I have been rather quiet of late because I have had to deal with some things that have given me a shake-up.

My brother, Bruce, was diagnosed with neck and head cancer 6 years ago which required a 10 hours operation to remove abscessed soft tissue from his neck and installation of a new voice box and removal of his bottom teeth. He had intensive radiography and also had to learn to speak again. Over the years he has had lumps removed from his head and neck. Last year in March he was told he would not be having any more operations done to remove any more lumps and no more radiography and was given a couple of months to live but they could give him palliative chemotheraphy to give him maybe an extra 12 months and now would be assigned to a palliative doctor.He finished his course of chemo last September, and was able to play golf again.

On 29 June my rescue cat, Darcy, went outside and hasn't been seen since. I had had him for 4 years. 

On 27 July Bruce had a stroke was hospitalized and entered rehab. Last week he returned home and is taking things slowly.  (My dad had a stroke when he was 54 which paralysed him down his left side and he died at 67 years.) For some reason the news my brother having a stroke knocked the stuffing out of me, up until then my travelling down to Sydney to take him to chemo and a palliative doctor appts I was able to cope. Grieving.

On 14 August I came home from work to find my 12yo dog, Bailey, laying down in the backyard, I knew as soon as I saw him he was gone.  I rang the Vet and he said to bring him down and they will look after him. More grieving.

I live on my own, (divorced empty nester), my pets are my little family. Now there is just my 12yo Maltese Terrier, Carly,  and I.  I had bought the two of them from a little old lady who had 7 dogs, council had told her she could only have 3 and to get rid of the others. My children were still living at home and my eldest son Nicholas and I fronted up to the house only expecting to take one home but the lady was worried if we took one it would be too lonely. So we ended up taking home Carly, and Bailey, a West Highland dog. She had brought them from two different dog breeders, they were 6 months old when they joined our family.

 Everyone keeps telling me to buy a new cat/dog but I think Carly is too old to have a young puppy/kitten running around her. We went on a 2km walk the other day which she loved but paid for it with being all achey the next day.

......................

More and more I have been trying to direct this blog into what it originally was supposed to be ... a life journal.

Darcy has been missing for 3 weeks now, 

he is microchip for identification,

 so hopefully he is with someone who in time will take him to a vet

 and be scanned and I will know his fate.

I am hopeful he will one day return home.

Darcy and I are having a night in.

I had a colonoscopy today and everything is fine. Thank Goodness.

My mum died of colon cancer and I had some problems.

Doctor said I behave responsibly and it was best to have regular tests (5 years). I'm at that age group when you need to become aware of future medical problems.

When my daughter, Natalie, bought me home from the clinic

Darcy was hiding in the clothes dryer.

Saturday 12.40am.

Sitting up late watching the Tour de France.

The house is lovely and warm on a cold night.

Darcy is not moving from the lounge... too comfy.

Ooops! Excuse me need to turn my electric blanket on.

One of the downsides of living alone,

there is no-one to warm the bed up for me. lol.

My desktop computer is chugging along quite nicely now that I have given it a good clean. The problem was my cat Darcy had decided to stretch out along the printer for a snooze and upon arising kicked the cables on the computer loose. D'oh!.

At least this time it wasn't the keyboard he was wrapped around as he tends to get a little stroppy when you try to move him.

DArcy has settled in for the evening entertainment

Out in the garden on a lovely sunny winter's day

Darcy was joined by Kahlua and Bailey his roomies.

Darcy wasn't too sure about venturing outside
as the local birds take exception to his tree climbing


Kahlua and Bailey love nothing more than hanging out
in the garden enjoying the mild winter's day
as the day before was bitterly cold.

A new favourite Youtube video from flowrpowrera
posted 26 March, 2009

and I'm not the only one that enjoys this vid.

I have had a couple of requests for a photo of Darcy
aka Big Fella

and

These are my dogs, Bailey and Kahli.

Darcy is bigger than either of them

My cat Darcy went missing on Monday evening, my son, Mike and I looked everywhere for him then last night (Wednesday) while outside futively smoking a ciggie Mike heard Darcy answer his call and went looking for him now we live on a highway four lanes wide and how my son was able to find him stuck up a tree on the opposite side of the Hwy - my son must have cat's eyes because the only way I was able to find Darcy was to use a torch - so there the Big Fella(Darcy) was legs spread-eagled on these little branches in the fork of a tree ...very high up. We called and called sweet nothings up to him but he wasn't budging...Time:11pm Wednesday


Mike first called the fire brigade first thing this morning they gave him a number of a business that does their vertical rescues!! A Lone Man arrived later in the morning but the ladder wasn't high enough - so he goes back to base to get a bigger ladder and BackUp Guy.

A couple of hours later he returned with his bigger ladder and BackUp Guy and up the ladder he went - mutterings were heard when he realised how BIG the Big Fella was -laughter from BackUp Guy who when he sees Lone Man having so much trouble dis-entangling(sp) the Big Fella from his lofty perch - scales the ladder and between the two of them they were able to wrench Darcy from his proxy home
Time:2pm Thursday

Sunday Cat Nap

Darcy tired of waiting for me to open the desk drawer

so he could play with 'his' tape measure.

I arrived back from my holiday to Emerald Beach yesterday and have spent most of the day just lazing until that is I decided to take up the old lino in my pantry... did I mention I go back to work on Monday. The top part of the lino was fairly easy but the backing is proving a bit of a chore but I will persist with the assistance of various tools ...hammer chisel jackhammer... you know the usual when doing a bit of reno.

As you see Darcy was excited to see me again and it looks like he found the tape measure I lost just before Christmas.

I'm in the middle of packing for my trip.

Christmas is over for another year,

there is discarded Christmas wrapping everywhere,

the ironing stack is growing,

the washing on outside on the Hills Hoist

















(Stock photo- Hills Hoist with a Tawny Frogmouth Owl)

The sun is shining,

it is 29C in the shade,

a cloudless sky,

a little wind blowing.

Perfect summer weather,

the Cricket is on the telly

































Australia vs South Africa playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia.

Darcy is curled up near the portable DVD after a night of watching
the great Vincent D'onofrio playing his character
Detective Robert Goren
of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Here is an photo taken during the night
Obviously Darcy has had a little too much Christmas cheer.


Hours later ...

still there.

My New Kitty - "Mister Darcy".

He is a Tri Ragdoll x Burman Male with Blue Eyes

He was a stray and is about 2-3 years old

A local Vet had advertised for a month for the owners to claim/collect him.
And now I am the lucky owner after having him vaccinated, micro-chipped and desexed.
He is a happy fellow comes to greet me when I get home from work.
He doesn't like the outdoors but loves running water especially the shower.