I'm getting ready to go to work, but I had a few minutes and wanted to add a post.  Wasn't expecting the kind replies to my initial post so many thanks for your kind thoughts.  

So my weekend goal, to figure out how to post some pics of Charlie on this site.  To make my first attempt at using his paw print casting to make an imprint.  And I want to make up 2 small memorials, a picture of him with something written about him, have them laminated and leave them somewhere at the 2 parks he frequented.  At the 1 park there is part of river/tributary that flows thru and he loved the water.  But the d__m fisherman pretty well trash the banks with their worm containers, beer and pop containers, so when I go there I'm going to do a clean up.  Always meant to do it with Charlie but he wasn't good off leash so I never was able to do it when he was with me.  

Got to go.

This should prob. go somewhere else on the board but I'm doing it here.  I still haven't researched enough to post pics but that will come.  In the meantime, I'd thought Id let you gals and guys, did you notice that I put the gals first, what I've been up to.  

For the support I've rec. from everyone here, I've made an ongoing donation to the site to keep it going.  I'll keep it up a long as I can.  Not for me but for all the "Charlie's" out there and their human companions that can benefit from the support that this board offers.  It was huge for me, and still is.  I encourage all of you who can make a contribution to do the same.  I've volunteered some time and a similar donation to a local animal rescue/shelter.  

Now, if anyone has read any of my previous posts I'm working on paw prints from Charlie and I thought I'd share you what I've learned so anyone reading this may benefit and skip all the research and trial and error.  

The great people who did the creamation of my friend did a paw print.  I will cherish it always.  But it looked nothing like my buddy's print.  In previous posts I relayed how I found several of Charlie's prints in the mud.  So I made casts of those prints.   The product that made a superior and durable print came from the hobby store.  It's made by woodland scenic and called lightweight hydrocal plaster.  I mixed the plaster, went to the place where the prints were, poured in the plaster with excess for thickness, threw a few of those handwarmers packets on top, winter here remember, covered it with a small cardboard box, set a brick on top and let it sit for about an hour or so.  It had set up enough by then so I dug it up gently, brought it into the house and cleaned it off the next day.

I managed to get 2 castings. So, I want to make an imprint of Charlie's paw print to put into a memorial for him but am worried I might damage the only 2  I have in the process.  The hydrocal casting proved very durable so this is how I have proceeded.  Have you noticed how nice your footprint looks in wet sand?  I purchased a bag of play sand, put it into a plastic lunchmeat container, Hillsdale Farms, about 6" x 51/2" x 1 1/2" overall, filled with the sand about 2/3 full.  I gently pushed in the casting I had and made a new imprint.  So then added again another filling of the hydrocal to get a second casting.  It turned out great, I had to cut away the plastic container but who cares.  I was trying to get another casting in case I damaged the original but I think that this step may not be necessary as the original has proved very durable.  But, my point, all the sites I visited about trying to make a casting of your babies print involve having them step into some type of material that may be irritating to them and then washing off their paws.  Get your materials ready and have them step onto some moist sand in your backyard.  Make a box, or dig a hole and add wet sand and have them walk thru it.  Mix the hydrocal, the hydrocal sets fast so you may only have about 10 minutes or so working time.    Pour it into the print.  You could make a box around it with something to contain it but I did not.  Let it set for about an hour and now you can make paw prints from those castings.  So now for a permanent print I made a box with a 1/4" plywood bottom and 1/2" plywood sides about 6" square and 1" deep.  I chose sanded tile grout in a sandstone color.  Mixed it up according to directions and filled my plywood box about 7/8 fill. I put saran wrap over the top of the box and pressed my plaster casting into the grout.  Gently rocking it back and forth on all 4 edges to work it deeply into the mix.  I let it sit like that for about 1 hour then pulled the excess saran wrap back over the top of the casting, gently pulled it out  and easily scrapped away the excess grout with a small putty knife.    There were creases in the grout from the saran wrap, I used a lightly moistened q tip so smooth things out a little and let it sit for another hour then trimmed away whatever excess there was.  I was able at that point to write in Charlie's name with a toothpick.  It's a work in progress.  The hydrocal is a great strong material, plain plaster may give the same results.  The sanded grout also seems to be great for the print,  good material, available in many colors,  sets up reasonably fast but gives you a long time to work with it, add some writing or decorative items, but it is heavy.  I'm going to make a shadow box frame, add the casting, pics of Charlie, his collar around the casting a rainbow bridge bracelet from I heart Dogs and other stuff as I think or find it.  I'm also going to make a small wall cabinet, maybe 6" deep, glass door to put a 2nd shadow box memorial in along with his babies, harness and leash.

Hopefully pics to follow.  I'll be happy to answer any questions anyone may have to the best of my ability.

This is just an afterthought.  Charlie loved cheese, so did I.  If he was in the basement, pre surgery as he could not negotiate the steps post surgery, and I went into the fridge to get some cheese for a snack, b4 I could even get to a chair he was there.  One time he was laying outside by the garage door, which was in view from the kitchen window, I got some cheese and began slicing it, watching him, his nose went into the air, he obviously smelled the cheese and was at the doorwall so fast, wanting in to share in the snack.  So now, after writing the above post I got a wedge of smoked swiss to have a snack and remembered that the last time I had this cheese was with Charlie.  They are always with us in some way.

There is a tear here for his not being here and a smile for the good memories.

Well I have to share this, in another post I wrote that I had printed a picture of Charlie, made a quick frame 4 it and brought it to work right after he passed.  When I was real sad I would write my thoughts on the back.  Last week on Tuesday I made my final notes, out of room.   I wrote telling Charlie to make sure he lets Carl know he is ok.  So last night I texted my Son and sent him pics of the paw print and what I was planning.  He texted me back that he had had a dream earlier in the week that Charlie was still alive.  

I told him about what I wrote and about the rainbow bridge and that was Charlie's way of letting him know he is OK. I hope it helped him.    I know he is hurting.