. Believe me...they won't be forgotten!

Dr. Goudreau (Chris must have been busy)

She secretly loves me...

I'm in her HEART, that's the story I'm sticking with! 

Thank you Teener!

Jeanine wanted to make sure everyone on my journey home realized just how much I meant to them. So sweet...

NY or BUST!

Happy graffiti 

And I do!

I do indeed!

Goodbye :-(

Yum!

We passed this sign many times. It wasn't until I was headed home that I finally pulled to the side of the road to take a picture of it. 

Lobster ice cream...only in Maine!

Waves Crashing

This was probably one of my favorite stops during our Maine adventure. It was just a pull off on the side of the road, but it gave us a glorious full-fledged view of the power of the miles of ocean around us.

Dev checking out the views

Crash!

Rolling in...

I love when the water trickles off the rocks.

The swirls look angry...

It's definitely plotting something.

Very pretty rock Devin found.

Pine Cone Sky

I wanted to share these pictures Devin captured while he was wandering around Square Pond one day. I love how the pine cones look against the beautiful blue sky!

Spruce Creek

Devin and I found this area during one of our days of exploring. It's not hard...every road seems to lead to the ocean!

Spruce Creek

We came across this shed...the birds seemed to liked it!

Love all the buoys! 

We also came along this old wooden bridge...

Long washed away, but still photo worthy!

And of course...THE OCEAN!

Valentine's Day Masacre

We woke up to a full blown blizzard on February 14th. While most were deciding where they were going to celebrate their Valentine's Day, we were trying to cuddle together for warmth due to power-outages throughout the state. The weather predicted 10-20 inches of snow, sleet, and rain. Not to mention the 60 mile/hour winds...and blow it did!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ice Art

Thought these pictures were fun. Taken on Square Pond.

Crackle...Crackle...

Blub...Blub

Trapped!

Cold as Ice

While exploring another road, we came across this thick layer of ice covering the rocks on the side of the road. 

It was adjacent to a powerful hydroelectric plant...which was also a little detained by the ice.

Not so Steep Falls

While exploring our new surroundings, Devin and I happened upon a bridge leading to 'Steep Falls'.

Bridge leading to Steep Falls

 We were excited to be able to view the waterfalls.

 

Although these trickles did make a quaint splash...

I think the name was a little...mocking?!

 To say the least.

But, I did spot this really neat spirally rooted tree!

Definitely photo-worthy!

Rawr! The Ocean!!

So excited to have finally come face-to-face with the ocean! (Wells, ME)

Smile!

'Coastline' view, not what I expected :-/

So, I decided to turn my sites to a more appealing view...and drink it all in! (Well not literally.) :-)

'Twin rocks'

Love the ripples!

I thought I would add this one for Valentine's Day!

'Home' away from home...

Finally made it to Sanford Maine! My first travel assignment for my Radiology job! So exciting!  

However, after the almost 5 hour trip...we were not too excited to come 'home' to this hotel room.

Trying to clean...blech!

Comfy Kitchen...

This was definitely the most appealing piece!

Cozy!

My company had set us up in the one place they could find in this small town. Of course with them being out of AZ, they could only go by what the man told them on the phone. Thankfully they (Melissa) got us out of there quickly! And landed us this amazing place on Square Pond...who can object to this sunrise?!

Square Pond Sunrise

My Autumn Girl

It's hard to say goodbye over a telephone, but sometimes thats all you have. Things happen you have no control over. Sometimes life makes the call. Sometimes you can hold something in your hands for only so long and then you have to let it go.

My beagle Autumn has been sick for over a week now. The Vet narrowed it down to Hep B, a liver tumor, or Lymphoma. 

Since I moved out of my house, my mother has been taking care of Audi. She was able to give her attention and take better care of her than I could have, given my financial state at the moment. I'm blessed to have good people in my life that know how much my animals mean to me. So, today...my mother called me with thoughts I have been turning over in my own mind for some time now. Autumn is just over 13 years old. She hasn't eaten in almost 5 days. Her mouth and neck were now beginning to swell (which the Vet said was a sign of Lymphoma). We have the option of doing exploratory surgery or an internal ultrasound, but given her age (and the fact that she has already survived pancreatitis twice) do we really want to put her through being a lab rat? Only to prolong what I already have no control over? We all know the 'right' answer. We all know the 'right' thing that needed to be done. So I found myself having to say 'goodbye' over the telephone. I found myself crying through my words. Barely able to breathe, barely able to find the words to sum up how much she really meant to me, and how much I appreciated the years of memories. The years of being one of the only beings in my life to make me feel happy to come home.

For anyone who has never had the pleasure of loving a animal, you have no idea.

Autumn gave me over 13 years of unconditional love. Why is it no human seems to be able to do that for another human? Maybe when we learn to treat others as we would want to be treated, the world wouldn't be in half of the trouble it is now. But who am I? Just a silent voice in the crowd. Well, at least now I have a few souls shouting down my words from Heaven too.

Friday, January 19th I had to play God. I had to make the decision to not let Autumn get to the point where she was suffering or losing her quality of life. I had to make one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make in my life. But, now that I have, I know it was what needed to be done. I realize that what does not kill you makes you stronger, and it's just another lesson in life I can add to my list.

Autumn Girl Bennett

08.21.93 ~ 01.19.07