ISWS ALCh. UKC ALGrCh Tangaloor Appley Ever After (7/6/2005-4/28/2018) 

Appley ... Apples ... Appleman .... He was my 1st Silken. Almost from the day we met at Alison Brendel's in June 2009, I became his human. He told me so. I don't know what he saw in me, but I have never felt such immediate unconditional love; and soon I loved him back. He joined the small pack of my 2 remaining retired Greyhounds with amazing ease & helped to heal me from my loss of 2 Greys just a few months before .... April is the cruelest month …

Appley made such a positive impression that the future Agent Gita (my future SmartAss Bitch) followed his arrival just 2 months later. He became a fabulous 'uncle' for the clever, fiesty puppy; but I was still #1 in his eyes. I was his human. When I started showing my Silkens, he joined in ISWS Companion classes & then later in UKC & ISWS Altered competitions. In theory he was my filler, but - despite his infamously huge 'Appley ears', he blossomed as he aged & increasingly 'failed' to be a filler earneding both a ISWS ALCh & UKC ALGrCh. He participated in racing (TO ME at the finish) and became famous for a long string of Turtle awards. 

But most of all I was his human, and he loved me unconditionally - despite my becoming distracted with other hounds. He was always there for me, & I kept him close. 

After his diagnosis with cancer, we focused on comfort. Appley was doing amazingly well until just a few days ago when his diet began to falter. He declined to eat yesterday morning & even declined to take his pills wrapped in Humbolt Fog cheese & prosciutto (yes, he was very spoiled). He joined me at my hair cut appointment & ate some treats & yogurt, but then declined ice-cream & goats milk .... In the evening he became unsteady & fell in the yard. I carried him inside to a bed, and later he died in my arms. 

I am thankful for my friends who happened to be here last night, for my neighbor vet who came to ensure he was comfortable, for my Rob & for the InPhenite Hounds who comfort me. As T.S. Eliot said "April is the cruelest month ...", Appley will be sorely missed.

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