Our pet cat Puschka has gone to Pet Heaven.

No photo's today. Yesterday was one of those days when it starts off with everything going smoothly but doesn't end that way. I couldn't do anything wrong at cards and won both in the morning and in the afternoon. It was a lovely day, not too hot, a nice spring day. That all changed when I got home. The GD was working in the garden, the dog came to greet me and tell me it was his meal time but then I went looking for Puschka our 16 year old cat who hasn't been real well. I found him in one of his favourite areas and he looked like he was sunning himself but sorrowfully he was dead. When I went to touch his fur was sort of tacky - strange I thought with tears in my eyes. I went down to the garden to tell the other half that what we expected could happen, had come to pass. After he'd taken him down to the vege garden to prepare his last resting place I went back to the place I had found him. I heard a whimper nearby and discovered that the neighbours Fox Terrier dog was cowering in a corner and his mate from next door had his nose under the fence where the Foxie had dug his way into our yard. I think he knew he had done something terribly wrong. It became pretty obvious what had happened to poor puss. He would not have had the strength to defend himself. I went back down the garden to have another look at Puschka and yes there was blood on the other side of him and the tacky fur was because he'd been in the dogs mouth. Puschka was old and not too much time left for him anyway but he didn't deserve to die like that. Well I've got that off my chest but there's still a few tears left. He had been part of our family for a long time. The GD informed the neighbour but apart from her saying she was sorry her other half hasn't shown his face with the same commiserations. I don't know why some people have pets when they are never home through the day and sometimes late at night. The pets get up to mischief and they don't get the attention they deserve. We wont be replacing Puschka - we are getting old and it's too heartbreaking when a pet goes to pet heaven. Now it's just the GD Couch the dog and me. Today is another day.

Hi

Cool Dude (The GD) in Papeete

I think I have just about caught up on all the mundane things around the place. I've managed to edit about half of the photographs taken on our long voyage. I've trimmed most of the overgrown plants in the garden - them that didn't die on me. This afternoon I started to tackle the bouganvillia. This has to be done in stages to avoid nasty injuries from the thorns. So far so good.

I don't think I mentioned that the cat was just skin and bone and flea ridden when we got home so after a week we took him to the vet because he also wasn't eating. Well, they couldn't find anything wrong with him other than he's quite old and any further tests for things like bone cancer would be too invasive for him and we wouldn't be following on any treatment if he had it. He's not in any pain or miscomfort. The fleas are no longer a problem and he's still not eating much and fussier than ever about what he eats, when he does eat, so we think he's just a senile old cat and will live out the rest of his life in his garden as he sees fit. That all resulted in a pretty hefty vet bill. The dog didn't take long to fit back into our daily routine - looking for too many treats.

We received a little much need rain today but nothing like the rest of the area has had in the past couple of days.

After all my Contract bridge lessons on the ship I came back to find that my community centre played Auction Bridge. I think with a little practice I'll to able to adjust to the difference. I found Contract Bridge a little more challenging and interesting though.

Off to play cards again tomorrow, thursday - 500 and then Hand & Food Canasta.

I don't know when I'll get back to painting but I have a few ideas up my sleeve for when I do. I think I'll give pastles a go as I have seen some really great works using brilliant colours, which always appeal to me.

See you soon with a couple more shots from the cruise.

Home again

The Great Dane - Leaving Sydney 5th July (Bottom photo)
In Auckland ready to depart (top photo) We had an afternoon thunderstorm in Auckland and that was as about as cold as it got on the whole trip.

Hi Folks, We've been back from our looooong cruise about a week and a half now and after dealing with a sick cat and some credit card fraud we are just about back on track to normality, whatever that may be.

We've seen some wonderful places and some very dirty, unhealthy places. It's a pity but the latter seems to become more embedded on the mind. Home is the best place to live after taking a peek at how the rest of the world lives. The weather has stayed kind to us all the way around the world with the tragedies like sunamies, earth quakes and floods, either happening after leaving an area or sometime before we were in the vacinity. We have met some great people, had lots of laughs and been entertained by some excellent performers.

What is the chore I hate most since being home apart from keeping the place generally clean? It is changing the bed. The first day home I wandered around in a daze wondering what to do - no cards, no trivial persuites, no gym, no lectures, no deck to wander around on, nothing. Well that didn't last long did it. A load of washing, set the table for lunch, feed the cat, water the garden and so it goes. You know how it is.

I would love to have spent more time in many of the ports we visited and some I have not desire to return. I'm pleased to have been a first time visitor to the Pyrimids but wouldn't want to see Ciaro again. There were fresh water (if you could call it that) canals with rubbish piled up against the bridges across the canal which included dead carcases of water buffalo and other animals. Along the canal a short way there was children swimming in the water. Because of being misinformed by the cruise line representative we spoke to about Visas, we didn't get to go ashore in India and by all accounts it would rival Cairo for it's lack of hygiene.

Although the Mediterannean was physically a bit draining - a new port every day almost - I would be more than happy to see it all again. The whole cruise all seems to blend, one port with another and I am about to start sorting my photographs on the computer when I'm sure all the places will be refreshed in my memory. I'll just add a couple on the blog as I go along. Nice to be back.

This is a painting I did about 3 years ago - dawn at Kingscliff NSW.

Only 6 more sleeps and we will be on those very same Pacific high seas . I'm not excited - ha ha. I've zipped up my suitcase - can't fit anymore into it. It's probably just as well that we have to fly to Sydney to get on the ship or I'd probably find ways to fit more in.

Nothing much to put on my blog today but would like to thank those who left such nice comments on my previous inputs.
We had a couple of friends for a long lunch yesterday. We haven't seen them for about 9 months and had a lot to catch up on. Today our house sitter arives to get used to the routine with the animals and to learn to manage the pool and the garden and any other little routines one establishes around their home. The sitter will be staying till we return from our cruise mid October. For those of you who follow my blog just click on to my follower, The Great Dane, (That's the fellow in the viking helmet - Secher's Blog) who also happens to be my husband. We will be posting our journey on there whenever possible. We fly to Sydney and embark on the 5th July and we are already packed and excited. We will be heading east across the Pacific with the first port of call in New Zealand. Please feel free to join us in cyberspace.

The photo on my header was taken this afternoon as I walked along the foreshore where I live.

Another painting ready for the framers. It's a place in South Australia called Fleurieu Peninsular. I might do a series of beaches throughout Australia. The first one being the one I sold of Cable Beach Western Australia. I rather like doing the sky, sand and water element of the compositions. I have a big one on the go (1 x 1.2 meters) but am finding it a bit daunting but I think I know why I have become stuck so I will probably finish that off next - maybe after our trip. It's from a photo taken at Caloundra Queensland.