Mrs. Tbogg is still the best basset model ever.

The ashes thing. It’s not really uncommon. Even if they are tucked away in a foot locker or the back of a closet, you’ll be glad you have the ashes. We have the remains of our faithful few; two in a sweet pewter tin, and another in a smooth polished wooden box. Our surviving boys will no doubt join them one day, way off in the future (knock wood).

They are still with us, they are just no longer clearing the coffee table every time they wag their tails.

echoing jnfr, Mrs. Bogg is very beautiful (inside and out).

Fenway is certainly growing into a regal looking basset. He’s just gorgeous. Also, he seems to have become adult-sized overnight.

The idea of mixing up your own ashes with Satch’s is awesome.

Btw, the elephant sanctuary has a resident basset and here’s what was written about her recently:

Is it friendship… or love of produce? The last three nights, Frieda [one of the Asian “ex-circus Diva” elephants] has been enjoying her dinner outside on the Phase 1 Barn ‘patio.’ Stretched out on the grass a few feet away is Eleanor, the Q-Barn basset hound, eyes glued on Frieda eating her produce. It’s too cute. Tuesday night, Eleanor got so relaxed she fell over on her side, but quickly righted herself and fixed her eyes on the produce once more.

Is there a basset alive who isn’t adorable?

Yeah. Twenty years later and she still brings teh hott.

I forgot to add…Beckham is adorable as always.

I always thought it was a weird thing to keep the ashes of a beloved pet, but after that day something in me changed and I came to understand the need to hang on to something like that.

I’ll admit I’ve got some worn collars stashed away. When the break between this world and the Rainbow Bridge is particularly fresh I’ve worn them around my wrist. Of course our Papillons and cats wear collars more conveniently sized for this form of necromemorialization than your Bassetts…

I always wanted to find a way to preserve the skull of our dog Candy-Mouse, because she was a retired (not very successful) showgirl with the prettiest, most adorable little head (and the dog equivalent of a room-temperature IQ, so it was barely used!). Unfortunately the Spousal Unit did not agree, either about the aesthetics or the sentimental value.

Yes, TBogg’s is still your one-stop shop for pictures of basset schlong. Some things never change.

The truly disturbing part of that picture, though, is that you can’t see what Fenway is doing with his forelegs. From that position, he could be attaching some implement of destruction to the underside of the bed*! Have you done something to annoy him lately? Beware!

(*Or changing the oil in a car, for that matter. Cute pose.)

Ahhhh. Beckham’s looking like his old self. Fenway is looking like the younger version of Beckham. And Mrs. Tbogg is probably way too good for you.

As for doggie ashes, you’ll be glad you’ve got them. We have several of our dearly departed canine family members in lovely polished boxes and the memories they spark are wonderful.

Hey, I think I have the same kitchen cabinets! Now, did Cooder not have to wear one of those strange harnesses you make the pups wear, or is it just not visible in that pic?

We’ve got the ashes of Cypress (I hope cat people can play too). They sent them home in a very nice jar. It was mostly because I didn’t want to imagine what *else* they’d do with it, honestly. She wasn’t a plays-well-with-others type, and I think she’d have loathed a communal grave with other cats and, God forbid, dogs. They did ask if we wanted some of her fur, that I turned down because I didn’t want anyone shaving my poor, pretty baby like she was some kind of meat product. The last night we had her home, I spent on the bathroom floor with her because that’s where she wanted to be, and I clipped a little fur from her tail, which I’m glad I did because she really did have lovely fur. Better me than some random person, though.

I admit I slept with her favorite cat toy for two weeks, until my partner got sad about it and found me a plush black panther. And I admit we’ve kept her straggly favorite blanket. I’m going to use it as pillow stuffing when I get some nice fabric. Laugh, but it’s what I did with my grandmother’s quilt when it fell beyond repair as well.

The ashes sit in the closet, still in the pretty bag, with the lovely cards the clinic sent us. I cut up the envelopes and folded them into origami cranes, and a few of those sit with them. The rest went into the fishbowl of cranes we took to the doctors who gave us longer with her, and far better time, than we ever expected to get when they told us what was wrong with her. We asked them to try to remember her when they looked at the cranes.

I’ve been planning to mix my cats ashes with mine one day, too–most people think that’s weird, so it’s nice to see I’m not the only one who wants that. (Our lawyer didn’t want to include those details in our wills. Go figure.)

For me, mixing our ashes one day just mirrors our lives together, so intertwined, or at least all those times warming their fannies was more important than whatever territory issues they might have had and we all curled up together under the comforter in the wee hours of the morning. Who doesn’t want that to last forever?

Dayyum, Fenway is packing. Or does he always wake up with a boner?

Man, you must have something going for you to win the love of a woman with that much legs and the affection of at least four bassets.

Hmm, does this mean we can look forward to Friday Morning Basset Porn Blogging soon?

Would it be terribly out of line for me to say you seem to have hit the jackpot in every way? Beautiful wife, wonderful canine companions, amazing daughter and mind sharper than a Hattori Hanzo sword. In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t make out that well. You’re truly blessed.

Lord, T, what are you feeding Fenway? That seems like remarkable growth even for a basset. You slipping some Miracle-Gro in there?

That boy is going to be huge(r).

Awwwwww shucks guys…thanks for all the nice comments. And Ferrari, we both hit the jackpot!

believe you are correct MrsT. if I hadn’t become as virtually attached to you as your boyz through your gracious comments, I’d be lusting after the former cowboy

Mr TBogg – good on you for bringing Satchmo home – bet it helps with the healin’ – it gives this Satchmo gurl some comfort

ps, forgot to mention that if I could ‘talk purdy’ I’d make the point of how gorgeous Fenway truly is – neither one of you sound like ’show people’, but if he’s within an inch of the standard, I’d be trotting him around the ring every week end