a sad few days...

i've shed a number of tears these last few days... 

you may remember i introduced you to fudge at the beginning of the year... sadly, her long life journey ended last thursday evening... i didn't get to know her well - just a few short months she had here... it was a terrible thing for the old girl - she was 18-19'ish - to be 'discarded' at such a late stage of her life by those she depended on when she no longer suited their lifestyle... i hope she found some joy and happiness in her few months here... it was a pleasure to have met you girl...

to compound that sadness, it was the 1st anniversary of my old girl allie's death on saturday... i miss you so much still girl - the feel of you, your beautiful face, your companionship, everything about you...

but my boy shadow helps to ease the pain - and of course, he doesn't mind being an 'only child' - he actually wasn't really impressed when another feline came to stay - he quite liked being the centre of attention - so his life goes back to what it was...

my heart is heavy with sadness at the moment so i won't be writing anymore, but will share louise du toit's tribute to our canine and feline companions with you while i get ready to deal with the other 'old girl' in my life - my mother, whose 83rd birthday is on friday the 30th - so we're off shopping for a present, which entails catching the tram almost right outside the front of her block of flats (luckily), going to target in malvern (just near the tram stop we get off at - luckily), then it's a quick look at some clothes for her before that wears her out, and then it's back to her place...

 

a journey's end...

my beautiful, gentle, loving and very much loved friend and companion allie's lifelong journey came to an end at 11.10am on thursday march 24...

my heart is broken,  my world bereft... 

farewell my sweet beauty...

"when someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure..."

you will be forever treasured my dearest friend...

there will be more about my beautiful old girl - she was well honoured in her passing but i can't write it now... i miss the girl - i miss her presence - and the sensory deprivation of the touch and feel of her is incredibly painful...

oh no, not the dreaded 'lurgy'...

i've had one of those 'ear, eye, nose & throat' things happening since i woke up yesterday... amazing how one day you're fine and then without warning 'bang' - you've got a fever and you feel like crap - bloody people and their germs!!! and being sick wasn't part of the plan for this weekend... the best laid plans and all that, hey...

luckily the animals are happy to just laze around with me... they've gotten used to the lounge being our 'bedsit-cum-sanctuary' with the brother still being here... don't know how long i can cope with it though!!! although we would still sleep on the couch because the bed is way too high for me old girl these days (and she's always slept with me) - it's much easier to have cushions placed strategically for her to use as steps' to climb onto the couch... she is amazing to watch getting around without sight and sound to guide her - such perseverance without complaint - animals are certainly superior to humans where adapting to their situation is concerned (doesn't mean that some aren't sooks though, hey loudie-dude!!!)...

it is a bit of crush on the couch though - it's not a bed couch, it's just a couch couch... and it seems the warmer the weather to greater the need for the gang to either be sprawled out across me, or tucked up tight and leaning right into me!! oh to be able to stretch out!!! but we are close to the courtyard - and without fail the boy is hassling at 5am to get out... which is a good time to wake the girl up and take her outside too - it 'circumvents' the bed wetting - but it does take her a while to get it together - she's very disoriented and very wonky and feeble - you do have to stay with her and let her know where you are and that everything's okay... what is this thing called sleep i've heard people allude to???

the medication i was put onto by a friend seems to be helping with the incontinence luckily - bio-organics' "bladder care" - a pumpkin seed and soy bean extract - it does get a tad expensive over time considering how much she has - then there's the garlic caps and the soy milk (but don't bother to offer that to the boy - that's where he draws the line... the look on his face says it all - 'what the fuck is this crap??!!' - a bit like the look he gives you when he sees you approach with the camera!!!)... at the moment the girls eyes are all 'gungy' too so they need to be bathed with chamomile... and you still have to 'be alert' because she still heads off in the wrong direction when she wants to go outside sometimes (well, a lot of the time actually!!!)... ahh, the trials and tribulations of caring for the infirm elderly - she is such a tolerant, easy going babe considering all the 'poking and prodding' she has to endure...

hopefully the rest of my day will be spent absorbed in my book... that's so long as the puffy eyes, sore throat and earache allow me to concentrate...

i've had to put aside "Cooee" for the moment - i just can't get into it (but it's not highly reserved so i can maybe 'revisit' it sometime)... i'm currently 'immersed' in Anne Summers' memoir "The lost mother: a story of art and love" described as "..a gripping narrative that is part art history, part detective story and part meditation on the relations between mothers and daughters." i am thoroughly enjoying this one...

 

i've admired Anne Summers ever since i read "damned whores and god's police" in the 70s - it's about the role of women in Australian society and was considered a landmark publication at the time (and still is!!)

i do hope i'm over this 'bug' by new year's eve... my brother's going to be around to look after the boy and girl and i'm heading off to my niece rebbecca's 'gathering' in kyneton, then it's on to malmsbury to spend the night with my loudie-dude, irene and the rest of the gang... i'll be back on friday though 'cause i 'drew the short straw' and have to work on saturday morning - bummer - but overnight is better than nothing i guess - and any longer than that and i'd just be worried about allie...

it's been a hard few days for me old girl - she's had really bad diarrhea since the weekend... extremely distressing for her - and for me!!! she's on the improve today, but it took a lot out of her - it was exhausting - she just couldn't settle - she just about wore grooves between the lounge and courtyard (but in true allie style she never lost her appetite once!!! although her diet changed radically to one of bland boiled rice - she'll be glad when that's finished!!!) luckily she drank heaps of water so didn't get dehydrated...

she's over the worst of it now though - which i'm thankful for because chronic diarrhea in an old dog can often signify a tumour - i was so relieved to see some improvement in her - a visit to the vet would just be sooooo very traumatic for her - so intrusive and invasive (and a tad freaky for the deaf and blind old babe)...

i'd never had reason to think about blind dogs with diarrhea before, nor the consequences of their inability to see where they're walking - until this week when reality stared me in the eye - by way of wee paw prints almost a translucent hue of mustard 'painted' on a canvas of carpet throughout the flat... my what a sight to behold... and then came the cleaning interspersed with dry-retching... what can i say - shit happens!!! (sorry, i couldn't resist!!!)

luckily i've been able to be home with her so she could have access to outside, and i could keep an eye on her 'artistic talents'... i'm one of those fortunate people who works with very empathetic, sympathetic and caring people who have been extremely generous in their understanding and offers of assistance should we have needed it...

anyway, things look like they'll be back to 'normal' tomorrow and i'll be back at work - ooooh, i am looking forward to friday - i'm off to the 'soft launch' of the state library's summer read - goddamn, i'm gonna miss the council end of year celebration - the one where there's never any food for the library folk by the time they arrive - especially if you happen to be a vegetarian... it was such a hard decision - the sacrifices we're forced to make...

she bounces back...

just a quick update on Allie - it appears she may have (apart from old age) what's known as "estrogen responsive urinary incontinence" - very common in old spayed girls - and having once been a brood bitch in a puppy factory, and having had major surgery for a perineal hernia after her poor start to life, that no doubt makes her even more susceptible.

But after a real scare on thursday night, here she is today, checking out what's new in the courtyard - she might be blind and deaf, but she knows it's different somehow... it wasn't her time - this time... i can't help but wonder which one will outlive the other - me mum, or allie... they're both pretty much on par healthwise at the moment...

and here's the boy in his new 'outside house' - he's a 'gettin' into things' kinda boy, and there was no shelter for him in his 'yard' - so got me brother to take me to bunnings today - i could walk around there for hours - i was determined to find something for the boy and came across this pretty nifty piece of furniture - a timber rabbit hutch with a minor renovation... he loves it - maybe that's because he knows he'll never have to sleep outside in it... unless of course he doesn't come in before i have to go to work in the morning!!!

wonder how 'Lil is...

thinking of you 'Lil...
hope you have a beautiful birthing memory...

I've had a nice relaxing weekend... that seems to be the best kind these days!!! It was me mum's 80th birthday today... I spent some time with her yesterday - went for a walk along The Esplanade Market... haven't done that for ages - forgot how pleasant it can be... except that me mum got too tired after a while and had to go home again (luckily she lives right across the road)... this is her with the wee Louie...

she gets worn out easily these days - kidney function is deteriorating - but she's still as active as she can be... couldn't go out today for her birthday - was already going out for lunch, and she had a public housing and tenants meeting she had to be at this arvo, then afternoon tea.. I spoke to her just before and she was fucked!!! and lunch again tomorrow... she doesn't know how she'll cope with that one!!!

I had a great day today rearranging the furniture - I've no doubt totally confused my poor old girl Allie... just couldn't help myself (oooh, sounds a bit compulsive obsessive!!!) - had to change the loungeroom around... needed a change - well, really need a holiday - and they say a change is as good as one... so the furniture is moved around a bit but the girl will get used to it soon... Brann's home most of this week so can keep an eye on her... and this is her, snoozin' ('we' do a lot of that these days!!!)

I've been reading an interesting book... The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House by Kate Summerscale.

It's the true story of a child's murder, commited in 1860... it was a time when "a detective was a recent invention. The first fictional sleuth appeared in 1841 and the first real detectives in the English-speaking world were appointed the next year".

The style of writing has taken a while to get used to, but I am enjoying it... it's intriguing - there's a mystery involved... haven't finished it yet though - but the author has written another book I might have to check out... The Queen of Whale Cay : The Eccentric Story of 'Joe' Carstairs, Fastest Woman on Water - born Marion Barbara Carstairs, known as Betty and nicknamed Joe - now she sounds like one intriguing woman...


and now I've 'posted', I'm going to enjoy some lovely home grown produce... and some yummy chocolate cheesecake from acland street... oooh, can't stop thinking about munchies!!

feeling soooo old...

I tell ya, sleeping on a mattress on the floor these days is hard work... it's not as easy getting down that far, or up for that matter!!!! but at least when I sleep, I sleep more comfortably knowing me old girl hasn't got far to fall to the floor... I pretty much stayed awake at night before I dismantled the bed!!!!

I'm off for a couple of weeks now - I can spend some time with Allie and get to see what her quality of life is like now... she's still being cheeky - finding bones outside and trying to sneak them inside in her droopy old jowls!!! and having a wee dig in the garden... she's not as distressed now (nor am I!!!) and manages to find her way outside during the day... losing your sight (and not having sound to compensate) would be really freaky I would imagine... a really hard sense to learn to live without if you'd always had it...

anyway, here's some photos of 'the gang'...

I've been feeling really exhausted lately - mentally and physically - there's concern for me babe... and me mum (things to do on her 'illness front' next week)... work's been taking its toll on the mind and body - so much to do, so few who can 'perform all tasks', so those of us that can still 'do it all' (but for how long??? I have aches, pains and strains most of the time these days, and I'm pretty sure it's not all attributable to age!!!) - end up doing extra of the heavy shit and wear out quicker (I'm too old to wear out any quicker!!!!) - surely that proves we're understaffed - it at least means there needs to be a re-think about how 'incapacitated' workers duties are covered!!!

and of course there's still 'stuff' at home - the major impacting shit is the money... so now I'm going to do some recuperating myself... a bit of reading... maybe catch up with emails... have a choof... enjoy being with me gang and generally just relax.......

timely reminders....

It's sad that there's yet another 'ribbon' day coming up - WHITE RIBBON DAY - November 25th (Tuesday) - International Day for the Elimination of VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN...

"White Ribbon Day - History

White Ribbon Day was created by a handful of Canadian men in 1991 on the second anniversary of one man's massacre of fourteen women in Montreal. They began the White Ribbon Campaign to urge men to speak out against violence against women...." to read more go to the White Ribbon Foundation of Australia.

shameful isn't it that violence is still so brutally perpetrated against women in all countries under all political and religious systems...

and coming up to that major commercial time of year the Age had a very timely article on it's front page...

"Backyard puppy factories just waiting for the next bitch on heat

Carmel Egan
November 23, 2008

Belinda Russo, an animal management officer at Lort Smith Animal Hospital, holds three puppies she says were dumped by backyard breeders.

SHE is a dog with no name who lives in a bric-a-brac jumble by her master's back door. Her owner appears surprised when asked her name and seems to pluck "Suzy" from the air. A small, grey-and-white crossbreed with matted hair, she doesn't respond to Suzy. She snarls and squabbles with her litter of hungry pups over a bowl of dog pellets..." read more here.

I wrote about this cruelty 12 months ago now - nothing ever changes - my babe Allie was a brood bitch in a puppy factory and almost died at the age of 4 - you can read her story by clicking her picture and read more about puppy factories here..

and so many people think of animals as the perfect xmas gift without thinking beyond the gift giving time... let's not forget - COMPANION ANIMALS ARE FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR XMAS!!!!

and on that note - it's just a quick post today - it's only a short weekend for me as I'm working tomorrow (normally my day off!!! - but I do get a day off in lieu) - I'm going to an all day seminar (so at least I'm not dealing with the public!!) at the museum called Collections and the Web with a big emphasis on Web 2.0 stuff... I'm really looking forward to it - but now I'm going to check the yummy Greek style baked vegies in tomato sauce I've got bubbling away in the oven and smelling wonderful... so it's ciao for now.

Just for something different...

Another passion of mine....

my canine and feline companions.

HERSTORY:

This is my babe Allie… she started out life as a brood bitch in a puppy factory – after 4 years she 'd had so many litters she was too ill to breed from anymore - she was saved by SADS (Save-a-Dog Scheme) and then adopted by me. Then we discovered the girl had a perineal hernia and needed major surgery. But she survived!!!!

She was such a frightened little girl for a long time – the slightest noise sent her seeking ‘security’ under the bed – it took years for her to feel comfortable with people – but she’s 15 now – who would have thought??? Mind you, she is almost deaf, almost blind and has a problem with her weakened bladder (she just can’t hold on very long these days!!) but I have lived a much richer life because of her.

HISTORY:

My boy Shadow was only 4 weeks old when I first ‘met’ him. I was approached by a woman in the supermarket carpark asking if there was a pet shop around. Once I realised that she wanted to get rid of him, well, there’s not much more to say – I was only too happy to ‘take him off her hands’. And I think he was glad too!!!

He is a bit confused as to his name though – it’s evolved into “There-he-is” because you can’t help yourself, whenever you see him, your immediate response is “thereheis”!!!! He’s 5 now, street-smart, and very sassy.

Both created with fd's" Flickr Toys.

ANIMALS ARE FOR LIFE, NOT JUST FOR XMAS

PLEASE DON’T SUPPORT THE PUPPY AND KITTEN FACTORIES BY BUYING FROM PET SHOPS – CHECK OUT THE ANIMAL RESCUE AND SUPPORT SHELTERS – THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY BABES NEEDING ADOPTION.