Sunday 27 March 2011

Samantha R.I.P.


Sad news. Samantha, our black and white cat, died on Friday on the operating table. He had injured his eye in a fight and the infection was so bad the vet concluded the eye had to come out or the infection would have killed her. No sooner had they started giving her fluids prior to the operation than she dropped like a stone. The vet's have all been very sympathetic.


Samantha's gave us fifteen years of companionship and I'll miss tripping over her in all the dark places she managed to find to lie. Whether Meek misses her we don't know - He's taken it all lying down so far.

Jo's job with Merseyside Youth Association is drawing to a close and neither of us will miss it. She had supposedly been part-time but it's taken an awful lot of hours each week. These can now be devoted to her own business which is progressing well.

I've finished my novel - though I'm sure I could play at revising it for years. Now comes the hard part - finding an agent or publisher.

I know folk are interested to know how I'm enjoying my Kindle. The answer is - a lot. It's proved ideal for things like the vet's waiting room where I wouldn't have bothered taking a book for fear of getting it all bashed around in my pocket. I'm finding it easy to read. The less easy part is referring back from one page to another but I think that's just a case of getting used to creating 'bookmarks'. I'm currently reading a book that simply isn't available anywhere else. That, for me, is one of the key things. Once a book goes out of print it can be hard to find it but once it's 'kindled' it will be there for downloading any time in the future. I think it's well worth having.

Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' blasted out from the TV again. The Boys Are Back In Town! Formula One is back. The season begins in Australia today and there's no sign of rain! David Coulthard (Birthday Boy - aged 40 today) joins Martin Brundle in the commentary box. There's a third British driver this year - Paul Di Resta - reigning DTM champion with a history that includes beating Vettel in the Formula 3 Euroseries some years ago.

In 2011, the main hope for excitement lies, as usual, with one variable that nobody – not even Bernie Ecclestone – can influence: the weather. More precisely, rain. But Bernie isn't a man to take no for an answer. The phrase 'Formula 1 circus' took on new meaning earlier in the year with Ecclestone's announcement that he intends to introduce a computer generated sprinkler system to liven up boring races. Ecclestone told the BBC, "At some time during the race, it will be raining. Maybe rain more than once." The pinnacle of motor racing is to be reduced to a demolition-derby-style circus fiasco. Those millions of pounds spent on research to produce the cutting edge technology of today's racing are about to be washed down the drains by Bernie's rain. Hopefully that idea has gone down the drain where it belongs.

13 comments:

  1. Anyone who has pets knows what it is like to lose one, and I am no exception. My cat Mimi had to be put to sleep because of cancer almost nine years ago, when she was 17, and I still think of her. My current cat, Pukky, is already an old lady herself and I know she won't be around forever; at the moment, she is doing well.

    Congratulations on finishing your novel!! A friend of mine does it the other way round - he already has an agent but work on the book is still in progress.

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  2. I too will miss Samantha. Although she was always one of the 'kitchen cats' to me (as opposed to Meek the lap cat) I too had become very fond of her and will even miss her climbing up my legs.

    You've finished your book already! That's amazing. Looking forward to reading it, xx

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  3. Always very sad when a loved pet dies. Sorry.

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  4. I am very sorry to hear of your loss.

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  5. So good to hear from you, but a rather bittersweet post. So terribly sorry to hear about your cat Samantha. Pets are vital, I think, and such a major part of our lives and families. When we've lost one of our pets, I've been laid low for weeks.

    But congratulations are in order too, for completing the book. I do hope you find an agent and publisher soon. I know that I -- and all your blog friends-- are most anxious to read it.

    Congratulations to Jo too that her business is doing so well. I saw the web site you set up and it's great. Love all the inspirational quotes.

    Glad you like the kindle. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a troglodyte myself, and I'm definitely not ready for one, but maybe someday. I do feel that just as the typewriter and then the computer never replaced the pen, there must be room for both books and kindles.

    Keep us posted on progress with the book, hugs to all, Canadian Chickadee

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  6. John, I'm so sad to hear about your cat. I hope you feel her with you in spirit.

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  7. I'm back home (the Napier one) and have internet again so am in Blogland and picking up emails.

    I'm sad that the first post I read was this one insofar as it conveys the news of Samantha.

    I won't be able to watch the GP until I return to the UK. I'll just have to look up the results on the Net. Why, I ask myself, is the Gp so compulsive?

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  8. I'm sorry to hear about Samantha :( such an unexpected tragedy.

    I'm proud of you for finishing your book. I have, yet, to get farther than a few chapters.

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  9. We are sorry to hear about your pet cat "Samantha". Hope her soul rest in peace.

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  10. I am so sorry to hear about Samantha x

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  11. I am so sad to hear about her demise. I was just telling some friends of mine about "seeing" Bella recently walk by me. Bella died two months ago. I had never heard of anyone seeing the spirit of an animal, but...there it is.

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  12. So sorry to hear of your loss.

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  13. I'm beginning to worry about you! It has been a long time between posts. I hope you are well.

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