I know it is just Monday but it has already been one of those weeks. Yesterday, after 11 years of cuddles and love, we had to say goodbye to our baby girl Mirinda. She was a loving beautiful creature, and would always be there when you needed her most.
I remember one day being distressed about something, I can’t even remember what anymore, but I do remember Mirinda snuggling into my tears, howling. She had no idea what I was sad about, but she knew that she had to be sad with me.
I always used loudly proclaim that I didn’t need a hot water bottle or a microwave wheat pack. They cooled down far too quickly, I said. Mirinda will stay there all night, keeping me snuggly.
I guess I better get that hot watter bottle now.
When I was a small child, I loved the Famous Five books by Enid Blyton. Our family never had a dog, and I dreamed of being George with a Timmy of my own. There are many instances of Timmy lying on George’s feet as she drifted off to sleep, or Timmy protecting the Five as they adventured, or that one time Timmy bit the nasty holiday tutor because he stretched his legs out and prodded him.
Mirinda was my Timmy. She had a nap radar. No matter what time of the day, or where you were, she had a magic ability to sense that a nap was happening, and would be right there, in the crook of your knee.
My husband works from home, and on the rare occassions I stayed home for the day, I would hear him talking to her as he worked, telling her about the latest BIOS update or whether she thought the GeForce graphics card would be suitable for the system he was building. She never did have a strong opinion either way, but she would politely listen, and perhaps bark in agreement.
I want to thank our vets, Russell and his team from The Vets on Manukau Road, who has been our vets for over 12 years now (Fanta is slightly older, and still with us!), who found time on their Sunday to make a house call so Rindy could take her final journey on her favourite spot in the sun, surrounded by the people that she loves.
Goodbye Rinda, I will never forget you and you will always hold a part of my heart that I will never get back.
Vivian Chandra 