We picked up Toby's cremains tonight. I did not expect to be as
emotional as I got--managed to make it out of the vet's office OK but
totally lost it by the time I got to the car; David wasn't in much
better shape, but someone had to drive.

It's such a little box, how can it possibly hold the physical remains of
this valiant little dog? It's a beautiful box, rosewood or something
like that, with a smooth top and carved sides. On the bottom it has the
address of the crematorium and "Toby Vail" written in magic marker (how
odd to see that; all of the vet records are under David's last name).
There is a white lacy ribbon around it, with a white silk rose tied into
it at the top. They enclosed a little card offering sympathy, with
Toby's name filled in in the appropriate blank, with a little "guardian
angel dog" pin attached to it.

Only two weeks into forever. This is going to be harder than I thought.
--
Kevin Michael Vail