Last Sunday was already busy. 

The BnB was full. 

Two sets of guests leaving and two more arriving. Four of us visiting Kaveri’s school for the republic day celebrations.

Kaveri was superb as the narrator of the skit.. surely a coincidence that it had a demo against the English, demanding they leave the country. 

🤪🤔🤭

Of course it was. 

It was not to be a quiet day.  

Mailis kindly agreed to go with our driver Akram to take Lucie to the vet hospital, whilst I fulfilled my Kaveri duty. 

…

Lucie has attended daily for the past week to be put on a drip (clean out her kidneys?) and be pumped full of drugs. It was worth a try but it’s not made much difference and then on the Saturday evening she seemed far far worse. She had difficulty standing or walking or did endless turns to lower herself and sit down. She even slipped out of the house and through the gate, which has not been allowed for some time now.  

I looked all over to for her. Eventually finding her at the front of the house, beneath our lovely tree on a pile of leaves. 

Exactly the sort of tree that MAnjula imagined being reincarnated as, because it sheltered and supported people.  

She was always — attentive, present and above all — kind

I expect it was looking for the comfort that attracted Lucie but I imagine her collapsing as she’d lost the energy to do much else. She knew and had gone to ground. 

And … Manjula continues to support us all. 

…

I thought I just heard Lucie clicking as she dragged herself up the stairs.

Not to be. 

I explained to Kaveri that her good friend was finding life too much. I left her in tears — but comforted by each other —-at the end of her star performance  

We grow closer with every shared experience

I leave for Leela the animal hospital. Madan, the founder reveals that we could continue to wash out her kidney (or liver? I’m already in a daze) but that seems pointless. He’s being kind.

It’s time.

She’s even had a couple of fits. 

I sign the document. I continue to hold and comfort her. I want to be with her as it’s best. She relaxes and her eyes glaze. 

Goodbye my precious friend.

It’s been a year since she’s found the stairs a little challenging. I would joke about installing a stair-lift! — we’d worked it out, but for no longer. 

…

We all have to adjust, again