28 August 2015

Weekend reading


This is our much loved cat, Hettie. You can see in the photo she has developed skin cancer on her ear and nose, and she has arthritis in her front legs.  Lately she's lost weight and energy.  She'll be visiting the vet today and I doubt she'll return to us.  Hettie is 18 years old and has lived her entire life here in our home and yard.  ♥︎  I think it will be a sad weekend.

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Holocaust research shows epigenetic inheritance - the transmission of trauma
Blood oranges are one of my favourite fruits although I usually forget about them because we grow our own oranges and by the time we've eaten and juiced our way through our trees, I'm over oranges for a few months. But then I'm reminded of these little beauties - they're perfect in our whole orange cake and if you make icing with the juice, it's pink. However, this recipe for rice pudding using the zest might be a good way to use one of the oranges you buy. You'll have to hurry though, the Australian season will be over soon.
Self-sufficient couple builds their own floating off-grid island
When will my life begin?
Knitting project for northern winter - free pattern

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63 comments

  1. Thinking of you today and your precious Hettie xxx

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  2. Rhonda, I am so sorry. My thoughts are with you and Hanno.

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  3. Hugs. All the love to Hettie.

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  4. Oh I'm sorry about Hettie. Our animals are truly members of our family. My heart breaks every time we lose one of our fur babies.

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  5. Hugs. Always sad to have to say goodbye to a beloved pet.

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  6. So sorry about Hettie - animals share our lives and validate our days in so many ways. Whatever the outcome lets hope it is peaceful for Hettie.
    Thanks for the links - so many of them rather engaging .... the transfer of trauma one especially eye-opening.

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  7. Sorry to read about sweet Hettie. She's had a long, loving and good life with you two and your family.

    FlowerLady

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  8. it's always terribly sad to lose a pet - so a big cyber hug from me x

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  9. I bet she's had a wonderul life, it's very sad to lose a dearly loved pet...best of luck for whatever the outcome x

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  10. Sorry to hear about your much loved Hettie, Rhonda. I will be sorry to see the end of the Aussie orange growing season as I just love navels.

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  11. So sorry about Hettie, and for your sadness at this time. She is a beautiful cat.

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  12. Dear Rhonda- our cat Pepper will be 15 this December and she has arthritis in her back legs. I do not think it will be that long before we have to make a choice like you have to. Sending you a cuddle as another page turns in your life book. x x

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  13. Hugs coming your way. She looks like a real princess but it is hard to watch such a lovely girl suffering.

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  14. Hettie has had s good life with you both, nice and safe in her wonderful garden. It will be a sad day if she doesn't come home with you and the place will feel empty without her. Cats are so little, but it surprising what a difference it makes when they are are no longer with you. Our thoughts are with you and Hanno today

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  15. Very sorry to hear about your Hettie. (((hugs)))

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  16. I 'm so sorry about your kitty. I have gone through that several times and it is so hard! But they are so precious when they are with you. I always get another altho at the time i swear I won't do that again! My sincere sympathy.

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  17. Upholding you and Hettie on such a sad day Rhonda - I had the one-way trip to the vet with my last cat a few months ago and I still tear up thinking about it. Peace and hugs to you both.

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  18. But I bet it was a wonderful 18 years for Hettie and all.
    they will always be missed.

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  19. poor old Hettie. She sounds like she has had a wonderful life by your side. She must have loved you both being at home more in her senior years. Much love to you all. Go gently....

    xxxx

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  20. So very sorry to hear about Hettie. Losing pets is so difficult when they are such faithful companions.
    xo

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  21. So sorry to hear about your beautiful Hettie, we went through the same thing earlier in the year with our family dog, it's never easy. Will be thinking of you and your family today xx

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  22. Sad to hear about Hettie, I was thinking about her a few days ago, and wondering how she was. Gentle hugs for her and will be thinking of you and Hanno today and over the weekend, wishing peace to all.

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  23. I'm very sorry about little Hettie.

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  24. Very sorry to hear about your dear Hettie...God's Peace to you & Hanno.

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  25. Hi Rhonda, thinking of you. Hettie has had a very good innings at 18 and been lucky enough to have had a lovely home xx

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  26. oh Rhonda and Hanno, it is indeed a very sad time, she has had a long and much loved life with you.
    Love from Sue

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  27. Very sad news about Hettie :( Sounds like she has had a wonderful life. I hope there is some sunshine for you this weekend xx

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  28. Oh poor kitty :( I'm so sorry she's unwell. Thinking of you and sending a gentle hug for Hettie xx

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  29. Thinking of you this weekend Rhonda.kxx

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  30. Sorry to hear about sweet Hettie :( How fortunate she was to share her entire life in your good care. xo
    -Jaime

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  31. Sorry to hear about Hettie. The loss of a furry family member is always hard but the memory of the love they gave lives on. I have always said that pets are the only love your money can buy, and it is an unconditional love to always be cherished. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

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  32. So sorry to hear about Hettie. Here it is possible to let the vet come to your house and have the animal put to sleep in its own environment. I always preferred that to the stressful environment of the vets office. But not every vet will do it, unfortunately. Grieving for your animals is not understood well by those who don't have them. But is is a huge loss. So I wish you and your family strength these coming days.

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  33. I am so sorry to hear about Hettie. I am glad however, that she had many wonderful years with you and you family. We just recently lost our old tomcat Beauford and I miss him everyday! You and your family will be in my prayers this weekend. Rose in western NC

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  34. Your kitty is beautiful. I know she lived a happy life with you. And thank you for sharing your weekend reading posts. I love looking through your list. There are always a couple of links that jump out at me and I enjoy following them and discovering the insights into life, living, the world, cooking, whatever the topic may be that I wouldn't normally have found on my own. It makes for very enjoyable reading with my morning cup of coffee and I look forward to it every Friday. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  35. Deciding when to say goodbye is the hardest decision as a pet owner. But unfortunately one we all have to make. Sending you hugs

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  36. It is no real consolation, but it sounds as though Hettie was well loved and well cared for during her lifetime. It is always sad to say goodbye, though.

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  37. so sorry to hear about Hettie! only recently lost animals myself it's a very sad time, thinking of you both. she has had a wonderful life with you.
    hugs to all
    selina from kilkivan qld

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  38. Love and hugs to you, Hettie, and to your wonderful family. Thinking of you all. Xx

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  39. Thinking of you, it will be a tough day. But as animals owners and animal lovers we have to put their needs before our own feelings at times. It is never easy and hurts so much. We had this sad decision to make earlier this year.

    I bet she had a wonderful life with you. xx

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  40. Poem For Cats

    And God asked the feline spirit
    Are you ready to come home?
    Oh, yes, quite so, replied the precious soul
    And, as a cat, you know I am most able
    To decide anything for myself.

    Are you coming then? asked God.
    Soon, replied the whiskered angel
    But I must come slowly
    For my human friends are troubled
    For you see, they need me, quite certainly.

    But don't they understand? asked God
    That you'll never leave them?
    That your souls are intertwined. For all eternity?
    That nothing is created or destroyed?
    It just is....forever and ever and ever.

    Eventually they will understand,
    Replied the glorious cat
    For I will whisper into their hearts
    That I am always with them
    I just am....forever and ever and ever.

    Author Unknown

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    1. So beautiful...I have copied this and posted it on my blog, I hope you don't mind. Most if not all of my blog readers love cats as much as I do, and I know they will love this.

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    2. Someone sent this poem to me when I lost my beloved 18 year old cat, and I've passed it on to several friends & relatives when they've lost feline friends. I find it very comforting. I wish I could find the author's name, it's so lovely. If anyone knows who wrote it, I'd love to know x

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  41. Sending warm thoughts and prayers to you and your family. Pets are precious and it's hard to watch them decline. We said goodbye to our 10-yr-old kitty two weeks ago. It's hard. My heart is with you.

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  42. You may remember seeing my posts on the forum last month about losing our 12 year old black cat. So I know where you are at right now....hugs from me and hubby.
    xxxxx

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  43. Hugs, Rhonda and Hanno XO Farewell dear Hettie ~ may you forever bask in the morning sun XO

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  44. I'm so sorry about Hettie. What a lovely old gal. You gave her many, many best years. May your hearts remember her fondly and may her old body find rest.

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  45. I am so, so sorry to hear about your cat. I am a cat lover and have three of my own. My oldest is 16 now and just had a senior check-up at the vet. His blood work showed a slightly high level of BUN and something else (a pancreatic marker), both of which start to point to signs of kidney disease. Common in cats, especially males, but still...it is really scaring me. I feed my cats a very healthy (natural cat food) diet, so I do the best I can with their health. He's been with us since he was a baby (showed up on our property as a stray), so I know how heartbreaking it is when your pets get older and you know you're going to lose them. Blessings to you.

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  46. Your cat is so adorable! She is so pretty! Much love being sent to her and also to your family as you grieve for her.

    -Suzanne

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  47. Aww, Rhonda. I'm sorry to hear this. I hope you all find comfort in precious memories. Another benefit of staying home that we may not think about…our furry friends always have us there to love them. That must make them very happy:)

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  48. I'm so sorry about Hettie not being well. I'm sure she has had the best life a cat could ever want! ( HUGS ) for you & Hanno. I do have some good news!! I've FINALLY got your book !! Amazon here in the US got it in and has shipped it to me! It's every bit as wonderful as I imagined and I haven't even got to read all of it yet! Thank You for all your hard work you put in to share with all of us your knowledge on simple living!

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  49. I adopted (rescued) a long-haired white cat many years ago. I remember the first thing the vet told me was to put sunscreen on her ears and nose when and if she went outside to protect her from skin cancer. I never allowed my cats outside, so I didn't worry about that. They were strictly house cats. I'm so very sorry about your sweet Hettie. Cats of that age usually have some sort of kidney failure. I've nursed them with subQ's, special diets, and all the love I could give them. It's always heart breaking to lose a much loved pet. Hopefully she's just going through a few rough low days. If not, know that she had a wonderful life with a very special family that loved her very much.

    I also have your book on order! Mine is coming from England. My US Amazon order was cancelled.

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    1. White cats are certainly very special. Unfortunately, Hettie didn't return with us and died yesterday afternoon. Thanks for your kind words.

      Did you get yours from the Book Depository?

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  50. So sorry to hear about Hettie :( at the very least she is at peace and likely died very happy after a great life in your backyard. RIP beautiful Hettie

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  51. I'm so sorry about Hettie, Rhonda and Hanno. I know she was very much loved.

    Rhonda, it might be me but the last link for the knitting pattern just takes me to the Blogger sign in page. Is anyone else having the same difficulty

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    1. Thanks Cassie. The link is fixed. Thanks for letting me know.

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  52. So sorry about Hettie. What a sweet faced kitty. Hugs to all of you. XO

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  53. What a nice life she must have had with you. A bit rough around the edges but loved like an old teddy bear, I'm sure. xxx

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  54. What a long and much loved life she has had, sending lots of love to you and Hanno xxxx

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  55. So sorry to hear of you're sweet cat passing away. Big hugs to you. I read your blog in chunks, since I don't read blogs daily anymore. I've been wanting to get your book forever and notice they are out of stock on Amazon but I'm going to put my name on the list for when they get more. I've read your blog for years and enjoy it, I don't comment a lot. Thinking of you!


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