Feeling Blue Tarot lines

Dad’s greyhound is still looking out for us Evelyn Nouhas, 50, from Irvine, Ayrshire

Looking into his brown eyes, my heart melted.

‘He’s lovely, Dad,’ I sighed.

My dad Fraser Robertson had just picked up Blue, a 2-year-old greyhound, from his local rescue centre.

Blue was gorgeous, gentle and affectionate.

Protective pup

He was such a faithful companion for Dad, now 70.

Every day, Dad and Blue went out walking with Dad’s friend Joe, who also had a rescue greyhound, Ronnie.

Blue and Ronnie did everything together.

Ronnie even had a spot on Dad’s sofa. If anyone sat there, he’d jump up, paw at their legs.

Dad suffers from high blood pressure and heart problems, so when he was ill, Joe walked the dogs.

Then one day, Joe rang to tell me Dad had fainted while they were out walking earlier that day. ‘Blue must have known

it was going to happen because he positioned himself by your dad’s side so he didn’t fall in the road,’ Joe said.

Thankfully, Dad was fine. But if it hadn’t been for Blue, it could’ve been so much worse.

Although brave Dad never admitted to feeling ill, he didn’t fool me when his dog was about.

I knew when he was poorly as Blue was protective and wouldn’t leave his side.

Blue’s gone

Sadly, Ronnie died of leukaemia when Joe and his wife Sandra had owned him for just three years.

Everyone was devastated. And Blue pined for his best pal.

Then, in March 2014, Blue, 15, had a mini stroke and fell over.

Dad called the vet, but they couldn’t help – old age had caught up with him.

‘I had to have him put to sleep,’ Dad told me sadly on the phone. ‘It was the kindest thing to do.’

I rushed round to comfort Dad.

The house was so empty without gentle Blue.

And

Blue watches over me and my dad

appeared to me and I posted them on Facebook to inspire and guide others. Then one night, my friend and I held a spiritual circle in my living room. I gasped. There, in a shadowy corner, was Blue! ‘Am I imagining it?’ I said. ‘No, I can see him, too,’ my friend said. I quickly took a photo on my phone. When I told Dad, he laughed until I showed him the photo. ‘It’s him!’ he exclaimed. Then, one day when Dad wasn’t feeling well, a photo of Blue in his living room tipped over. ‘It’s like Blue’s telling me he’s still with me,’ he said. After that, when Dad felt ill, the picture fell down. There was no doubt – Blue watches over him.

Doggy duo

In March last year, I got a Jack Russell Terrier called Jeff. One day, while on Dad’s sofa, Jeff whimpered, put his head down as if he was being scolded. Then he jumped off.

‘That’s Ronnie chucking him out of his spot!’ I laughed.

Then, early one December morning, I stood at the back door to take photos of the moon.

When I looked back at the pics, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

There, in one of the shots, were two familiar faces. Blue and Ronnie. ‘It’s definitely them, Mum,’ Amir and Zina agreed when I showed them.

I was overjoyed.

So special

Now I often feel Blue’s reassuring presence and know everything will be OK. Blue is still protecting us and watching over us all. And the Facebook page I set up is still helping others. It’s a lovely testament to him. And being able to help others brings a lot of joy. Blue was special. Everyone who met him fell in love with him. I know he’s at the Rainbow Bridge where pets that have passed away wait for their owners. Some day we’ll all be reunited. In the meantime, it was great knowing he’s still with us. And that’s the way our faithful four-legged friend will stay.

When Elva Heaster Shue, known to everyone as Zona, died suddenly in January of 1897, an autopsy concluded she’d died of ‘everlasting faint’.

Her mum Mary Jane wasn’t convinced, and her suspicion fell on Zona’s husband, Edward. the foot of her stairs. But when a doctor arrived to perform the autopsy, Edward had laid her on their bed and put Zona in a high-necked frock. He was then odd about letting the doctor near his wife’s body – the actions of someone sent crazy by grief, or of someone hiding something?