Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Friday, September 19, 2014
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Cats with thumbs
OK, I know it's an advert, but every so often the advertising agencies come up with a good one, and I happen to like this!
Monday, May 02, 2011
FPTP v AV explained
Ah, it's quite simple really!
And for those not from the UK who may not already be aware of this issue, it relates to the forthcoming referendum on whether to change the UK voting system, and all explained in a cat-friendly manner, and then a post-it based fashion!
The post-it one at the bottom actually explains it quite well, I think.
And for those not from the UK who may not already be aware of this issue, it relates to the forthcoming referendum on whether to change the UK voting system, and all explained in a cat-friendly manner, and then a post-it based fashion!
The post-it one at the bottom actually explains it quite well, I think.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Catty drugs
Posted for RE, who has made various comments about Elmo's use and love of catnip, and more importantly the reaction it provokes in him.Remember kitties, Just Say No!
Oh, and the cat in the photo looks a lot like my much loved and missed Ernie.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
No longer ranting
A good friend pointed out to me last night that I haven't posted since 21st January, which is a week ago, and my last post was a rant.Well, OK, I take your point, thank you, so to change the tone somewhat, here's a picture of a cat from the site I can has cheezburger which is the "lolcats" one featured in my links to the left.
If you don't like cats you're unlikely to find it funny, and in fact if you don't like cats what are you doing here, be off with you!
Anyway, I've been on a training course in Edinburgh this week, and it finishes tomorrow with an all-day exercise, so that should be interesting! During the course of the course, so to speak, I had a conversation about blogging and during it I pretty much reminded myself why I started this Blog and why I continue to write it.
It started because I was going through a bad time in my marriage, which came to an amicable end fairly soon afterwards. The marriage that is, not the bad time.
I found the experience of putting my thoughts, and sometimes my random stream of consciousness, down on virtual paper to be a useful and enjoyable thing to do.
So I continue to write this primarily for myself, and if no one reads it then that doesn't matter, although I'd be lying if I claimed not to get some pleasure out of knowing it's read and sometimes even enjoyed by other people. It's nice (usually) to get comments on posts as this is a good way to find out what people think about what I write, and it's also good to hear, as I sometimes do, that people read it regularly. But at the end of the day, it's still written mostly for me.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Review of 2008
It's that time of year again when the TV, Radio and newspapers are full of their reviews of the activity and stories of the previous 12 months. Well I'm not going to be outdone! For your delectation (well, OK, it's actually totally for me as a cathartic exercise) here is how 2008 went for me. Not everything I'm going to mention has already been Blogged about, but some has.
Looking back at the review of 2007 I posted a year ago, I can see there have been some changes to my life in the past year. Almost exclusively these have been changes for the better.
The year 2007 ended with me having rejoined Glasgow Chamber Choir, and continuing to enjoy the experience. This coincided with me coming to the end of a difficult and sometimes turbulent relationship which had been going on for a bit over a year. I pride myself on being easy going and hopefully pretty calm much of the time, but my stress levels were through the roof for a significant chunk of the latter part of 2007. I didn't really Blog about this much at the time, it wouldn't have been right, but I can say now with the clarity of hindsight that this was a relationship I shouldn't have been in, and having been in it, it shouldn't have dragged on as long as it did. It did neither of us any good. And in fact it affected my friendship with other, better, friends too. Another pride I take is that I am still on good speaking terms with everyone (there are not all that many!) with whom I have had a significant relationship, whatever form that took, but this particular relationship having finished part way through the year and changed into a tentative, or possibly even tenuous, friendship, in January something happened which caused the other person to cut off all contact with me, despite my efforts to try to remain friends. I gave it a few weeks though, and after all calls had gone unanswered, including calls being rejected, I gave up and haven't thought about contacting her again. So another dark chapter passes!
The thing that happened in January was that I started a new relationship with RE, a member of Glasgow Chamber Choir. She had joined in September 2007 on the same evening I had rejoined, and over the next weeks and months we seemed to hit it off and seemed to enjoy one another's company, albeit always in a larger group, and so we eventually started dating. And we are still doing so, I'm very glad to say! It wouldn't be right for me to describe RE, or our relationship, or how I felt, or anything like that. So I won't. But she knows, I hope, and that's what matters.
In January, sadly, my gran died after a short illness but a long life. Needless to say I miss her. It was largely for her that I started tracing my family tree a few years ago (I currently have it traced back to the late 17th century in one of the strands) and since her death I haven't put any real effort into researching anything further. I fully intend getting back into it in the new year though.
Also in January I sat and passed my Institute of Advanced Motorists Advanced Driving test, adding that qualification to the Advanced Motorcycling one I passed the previous month. Since then I haven't felt the urge to become a Qualified Car Observer, but I persevered with the motorcycling training and in September 2008 I successfully passed the written and practical tests which make me a Qualified Motorcycle Observer, able to accompany and assist associates who are undertaking training to pass their own Advanced test. The season's finished just now of course, but I'm looking forward to carrying on with helping associates next year.
In March I spent a tremendously enjoyable long weekend in Marseilles with Glasgow Chamber Choir, where we sang in a couple of concerts (pretty stress free) and ate, drank and socialised a lot. I think part of the reason I enjoyed it was that it was my first trip abroad for ages, apart from the trip to Belgium in 2007 when I was in a plaster cast, and the first time away with RE. In fact up to that point our relationship was known only to a very small handful of people, but we had to come out the closet, so to speak, for the trip away so it was nice not to have to hide it from our friends any longer!
I've made my personal peace with St Mary's Cathedral. For a while I had no intention of ever going back, but I have and I'm very happy to have done so. My absence from the choir, and from the building generally, started with my achilles tendon injury when I couldn't walk or even stand without crutches, but it then developed into a wider problem connected with the relationship I was in. I should never have let that happen, but I did, but I'm glad to say that I'm back. I'm not singing in the choir full time at the moment, because they rehearse on the same evening as Glasgow Chamber Choir does, but I am for the moment one of the "occasional extra" singers drafted in when they need tenors. The other side of that coin is that if I see anything coming up on the music list which I'd like to sing, then I just contact FW, the director of music, and he's happy for me to come and join in, even if that means the choir has a boatload of tenors that evening! And in fact the choir is well blessed for tenors at the moment, there are I think about five of them, so I'm not really needed just now. But RE and I do attend Evensong most weeks, which is very enjoyable only not quite so enjoyable as actually singing in it!
This year, and I actually can't remember when it was apart from early summer or before, St Mary's Cathedral played host to a big Evensong service for the organist emeritus, Bernard Porter, who was celebrating a significant birthday. Lots of former choir members, including me, joined the current choir and made a spectacular sound. Some travelled from as far afield as the south of England, the north of Scotland, and New York to join the singing! And the socialising, funnily enough, was great!
In the summer, together with various friends including RE, I joined the newly formed Royal School of Church Music Scottish Voices choir. The initial meeting was a residential weekend at Strathallan School in Perthshire, which seemed to go well, not least because FW, from St Mary's Cathedral, is also the conductor of RSCM Scottish Voices. I should explain that the RSCM choir is not to be confused with Scottish Voices, which is a different choir. Apparently RSCM Scottish Voices is the equivalent of the RSCM Cathedral Singers in England, but they decided not to use that name in Scotland lest it offended Presbyterians and others who have no cathedrals! Political correctness strikes again! So they chose the name RSCM Scottish Voices instead, and presumably either didn't realise there is already a choir called Scottish Voices, or didn't care. Superb!
Anyway, next year's dates have recently been circulated, and it looks like it'll be a busy and enjoyable year.
In September my little cat Ernie fell ill, and after a short illness sadly died. I Blogged about that extensively at the time and have no intentions of reliving it here, since it was an intensely painful experience. I miss him greatly, as does Elmo, his wee pal.
One of the high spots of the year undoubtedly was my visit to San Diego, Califonia to visit my brother and his family. Made even better by RE joining me for the last few days when she was enroute back to Glasgow from New Zealand and made a stopover. I've Blogged a fair bit about the holiday, but I'm conscious that I still haven't told the full story yet and I owe this Blog the final installment, so I'll try to get to that as soon as possible!
I discovered in 2008, or it might have been late 2007, that my blood pressure had climbed alarmingly. It's now down to a better level, and I'm trying to get my act together to get to my local gym regularly in an effort to keep it down, lose a bit of weight, and get fit enough to do the things I want to do, which are many and varied! I've decided against taking up badminton again though, as I don't relish the idea of fucking up my achilles tendon again! Watch this space for details of my progress, if indeed I make any progress!
As ever, I make it my rule not to Blog about work. Suffice to say I'm still enjoying being in the particular department I'm in, doing the things I do, and tempting as it is to go looking for more money elsewhere, and it IS available, I'd rather stay where I am. For the moment anyway!
So, to sum up, 2008 has been a good year for me, not only on the relationship front but also as regards St Mary's Cathedral and trips abroad to sunny places. On the extreme down side, I lost both my gran and my faithful companion Ernie, but such is the way of life.
I've just re-read all of the above and realised it's a bit more of a random stream of consciousness than usual, so apologies for that. If I could be arsed I'd edit it into some better chronological, or at least logical, order, but I can't!
Anyway, Happy Christmas and a successful 2009 to you all, and I refuse to go down the political correctness route and use weasel words detracting from Christmas. If you are offended by my wishing you a Happy Christmas rather than Happy Holidays or similar, then perhaps you're reading the wrong Blog and I invite you never to darken my URL again!
Looking back at the review of 2007 I posted a year ago, I can see there have been some changes to my life in the past year. Almost exclusively these have been changes for the better.
The year 2007 ended with me having rejoined Glasgow Chamber Choir, and continuing to enjoy the experience. This coincided with me coming to the end of a difficult and sometimes turbulent relationship which had been going on for a bit over a year. I pride myself on being easy going and hopefully pretty calm much of the time, but my stress levels were through the roof for a significant chunk of the latter part of 2007. I didn't really Blog about this much at the time, it wouldn't have been right, but I can say now with the clarity of hindsight that this was a relationship I shouldn't have been in, and having been in it, it shouldn't have dragged on as long as it did. It did neither of us any good. And in fact it affected my friendship with other, better, friends too. Another pride I take is that I am still on good speaking terms with everyone (there are not all that many!) with whom I have had a significant relationship, whatever form that took, but this particular relationship having finished part way through the year and changed into a tentative, or possibly even tenuous, friendship, in January something happened which caused the other person to cut off all contact with me, despite my efforts to try to remain friends. I gave it a few weeks though, and after all calls had gone unanswered, including calls being rejected, I gave up and haven't thought about contacting her again. So another dark chapter passes!
The thing that happened in January was that I started a new relationship with RE, a member of Glasgow Chamber Choir. She had joined in September 2007 on the same evening I had rejoined, and over the next weeks and months we seemed to hit it off and seemed to enjoy one another's company, albeit always in a larger group, and so we eventually started dating. And we are still doing so, I'm very glad to say! It wouldn't be right for me to describe RE, or our relationship, or how I felt, or anything like that. So I won't. But she knows, I hope, and that's what matters.
In January, sadly, my gran died after a short illness but a long life. Needless to say I miss her. It was largely for her that I started tracing my family tree a few years ago (I currently have it traced back to the late 17th century in one of the strands) and since her death I haven't put any real effort into researching anything further. I fully intend getting back into it in the new year though.
Also in January I sat and passed my Institute of Advanced Motorists Advanced Driving test, adding that qualification to the Advanced Motorcycling one I passed the previous month. Since then I haven't felt the urge to become a Qualified Car Observer, but I persevered with the motorcycling training and in September 2008 I successfully passed the written and practical tests which make me a Qualified Motorcycle Observer, able to accompany and assist associates who are undertaking training to pass their own Advanced test. The season's finished just now of course, but I'm looking forward to carrying on with helping associates next year.
In March I spent a tremendously enjoyable long weekend in Marseilles with Glasgow Chamber Choir, where we sang in a couple of concerts (pretty stress free) and ate, drank and socialised a lot. I think part of the reason I enjoyed it was that it was my first trip abroad for ages, apart from the trip to Belgium in 2007 when I was in a plaster cast, and the first time away with RE. In fact up to that point our relationship was known only to a very small handful of people, but we had to come out the closet, so to speak, for the trip away so it was nice not to have to hide it from our friends any longer!
I've made my personal peace with St Mary's Cathedral. For a while I had no intention of ever going back, but I have and I'm very happy to have done so. My absence from the choir, and from the building generally, started with my achilles tendon injury when I couldn't walk or even stand without crutches, but it then developed into a wider problem connected with the relationship I was in. I should never have let that happen, but I did, but I'm glad to say that I'm back. I'm not singing in the choir full time at the moment, because they rehearse on the same evening as Glasgow Chamber Choir does, but I am for the moment one of the "occasional extra" singers drafted in when they need tenors. The other side of that coin is that if I see anything coming up on the music list which I'd like to sing, then I just contact FW, the director of music, and he's happy for me to come and join in, even if that means the choir has a boatload of tenors that evening! And in fact the choir is well blessed for tenors at the moment, there are I think about five of them, so I'm not really needed just now. But RE and I do attend Evensong most weeks, which is very enjoyable only not quite so enjoyable as actually singing in it!
This year, and I actually can't remember when it was apart from early summer or before, St Mary's Cathedral played host to a big Evensong service for the organist emeritus, Bernard Porter, who was celebrating a significant birthday. Lots of former choir members, including me, joined the current choir and made a spectacular sound. Some travelled from as far afield as the south of England, the north of Scotland, and New York to join the singing! And the socialising, funnily enough, was great!
In the summer, together with various friends including RE, I joined the newly formed Royal School of Church Music Scottish Voices choir. The initial meeting was a residential weekend at Strathallan School in Perthshire, which seemed to go well, not least because FW, from St Mary's Cathedral, is also the conductor of RSCM Scottish Voices. I should explain that the RSCM choir is not to be confused with Scottish Voices, which is a different choir. Apparently RSCM Scottish Voices is the equivalent of the RSCM Cathedral Singers in England, but they decided not to use that name in Scotland lest it offended Presbyterians and others who have no cathedrals! Political correctness strikes again! So they chose the name RSCM Scottish Voices instead, and presumably either didn't realise there is already a choir called Scottish Voices, or didn't care. Superb!
Anyway, next year's dates have recently been circulated, and it looks like it'll be a busy and enjoyable year.
In September my little cat Ernie fell ill, and after a short illness sadly died. I Blogged about that extensively at the time and have no intentions of reliving it here, since it was an intensely painful experience. I miss him greatly, as does Elmo, his wee pal.
One of the high spots of the year undoubtedly was my visit to San Diego, Califonia to visit my brother and his family. Made even better by RE joining me for the last few days when she was enroute back to Glasgow from New Zealand and made a stopover. I've Blogged a fair bit about the holiday, but I'm conscious that I still haven't told the full story yet and I owe this Blog the final installment, so I'll try to get to that as soon as possible!
I discovered in 2008, or it might have been late 2007, that my blood pressure had climbed alarmingly. It's now down to a better level, and I'm trying to get my act together to get to my local gym regularly in an effort to keep it down, lose a bit of weight, and get fit enough to do the things I want to do, which are many and varied! I've decided against taking up badminton again though, as I don't relish the idea of fucking up my achilles tendon again! Watch this space for details of my progress, if indeed I make any progress!
As ever, I make it my rule not to Blog about work. Suffice to say I'm still enjoying being in the particular department I'm in, doing the things I do, and tempting as it is to go looking for more money elsewhere, and it IS available, I'd rather stay where I am. For the moment anyway!
So, to sum up, 2008 has been a good year for me, not only on the relationship front but also as regards St Mary's Cathedral and trips abroad to sunny places. On the extreme down side, I lost both my gran and my faithful companion Ernie, but such is the way of life.
I've just re-read all of the above and realised it's a bit more of a random stream of consciousness than usual, so apologies for that. If I could be arsed I'd edit it into some better chronological, or at least logical, order, but I can't!
Anyway, Happy Christmas and a successful 2009 to you all, and I refuse to go down the political correctness route and use weasel words detracting from Christmas. If you are offended by my wishing you a Happy Christmas rather than Happy Holidays or similar, then perhaps you're reading the wrong Blog and I invite you never to darken my URL again!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
The twelve cats of Christmas
I've just seen the following on Madpriest's Blog, and I couldn't resist a spot of plagiarism.
Singalong now!
On the first day of Christmas when I brought home my tree
My 12 cats were laughing at me
On the second day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the third day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the fourth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the fifth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the sixth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the seventh day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the eighth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the ninth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the tenth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
10 tinsel hairballs
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the eleventh day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
11 broken branches
10 tinsel hairballs
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the twelfth day of Christmas I looked at my poor tree
12 cats a-climbing
11 broken branches
10 tinsel hairballs
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me!
Singalong now!
On the first day of Christmas when I brought home my tree
My 12 cats were laughing at me
On the second day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the third day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the fourth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the fifth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the sixth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the seventh day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the eighth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the ninth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the tenth day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
10 tinsel hairballs
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the eleventh day of Christmas I saw beneath my tree
11 broken branches
10 tinsel hairballs
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me
On the twelfth day of Christmas I looked at my poor tree
12 cats a-climbing
11 broken branches
10 tinsel hairballs
9 chewed-through light strings
8 shattered ornaments
7 half-dead rodents
6 fallen angels
5 shredded gifts
4 males a-spraying
3 missing Wise Men
2 mangled garlands
and my 12 cats laughing at me!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bring on the good times
It's been planned for quite a while, but suddenly it seems to be rushing towards me and will happen very soon.
I'm off on holiday next Saturday for a couple of weeks in San Diego, California, and I'll be staying with my wee brother and his family. They've lived there for a few years now, but I've never managed to get my act together enough to visit, and in fact have never been to the United States, although I visited them when they lived in Dubai.
I'm really looking forward to it, particularly after the emotional ups and downs of the past couple of weeks or so, although I'm hoping Elmo will cope OK with being confined in the cattery on his own rather than being with Ernie as has been the case every time in the past. I'm looking forward to spending time with my brother and his family in some good weather, prior to them coming back home to the Scottish weather permanently next year.
Another good thing is that RE is heading to New Zealand in a couple of days time for a holiday and will make a stopover at Los Angeles on the way back so we can spend a few days together in San Diego. I'm really looking forward to that.
On a less good note, I was trying to synchronise my mobile phone with Outlook on my PC this afternoon and the PC froze. I eventually had to just use the off switch, but when I switched it back on a few minutes later it powered up, but there was nothing on the display on the monitor, and the red light showing hard drive usage was permanently illuminated. Basically it doesn't seem to be booting up. I don't really have time to look at it right now, but I'd better do it soon. So now I'm using the laptop, and have checked that I have a copy on it of the email booking confirmation for my flights next week! Fortunately everything sent to my primary email address, which gets downloaded to Outlook on my (sick) desktop PC, is also copied to a Hotmail address so I can access it from anywhere.
I'm off on holiday next Saturday for a couple of weeks in San Diego, California, and I'll be staying with my wee brother and his family. They've lived there for a few years now, but I've never managed to get my act together enough to visit, and in fact have never been to the United States, although I visited them when they lived in Dubai.
I'm really looking forward to it, particularly after the emotional ups and downs of the past couple of weeks or so, although I'm hoping Elmo will cope OK with being confined in the cattery on his own rather than being with Ernie as has been the case every time in the past. I'm looking forward to spending time with my brother and his family in some good weather, prior to them coming back home to the Scottish weather permanently next year.
Another good thing is that RE is heading to New Zealand in a couple of days time for a holiday and will make a stopover at Los Angeles on the way back so we can spend a few days together in San Diego. I'm really looking forward to that.
On a less good note, I was trying to synchronise my mobile phone with Outlook on my PC this afternoon and the PC froze. I eventually had to just use the off switch, but when I switched it back on a few minutes later it powered up, but there was nothing on the display on the monitor, and the red light showing hard drive usage was permanently illuminated. Basically it doesn't seem to be booting up. I don't really have time to look at it right now, but I'd better do it soon. So now I'm using the laptop, and have checked that I have a copy on it of the email booking confirmation for my flights next week! Fortunately everything sent to my primary email address, which gets downloaded to Outlook on my (sick) desktop PC, is also copied to a Hotmail address so I can access it from anywhere.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Ernie - RIP, 17th May 2001 - 7th October 2008
I'm sad to report that Ernie has passed away.The vet told me yesterday to watch out for him losing interest in food and water, and becoming lethargic.
I didn't think it'd happen so quickly.
Last night I hand fed him some tuna around 6pm, and using a syringe made sure he was getting water, but after that he showed no desire to eat or drink, although bizarrely he did seem to enjoy the experience of having water hosed down him!
Since coming home last Thursday from a week at the vet, he's shown no interest in the cat flap, but last night after eating he made his way to it and stuck his head through for a look outside. I opened the door for him and let him sit on the back step with the door open, where he seemed to enjoy the smells and sounds and sights around him.
After about 15 minutes he got up and came back inside. If I didn't know better I'd say he knew this was his final look at the big wide world.
He slept on the bed with me last night, jumping down at about half past five this morning and going to the wee bed made up of blankets for him in the living room.I got up at around half past six and tried to persuade him to eat, but he wasn't interested. I did manage to give him some water by the syringe method, but it was clear that he wasn't himself, and he just wanted to lie half-sleeping. I kind of knew last night that this was the way it was heading.
So I made the incredibly hard decision that today was the day.
We spent the next few hours on the sofa with him lying comfortably on my lap being cuddled, and me trying not to disturb him too much with my crying.
Then it was into the car for his final journey, to visit the wonderful people at Una McLean's veterinary surgery in Glasgow, who have looked after him since he was a very tiny kitten 7 years ago. In particular I must mention Ann the nurse, who has been there for years and has known Ernie all his life, and Louise and Julian, the vets. I would not hesitate to recommend this practice, they are wonderful and caring.
If you've never seen an animal euthanased before then I'd be the last person to suggest you go out your way to do so, but if you find yourself in the horrible position, then it's not as scary as you might think. It's just a wee anaesthetic injection, given kindly, carefully and considerately by one of the same vets who has looked after him for the past week or two. He gently fell asleep and died being cuddled by me, and he was purring loudly almost to the very end. It seemed more of a difficult decision to take the life of a purring cat, but Louise pointed out that if I had left it another day or two then he would have been really sick and feeling like shit. It was inevitable that he wasn't going to last, so it's a small comfort that he was allowed to go while he still felt relatively OK and while he was happy enough to purr, and compos mentis enough to know that I was with him, hopefully comforting him.
Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to send Ernie good wishes, and thanks also to everyone who sent positive vibes his way without telling us. The vets who have been looking after him are still amazed that he made it through the first day or two, and made it as far as this, still fighting, with blood readings so astronomically high. He was a fighter and we shall miss him.
Rest eternal grant unto him O Lord, and let Sunlight perpetual shine upon him.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Ernie 5
This morning, for the first time since coming home last Thursday, Ernie put up quite a struggle when I was giving him his tablet and then scooshing the powder mixed with water down his throat using a syringe, and this afternoon when I arrived home from work he was sitting looking much more alert than of late, so we set off to the vet this afternoon with me feeling a bit more positive and hopeful.
But it's not to be.
The blood test showed that his creatinine level has soared to over 1200, which apparently is a pretty conclusive indication that his kidneys are still failing. Irretrievably so.
So despite him seeming happier, and apparently feeling well enough to put up a bit of a fight this morning, and despite him currently lying on my lap purring happily as I type this, the outlook is poor. Completely poor. Absolutely poor. Devastatingly poor. Terminally poor.
I've to look out for Ernie becoming like he was a bit over a week ago. Tired, lethargic, not eating, or drinking. When that happens, and it will happen, I've to make an appointment to take my little beautiful friend on his last journey. Are you surprised that I'm crying right now?
The vet, when asked, initially thought the time scale might be a couple of weeks, and when I said I was going on holiday in two weeks, he admitted that he actually expects to see me later this week.
So from now on little Ernest will be eating whatever he wants to eat, and will get as much loving attention and care that I can possibly give him.
Please think of us.
But it's not to be.
The blood test showed that his creatinine level has soared to over 1200, which apparently is a pretty conclusive indication that his kidneys are still failing. Irretrievably so.
So despite him seeming happier, and apparently feeling well enough to put up a bit of a fight this morning, and despite him currently lying on my lap purring happily as I type this, the outlook is poor. Completely poor. Absolutely poor. Devastatingly poor. Terminally poor.
I've to look out for Ernie becoming like he was a bit over a week ago. Tired, lethargic, not eating, or drinking. When that happens, and it will happen, I've to make an appointment to take my little beautiful friend on his last journey. Are you surprised that I'm crying right now?
The vet, when asked, initially thought the time scale might be a couple of weeks, and when I said I was going on holiday in two weeks, he admitted that he actually expects to see me later this week.
So from now on little Ernest will be eating whatever he wants to eat, and will get as much loving attention and care that I can possibly give him.
Please think of us.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Ernie 4
Guess who?
This is young Ernie just after returning home from his week long stay at the vet. He's still very weak, but as you can see he's trying to eat and drink, and he's doing his best to fight, so please keep those positive vibes coming his way!
And apologies for the orangeness of the image, I don't know what happened, and I can't be bothered to Photoshop it better!
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Ernie 3
The latest on Ernie is that he continues to feel better, if the look of him is anything to go by anyway, and his blood readings are pretty much sorted. So, mirabile dictu, he's coming home!
He was due to finish his drip this afternoon, then the drip catheter was going to be removed and he is being left like that overnight to make sure he's doing OK. I then collect him tomorrow early evening.
He's still not out the woods, and his kidneys might prove not to be up to their job, but at the very least he's coming home to spend some quality time with me and little (well, not so little really) Elmo.
Thanks so much for all the messages of support, and for all the support you haven't told me about. Please continue to send waves of positivity towards Ernie, because he still needs it, and will do for the foreseeable future.
He was due to finish his drip this afternoon, then the drip catheter was going to be removed and he is being left like that overnight to make sure he's doing OK. I then collect him tomorrow early evening.
He's still not out the woods, and his kidneys might prove not to be up to their job, but at the very least he's coming home to spend some quality time with me and little (well, not so little really) Elmo.
Thanks so much for all the messages of support, and for all the support you haven't told me about. Please continue to send waves of positivity towards Ernie, because he still needs it, and will do for the foreseeable future.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Ernie 2
I went to see Ernie at the vet this morning, and when I left and was driving home the steering wheel was smelling of tuna fish off my fingers where I'd been feeding his beautiful wee face!
Yes, thank God, he's still with us and fighting hard, and thankfully he's starting to show an interest in food again.
Still early days though, and it remains to be seen what happens when he comes off the drip, but he was purring and happy looking, and I even managed to find the moveable spot that makes his back leg work (if you don't know what I mean by that, you have never had a pet cat!).
The vet now thinks there's a good chance this happened because he drank some antifreeze, so I'm going to have a look out in the (communal) back garden area to see if anyone has left any lying around, but both Ernie and Elmo wander further than the immediate back court, so he could have found it anywhere.
While very mindful that he's still got a long way to go, I'm feeling a lot happier. Please continue to channel waves of positivity in his direction. Thanks.
Yes, thank God, he's still with us and fighting hard, and thankfully he's starting to show an interest in food again.
Still early days though, and it remains to be seen what happens when he comes off the drip, but he was purring and happy looking, and I even managed to find the moveable spot that makes his back leg work (if you don't know what I mean by that, you have never had a pet cat!).
The vet now thinks there's a good chance this happened because he drank some antifreeze, so I'm going to have a look out in the (communal) back garden area to see if anyone has left any lying around, but both Ernie and Elmo wander further than the immediate back court, so he could have found it anywhere.
While very mindful that he's still got a long way to go, I'm feeling a lot happier. Please continue to channel waves of positivity in his direction. Thanks.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Ernie
Please spare a moment and a kind thought for my lovely cat Ernie, who is currently in the vet with kidneys which seem to be shutting down.This has all come about very suddenly in the past week, starting with him having strained or sprained his leg a bit, and apparently reacting adversely to anti inflammatory medication given to him by the vet.
He's a lot happier now than he was a day or two ago, but he still isn't really eating and one of the blood readings has gone up instead of down, which is a very bad thing as he's on a drip which is supposed to make things better.
I have an appointment with the vet on Monday morning, and if Ernie isn't showing signs of improvement, then a hard decision, the hardest decision of all, has to be considered. I am not looking forward to it and I'm already crying hard as I type this.
People who do not have pets will doubtless wonder why I'm so upset, but those of us, better people I'd say, who do have pets realise they aren't just animals, they are an integral part of the family. They are family members.
Ernie and Elmo came with me after my separation and divorce, and since living on my own again, they have been the family I have come home to every night, and I love them both dearly.
Please, spare a kind thought for Ernie as he needs all the positive vibes he can get right now. And think also of Elmo, who is obviously missing his big brother.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Licence to thrill
I think much of the busy-ness is coming to an end, thankfully. Spent Saturday helping clear out Gran's house so it's good that things are getting sorted in that regard. It'll soon be time to chill and have more relaxing weekends with friends. And maybe post to this Blog slightly more regularly!
Today is the second Sunday of the month so it was the IAM bike run. Three of us turned up and an enjoyable time was had! From Glasgow up to Perthshire and back, by a circuitous route taking us on everything from motorway to single track roads. About 170 miles in all. And a lot of roads, most of them in fact, on which I'd never been. Very picturesque, as Scotland often is.
We went over the Kincardine Bridge (over the river Forth) and up past Vicars Bridge (no I'd never heard of it either!) via Glendevon,
Muthill, Crieff and Gilmerton, to Amulree where we turned left along the single track road running through Glen Quaich (I think it was called) down to Kenmore at the end of Loch Tay, then down via Killin and Lochearnhead to Callander, back via Kilmahog and over the Duke's Pass to Aberfoyle, then down via Mugdock and Milngavie where the three of us went our own ways home. The map shows the route (click on it to see a bigger version). We set off just before 10am and I arrived home about half past four. We had, of course, three stops for food, drink and rest. All very damned civilised.
The only fly in the ointment was when I noticed late in the trip, having checked it this morning with no problems apparent, that my dipped beam headlight isn't working. The bulb must have blown at some point early today, since one of the other riders told me I'd only had sidelights on all day so he thought it was deliberate. Not to worry, the headlight on the BMW R1100RT is notoriously poor, so I'll take this opportunity to acquire and fit the highest rating one I can to try to improve the light throw. It just means I won't be using the bike until I get the light fixed.
In fact I won't be using it for a few days anyway, since I'm off to a seminar at, of all romantic luxury places, Gatwick for two days. A four star hotel 10 miles from the airport anyway. Flying from Glasgow tomorrow afternoon, and returning on Wednesday evening. Apparently the "theme" of the Tuesday evening is "Casino Royale" so, commenting that it's "007's finest hour" the agenda suggested that delegates "come dressed to thrill" but I didn't know about that when I agreed to go to the seminar otherwise I'd have thought twice, before declining the invitation. I ain't going dressed to thrill nobody, I can assure you, and I will be a grumpy old man if anyone has a problem with that! I'll listen to the topics at the seminar, I'll eat the food, and I'll drink the drink, but I'm not going there to play. No sir.
Anyway, I now need to think about heading out to deliver a set of keys, and alarm instructions, to my very lovely, good and kind friend, GS, who has, yet again, agreed to feed my cats Ernie & Elmo while I'm away. Not sure about the offer she made to bring Murphy the dog with her when she comes though! There could be fur flying everywhere!
Today is the second Sunday of the month so it was the IAM bike run. Three of us turned up and an enjoyable time was had! From Glasgow up to Perthshire and back, by a circuitous route taking us on everything from motorway to single track roads. About 170 miles in all. And a lot of roads, most of them in fact, on which I'd never been. Very picturesque, as Scotland often is.
We went over the Kincardine Bridge (over the river Forth) and up past Vicars Bridge (no I'd never heard of it either!) via Glendevon,
Muthill, Crieff and Gilmerton, to Amulree where we turned left along the single track road running through Glen Quaich (I think it was called) down to Kenmore at the end of Loch Tay, then down via Killin and Lochearnhead to Callander, back via Kilmahog and over the Duke's Pass to Aberfoyle, then down via Mugdock and Milngavie where the three of us went our own ways home. The map shows the route (click on it to see a bigger version). We set off just before 10am and I arrived home about half past four. We had, of course, three stops for food, drink and rest. All very damned civilised.The only fly in the ointment was when I noticed late in the trip, having checked it this morning with no problems apparent, that my dipped beam headlight isn't working. The bulb must have blown at some point early today, since one of the other riders told me I'd only had sidelights on all day so he thought it was deliberate. Not to worry, the headlight on the BMW R1100RT is notoriously poor, so I'll take this opportunity to acquire and fit the highest rating one I can to try to improve the light throw. It just means I won't be using the bike until I get the light fixed.
In fact I won't be using it for a few days anyway, since I'm off to a seminar at, of all romantic luxury places, Gatwick for two days. A four star hotel 10 miles from the airport anyway. Flying from Glasgow tomorrow afternoon, and returning on Wednesday evening. Apparently the "theme" of the Tuesday evening is "Casino Royale" so, commenting that it's "007's finest hour" the agenda suggested that delegates "come dressed to thrill" but I didn't know about that when I agreed to go to the seminar otherwise I'd have thought twice, before declining the invitation. I ain't going dressed to thrill nobody, I can assure you, and I will be a grumpy old man if anyone has a problem with that! I'll listen to the topics at the seminar, I'll eat the food, and I'll drink the drink, but I'm not going there to play. No sir.
Anyway, I now need to think about heading out to deliver a set of keys, and alarm instructions, to my very lovely, good and kind friend, GS, who has, yet again, agreed to feed my cats Ernie & Elmo while I'm away. Not sure about the offer she made to bring Murphy the dog with her when she comes though! There could be fur flying everywhere!
Monday, January 14, 2008
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Review of 2007
I had every intention of continuing with regular postings here, but for various reasons real life has got in the way of virtual life somewhat, so there are gaps in this Blog. Time then for an update of what's been happening.The year started with me still in the rented flat in Dowanhill in Glasgow's west end, where I'd moved after leaving Johnstone, in Renfrewshire, when my wife and I separated and we sold our lovely house in summer 2006.
January 2007 saw me starting to look properly for my own place and I had decided I didn't want to waste money on chasing "offers over" properties, so was interested only in fixed price. Not only that, but with Ernie & Elmo, our two cats, living with me I was only prepared to consider ground floor or at a push first floor flats so they could get out. It also had to be in the west end of Glasgow. My choices were, to say the least, limited!
Taking advantage of all t'InterWeb has to offer, I was on various mailing lists, and eventually I was notified of a flat which ticked all of the boxes except that it wasn't in the west end but 5 miles further out, in Clydebank. Long story short, I bought it and have been happily living here since May. More recently I had a cat flap fitted in the back door, so Ernie & Elmo have now got used to 24/7 access to the great outdoors, which seems to suit them well!
In March I was playing badminton, for only the second time in a long number of years, when I ruptured my Achilles Tendon, putting me into a plaster cast for 2 months, and off work for 3 months. That was not a pleasant experience.
My enforced lay-off from singing in the choir of St Mary's Cathedral while unable to stand without crutches, led straight on to a period of time out from singing there for various reasons I don't intend blogging about. I am still not singing in the cathedral, and I have only been back in the building twice, once for a funeral and once to sing in a concert with another choir. I remain very disillusioned with organised religion, which is a shame.
I visited Belgium with my dad over a weekend back in about April to see my brother who was working there for a few weeks, and despite being on crutches which made things difficult, that was the high spot of the year, partly because I haven't done much travelling abroad in my life, and partly because it was great to spend time like that with dad and with my brother who I see so rarely because he lives in California.
In Manchester I attended the civil partnership of the brother of a friend. It isn't all that long since these were first allowed in the UK, and a straw poll conducted during the speeches at the reception confirmed that not one person attending had been at one before!
Later in the year I was in Kent, this time without crutches, at the wedding of friends of a friend, and that was good partly because they're nice people, but also it's a nice part of the country.
In September my divorce came through. As an observation, it's easier to get divorced than married, at least as far as the amount of paperwork which need completing is concerned! We remain on friendly terms, and I sincerely hope it remains that way. No reason for it not to.
Work is good again. I moved out of my comfort zone into a different department a bit over a year ago, and that caused me for a time to consider where my future lay, but thankfully I am now enjoying it again and have no intention of moving. Sticking with my personal policy of not blogging about work, that's all I intend saying about it.
In late summer I embarked on a quest to pass my Institute of Advanced Motorists bike and car tests. It has been the subject of extensive posts over the past month or so, so suffice to say that I have now passed my advanced bike test, and I'm awaiting a date for my advanced car test.
Missing singing, but not missing the cathedral, in September I rejoined Glasgow Chamber Choir. I was one of the original members when it was founded, and I've sung with them on and off since then. I'm enjoying it immensely and, because there are a fair number of people who have joined since 2002 which was the last time I sang with the choir, I have been enjoying making new friends, some of whom look like becoming very good friends indeed.
So, there you have it. The short version of Lay Clerk's 2007.
Put simply, I have come from a real low in summer 2006 to being just about back on track, and the future looks potentially bright for all sorts of reasons.
My New Year's resolution for 2008 is to start to really enjoy life again, and to try to do what's right and necessary for me even if it's not necessarily right for other people. I'm certainly not going to go out of my way to hurt or upset anyone, least of all my friends, but I need to get my priorities sorted, and my priority this forthcoming year is going to be me!
Can I take this opportunity to wish everyone reading this, particularly those (and I am told there are some) who for some obscure reason read this Blog regularly, a very happy Christmas and a prosperous new year.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Catty Vac
Hmm, yes, you know this isn't right don't you?The actual story behind this photo is that it's an anaesthetised cat having loose hair removed from the area which has been shaved in preparation for an operation.
I genuinely thought it was a photoshopped joke before I read the story!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Back to normal (whatever normal is)
I now have heating. Mirabile Dictu! The cats look pleased. I am pleased.
Back to work yesterday. Went well but I have a lot to catch up to try to get up to date with what's happening. This evening my ankle is fairly badly swollen in comparison with what it's been recently. A handful of painkillers and a glassful of Gin & Tonic seems to be in order. Then an early night. It's strange setting the alarm to get up in the morning.
A few posts ago I mentioned engineering and I was accused by Gogs of not loving it enough. Just to show that I love engineering just the right amount, I have sourced the image below. You should try building it sometime. Sorry that I can't remember where I swiped the image. If you know the origin please let me know and I will attribute it appropriately.
Back to work yesterday. Went well but I have a lot to catch up to try to get up to date with what's happening. This evening my ankle is fairly badly swollen in comparison with what it's been recently. A handful of painkillers and a glassful of Gin & Tonic seems to be in order. Then an early night. It's strange setting the alarm to get up in the morning.
A few posts ago I mentioned engineering and I was accused by Gogs of not loving it enough. Just to show that I love engineering just the right amount, I have sourced the image below. You should try building it sometime. Sorry that I can't remember where I swiped the image. If you know the origin please let me know and I will attribute it appropriately.
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