Puppy Fun.

Enrique Tabara.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enrique_T%C3%A1bara

It’s been a week full of puppy fun, Tina has been a wonderful addition, Marleen and Cyril are noticeably happier since she got here.

Her coming to live here has rejuvenated both dogs; they are playing much more exuberantly than before she arrived.

The other thing that is wonderful is how well the dogs are getting on, Marleen was good right away, and the two of them slept together on the second night, Cyril got worried but soon bounced back.

Especially when on the third day, Cyril found out that playing in the park with her was great fun, better then before her arrival.

On Thursday, it was just one week, but it feels almost like Tina has been here much longer, so well do the dogs get on, it really is good to see.

We did have three dogs until one, our Daisy died in June 2006, just before my ms diagnosis, which shocked us; then we had other things on our minds than getting a new dog.

When our lovely dog, Spike died last December, we decided to give another dog a new home, Cyril joined us in January, happily Marleen and Cyril got on very well.

We recently decided to look for another dog to join our two darlings. It took several months, and then last week there finally was just Th dog we were looking for, tine

Three dogs seems to work very well for dogs, makes them very happy, dogs prefer to live in packs, so our three dogs are happy with their pack.

Cold Winter Day.

English Beach at Heist.
Georges Lemmen (1865–1916)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Lemmen

Sitting here typing with my left hand mostly, though I do try to keep using my right hand too, even if only intermittently.

Just gone 16.00 now and it is getting dark, not long now and it is night again, really feel it is winter now.

Marleen is a little bit happier and more relaxed today, which is lovely to see, she also does not look as depressed and as middle aged as she did on Tuesday & Wednesday.

When she sat with her jaw hanging, looking suddenly much older and quite resigned to life.

She seemed to get tremendously cheered up by her walk yesterday, plus Richie put her on my bed in the morning those plus lots of games and attention.

Really good to see Marleen looking and being herself, she woke up very cheery this morning and wanted her early morning games.

First time since last Saturday when Spike was just died that Marleen has been abit livelier, she really wanted a game with Richie this morning which was sweet to see.

At the moment there are no Jack Russell’s online that need re-housing, we will keep looking and hoping for a new dog, so we can lavish attention and love on it too.

Marleen is definitely missing Spike presence and the interaction with him, their 5 years together made them very close, a lovely little pack.

Who knows we may be able to find Marleen a new chum after Christmas, I hope we do.

Sunday, 19, December, 2010. An Artic Sunday.

View of Toledo, Spain.

El Greco.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Greco

The weather has been awful since the downpour of sleet on Thursday afternoon, when it did not turn to snow; we thought we had made a lucky escape.

Sadly we didn’t as we woke to thick snow on Friday morning, and we did not know that there was even more still to come nor how much.

There was an incredible heavy snowstorm on Friday and worse of all the snow became very icy by around 16.00 in the afternoon.

On Saturday there was even more snow and conditions became extremely cold, Richie was taking even longer putting on all his layers.

Saturday we both missed Spike and cried a lot, I may start again at any minute it comes and goes just like with any bereavement.

Richie told methat weak as Spike was he seemed to enjoy going off  with him on the bike, sticking his head out of the bike bags and sniffing the air as he went off on his last adventure.

Poor Marleen is very down without her pack mate, she has been looking for him inside and outside, especially whenever Richie came back on the bike.

We are going to research this well and find her a new friend verey soon before she becomes really depressed.

This morning we were both still wiped out by being up so late Friday to Saturday, we did not get to sleep until 05.00 in the morning.

Richie took Marleen for a long walk in the park then returned and got me showered and put back in bed.

After which he set about getting ready for our party, Eva came around at 15.00 to help and to bring her contribution delicious bread from the great Moroccan baker near us.

By mid afternoon it became clear that sadly our party would not be able to go ahead.

The majority of people would not be able to get here due to all the ice and snow so we cancelled it and hope to do it in mid January.

Something, to look forward to in  cold, dark January.

Masses Of Snow.

 
Airplane Synchromy in Yellow-Orange.

Airplane Synchromy in Yellow-Orange.

Stanton  MacDonald Wright.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanton_MacDonald-Wright

Woke up to masses of snow today, must have been falling all night as Richie says it is quite deep, up to mid calf height.

Much thicker than in many years here, Richie was planning to go to three shops today to get all our shopping, also for the party on Sunday..

To the Oriental supermarket in the Nieuwmarkt, the good Moroccan shop in the Bos and Lommer neighbourhood and the Oasis the whole food shop near us.

What a surprise that there is snow and so very much of it too, incredible how much there is and it looks like it will be here for a long time.

My first winter here in Amsterdam in 1981, there was snow from November until early march and it was incredibly cold too.

Find myself wishing it will vanish overnight as it normally does but think this time the snow will be here for ages.

Wonder if everyone can get here on Sunday or our party, those coming by bus and train may not be able to get here.

Hope Richie takes the dogs to the park sometime today, a warmly wrapped up Spike could have great fun barking as Marleen goes mad running around in the snow.

Despite being terminally sick Spike is still very bright and really interested in everything aroung him, he has been responding to every dog he sees or hears on the street.

Glad he can be so bright and have such fun when he is so ill, but somehow I am not too surprised as he always makes so much fun and can turn any situation into a game.

Guess we are quite similar, both enjoying everything we can in our own way, I am sure I shall cry again about Spike, but for now I am smiling as I hear him barking in the front room.

That’s my Spike.





,

That's Life.

Wilhelm_Oswald_Gustav_Achenbach,_Abendstimmung_in_der_Campagna.
Social Realism.

Today it has become obvious that we need to be brave about Spike, he can’t do much anymore, he can only move with huge difficulty.

He still tries his best to move around the apartment and somehow through getting up and tottering for a few steps then collapsing and doing this again and again he gets around.

We have both been crying loads today, hating the thought of saying goodbye very much to our little dog, but it is obvious that it is now a case of when not if.

Richie put Spike on my bed this afternoon, first time in ages, because he has not been able to spend much time on our beds recently preferring the cooler floor.

So this afternoon was special, he licked my hands very delicately and most thoroughly which was so incredibly touching.

Difficult to keep dry eyed when writing about Spike, he is near me in the front room lying stretched out on the floor.

Such a lovely dog, I just ate a cashew nu and instantly his head was off the floor and he was looking at me and wanting a cashew nut too.

What a dog, fading away, losing strength yet still aware, part of it all and demanding his share of whatever is going.

That’s our lovely dog Spike.

Monday, 13, December 2010. Today Has Been A Strangely Pleasant.Day.

A Dog Named Picasso.

  

 Today has been a strangely pleasant day despite the weather being very dull today, had the light on as soon as Richie opened the curtains this morning.

Spike is so obviously weaker but amazingly he is still interested in everything around him, Marleen and he were very sweet together.

This morning they lay quite close to each other, mirroring how each other were lying, a lovely picture seeing them so peaceful and happy together.

In the afternoon Richie took Marleen and Spike to the park, Spike only walked a short distance before making it very clear he could do no more.

Instead he stood in his wheelchair having a wonderful time barking and watching Marleen running to catch sticks Richie threw for her.

It has always been a favourite game of Spike’s watching Marleen playing tug or chasing the ball while he refereed the action.

Even though he could not do much, Richie says it was very obvious he was enjoying himself enormously.

The dogs returned happy from the park and devoured their dinners and both slept for a couple of hours.

This evening has been pleasant, sitting relaxing together in the front room with our two lovely dogs.

Really enjoying this time together with our lovely Spike, very aware this special time will be over too soon.

Re-Homing Is Very Rewarding.

Richie, Daisy and Spike in 2003.

Richie just came back from going round the block with the dogs, Spike started off hating his wheelchair, as he always does every time he uses it.

Think he soon noticed how useful it was, as he can move around better and can get to explore all the dog scents he wants to sniff.

He also got considerable attention from people on the street, which Richie said he milked for all its worth.

Richie says it was a sweet sight, seeing Spike wagging his tail as people oh’ed and ah’ed over him in the wheelchair.

They returned and Spike was still in the wheelchair and not protesting about it, glad even Spike can understand that the wheelchair is useful.

Thinking about Spike brought tears to my eye, more tears followed when I read Janis’s post about her dog Bruno, and she also mentions Spike.

http://justbreathejanis.blogspot.com/.

Janis’s story about Bruno is moving, what a lovely dog he was, and what a treat to have a dog like that in your life.

Having Spike in our lives since 2002 has been wonderful, he was a handful when we first   brought him home but very rewarding for us all.

It was hard work convincing Spike that he was not the boss; that he was a pack member, as soon as he understood this, he was a happy dog.

Re-homing dogs is a good thing to do, better than buying and encouraging puppy farms.

Re-homing Spike and Marleen has been very good and incredibly rewarding for Richie and I as well as Spike and Marleen who have both blossomed with us.

      

A Cold Grey Day Today. .

 

 
Paul Cezanne.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_C%C3%A9zanne

Last night I was quite often disturbed by Spike stumbling around, poor little fellow, I really felt for him.

A good friend came by last night at 20.00 and stayed until 22.45 chatting and catching up with us.

It was lovely, as  we had not seen Louis since he moved up north in 2008, with his parter to live on a farm.

That they have turned into a business, called Lauenshout, making furniture and restoring furniture and wooden buildings.

http://www.laurenshout.nl/

It was good to see him, Spike seemed to think so too, as he brought his kong over right away, he can’t run for it but he can hobble rapidly and he can catch well.

He is quite some dog, still following Richie around everywhere which is very sweet until Richie takes a step back and treads on Spike or very nearly falls over him.

Our two terriers are great at always being in the wrong place at all times, one of their favourite place is between my wheelchair wheels.

Richie and I think Spike is fading fast and will not be here with us for very much longer, he has had a good week since he has been getting the extra food.

But it is very clear that Spike will not be alive for too much longer, Richie wants to take him to a couple of his favourite parks today and over the weekend.

Love Spike to be around for much longer, he is such a wonderful character, he really is.

I thought it was lovely how he recognised Louis after two years and wanted to play right away.

Very cold day today, a cold grey misty day a complete contrast to yesterdays blue skies and sunshine.

Like A Charles Dicken's Novel.

Fighting Forms.

Franz Marc,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Marc

All the snow started to melt yesterday and today apart from a few scraps it is all gone, which is good.

I am glad as it was not nice for Spike, too cold for him, now the grass no longer has the thick layer of snow; the snow was well over Richie’s ankles.

Today now the snow has gone Spike could walk back up the road from the dog toilet, which is great to hear.

The extra food is working well; it has given Spike extra energy he lacked without the tins of food with extra calories which the vet recommended we give him.

He is also looking better with eating more, before we gave him the tins his normal dinner was not enough as the cancer was taking all the nutrients.

Good the additional food helps Spike so much that he can enjoy himself, love to see him so engaged with what is happening around him.

Seeing him being so much our lovely Spike gives me a huge boost, he does not k now what is happening, he just gets on with it.

And like all animals enjoys the moment he is in, Spike is very much in the here and now and inspires me to do the same.

Good to enjoy now and leave complicated and convoluted thoughts for what they are, which  is not part of the here and now.

It has become extremely foggy, the end of the street is no longer visible now, amazing how quickly the fog has become so thick.

Just two hours ago it was a grey but bright day, now it looks like weather out of The Christmas Carol, a Charles Dickens novel.

One of my favourites, the BBC will have it this Christmas on the tv, so looking forward to seeing it then.

Determined To Seize And Enjoy The Moment.

 
Francis Picabia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Picabia

Finding it very difficult to not cry when thinking about Spike, it has made me realise how grief can make it so that the truth of a situation can be ignored.

Always wondered how that could work, when the facts were known, well yesterday finally I understood how that works.

While Richie was out with Spike and Marleen, I was answering mail and reading comments about our beautiful Jack Russell,  Spike and thinking about my wee champion.

Suddenly started crying and saying very loudly that I did not believe he was dying, that I would ignore the truth, the facts, that our boy Spike, would not die, not our Spike not now.

 Of course could not maintain the self deception for long, knew that it was my desire to have Spike be alive and here with us for another three years and that sadly the reality was going to be different.

Shocked Spike won’t be here snuggling up to Richie when I am dead, that is what I thought would happen.

Thought Richie would have Spike and Marleen to help him, keep him going out and distracted by demanding food, games and affection.

Never once had I imagined that Spike would be ill and it could not be cured by medicine or an operation.

Such a scenario was quite unthinkable, not our super fit little Jack Russell, our athlete is what our vet always called him.

This certainly gives even more meaning to seize the moment and enjoy the here and now.

It has made me more determined to enjoy every moment that I can enjoy, which is what I am going to do and never forget to do ever again.

Our Lovely Spike.

More snow in the night and extremely cold, so cold that the window had to be shut quickly in he early mornng, as we were frozen.

A lot more snow today, there was a snowstorm for 30 minutes which left another thick layer outside.

This happened just when Richie had taken the clogs down to the clog toilet; Marleen had great fun in the snow.

Richie is just off out with the dogs now so they can have abit of fun in the snow today; it is as dark already asif it were early morning not late afternoon.

Spike has been wandering around looking sweetly at me, can’t believe my little darling will be dead soon.

Weird concept death, he will be dead but all the memories will always be here with us, with Richie and me.

And with all the people who met and became friends with Spike, over the 8 years since we brought him home from the dog pound.

He had no socialisation as he was dumped in a deep ditch as a young pup, too young to even leave his mum and the nest.

He was taken home by 2 lots of people who thought him too much and took him back, their loss was our gain.

And our pleasure, eight beautiful years of Spike, who has been a good loyal friend/companion and a great pack member and playmate for Marleen.

Sad News Abut Spike.

Spike.

Richie took Spike to the vet's yesterday, to get his advice.

Now we know that Spike has bone cancer, we wanted to find out what signs we need to look out for that would tell us he was starting to suffer.

When Richie got back, he told me that the vet thought Spike had only about a month left to live.

His advice was that as he was not in pain and obviously still engaged with and enjoying life and as many biscuits as possible, there was no need to do anything as yet.

But that soon as Spike would not eat and was retreating from the world and started to be in obvious pain, we would need him to be put to sleep quickly so he would not suffer unduly.

Horrible news, not a surprise but a horrible confirmation of the fact we won't have our lovely, energetic, playful and gorgeous little Spike for very much longer.

It is amazing how cheerful and playful he still is despite being sick and losing so much weight so quickly just in the last couple of weeks, it will be so hard to say goodbye to Spike.

I love him so much, we both do, and he is an amazingly lovely loving little fellow with a lot of lust for life, still cheerful and happy when he is so very sick.

I am crying as I write this which makes seeing my text very difficult indeed, just can’t believe that this is happening.

Feels so unreal, at first when Richie told me when he got home I heard and accepted the news but after sometime it became a strange totally unreal thought that our little dog would be dead so very soon.

 We will miss him so very much; it has been a tremendous privilege and pleasure to have had him living with us since 2002.

When I had to stay in bed 24/7 from August 2008 until the late autumn of 2009 and again for quite alot of this year Spike entertained me and was constantly by my bedside looking out for and keeping me laughing. 

We are going to enjoy all the moments we still have with him while we can, sadly not as many as I had hoped we would have with our beautiful Spike.

An Emotional Month.

Barry James,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Barry_%28painter%29

This month has been very emotional, with Richie’s dad dying on the last Saturday in October, which was very upsetting, especially for my darling Richie.

The only positive was the fact that Tom, Richie’s dad was no longer in pain that was I think a relief for his family.

So glad he came over and spent some time with us in Amsterdam in 2000, he was a very charming and lovely man, a real gentleman.

We took him to lots of places; we ate at the Melkweg restaurant, one of the big music venues which he enjoyed tremendously, being somewhere so hip and in.

We also took him to our favourite coffee shop the Basjoe, in the Nieuwmarkt, the oldest part of town.

A lovely place run by two brothers, James and Leo, who were charmed we had brought Richie’s dad to their coffee shop and greeted him very warmly.

They organised the best spot on heir terrace for us, was pleasant sitting there with Tom, watching the boats go by on the canal and the people walking by.

Shame he could not have stayed longer than he did but it was good to meet him and spend time together.

When he left Richie was up at the bottle bank getting rid of our empty bottles and found himself wondering if his dad had enjoyed himself while he was here.

At the moment he realised he had just thrown away 6 empty Spanish bottle of bubbly and decided that his dad probably had a great time.

It is always a big shock when your parents die; mine died at the beginning of 2000, within 3 weeks of each other.

No wonder I was so happy to meet Tom, he was then 85 the same age as my dad and also very interesting to talk with.

Since Tom’s death Richie has been very worried about Spike not being able to walk and my impending operation.

What an emotional month it has been and no wonder that tears have flowed and sleeping has not been easy.

A Quiet Day.

'

 
Paysage au bord du Lez, 1870, Minneapoli

Frédéric Bazille
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Bazille
 
Had a very relaxing and restful day today in an attempt to keep calm and not get too upset about my impending operation tomorrow.

It will take place at 11.30 tomorrow morning; have to be there at 10.30 in the morning so they can get me all ready for surgery.

Hope that the hour will pass by and they put me under real quickly and I come round well without any problems or complications.

Richie will go there with me for 10.30 and as soon as I get taken off by the pre op nurses he will leave and go home again and be with Spike and Marleen.

Then he will come back for 14.00 to see how I am doing and sit with me until I am ready to go home, hopefully at 16.00.

Oh well tomorrow late afternoon I will be back home and it will be all done and dusted, what a relief.

This morning just to remind me why the supra pubic catheter operation was needed my Foley catheter popped out.

Spike has been much brighter since Friday and today he has been walking quite a lot, he even went quietly into the front room and stole Marleen’s chew.

It looked so sweet we just let him get on with it was so cute seeing him sneaking through the bedroom limping back to his bed with his trophy.

   

    

Friday's Sad News.

Claude Monet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Monet

Yesterday I was at hospital again, just to have my blood pressure taken, shame they could not have done this last Thursday.

As the whole day was dominated by getting the mobility bus there then having to wait for a quick visit while a nice woman measured my blood pressure.

Which was fine as I thought it would be, and then 45 minutes wait for the bus home pretty tired afterwards and worrying about Spike's MRI today.

Have had two friends here today, Anne and Anja good to have good friends like them to come round and organise food and drink for me.

Just had bad news from Richie at 16 pm, the MRI has shown that it’s not a hernia but a tumour on Spike's spine.

So I guess we have a very difficult decision to make next week and Richie will have to take our wee darling to the vet for the last time.

Very difficult decisions but ones we have to make, it’s the duty of good care we promised our little friends.

These are difficult decisions for us to make and they all depend on the quality of life for our little darling Spike.

That is the important question and the only one that is valid. I guess and not what we want.

As what we want is Spike fit and well, running around happily and always there by my bed or wheelchair looking at me and wanting a game.

Crying now, finally only took three hours since Richie phoned at 16.00, and to add to the misery he is stuck in Utrecht because there has been a fire on a train so there are no trains tonight.

He has been promised a lift by another passenger whose wife is driving to pick him up so he will be home sometime just very late, my poor darling and poor Spike.

It is 19.00 now hope my darlings are back soon.

They were back at 20.00, what a relief.

Feeling Optimistic

 
 Marcus Antonius Jansen

American expressive visionary painter.

Trying and succeeding in keeping calm, this afternoon after 15.00 we shall hear whether the professor at the Vetertinary clinic can get enough information from the June MRI.

If she can then she will not need a new one done, otherwise the new one will happen this Friday.

When the professor has the information she needs, to be able to decide how to proceed, I won’t do too much second guessing but expect her to say she will operate soon.

It is lovely to see how much better Spike is doing since getting the painkillers and catheter, he is much more himself which is good to see.

He is back to being very vocal, when Richie takes Marleen for a run Spike sits and cries on his bed.

Cries until he hears them at the front door then falls silent and looks likely he has been quiet the whole time they were gone.

Which is not true as each time I get treated to a concert of cries, whimpers and short sharp barks and some little howls.

Hope that the operation will be done soon so the healing process can start, hopefully if done soon he will be able to enjoy walking and running again soon.

Be good to see him being himself again and able to bustle around in the apartment and enjoy a good run around in the park with Marleen.

Feeling optimistic this will happen or Spike very soon now.

Tired But Happy.

 
Ben Haverman.
Dutch artist.
1942-

I am feeling very tired today and so is Richie after the week we have had, yesterday was very stressful.

For both Richie and for Spike undergoing hours of examination and for myself waiting patiently at home for them to come home.

What a relief to get Richie’s call that they were on the way home and he had good news about Spike for me.

It has been very worrying watching Spike walking getting worse and then stopping practically altogether on Thursday.

Thinking it might be a neurological problem only increased our anxiety considerably; Spike seemed to having spasms, almost thought it could be MS or Parkinson’s.

Hearing it was a hernia seemed wonderful news compared to the other things had worried it could be.

When Richie got home and told me the diagnosis it felt like the best news ever, funny that as a hernia means an operation.

Better that then the news that there was nothing they could do for our lovely Spike and the vet would have had to put him to sleep yesterday.

We are both happy that something can be done and Spike’s problem will be dealt with very soon.

.

These, Are Really Happy Days

Capturer.

Valentina Kropivnitskaia.   

(Russian, 1924-2008)

Difficult sitting here knowing that right now Richie is in the Veterinary clinic with Spike, the appointment is at 10.15,I t is now 10.24.

So hope that the clinic has a way of treating him, so afraid they will not be able to treat him, would be great if they could as Spike is having such a hard time.

Not nice when your legs do not work anymore, he has got dramatically worse since Wednesday.

Wednesday was a top day Spike hobbled around at great speed playing with his toys, loved dinner and enjoyed himself tremendously in the park, Richie told me when they came back.

Since yesterday Spike has got worse can hardly stand up, because of that could not use the dog toilet, which is not a good sign.

The sun is starting to shine which is lovely, need something today when I am sitting here and wondering what is happening right now in Utrecht.

The sun did not last long, but was very pretty while it lasted, now it looks like heaps of rain, with the odd flash of sun.

Hope it does not happen until later after Richie and Spike are back from Utrecht, have to try and relax, not think of what is happening with Spike.

A friend Anne is here to visit and distract me from what is happening with Spike and Richie; it was nice to see her.

She brought me a tasty bread roll filled with spicy, fluffy salt fish from Surima, a Suriname sandwich shop; it had exactly the right amount of hot pepper sauce on it, yummy,

At 11.30 Anne had to leave, Cecile got here just before she left, and then Cecile visited with me until Richie arrived home at 15.15.

He had good news, Spike can be helped, seems he has a hernia which must have caused him a lot of pain and stopped his back legs functioning, it also stopped him peeing.

As soon as the doctor inserted the catheter a lot of urine was extracted which according to Richie gave Spike huge relief.

He has a catheter for now, which has to be drained several times a day, and painkiller and anti inflammatory tablets.

The doctor will evaluate the existing MRI and may need another one done next Friday, we will hear on Monday whether it is necessary or not.

Seems likely that Spike will need an operation to sort him out, once the recovery period is over he should be able to run and play again like he enjoys so much.

What great news especially as I was not expected it, it has been a dtressful day waiting to hear.

Now we are both happy, our Spike can be helped, he looks and sounds like Spike once again, these are really happy days              

As Much Fun As Possible.

 
Abstract Digital Art.

.


Spike.

Did not sleep well last night did too much thinking, about Spike every time I heard him moving around with difficulty.

But also thought about nice things like talking to Richie about our next party, after the party on September 17, he had suggested we have one on the 19 December, our 9 wedding anniversary.

Think it is a great idea, we still have 9 bottles of proseccio from September, plenty enough for December.

Will ask the same people to join us again this time, be good fun for me organising the party, getting everyone to bring something delicious to share.

September was great fun everyone enjoyed themselves enormously; it was nice to have a group of friends here for a change.

Years ago I used to organise a get together of a group of friends every Saturday, everyone brought something to eat and drink and we had a pleasant time together.

Generally I would make a big lasagne or quiches and rely on other people bringing salads, bread and deserts and wine or beer.

When I lived in Reading, England we always had such bring a plate parties, a few of us would also eat together every week, always at a different house so everyone took a turn cooking.  

Additionally I usually had a few friends over for dinner once a week, really missed all of that when I was here first, and so decided to start the ‘tradition’ here.

That was also when I was the chef at a vegetarian café, enjoyed the job very much, loved thinking up the new menus, a new dish of the day, soup and salad daily.

Miss being able to cook these days, it has been a long time since I cooked anything; the last thing was a curry in early 2006 and scrambled eggs in early 2007.

Being disabled has robbed me of so much in the last 5 years, feel that I need to do everything possible to have as much fun as I can while I can.

Keeping Us Happy And Amused.

Spike is not well it’s very worrying, his walking has been getting worse, he has lost control of his back legs, but despite this he is still a happy dog.

He has many cheerful and playful moments, which is lovely to see, also how well he copes with his wobbly legs.

We got quite worried that we won't have our beautiful little friend for too much longer, so Richie took him to the vets.

Who thought it could be one of two things, both of which could be treated, neither could be cured but medicine could reduce the effects.

This would give Spike another three to four years of a good life, where he would be able to run and play without any problems.

Blood samples were taken and these were sent off to the laboratory for testing, took three weeks to get the results.

We had hoped the blood tests would tell us more but sadly nothing was found, so now we need to take Spike to see a neurologist.

We were lucky to get an appointment at 10.25 on Friday 12 October to the Animal Clinic which is part of Utrecht University.

This is one of the teaching clinics where vets get trained; it seems to have a good reputation.

Now Richie will go to Utrecht on Friday 12 October, with Spike to see if they can help.

Hope they can, would give alot to have him fit again and hear him running full tilt around the apartment.

He is such a sweet dog, my special little friend who takes his job very seriously to keep us both happy and amused.