A couple of days before Fergus died, I started taking pictures for what I thought would be a funny post… something about breakfast, lunch and dinner, and how the Boyz thrive on routine.

Breakfast: July 13, 2011; 6:29 a.m.

Lunch: July 13; 11:51 a.m.

Dinner: July 13; 6:18 p.m.

For a couple of days, I documented each meal with a picture and noted the time. My plan was to continue for a week or so.

Breakfast: July 14; 6:09 a.m.

Lunch: July 14; 12:37 p.m.

Dinner: July 14; 5:46 p.m.

Little did I know at the time, this was the last picture I’d ever take of Fergus. You see, he was perfectly fine.

But, life goes on.

Last evening. July 20; 5:27 p.m.

It’s still very quiet here, and I continue to fight the urge to check on the Boyz every five minutes, night and day. For me, sleeping is hard… there’s a constant need to know they’re okay.

Our love for Nigel has increased a thousand fold and we’re spending as much time with him as we can.  

Because Bernard and Ellsworth often pair off, Nigel has spent a lot of time with Patrick the last few days.

It warmed my heart to see Nigel and Ellsworth playing together on Tuesday evening… and, importantly, the Boyz have been good about helping Nigel check for alligators in the water tub. To this day, Nigel will not drink from the water tub by himself. (If Fergus drank, Nigel drank. If Fergus peed, Nigel peed. If Fergus pooped, Nigel pooped. You get the idea.)  

Patrick seems the least phased by Fergus’s death. Bernard is returning to his normal goober self.

Ellsworth is taking Fergus’s death the hardest. He’s quiet and not himself. Don and Danni agree that as the herd leader, Ellsworth is very serious about keeping a watchful eye on all his “peeps.” To have one leave – suddenly and confusingly as Fergus did, is more than a little baffling to him. He’s getting extra hugs these days too.