Hi Tessa, lovely to read your comment and thank you for your good wishes. As you can imagine despite keeping ourselves busy we have our moments. 
Yes, Murphy is very old at 18 and we keep him going on medication that helps his arthritic joints and failing kidneys. Thankfully we've found a very sympathetic vet who understands Murphy's needs and our desire to keep him alive as long as possible without putting him through any discomfort. 
Thanks again and do keep in touch. Steve