Big life stuff

I wasn't buying this paragon of clean living temperance hogwash* for moment myself.

Are you back on the red meat and processed cheese as well yet?

EDIT: *I was referring to Russ and not my good self, for vthe avoidance of doubt.

Nope, still following a pretty clean diet and still lifting 4-5 times a week. It hasn't all gone to shit.

Give it time

I like being fit more than I like being off my face, and being fit gets you laid at 51 much more effectively than being drunk.

I can't be arsed to trawl back through, but my memory is when challenged on what you would do when single you denied what we all knew would happen.

I'm married and I still get dirty sex. I don't what the problem is...Other than having to buy her a house, rake leaves for five hours a day on my day off and buy a mattress for $3500.

Oh.....

Chicago: Freedom Fighter.

I'm very sure I did, I probably convinced myself I was going to be a responsible mature middle aged man. Instead I chose fun.

As good a place as any for this, I guess.

Forest aside, this Christmas is totally shit. Today we said goodbye to one of our cats, and I am absolutely devastated. He was young and seemed entirely healthy a week ago, but developed breathing problems which led to a week in pet hospital. We found out that his heart had failed and even if he recovered his life would be short. He got well enough to come home, but not enough for us to even consider asking him to hang on any longer.

Unlike normal people my age, I’ve never experienced a loss like this before. I know people have all sorts of different relationships with pets… but this cat was a huge part of my family and life, same for Ms Noodle. We know that he lived an incredibly happy life, and a short happy life is better than so many animals get, but it’s tough as fuck, and so sudden. We’re off on our move to the countryside in a couple of months and the fact that he won’t be with us is surreal.

I have cried more this week than any other. Like the little beta wuss I am proud to be.

Love your pets, guys. They’re not forever and if they’re anything like my lil’ guy, they’ll give it back a thousand times over.

Losing pets is fucking brutal man, I'm sorry. It's the contract we sign up for when we bring them into our lives but it doesn't make it any easier.

Sorry to read about that Noodle.

Losing pets is absolutely horrible.

I may have mentioned this before, but when our cat Pickle went missing my ten-year-old daughter created a load of Missing posters with a photo of pickle and our phone number. Nothing for several days, then we got a call from a bloke who said he’d found her and would bring her round. We heard his car arrive so I went outside with my very excited daughter to welcome Pickle home. The bloke opens his door and hands me an Asda carrier bag with two stiff legs sticking out of the top. He’d found her alright, and kindly scraped her off the road. As you can imagine, my daughter was somewhat distraught. True story.

I don't remember hearing that before. Brutal.

We only have tropical fish. Mostly don't notice when they die as the other fish/snails in tank eat the evidence. When numbers get low just add some more.

Less traumatic but less cuddly.

Losing a pet can be a real struggle. Especially when it’s sudden. It’s not a huge comfort but, as said, giving it a good life it might not have otherwise had is something.

Noodle. Totally understand. When we had our Christmas Day fright with our cat (we have three and my favourite has diabetes) had to go to the emergency vet with bleeding, we feared the worst. We have had tragic heart failure on another one of our favourites which was sudden. It’s horrible but the quickest way to get over heartbreak is to allow another little critter into your life so you can love again. You will never forget your pet but having new ones in in your home will help.

Chicago: sympathetic.

I still try to not think about my first dog dying. Was 6 months older than me. Parented me in a dogish way.

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.