I’m writing this journal and linking it to my closest pals to keep them updated, but long story short: My 11-year-old cockapoo is very ill. We took him to the vet since last night and although we’re hopeful and we know what’s wrong with him, we’re still preparing for the worst.

Vinnie is a bouncing bundle of fun, but seeing him go from that to not even slightly interested in food or being around his favourite people was very distressing for us. We had to wait until this morning when his vet practice opened to get him examined, and we found out then and there he had something very wrong with him. The vet wasn’t sure, but it could be anything from a chest infection to pneumonia, but he was fighting the infection. We had to leave him there and he’ll be going out of town for an overnight stay in the big pet hospital, but the overhanging dread of him possibly dying from this still hangs overhead.

I was planning to publish a few stories as well in the coming weeks before this happened. I was in the middle of editing several stories, including a one-shot commission for a friend of mine which I had no option but to refund. I just can’t focus on that stuff while this is going on and I’m sorry to let you all down. I’ll use this time to get the rest of the house in order and putting the written work on a back-burner. Sadly, things like this happen and I have to put the wellbeing of the family first. I will try to post an update within the next few days.

Thank you.