This is us - or some of us!
This blog contains random thoughts and ramblings of a mostly inconsequential nature with occasional rants on subjects various.
Please be aware that all photographs on this blog are the property of jabblog unless otherwise stated. In the unlikely event that you would like to use any of these photographs please be polite and contact me for permission. Thank you.
As Barry has become ever more involved in schemes and plans his memory allocation for the mundane stuff of life has greatly reduced vanished. Add to that the plethora of books, letters, instruction leaflets, scraps of paper/old envelopes with important information scribbled on them and my memory bank becomes over-stuffed as I am the noter and finder of lost things. Isn't there a saint involved in that? I know Saint Jude is the patron saint of lost causes. Just looked it up – it's Saint Anthony. If I were of the correct persuasion I might spend time on my knees asking both these venerable saints for their intercession. First Saint Anthony would be invoked and later Saint Jude after we had abandoned hope of ever finding whatever we were looking for.
Therefore, in the not-too-distant future Barry will be equipped with a special suit to which is attached everything he is likely to require in the course of a day. Of course this may mean that he is unable to move very far or at any great speed but at least everything most things will be to hand! Bless him!
We had considered bells and whistles on all the items he uses daily but we already have a houseful of machines and applications that ring, bleep, warble, shrill, buzz, trill, chirrup, tweet, chime, clang, tinkle, jingle.
Facebook, the social networking site, which claims to be a superb way to regain contact with former friends and maintain relationships with friends and relations, has many followers. Its members may post photographs, join groups of like-minded people, support a myriad of causes, communicate with each other openly or in private through the inbox. There are many sometimes addictive games to play and quests to be followed. It can be an outlet for housebound people, a means of escape from problems or ills but beware what and how you post for it seems that other eyes are monitoring your actions and judging you. This Facebook user in Canada has discovered that the hard way in a very worrying turn of events. It seems that the time of George Orwell's Big Brother has finally arrived!
Some of the things that catch my eye are very troubling. Presumably we've all heard of PSV - Persistent Vegetative State and have heard of the court cases, arguments and judges' rulings surrounding patients suffering this condition. Some argue for life-support machines to be switched off, others want their use to be continued indefinitely and always there are well-meaning, well-trained advisers suggesting one action or another. Undoubtedly it is heart-breaking for the families and friends closest to the patient when there seems little basis for optimism. For the patients themselves it can be a living nightmare. As a child, when my understanding of death was less than it is now, I had waking nightmares of being buried but still conscious, trapped and unable to make myself heard. Those patients who are aware of everything going on around them but unable to communicate in any apparently meaningful way live the nightmare every moment of their lives, screaming silently, panicking and incapable of escaping.The man in this particular case lived with the horror for 23 years. Who can imagine the feelings of freedom and relief he now experiences? For him the day his condition was truly recognised really was his second birth. There, but for the Grace of God . . .
Hello everyone!
Well, I've been here for three weeks and I really like it. There's always something going on and I'm constantly interested, especially if it involves food – and it often does!
There was a lot of sadness in the house last Friday. Frodo and I went to the vet and while we were there Mr Human asked Nadia for some advice about Dominie. Later on he took Dominie out and she hasn't come back and he was very upset. Then Mrs H took the big dogs out for a walk. We don't really understand where Dominie is but Mr and Mrs H said something about her being stardust now and they smiled sadly and gave all us animals an extra cuddle and a kiss. My sister, Jenna, was very depressed and Frodo and Monty were unhappy too. I miss Dominie; I didn't know her for very long and she couldn't really play with me but she was kind and licked me and she was good to snuggle up to. I sleep on her cushion now when I'm in the kitchen and Jenna and Monty and Winston and occasionally Buddy sleep on her settee in the sitting room.
I was really excited on Sunday because Jenna started playing with me. She grumbled a lot at the same time but that was just to let me know I had to behave as I am the youngest in the family. Then Frodo began to play and that was awesome. The three of us played together – it was great! Now she plays with me a lot and she's not making so much noise. She brings me toys to play with - isn't that sweet?
I'm much bigger than I was – that's what Mr and Mrs H say. I think they must be right because I can leap onto the step from the patio mostly in one go though sometimes I still have to do it in two jumps – well, a hop and a scramble really. Mrs H always giggles when I bound onto it and all four paws land at the same time. I don't think it's all that funny but then I'm not a Human and I can't see me.
Monty and Winston are still bigger than me. I like chasing them – it's fun. I'm going to have to stop though because they don't really like it. Monty bats me and hisses. Winston tries to hide but it's just too easy to corner him. I only want to play with them but I'm beginning to think they're not really dogs at all. They make funny noises – I don't know any dogs that hiss – and when they talk to the Humans their voices are high – and they have a thing called a litter tray; they don't ask to go outside like me. I like the litter tray – it's interesting. I was a bit worried the other day when Monty started chasing me so I scurried away and sat next to Frodo in his bed. Frodo's big and he's strong – and heavy. He's cool! Sometimes he treads on me and makes me yelp. Buddy walks on me too because he can't see very well. I'd like to play with him but he doesn't play with anyone; the Humans call him a real cool dude. Of course he's quite old and just wants a quiet life. He's the leader of the pack now.
What else have I found out? Oh yes, the dogs eat raw meat and I have a little too. It's scrumptious but I have to eat my special food too to make sure I grow properly and not at funny angles. When I'm a big boy I'll have raw food all the time like the others. Even Monty and Winston eat raw.
I can climb the stairs now too. I started doing that four days ago on Wednesday. We were all going to bed and Frodo was ahead. He bounded up the stairs in three leaps and I wanted to follow him (I really like Frodo) so I concentrated very hard and got all the way to the top. I'm not allowed to go downstairs though; Mrs H says it wouldn't be good for my joints but I don't mind being carried. I like being close to my Humans.
My next challenge is to clamber onto the furniture. I can nearly manage it but haven't got quite enough spring in my back legs. Mr H settles me next to him on his chair and that's lovely. Mrs H tuts but I don't think she's really cross. I can't wait till I can get on their bed every night with Jenna and Monty and Winston.
Foxy and Tia and their Humans are here for the weekend. Tia won't play with me but Foxy's ever so nice. She doesn't play rough and tumble like Jenna but rolls around and lets me climb on her. That's lots of fun.
I wonder what the next weeks will bring?
Hwyl fawr am nawr! (That's Welsh for 'Goodbye for now!'
Gus says:
I can play with my sister Jenna . . .
. . . and sometimes I can play with Frodo, who's not my brother really but that's what I call him. (I really like Frodo - I hope I will be as big as him one day!)Frodo says: No chance, Gus. You'll always be a pipsqueak next to me.
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