Paw print

When I got up this morning there was a letter on the mat. I opened it and it was a sympathy card from the vets who had treated my poorly cat a couple of weeks ago, and eventually had to put him to sleep.

It was so kind, they said they could see we had a close bond and that I cared very much for my cat. I am so sad but proud that they felt this and had taken the time to write to me. I will treasure his pawprint forever.

Award winner is..

Yes, many years ago, in the 80s, I won an award for something I designed. It was a recruitment poster. I don’t think anything was done about actually using it. It’s probably stuck on top of an old cupboard somewhere? But for a short while I had the frisson of winning something.

I don’t think my name was even engraved on the shield, I think the place I was studying didn’t think a poster was serious enough. Not proper research, which is why I’m not going into detail. But for a while it was firmly on my CV.

A big ache

Winter is fading but my aches and pains aren’t. Constant use of my left shoulder seems to have aggravated it. I’m used to getting in and out of cars on the right hand side, but since I had to scrap my car I’ve had to use the passenger side more.

Today was bad, just lifting my left arm is difficult. I think I need to get some physiotherapy. I will book an appointment with the doctor next week. I might sleep in my chair tonight because I’m finding it incredibly hard to get comfortable when I lie down.

Life, you don’t realise how painful it can be…..

Buddha

I went to art group for the first time in weeks and picked up a small, 6×4 in canvas.

I haven’t done a painting for ages, my Parkinsons is bad and looking close up is difficult because although I’m cataract free,  they also cured my short sightedness and I find it hard to focus on close objects, basically closer than about a foot things get blurred. I need to get some ordinary reading glasses because the ones I’ve got are too strong.

Then I saw a tiny, gold painted, plastic Buddha. Of all the things that I could choose to paint, this seemed like the right karma. The brushes were a bit rough and not easily pointed. It was hard to see the details, but in about an hour I managed to paint him. The best thing? Someone in the group said they really liked it. So I gave it them.

In other news, I know I haven’t been here much lately. I miss my cat so much. It’s another loss I’m struggling to come to terms with. Love to you all.

Farewell

Farewell Woody cat
A huge chunk of my life has just passed over the rainbow bridge and it’s such a shock. He’s been quiet and sleepy for a few days so I took him to the vets. Unfortunately he was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure and they couldn’t do anything for him.
I’m in bits. He was a quirky cat who slept on the middle steps of the stairs and endangered me every time I tried to get past him. He was a big soft giant of a cat and would put his paw out when he was lying down to say hi. I will miss him very much.

Christmas cactus

My kitchen windowsill is covered with Christmas cactuses. I underwater them before the festive season  so they are only just starting to grow individual flowers instead of lots of them.

Some of there were cuttings from my Grandmother’s plants from about 1996….? It’s amazing how they have such longevity .

A heart

A heart in the bottom of my mucky mug.

Like a parchment map of old

Stained shape of hidden treasure

And a bit like Plutos bold

Heart impaled on its frosty ground

Making it’s tiny world go round

Hearts bring me cheer

Makes me remember

He once was here.

So I write a poem to remind me

While on the cooker I’m burning tea!

How do cats brains work?

This is a cat igloo, to keep my cat warm at night, it has become more of a hammock as the cat insists on sleeping on top of it! My cats all sleep in odd places, on the side of the bath, like a gymnast on the beam. Or halfway up the stairs. This is my biggest cats’ habit and since he almost fills a whole step it’s a good job he has some white fur so I can see him when I’m climbing up, or coming down stairs! He’s a real trip hazard!