My BJ, My Husband has Died

baymule

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BJ passed away September 20 with Covid Pneumonia. We both were sick, but he got worse and I took him to the hospital. He rallied and I thought I would be bringing him home, but that was not to be. The hospital called me that morning to tell me that they were putting him on a ventilator. BJ could hear me and we talked. We told each other that we loved each other. He was concerned over me, I told him that I was getting better and would come see him in a day or two. Just a few hours later, the hospital called back and he was gone. The only thing I have to be happy over that is that God was merciful and my BJ didn't linger for weeks and weeks.

I am devastated. I am lost. I am missing the love of my life, my best friend, my everything. On February 14, 2021, we were married 25 years. I am so blessed to have been loved so greatly. Most people live their whole lives and never have what we had. We did everything together. We never went anywhere without the other one. We were together on everything. Everyone who knew us could see the love we had for each other. He proclaimed his devotion to me to everyone. People only had to spend only a couple of minutes with us to see how much we adored each other.

I've been very weak. My neighbor Robert has come over twice a day to feed and care for my animals. Only a few days ago I could finally walk to the sheep barn and sit in a chair while he fed. I am pushing myself to do a little more each day. This morning I went and sat with Sheba and Sentry. They gave me lots of hugs and licky-face. Ringo came to me and the young ewes that he is with now. I got my sheep therapy. I cried, hugged dogs, hugged sheep and Ringo. I finally gathered myself together and fed the sheep, first time in weeks.

I am going to put the farm up for sale. BJ and I had been talking about moving farther south to be closer to family, so this is not a sudden rash decision. At this point, I don't know what I want to do. My son has a house on 2 acres that he bought to be a rental. Covid dropped the bottom out of everything and he just sat on it. He parks his RV in the yard and has been staying in that. House needs a little work, mostly it's stuff I can do. When I sell this place, I'll take my sheep and dogs and move to his house. It is located in Trinity county, I'll be 2 hours closer to my DD and family and I'll be an hour from my sister. Then I'm going to just hunker down for awhile and let time do what time does. Layne, my son, has two 40' Connex boxes that I can out outside stuff in. We are going to move a small 8'x10' portable building that I have, for a feed room. I'm keeping most of my sheep and my dogs. I'm selling my horses to a neighbor that is thrilled to have them. I've given away my chickens and the hoop coop to a disabled couple.

I need to get stronger, back to my tornado self, and get things done. Once I sell this place and move to my son's house, I will just stay there for awhile. God will open doors and show me the way. I don't know what that is yet, but I do know that I don't want to be here any more.

I'm having BJ cremated. He had a deep rooted fear of being dumped in a hole in the ground and left alone. He would get real emotional about it. We discussed cremation and that is what he wanted. I promised him that I would keep him with me and that he wouldn't be alone. Someday, my kids will have to do the same for me and put us somewhere together.

I finally folded and put away clothes that sat on the sofa for weeks. I finally got the blue jeans out of the dryer, yesterday. Dishes piled up and I struggled just to eat and drink. Food was either so salty tasting that I wanted to throw up or it was so sweet that I spit it out. I could drink milk. I've gone through a couple gallons of milk. For some reason, I can eat Eggo frozen waffles and orange juice. I'm getting my taste back, but I'm not cooking. In a little while, I'm going to town for onion rings. That's what I want today.

Coffee is still in the pot. I realized that was the last pot of coffee my darling made for me. It has mold floating in it. I look at it and cry. Maybe in the next few days I can bring myself to pour it out, clean the pot and make myself some coffee.

I'm so lost.
 

baymule

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I’m going through old pictures for BJs memorial. I ran across our wedding pictures. The sheriff of the county walked in with his shotgun. BJ had been a pretty rowdy guy, got thrown in jail for bar fights and such. He was well known to the law. LOL

So Billy Ray walked in dressed in a ridiculous get-up and a shotgun. He announced, “I’m here to make sure Bobby Joe gets married and Dana don’t run off.”

We really did have a shotgun wedding.

EA56D4DC-8A4A-4394-AFDC-0D5765255DD8.jpeg
 

baymule

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Ive had my Eggo toaster waffle and orange juice this morning. Having a cup of coffee, first in awhile. No, haven't cleaned the pot, can't do that yet. I boiled coffee on the stove and threw in a couple of ice cubes to shock and settle the grounds. Coffee is good this morning.

Thank you to all my dear friends here for your kind words. They mean more to me than y'all know.
 

baymule

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I spent yesterday morning sending pictures from my phone to friends that are going to put a memorial together for BJ. This morning I went through my computer. Maybe tomorrow I'll tackle BJ's junk room and go through more pictures. A neighbor brought me a LOT of food yesterday, so I'll be eating good. I can't eat much, but I make sure to eat to keep gaining my strength back. I've been feeding the sheep and dogs in the mornings. My neighbor Robert has been coming over in the evenings to feed and water for me. He has a colostomy on Friday and will likely be down for 2 weeks from removing polyps. So I will have to muddle through it. I'll make it.

When Robert is back on his feet, I'm going to Corpus Christi to see my DD and family. I need granddaughter hugs.
 

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Today is BJ’s memorial service in Livingston, 170 miles south. He lived there 35 years, everyone knew him. I lived there 30 years. We moved here on our 19th anniversary. I need this. I need to be among people who loved BJ. Taking my beloved to the hospital and getting him back weeks later in a small cherry wood box is a nightmare of bad dreams from which I cannot wake up from.

I need to grieve in the company of others. I need to cry, I need to laugh, but most of all, I need to celebrate everything that was BJ.
I hope his service and seeing his people gives you exactly what you need today. :hugs
 

baymule

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BJs memorial was so nice. Our friends from Livingston came up and did the honors here, a lot of friends were here. Some brought food, one brought drinks, just an informal cake, cookies, chips and sandwiches. Then everyone visited. A dear friend that DD has been friends with all her life came with her 3kids. They dumped toys in the middle bedroom and played. Middle granddaughter clung to her mom during the service and youngest sat in my lap. It was a perfect afternoon.

We all laughed together and we all cried together. Our friends here needed this to say their goodbyes.
 

baymule

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I had a wonderful day yesterday. The deal with the neighbor buying 2 horses fell through, so I listed them on Craigslist. I put up pictures of Prince and Pearl and got tons of responses. I priced them at $500 each. I priced them low so that if there was a family that wanted a horse, but couldn't pay $2,000 and up, maybe my babies could find a good home. Sparkles weighed heavy on my heart. At 36, with a bad case of heaves, I knew no one would want her. I made plans to put her down. There was no way I was going to take her to auction because she would be shipped to Mexico for slaughter.

I emailed back and forth with Rachal about Prince. Her husband was working in Louisiana and wouldn't be home till the weekend. I told her that I wouldn't hold Prince so she loaded up her kids and drove an hour to my house. She absolutely fell in love with him. She facetimed her husband. I picked up Prince's feet. Then I walked away so they could talk.
she said she would go to town to an ATM, get money and come back. By this time it was getting dark. I told her to follow me to town to an ATM because I didn't want her coming back in the dark on country roads she didn't know with those kids in the car. So that's what we did. Then I had to email all the responses I got that Prince was sold and I took his pictures down.

I also got a lot of responses on Pearl. One lady stood out from the others and she wanted to come the next morning (yesterday). I said 10, they were at the gate at 8:30! They were excited. They looked at Pearl and wanted her. I explained my situation and my plans for Sparkles. so that they would know why I was selling my horses. They said they would be back with the money and a trailer. I lowered the price on Pearl to $400 because she had lost weight and looked so poor. I had to rely on neighbor Robert to feed while I was sick with Covid and she requires more than he was able to do. This couple has a Gypsy Vanner stallion they want to breed Pearl to.

Rachal texted that her husband Rueben was rained out, could they come get Prince? Yes! It would be late afternoon. Then before they even came to get him, they went to a saddle shop and bought a saddle, bridle, feed tub, brushes, halter, leadrope, and asked what bit. I took pictures of the bit, a curb with copper roller and cut back shanks. I measured it on the mouthpiece so they could get the right size. They wanted everything perfect for Prince.

DeeDee and her husband came back for Pearl. As she led Pearl out of the horse lot, Sparkles nickered for her friend. We loaded up Pearl. DeeDee asked me what I was going to do with Sparkles and I said it was going to be a couple of weeks before I could put her down, so I guess I was going to give her treats and extra attention since she would be alone.

DeeDee said, "I'll take her".
Me, "You will?"
Husband, "What are you doing?"
DeeDee, "You didn't hear her nickering for her friend?"
Husband hung his head, shaking his head. He was whupped before he even got started and he knew it.
I started crying and hugged DeeDee and told her she didn't know what that meant to me, it had been heavy on my heart. I had Sparkles 23 years and I sure didn't want to put my old friend down.

Turns out that they have a retired Chicago police horse officer for a neighbor. She brought her old service horse with her and he had died last year at 37. DeeDee was going to breed Pearl, then put the two mares at her neighbor's where she could drink her coffee on the porch and look at the horses. She said the neighbor fed her old horse twice a day and spoiled him with lots of love and would be delighted to have the two mares to care for. Sparkles loaded right up.

I was beside myself with joy. Pearl and Sparkles get to stay together and will be in a place where they are loved. I can't wait to see pictures of Pearl's foal.

Rachal and Rueben came to get Prince. I let them use my trailer because they didn't have one. Prince had been lonely all afternoon. Prince refused to load. He didn't want to leave. My sweet, in-your-pocket horse fought like a demon possessed. We weren't getting anywhere. I got a long rope out of the truck. Rueben grinned.
Me, "You know what this is for, don't 'cha?"
Rueben, "Yes Ma'm."
Me, "Then let's do this."

We tied the rope to one side of the trailer and ran it behind Princes butt and up the other side of the trailer. Out the other other side and put Rachal to hold the rope. Rueben on the lead rope and I swatted Prince's butt. Things got really interesting at this point. Prince gained a few more demons and fought like a cougar was on his back. He reared, he fell over, he reared and pawed at the trailer. At one point, Paris, Trip and Carson decided we needed their help and rushed Prince barking. Prince broke in half over that, rearing, kicking and he fell over and landed on Paris. I grabbed the lead rope as he got up, headed for anywhere but here. Paris decided she had enough of "helping" and went off to lay in her favorite hole. Prince fought us for an hour and a half. Rachal got rope burn and her fingers smashed against the trailer. Good way to break in a new horse owner. LOL

We finally wore Prince down. I got in the trailer on the lead rope with Rueben on the butt rope. I petted Prince, talked to him, and he was listening now. I got him right up to the trailer, his front legs were right up against it. His back was hunched up a little from Rueben holding steady on the butt rope.
Me, "Rueben, come pick up his feet."
Rueben handed to butt rope to Rachal and picked up a front foot and placed it in the trailer. I pulled gently on the lead rope and Prince picked up the other foot and came up in the trailer. He was exhausted. Rueben tied him and we unlaced the butt rope from the sides of the trailer and they were on their way.

When they got him home, he wouldn't come out. It took them 30 minutes to convince him to come out of the only thing that remained of his old home. Rueben brought the trailer back and we talked a little bit. He said he was used to women saying things like OH don't hurt my BABY! while the horse is pounding on him. So when I brought out that rope, he knew that I knew what I was doing. We worked together as a team, in a dance with a horse flailing out in all directions and each one of us knew where to be and what to do.

So Prince is now in a home with 4 kids, a mom that is brand new to all this and a dad that knows his stuff. I gave the little girl a book on braiding manes and tails and she gave me a tight squeezing hug.

My 3 beloved horses all have good homes. I looked out the kitchen window this morning like I do every morning and there is no view of my horses any more. But I am happy. God brought two families for my horses and I am at peace.
 

baymule

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I just found this thread. Dana I'm so very sorry, you've always been there for me and I wasn't there for you. I hope you are holding up ok.
You didn't know, you do now. You are there for me now. I'm ok most days, some days I just fall apart. I go hug my dogs.

I'm getting stronger and I think I'll work outside tomorrow and clean out the empty feed bags, take the packing styrofoam and cardboard off the porch from the new freezer I bought. Somehow, that didn't get thrown away. I'll make a load to the neighbor's 20 yard roll off box. I want to hit the ground running, but I'm not ready yet. I have a goal of doing something every day. Soon I'll be able to do several somethings per day. I have a lot to do before I put this place up for sale in March.
 
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