The Loves of my Life xx

 

Twiggy who has desires to to run her own library

SusieQ an elderly poppet

Funny How Our Tastes Change Down the Years

 When I first started writing this blog I was into handcrafts, sewing, machine embroidery, crochet, knitting et al. A Husqvarna Designer Epic was always top of my Wants Lists, never mind the fact that it was the price of a new small car. Vintage Vogue sewing patterns were tracked down on the net, as were balls of yarn. They were like sweets, I always wanted more and more and more. Of course I had to have the latest rainbow coloured knitting needles and designer crochet hooks to work them. Oh the hours and hours that were spent on Ebay and Etsy salivating over these treasures. More hours were spent on YouTube watching tutorials for the Embroidery Machine that I didn't have as yet or could even afford.

The price of a small car!

Then I got cancer and the crafts served to take my mind away from pain, worry and the gradually increasing horror of chemo. At least I could knit a hat to cover up my bald head and embarrassment.

But now, my much loved embroidery machine is up for sale together with those sought after Vintage Vogue patterns and my collection of vintage sewing machines. The wool and the fabric have already been donated to local charities (I only donate to local charities or ones where I know the people who run them). 

So what changed? Why am I turning my back on things and activities I once cherished? I suppose I could say "Blame Covid" but actually I can't. The last two years have turned into a period of reckoning for me, of establishing priorities in my life. When you are forced to hide from human contact, when you lose the so-called 'privilege' of wandering around non-essential shops free to buy anything, and when the ability to take off on a day trip to Europe with your mates is forbidden by people who love a good power grab you suddenly sit up, slapped in the face with the realisation that your values are out of kilter and have been for some time.

So having been fish slapped in the face with a review of my life, how have I decided to conduct my remaining years? Simples. 

Fish Slapping Myself into Reality!

Well, in no particular order, number one is to own my own piece of land and to live on it with rescue cats, a Collie dog and a pond full of wildlife. For years I have dreamed of this and for years I have spent money on useless stuff and then having done so, looked at my bank balance and decided I'll never be able to afford my dream and so I spent some more.

Number two is to revive those extreme 'See how far you can get across Europe in a day and still have a fun day out' trips I used to do with my friends (not seen since beginning of Covid). 

Number three is simply to hug my dear cousin - a lot. 

So now this blog is turning into a tale of extreme frugality, minimalism and the reaching out to the ones I love.

Slàinte Mhath xxx

I Miss My Cats

 Slightly misleading title, as I have a cat and a gorgeous little madam she is.

One Cat Peaceful Protest

 

 

Over the years as you've read on my blog I've had several pussycats, all rescues.
They have made me so happy with their funny little habits and antics. They have all passed now and I miss them dreadfully.

However there is always another little four legged friend that needs a home and happily I was able to give one to little SusieQ.

She lived next door to my friend and sadly her owners were not very caring. They fed her OK, only they used to leave her food outside in all weathers, so it would be going off in hot weather and frozen solid in the winter. The poor little thing took to turning up at my friend's back door looking all ragged and forlorn. It took ages before she could muster the courage to cross the threshold but once she did she stayed put in the house.

My friend had already several cats and asked me if I would take her on. I jumped at the chance. So she came to live with me as a housecat. She is very content not to have to go out in all weathers for her food. We reckon she's about 14 years old, slightly deaf and blind in one eye. She snores like a pneumatic drill and will take your arm off if you try and trim her nails! 

The SusieQ Stare

But what a little character! Her favourite chair is every chair and she likes to give them all a go during the day. At night she has a little pyramid to snooze in. You only get to kiss her once or twice on the head, before she does the cat equivalent of "Get off Mum". 

Pyramid Power!

I'm so happy that I am getting to keep her warm and fed and that she has a home with me for the rest of her life. Another little pussycat wouldn't go amiss however!

Slàinte Mhaith xxx

Second Post in a Week – Lummy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A list of things that the last few years  have taught me –

You don’t need -

    Instead of ruminating over something constantly get busy

    Nobody really notices your limited wardrobe as long as you don’t smell and you hair isn’t greasy

 

    You don’t need every camera gadget under the sun to take good pics

    You don’t need every fancy bit of software, super duper high end laptop, 29 fountain pens, fancy ink to write

    You don’t need the latest makeup, household gadget, new car to feel good about yourself

 

You do need –

    Friends
    A steady supply of coffee and biccies for said friends
    Discipline in work when you’re self-employed
    Curiosity
    A library card
    Warm quick dry socks and clothing
    Rubber gloves to get cat hair off your clothing
    Notebook and pen
    Access to free wifi where poss
    Water, veggies and fruit
    Countryside and wildlife
    Peace and a hug every so often

Slàinte Mhath xxx

The Mooncat is Back!

It’s been a while, 2 years I think! A lot of whiskey has flowed under the bridge since my last post.

Sadly down to my last pussycat, my 16 year old Poppy. I’ve had her since she was 8 weeks old, where has the time gone? We are both a bit more stiff in the joints but hanging in there.

I came through all the cancer treatment, my hair has grown back now even longer than before the chemo treatment. It’s a bit of a shambles but I am so happy it’s grown back that I haven’t the heart to cut it. I also got me a new boob! I had a reconstruction done at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. 8 hour op. Those surgeons are absolute geniuses. All that microsurgery. They took the fat from my tummy (a lot to choose from) and made a new boob from that. Apparently I was only the second person to be sent home without a drain. I remember the drain from the mastectomy and it was no fun dragging it around like Quasimodo. I had the op on the Tuesday and was up waiting for my lift home on the Friday morning. The care I got was second to none. Good old NHS.

Wasn’t supposed to drive for 6 weeks but I got bored, shoved a cushion down my jacket and was mobile at week three – don’t tell anyone. It was so wonderful to display a cleavage this summer and to get back to wearing normal bras. All the stuffing has been knocked out of my wardrobe.

I’ve even found time to write a book – it was written with the aim to empower women to get out there and as it says I my blog by-line to squeeze the pips out of life.

I had so much fun writing it, I even got carried away and gave myself a new pen name – Ellie Kennedy. The Ellie bit is inspired by my Dad who always called me Elle as he didn't like my first name given to me by my domineering maternal grandmother. His first name was William and we always had a giggle when the line “Fire at Will” was spoken on TV. Poor man felt so persecuted! There was always someone wanting to fire at him almost every week.

Anyway, that’s enough rambling for now. Loads more to tell – but I’ll save that for another post (very, very soon!).

Slàinte Mhath xxx

ONE OF A KIND

'One of a Kind' is how Susan described Edie in Desperate Housewives and that is how I would like to remember my darling Lily.

This is my favourite photo of her. I nicknamed her The Joker after taking it. She was a rescue cat who had had a litter of kittens and 3 different homes before she came to live with me. At first she wasn't really sure where she was living and was always wandering into other people's houses but after a while she settled down and became a permanent fixture on the bed/sofa/window basket/windowsill. I made a promise to her shortly after she came to live with me that she was now in her forever home and I would keep her safe and loved to the end.

A while back she had been diagnosed with feline Dementia and was gradually losing her sense of what it meant to be a cat. She was a bit like a goldfish in a bowl, forgetting that she had eaten 10 seconds ago etc. She became very needy and also forgot what the litter tray was for and that she needed to groom herself. I did resort to bathing her but that was causing us both stress and I was scared that she would go out and forget how to get home.

The vet and I agreed that her time had come and she was given the most dignified of endings - Tanya gave her a fleece blnaket and some Dreamies. So while Lily was happily playing with them she was given an injection to make her fall asleep and then when she was asleep a final injection to send her to heaven. No shaving of paws etc just a little cat gently falling asleep in my arms.

She was 2 when I rescued her and gave me 14 years of utter joy. My heart is in bits.



Slàinte Mhath xxx

Every Morning………

………….without fail at 5.30am!

Slàinte Mhath xxx