That was a wonderful read Pika, thanks for sharing. I feel the same way about an old bicycle I have that I simply can't get rid of, though I don't ride it any more. I bought it when I was stationed in Germany and rode it throughout Europe (including riding it from Garlstedt to Berlin, while East Germany was still East Germany, to watch Roger Waters and guests perform the entire The Wall album at the Wall. Fabulous memories from that).

Sorry to hear about Rosie. We dog lovers leave a little bit of ourselves behind when one of our loved companions dies, I think - a little bit of our heart accompanies them over that Rainbow Bridge, so to speak.

A favorite quote: “I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time? The misery of keeping a dog is his dying so soon. But, to be sure, if he lived for fifty years and then died, what would become of me?” — Sir Walter Scott