A Week in Spalding with Murphy, Arnie, and Luna

From Nathan and Dylan’s eyes, the week in Spalding with Lacey and Neil’s pets felt like returning to old friends. This family home had been one of the very first sits of our journey, and stepping back through its doors felt like a circle closing, only now with deeper roots and bonds that had grown stronger over time.

Murphy, still just a puppy, was pure light and energy. He adored Dylan, following him everywhere, their laughter and play filling the garden with joy. It was the kind of friendship only children and puppies can create, where every stick becomes treasure and every run turns into a race.

Arnie was different. Older now, softer around the edges, but still carrying that spark of mischief that made him who he was. He was a cheeky little chap, a mummy’s boy at heart, and Neil’s best friend. Nathan and Dylan cherished every cuddle, every walk, every treat shared with him. None of us knew it then, but these were to be Arnie’s final weeks before crossing the rainbow bridge. To have been there with him, to give him love in those last days, felt like a gift none of us will ever forget. After more than 12 wonderful years, he left behind paw prints not just in Lacey and Neil’s lives, but in ours too.

And then there was Luna, the cat, graceful and independent but always watching, weaving her way into the heart of the home with her quiet presence.

Spalding itself offered the perfect backdrop. Long walks through nature with the dogs became part of the daily rhythm, the countryside opening wide and calm. The house itself felt like a retreat, beautiful, welcoming, and complete with a hot tub that made the evenings melt into comfort. What started as a pet sit grew into time spent with friends. Lacey and Neil’s kindness and openness made them more than clients, they became part of the wider family this journey has been building all along.

From my side back in Frome, hearing their stories, seeing the photos, and knowing Dylan and Nathan were there with Murphy, Arnie, and Luna filled me with gratitude. I wasn’t physically there, but I still felt part of the joy and the tenderness of it all. I knew what it meant for Dylan to have Murphy as a playmate, and what it meant for Nathan and Dylan to be there for Arnie in his final weeks. Sometimes love extends beyond presence, it reaches across miles through the stories we share when we come back together.

Reflection from the road: This sit reminded us of the preciousness of time. Puppies grow, children learn, and beloved companions eventually move on. But in those fleeting weeks, memories are made that last forever. Arnie’s final days were marked with love, Murphy found a best friend in Dylan, and friendships with Lacey and Neil deepened into something that will stay with us long after the sit ended.

For Arnie 

Thank you for the joy, the cuddles, the cheeky spark, and for letting us share in your final days. You will always be remembered with love.