MONDAY MEANDERINGS

Have been slow with posts of late.  Not been all that busy but days seem to have been full.  I think everything is taking me so long to do is the main reason.  Sometimes the old mind gets way ahead of the old body and then gets frustrated which throws me right out of kilter.  Not sure that makes a lot of sense but I know what I mean.

Last Wednesday Phil and I spent about 4 hours at Fremantle Hospital.  Every two years we attend the Diabetes Study where we are tested for nearly everything possible....blood, urine, eyes, blood pressure, height, weight and balance (I am left out of that one as they can see at a glance I'd not succeed but Phil does it and does it well).  There are pages and pages of forms to complete about how we have been and how we are feeling, medications etc. etc. so it is quite daunting for we two oldies to complete.  This is our 4th visit and we keep doing it as it is good for us to have these tests and also good for the Department of Medicine to keep track of the same people over the years.  They learn from us and how we are faring.

I had a note from Victoria last week telling me that a long time penfriend had died after a short illness.  Margaret was 10 years younger than me but I do know she had type 2 diabetes and other problems.  I must write back to her husband to thank him for letting me know and tell him how sorry I am.  Margaret and I had been writing for over 30 years  and she was a real character and although we had stopped writing so frequently we still exchanged Christmas and birthday cards.  She, like me, was a Capricorn so perhaps that's why we got on so well.  She lived in Kinglake and I was so glad she and her husband and some of her family were holidaying in Tasmania when those dreadful fires occurred in 2009.  120 people lost their lives in that area alone and although Margaret and Len's home was saved, their daughter Christine and family lost their home.  I will miss you Margaret.  RIP

This calico cat of ours has fitted right in here and you couldn't ask for a better mannered cat although she can stand up for herself.  Yesterday my daughter telephoned me and Candy wanted to play with the phone cord.  When I raised my hand to tell her 'no' she was ready to have a little swipe back at me.  No claws out mind you so nothing spiteful in her at all. 

I bought her a scratching post on eBay (free postage from New South Wales)

and she will sit on top of it and play with the dangly mouse creature but it is her preference to play in the box the scratcher came in.

 We are patiently trying to teach her to scratch the posts but I think it is going to be a long haul.

Candy still sleeps on Phil's bed every night and jumps onto my lap during the day and evening, or whenever it is available.  Strange thing about her though is she doesn't like crocheted rugs at all so wonder what has happened in her past that may have put her off them.  One sleepy Candy cat on her mum's lap (rug on floor).

 She is very, very playful and seems to prefer screwed up paper balls or the tube from the toilet roll and really loves paper on the end of a piece of string.  I made one up out here in my workroom and keep it in a little basket on my desk.  She now comes in each morning and finds it and takes it out to play with.  We were told she was three and half but when she was first advertised on the APS website it said she was 18 months which we feel may be nearer the mark.  She's just like a big kitten.

Buttons.....I can't wear anything with buttons as she thinks they are to play with.  Fortunately I don't wear blouses and my jackets don't have buttons but my dressing gowns do so I have to somehow cover them up when Candy is near.

She hasn't been outside yet and we have no hope of putting the harness on her as all she wants to do is play with it and I think even if we put gloves on it would be an impossibility.  We are disappointed as we ha hoped to take her 'walkies' to get her used to our garden but seems that is not to be.  We were told to keep her in for 4 weeks so another 10 days to go.  We hope she enjoys her life with us enough for her not to want to run away.

Will see if I can come up with something of interest for Telling it on Tuesday but no promises a this time.