When I made this meme we didn't expect our beloved Muffin to last much longer... but because her eyes were still bright, her coat still shiny and her appetite as always it had been, we made the choice, with our vet's approval, to do all that we could to ease her comfortably through the coldest and driest winter we've had in years.

She had pain and anti-inflammatory tablets, along with fish oil capsules to help lubricate her arthritic joints, and a course of injections for pain. When the sunshiny days arrived she spent them stretched out on the lawn, soaking up the warmth of the sun. For a time there was quite an improvement.

Despite her lumpy leg and a little stiffness when she first got up, she was showing a heap more interest and enjoyment in what was going on around her. Even on her last day, she followed my husband into the paddock for a bit of a trot along behind him. That night I wrote these words for her -

I think we're saying goodbye to our darling Muffin this night.

Sat with her and held her,

Told her once again about the Rainbow Bridge,

where next we'll be together.

Her breathing so shallow, almost not there.

But I check anyway,

with a silent prayer,

that this will be the last,

with just a quiet sigh...

there will come the moment

when we say goodbye.

Until the next glorious time we meet again,

At that fabulous bridge with the whole gang... then,

Our love will be as always...

at last,

once again,

filling our hearts

But in the wee small hours of the next day, she left us.

At least her last days of 'another season... another reason' for sharing more time with us were warm and loving.

Now she's headed off to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for me...