On Christmas Day in 2004 Simon and I travelled to Goulburn to spend a few days with my family. We were all very excited as Simon and I were expecting our first baby the following May. My sister and her husband had travelled from Wagga and we were spending the day with my parents and my beloved Grandad. Unfortunately while we were celebrating Christmas together my Grandad had a stroke and we spent the rest of the day with him in ICU. It is a comfort to us that on that day he never knew that would be the last time he would leave his beautiful home of more than 40 years and that he would not be able to spend another day with his gorgeous dog Gracie by his side. There was a family discussion about who should care for Gracie and Simon and I were very keen to do so. Gracie was 5 years old when she came to live with us a few days after Christmas and we have been blessed to have her as our own for the past 13 years. Sadly my Grandad passed away just six weeks before we welcomed our baby, Sophie into the world but I am very grateful that Gracie has been a very special living memory of my Grandad that I have been able cherish since losing him.
Gracie loves being with the family and travels with us wherever we go on holidays. She loves exploring in the garden that we have in Forde and can often be found walking along the Wee Jasper stone wall that runs the length of our backyard along our neighbour’s fence line. Gracie particularly likes to sit in the playroom whilst Sophie and Tom watch TV, play a board game or build their Lego. She is never far from one of us and she loves to oversee any work that Simon may do in the garden or around the house. Her favourite food is definitely a fresh lamb shank and she has at least two or three milk arrowroot biscuits each day as a treat (or to get her to go outside when we need her too).Although her hearing is quite bad and she has some arthritis in her back legs we are always amazed at how sprightly she is and just how much energy she actually does have at the age of 18. Gracie spends every night with the family and when Sophie and Tom go to bed she sleeps on her bed in front of the lounge until we go to bed and then she sleeps in the laundry. To say we would be lost without her would be an understatement. She came into our family at a time that was quite difficult and we feel blessed that we have been able to have her as long as we have. Sophie and Tom simply adore her as do we all. She is patient, kind, affectionate and an old soul whom we treasure.
– Written by Fiona Frowd
