R.I.P. Sam

Just when I thought the year couldn't possibly get any crapper, I came home tonight to find my girl had passed away.  She was only 8 years old, but in the last year or so she'd had a heart murmur.  That, of course, doesn't make it any easier.  She was such a cheeky girl, she loved snuggles, river walks, beef sticks and belly scratches. 

She was possibly the most co-dependant, stuck to my side, I'll go where ever you are puppy I knew, but that was just how I loved her.  Many a Saturday morning was spent, lounging in bed, snuggling with Sam, reading my book and getting kicked in the ribs each time I turned the page, (which was Sams way of telling me"keep patting me dammit!").

I'll miss you Sambo, love you lots. xoxo

C.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

It is that time again - Paddy's Day. Hope that everyone is well recovered (as technically it was yesterday here).  I am playing designated dora for my friends tonight, who at one of our local pubs saying farewell to another friend.  I'm sure I would be running amuck, if it wasn't for the small fact that I have to work tomorrow!  Bring on the green :)

 - This post has been sitting as a draft for the last couple of weeks, as well as the 17th being Paddy's Day, it's was also my mums b'day. It's was the first b'day since she passed away, although it's the last of many that she's been absent from the last few years. She died on January 30th this year, after a very long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. It was one of the hardest things I've had to witness, nothing can ever fully prepare you seeing a loved one slip away so slowly and surely, until there is nothing left of who they used to be. Harder all the more, because she was such a vibrant person, who really loved life and all that it had to offer and who in the early days of her illness was aware of what was happening, but was unable to do anything about it.

It's a complete bastard of a disease, one that I wouldn't wish on anyone, (not that I'm in the habit of wishing illness on anyone).  One day soon I hope that there is a cure, so that no one else or their family has to go through the horrible process or losing themselves/their loved one.  Hopefully , it's something that as a family we don't have to go through again.

- Well I can't seem to finish writing what I want to say - What do I want to say? My mum was awesome, I've missed her for a long time, wish she was still here - Alzheimer's sucks - and any number of other things.  So I guess, instead of my own words, I'll use anothers...

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

C.


Sloppy Jones. Wonder cat, part time puppy & fearless defender of the 'hood.

Here's my girl, in her fave position, next to me in bed. I read, she sleeps.  It's a hard life, being a cat.

I think it's official - Sloppy has gone for good.  I'd been hoping she would just turn up one day, be there meowing her displeasure at being kept waiting by her inept human.  But it's been around two months now and I've not seen her at all.  She hadn't been well, a constant cold and mouth ulcer had been annoying her for weeks, plus she'd been loosing weight.  I'm terribly sad, she was such a lovely cat.  She used to drive me barking with all her meowing.  I think she was the loudest, most expressive cat I'd ever met, not to mention her belief that she was a rather large dog.  Wil and Sam can now relax - no more getting beaten up by a cat!  But for all my annoyance, I would never trade her in.  I miss her lots and wish she was here.  I loves you moo shoo, to the moon and back.

Sloppy kicking back on my lap.

Cheers to the best meow in the world, Sloppy xoxo

C.

Weekly Hot Boy

I'm all sad today, my hot boy that I've chosen died this week of a congenital heart disease :(

You may know him as Lorne from Angel, his name's Andy Hallett and he was lovely. Enjoy his hotness and remember how funny he was as Lorne, I must admit that I didn't I see him in anything else, but he was one of my fave characters in Angel. There will definately be some Angel on the telly this weekend and a few glasses raised to a brilliant actor.

Death...one of lifes certainties

Well I haven't really mentioned any authors that have died on my blog yet, but with Michael Crichton's recent passing I thought I would pay tribute to some of the authors that will be sadly missed from the literary world.

Michael Chrichton - He lost his battle with Cancer on the 4th of Nov. He gave us Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Timeline, ER, State of Fear and Next (these are just a few of his works) and will be sadly missed. I always enjoyed his books, full of action suspense, I quite enjoyed his foray into sci fi. His works were translated into 36 different languages and he has won a number of awards and in 2002, a newly discovered ankylosaur was named for him: Crichtonsaurus bohlini. Pretty sweet if you ask me.

Arthur C. Clarke - Died on the 19th of March, he was probably best known for 2001: A Space Odyssey. I've never read any of his books, but I really think he's to be admired. He is a writer of both fiction and non fiction and has also won a number of awards, along with writing he was also an inventor.

Colin Thiele - Died on 4th Sept, as a kid we had to read a number of his books for school, they were always such fun. I loved Storm Boy, Sun on the Stubble, Seashores and Shadows, he was a fantastic Australian author, who wrote about the country he loved. I loved reading animal stories when I was younger, so Colin Thiele's books were always good to read.

I know there are a lot of other authors that have died this year, it's always sad to lose someone who has the ability to create such beautiful work, to be able to bring people together by using words, it's a truly fantastic ability and these authors will be sadly missed.

C.