Saturday and things are a bit better.

[dinky]

Hi everyone.Saturday afternoon here and a beautiful warm sunny day.Not too hot though. Sorry I haven't been around for the last week, but have been thinking of you and hoping things are well for you all.I've had a very sick Dickens, a row (sort of) with a neighbour over the back fence and a wee grandson with very bad shingles. OK, to bring you up to date with everything.

Dickens went to the vet and was sedated to get a urine sample. While he was still sedated, Michele rang and literally BEGGED me to let her groom his matts out. I relented and let her do it. She did a great job and Dickens still has a lot of fur left The sample was sent off to the lab, and to everyone's amazement, only a great deal of blood was found in it, but no sign of any crystals or infection at all. Shelley ,you were right that UTI's can be stress related, and poor Dickens has been bullied all his life by Miracle and Freddie.Anyway, he's been taking 2 lots of pain meds, plus capsules twice a day for stress related cystitis, which he may have to stay on long term. The pain meds have made him go crazy and the poor cat is terrified of any movement and the other cats (much more so than usual). I got a water pistol and have been squirting the other cats if they attack Dickens or hiss at him. I think they're beginning to learn. Thankfully Dickens is now able to sleep for a decent period of time now. Before, he was going the rounds of all the litter boxes in the house and couldn't rest at all. I leave him out of the cats bedroom at night now and he's happy sleeping in the lounge on his own. Snoddy sleeps with me and Dickens is welcome to join him ,but is far too submissive for that, even though Snoddy is no threat to him .I have been hand feeding Dickens his food and cat biscuits as well, as he stopped eating.He's just started eating on his own again, which is a good sign. He'll be back to the vet's in another week for another urine test and unfortunately another sedation, but there's no way round that.I'm going to take Betsey at the same time and let Michele groom her . She's the last one to be done. Betsey's a nervous wee thing so it will be better for her to be sedated.

Now as to my neighbour over the back.As you know, I feed the birds on my back lawn and she put a letter in my box, asking me to please stop doing so, as they were flying over her property and perching on her back fence and leaving a mess on it. I wrote back and asked her to remove her broken old wooden trellis from the top of the back fence, which the birds perch on, thereby preventing them from perching on the metal fence top ! I also politely suggested that she ask her neighbours to cut back all their tall trees where the wee birds nest, so that they would leave the area for other nest sites. We're only talking about sparrows, waxeyes,and a couple of starlings and blackbirds, not seagulls or pigeons (which do make a mess). She did pull down a bit of her trellis but threw it over onto my property, so I threw it back and I have heard nothing more. Aren't I horrible ?

Finally, my wee grandson, Joah ,is much better now and Brenna and family are spending a few days in Rotorua. Thanks everyone for asking about him.Right, that's all my news.

PAMELA, I'm so pleased you had a great time in London and had a really special birthday. Yes, I agree, it's always lovely to get home again. I hope your fur babies had a good wee holiday and were on their best behaviour. .I hope that Steven is enjoying his new job as well.

SHELLEY, sounds as if you are having fun at your doll fairs and getting lots of bargains. Those huge prams - did they have reborns in them or real babies ?

YOLA, so glad that your eye is healing as it should .You will be relieved.Congratulations on sticking to that fasting diet. Gosh, you must have great will power and i'm thrilled that it has helped your knees. Unfortunately, being diabetic, I am not meant to fast, but I am going to the hospital for x rays of both knees soon and I do try and walk. Thanks for the advice.

Well ,before this turns into a thesis, I'd better go and sort out tea.

Have a great Saturday everyone. Hope the sun shines for you all.

[Shelley123]

Hello all,
Googness me what a time you are having Dinky.
Is the stress medication in tablet form for Dickens?
You can also get feluway plug in things, poor boy.
Good that he has his own space at night.
Glad Joah is feeling better.
Your neighbour sounds like a right miserable c.w
What about helping wildlife?
Things fine here, enjoying my job and working on dolls at home.
Also enjoying some lovely autumnal walks with the dogs.
Been entertaining this week, my sons friend came for dinner and my dad last night.
Off to watch a football match today, both Howard and myself dreading it but we are taking my son as he wants to go.
Yola, hope your eye is continuing to heal.
Pamela, bet it feels like you've never been away now ��