I recently had to have a well loved cat put down due to his having only one kidney, and it being seriously enlarged and him being in lots of pain... well about 7 weeks after that, someone drove down our dead end road, then came back out, and flung a tiny little kitten out the window, and took off fast.
... yeah, I now have a new friend, when I hadn't planned on it at all, but I'm really glad I've got him now. I'm not saying you should rush right out and look for another running buddy, but in time, it could be a really good thing.
It sounds like you've got a great yard for a dog, and you loved having Bubba with you. Of course, maybe a -little- less a knucklehead so he stays in the yard better, and you can have another great pal.
Like I said, maybe in time.
after all, as the quote goes, "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."