Thank you for your kind and comforting words Kerry as I know you have been/are going through the same, and you are right, it is like losing a close family member.

Yesterday my daughter came to visit with her partner and our first and only grandchild who is now one year old and that distracted me somewhat from my grief. My daughter lives a long way from here so her visits are not often and she was very upset that she didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Daisy, which made it worse for me - on the brighter (?) side her partner dug the grave for me as I couldn't have done it what with my COPD, so all's well that ends well I suppose..............if I can say that as I was worrying a lot about the trauma of having to take her to the vets - it would have been gut wrenching and I am not sure if I could have even done it, and so our vet rang later after I had cancelled Daisy's appointment for next Thursday, which was kind and she said that was the worst thing to deal with in having to take your dog to be put to sleep and that I was save that horrible journey - I really don't know you managed it with Charlie, you must have been so brave.

And so now, with the distraction of yesterday's visit gone it has now hit me very hard......................sorry to go on, but it is cathartic for me on this day and hope you don't mind me pouring my heart out............oh dear, if someone else read this they would probably say pull yourself together!! But like you say, they do not understand.