Yesterday we said goodbye to a dear old friend. We never knew exactly how old Maisie was - she came with the farm when we bought it in 2006. By all accounts she had had a hard life up until the previous owners had taken her in a few years previously. A Walker hound, she had deformed paws and claws, which may have been due to early days kept in a cage. A road accident had left Maisie with a permanently injured back and leg, which never stopped her outrunning on three legs, the other dogs on four! For all her troubled past, Maisie was the eternal optimist, grinning from ear to ear her lopsided dog smile accompanied by the ever swishing tail whenever dog cookies were mentioned. Evenings, after supper when the other dogs went out, were her special time and "first dessert" was called! Especially good were those times we reached fourth and even fifth dessert as she conned Jorg and I into believing we hadn't reached her limit! There is a big hole in the evening routine now, and although time will heal it, Maisie's particular enthusiasm for life, despite its setbacks, will always be remembered. She is free now to run unfettered by a gammy leg and enjoy time in the sun with old friends Jack, Shandy and Brigitte. RIP Maisie.
