settlin' in slowly...

it’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 2 months since i wrote my last blog post… but having decided not to blog and just concentrate on moving and settling in i have to admit it has been nice not having that self-imposed pressure we sometimes put ourselves under to get a post 'up'…

so moving and settling in is exactly what i’ve been doing - well, when i haven't been working… i'm certainly enjoying the house with it’s space and peace and quiet (internal noise aside that is - 'part and parcel' of shared space) compared to the flat… no hearing other doors opening and slamming, nobody walking overhead wearing jack boots (that’s what the womon upstairs sounded like), no hearing other peoples toilets flush, no hearing their loud televisions or their other noises…. i hate flats, have never been a willing flat dweller…

shadow had the hardest move and settling in time of the household… there are only a few cats in the street, and no-one had lived here for a while according to a neighbour, so the two boys from down the road had made this their territory too… so my boy had to learn where his territory started and ended and stake a claim on his backyard – which of course entailed a lot of mewling and stand-offs with the two local boys – rags, a beautiful ragdoll cat (albeit without a tail due to an accident) and felix, a manx boy (born with no tail – a genetic mutation associated with the manx breed)...

after all of that sorting themselves out, the boy has the run of the place now as the ‘neighbours’ moved out a couple of weeks ago – they were moving from south yarra to st kilda, and here we’d moved from st kilda to south yarra – somewhat ironic, hey - and they'll be going through their own territorial disputes finding their place with their new neighbours now…

there are cute possums around, but shadow doesn't pose a threat to them - well, not at night time anyway - he has a curfew - he's an inside cat once darkness descends... it's seems only fair for the wildlife who come out to forage during the night hours, and who have lost so much of their habitat to our encroachment - they can do without having to dodge one of the most efficient hunters in their search for food too... sadly for the night critters not all feline guardians feel this way...

shadow is definitely enjoying his backyard – fences and trees to climb, a backyard shed to sun himself on top of, garden beds that we’re in the process of extending so we can get some vegie seedlings in – it must be like paradise to him after having to make do with the small courtyard at the flat…

i thought i’d share some photos - the boy, the camellia, the beautiful skylight in the funny little nook in the loungeroom, which happens to be the perfect reading space - and guess i’ll slowly get back into the swing of blogging over the next few weeks…

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...

 

meet fudge...

fudge is my new feline 'house' guest... she's 18 years old, deaf, and a real sweetie... as you can see she's not averse to walking all over the furniture - her new surroundings haven't fazed her at all...

of course there have been the mandatory hissing and mewling sessions with my boy shadow, but that's all settled down now and they seem to have a healthy disrespect for each other... they can actually walk passed each other without the paws getting raised or 'words' said to each other now... they were pretty good actually, it only took a couple of days for them to 'sort themselves out'... they're still at the giving-each-other-a-wide-berth stage, but they can be in the same room within eye contact without hackles being raised now!

life and living arrangements haven't always gone as planned these last few years for various reasons, but change is again on the horizon...

having been notified of a rent increase 'due to improvements made' to my friend's bed-sit - they were putting the rent up $40 per week after 'repairing' his floor where dry-rot had resulted in a hole that needed fixing immediately - hmmm, definitely maintenance, not improvements, and something that should have been fixed before he even moved in 6 months ago - and huh, the 'repair' entailed a 'bandaid' silicone type fill that certainly won't last long - improvements, yeah, sure - rip off, more like it!!!! now that would have taken his rent up to $320 per week for a 'bed-sit' - a tiny, tiny space - so we sat down and discussed our respective predicaments - personal and financial - and our options, and decided sharing a house would be cheaper for both of us, so rather than pay an exhorbitant rent hike, now was the opportune time for brann and fudge to move into my flat and help pay the rent here, giving us a chance over the next few months to get enough money together for bond and rent on something larger yet cheaper than what we both currently outlay...

we have both found solo living is becoming increasingly expensive these days - and, for me, being a part time worker reliant on the private rental market certainly has its drawbacks - and chances are my rent will increase too at the end of my lease in 6 months... to stay in the area close to my chronically ill mother is important, but living in st kilda and surrounds means high rent, so two incomes means greater choice - and of course, the cost of living just keeps going up and up, from groceries to utilities, with electricity set to rise yet again... 

added to that is the dog-shaped hole in my heart which couldn't be repaired while renting a one-bedroom flat - a terribly depressing prospect - it's been 10 months since my beautiful old girl allie's life journey ended and my need for canine companionship is growing daily - i desperately need a dog in my life!!!! loneliness plays a part too, so a close friend's companionship will be nice as well - especially as we have always shared a similar sense of humour, cynicism and skepticism - and we both work in libraries so both understand where the other is coming from when we need to have a good gripe about 'the workplace'...

it will be a bit of a squeeze in my small flat for 2 adults and 2 cats, but the end result will be worth it... a house - a larger space that will allow us the ability to live a bit more cheaply and to offer a forever home to a rescued dog in the near future... 

yummmmmm....

i was inspired yesterday when i came across a very quick and easy, no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe - vegan of course... so i had to make one (with a couple of minor changes) and this was the result... berries would have been a nice topping but i only had chocolate chips (and they only went on one piece - should have melted and then drizzled the chocolate over!!!) still, simple yet delicious - although i did have the munchies at the time so perhaps anything sweet would have been delicious...

my (slightly altered) recipe...

1 1/2 containers soy cream cheese (i used tofutti)

150g of dark dairy-free chocolate (i only had sweet william and only about half the required amount - and it's really only good for 'emergencies' - now a good quality raw dark chocolate would have made it richer - next time!!)

big slurp of dark agave syrup (i only had light syrup on hand but it's not as dense and full-flavoured)
approximately 8 plain biscuits (e.g. leda golden crunch or mcvities digestives)

3 tablespoons of nuttelex
cake tin or dish (in hindsight i should have lined this with baking paper!)

crush the biscuits until crumbs

mix the crumbs with the nuttelex until it all sticks together

pat down the crumb mixture on the bottom of the sandwich tin

place in freezer until finished next part of the recipe

for the filling:

place cream cheese in a mixing bowl

melt the chocolate and fold into cheese

add agave syrup
mix thoroughly

take the crust out of the freezer

pour the mixture into the sandwich tin

level out with spoon

put in fridge for 3 hours to set;

after set, top however you'd like and enjoy!!!

and no, allie and i haven't eaten it all - yet!!! for all her other elderly infirmities me old girl's sense of smell is amazing - that nose twitches away - then she's off the couch and on a mission - doesn't take her long to zoom in on her target!!! even shadow doesn't mind the filling (fuck the biscuit base he reckons though!!)

awesome autumn....

what a glorious autumn day... so i thought a stroll along the esplanade (st kilda) market might be in order - i've got this week off work and with my birthday on wednesday i thought i'd treat myself... i've been thinking it's time to 'retire' the escher prints that i've lived with for way too long and buy myself a nice piece of brightly coloured artwork... i'm not sure what i'd like - something that'll complement my wall hanging... maybe a local scene, or a retro style graphic, possibly a streetscape or landscape - perhaps something with an autumnal theme ... let's face it, i really don't know what i want...

i ended up catching the tram around - hey, it was warmer than i thought once i got outside - but there were soooo many people i just kept going on to the supermarket - "maybe i'll check it out on the way back" i thought - but no, still way too many people (that'll teach me for not getting 'out and about' earlier)... guess i'll just keep pondering the prospect for a while... more time for inspiration (or is that procrastination??)

while on the topic of artwork, i came across this amazing tattoo on a blog post by vegan cookbook author jennifer mccann - she was 'talking' pomegranates and so shared her tat - absolutely stunning... it was created by amanda myers - if only she painted on canvas!!! (but i'll betchya a full sleeve like that don't come cheap - or painlessly!!!)

with a penchant for all things 1940s and those war themed, i thought you might be interested in this one curvy kitty... the prahran mechanics' institute victorian history library have a display starting tomorrow and finishing saturday may 1 (although you're probably a member and already know about it!!!)

ww2 art deco aeroplane ashtrays... apparently they were extremely popular... 

"between the late l930s and the early 1950s many Australian households gave pride of place to at least one such ashtray. Not only did their stylised appearance and shiny finish add a touch of modernity to contemporory decor, but the choice of subiect matter touched emotions lodged deep in the hearts of our grandparents."

oooh, i didn't realise it was so late in the afternoon - i'm off into the kitchen to make a yummy spicy bean dish for dinner but i just have to share some pictures of my cute wee shadow taken the other night when i was going to bed - this is the boy enjoying one of the 'hugo' library bags from work... talk about colour co-ordination and style - the accessory no cat should be without!!!

hmmmm, good enough to curl up and snooze in....

and i can't go without wishing sailor lily...

we're both autumn 'n' april born womyn - a beautiful season!!!

"There is a harmony in autumn,

and a luster in its sky,

which through the summer is not heard or seen,

as if it could not be,

as if it had not been!" Percy Bysshe Shelley

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...

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!!!

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.......

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.