Funny how small things make a big difference, perhaps even more difference than the things you’d expect.

My long time friend Isabella passed away today.

To explain, Isabella is a Japanese fire bellied newt. Photos below. I offered to look after her for a friend about 30 years ago. She was moving out of the area and couldn’t take Isabella with her.

I’ve cared for her for about 30 years, never expecting that she would live this long. In that time she’s been through one house move, survived almost being eaten by one of cats, the breakage of her tank by No1 son in a freak accident, several redundancies with me, and more recently has travelled round the UK with me whilst I’ve been doing site based Design Management and BIM training. Previously she had her front left leg bitten off by a fish and it grew back.

Over the last couple of years I’ve experienced many things that would make a grown man cry, and I didn’t.

Today I howled.

Something that’s been a constant for so long in my life has gone.

Bye bye princess, sleep tight, see you on the other side at the Rainbow Bridge. It’s been a delight having you in my life.

Little things, or the little things people do, can make a big big difference.

And hey! Remember let’s be careful out there.