Thanks to all for the kind comments about our dear departed Ethel. Ethel was a little over 10 years old, not that old, really, but starting to show her age. She developed cancer almost a year ago and underwent a very major surgery which we didn't think she'd pull through, but she did. Then she had four or five really good months (after a slow recovery), but then unfortunately relapsed.
To whomever posted about bassets--I grew up with bassets. Ours were named Happy and, later, Hattie (AKA Harriet). Happy was my real childhood dog--we had her from when I was about 3 or 4 until the day after Christmas 1969, which will forever be burned into my memory. She had been sick for a long time, too, and my Dad finally took her to the vet that day. My sister took me to see Butch Cassidy that night to get my mind off of missing Happy. Funny how you never forget little moments like that, eh?