Yesterday I came home early because I had to be at Aia’s school for a karate program meeting. I arrived at home to the dogs, Whinnie underfoot and Dagny standing out the couch ready to go out. Dagny coughed a bit, but otherwise bounded outside.

I got them out and came back to sit on the couch while I talked to my sister. That’s when I saw the blood, covering the carpet, on the tile and soaking the couch. I called J. then went outside to check on Dagny. She was laying on the porch on in the shade look much as she had for the last month, tumor up and ears back, with the thumpy tail.

Except for the very bloody nose. I tried to get her to come back inside but she refused. I petted her for a bit and checked her water, which she was drinking.

Then I started tearing apart the living room trying not to think of the inevitable. I threw out the rug and one of the couch pillows; I got the couched soaked in peroxide and started wiping up the mess over the tile, her blanket, through the kitchen. I left all the doors open in case she decided to come back in. J. came home, sat with her and fed her a last meal of hamburger and cheese.

At 6:10 that evening after enough tranquilizers to fell three men, Dagny passed from the world while J. held and petted her head.

This morning, as I woke up my first thought was I should see if Dagny would go outside with Whinnie. She’s left a very large waggy hole.