Goodnight, Lovely Boy (Don't read this if you've never had a pet)

Sometimes, a dog is more than just a pet. Sometimes he is nothing less than a member of your family.

That was definitely the case with this handsome gentleman to the left who died this morning. Not only that, he was a champion prizewinner, and a prince in his town, where he was adored by all the local lady-dogs and revered by the males. (Except for one particularly evil and very stupid big black Great Dane around the corner.) Taking him for walks through the neighbourhood was a revelation in that regard: there was a true celebrity in the family!

This lovely labrador arrived at a point when my family needed him most, and as such had a special significance for each and every family member, both nuclear and beyond. And so when he took ill suddenly a few weeks ago, it was very hard on us all, especially for those who still lived in the house with him. I felt a bit silly worrying about his health on the one hand, when so many people I know are suffering terribly, and so much crap unfolds daily here and elsewhere, but a sick and sad dog is not an easy image to banish. I suppose that is why I will prefer to remember him as pictured.

RIP Casper- hope that there are just as many adoring ladies in Dog Heaven.