Black Dog 10

Hello JPB and Romroot you will get a really good welcome here. As Doodle said everyone is made welcome here. I dont post as often as some but when I do I recieve encouragement and support.
Like Scaredycat I am enjoying the Olympics, it is to some degree taking my mind of my anxiety.
Annie I am so pleased with your news.

Ellie Anne our birthday arrangements are rather like yours. I know just what you mean, it feels like any other day and you’re almost glad when it’s over. I hope you had a nice evening with your friend and will be able to have a little celebration with your son but in the meats belated happy birthday from me.
Doodle if procrastinating to avoid housework and ironing was an Olympic sport I’d get a gold every time!!!
Hope you had a better night RomRoot.

Meantime not meats!!!

Hi all x

Ellie Anne belated happy birthday wishes x

rafichagran thank you x I too am enjoying the Olympics , watching it I think ‘did I really play hockey, tennis, cycling races, swimming’ yes I did .

Germanshepardsmum I think it’s great you enjoy gardening,
we share our troubles and our good times . I showed off when
Doodle spoke of seeing Snowdon, I climbed it ?. x

BlueSky I have spoken recently of my battles with council
etc, after the doors meeting last Tuesday I have had miserable
tummy upsets, body and mind cannot be separated, thoughts
trigger the body and body problems trigger the mind x

Scaredycat I so understand about your little stool, I recently
decided to declutter, ‘can’t part with that, can’t part with those,
my darling daughter gave them to me’ x

JPB’, *Ramroot how are you? x

Joyce my Mini Tornado is coming next Tuesday, I have an eye test so she wants to choose the new frames ! x

Doodle don’t excuses to avoid housework come to us so
easily x

Hello Joce I am sewing yes. I have been making myself a pair of light summer trousers. Not my usual thing as I’m not into dressmaking. They look reasonably ok. I used cheap fabric as I wasn’t sure how they would turn out. It frayed terribly so I am going to try again with something of a better quality.
A new settee should be exciting. Hope it looks good with the new cushions. Yes, keep plodding. Enjoy your gardening.
Rafichagran how are you doing? Lovely to hear from you. I’m glad you are enjoying the olympics. Anything that keeps the mind from dwelling too much.
GSM I am sorry that you too don’t enjoy your birthdays. We don’t make a song and dance about it but I usually have a few cards, some chocs and visits from our sons.
I have no enthusiasm for housework at all. It is a chore as far as I’m concerned. Any thing else takes priority if I can get away with it ?
Annie I hope you can remember climbing Snowdon and the views. I have a few favourite places that I can recapture in my mind. Don’t know why but I have always preferred the quiet open spaces to a busy town or street. I like the quiet and the views.
DH and I both suffer upset stomachs if something stressful or even out of the ordinary happens. We live a very quiet life normally.
Glad MT is coming Tuesday. Be lovely to see her and new glasses too ?
Have a good weekend all x

Afternoon all
GSM- sounds like we could all form an Olympic Team for housework avoidance!!! I would rather do anything else and it’s getting a bit like that with cooking too ?
Ellie Anne- very belatedBirthday Wishes. Hope you have a lovely day with your sons.
Doodle- it’s been raining heavily here today too and nearly polished off my poor little plants. Hope yours survive. Just been for a walk though as there was a sunny interval . Don’t mind walking in the rain though. How clever to make clothes for yourself I couldn’t even make dollies clothes.
Love to all x
Rafichagran- Good to see you . Loving the Olympics today - glad it helps you with your anxiety.
Annie- I know how you feel sometimes I can’t believe how many different sports I have done in the past. Nothing as wonderful as climbing Snowdon though - that’s an achievement .
Sorry you,ve had tummy upsets stress brings out all sorts of physical feelings and symptoms doesn’t it.
Glad you,ll see MT soon bet she picks you a snazzy pair of specs!!

Annie sorry your tummy’s out of sorts, hope it’s feeling a bit better now. We live a quiet life and my asthma plays up sometimes when I’ve got something coming up.
Doodle my son is so kind and generous at birthdays and Xmas, he is always very thoughtful and chooses presents so well. So I mustn’t complain. But I rather envy my daughter in law!!! We cannot have everything though, I have a husband who shows he cares in other practical ways.

Hello my friends. I hope everyone is well xx I am having an epic mental health crisis right now.

Oh nanny I am so sorry to hear that. It’s horrible isn’t it.
I’m not too good either just now.

Oh nanny I’m so sorry. You’ve been doing so well. Are you getting any help? Has something happened to bring you down so much? Please keep in touch. Thinking of you and you too Ellie Anne . Take care and don’t give up hope.x

Hi all x

nanny so sorry, you have been doing so well, we are here for
you x

Anyone have those shock waves on waking ? I hunted out my copy of Claire Weekes ‘Self Help For Your Nerves’

She has a chapter on it, she said the cause is unknown, this was in 1962. These years on I found this explanation-

‘Researchers have found the stress hormone Cortisol is highest in the first hour of waking for people with an increased level
of stress in their lives ‘

There are quite a few articles on ‘Morning Anxiety’ I won’t quote them all !

doodle things are just getting too much. For the 1st time in 2.5 years I looked at tanks pictures. And with the cat that was the love of my life getting run over. Constantly taking hubby to hospital every 2 weeks right now and feeling that everyone just wants a piece of me....

Thanks for your words elle and annie xx

Annie that’s interesting. In times of stress I have noticed it hits me as soon as I wake in the morning.
nanny I don’t know if you have any faith or belief so forgive me if you don’t. I believe in God and that all creatures on this earth are his. God loves us all. It doesn’t mean we get an easy ride, or we sail through life without problems but it does mean that one day we’ll find the peace we are all looking for with Him.
All creatures are God’s creation and he looks after all. You loved Tank so much and have such grief at his loss. Pass on his care to God and give yourself some peace from this anxiety and despair while you are struggling with your husbands care.
Sorry, Annie explains things so much better than me.
Your life is so full in at the moment you are stressed and worried. Please know we are here for you. You are doing the best to take care of your DH and it is hard for you. It is a stressful time for you right now. No wonder you are struggling so much. Come here whenever you need to offload. We are with you x

Oh nanny, so many things on your plate at the same time. I’m new here so please forgive me but I don’t know what happened to you in the past. I find looking at some old pictures unbearable so I just don’t go there and rarely take photos. The pictures I have in my memory are always there. Your dear cat, I know only too well how that feels. They have such a big piece of your heart, it’s amazing how big our hearts are and how much love we have. In time do you think you could love another cat too, perhaps one who hasn’t known what it is to be loved? I never thought I could but I always seemed to find another in need of love came along. So many and all so much loved. They will all be treasured always.
I’m so sorry you’re having to take your husband to hospital so frequently, that must be a big strain. I know how it feels when it seems everyone wants a piece of you and you don’t feel there are enough pieces to go round. But there always seem to be. We’re made of tougher stuff than we sometimes think. I hope you’re getting treatment and support from your doctor at this very difficult time. I have always told myself when things seem impossible’this too shall pass’. And however awful and impossible, it has. I will be thinking of you and hope you’ll soon feel a little happier. x

Lovely post GSM

Doodle, your beautiful words weren’t addressed to me but I thank you for them. They are very reassuring. I pray to God each night and always ask Him to care for the pets I have been privileged to have in my life and hope to be with again. I’ve never felt able to share that before. You are a very special lady.

GSM we are blessed to have pets in our lives. We have had 3 dogs and loved them all as they did us. The unconditional love we get from them means so much. I have been listening to the morning service from the Dean at Canterbury Cathedral for over a year now and find his words and reflections of great comfort. He is a great lover of all animals and his belief that we are all God’s creatures reassures me. Take care x

Thank you doodle and gsm its much appreciated xx gsm Tank was my ragdoll cat stolen from me almost 2.5 years ago. Fat cat was killed a month ago. I still have a cat that I got from rspca about 2 years ago. Beautiful weird little boy he is. I dont have any friends or family where I live and I fall in love with animals so quickly because they love me as I am. I also have befriended a fereal called binks who now lives with me. He is just so gorgeous he gives kisses now and let's us pick him up. He has literally just come for a cuddle as I'm typing this

Give Binks a big cuddle Nanny. I think you are grieving Fat cat and with all the other things going on, it is getting you down. Try and rest tonight and sleep well x

Hi all x

nanny. You are grieving and grief doesn’t pass in a few weeks.

I have had 15 dogs and three cats, 2 dogs are with me now, I have lived alone for years so dogs have always been my constant companions and I loved every one and grieved for them when they went to Rainbow Bridge.

I believe as Doodle does, there is a line in the hymn ‘All creatures great and small, the Lord God made them all’

I think of my grief when a much loved pet dies as - the price I
pay , their unconditional love, they never judge us, they ask for
little in return. Is it a high price ? Yes, but think of the love ,
comfort, laughter they give, we could choose never have to pay the price but we would never know that unconditional love.

One more thing I believe about our pets, we don’t find them
they find us, I remember when you told us about a ferrel cat,
now that little stranger is part of your life.

We have to let them leave us but the love and memories stay.

You are under much stress, it will pass as germanshepherd said. Sending you a cwtch x

Dear nanny, thank you for explaining. It cannot have been easy to do that.
It’s terrible that your beloved Tank was stolen. Who would do such a thing? One of my cats simply disappeared one Saturday in 1991. Annie wasn’t a pedigree like Tank, she was ‘just’ a lovely friendly white and black young girl - her mother was a stray who came to me one Mother’s Day and proceeded to have four kittens that same day, one of whom was Annie. Needless to say they all stayed, in addition to all those I already had, but steps were taken to ensure they wouldn’t produce more kittens! You imagine the worst don’t you and the not knowing is a torture that never stops. I don’t look at photos, they can be too painful. I see all my lovely pets in my mind’s eye and memories and love are something no-one can take from you. I’m sure you will never give up hope of being reunited with Tank and I pray that will happen.
You lost your beloved Fat Cat so recently, you mourn him as you would any family member because that’s what he was - and always will be. No-one stops being a loved member of their family when they pass away and of course you grieve and will always love him. I hope you’re able to feel he is now in God’s care, until you too pass away and can meet him again. I find that a great comfort.
I’m so pleased you still have two cats. They will quietly understand and give you comfort. You have done so well with Binks and have a true gift for winning the trust and love of cats. I fed a feral cat here until he suddenly disappeared three and a half years ago. I never found out what happened to him. He communicated in hisses so I called him Sid after Hissing Sid. I met him when he was eating food I’d put out for the birds. He wouldn’t come in but got to waiting for his food and eventually let me stroke him as he ate. I can still feel his warm fur. I had hoped that one day he would come and live with us but it wasn’t to be. Nevertheless I still count him amongst my many pets and hope to meet him again.
The very special gift all our pets give is, as you say, their unconditional love and companionship no matter who we are or how we feel. They don’t judge us and I have said many times, as have others, the more I see of people the more I value my pets. Friends who are always there and ask very little of us but who make our lives complete, worth living sometimes. A reason to get up, to keep going.
Doodle and Annie express their sympathy so much more eloquently than I do so please forgive the clumsiness of my words, but I know your sorrow is deep and still very raw. Time helps the rawness to heal but the memories of the love and devotion our pets gave us will be with us always. As Annie says, grief is the price we pay but despite the pain it’s such a small price for the years of love and companionship. I wish you many years of kisses and cuddles from Binks and your little RSPCA rescue, who thanks to your kindness and generosity knows what it is to be treasured. And with any other cats in need of love who find their way to you - because they will, that’s the way it always happened with me. x

Hi everyone
I feel sad this afternoon . My daughter has just called to,let me know her lovely middle daughter is going through yet another terrible time. She is a wonderful brave girl and has had such a lot thrown at her these past few years. Sometimes life seems so unfair she has had so much to deal with and has also nursed all through the pandemic. There is nothing any of us can do but support and love her .

Nanny - sorry life is so difficult for you at the moment with the added stress of many hospital visits for your DH. You have so much stress at the moment and grief compounds everything. We had to have our lovely cat put to sleep this Summer and miss him such a lot. So sorry you have lost 2 lovely cats and it seems to me Binks was sent to you when you needed him most- so glad he,s cuddly now. Take care x
Annie - so many pets you have made happy. Glad you have your 2 little dogs to keep you company now. They will love it if you will be able to go in the garden with them when your door is done.
GSM,Doodle Annie you have put into lovely words how we all feel about our furry friends. You are kind and caring ladies.
Wishing all the gang a pleasant evening and peaceful nightx

Scaredycat so sorry to read about your granddaughter , support and love is so important, sending you hugs x

germanshepard lovely words, thank you x

GSM I think your post was lovely and very eloquently put. You obviously have great feeling for your pets too and great comfort from having them around you.
Scaredycat I am so sorry to hear your DGD is going through a hard time. Good that she has a loving mother and grandmother to support her. Sometimes we just have to wait these things out and hope that things work out for her. Hope whatever it is gets resolved soon.
Nanny keep strong . You can get through this.
Annie are you recovering from the stress of last week?
Take care all. x