so sad to come back to this news. So now Poppy is with my Jack and Flossie, they died six weeks apart. I never thought I'd get over it, so I think I know a little of what you are feeling. I also believe in the spirit and that it goes on, so I'm sure Poppy is with you sometimes, so keep taking those walks and feeling her when you sit to read and write. My thoughts are with you. X What a beautiful tribute Jules to a beautiful dog. Roger and I have felt the same way about Taz's passing -- acceptance and farewells and grieving done beforehand to an extent, and also the knowing that it was time and we had done the right thing. We also share your belief in the afterlife, and the spirit. It's farewell, but only a temporary separation. Thank you all so much for your comments. It has been a very hard time -- and still is because of the spaces she has left behind her: on the settee, on my bed and in my heart. I still talk to her and at times I know she is with me -- but the lack of physical contact is what I find difficult. I know it will get a bit better with time. She will always be in my thoughts and heart though. OUT NOW! In the midst of an anarchic breakdown of society in the UK, can one woman discover the truth about