The Beach

With the first day of summer looming tomorrow, my thoughts turn to the beach.

Mr S and I spent a lovely 30 minutes one evening last week sitting on this seat and observing the beach.

There was much to see. People walking their dogs. Seagulls wheeling in the sky and stalking each other across the sand. And a ship moving up the bay towards The Heads.

Mr S was in his PJs, so I didn't want him running around, but he had lots of enjoyment sitting with his mummy. There was also a fair bit of jumping on the seat! He is very talkative, so there were lots of words to explore. And watching the dogs was a highlight. Since Mil has left us, Mr S has become very very interested in other dogs.

Winter Hats

It's been a cold winter for Melbourne. I've been busily knitting, but a bit slow about finishing anything. However, I have managed to complete two hats for my toddler. Ya!!

The first is made from Shepherd's Colour 4 Me in a good strong traditional red. It's 100% wool and knits up well. I used a Sirdar pattern (1682). I've also knitted a matching jacket - I just have one more side seam to sew on that, however it's been at that stage for well over a month!

The hat is nice. I added the stalk.



The second hat is really more of an old fashion 'helmet'. It's a Zoe Mellor pattern. It needs the tie to keep it on properly. It is designed to be close fitting and if not tied on it pops up. If I was knitting it again I'd knitted it a couple of sizes bigger and at least 3 cm longer so I could do away with the ties. I knitted it from Sublime Baby Cashmere, Silk, Merino DK. Super soft, but it does pill a bit. The hat also has a pompom!

I haven't been spending much time in the garden. Too cold and too difficult with Mr S. We did plant some bulb recently (they should have gone in during February!). Mr S now refers to the garden as a sandpit!

Despite the neglect, or maybe because of it there are some nice vignettes that have appeared naturally. Here lie the fruits of the Pseudocydonia nestling amongst decaying leaves.

We are still missing Mil very much. Mr S still asks about her and was very excited yesterday when he saw a picture of a blue heeler. She lives on in our hearts and our memories, but it is still very sad and painful.

Wishing you well on your journey

We buried Mil today.

She is lying next to Chewton in the backyard. While I dug the grave, Robert and Mr S went and bought some lovely flowers. The lady at 'Bodaceous Blooms' in Dromana remembered Robert buying flowers for Chewton a few years ago. Buying flowers for dog funerals must be unusual. She gave Robert a substantial discount. Her gift to Mil. Very kind and generous.

We burnt some incense at the grave. We spoke about Mil's life, what she liked, funny incidents, what she meant to us, why we love her. We cried. But we are happy that we knew Mil. We think she had a good life. We hope she loved us. We think she did.

I don't know what happens when you die. Maybe you just die. Maybe there is something else. If there is I hope Mil is happy.

Thank you to everybody who has been kind and said lovely, supportive things.

We miss her terribly. No more tip tapping of paws on the floor boards. We are a dogless house for the first time in around 20 years. Very sad.

The Mil is dead, long live The Mil

The Mil died today.


She wasn't well last night. The first inkling I had was a refusal of dinner. She had been OK during the afternoon. But last night she just wanted to lie down and pant. Mmmmm. Not good.


So she was taken to the vet first thing this morning.


He immediately diagnosed a stomach tumor that had exploded and was bleeding internally. He thought that she also had tumors in her spleen and liver.


I had no warning. I didn't know how ill she was. She was gruff, feisty, loving and slightly enigmatic to the end. She was probably in pain, but she was good at hiding her illness.


She was a good, tolerant dog. In 2006, following the birth of my son I did wonder how she would cope. But although she steadfastly ignored him for the first three months or so, she ended up interacting on a daily basis with good temper. As Mr S became more mobile she tolerated him, and in the end I think quite liked him. She allowed him to pat her, cuddle her and even pull her ears. She would even lie down for him. Pretty good for a 14 year old dog who didn't grow up with children.


The first three photos below were taken last April, just after she recovered from a mysterious illness.





Here she is having a cuddle in January 2006.

And at the beach January 2006.

And on 27 May 2008 with Mr S.

Love you Mil.

Finally!

Well, it's a few weeks since I posted. Life's been 'out of control' busy. Nothing disastrous, just busy. Every time I thought about blogging something happened to prevent me!


There has been slow progress on my projects. But finally the red rib cardi is almost finished. I just need to sew it up.

I don't think I will ever knit this again . I'm pretty sure I'm going to like it when it's finished BUT at the moment - Mmmmmmm. I just HATED the endless rib - rib - rib - rib - rib - rib - rib [well you get the idea].


I've also finished knitting the teal and orange hoodie, but it's half sewn up and in a state of visual disarray, so no picture til it's done! Hopefully very soon.


And now that I've finished knitting two items, I've allowed myself to cast on a couple of new things. I don't have strict rules about how many items I can have on the go at any one time, but one is not enough (I need to be able switch projects if I get fed up with something); two or three is manageable; and once I get to four or five I'm starting to feel out of control.


This winter hat for Mr S uses the Benambra Blue yarn that I bought at the Red Hill Show in March. It feels beautifully soft. It's a mix of wool and silk. It has some imperfections (fluffy slubby bits and some variations in thickness), so it suits a more rustic design. You couldn't knit the perfect twin set with it!


And this is the start of a cardigan for Mr S using Jo Sharp's DK Silkroad Tweed in navy. It's difficult to see the pattern, but it's a variation on the basketweave pattern. Mr S is in DESPERATE need of a navy cardigan. I'm hoping I can whiz this one up a bit more quickly than the two months it took to knit the red cardi!


On the domestic front:

Autumn in the garden is in full swing. These yellow kniphofias flower every year at this time. I have other kniphofias that flower during summer and winter. The leaves are turning colour and I'm feeling a bit sad. I love autumn, it's beautiful, but it feels like everything is dying. AND it's almost dark at 5pm!! YUK.

Mil seems fine. Her illness is a total mystery. The specialist vet has asked that I make contact with him at the end of May and suggested doing the heart tests again in a few months. The pictures are The Mil outside in the street. She loves going out side our house; it's a real treat for her. All the doggy smells. She can spend a long time with her nose firmly pressed to the ground!

So far Mr S is doing well with the introduction of food. The Organic Cookbook is a gem. I've cooked 'First Vegetables' and 'Cheesy Potato' - both delicious (even if I say so myself).

The Mil

Well after a bumpy week, she appears a bit better today. But still no diagnosis.

This week we have been to the vet nearly every day. We have had x-rays, ultra sounds and ECGs! I drove up to Glen Waverly yesterday to the Melbourne Vet Referral Hospital for another expert opinion.

Still worried, but relieved that nothing dreadful has been found.

Thank you to everybody for the well wishes.

'The Mil' in one of her favorite hidey holes

In the Wars

Poor Mil (our aged and beloved blue heeler) - she has been in dog hospital all weekend with an extremely high temperature among other symptoms. I have just brought her home. It finishes a week of vet visits, with more to look forward to next week.

Last night I missed her terribly. I was surprised just how much I talk to her - I noticed because I kept starting to say something and of course she wasn't there! I'm also really aware of her in a spatial sense - I know it sounds strange, but I'm really conscious of where she 'is' in the house. Last night I found myself looking for her as I passed her usual haunts. I felt a real emptiness.

So pleased she's back. She's still not her bright happy self, but she's much improved from where she was on Saturday morning.