Farewell to Cookie, 2008 – 2023
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 6, 2024
I don’t want to tell you this because I don’t want it to be true, but we said goodbye to my beloved Cookie last week. Her smile and spunk lit up my days for over thirteen years and I miss her terribly. Thirteen years! I am the luckiest, and what I would give for more.
Cookie was my sidekick, my frontman, my best friend, my real-life teddy bear, my soul pup. As long as Cookie was there, I was never alone. I can almost feel her snuggled up by my side now. Cookie got me through the darkest of days and brightened the best. She kept me company through countless long days and long nights as we built this website from scratch. She taste tested nearly every recipe, too, whether I wanted her to or not.
In her earlier years, Cookie had a terrifying tendency to shoot out the front door like a rocket, which inspired immense gratitude for every day that we got together. Then she received a terminal cancer diagnosis, lymphoma, and defied the odds by living another two-and-a-half years. I always dreamed of taking care of her in her old age, and that’s what I got to do. Over the past year, she lost her hearing and her health declined, which felt more difficult and complicated than I ever anticipated. She died of old age, and while I’ll always wonder if I made the right decisions every step of the way, I am finding some peace and comfort in knowing that we spent all of her best days together. A dog could not have been more loved.
Cookie came into my life at the perfect moment, when I was fresh out of college and learning to live on my own. She walked with me all the way to marriage and motherhood. She left me exactly where I want to be in my upper thirties, with my loving husband and our baby girl. My heart is so full and so broken at the same time.
Cookie was extraordinary and so was our bond. I spent much of our time together wishing for what I have now, yet I’m feeling so sentimental about our special time together as Cookie and Kate. May this be your gentle reminder to appreciate what you have when you have it.
Thank you for cooking along with us and for finding joy in her antics. I’ll be back soon to share more photos and some of my favorite Cookie memories with you. She was truly the greatest.
My heart is with you. Our furry family members give so much in such a short time.
Our beloved pets, that hole will never be filled after they go. …but you have the memories!
So very sorry to hear about Cookie. You had each other for the time that you did, and one day the pain will ease and you will have all the wonderful memories. With sympathy and kind regards, Constance
I’m so sorry! Our pups are so dear to us, and it is so sad when it’s their time to go. Cookie was lucky to have you!
I’m very sorry for your loss of Cookie. Thinking of you!
I am so sorry what a beautiful story what a beautiful life she had. I have my own Cookie, he came to me when my little sister died she was her pup. Thank you for one of my regular dishes (Sweet potato, Kale and chicpea soup) we love it and we enjoy on a monthly basis I have passed it on to many who also love it. So from deepest Wiltshire, England I wanted you to know how much Kate and Cookie have touched our lives. Thank you and my heartfelt condolences how lucky we are to have furry companions ❤️❤️❤️❤️ so much love xx
Thank you for sharing, Victoria. I appreciate your kind words and sharing your experience.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Oh Kate, I am so sorry to hear this. My heart hurts for you, and I wish you much peace and comfort in your memories. Thank you for sharing her with us. She was lucky to have you for her family. ❤️
So sorry for your loss. Losing our fur babies is so hard. Sounds like you and Cookie had great years together. We’ve all enjoyed seeing her “help” in the kitchen. ❤️
I hated to see this post in my inbox. I know how heartbroken you must feel at this time.
When we lose pets, it’s a reminder of an era in which they were present. Yet Cookie’s presence will still remain with you. She was part of the inspiration for your site, which is such a blessing for so many of us.
Wishing you peace during this difficult time.
Oh, my sincere condolences. What a beautiful life Cookie led — beautiful pets never live long enough. Thinking of you.
I am so sorry to hear of your sweet Cookie’s passing. ❤️ Dogs are our family and our world. Sending you so much love.
What a beautiful tribute to your sweet Cookie (and thanks for sharing this with all your readers). I can relate, as my last dog Toby (a Labrador) died after almost 12 years. Just heartbreaking. Silver lining was that he wasn’t in pain anymore. Enjoy the memories with her. Time will heal the pain but she will never be forgotten.
Oh, Kate, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. There’s nothing quite like the love we get from our furbabies, is there? Those warm sleepy snuggles, the unexpected licks, the unabashed joy they show when we give them a treat. We should all take that lesson and live life like that.
We out here in cyberland loved Cookie, too, and will miss her every day. When you are old and grey like she was, you will meet her at the end of the Rainbow Bridge and she will steal scraps from your table on the other side. Sending you hugs
So very sorry to read about your loss. How truly fortunate you are to have had the privilege of being loved by Cookie and how lucky she was to be loved by you. The last farewell is always too soon. May you continue to find peace and comfort within the memories of the beautiful adventure you shared. Rest assured, she will live in your heart forever more. Thank you for sharing her extraordinary story.
I feel for your loss having lost many pets over the years. They love us so much and expect so little in return. They really do leave paw prints on our hearts. I pray that we get re-united with them in Heaven!
Oh Kate,
I am so sorry for you loss. Treasure the memories.
So sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved puppy and family member, Cookie. I always appreciated seeing her sweet face on your website. I lost my old soul Trixie a year ago to an unseen brain tumor. She was by my side every day for 11 years including joining me at work before the lockdown and with me at home and on lots of adventures. I know our dogs’ healing presence and unconditional love is profound. We adopted a new rescue dog last September and she’s full of love and the joy of living. But we can’t replace the deep bonds we have with those special beings who come into our lives at the right time. Hoping the weight of grief on your heart gets easier with time. Thank you for your wonderful recipes and inspirations. We are a plant-based household and I’ve been a fan of your food for years. We even made one of your tasty recipes as one of the dishes for our home-based wedding a few years ago – the truly addictive colorful Sesame Noodle Salad https://sooka.info/veggie-sesame-noodles-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I’m sorry to hear about your loss as well, Sabena. I appreciate your kind words.
So sorry for the loss of Cookie Pets are like one of our children. Cookie was a beautiful dog.
Oh, Kate, I am so very sorry. The last gift of love is letting them go when it is time. She is waiting for you on the Rainbow Bridge. She had a wonderful life with you.
Diane
So sorry. I’m old enough that I’ve lost several dogs over the years. Some older than others. It’s never easy and each one has a piece of my heart. They’ve all been loved. I love your website, so take some time off and you’ll always have Cookie with you.
P.S. when the time is right and you’re ready, a new pup will be beside you.
Dear Kate, with tears for your loss of your dear friend and with remembrances of my dear little dogs that I’ve cared for til the end, I’m sending you this abstract in hope that it brings you the solice that it did me when I lost Pushi.
From Suzanne Clouthier’s “Bones Would Rain From the Sky”
“There is a cycle of love and death that shapes the lives of those who choose to travel in the company of animals. It is a cycle unlike any other. To those who have never lived through its turnings or walked it’s rocky path, our willingness to give our hearts with full knowledge that they will be broken seems incomprehensible. Only WE know how small a price we pay for what we receive. Our grief, no matter how powerful it may be, is an insufficient measure of the joy we have been given.”
Sent to me by Liz Stevenson, DVM
So sorry
So sorry for your loss, I totally understand the pain you feel. Lost my little soul pup 4 yrs ago now and still miss her everyday. Cherish the memories!
Sending our thoughts and hugs
So sorry for the loss of sweet Cookie. There is nothing like the pain of losing a pet. Forever in our hearts.
My thoughts are with you during this sad time. I understand how difficult it is to lose a beloved pet whose been a long time member of the family ❤️
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Cookie certainly was loved. Thanks for sharing your heart.
My heart is broken for you, Kate. Thank you for sharing this news with us. I lost my soul puppy 9 years ago. After several years I was able to open my heart to another puppy that I love so very much there was something incredibly special about my Toby. Sending you and your family lots of love.
I weep with you, Kate. I have walked this path so many times with decades of beloved ‘dog people’. I have two keeping me company now wondering why I am weeping. Sending you so much love and gratitude for The Love of Food and for loving Cookie and Kate.
Such sad news, Kate. You and Cookie were so lucky to have found each other. Wishing you lots of hugs and many happy memories. x
So sorry to hear of Cookie’s passing.
Oh Soulful connected 4 leggeds pure light right into your heart.
So sorry for your loss. They stay close in forever and ever.
Grateful for your and her inspiring presence.
Blessings to you Kate
So sad! Cookie was lucky to have you. Rest in peace Cookie.
Thank you for sharing Cookie with us. I got to love her as I visited your recipes. She was so precious. Losing our fur darlings is so painful. Thinking of you at this difficult time.
So so sorry to hear about Cookie….they are so very special and it’s super hard to say goodbye…(((hugs)))
Sending you many blessings on the loss of Cookie who lives on in your cookbook.
So sorry for your loss Kate. Thanks for all of the awesome food over the years, we eat healthier and will live longer because of you and Cookie. All our love.
I have loved Cookie from the first time I found your site. It is so hard to lose our sweet animals, who love us unconditionally. We just lost our Shadow after 16 years of him loving us. God bless you.
I am so very sorry to hear about Cookie. I must admit I cried and cried. As a dog lover myself, I know how heartbreaking it can be to lose such a great friend, but I am glad you had extra time to spend with her and that she was well loved.
RIP Cookie! Hugs to you, Kate! Glad that her name and memory will live on in the title of this blog.
Kate and Family. I am so heartbroken for you! May your memories of sweet Cookie live on in all you do. Your heart is now part Cookie,and ALL love. I loved all the posts on Instagram and the story of how she got her name. Sending white light your way. ❤️ Annarose
I’m so sorry for your loss! She was such a wonderful, integral part of your blog and I hope you can find comfort in your memories.
I am so sorry to hear this. Losing a beloved pet is always so heartbreaking.
Oh, how sad :-(
I am so sorry for you loss. Cookie is not truly gone, her spirit is still with you. Don’t cry of the loss of her, but celebrate the times you shared together. They are never truly gone, just continuing on their adventures into another realm.
God Bless,
Lots of love and light
XOXO
I am so sorry for the loss of your lovie pup Cookie, but consoled that the two of you made such a fun, meaningful, and tasty journey together! My dog Dalai is a 10 1/2 mini Schnauzer and like Cookie is food driven. I was so thankful she loved veggies, which she gets every day! I look forward to more memories that you will share with us….and the recipe of course! Take care care Kate.
You are no longer where you were but you are everywhere I am. Beautiful and wise words from Victor Hugo. These are the hardest days,Kate.We lost our 16 year old 4 months ago and some days are so strange without him.Cookie will always stay close – only a thought away. With love and light. Cathy
So sorry for your loss. Will look forward to your memories and pictures of your beloved Cookie. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes…
Aww Kate, I’m so sorry, some of us started following you because of Cookie, her sweet beautiful spirit (and yours) kept me coming back, not to mention the great recipes you both put your heart and soul into.
Even though we’ve never met, I will miss her. RIP Cookie.
I feel your heartache for losing your precious Cookie. My thoughts are with you in this sad time. The love & joy they brought us stays with us always.