Do you have Skype? Take your smile into the weekend and do have an enjoyable one.
Friday, July 25, 2014
FRIDAY FUN (after a difficult week)
A few more pictures that have no need of words. As they say, every picture tells a story.
Do you have Skype? Take your smile into the weekend and do have an enjoyable one.
Do you have Skype? Take your smile into the weekend and do have an enjoyable one.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
DID I EVER TELL YOU
about the time my mother stood in for the Governor's wife at a ball?
It was the night of the *S.L.C.G. ball to be held at the Government House ballroom in Perth. Lady Gairdner had been marooned in the north of our state owing to floods and mum (as **President of the S.L.C.G.) was invited to take her place.
The first photo shows mum walking down the red carpet with the Governor, Sir Charles Gairdner, and the second photo shows her being presented with a bouquet of flowers which were, of course, intended for the Governor's wife.
Information re the formation of the S.L.C.G. of W.A:
Mrs B. Rischbieth, President of the Women's Service Guilds of W.A. (mum at that time was Hon Secretary of the Guilds) had been asked by members of the community to pay a visit to the Claremont Mental Asylum in order to survey conditions there, as many felt special provisions were urgently needed for the mentally retardedchildren placed there, many of whom shared wards with adults. The Guilds formed a committee and important people were invited to become members. Unfortunately subsequent meetings held were only attended by representatives of organisations already dedicated and confirmed in the belief that action on behalf of these children was long overdue.
Finally it was my mother who convened a meeting to which all known parents of retarded children were to be invited. Many of these parents had a guilt complex and some hid their children in back rooms and back gardens, and needed sympathy, understanding and encouragement. The speakers at the meeting were chosen carefully to emphasise the fact that mental and physical illnesses were allied, and that there was no more reason to be ashamed of either one or the other.
A second meeting also attended by parents was held and a resolution passed to form an organisation to deal with the care of mentally retarded children. At the final meeting the *Slow Learning Children's Group of W.A. was formed and mum was elected as **State President and Mrs Gladys Newton as Hon. Secretary. The resolution was supported by the Women's Service Guild and other like minded organisations. (Mrs Newton can be seen walking down the red carpet behind the Governor and mum.)
I remember back to the early 1950s when I was still living at home, and how hard mum and Mrs Newton worked to bring these plans to fruition. It is now a huge organisation known as the Active Foundation.
(The name Slow Learning Children's Group of W.A. was retained from 1951 to 1989 when the organisation became known as the Active Foundation. I felt rather pleased that the name was not changed until after mum's death in 1985).
NOTE: Much of the above information has been in part quoted from Mum's book "The Clock of Time".
It was the night of the *S.L.C.G. ball to be held at the Government House ballroom in Perth. Lady Gairdner had been marooned in the north of our state owing to floods and mum (as **President of the S.L.C.G.) was invited to take her place.
The first photo shows mum walking down the red carpet with the Governor, Sir Charles Gairdner, and the second photo shows her being presented with a bouquet of flowers which were, of course, intended for the Governor's wife.
Information re the formation of the S.L.C.G. of W.A:
Mrs B. Rischbieth, President of the Women's Service Guilds of W.A. (mum at that time was Hon Secretary of the Guilds) had been asked by members of the community to pay a visit to the Claremont Mental Asylum in order to survey conditions there, as many felt special provisions were urgently needed for the mentally retardedchildren placed there, many of whom shared wards with adults. The Guilds formed a committee and important people were invited to become members. Unfortunately subsequent meetings held were only attended by representatives of organisations already dedicated and confirmed in the belief that action on behalf of these children was long overdue.
Finally it was my mother who convened a meeting to which all known parents of retarded children were to be invited. Many of these parents had a guilt complex and some hid their children in back rooms and back gardens, and needed sympathy, understanding and encouragement. The speakers at the meeting were chosen carefully to emphasise the fact that mental and physical illnesses were allied, and that there was no more reason to be ashamed of either one or the other.
A second meeting also attended by parents was held and a resolution passed to form an organisation to deal with the care of mentally retarded children. At the final meeting the *Slow Learning Children's Group of W.A. was formed and mum was elected as **State President and Mrs Gladys Newton as Hon. Secretary. The resolution was supported by the Women's Service Guild and other like minded organisations. (Mrs Newton can be seen walking down the red carpet behind the Governor and mum.)
I remember back to the early 1950s when I was still living at home, and how hard mum and Mrs Newton worked to bring these plans to fruition. It is now a huge organisation known as the Active Foundation.
(The name Slow Learning Children's Group of W.A. was retained from 1951 to 1989 when the organisation became known as the Active Foundation. I felt rather pleased that the name was not changed until after mum's death in 1985).
NOTE: Much of the above information has been in part quoted from Mum's book "The Clock of Time".
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE
We wanted to say thank you for your support during the time Precious was so ill and then when we had to have her put to sleep. She has now been cremated and we will soon have her home in a dear little urn with her name on it. We didn't realise what a huge hole she would leave in our daily lives, a hole that will be very hard to fill, if indeed it ever can be filled.
Our family have been so supportive (from as far away as Alaska) and my blogging and facebook friends have been wonderful and Phil and I do so appreciate everyone's kindness.
THANK YOU
Our family have been so supportive (from as far away as Alaska) and my blogging and facebook friends have been wonderful and Phil and I do so appreciate everyone's kindness.
THANK YOU
Monday, July 21, 2014
OUT AND ABOUT LAST WEDNESDAY (b)
I have taken a few days break during which time I did check out these two items. I don't know if they are of interest to anyone or not but am posting them anyway, just in case they are.
After I had told the story of our afternoon out at Rockingham I began to wonder more about Highway 1 and also the old Rockingham Hotel so I did some research (mostly for my own sake) and here I will share with you what I found.
AUSTRALIA'S Highway 1 is a network of highways that circumnavigate the Australian continent, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately 14,500 kilometres (9,000 miles) it is the longest national highway in the world, longer even than the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000km or 6,800 miles) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 miles). Every day more than a million people travel on some part of it.
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Highway 1 was created a part of the National Route Numbering system, adopted in 1955. The route was compiled from an existing network of state and local roads and tracks. Highway 1 was and still is the only route to reach across all Australian states. Many of the other national routes are tributaries of Highway 1.
Under the original Highway 1 scheme, certain major traffic routes that ran parallel to the main route were designated National Route Alternative 1. Most of these route designations have been replaced by either a status route designation, or an alpha-numeric route designation, depending on which state the section is in.
With such a vast and incomparable length, road conditions vary greatly, from multi-lane freeways in populous urban and rural areas, to sealed two-laners in remote areas, such as the Nullarbor Plain, to single lane roads as in northern Queensland.
Some stretches are very isolated, such as the Eyre Highway which crosses the Nullarbor Plain, and the Great Northern Highway, which runs close too the north-western vocastline in Western Australia. Isolated roadhouses serving the small amount of passing traffic are often the only signs of human activity for hundreds of kilometres.
Highway 1 has been described as a 'death trap' particularly two-lane sections in northern Queensland. due to driver fatigue. The vast distances between destinations and limited rest areas, especially those suitable for trucks, contribute to the problem.
Highway 1 covers practically every major inhabited part of Australia. Large capital cities. busy holiday resorts, dramatic coastlines, forests ranging from tropical to temperate gum forests, giant karri stand, scrubland, deserts, and huge tropical swamps are some of the variety of landscapes that can be found en route.
Stretches of Highway 1 are very popular with interstate and overseas tourists. A drive around Highway 1, with a major detour to Uluru and back again, practically covers most of Australia. The number 1 shield designating Highway 1 has become part of the bush landscape to many travellers, truckers, and country people.
THE ROCKINGHAM HOTEL: This is an article I found on www.inmycommunity.com.au of 17 June, 2011, when searching for information re the hotel where we sometimes go for a great inexpensive meal. I knew it was quite old and sometimes wonder why it is still standing when there is so much high rise development going on around it.
Fight to save 130-year-old hotel
A fight is under way to save the Rockingham Hotel from ruin after the State Government rejected a push by heritage groups to heritage-list the 130-year-old building. The hotel, on Kent Street, was built in the mid-1880s and has been temporarily listed on the State Register of Heritage Places awaiting a permanent entry, but has not been removed from the list altogether.
The Heritage Minister said he had decided not to progress the Rockingham Hotel to permanent entry on the State Register of Heritage Places because he did not consider the hotel to be of sufficient authentic value, as it had been redeveloped not in keeping with its original heritage.
Formerly known as the Port Hotel, the original building was built by James Bell Jnr to service the Rockingham Port. It always remained popular attraction and was extended in 1923, remodelled in the late 1930s and extended again in 1957.
The Rockingham MLA Mark McGowan (who now happens to be the leader of the opposition in W.A's State Parliament) raised the matter in Parliament and called on the Heritage Minister to reconsider his decision. "We don't have much in the way of heritage around Rockingham so what we do have needs to be preserved" Mr McGowan said. "The hotel has been there for 130 years. The building was used as accommodation by sailors and soldiers in both world wars. Underneath it all it is a beautiful building and in light of its history and heritage it deserves a listing."
The Rockingham Museum curator Wendy Durant said the hotel was the oldest commercial building in Rockingham and it had not stopped operating since it was built. "The hotel has been a part of Rockingham's history all the way through in every facet and it's definitely worthy of being protected" she said.
The Heritage Minister said there were better examples of building from the era already on the State Register. "The Rockingham Hotel is listed in the City of Rockingham Municipal Inventory" he said. "The local government will be mindful of heritage considerations relating to any further development of this property".
The hotel owner did not wish to comment on the matter until he had been officially notified of the Minister's decision.
This is a photograph of Wendy Durant outside the Rockingham Hotel with a picture of the hotel as it was in the 19th century.
Having found this article which I realise is now three years old I am going to try and pursue the matter of whether or not the hotel is now heritage listed. As Mr McGowan said there is not very much of historical value in or around Rockingham.
I can remember many years ago when hotels in Perth and suburbs were not open on a Sunday how people would drive down to the Rockingham Hotel on a Sunday and sit out in the large beer garden (that beer garden is now a large car park).
The other place where people would drive to on Sundays was the Yanchep Inn and it was quite a narrow and winding road back then but even after several (or more) beers mishaps rarely happened. Maybe the cars were less powerful then and the speeds much slower or did drivers perhaps care more about their passengers and others on the road.
After I had told the story of our afternoon out at Rockingham I began to wonder more about Highway 1 and also the old Rockingham Hotel so I did some research (mostly for my own sake) and here I will share with you what I found.
AUSTRALIA'S Highway 1 is a network of highways that circumnavigate the Australian continent, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately 14,500 kilometres (9,000 miles) it is the longest national highway in the world, longer even than the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000km or 6,800 miles) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 miles). Every day more than a million people travel on some part of it.
Under the original Highway 1 scheme, certain major traffic routes that ran parallel to the main route were designated National Route Alternative 1. Most of these route designations have been replaced by either a status route designation, or an alpha-numeric route designation, depending on which state the section is in.
With such a vast and incomparable length, road conditions vary greatly, from multi-lane freeways in populous urban and rural areas, to sealed two-laners in remote areas, such as the Nullarbor Plain, to single lane roads as in northern Queensland.
Some stretches are very isolated, such as the Eyre Highway which crosses the Nullarbor Plain, and the Great Northern Highway, which runs close too the north-western vocastline in Western Australia. Isolated roadhouses serving the small amount of passing traffic are often the only signs of human activity for hundreds of kilometres.
Highway 1 has been described as a 'death trap' particularly two-lane sections in northern Queensland. due to driver fatigue. The vast distances between destinations and limited rest areas, especially those suitable for trucks, contribute to the problem.
Highway 1 covers practically every major inhabited part of Australia. Large capital cities. busy holiday resorts, dramatic coastlines, forests ranging from tropical to temperate gum forests, giant karri stand, scrubland, deserts, and huge tropical swamps are some of the variety of landscapes that can be found en route.
Stretches of Highway 1 are very popular with interstate and overseas tourists. A drive around Highway 1, with a major detour to Uluru and back again, practically covers most of Australia. The number 1 shield designating Highway 1 has become part of the bush landscape to many travellers, truckers, and country people.
THE ROCKINGHAM HOTEL: This is an article I found on www.inmycommunity.com.au of 17 June, 2011, when searching for information re the hotel where we sometimes go for a great inexpensive meal. I knew it was quite old and sometimes wonder why it is still standing when there is so much high rise development going on around it.
Fight to save 130-year-old hotel
A fight is under way to save the Rockingham Hotel from ruin after the State Government rejected a push by heritage groups to heritage-list the 130-year-old building. The hotel, on Kent Street, was built in the mid-1880s and has been temporarily listed on the State Register of Heritage Places awaiting a permanent entry, but has not been removed from the list altogether.
The Heritage Minister said he had decided not to progress the Rockingham Hotel to permanent entry on the State Register of Heritage Places because he did not consider the hotel to be of sufficient authentic value, as it had been redeveloped not in keeping with its original heritage.
Formerly known as the Port Hotel, the original building was built by James Bell Jnr to service the Rockingham Port. It always remained popular attraction and was extended in 1923, remodelled in the late 1930s and extended again in 1957.
The Rockingham MLA Mark McGowan (who now happens to be the leader of the opposition in W.A's State Parliament) raised the matter in Parliament and called on the Heritage Minister to reconsider his decision. "We don't have much in the way of heritage around Rockingham so what we do have needs to be preserved" Mr McGowan said. "The hotel has been there for 130 years. The building was used as accommodation by sailors and soldiers in both world wars. Underneath it all it is a beautiful building and in light of its history and heritage it deserves a listing."
The Rockingham Museum curator Wendy Durant said the hotel was the oldest commercial building in Rockingham and it had not stopped operating since it was built. "The hotel has been a part of Rockingham's history all the way through in every facet and it's definitely worthy of being protected" she said.
The Heritage Minister said there were better examples of building from the era already on the State Register. "The Rockingham Hotel is listed in the City of Rockingham Municipal Inventory" he said. "The local government will be mindful of heritage considerations relating to any further development of this property".
The hotel owner did not wish to comment on the matter until he had been officially notified of the Minister's decision.
This is a photograph of Wendy Durant outside the Rockingham Hotel with a picture of the hotel as it was in the 19th century.
Having found this article which I realise is now three years old I am going to try and pursue the matter of whether or not the hotel is now heritage listed. As Mr McGowan said there is not very much of historical value in or around Rockingham.
I can remember many years ago when hotels in Perth and suburbs were not open on a Sunday how people would drive down to the Rockingham Hotel on a Sunday and sit out in the large beer garden (that beer garden is now a large car park).
The other place where people would drive to on Sundays was the Yanchep Inn and it was quite a narrow and winding road back then but even after several (or more) beers mishaps rarely happened. Maybe the cars were less powerful then and the speeds much slower or did drivers perhaps care more about their passengers and others on the road.
Friday, July 18, 2014
61 YEARS AGO...YOU'VE GOT TO BE JOKING
I truly find to difficult it is indeed 61 years ago today that I had not long left St George's Cathedral in Perth on the arm of my new husband.
Of course many of you would know that the marriage only lasted 13 years, some of which were quite turbulent, and yet out of those 13 years there were many good things, most importantly two much loved children, through whom I now am proud to have 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
As you also know my second marriage has worked out better than one could possibly hope for, even with a few ups and downs, but then life would be dull without them wouldn't it. I often feel somewhat sad for Aubrey that his second marriage ended so badly but hopefully his third marriage, very late in life to his long time partner is working out well for both of them.
Phil has been such a wonderful support for me with the loss of our Precious and yet I know he is grieving as much as I am being without her. I would truly be lost without that man in my life. We celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary in September. Perhaps a couple of days away for a second honeymoon? Now there's a pleasant thought.
Family (with phone calls and flowers) have been wonderful to us as well as many blogging friends and also friends on Facebook. So many kind thoughts can only help to make us feel so much better and lighten our mood. Our special thanks to everyone. xx
Of course many of you would know that the marriage only lasted 13 years, some of which were quite turbulent, and yet out of those 13 years there were many good things, most importantly two much loved children, through whom I now am proud to have 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
As you also know my second marriage has worked out better than one could possibly hope for, even with a few ups and downs, but then life would be dull without them wouldn't it. I often feel somewhat sad for Aubrey that his second marriage ended so badly but hopefully his third marriage, very late in life to his long time partner is working out well for both of them.
Phil has been such a wonderful support for me with the loss of our Precious and yet I know he is grieving as much as I am being without her. I would truly be lost without that man in my life. We celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary in September. Perhaps a couple of days away for a second honeymoon? Now there's a pleasant thought.
Family (with phone calls and flowers) have been wonderful to us as well as many blogging friends and also friends on Facebook. So many kind thoughts can only help to make us feel so much better and lighten our mood. Our special thanks to everyone. xx
Thursday, July 17, 2014
RIP OUR BELOVED LITTLE FRIEND
Well, we hoped for the best and feared the worst and unfortunately, the worst has happened. Today we said goodbye to our delightful little friend Precious, who has been so much part of our lives for nearly thirteen years. Our little 'bubby' is now asleep and at peace with no more pain.
We did everything it was in our power to do to try to get her better but she refused to eat or drink. We did manage to feed her a few drops of water with a spoon although we felt dreadful forcing her, but felt for her sake that we just had to. We were both so desperate to get her back on her feet if we could.
I tried rubbing wet food on her lips with my finger and she would lick it off but when I offered a few titbits she refused them. I tried two different wet foods and some biscuits but to no avail. She would sit looking at her water bowl but for some reason couldn't face taking a drink.
Last night I measured out 100mls of water in her bowl and when I got up this morning she had only taken less than 30 mls but we thought at least that was something. We then discovered at least 6 large pools of urine on the kitchen floor which meant all the fluid that had gone into her via the drip was gone. She was once again dehydrated and very, very weak; hardly able to miaow.
I let her out into the back garden and went looking for her 5 minutes later but she was nowhere to be seen. I went out onto the front verandah and called and she actually responded and walked ever so slowly towards me and allowed me to pick her up. I was astonished at how light she was and feel she must have lost at least one kilogram overnight. That will always be my last memory of her....answering my call and walking to me with that look of trust on her face.
We had made an appointment to take her back to the vet at 9am this morning and when I told her all that had transpired over the past few days (no food for 4+ days and no water bar the 30mls) the vet looked at me with that look you dread to see on their faces. I think it was the numerous puddles on the floor that was the final decider. She would have had to be put on a drip again for a day and there was no guarantee that afterwards she would take food or drink. The vet said she may last for 2 weeks but she doubted she would.
We realised our friend's quality of life was non-existent and although we felt devastated at the thought of losing her we made the decision that all pet owners hate to make. The vet left Precious with us a and I was able to cuddle her for about 5 minutes and tell her how much I loved her as did Phil. It must be hard being a man who doesn't cry because I know he loved that little cat as much as me. He couldn't bring himself to hold her but said goodbye to her in his own way. I keep thinking of that look of trust she had on her face this morning and feel I've let her down dreadfully but the vet said I mustn't think that way as there was nothing more to be done by anyone.
Had Precious been a human she would have been on dialysis two or three times a week waiting for a kidney transplant. When you're a cat, that type of thing is not possible and so you say farewell to a creature that has been so loving over so many years. I can't even find words to express how important she was to us.
We loved her that much we had foregone having a holiday for over 10 years as she pined so much if we were not there. I once left her at a very good pet 'holiday home' for two days and when I picked her up I discovered she hadn't eaten anything nor had she had a drink in all that time. When we got home I put out a large bowl of water and I think she drank for about 5 minutes or more and went back for more. We decided we couldn't ever leave her on her own again. I did once have a friend stay for a week with whom Precious was OK so we got away down south but my close friends are all gone now and there's been nobody to ask since then. We've not regretted not having a holiday because that cat was so 'precious' to us. On several occasions when I was in hospital she was OK with Phil but he said she used to go around the house miaowing and looking for me. It was then that she decided he wasn't so bad after all and they became close friends as well.
Precious had a real routine. In the morning when Phil was sitting at the kitchen table having his coffee she would sit on the table so he could stroke her, sometimes for 10 minutes or more. He would get up to make another cup and she would immediately steal his chair. He would then move her to the other chair but it would be back for more fuss from him. After that she would go to the other chair and sleep for an hour or so. From lunchtime she was mine and at a certain time she would jump onto my lap and sleep there for as long as I could stay in the one position and then she'd sleep on my footstool next to my legs. Of an evening it was usually on my lap again on and off until bedtime.
We went back to the vet this afternoon and paid our account and have arranged for Precious to be cremated and placed in a tiny urn which will have a little chain and a disk with her name on it. Some people will probably think it a waste of money but it was something we just needed to do.
This afternoon I found the sheath from one of her claws on the living room floor and I've popped it in a gold heart I've had since I was a teenager and it now hangs on my gold chain. I've not even told Phil that I've done that as he may think it strange but it was something I had to do. Men perhaps think differently but I will tell him eventually.
It is the little things that wrench at your heart strings. I put the verandah light on tonight and pulled down the blinds. We always left one blind up about 15 inches as if Precious went out she would come back and hope on the table by the front window and we would see her and let her in. Tonight I put on the light and when I pulled down the blind it suddenly hit me that I no longer needed to leave that blind up for any reason.
This is a black and white photo I took a few years ago (before she became terrified of my camera). She had commandeered my footstool as usual and that look told me she was there to stay. I showed the picture in black and white as it is more her natural colour of grey than the original picture which made her fur look quite brown.
Farewell our beautiful little friend, we will never forget you but hold you in our hearts forever.
We did everything it was in our power to do to try to get her better but she refused to eat or drink. We did manage to feed her a few drops of water with a spoon although we felt dreadful forcing her, but felt for her sake that we just had to. We were both so desperate to get her back on her feet if we could.
I tried rubbing wet food on her lips with my finger and she would lick it off but when I offered a few titbits she refused them. I tried two different wet foods and some biscuits but to no avail. She would sit looking at her water bowl but for some reason couldn't face taking a drink.
Last night I measured out 100mls of water in her bowl and when I got up this morning she had only taken less than 30 mls but we thought at least that was something. We then discovered at least 6 large pools of urine on the kitchen floor which meant all the fluid that had gone into her via the drip was gone. She was once again dehydrated and very, very weak; hardly able to miaow.
I let her out into the back garden and went looking for her 5 minutes later but she was nowhere to be seen. I went out onto the front verandah and called and she actually responded and walked ever so slowly towards me and allowed me to pick her up. I was astonished at how light she was and feel she must have lost at least one kilogram overnight. That will always be my last memory of her....answering my call and walking to me with that look of trust on her face.
We had made an appointment to take her back to the vet at 9am this morning and when I told her all that had transpired over the past few days (no food for 4+ days and no water bar the 30mls) the vet looked at me with that look you dread to see on their faces. I think it was the numerous puddles on the floor that was the final decider. She would have had to be put on a drip again for a day and there was no guarantee that afterwards she would take food or drink. The vet said she may last for 2 weeks but she doubted she would.
We realised our friend's quality of life was non-existent and although we felt devastated at the thought of losing her we made the decision that all pet owners hate to make. The vet left Precious with us a and I was able to cuddle her for about 5 minutes and tell her how much I loved her as did Phil. It must be hard being a man who doesn't cry because I know he loved that little cat as much as me. He couldn't bring himself to hold her but said goodbye to her in his own way. I keep thinking of that look of trust she had on her face this morning and feel I've let her down dreadfully but the vet said I mustn't think that way as there was nothing more to be done by anyone.
Had Precious been a human she would have been on dialysis two or three times a week waiting for a kidney transplant. When you're a cat, that type of thing is not possible and so you say farewell to a creature that has been so loving over so many years. I can't even find words to express how important she was to us.
We loved her that much we had foregone having a holiday for over 10 years as she pined so much if we were not there. I once left her at a very good pet 'holiday home' for two days and when I picked her up I discovered she hadn't eaten anything nor had she had a drink in all that time. When we got home I put out a large bowl of water and I think she drank for about 5 minutes or more and went back for more. We decided we couldn't ever leave her on her own again. I did once have a friend stay for a week with whom Precious was OK so we got away down south but my close friends are all gone now and there's been nobody to ask since then. We've not regretted not having a holiday because that cat was so 'precious' to us. On several occasions when I was in hospital she was OK with Phil but he said she used to go around the house miaowing and looking for me. It was then that she decided he wasn't so bad after all and they became close friends as well.
Precious had a real routine. In the morning when Phil was sitting at the kitchen table having his coffee she would sit on the table so he could stroke her, sometimes for 10 minutes or more. He would get up to make another cup and she would immediately steal his chair. He would then move her to the other chair but it would be back for more fuss from him. After that she would go to the other chair and sleep for an hour or so. From lunchtime she was mine and at a certain time she would jump onto my lap and sleep there for as long as I could stay in the one position and then she'd sleep on my footstool next to my legs. Of an evening it was usually on my lap again on and off until bedtime.
We went back to the vet this afternoon and paid our account and have arranged for Precious to be cremated and placed in a tiny urn which will have a little chain and a disk with her name on it. Some people will probably think it a waste of money but it was something we just needed to do.
This afternoon I found the sheath from one of her claws on the living room floor and I've popped it in a gold heart I've had since I was a teenager and it now hangs on my gold chain. I've not even told Phil that I've done that as he may think it strange but it was something I had to do. Men perhaps think differently but I will tell him eventually.
It is the little things that wrench at your heart strings. I put the verandah light on tonight and pulled down the blinds. We always left one blind up about 15 inches as if Precious went out she would come back and hope on the table by the front window and we would see her and let her in. Tonight I put on the light and when I pulled down the blind it suddenly hit me that I no longer needed to leave that blind up for any reason.
This is a black and white photo I took a few years ago (before she became terrified of my camera). She had commandeered my footstool as usual and that look told me she was there to stay. I showed the picture in black and white as it is more her natural colour of grey than the original picture which made her fur look quite brown.
Farewell our beautiful little friend, we will never forget you but hold you in our hearts forever.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
PRECIOUS IS HOME, BUT NOT AT ALL WELL
Had a call from the vet yesterday and we have a diagnosis and a prognosis.
The diagnosis is as River guessed it may be....kidney failure. She was on a saline drip all day and received an injection of anabolic steroids as well. That supposedly will make her more inclined to take food etc.
The prognosis is.....if she will accept the special diet (an expensive one too) there is a chance she could survive for some time. A lot will depend on whether she will actually eat the food prescribed.
We collected her at 6.15pm last night and after she had settled a little I opened a tin of food and she ate a couple of mouthfuls, drank a tiny bit of water and then settled down on Phil's footstool in the living room.
After an hour or so she went back to the kitchen, ate another mouthful of the food and settled on a chair in the kitchen and was still there when we got up this morning. She had not touched the food or had a drink all night.
She came into the bedroom while Phil was getting dressed and walked over to where there was a jumper and a couple of other items of his on the floor. Phil thought she was going to lie down but he suddenly realised she was peeing on his jumper!!! Something she has never done before. Not a large quantity but she peed. The back door was open so she could have gone outside but she chose not to.
I am wondering if she was paying him back for taking her to the vet. Was she very cross about it all or is she still in a confused state after being all day at the vet? I had of course gone to the vet as well but he is the one that put the carrier in and out of the car and I never had any clothes on the floor. She definitely made straight for his side of the bedroom obviously with intent!
Phil then took her into the back garden and he said she sat looking dazed for a few minutes and then climbed up the weeping peppermint, hopped onto the roof of the bird cage and she is now up on the pergola asleep. It is under an extended roof so she is safe from the wind or any rain (showers are forecast) and if she feels happy up there then I guess that is the best place for her right now.
I am hoping she will soon come down, come indoors and show sign of eating or drinking as that is imperative to her well being. If she chooses not to then I feel out little cat may not be with us too much longer so fingers crossed that we can encourage her to take care of herself as we can do no more than provide the necessary love and care to help her.
The diagnosis is as River guessed it may be....kidney failure. She was on a saline drip all day and received an injection of anabolic steroids as well. That supposedly will make her more inclined to take food etc.
The prognosis is.....if she will accept the special diet (an expensive one too) there is a chance she could survive for some time. A lot will depend on whether she will actually eat the food prescribed.
We collected her at 6.15pm last night and after she had settled a little I opened a tin of food and she ate a couple of mouthfuls, drank a tiny bit of water and then settled down on Phil's footstool in the living room.
After an hour or so she went back to the kitchen, ate another mouthful of the food and settled on a chair in the kitchen and was still there when we got up this morning. She had not touched the food or had a drink all night.
She came into the bedroom while Phil was getting dressed and walked over to where there was a jumper and a couple of other items of his on the floor. Phil thought she was going to lie down but he suddenly realised she was peeing on his jumper!!! Something she has never done before. Not a large quantity but she peed. The back door was open so she could have gone outside but she chose not to.
I am wondering if she was paying him back for taking her to the vet. Was she very cross about it all or is she still in a confused state after being all day at the vet? I had of course gone to the vet as well but he is the one that put the carrier in and out of the car and I never had any clothes on the floor. She definitely made straight for his side of the bedroom obviously with intent!
Phil then took her into the back garden and he said she sat looking dazed for a few minutes and then climbed up the weeping peppermint, hopped onto the roof of the bird cage and she is now up on the pergola asleep. It is under an extended roof so she is safe from the wind or any rain (showers are forecast) and if she feels happy up there then I guess that is the best place for her right now.
I am hoping she will soon come down, come indoors and show sign of eating or drinking as that is imperative to her well being. If she chooses not to then I feel out little cat may not be with us too much longer so fingers crossed that we can encourage her to take care of herself as we can do no more than provide the necessary love and care to help her.
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