Quality of life .

The two serious, small talk free , nuclear scientists come for dinner . They bring their mother-in-law with them . He wears a blue Lacoste shirt , she wears what appear to be lace pyjamas, the mother in law wears an enormous broad brimmed Edwardian motoring hat tied under the chin by a silk scarve .

Mother-in-law is clearly a difficult woman . From time to time she interrupts and corrects my French - "maculin du , feminine de la - the word is clearly feminine " . These pedantic interruptions cause great hilarity amongst certain members of the household who should know better. Attracted by the laughter Wilf wakes up from his post dinner doze and wanders out of the house and onto the terrace to join us . He settles down under the dinner table , turns on his back , and snores happily away . From time to time he noisily and contentedly passes wind . Each time he does so the mother-in-law clasps her hands to her chest and rolls her eyes heavenwards . She's not a dog person .

After our morning croissant run a walk with Wilf along the valley floor in the warm early morning sunshine . He loves the freedom of being able to stroll, unhurried, under the acacias and past the fields of sunflowers . A herd of heavily pregnant cows, delighted to have company, wander over to see him, heads resting trustfully on the fence . Blind to their presence he wanders on, head down in the grass verge , simply enjoying life . A trip to the vet today - the second in a week . He's developed an eye infection - yet another side effect of the diabetes . I'd hoped that we'd wake up one morning and find him gone peacefully in his sleep but we're slowly preparing for the fact that soon , but please not just yet , a hard decision will be called for . A pain free , dignified life our duty to him .