Watching my well-known and lovable dog, "Silky", succumb last week to an ever-worsening bone-cancer, caused me one or two more moments of reflection than usual and it's only procrastination that has prevented them from being recorded. I don't need to preach to the converted if there are dog-lovers reading this, but the sense of loss of companionship is huge when one of your faithful friends is no longer around. What that re-inforces for me is our need to have and to maintain relationships that keep us feeling connected, whether they're with animals, humans or, ideally, with both.
