Xena Warrior Princess

Fourteen and a half years ago I was told by my then husband and two daughters that we were getting a new pet ( a dog). My response was a resounding NOOOOOOO. For all my protest she still arrived. She visited for one night to see if she liked us and we liked her. She stayed for fourteen and a half years.

Her first week I slept with her downstairs and then took a week off work to try and settle her into some routine. (That was a joke she made up her routine as she went along.) After two weeks she got sick with kennel cough,I still remember her snuggled up on my chest fast asleep. As much as I said no she became a very big part of my life.

I remember spending several hours looking for her one day only to find she had chewed the mesh under an old lounge chair and made a hammock for herself and fell asleep.

Her first couple of years were a nightmare she tried to escape from every nook and cranny in the back yard. I spent a fortune on mesh and wood to stop her squeezing through fences and digging under them.

I have so many memories of her digging, chewing and escaping. She became a part of our family and my life. She saved my sanity and my life when my marriage fell apart. She became my best friend, she gave me comfort and healing, she never judged, yelled, cried or talked back, she just gave me lots of love and cuddles.

This week the time came for me to repay all her love and companionship in a way that I hated having to do, I made the decision to have her put to sleep.

She had stopped eating on Monday so we took her to the vet on Tuesday the results came in on Tuesday night saying her kidneys were failing and I needed to get a urine sample. What fun job that was standing around waiting for her to pee and then getting a bottle under her when she did. She didn't mind though because I think she knew or maybe by then she didn't really care.
What followed will be etched in my memory forever. The vet saying this is not curable and we could make her comfortable for the next 4-6 weeks. How do you make them comfortable by sticking needles into them and shoving pills down their throat and putting them on drips because they are not eating because their gums are swollen and their teeth are sore and they feel sick. How I ask you HOW???
So on the 01/06/2011 at 10.15am I made one of the hardest decisions I have made in my life to have my best friend put to sleep. Rest in Peace my baby girl because I won't for a while to come. Guilt is not an easy friend to live with even though I feel I did right by her I still fell guilty. Did I make the right the decision or not, there was no going back, when the vet brought her back into to me after it was done I thought NOOOOO again. (Come back for one last cuddle and smile).
She will be sadly missed.

Xena warrior princess beagle born the 10/12/96 died the 01/06/11.

Now two days later I look at her empty bowl, her blanket, her toys and her photo and wonder what if I had changed my mind. I could have had 4-6 weeks with her But would that have been fair on her?

Love you baby. R.I.P.

My daughters wedding day

Here are some pics of my daughters wedding day even though it rained you could not wipe the smiles from the happy bride and grooms face. In the above picture is my ex to the left Brett, Jess, Myself and Steve.

Sarah, Brett, Jess, Me and Steve

The Bridal Party and yes one of the groomsmen was a female

My two lovely daughters Sarah and Jessica.

All the grandparents that are still alive were there to see the day.

Even though it rained it was a lovely day.

The happy couple.

My Jess. She is so beautiful.

The team trying to get the mud off the dress before the reception.


All The Guests

The twists in life

Today is not a happy day but a day to remember my lovely Aunt passed away she was a woman that in today's world would rarely been seen, she was a woman of character and principal she was an artist in her dressmaking and paintings. She would make you laugh just by talking to her. My regret is I did not visit her in her final days, I was always to busy (no excuse). Beating myself up will accomplish nothing. May she rest in peace. May her children and grand children and great children see what she was made of and move forward and be as great as she was.

Wedding

Two and a half days to go and the wedding is upon us so looking forward to seeing my beautiful daughter get married. Rock on Saturday. Will post lots of photos after the day. :)

Our wildlife over the past twelve months

Some of our ringtails in care at the moment. In the front is Prue and the eyes you can see are Basil's our third is called Manny.

This is Ruby one of our girls that we had for a short time she is still alive and thriving with a new creche.

My biggest animal and baby in care my hubby Steve.

Our Tawnies day time shot. They are all in a don't care mood as they are not hungry.

Night time shot. All alert and hungry or full.

This is Bertie one of our Brushies due for release soon he now weighs about 1.5kg.

One of our tawnies.

I Am Back

It has been a while since I last posted, not long, nearly a year. Have spent most of the past year working and doing more work. We are still into our wildlife caring but we will be taking a small break of three weeks in April which I think I am in desperate need of, my last break from all the daily routine was in April 2008. We have had many new and varied species in our lives and have been enjoying all the knowledge and the company of our wildlife. I am thinking of changing my blog title to my wildlife, either that or Life in my fifties but as I enjoy writing more about my animals I think that maybe the better option.

At the moment we have some great new little friends to care for five cute ringtails. I have two creches one with 2 males and a female and the other two females. I have made the difficult decision not to do brushtails any more they are cute, cuddly, tenacious and very hard to move on hence my reasoning for not doing them any more. Working nearly full time and caring tends to be a bit difficult at the best of times.

On a different note my eldest daughter gets married in three weeks so there are lots of preparations going on and I am looking forward to the big event. (Even though it means seeing all the ex in laws and out laws). Seriously though even that I don't think will be to bad. I think maybe I am growing.

As each day passes I feel more confident in myself and my relationship with my husband it has taken me a long time to get to where I am. I have started to learn that with time and love comes healing.

Back to Life in my Forties

Have gone off on a tangent lately with the animals but will try to get back on track for a little bit any way.

My eldest daughter Jess has announced that her and her partner are getting married and hope to be having a child soon, given her health history of late, I am over the moon and am hoping things go right for them both for a change. On another side I am working part time and so is Steve, so the question arises how on earth are we going to help pay for the wedding. I am already working six days a week and finances are starting to get tight, with the economic climate as it stands at the moment I am worried.

I thought that when I reached my forties I would be at least be moderately well off considering I have worked most of my life but (Life) sometimes throws you some curve balls. For example divorce, bankruptcy, redundancy, bills etc.

Just hope it all works out. But my ex husband has informed our daughters that he is retiring next year so hopefully he will pay for a change. O My God how bad does that sound (bitter and twisted) . Sorry.

Maybe I should return to writing about my animals at least I get enjoyment from them with their antics and won't come across as getting just plain old and a whiner.

Oh to be happy, young and CAREFREE like my baby animals, they get cleaned and fed and will be released back out into the wild, maybe I should come back as one of them. God that sounds good. No bills, no work, no housework, no stress and no worries.