Monday, May 14, 2012

No seaside trip for us

We are still in HB. Not going to Cornwall after all. The DSM knew that he had a cold, but it seemed just an insignificant one that wouldn't trouble him. Then I got it. And his started getting much worse by the hour. So we very reluctantly made the sensible decision not to risk passing it on to DMIL, nor knackering ourselves more than we need. We shall go to the funeral - should be improving by then.

It also has the benefit that we shall only be away for a couple of days in the unlikely event that Ruby should come back.

Alvar Lidell


News of fresh disasters? From "Beyond the Fringe". Although interestingly, if you google it, apparently the majority believe that AL really did say it. I have tried to find it online, but can't, but it prompts me to look for a notorious BBC wireless commentary where an extremely drunken commentator describes the Fleet as "all lit up". Nearly as funny as Aggers and Jonners.....I had better stop before I lose my entire audience.

But at least it has given me a giggle. Which has then made me coff.

Bad language.........

(Oh, and paragraphs - I have clicked something. We shall see.)
ETA - yesssss!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

And here is.....

Alvar Lidell with news of fresh disasters. (Hands up those who understand that, then.) I'm afraid that it really is. I had so hoped that my next blog post would be everything more or less back to normal, spinning and knitting progressing satisfactorily, the sun shining, life in general looking good. Well,it is kinda sorta. I'm working a little bit, today at least the sun has shone (although it remains unseasonably cold.) And there is a lot that is good. But - and I hate, hate, hate having to type this. My little Ruby-girl is missing, and we fear the worst. We fell in to the habit of letting cats out in the early hours of the morning - being crepuscular, they have all loved this, and we always felt that this was a safe time of day. And until now - no problems. But last Wednesday, the DSM let Barni and Ruby out at 5am, went to feed them at 7am - and only Barni appeared, no Madam R. And we haven't seen her since, nor has anyone else. I have had this happen before, losing two cats within a few days of one another, I mean, and until it happens to you, you can't imagine the crushing effect of the double whammy. Yes, only animals, but part of the fabric of our lives. Yes, she might come back, we hear all sorts of encouraging stories from people. But I can't believe it. We set off for Cornwall/Somerset tomorrow. We shall leave the cat flap open (poor old B will be in prison) and water and dried food down just in case. And if she is not back by the time that we get back, I shall pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again. Sorry about further moans. And thanks so much to those various of you who have sent me good thoughts. So appreciated. That's all, folks - back in a week with sea pictures. (If this is still appearing without paragraphs - not my fault! I have put them in, Blogger has ignored all that. Or maybe it will be sorted, and you will think what the blue blazes is she on about now....)

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Concatenation

.....a series of events, ideas or things that are connected. Actually, I am not sure that this is quite the right word for what has been going on, but it is such a lovely one, making a fine title for a blog post that I shall use it anyway. My name is Carol and I write a blog. Yes, I really do. You might be forgiven for thinking that I had faded away, but it has not been all due to my accidie. (Another fine word - I'm that way about today. Meaning, of course, sloth, apathy or indifference.) It had been my intention to do lots of lovely posts with lots of lovely photographs while we were in Norfolk. Turned out that we were in a wireless black spot, and could not get any signal with either 3Connect or T Mobile. Apart from the occasional enforced visit to a pub with free wifi to download any urgent email - there wasn't any - I could do nothing. I may do a post sometime with photographs, I don't know. I'll just say for now that we had a lovely time, the Guild that we were doing two workshops for were super and made us very welcome, the cottage in Blakeney was one of the best we have ever rented (can't wait to go back) and I came home feeling better than I have done for ages. Which was just as well. The cattery told us that Neelix had had no problems whilst we had been away, and I totally believe them. Other than the usual one of the babies pinching his food, so he was thinner than ever. We were not happy about how he seemed, and took him to the vet the day after we got home, actually expecting that this would be the final journey. The vet felt that there were things that we could do still that might help, and that as in most respects he seemed comfortable, we agreed. Unfortunately, he deteriorated overnight. Again, no blame. But this time, we were quite sure what had to be done. So it was goodbye to my lovely elegant boy. Neelix Here he is two years ago; we were so lucky to have him for over fifteen years, quite a long time for a siamese. He is greatly missed, but we do have the hellacious snowshoes, and just maybe they will be joined by more later on in the year. I had been really worried that when my mother died, Neelix would also, as happened with my father and Fred. Yes, totally daft, I know, but there you are. That's me. What actually happened was obviously not that, and I do realise that the events are not connected at all, but....five days later, the DSM's aunt died. I should not have been stunned, she was not in the best of health, over ninety and well ready to go. But we had thought she had stabilised, got through the winter and would be around for a while longer. We had seen her in February, and had hoped to visit again soon. But thus is the way of the world. In the forty plus years of my knowing her, I had got very fond of her indeed, and so there is now someone else to miss. Not sure yet when the funeral will be, but as it will be in Somerset where she lived, we will go on down to Cornwall for a couple of days to see DMIL as well. So we shall be on our travels again. I'm reeling a bit from all of this. In these sort of circumstances, I tend to feel like one of those little round-bottomed figures that you give a push to and they rock away without falling over (stop tittering at the back, there.) My presence here may be a bit patchy still for a while, or perhaps not, I really don't know. I like writing a blog, and I ain't giving up fibre for a while, that's for sure, so it may soon be service as normal. Tonight, though, is the great SOAR sign-up moment, and we shall be poised, poised I tell you, for the moment the button appears on our screens. It is a good job that there are quite a few workshops that we would like to do this year, as (and yes, I have said this before, but this time it looks really likely) we shall probably not go next year. We have been offered a really exciting workshop opportunity and there may well be a date clash. Now, there's an incentive to keep me blogging! Of that. more much later. Other stuff soon. Bear with me, and send the odd virtual hug my way, eh?