This morning, we both did a similar thing. I went to the shops but before getting in the car I "visited" Bill at the back of the yard for a chat, apparently half an hour later, when Karen was checking the post, she did the same.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Rainbow over Howe Sound
Today, bright sunshine, perfect for a walk down "Reed Road Right" past the new development at Vista Ridge (fourth house being built) and a great view of Howe Sound. The two dogs greeted us as usual, big, happy things that run out and bark a bit, wag their backsides in a frenzy and just like people who pass by.
This was taken today by Bill Fanagan and uploaded to the weather network, we saw this rainbow as we had lunch down at Gramma's, of course we did not have the camera. Over a beer or two we called it Bill's Rainbow, a reminder how beautiful nature is and from our viewpoint it originated in our back yard on the hill and stretched over to Keats.
This morning, we both did a similar thing. I went to the shops but before getting in the car I "visited" Bill at the back of the yard for a chat, apparently half an hour later, when Karen was checking the post, she did the same.
This morning, we both did a similar thing. I went to the shops but before getting in the car I "visited" Bill at the back of the yard for a chat, apparently half an hour later, when Karen was checking the post, she did the same.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The Last Post
I wrote this to my buddy Graeme in Ontario tonight after he commented on the last post:
Hola, Tough day, surprisingly tough day. I expect some on the planet would think we are soft, but gosh, let me elucidate.
My dad's oldest sister, Margaret Weldon, born eleven days after the sinking of the Titanic, died on January 5th this year, her daughter Jean told me that they put her on the "Liverpool Pathway" at the end, she had major arthritis problems, could not use her hands, had little dignity left, and as Jean said "she was ready to go"
Back way almost twelve years ago, my dad was on the same pathway, a medical cocktail designed to remove pain and to "shut down" a human. I knew it, my brother knew it, dad had no idea...
I said to the vet today as Bill was relaxing on a blanket, last time I experienced this, it was my dad. He had asked the pair of us if we had ever experienced this before (and he was stuck for words about exactly what it was because of the ridiculous nature of our sensitive society) and I said I saw the same process with dad.
Today was not all about the cat, there was a fair bit of baggage.
William, great cat. Loads of brilliant mini-events in the over seventeen years. I told Karen almost in the first six months that it was a responsibility and one day we would have to make this decision, I saw my dad wait too long on an animal, Karen's parents probably did the same at some point. I think we did too to tell the truth, but we decided last September to give William a chance, it didn't work out, we blew the cats budget for 2011 and in effect we extended his life by little to nothing. I do think he had two or three months after his surgery when he was a mad rascal again, played like a kitten for a few weeks, but then things progressed over the winter and the last few weeks have been hell for him. It was time to let him have his own little pathway.
Fascinating day in some respects, the pair of us, absolutely bulletproof, apparently not.
Digging a hole together in the yard, taking turns to lose it, dig it deep, don't want the wildlife digging him up, absolutely human moments over a sprite of a kitten, a realization that we are really not as tough as we think.
Tonight, wine of course, some reflection, silly moments.
I still expect Bill to pop in and demand attention at any moment.
Hola, Tough day, surprisingly tough day. I expect some on the planet would think we are soft, but gosh, let me elucidate.
My dad's oldest sister, Margaret Weldon, born eleven days after the sinking of the Titanic, died on January 5th this year, her daughter Jean told me that they put her on the "Liverpool Pathway" at the end, she had major arthritis problems, could not use her hands, had little dignity left, and as Jean said "she was ready to go"
Back way almost twelve years ago, my dad was on the same pathway, a medical cocktail designed to remove pain and to "shut down" a human. I knew it, my brother knew it, dad had no idea...
I said to the vet today as Bill was relaxing on a blanket, last time I experienced this, it was my dad. He had asked the pair of us if we had ever experienced this before (and he was stuck for words about exactly what it was because of the ridiculous nature of our sensitive society) and I said I saw the same process with dad.
Today was not all about the cat, there was a fair bit of baggage.
William, great cat. Loads of brilliant mini-events in the over seventeen years. I told Karen almost in the first six months that it was a responsibility and one day we would have to make this decision, I saw my dad wait too long on an animal, Karen's parents probably did the same at some point. I think we did too to tell the truth, but we decided last September to give William a chance, it didn't work out, we blew the cats budget for 2011 and in effect we extended his life by little to nothing. I do think he had two or three months after his surgery when he was a mad rascal again, played like a kitten for a few weeks, but then things progressed over the winter and the last few weeks have been hell for him. It was time to let him have his own little pathway.
Fascinating day in some respects, the pair of us, absolutely bulletproof, apparently not.
Digging a hole together in the yard, taking turns to lose it, dig it deep, don't want the wildlife digging him up, absolutely human moments over a sprite of a kitten, a realization that we are really not as tough as we think.
Tonight, wine of course, some reflection, silly moments.
I still expect Bill to pop in and demand attention at any moment.
William. July 1st 1994 - February 21st 2012
They say that in "human terms" he was around 87 years old, which is a fair old turn, we'll take it. It was October 1994 when we visited the animal services in Oshawa, in search of a single cat. We chose a cat and the lady said that we would have to wait a week to see if the original owner claimed it, so there was a silver grey tabby kitten who had poked his paw out and grabbed at us on the way in, the lady said that he was "free to go today" so we chose him. She also pointed to the little one, cowering in the back of the cage.
"You can have him free, they're brothers, shame to separate them"
And we agreed. The cheeky one became Ben, the little one, Bill.
Amazing the emotional bond you form with a cat that has been in your life for seventeen or more years and it was absolutely heartbreaking to let him go today, but it was the logical and responsible thing to do.
Goodnight little prince.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Rambling
The weather has been good and Monday was our second visit to Cliff Gilker Park this year, some excitement as we left as the Medi-Vac helicopter came in, there had been an accident on the main highway (so we had to take a diversion on the way home via Robert's Creek).
We took the red path by the way.
Building update, part one
The house across the road from us has been finished for quite a while now, probably six months since the owners moved in and we, the nosy neighbors, forgot to add a photo:
Time Slip
It has been an odd month, we've managed to paddle about four times, a couple at the end of January were amazing for the time of year, now that Spring is peeping over it's snuggly blanket we may start paddling twice a week again.
Time can slip by and my blog focus moved back to the family tree webspace (weldonweb.blogspot.com) following the death of my dad's sister in January, coincidently, a family member who I have never spoken to, nor ever imagined I would, popped into my email bucket around the same time.
The weather is improving and we have been out walking quite a bit over the last ten days, signs of things to come and time to drop a few of those winter pounds off our big fat backsides.
Welcome back Karen and Dave!
Time can slip by and my blog focus moved back to the family tree webspace (weldonweb.blogspot.com) following the death of my dad's sister in January, coincidently, a family member who I have never spoken to, nor ever imagined I would, popped into my email bucket around the same time.
The weather is improving and we have been out walking quite a bit over the last ten days, signs of things to come and time to drop a few of those winter pounds off our big fat backsides.
Welcome back Karen and Dave!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
