I read a mindfulness website called Life Unity and on Monday, as always, they announced the task for the week.
It was called Notice Blue.  The suggestion is to be aware of Blue for seven days, the colour mainly but perhaps also the mood, the music, the dog

I added this to my list of serendipitous things which have been around me recently

Blue and Bonnie and I came a week ago to this beautiful country cottage near Figueres

We were refugees from the city life we were finding so hard to handle in Granollers.
We wanted peace, gentle walks, time to rest and tune into ourselves without cars and noise and concrete and an angry and jealous Duna.
We found somewhere perfect to do all this and more.
Somewhere perfect for Blue to spend the last days of her life

She had a strange fall before we left town.  I wondered it it was a fit or a stroke. Afterwards she was normal and we made the journey but some instinct told me she was moving into a new phase.

Here is Sant Nicolau. This beautiful place has his name and his sanctuary at the end of the drive. Remember he is the saint of present giving, of helping children.

As we arrived I had a feeling of coming home, of finding my place, of all the cells of my body saying “YES YES YES’
It is green and wooded, set on a plane with mountains in the distance

Birds are everywhere. Day and night there is always someone singing.
Every single night the nightingale calls to her friends…… every night!
I found this nestled in the fruit bowl

Blue must have relaxed too. She fell over more and more. Wobbly legs would take her outside into the little garden and then give way leaving her stranded.
She looked tired. Slept for hours. Seemed more detached from me and from the world. At other times she was alert as normal. Especially if there was a piece of ham being offered…..

The day before she died she came down the open field with Bonnie and me. We had a football and Blue suddenly wanted to play. I rolled it past her, she jumped on top, I kicked it away and she chased it a few steps. On and on and on. Then she stopped. Fell over. Got up again and turned for home. That was her last game and it was a good one.
Next day I decided to call the vet. The decision is always ‘When?’  I spoke to friends and read lots of accounts on the internet, feeling more and more sure that I didn’t want to wait till she was unable to move or suffering badly.
The wonderful owners of Sant Nicolau helped me in every possible way, accompanying us through the last hour, offering a place for Blue to rest, digging the grave and sharing a ceremony of goodbye.
It was all peaceful, the vet came in the afternoon and confirmed that it was for the best. Blue was calm and almost dreamy and not at all nervous.  It was over in moments and with no fear or pain.
She is now down here at the bottom of the field, just to the right of the little white building on the left.

Bonnie and I will stay here for a few more days. We don’t know what the future holds as we still have the problem of Duna’s jealous rages at home. But for now we are able to listen to the birds, read books from the house collection, swim in the pool and visit Blue where she lies at the bottom of the open field, under the apple trees.
Bye Bye Blue – you good dog you!