Natalie, it really is impossible to prepare ourselves for the final goodbyes to fur babies. We just have to know when it's time to let them go so that they don't suffer and that's always a sad and heartbreaking time. Oh my ... your house sounds like my sister and her husband with the three dogs. They had a yellow lab, black lab and an english mastiff; both labs died of old age a few years back and they lost a male mastiff to cancer a couple of years ago. They now have two more mastiffs, a 3 year old male who weighs @ 250 lbs. and a 1 year old female who is right at 200 lbs ... and they are going to be getting another mastiff puppy in the near future. There pet food bills must be astronomical, LOL.
How interesting ... my husband is also a licensed aircraft mechanic and was in the Navy from 1969-1973. Before he enlisted he got his A&P license at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University here in Daytona Beach. He always knew he wanted to eventually teach so after the Navy he worked as an auto mechanic while going to school two nights a week. He got his Bachelor's and Masters degrees and has been teaching at Embry Riddle University for 38 years. His teaching career is winding down now and his plan is to retire in another two years but we'll see ... he's one that can't sit still and will need a hobby or something to keep busy after retirement. He's taking a sabbatical next year so he'll be off for almost 7 months and he says that should give him an idea whether he can handle retirement.
