The Framers Forum

... for those of you out there who love mogs, it's my Saoirse's birthday today (the lady in my website logo). Her brother was this little fella...




His name is Amadán (Irish for "Fool"... named for the day).

Amadán was tragically taken from me by someone driving home Paddy's night five years ago. He was so very full of life, and two weeks shy of his third birthday. Picking him up off the road was the worst moment of my life. He has never had a proper memorial...

If you can find it in your heart, please say a little prayer for him today. He and Saoirse are my soulmates. I miss him so very badly, and I am very grateful that I have Saoirse in my life. Also, please say a prayer that Saoirse will have a ridiculously long, long, healthy and happy life....

Áine
I am not a cat person - but have the same feelings for my beautiful black lab Bob - if the house were to burn down the dog would be the one thing all of my family would think of rescuing first. Having said I am not a cat person I do have a cat - who likes the fact that I am not a cat person as he thinks he,s a dog. Woody is a very large very fluffy black cat who was rescued from my woodshed as a very tiny still blind kitten. His mother had obviously dropped him and he had dropped through the logs and she couldnt retrieve him. My daughter heard him mewing - removed the logs and rescued the poor thing.

With around the clock care - feeding via a syringe and cared for rather unexpectedly by the new black lab puppy in our life, who replaced his mother in the very frequent and excessivley damp washes administered to his new brother.

As I said he is now huge - likes to drag in large rats to play with - normally leaves them for me to remove alive. He has a cat flap that he refuses to use and can miraculously appear at any window asking to be let in - normally in the early hours of the morning - his persistent banging on the bedroom window of unsuspecting guests having frightened some. he hides on the stairs and attacks anyone who fails to spot him - yet never hurts, keeping the razor sharp claws well hidden. But for the non cat lover he has a special treat - he likes to sit on my lap - if I attempt to move him off he bites me - and thats why I like him.

So long life to Moglets Moggie.

Hi Aine

I'm also a pet lover, so you have my prayers. We have five rescued dogs, 3 lurchers (Yazz, Fred & Zico) and 2 Jack Russels (Ronnie & Reggie). Also we have a brain damaged cat which was rescued. Our cat (Mollie) is unable to climb, she walks sideways like a crab, wont go out the garden and thinks she's just like the other 5 dogs.

Yes it does not end there, we also have two horses (Storm & Bono).


Here is one of our Jack Russels trying a bit of body boarding

Ah! A dog-in-a-cat-suit! Thanks for sharing Woody's happy story, Mark. Thankfully, I've not had to contend with live rats! And of course Woody doesn't need to use the cat-flap: he has staff to let him in!

I'm glad to hear that you and your family have such a strong and loving connection with Bob. It's such a precious gift!

There's gonna be major excitement here shortly: breaking out the T.U.N.A.!!

Thanks, Gary!

Great picture! Ronnie and Reggie, eh? I'm never gonna think of the Kray twins the same way again!

Aine

I'm not a great cat lover but love dogs - sure wish your your beloved Saoirse a long and healthy life

What a great shot of the Jack Russell body boarding - just made my day Gary

Ross

Thanks for that, Ross! I really like dogs, too, btw.

Belated Happy Birthday Saoirse!!

Great name for the other fella! Amadan only u would think of it!!

Apologies for no fadas, tooo lazee!!

Sorry to hear about Amadán. Even Molly’s sad.



She, too, misses our late, departed Teapot – well, just a little.

Hi Áine,

Sorry to hear about Amadán. Although they are not human, the relationship we have with our animals is still something very meaningful and they leave a sad empty hole when they are gone.

Thanks all for your kindness and thought (and a special 'thankyou' to Molly!). There isn't a day goes by but I miss Amadán. Saoirse gets 'two-of-everything' affectionwise ever since. Yes, NYAF, they leave a huge hole behind them, and the closer one's bond with them, the less likely it will ever be filled.

My thoughts are also with all other members who have lost animal companions, especially those who have suffered recent losses.

I do take comfort from the fact that Amadán was happy and loved every minute of his life.

The only digital photos of our cat I have were taken during his last few weeks. I have some corkers I could scan though.

The day he left us - and we knew he would any day - I got up after Pat, who was sitting on the sofa in the conservatory; walked past Sammy 'asleep' with an empty food bowl next to him, so I knew he had very recently eaten quite a bit.

"How's Sammy?"

"He's gone" (brokenly)

I went back to Sammy, put my finger under his chin, lifted his head slightly - realisation. Hugged Pat - couldn't see much for the rest of the day but will never forget the blurred image of her carrying him out to the hole I'd just dug, wrapped in an old towel.

It would be lovely to see some photos of Sammy, John! (And perhaps a story or two on your "Memories" thread?)

I associate the sea with a sense of inner peace, For me, there's more of a sense of the eternal in looking out across an ocean, than there is in looking up at the stars: it somehow feels 'closer'...

There was a very bad vibe to the place where I was renting when Amadán was taken from me, and it was not my 'home' anyway, so I laid him to rest in a place overlooking the Atlantic Ocean: a place where the sunsets can be so beautiful as to take one's breath away; and a place where a piece of my heart always lingers, regardless of wherever else I might go in the world...