How To Put Down A Dog
Most of our dogs have lived a long life, with one basset and a couple of setters getting to past thirteen, which is not a bad age for a dog.
But one incident of the end of a dog’s life stands out. Charlotte, our English Setter, who is pictured here, was probably about fifteen and for several days, she’d hardly touched her food or ventured outside her bed in the kitchen. Our amazing horse vet, Philip, who’d passed through in his usual hurry, a couple of days before, had told us that she didn’t have long and to call him, when we thought the time was near. So that evening I’d called him about six and he said he was busy and would turn up later.
I was writing software and eventually Philip turned up just after midnight. He ascertained that Charlotte hadn’t probably more than a few hours and then did what he had to do.
Normally, Philip didn’t have time to stop, but I asked him if he’d like a drink, suggesting tea or something stronger.
He had probably had a bad day, so asked for the latter.
Between us we finished off the greater part of a bottle of Irish whiskey!
I would like to think, that when my time is up, that I could go in the same dignified way that Charlotte did, with the pain for those present helped in an appropriate manner, by either alcohol, coffee or cake!
Mother’s Day
As someone, who is widowed and doesn’t have a mother anymore, this is one of the days I wish didn’t happen. I actually don’t know my two daughter-in-laws and my grandchildren, which is particularly sad. But then you can’t cater for circumstances.
If I want to eat out with my other son today, then we’ll have difficulty finding somewhere decent.
I do hate these single-issue days. Surely, everybody should respect their mother and father all the year! And not just on one day of the year!
These days, were only invented to sell cards and flowers.
C always hated Mother’s Day, as it was some foreign invention. To her it was Mothering Sunday, which was often on a different day. But I can’t ever remember us celebrating any of Mother’s Day, Mothering Sunday or Father’s Day, except by the odd card. We did usually celebrate Valentine’s Day, as I remarked here.
The Anonymous Widower 