Oh Imogene.
That’s what’s running through my brain, has been ever since last night when I read the news. Oh Imogene.
I never met her, not in person. But she was my friend. Sure, there are many that knew her better, and she has family that love her even more. But people around the world considered her a friend.
I ‘met’ her many years ago when I ran across a whole bunch of people on the internet who wrote blogs from their dogs’ perspective, a group called Dogs With Blogs. Imogene wrote for her sheltie named Morgan. I loved both of them instantly.
Imogene was the kind of woman who put bright colored streaks in her hair long before it was mainstream fashionable. She took her dogs to canine Halloween parties. She described the protocol of reserving street parking with kitchen chairs during blizzards.
And last weekend she asked her Facebook friends whether she should order pizza or work on her taxes, after all her appointment with her tax guy was in two days. We all voted for pizza and later it turned out she ordered it and then stayed up all night sorting through receipts. She dropped her documents off at the tax guy’s office on Monday, but that doesn’t matter now.
She died yesterday.
Imogene died and legions of people are in shock. We aren’t ready to say goodbye to this spunky, sarcastic, witty, funny, truly lovable woman.
Oh Imogene.
Her sister says she didn’t like funerals. I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t like all the attention now. The stories. The pictures. Especially the sad comments. Our tears. I’m pretty sure she’s probably all ticked off, not at us, but at the fact she had to go too soon. I hope it’s fodder for her new blog in heaven; that first post of hers is bound to be a zinger.
So…till we meet again Imogene…and I’m sure we will…I was glad to be included in your huge circle of friends. I am so going to miss you. And if you are getting a tax refund this year I hope it gets put to good use at one of your many charitable organizations. I know you’d like that.
But oh Imogene…
April 15, 2016 at 11:28 am
We expect to someday lose our cyber dog friends, and have said good-bye to many. But we don’t expect to lose their humans.
My heart goes out to her family, and my heart really breaks for her dogs who I’m not sure will understand what is happening and why their life is changing. Makes me want to call a lawyer today to make arrangements for my dogs just in case.
Rest in peace Imogene, I’m sure you’re going to liven the place up quite a bit!
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April 15, 2016 at 11:34 am
You are right. We need to make arrangements for the care of our dogs in case something happens to us. Imogene’s sister is taking Morgan and Maisey, and another person is taking the two cats. So, though it will be tough, it’s going to be OK for them once they settle in.
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April 15, 2016 at 12:10 pm
that is so sad – I didn’t know she had left us – she will be so sadly missed
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April 15, 2016 at 3:55 pm
I think she died yesterday afternoon. It was on FB when I got home last night. I’m just in shock. She was fine on Tuesday.
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April 15, 2016 at 1:02 pm
I’m so sorry, Dawn. I didn’t know Imogene at all, but do know what it’s like to lose our blog friends — who I happen to think are just as real to us as “real life” friends. How sad for you, for her family, and for all who knew her. Hugs. And I hope you’re right about blog posting in the hereafter.
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April 15, 2016 at 3:57 pm
I think our blog friends are just as important to us as ‘met in person’ friends from other walks of our lives. This was so sudden, at least it felt like that to me. Sudden is hard. So is a lengthy illness to though. So I guess the whole thing is just hard. I’m glad her sheltie-girls are going to Imogene’s sister and will stay together. But still…they are going to miss their mom. As are we.
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April 15, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Oh Dawn my heart is breaking. I wish I had known Imogene, she seems like someone I would have adored, my kind of person. Someone who did their own thing and were true to themselves. I am so deeply, deeply sorry (((hugs)))) DakotasDen
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April 15, 2016 at 3:57 pm
Yes you would have enjoyed her. She was an individual. And a lovely one.
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April 15, 2016 at 6:53 pm
When real people blog about their real lives, they do become friends with the real people who read their stories. Real condolences to you, Dawn.
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April 16, 2016 at 8:53 am
I’ve had a similar experience, Dawn — losing someone I knew only through his blog. It is amazing how hard the loss hits, how personal the relationship felt. And I think they are personal relationships. I’m so sorry! She sounds like a wonderful person.
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April 16, 2016 at 11:08 am
Oh, Dawn, isn’t it wonderful how our blogging friends become so real to us and our lives entangle with theirs? I’m sad for you and Imogene’s other friends and family that she passed, but Heaven has gained a wonderful addition. I imagine she reconnected with other of her pets at the Rainbow Bridge — what a reunion! — and will see her two Sheltie girls again some day. RIP, Imogene.
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