Nina let me know this morning as we were snuggling in bed. These past few weeks have seen a steep decline, and today she made it clear. “Okay,” I whispered. “I gotchu.” This is the bargain we make for the pup-human bond, and I promised her I would uphold my end of it. So this afternoon, through the snow and ice, we took one last R-I-D-E. I love you so much, my little black doggie. Thank you for 14 1/2 years of unconditional love.