Do you ever think about the business opportunities to distinguish your company from all others? How can you do that? What makes your company unique? If you have had a good or a not so good experience with a monument company, please share that too. We love to hear from our readers and we will be posting select comments on our blog.
Please share your thoughts with us by emailing Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Abraham Lincoln Items On EBay!
I have over 100 items up for auction on eBay. If you collect Abraham Lincoln, Civil War or similar memorabilia, then you will want to check out my site. Happy bidding!
Visit my site on e-Bay. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZfletch-in-valdostaQQhtZ-1
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Visit my site on e-Bay. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZfletch-in-valdostaQQhtZ-1
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
What Will The Monument Industry Look Like In 10, 20, 50 Years From Now?
Question: What will the monument industry look like in 10, 20, 50 years from now?
Answer: I would like to hear the views of my colleagues within the industry. While I will not be in the industry 20 years from now, I hope the industry is thriving. What we do as memorialists is important to the families we serve. If you have ideas you would like to share, please send them to me.
I'm the moderator and I am strict that ideas should be presented with thought and respect. Otherwise, I have few rules on the subject. Please share your thoughts and identify yourself if you like; however, anonymous is okay too! Please note that though you may be listed as Anonymous, my tracking software identifies the identities of all visitors to my site. This information remains private and confidential.
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Answer: I would like to hear the views of my colleagues within the industry. While I will not be in the industry 20 years from now, I hope the industry is thriving. What we do as memorialists is important to the families we serve. If you have ideas you would like to share, please send them to me.
I'm the moderator and I am strict that ideas should be presented with thought and respect. Otherwise, I have few rules on the subject. Please share your thoughts and identify yourself if you like; however, anonymous is okay too! Please note that though you may be listed as Anonymous, my tracking software identifies the identities of all visitors to my site. This information remains private and confidential.
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Caveat Emptor, Caveat Vendor & The Golden Rule!
Some folks are great at creating a double bind, a set of circumstances in which the vendor must choose between similarly disappointing choices. Like any vendor should, I seek to avoid those dilemmas, as I explain below.
Caveat Emptor: The Latin phrase, caveat emptor, meaning buyer beware, is the principle in commerce that the buyer alone is accountable for measuring the merit of an acquisition before purchasing.
Caveat Vendor: Unfortunately, there are some people in this world who are always picking fights with others and who are never satisfied with the work of others. Of course, they have a lower standard for themselves than what they have for everyone else. With these people, and in those situations, I say caveat vendor or vendor beware!
I read a quote, attributed to Savvy, that states:“A final caveat: Most experts feel that clients get unsatisfactory results when they don't specify clearly what they want.” The vendor cannot be responsible for a buyer’s lack of clear instructions, or for a buyer’s remorse!
If we manufacture a monument that is different than the specifications ordered, we will either adjust the price or replace the monument, as it was our responsibility to produce the memorial in accord with the instructions we were given.
The Golden Rule: I believe in “the Golden Rule,” the concept that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. That is always the starting and ending point in our relations with our clients.
If I treat clients as I would wish to be treated, then I have fulfilled my part of the bargain.
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Caveat Emptor: The Latin phrase, caveat emptor, meaning buyer beware, is the principle in commerce that the buyer alone is accountable for measuring the merit of an acquisition before purchasing.
Caveat Vendor: Unfortunately, there are some people in this world who are always picking fights with others and who are never satisfied with the work of others. Of course, they have a lower standard for themselves than what they have for everyone else. With these people, and in those situations, I say caveat vendor or vendor beware!
I read a quote, attributed to Savvy, that states:“A final caveat: Most experts feel that clients get unsatisfactory results when they don't specify clearly what they want.” The vendor cannot be responsible for a buyer’s lack of clear instructions, or for a buyer’s remorse!
If we manufacture a monument that is different than the specifications ordered, we will either adjust the price or replace the monument, as it was our responsibility to produce the memorial in accord with the instructions we were given.
The Golden Rule: I believe in “the Golden Rule,” the concept that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us. That is always the starting and ending point in our relations with our clients.
If I treat clients as I would wish to be treated, then I have fulfilled my part of the bargain.
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Should The Monument Industry Have Higher Standards For Entry Into The Profession?
We have studied our competition and we have observed many within the monument industry who are inexperienced in business management. As a consequence, unable to proficiently run a business, they get into financial trouble, harming consumers and the reputation of the entire industry. So, we ask, the question: "Should the monument industry have higher standards for entry into the profession?"
We are informed of a monument company who was full of empty promises, but short on delivery. See, http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=d3599086-491a-4f1c-8cc0-bd71e2531310&rss=112.
Please read the story below and decide for yourself. These problems could have been avoided with a sound business education, closer supervision by governmental authorities, and perhaps ethics training. We support all three requirements.
I would like to hear from you so please share your experiences regarding the monument industry.
Your Stories Investigation: Still No HeadstonesLast Update: 5/31/2006 5:40:02 AM
(WSYR-TV) - More excuses, and still no headstones, from Tri-County Memorials owner Dan Holleran. Holleran promised headstones for families that ordered them by Memorial Day, but none were delivered. It comes as no surprise to dozens of customers, some of whom have waited years for their headstones. Now, the Attorney General says his office won’t stand for it.
We’ve heard from family after family who are waiting to reach closure after the death of their loved ones. They are waiting for the headstones they ordered from Tri-County Memorials.
“I paid them, and never heard from them again. Nothing. They said the place closed down for vacation, and he got hurt, and the artist was on vacation, I have heard everything. Everything you can think of,” said Molly Morency. Morency’s 17-year-old son Joe died in a car accident in 2002. Since then, all she has gotten from Tri-County owner Dan Holleran is broken promises.
The same is true for Rita Dirienz, who ordered her stone three years ago. She was promised a stone by Memorial Day, but when she came to check, one wasn’t there. She had to leave the flowers she had purchased for her husband in the shrubs behind where he is buried.
Still no headstones for the Meade family of Oneida either. Their sister paid for her own stone before passing away three years ago.
All this is not sitting well with the Attorney General’s office. It has been investigating Tri-County Memorials and Dan Holleran for a few weeks now.
“That’s simply deceptive, that’s a suggestion to me of an on-going fraudulent behavior, that if necessary, we go into court and seek to get some sort of injunction,” said Win Thurlow at the Attorney General’s office.
Holleran admits he is behind, and has been hearing from a lot of worried customers. Some were even checking in when we showed up at his store. But he says tomorrow, he is going to pick up some stone. Just how many? He wasn’t sure.
“I don’t know, there’s quite a few but they’re going to get delivered,” Holleran told our Jennifer Lewke.
“You keep saying that, but they never show up,” Lewke said.
“Starting tomorrow, we’ll start delivering, I’m all set to go,” Holleran answered.
But it’s easy to see why customers don’t believe him.
“I’ve heard that tomorrow, next week, I’ve heard that forever. Nope, I don’t believe it,” said one customer.
The Attorney General’s office says it plans on completing its investigation in the next week or so, and will then move forward with plans to make Holleran make good on his orders. We will keep you posted.
From May 19th, 2006:
Dozens of people have called our Your Stories line to say they've been waiting months and even years for a headstone they ordered to honor the memory of a loved one. The company is Tri-County Memorials of North Syracuse. Your Stories viewers say that owner Dan Holleran made them pay up front for their stones and hasn't delivered the stones as promised. Some have been waiting for more than 2 years.Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that he's been struggling the past few years financially and physically and has been unable to fill his orders on time. He says he is beginning to get back on track and should have most of the stones that were set to be placed months or years ago in by Memorial Day.
The Attorney General is now looking into the matter. If you've been waiting an extended time for a stone you purchased from Tri-County, call the Attorney General at 448-4800. From Noon, May 19th, 2006 North Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Families wanting a fitting tribute for their lost loved ones are getting nothing but a big headache from Tri-County Memorials. Our Your Stories line has been filled with complaints from customers who have been waiting up to three years to receive headstones for their loved ones from the company.
Since our story on Tri-County Memorials first aired last night, we’ve gotten more than a dozen calls from people who say they have not yet received their headstones from the company.
Our Jennifer Lewke is talking to more victims today, and will file a report on NewsChannel 9 starting at 5:00 PM.
Yesterday, Jennifer spoke with Rita Direnz, who ordered a gravestone with Tri-County Memorials following the death of her husband. The headstone was promised six to eight weeks after she ordered it, but it’s still not at the site of her husband’s grave.
The man who was paid up-front to produce and place the headstone is Dan Holleran, who owns Tri-County Memorials. Rita and several other Your Stories callers say since they signed contracts with him months, if not years ago, they have heard excuse after excuse as to why the stones aren’t done.
“I asked him where he gets the stone from, who the engraver is, because I personally wanted to call them and make sure the order was even placed,” Direnz said.
Holleran says an injury last summer prevented him from setting stones. But he is trying to get back on his feet this season, and fulfill orders. So far, Rita is not convinced.
“As of last week, I contacted his office 40 times, and it’s always one thing after another, just different excuses,” Direnz said.
Some local cemeteries say they have had their fair share of problems with Holleran too, so some have stopped doing business with him altogether.
Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that the stone for Rita’s husband is finished, and he will place it by Memorial Day.
Permission to use the preceding article was graciously provided by Brian Foster, Assistant News Director, WSYR-TV NewsChannel 9WSYR-TV and 9WSYR.COM.
We are informed of a monument company who was full of empty promises, but short on delivery. See, http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=d3599086-491a-4f1c-8cc0-bd71e2531310&rss=112.
Please read the story below and decide for yourself. These problems could have been avoided with a sound business education, closer supervision by governmental authorities, and perhaps ethics training. We support all three requirements.
I would like to hear from you so please share your experiences regarding the monument industry.
Your Stories Investigation: Still No HeadstonesLast Update: 5/31/2006 5:40:02 AM
(WSYR-TV) - More excuses, and still no headstones, from Tri-County Memorials owner Dan Holleran. Holleran promised headstones for families that ordered them by Memorial Day, but none were delivered. It comes as no surprise to dozens of customers, some of whom have waited years for their headstones. Now, the Attorney General says his office won’t stand for it.
We’ve heard from family after family who are waiting to reach closure after the death of their loved ones. They are waiting for the headstones they ordered from Tri-County Memorials.
“I paid them, and never heard from them again. Nothing. They said the place closed down for vacation, and he got hurt, and the artist was on vacation, I have heard everything. Everything you can think of,” said Molly Morency. Morency’s 17-year-old son Joe died in a car accident in 2002. Since then, all she has gotten from Tri-County owner Dan Holleran is broken promises.
The same is true for Rita Dirienz, who ordered her stone three years ago. She was promised a stone by Memorial Day, but when she came to check, one wasn’t there. She had to leave the flowers she had purchased for her husband in the shrubs behind where he is buried.
Still no headstones for the Meade family of Oneida either. Their sister paid for her own stone before passing away three years ago.
All this is not sitting well with the Attorney General’s office. It has been investigating Tri-County Memorials and Dan Holleran for a few weeks now.
“That’s simply deceptive, that’s a suggestion to me of an on-going fraudulent behavior, that if necessary, we go into court and seek to get some sort of injunction,” said Win Thurlow at the Attorney General’s office.
Holleran admits he is behind, and has been hearing from a lot of worried customers. Some were even checking in when we showed up at his store. But he says tomorrow, he is going to pick up some stone. Just how many? He wasn’t sure.
“I don’t know, there’s quite a few but they’re going to get delivered,” Holleran told our Jennifer Lewke.
“You keep saying that, but they never show up,” Lewke said.
“Starting tomorrow, we’ll start delivering, I’m all set to go,” Holleran answered.
But it’s easy to see why customers don’t believe him.
“I’ve heard that tomorrow, next week, I’ve heard that forever. Nope, I don’t believe it,” said one customer.
The Attorney General’s office says it plans on completing its investigation in the next week or so, and will then move forward with plans to make Holleran make good on his orders. We will keep you posted.
From May 19th, 2006:
Dozens of people have called our Your Stories line to say they've been waiting months and even years for a headstone they ordered to honor the memory of a loved one. The company is Tri-County Memorials of North Syracuse. Your Stories viewers say that owner Dan Holleran made them pay up front for their stones and hasn't delivered the stones as promised. Some have been waiting for more than 2 years.Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that he's been struggling the past few years financially and physically and has been unable to fill his orders on time. He says he is beginning to get back on track and should have most of the stones that were set to be placed months or years ago in by Memorial Day.
The Attorney General is now looking into the matter. If you've been waiting an extended time for a stone you purchased from Tri-County, call the Attorney General at 448-4800. From Noon, May 19th, 2006 North Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Families wanting a fitting tribute for their lost loved ones are getting nothing but a big headache from Tri-County Memorials. Our Your Stories line has been filled with complaints from customers who have been waiting up to three years to receive headstones for their loved ones from the company.
Since our story on Tri-County Memorials first aired last night, we’ve gotten more than a dozen calls from people who say they have not yet received their headstones from the company.
Our Jennifer Lewke is talking to more victims today, and will file a report on NewsChannel 9 starting at 5:00 PM.
Yesterday, Jennifer spoke with Rita Direnz, who ordered a gravestone with Tri-County Memorials following the death of her husband. The headstone was promised six to eight weeks after she ordered it, but it’s still not at the site of her husband’s grave.
The man who was paid up-front to produce and place the headstone is Dan Holleran, who owns Tri-County Memorials. Rita and several other Your Stories callers say since they signed contracts with him months, if not years ago, they have heard excuse after excuse as to why the stones aren’t done.
“I asked him where he gets the stone from, who the engraver is, because I personally wanted to call them and make sure the order was even placed,” Direnz said.
Holleran says an injury last summer prevented him from setting stones. But he is trying to get back on his feet this season, and fulfill orders. So far, Rita is not convinced.
“As of last week, I contacted his office 40 times, and it’s always one thing after another, just different excuses,” Direnz said.
Some local cemeteries say they have had their fair share of problems with Holleran too, so some have stopped doing business with him altogether.
Holleran tells NewsChannel 9 that the stone for Rita’s husband is finished, and he will place it by Memorial Day.
Permission to use the preceding article was graciously provided by Brian Foster, Assistant News Director, WSYR-TV NewsChannel 9WSYR-TV and 9WSYR.COM.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Don't Waste The Day!
The following thoughts were found in an antique store several years ago. I thought they offered a lot of advice and I will share them with my readers. I hope you enjoy them! Burton
"Don't Waste It"
"On this day:
Mend a quarrel~
Search out a forgotten friend~
Dismiss a suspicion and replace it with trust~
Encourage someone who has lost faith~
Keep a promise~
Examine your demands on others and reduce them~
Fight for a principle~
Express your gratitude~
Overcome an old fear~
Take two minutes to appreciate nature~
Tell someone you love them~
Tell them again~
And again~
And again~
"Life is short, and we should make the most of every day."
Please feel free to email me your own thoughts at Burton@USAMonuments.com.
"Don't Waste It"
"On this day:
Mend a quarrel~
Search out a forgotten friend~
Dismiss a suspicion and replace it with trust~
Encourage someone who has lost faith~
Keep a promise~
Examine your demands on others and reduce them~
Fight for a principle~
Express your gratitude~
Overcome an old fear~
Take two minutes to appreciate nature~
Tell someone you love them~
Tell them again~
And again~
And again~
"Life is short, and we should make the most of every day."
Please feel free to email me your own thoughts at Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Terminology: Monument Versus Memorial
I recently exchanged email with a columnist regarding the difference between a monument and a memorial. I believe the thoughts may be of interest to my readers. Please feel free to email me your own thoughts at Burton@USAMonuments.com.
"Dear John,
You wrote another fine article, “We still need to hear Dr. King's words, not just visit a monument.” As a Southerner, I recall with appall the days of Jim Crow and overt institutional racism. I too am happy that public racism has been censored in our society. As a young man, I spoke out for equality of treatment for the races. As a society, we have come a long way, though we have not achieved equality of treatment or opportunity for our fellow man.
One point that you made deserves comment by me and I wish to express my view that a monument and a memorial though often considered to be synonymous have different meanings.
We memorialize honorees through monuments, plaques, street signs, moments of silence, parades, proclamations, building dedication ceremonies and holidays to honor the lives of noteworthy individuals, organizations, ideas and events.
Memorials are a broader concept than monuments. Surely, Dr. King deserves to be honored and memorialized as his actions were fundamental in changing the heart of a nation. The remembrance site in Washington D.C. will be a memorial. It is true that it will have one or more monuments, but the site itself is a memorial.
As a nationally recognized monument builder, with numerous national publications on the subject, I can state that a monument is, for all practical purposes, an object of remembrance. A memorial incorporates the use of monuments to memorialize the life or event that persons may wish to perpetuate in memory.
As a memorial designer, and owner of USAMonuments.com, I recognize that most families build monuments for their loved ones and not memorials. Private monuments usually express the name, dates of birth and death and perhaps a short epitaph and little more about the individual.
Memorials celebrate and honor the uniqueness of life, celebrating the characteristics of the individual and serving as a resource to not only honor the individual but to educate others both living as well as those who are not yet born.
I advocate the use of a Life History Plaque to memorialize the life and family history of a family’s loved ones. A $250 investment can serve as a testament that will be cherished through the ages and will turn the typical monument into a memorial that will serve to remind us and celebrate and honor our family history. This is much more to a memorial than a monument and Dr. King deserves to have many monuments and memorials to celebrate his profound positive influence on the moral compass of our nation and the world."
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
"Dear John,
You wrote another fine article, “We still need to hear Dr. King's words, not just visit a monument.” As a Southerner, I recall with appall the days of Jim Crow and overt institutional racism. I too am happy that public racism has been censored in our society. As a young man, I spoke out for equality of treatment for the races. As a society, we have come a long way, though we have not achieved equality of treatment or opportunity for our fellow man.
One point that you made deserves comment by me and I wish to express my view that a monument and a memorial though often considered to be synonymous have different meanings.
We memorialize honorees through monuments, plaques, street signs, moments of silence, parades, proclamations, building dedication ceremonies and holidays to honor the lives of noteworthy individuals, organizations, ideas and events.
Memorials are a broader concept than monuments. Surely, Dr. King deserves to be honored and memorialized as his actions were fundamental in changing the heart of a nation. The remembrance site in Washington D.C. will be a memorial. It is true that it will have one or more monuments, but the site itself is a memorial.
As a nationally recognized monument builder, with numerous national publications on the subject, I can state that a monument is, for all practical purposes, an object of remembrance. A memorial incorporates the use of monuments to memorialize the life or event that persons may wish to perpetuate in memory.
As a memorial designer, and owner of USAMonuments.com, I recognize that most families build monuments for their loved ones and not memorials. Private monuments usually express the name, dates of birth and death and perhaps a short epitaph and little more about the individual.
Memorials celebrate and honor the uniqueness of life, celebrating the characteristics of the individual and serving as a resource to not only honor the individual but to educate others both living as well as those who are not yet born.
I advocate the use of a Life History Plaque to memorialize the life and family history of a family’s loved ones. A $250 investment can serve as a testament that will be cherished through the ages and will turn the typical monument into a memorial that will serve to remind us and celebrate and honor our family history. This is much more to a memorial than a monument and Dr. King deserves to have many monuments and memorials to celebrate his profound positive influence on the moral compass of our nation and the world."
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
An Update On Losing A Pet
It has been said that "time heals all wounds." I'm not sure that wounds are ever healed; however, the pain subsides as we go on with our lives.
I still feel the loss of Muffin, my beloved Chihuahua, though it has been a little over two months since her passing. Though she can never be replaced, a wonderful joy came into my life with the adoption of Bobby, a Chihuahua, and Dusty, a Britany Spaniel.
Bobby is my favorite of the two as he is compact and the house dog of the two. Dusty is a pure bred and high strung. He is a sweet dog, though his numerous antics for chewing up water hoses, digging holes and the like test me on a frequent basis. Yes, I love them both. I adopted both from the pound in remembrance of Muffin. I felt like it was the right thing to do and I have never once regretted my decision.
Bobby had been abused sometime in his past. He still has a buck shot pellet in his left front leg. When he runs, he lifts his left rear leg. I cannot imagine the circumstances where anyone would want to harm an animal so small.
Bobby was quick tempered when we first adopted him. With lots of love, his temperament has changed, and he is obviously in love with us, just as we are in love with him. When we go to the door, he is right there with us, ready to go for a ride just as we took Muffin with us throughout her life.
I still miss Muffin and her cremains rest beneath my desk in a beautiful urn. Life goes on with or without us and we might as well accept that the world is not going to stop turning when we pass on. Life is short under the best of circumstances, and for too many folks, it is cut even shorter. We never know when we are going to pull out in front of a semi-truck, so we should have our affairs in order.
I love you Muffin. I love you Bobby. I love you Dusty. Life is so much better with the joy that our pet friends bring into our lives. Amen!
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
I still feel the loss of Muffin, my beloved Chihuahua, though it has been a little over two months since her passing. Though she can never be replaced, a wonderful joy came into my life with the adoption of Bobby, a Chihuahua, and Dusty, a Britany Spaniel.
Bobby is my favorite of the two as he is compact and the house dog of the two. Dusty is a pure bred and high strung. He is a sweet dog, though his numerous antics for chewing up water hoses, digging holes and the like test me on a frequent basis. Yes, I love them both. I adopted both from the pound in remembrance of Muffin. I felt like it was the right thing to do and I have never once regretted my decision.
Bobby had been abused sometime in his past. He still has a buck shot pellet in his left front leg. When he runs, he lifts his left rear leg. I cannot imagine the circumstances where anyone would want to harm an animal so small.
Bobby was quick tempered when we first adopted him. With lots of love, his temperament has changed, and he is obviously in love with us, just as we are in love with him. When we go to the door, he is right there with us, ready to go for a ride just as we took Muffin with us throughout her life.
I still miss Muffin and her cremains rest beneath my desk in a beautiful urn. Life goes on with or without us and we might as well accept that the world is not going to stop turning when we pass on. Life is short under the best of circumstances, and for too many folks, it is cut even shorter. We never know when we are going to pull out in front of a semi-truck, so we should have our affairs in order.
I love you Muffin. I love you Bobby. I love you Dusty. Life is so much better with the joy that our pet friends bring into our lives. Amen!
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
Losing A Pet
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2006
LOSING A PET
August 16, 2006 was a very sad day in the Fletcher household. On that day, I lost a beloved pet friend. The following are words that I wrote on that day.
I am sad; very, very sad today, Wednesday, August 16, 2006. My pet friend, Muffin, a beautiful Chihuahua died in my arms as a result of congestive heart failure.
I was crying as I began typing my thoughts today. I knew Muffin had heart troubles and I was treating her as the veterinarian prescribed. This morning, she let out a petitioning wail and I knew it was her end when I saw her.
I picked her up and a few minutes later she died in my arms. Muffin had let out a cry of pain in recent weeks as she was unable to breathe. This time, I picked her up and it was obvious that she was in the process of dying.
My efforts to resuscitate her using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation were not successful. I held her in my arms and in a few minutes she exhaled her last breath.
I loved this pet friend as she was my closest companion during some of the most difficult times of my life. She was with me when I felt abandoned by my friends and was stoned by my enemies.
On most nights, she slept beneath the covers of my bed. There were very few trips away from home when Muffin was not with me.
This is a very sad time for me!
Grieving is not a pleasant emotion.
My best friend, Emi (pronounced “Amy”) age 77 and a victim of dementia, and for whom I am a caregiver, held Muffin’s lifeless body in her arms and against her chest for the longest time.
Though I tried to close them, Muffin’s eyes remained open. Her tongue was out. Her ears were pointed high. Muffin looked as if death had brought her peace!
We respectfully wrapped Muffin’s body in a new blanket and neatly folded the package. We placed the blanket in a box for transport to the veterinarian so Muffin’s body can later be transported to a cremation facility in Gainesville, Florida. It is my desire that Muffin’s ashes be placed along side of Emi’s and mine inside the crypt that will hold our cremains.
Months ago, I installed a memorial for all of my pets at the Fletcher Memorial. This is a very sad day as I have lost the joy of having a great friend. I will cherish the memories during the years we shared together as she was a very special buddy who brought great joy to Emi and me.
Friends of mine arrived and I received a hug of condolence. I asked them to take Muffin’s body to the veterinarian which they did. After they left, Emi cried tearfully and hugged me saying, “Who is going to take Muffin’s place?” In truth, no one, and no pet, will take Muffin’s place. She was very special!
Burton
Share with us by emailing your thoughts to Burton@USAMonuments.com.
LOSING A PET
August 16, 2006 was a very sad day in the Fletcher household. On that day, I lost a beloved pet friend. The following are words that I wrote on that day.
I am sad; very, very sad today, Wednesday, August 16, 2006. My pet friend, Muffin, a beautiful Chihuahua died in my arms as a result of congestive heart failure.
I was crying as I began typing my thoughts today. I knew Muffin had heart troubles and I was treating her as the veterinarian prescribed. This morning, she let out a petitioning wail and I knew it was her end when I saw her.
I picked her up and a few minutes later she died in my arms. Muffin had let out a cry of pain in recent weeks as she was unable to breathe. This time, I picked her up and it was obvious that she was in the process of dying.
My efforts to resuscitate her using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation were not successful. I held her in my arms and in a few minutes she exhaled her last breath.
I loved this pet friend as she was my closest companion during some of the most difficult times of my life. She was with me when I felt abandoned by my friends and was stoned by my enemies.
On most nights, she slept beneath the covers of my bed. There were very few trips away from home when Muffin was not with me.
This is a very sad time for me!
Grieving is not a pleasant emotion.
My best friend, Emi (pronounced “Amy”) age 77 and a victim of dementia, and for whom I am a caregiver, held Muffin’s lifeless body in her arms and against her chest for the longest time.
Though I tried to close them, Muffin’s eyes remained open. Her tongue was out. Her ears were pointed high. Muffin looked as if death had brought her peace!
We respectfully wrapped Muffin’s body in a new blanket and neatly folded the package. We placed the blanket in a box for transport to the veterinarian so Muffin’s body can later be transported to a cremation facility in Gainesville, Florida. It is my desire that Muffin’s ashes be placed along side of Emi’s and mine inside the crypt that will hold our cremains.
Months ago, I installed a memorial for all of my pets at the Fletcher Memorial. This is a very sad day as I have lost the joy of having a great friend. I will cherish the memories during the years we shared together as she was a very special buddy who brought great joy to Emi and me.
Friends of mine arrived and I received a hug of condolence. I asked them to take Muffin’s body to the veterinarian which they did. After they left, Emi cried tearfully and hugged me saying, “Who is going to take Muffin’s place?” In truth, no one, and no pet, will take Muffin’s place. She was very special!
Burton
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