North Wapiti Blog: December 28, 2006 Ch Chuchinka's Pathfinder

Thursday 28 December 2006

December 28, 2006 Ch Chuchinka's Pathfinder

"CHESTER"
Ch. Chuchinka's Pathfinder
2001 & 2004 IDITAROD FINISHER
December 12, 1996 - December 28, 2006

Of course, we have known the time was coming. We've had more then a month (Nov 22, Dec 3) to relive old times and tell our friend how much we loved, cared for and valued him. This morning it was time to prove it to Chester - time to show him by adding pain to our worlds, but removing it from his.
Last night as I was crawling into bed, with Chester's 10 am vet appointment looming over us, I was caught up by the small space between the mattress and headboard on our bed. I well remember Chester being so small that he would slip through that space and thump to the floor in the middle of the night. I'd fish around in the dark until I found fur and haul him back up onto the bed. He'd quickly settle back in between our pillows. It seems like yesterday.

Yesterday, when he was so full of promise and potential. He lived up to all of it and more. He was a great dog and he had a great life. He saw a lot of places, made a lot of friends and sampled some great food (very important to Chester) along the way.

He was one of a kind.
Karen