This past Saturday my wife and I faced a task that we all knew was coming, but no one wanted to face.

We had to put down our loyal and loving friend and family member Jasmine, the Aussie Shepherd.

Jasmine had been with us for 18 years. I still remember bringing her home and surprising my daughters with her (back then we used to drive Volvos so she made her first trip home in a Volvo wagon). The joy, the laughter, the happiness. In the years since, all three daughters have graduated from high school, one has graduated from college and the other two are on the way. Our son, who was not even home when Jasmine made her grand entrance, is a senior in high school.

Many pages have turned in the calendar, the Earth has traveled around the Sun 18 times, Christmas have come and gone, birthdays, Easter Sundays. Through it all, Jasmine was a loving, caring, loyal companion.

She never growled at anyone (even when my kids would get too rough with her during horseplay). She stood by their sides and protected them as if they were royalty and she was the leader of the Royal Guard.

Towards the end, even when the ravages of old age began to change her (physically) she remained a sweet, sweet companion.

She taught me many lessons about love and loyalty and trust. Most of all, she taught me how to go into the Winter of my life and to do it with grace and style and class...

I know that to many of you I come across as a tough SOB ready to kick ass and take names (and make no mistakes, I am a tough SOB). Right now, however, the pouring tears keep me from reading the screen.

Bye bye Jasmine. Que Dios te bendiga, mi perrita linda.

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Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

Sorry Ernesto.

I went through the same thing in February with the most precious cat, Annabelle, that I could have ever asked for. This cat wanted nothing more than to be with me at all times. She was a darling. I only had her eight months..........and, apparently, she was born with feline leukemia.

She died in bed, next to me...........it was one of the most painful experiences of my life.

Nothing we can say will alleviate the burden...........however, time does soften the pain.

Profundamente siento perdida. El eterle abraza El Jefe.

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

Sorry to hear of your loss.

18 years is an incredibly long life for a dog, that is well well above the average, you were lucky to have her so long


Ours are 12.5 and 13.5....

__________________
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'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Sorry to hear that Ernesto. I'm dreading the day when our retriever TJ reaches that point. He sounds very much like your Jasmine temperment wise, especially with the kids. He's "only" 12 and seems to be fine but he's gotten grey around the snout lately and that's when it hit me. My "boy" isn't a "boy" anymore. And I wasn't even a dog person before he came home.

You've got my sympathy.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

Ernesto,

You gave her the best life possible, and she knew it. That's what counts.
.

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* *
-- Paul W. (The Benzadmiral)
('03 Buick Park Avenue, charcoal/cream)
Formerly:
'97 C230, smoke silver/parchment; '86 420SEL, anthracite/light grey; '84 280CE (W123), dark blue/palomino

...you have lost a great friend but look at all the years of memories you have to keep forever

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00 E420
98 E300 DT
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97 E300D
86 Holden Jackaroo Turbo D
86 300SDL
(o\|/o)

I am very sorry for your loss, Ernesto.

I'm very sorry as well.

__________________
Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

Sorry for your loss.

__________________
01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

I'm sorry too.
Don't know what else to say other than I'm glad you weren't selfish and let her suffer.

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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I feel you there Ernesto, particularly with what I faced recently with HArry. My previous cocker shares the jasmine name. Not ashamed to admit that I cried like a baby when I put her down. Best thoughts...

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Sharing my partner's 2012 Forte 5dr SX til I find my next 123 or 126..
-
Do I miss being a service advisor ???

I'm sorry to hear that, Ernesto. It was a sad day when we had to put Newton our loveable old yellow lab to sleep.

__________________
" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

I am sorry for the loss, and your grief.


It speaks so well of *YOU* and your family that you had the dog so long.

18 years is a long, long time to have a dog. Her life was long and good.

My best to you and your family

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Sorry to hear about your loss. Sounds like she had a remarkable life. I know when you lose a pet like that it's like the end of an era. My family and I put down our 19-year-old cat, Midnight, two years ago. We found him wandering in the rain as a small kitten when I was 6, so he was a part of my life for as long as I can remember. He never did anything remarkable, not too swift of mind, but he may have been the nicest creature on earth. Never asked for anything, just wanted to sit in laps and purr. He aged very fast in his final months, but it was still an awful decision. They always break your heart in the end, but it's always worth it. Sorry about your puppy ... at least you have years of memories to keep her alive in some way.

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)