Life Lessons From the Family Dog
By Dana JenningsNew York Times editor Dana Jennings writes every Tuesday in the paper about coping with an advanced form of prostate cancer. His well loved dog Bijou de Minuit is part of that story…..
Foot Note by Bruce:
Many of us will have huge empathy with Dana Jennings story, both his own and that of his dear dog…. So much has been written over the ages, of the bonds between humans & dogs and one thing is certain, it will remain an ongoing universal story for ever.
…I too lie awake at night sometimes and hear my Maggie quietly make a groan as she straightens her stiffen legs and then sense her slow moves to her water bowl to make her (old ) age induced loud lapping noises…but there is comfort in the level of loudness that I have found to be in direct proportion to her happiness at having a clean water drink in the small hours of the morning.
Here’s wishing both Dana & Bijou de Minuit well.
What news of Maggie?
Hi Duncan…she is still with us and today managed a walk onto the beach and insisted on walking back as well. Usually I pick her up and carry her back some of the way..but not today. I think maybe it was the effect of the sunshine after all the rain we have had which of course prevents her from sitting on the terrace and doing her human surveillance job! She continues to inspire us with her will not to give up..and so the TLC and careful feeding regime remains. I am a bit like Florence Nightgale (the famous nurse) as I get up in the early hours to shine a light on our flight of stairs which she finds a bit tricky now to get down in the dark and reach the back door.