Soop's pleasant (if boring) kitchen for friendly folk and precious pets.

Love to all. No time to read, only skim as I'm working practically full time and each days work involves 2-3 hours reading the night before. I also find this strange need to drink vodka eat as well!
TGIF tomorrow! Youngest dgc 1st birthday on Sunday so I've got to try and drive to Gloucester. Feeling apprehensive as I haven't driven on th M5 for about a year!
Bed now as early start tomorrow

I can see the group and the crocodile swanny well done to your grandson and also to you. Braver than I am .

Sending as many good wishes as I can muster to Rory, soop, he is very much loved. I hope by the time you read this you will have heard from the vet.

Hello again wot, I hope you are feeling comfortable with the prospect of living alone, wishing you well.

Hattie seems to be very comfortable, maw, certainly loving your company, even at 4am .

Can't recall if I said before, callgirl but I love your oh so cheerful kitchen. When I was about eight I asked my Dad to paint my bedroom ceiling that colour. He did, it was always sunny in that room .

Take care all

swanny not quite what you expected but so good for the young man to learn something different and want to do it.

wot I am so pleased that a date has been set and he is actually moving. Life will be so much better without him.

soop I do hope that the vet gets in touch tomorrow and you can discuss what is wrong with Rory. He is another brave young man.

Wonderful swanny what a brave boy ?

wot of course we remember you. So I hope you are getting your own life on track now. Let him go and look to your own future. Please sick around and let us know how you are getting on. ?

Please bear with me on this as I don't know how to tell a story without waffling on a bit and I do want to share this with you.

Decided to pop into the library with DGS yesterday. We usually go each Friday after I collect him from school, for a book or DVD (or both for a treat ) Anyway it's the holidays and when we went in yesterday one of the librarians came over and asked did we not want to see Safari Pete. Who? What? She said he was part way through an exhibition in the Children's Room and had some animals. Through we went to find lots of children sat in a semi-circle on the floor in front of their parents. DGS was very apprehensive as this was something very different and had not been talked about in advance. I managed to move through the adults with him just in time to see this chap bring a smallish snake out to the middle and feed it a mouse! He talked about how the snake feeds etc etc then put him away and brought out a monitor lizard! He asked for volunteers and a little girl got up to feed him a mouse too! DGS wanted to touch him but didn't want to move forward - really torn between what he knew (me) and what he didn't (lots of people, their noise, and this animal he'd only seen before on tv). Anyway, I thought that was probably it but no, Safari Pete brought out a crocodile! Probably about 4 feet in length with rather a stubby tail as apparently he'd been in a fight and the end had been bitten off! A few facts about where this one originated then those that wanted to could have their photos taken with it. The chap held onto the business end and children could hold the tail. Needless to say we were at the back of the queue but DGS coped with the situation admirably as he so wanted to hold the croc. When it was his turn he didn't want to stand next to the bloke as he was a stranger, and wanted to hold the croc on his own! I ended up with a photo of 2 pairs of hands, 2 pairs of crocodile legs and no heads of any of them! Full marks to the handler as he kept himself and all the children calm and told each of them to wash their hands straight after.

Apparently we'd missed meerkats at the beginning but what an experience for all those children. I've never touched a live crocodile but now my DGS has and I'm so proud of him

Maw, lovely, lovely doggie xxx

Thinking of you both, Soop and MacSporran, and Rory, of course.

wot - thinking of you.

Maw what a difference a few days can make eh? Concerns all round for Paw and for young Hattie last week, but both seem to have turned the corner somewhat. You must be so relieved but also pretty tired with all the worries and concerns

Love the cartoon - you always find something appropriate that raises a smile. Thank you

soop I've needed the box of tissues today reading about poor beloved Rory. Sending you and MacS big (((hugs))) and a gentle one for the wee laddy.

soop I can understand how you and MacS must be feeling. Dispirited tobsay the least. I hope the vet replies soon and that he's able to give some helpful advice.

wot I was wondering where you were! I'm sorry it has come to this with your partner but I think it's the best result. Hope he's learnt to iron shirts in the meantime. What about you? Will you stay there, or are you still thinking of moving? As it's a bit remote where you are perhaps you can move to an area where there's something going on and you can join in activities. I'm glad to see you back again. I know it's the end if an era for you on the 11 th but from what you have said it's the right thing. Take care and let us know how you are.

I think someone also mentioned Pompa/wobbly. Whatever has happened to him?

Don't know if anyone remembers me but mt partner n is leaving on the 11th August.

soop, by serious ear infection, I wonder if you mean Vestibulitis? Our 16 (at least) year old and much adored rescue boy developed this. I came home to find him vomiting and staggering about. The young pup was following him, howling in distress but eating the vomit. The middle dog, who had grown up with now elderly rescue was distraught, following him about, barking for me to "get on and do something". To summarise, we learned from our vet , the hoped that nursing (from me) and several weeks of steroids may return him to his pre-vestibulitis health. We used a crate (which he'd loved when it was used for foster/younger dogs but never been trained for) to keep him safe if left for an hour or so because he'd fall if he tried to walk. I'd hold his rear to help him go out to toilet. He'd no interest at all in food or water. I used a large syringe to squirt water, later liquid food - the final evening, he let it all run out and gave me the look. I'll say no more.
I have friends whose 6 year old dog had vestibulitis, he recovered within 6 weeks. His head was always tipped to one side but he was fine.
Sending love to you and Rory. I agree a second opinion is good in these situations. One of our vets (my fave) grew up in the Highlands but was a brilliant small animal vet - he was also fantastic with owners.

Sending love to everyone who needs it - especially Maw and Hattie.

A brief update on Rory. He is not very interested in his food today. The only time he left his cat cave was to take a short, unsteady walk to a piece of ground to answer a call of nature. Both MacSporran and I are feeling a little deflated. His days of romping through the garden, basking in the sunshine, popping in and out to check on what we're up to...gone! The vet hasn't returned our call but we've left a message. The big vets practice in Campbeltown, deals mainly with farm animals. This man was recommended to us because he visits the animal's home and deals with domestic pets. It's worth a second opinion.

Thank you for listening. Wishing you a peaceful and pleasant evening.

Love the cartoon Maw. Mia brought another teeny mouse into the yard the other day, she was standing over it, and it was lying on it`s side, looking very dead. I went to take it off her before she could start chewing on it, and it moved, so must have been playing dead. I took it round the front to place it in the grass on the river bank, making sure that Mia hadn`t followed me to see where it was, no sign of her, I put the mouse in the grass, turned round, and Mia was sitting right behind me!
Lovely Hattie pics, there`s obviously something about "that rug".
I am considerably heartened by the fact that so many of you like my kitchen colour, I was beginning to think that I knew nowt!
Soop, I do so hope that something positive can be done for Rory. I bet he`ll love a ramp.

jollyg 'Shinty feet'...

Rory might have feline BPPV.

Im off to see the vertigo lady tomorrow in the hope she can resurrect' me!

She retires soon.

Asking at GP'S they dont do it due to the 10 min rule!

Thank god I am not ruled by buerocracy. [Never could spell that word]''

My spelling teacher[Shinty feet] was very proud of her students spelling ability

Tegan2 There is one shade of grey that I like very much. Taupe is the posh name given to it.

We've called a vet who deals in small animal ailments. Left a message and asked if he would give us a second opinion on Rory's condition. We Googled his symptoms and discovered that a serious ear infection causes cats to lose the balance of their hind quarters. I'm hoping to hear back from the vet sometime soonish.

Good afternoon to all our Granspals.

Maw That is such a funny cat cartoon. Is Hattie settling in? What a silly question. She has taken over Grace's territory with aplomb.

callgirl1 Yay! The colour is perfect. It's your kitchen and it's your choice and I love it.

annsixty Enjoy every moment of your special treat. Tell us all about it when you return home.

gollyg We are considering a ramp for Rory.

Watching Hatties progress with interest as, when I lose my Hattie I had been considering taking in an ex racer or perhaps even fostering for a while. But I'm surprised at how many sighthounds suffer from separation anxiety, as the two I've had have never had that problem [although, thinking back, my first whippet had a spaniel companion throughout her life].In fact, I'd never heard of dogs suffering from it till recently. I know someone who has two doodle dogs, litter mates who suffer from it, even though they have each other.callgirl; I love the colour of your kitchen. I used to have a back bedroom in that colour, and it always lifted my spirits when I walked into the room. The thing about grey [which I love] is that you can use it with any other colour, but you can't really add warm colours to it in a kitchen and, when the weather is like it is at the moment, it's very cold.And, it will go out of fashion at some point [probably when I've just redecorated my hallway in grey, which is the plan!].

MawB I loved that and a year ago Tara would have been very interested but all of a sudden she stopped bringing me home fresh suppers. I have never been a fan of pizzas.

Maw ! I have saved that to show DS tommorrow. He has two cats!

Mawbroon It early days for Hattie I am sure she will be able to settle when on her own in due course.

This for Tara, Rory, Mia and all the Kitchen moggies whose names I have forgotten because I am dozy do not know