Wednesday 2 March 2011

February 2011

I have really been finding it difficult to do any posts at all lately. I have managed to look in at some of your blogs from time, in an attempt to keep up to date with your comings and goings but even that has been spasmodic. I have decided to take a leaf out of Kitty's book at Kitty's Bloggy Bits , (having asked her if she would mind first)and do a monthly round up. Kitty does her round up on the last day of the relevant month and here we are already at 2 March. However, my February was extended by one day this year because I have a friend whose birthday falls on 29th February so we were out for her birthday lunch yesterday. I had planned that I would write about things as they occurred but didn't even get around to that so here is a potted version of my February 2011.

The month actually began on a sad note as my daughter had to have her beloved puss cat put to sleep. A pretty cat, she was beautifully marked and her paws were black which I have never seen on any other cat. She was quite temperamental, really a cat with attitude. Ian (don't ask!) was 18 years old and had been ailing and failing since last summer, being kept going by steroid injections every few weeks. "You will know when it is time" the vet had said and on 2 February I received an early morning telephone call from my heartbroken daughter to say that the time had indeed come. She arranged for the vet to visit to the house rather than cause her pet any more distress by taking her to the surgery. There were several phone calls throughout the day between us with me trying to console and support her from 100 miles away and trying not to cry myself. However the deed was done and Ian is now sleeping peacefully, in the sunshine, under the bird bath in the garden she loved so much. I shall miss her when I visit as she and I used to have some fun times playing with a ping pong ball. I will tell you more about her one day in a separate post.

Ian playing (when she was still a kitten)



Ian relaxing (about 6 months ago)



Sleep well little lady.

The weather during February wasn't that cold but we have had mostly grey days, only seeing the sun shine on a few occasions. However the spring flowers began to show their colours and the birds have been singing for a few weeks now.

I returned to my sewing classes at the start of the month and I am now making some new covers for a bedroom chair. I will post a photo when it is complete. The owners of the shop where the classes are held (upstairs, away from the shop) have just won a "Stitching Retailer of the Year" award (for the third year) so we are all very thrilled for them. They definitely deserve it as their shop is so well stocked and the staff are always so pleasant and helpful.

I began sorting through old photographs which was great fun. We have hundreds of them to be looked through and decisions made as to which we will keep and which can be handed over to our children to peruse and which we can just discard. We love looking at those from our childhood and once I have been through them all I may post some for you to see.

Husband went away for a week to promote this area for tourism, something he has done for years and a subject very close to his heart. Whilst he was gone our eldest (14 years old) grandaughter came to stay for 4 days as her parents were also away and that was a new experience (in a good way). Well not new really as I have obviously lived with teenagers before but not for many years, and it is all so different these days! However, we both survived!

The brilliant news of my month is that my son and his wife and family (in Australia) have sold their house and have their return to UK flights booked for later this month. I last saw them in December 2009 so I am very excited about seeing them again soon and to know that they will only be about 100 miles away instead of 10,000.

So that is it, my potted version of February but I cannot end before saying just how touched I was by your comments on my previous post, about my late friend. They were so uplifting and I thank each and everyone of you.

14 comments:

A Heron's View said...

Going through the doldrums & having nothing to write about is tiresome. It happened to me earlier and so thank you for sharing the idea of a monthly pootted report.
Losing our pets is heart breaking however the pleasure and their memories does make up for their short lives.

joo said...

It's so good to hear from you Anne. I'm sorry to hear about Ian. It's difficult and not fair that they are with us for such a short time!
As for teenagers, well, I don't know why but it's getting more and more difficult to cope with them - must be aging:)
Have a nice evening and take care!
Looking forward forward to your next report:)

Maggie May said...

That is heartbreaking about Ian and I have been through it so many times. It is a real grief that we go through and no one who hasn't lost a pet can ever know how painful it is.
Marvellous news about your son.
Teenagers can be difficult so I am pleased that your granddaughter & you got on so well during her visit.
Well for someone who is in the doldrums with blogging....... you managed a very good post!
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Jay said...

I always enjoy seeing your name in my comments, and I'm always happy when I pop over and you've written a post! Nothing wrong with a 'round-up' at all!

So sorry to hear about your daughter's little cat. Just such a sad time all round. I know.

Good news that your son and his wife are coming home though! And it's also nice to hear that you're back to stitching!

Deb said...

so sorry to hear about the kitty...we had to have our blue heeler put down last year...it is hard...

jabblog said...

I think a monthly catch-up is a very good idea:-)
So sorry to hear about Ian (there's a post there waiting to be written, I'm sure!) It's always heart-breaking and always far too soon.
Our teenage grandchildren are one step removed from us and I think that helps, even though it's quite exhausting being responsible for them - lack of practice!
The best news of all, though, is about your son and his family. How excited you must be and what a relief to know that he will at least be in the same country!
Enjoy March:-)

Cezar and Léia said...

Bonjour sweet Anne,
my mommy Léia and I are always thinking of you!
We are sending love, lights, purrs to sweet Ian.

Love
Luna - WE LOVE LUNA

DeniseinVA said...

What a sad event and I am so sorry. Losing a much beloved pet who is as much a member of the family as any of our two-legged human ones is always heartbreaking. Great news about your son and family coming back to the UK. I know how you must feel Anne. I would be over the moon and a hundred miles is a hop, skip and a jump compared to the alternative. Great idea about the monthly catch-up too.

Hadriana's Treasures said...

So sorry to hear about Ian. Gulp. We had a cat and still my throat gets knotted just thinking about her.
Didn't know your husband promotes tourism...hmmm...fascinating stuff...I'd like to know more!
Fantastic news that your son, wife and family are on their way back to the UK for forever. Hurrah! :)

Mary said...

A good round-up of a busy month. So sorry about your daughter's cat. I have two that are 16 and I dread the day I have to make a decision to put them to sleep.

Gill - That British Woman said...

sorry to hear about your daughter's cat....she was a good age though.

I am glad to read your update though.

Good news about your family coming back to Britain to live.

Gill

fizzycat said...

Sorry to hear about Ian, she was a very beautiful looking cat.
Glad you are sewing again.Entertaining teens as well, you have been busy.
Glad your family are back.
Hope you have a lovely March.
Take care.

DeniseinVA said...

Hello Anne,thought I would come back again and thank you for your visit today. I reread your post here too. A bit too snuffly to get a good night's sleep so am back on the computer. The poem you couldn't read is now up. I re-edited it by changing the color of the font. Not really sure why but occasionally I do get these problems. Appreciate you letting me know. I hope you have had a good month, and that your daughter has recovered a little from the loss of her cat. I'm sure she must miss him a lot still. Well, here we are almost to the end of another month. Where does the time go?

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