We have been conscious that this is Elfie pup’s first Christmas. It won’t come round again and, as life does, it has reminded us that despite our sadness, life goes on, and we should embrace every minute otherwise it will be gone, never to be recovered. My God I learned that with my Welshies. When cognitive dissonance (mankind’s trait) told me that I would have them both until they were 15. Because all Welshies live to 15 right?

I have learned my lesson – there are no guarantees. As an old man said to me many years ago ‘There are no happy endings, only here and now.’

So Elfie pup is our here and now. And we have made sure that we have treasured every moment of this Christmas. From the first toy on Christmas Eve …

Sadly Piggy became like a character from Sleepy Hollow within hours, because she knew things were different so became a little too excited. Luckily we have another piggy squirrelled away which may well come out in the near future.

When Christmas day came she played more with the bag that one of her toys came in, than the toy itself! That was until mummy took it off her because Elfie decided to eat the string handles.

Poor Flamingo then had his head and neck pulled of and she was merrily pulling the stuffing out of him when along came mummy again and shoved him in the cupboard to be ‘sewn up later.’

She has had a lovely time!

Her biggest fascination, has been the fire. We have to hold her back when we top it up as she wants to catch the smoke.

But her biggest ‘Wonderment’ has been for the candle my sister sent us, that has lights that light up when you light the candle. I must admit, it has caused some wonderment for us too.

Of course, Elfie shared Christmas dinner, and has decided turkey and beef are some of her most favourite things to eat (of course they are.) This sentiment was echoed by Daisy who also loved eating turkey. Daisy has had a mellow Christmas. I never realised just how much she has actually been grieving until now. She has spent all her time with us, because Elfie just wants to love her and be her friend so Daisy is coming to trust her. Unlike our beloved Welshies who chased her!

Even when we had tea in bed Daisy came in the bedroom and sat on the windowsill. Grief has affected us all.

We have had a quiet, mellow Christmas. Just as we wanted. We needed time to lick our wounds, to reflect, to enable us to move forward into the New Year.

So I won’t say have a ‘Happy New Year’. Because there will inevitably be difficult times as well as happy times, as I always say, there has to be balance.

Have a hopeful, mellow, go with the flow New Year.

I am hoping that we will have some balance restored in the year to come.

Here is to those we have loved and lost, here is to those still with us. Here is to Here And Now….

I will shed a tear when we sing this though…

Rosie