I'm Still Here

Hi Guys,

Been going through some stuff - but I'm still around. What a crazy year it has been.

I hope you are all well. 

As the days draw to a close earlier, and weather gets colder, sometimes it is hard to keep up the morale. But this one is always in my thoughts, although I'd be much happier if she was here.

Happy Mew Year

For any of my Mew-ish kitty readers, Happy Mew Year. May you be inscribed and sealed, which basically means I hope you get loads of treats and have good health!

 I found this pic on the web, which I believe clearly represents the Holiday.

But of course, this one does too, and I couldn't resist!

The Internal Meow

Sometimes, when Mousie was laying there, exhausted from taking a nap, eating, washing etc., she would do this half purr/half meow that kind of sounded like a hum. It went like this: MMMMMMmmmmmmmMMMMMm. Like she was kind of moaning, but not in pain, and at the same time wanted to meow, but couldn't motivate herself to open her mouth. It was like a hum - but pathetic! At the end of making the sound, she'd sometimes partially open her mouth and go, 'mah'.

Do any of your kitties do this?

(pic taken 2015)

August...and Beyond

As some of you may or may not know, August is a tough month for me. Mainly because this was traditionally the month I would spend the most time with Mousie. Her 'rents would go on various holidays and I would be summoned up to the house to babysit the fur baby. Last year was tough. Since she left, my own life has changed in so many ways that are too weird, and not relevant to this blog! But, there has been more than one occasion that I've wished I could go and see her as that would give me at least a couple of hours peace. 

I don't need to explain why this August has been so horrific for the world in general. I hope all the Southern US kitties are keeping safe, and a shout out to the Spain kitties, if I do in fact have any blog visitors from Spain, are keeping safe, too in this increasingly crazy, and outrageous world.

We have a huge eclipse coming up. Prayers and peace to all.

 Contemplative, thinking about this world.

(outtakes from the replacement camera taken early 2015)

Replacement Camera - The Outtakes

After Mousie ditched the last one like a hockey puck, I went and bought a new one. Same brand, lower model. Admittedly, I had never warmed to the camera, and soon after I got my phone which produced higher quality pictures of my muse, or should I say my - mews. I played around with it for a while, but the focus was so-so and the colour quality was okay. Kind of like when you see those pics in hairdresser shop windows that have been there for 20 years. As usual, the subject of the pictures win the day, as it was extremely hard to take a bad pic of Mousie. 

 Tail up

Tail down

(pics taken autumn, 2015)

Part 3: The Lost Pics

The last in the series from the old camera:

A very smug expression. And why not?!

 Keeping her eye on the prize

 The end of the series!

Part 2: The Lost Pics

There's that sweet face again

 She is making pizza dough on the dead grass

 Staring intently, mouth slightly open with her supermodel pout

Mousie - The Lost Pics

Hi Guys, 

I know it's been a while. I have finally got a new laptop and am in the process of uploading from the old one. I mentioned earlier on that I had discovered pics of Mousie from an old camera that I had seized using due to her smacking it off a bunk bed like a hockey puck! Thankfully the pics are still there and I have uploaded them. I reckon they are from circa 2014. I will be posting them this week so here are the first ones:

 Here she is next to the bird feeder. Hoping it gets some visitors.

 In her later years I would always stand outside with her, and we were obviously in deep conversation.

Such an expressive face. I miss her alot.

Mousie - One Year On

One year ago today, at 10am exactly, I lost my closest pet friend. She was my confidante, and my wing-man - or perhaps I was hers. She brought me so much happiness, and I would so look forward to our visits. As we all know, from around this time last year the whole world has gone through epic, unforgettable and deeply upsetting changes. It almost seems like she thought, "I'm outta here!" before things got really tough. The world always seems empty when someone special to us is gone. There have been so many horrific actions taking place around the world, and sadly I don't see this changing any time soon. People are loosing their family set ups left right and centre on a daily basis, and it reminds us of what small grains of sand we are on this great piece of rock hurtling through the Solar System. On a personal note, my life has gone through some big and sudden changes. Some good, some not so great. But one thing is for sure is that as soon as Mousie died, almost immediately things started to go haywire. And I was thinking I better hang on tight, because I'm on my own now. And there have been several moments where I have wanted to escape and go see her, and thought this was one big practical joke and she was never sick and she's still there at that house. But she isn't. And she won't be. Yes, I have got used to it the way you get used to body aches and pains - you learn to tolerate it as you don't have a choice - and have had some major things to occupy my time with. I also know it is unhealthy to hang on to the past, but I believe we are all guilty of that to some extent. 

I am still without computer and posting from a cafe. I have done as before and emailed pics to myself from my phone which are from late 2015 early 2016.

 It is important to read and keep abreast of things.

 Always important to wash at any given moment!

 One of the last pics of her in - her - garden. She didn't get out there much towards the end.

 Looking wistful with purrfect lighting.

 Dignity in the face of adversity.

 Giving me her 'special look'.

She conquered the feather kitty-tickler fair and square, so it's only polite to take a nap on it!

She was the Great Lady of Dignity and the Grand Dame of North London. She touched my life for 14 years, and provided me with special memories. 

Bless all of you making your own special memories with your little friends. 

The Last Time I Saw Her Well...

Hi Guys,

A year ago yesterday, 31st May, was the last time I saw Mousie in good health. The following visits a week later she was very ill. I did not upload yesterday as I didn't have access to a computer(still!). Fortunately, I still have the pics from the last 18 months on my phone, so what I did was emailed them to myself, opened the email at internet cafe, downloaded them and then uploaded on to the blog and...voila! here they are. They came out a bit narrow, but whatev.

She looks so serene, you wouldn't be able to tell she was suffering. I miss her every day.

Soon...

Hi Guys,

Still no computer, but it's getting closer. You are all in my thoughts. I have been having a bit of a clear out at my house, and I found my old camera that I took the bulk of my pics of Mousie over the years. In early 2014 before she got sick the first time, I was babysitting her and we were in the basement where she spent most of her time. She would hang out on the bunk bed, as it was her bed. I had been snapping away, and had to take a break to go to the human litter box. I left the camera in the middle of the bed. When I came back, in time-honoured kitty fashion she had pushed it to the edge and knocked it to the ground. Moooouuussssee! Noooo! My camera is NOT a hockey puck. Anyway, it was permanently broken as the lens doesn't wind back in when I switch the power off. I didn't throw the camera out because I like it too much, but time went on and I bought a cheaper one, and eventually joined the rest of the world and got an android phone which takes tremendous pictures. When I chanced upon the camera last night, I switched it on, and surprisingly the battery hadn't run down. I looked at the album, and there they were: pics of Mousie! It was such a lucky discovery and really brought back memories. As soon as I can, I will post them.

Enjoy the springtime.

Another Milestone

Guys,

It's a little over 10 months since I lost Mousie. As with most holidays, I would spend Easter weekend, and sometimes the whole week with her depending on what her beans were doing. I thought about her alot this weekend as I had time to reflect. I even went for a walk on a field near to her house. The anniversary is coming up. I don't have a computer at present and am posting from a cafe. I hope to be up and running before then, as I would like to post some pictures. I miss them as they are my memories. I suppose it is a bit unhealthy to hold on to them, but it is also a comfort. Most unhealthy habits are! 

I hope you all had a restful time and ate lots of treats. 

Laptop Misery

Guys, 

 I've been away for a while due to various reasons. Don't worry, I have not gone awol. My laptop has gone kaput, but thankfully, we've saved all of the Mousie pictures. I hope to be up and running - and posting to da blog in the next couple of weeks. I've missed you all. Stay tuna-ed.

Pristine

For Mousie, it was always important to maintain a certain standard of grooming

even when she was on top of the fence patrolling the garden.

(pic taken 2011)

Fishy Breath

When Mousie would yawn, lick, or burp (yes, she did that on occasion!) there would always be a smell of fish emanating from her mouth. Which was weird, as she was fed products that were beef, turkey, or chickey flavoured. never fish. But by G'd, when she opened her mouth - you could close your eyes and imagine you were by the seaside!

Does anyone else have this issue with their cats or kittys?

(pics taken 20011 and 2012)

*I haven't gone, awol. Just been away dealing with some personal stuff

Rhino

Sometimes, when Mousie was in a deep sleep, she would snore like a Rhino! 

For a split second, I would think it was me. 

(pic taken 2011)

This Year

This year, on a personal level, there were ups and downs. On a world level, I don't think I need to explain how horrific it was. 

I am praying that this year is better than last year. We can only hope.

(pic taken 2009. So long ago now.)