Tinks. Tinky Twowsas. Mr Tinks. Dickie The Tink.
You came into our life by degrees.
From the very first time you saw our beautiful golden Ross, you were smitten. You made him your Very Best Buddy. He was Batman to your Robin. Maverick to your Goose.
You chased each other all over the gardens, having a high old time. Every photograph I've looked back on in those early days - there you both are. Snuggled up together, up to mischief together, paw to paw, tail for tail.
You came into our life by degrees.
All through those lazy summer days. All through those golden autumn evenings. All through those long winter nights, when we would wake, simply knowing you were shut outside in the cold. Sure enough, we would look out of the window to see you sat upon on a frost rimed table, gazing patiently at the bedroom window, knowing that if you believed firmly enough, there we'd be. And we were.
You would scamper up the stairs with Ross, and jump together on the bed, to snuggle round our feet. And each time, we took you home, and you didnt want to go. It broke our hearts.
You came into our life by degrees.
Your sheer patience, determination and tenacity won out, and gradually - there you were. With your Best Bud. Until the day your Best Bud went out into the autumn sunshine, and didnt come home. The hearts that broke that day included yours, my sweet, sensitive, complex little lad.
But we healed together, didn't we? And your original people - they so very generously gave us the gift that you could stay with us. What a bittersweet day.
You came into our life by degrees.
From then, you blossomed. You learned what it was to live life on your terms, and we learned how much love you had to give.
And there was oh such an abundance of that.
You were quixotic. Intellligent. Mischievous. Uncertain. We loved to see you with the wind up your tail, careering round the bedroom on your side, big snaggle-toothed grin, hiding under the duvet with those strong hooky paws awaiting the "unwary." Having fun. And we did a lot of that.
You were at your most daring when allowing us to have secretive snuggles and affection. You couldnt quite believe you were so daring.
We'd come into your life by degrees, you see.
Just so.
And yet. That love wasn't enough to keep you safe. Never enough.
Another Autumn day, filled with sunshine and sharp scents, took you away from us. The cruelest kiss of metal and tarmac, and a bed of amber leaves to rest your head.
Wherever you are now, I hope that you're back with your boon companion. Batman and Robin, reunited again. Chasing the rainbow, and sleeping together in a warm tangle of limbs and tails.
We love you still. We always will. You were special to us, Tinks. Gods bless, my sweet.
