Big life stuff

I read this the other week and felt real sympathy, although I've never really suffered a proper pet bereavement before today.

Just got back from the vets having had to say goodbye to Rosie, the beautiful, sweet, affectionate, gentle-natured little rescue cat we brought back from the shelter in 2011. First experience of pet euthanasia, which was absolutely the right call in the circumstances but still pretty brutal to witness.

I feel bereft and not really sure what to do with myself at the minute. Dreading Little Miss BW getting back from school later - they were inseparable. She knew Rosie was slowing down and had been struggling for a few days, but she's going to be utterly broken.

I hope you and yours are doing OK, Noodle.

Really sorry to hear that BW.. it goes without saying that I have a fair idea what you’re going through.. but it must be extra tough for Little Miss.

Ms Noodlé always had cats when she was growing up and she remembers the first time she lost a cat that she’d really bonded with. That was an older cat, so it wasn’t a huge shock.. but it was still a huge loss. With our cat, the suddenness of it all kinda left us dazed.. but I guess the end result is the same whether or not we see it coming,

We’re recovering from it all, but it’s still really noticeable that there is something missing. Our guy was quite the character. Mind you, our other cat is not missing him in the slightest and seems perfectly happy with developments, so she’s been good tonic.

Job done. I am an official country gent. There’s a possum living in my workshop.

Have you started eating a lot of peaches yet?

They come from a can and were put there by a man in a factory downtown, I'm told.

As long as I can dream about you… woman.

There's a dingo eating your baby.

Tell 'im 'e's dreamin'

Could go in Mundane Medical but this seemed more appropriate. This week I started therapy, I don't feel particularly mental but I have a very close friend who is a big advocate and she has been encouraging me to give it a try and see what it does for me. First session was unsurprising in that I didn't end up talking about or discovering anything new about myself, but it was still quite a jolt to suddenly be voicing all the things that go around in my head to a complete stranger. Unfortunately it ended up with me also voicing shit that I know I have to do but have been trying to avoid having to, and now I've said it I can't avoid it.

Early days, but I'm encouraged that this is going to be healthy even if it's not going to be all that easy.

I have been considering doing some online therapy for a while, just to help with the times when I'm stressed, maybe learn some better techniques of controlling it.

When I was young I didn't mind stress, now, if it's more than a week or two of consistent stress it starts to really get to me

Maybe the year to finally pull the trigger.

Maybe phrase it differently though?

Fair point

My first day back at work as an electrician at Heathrow went well.

What convinced me was realizing that if it wasn't any use it would presumably be because it turns out I'm a really well adjusted and stable individual, which of course we all know to be the case. But in reality, it's probably helpful to talk to a trained professional with no preconceptions and see if they can help me find perspective.

I'm now of the view that probably everyone should do it, and most people's benefits cover it specifically.

Not over here I don't think