Mr. Chip is no longer with us.

Mr. Chip is no longer with us.

It turned out this autumn was his swan song and we feel it was too short.

Last weekend our dear old dog got up from his basket, after an invigorating nap and something happened. We don't know if it was his back or the wobbly leg but the result was that he started walking slightly sideways again. You could see in his eyes that something was awfully wrong, though. So Monday was a day of pottering about, Mr. Chip got lots of treats, (in moderation) and he was hugged and kissed even more than usually. There was some sneaky hen food eating on the agenda too and good for him! There were also some tears...

On Tuesday we said goodbye to our dear, lovely dog.

Mr. Chip was a dog that touched people's hearts. He had that sort of kindness you wish everyone could encounter, at some point in life. He was also the cutest dog I have ever seen. Mr. Chip was kind to all other dogs he met and never scared anyone. He was lovely with children and you could trust him to remove himself from a situation he did not feel comfortable in, instead of him making a scene. He was a fox terrier who knew how to be a gentleman.

Mr. Chip was no pushover.

He could be stubborn like a mule, he was fast as lightning when younger and he ate live mice, which was utterly disgusting to watch. Too greedy to kill before swallowing, was our friend. Then he looked into your eyes, twinkling away and you agreed that mice were better eaten like sushi and that chasing hares was good for the digestion. He always seemed to win the battles but in the kindest possible way. All we had to do was to keep him safe and love him to bits... How we will adapt to sleeping in a bed lacking in sand, soil and a wildly kicking dog is anybody's guess.

In order to sleep, you have to stop crying.

We miss our little friend so much that it hurts. Not having him constantly bobbing around our feet, makes us feel lacking in so many ways it's impossible to list them. To be able to eat an apple without Mr. Chip yelling loudly has taken the fun factor out of apples. I've completely gone off cucumber. All those years of being told by a little white dog that all the cucumber in the world was his has made a lasting impression on me. I will eat bananas from now on...

A few years ago, when we were at the graveyard, Mr. Chip and I, he met a young man.

I was tending to a grave, our kind dog was waiting near by, when I heard someone addressing him. The young man sat down next to Mr. Chip and started telling him about his loss, his heartache and his worries for the future. Our dear dog sat there, listening and nodding. He was there for this man, a stranger who needed his support. They finished their conversation and the young man looked up and saw me. He wished me a happy holiday and thanked Mr. Chip for his time and left. After a while we met up with him again and he commented on what an amazing dog Mr. Chip was. I told him that this dog had a family who wholeheartedly agreed with the man on that one.

There is a bright candle on our dear friend's grave, lighting up the night.