back at last...

Well, I'm back here with a short message....the last 6 month's have been awful. Lots of sickness for my pets (Shelly had her 3rd heart attack; Sita had another hole in her back because of the staffylokok-bacteria and Zoë had a major jaw-operation; only Murphy was healthy.) and me and I'm still grieving so much for my missing cat. I just can not get over that...missing is so much worse than dead, because then, you have certainty and at least, you know, that the animal is "safe"....when the pet is missing, you know nothing and you keep on thinking where he is...if he's OK...if he has enough food....shelter....or if people are mistreating him....etc....really, this is killing me. I do not understand how people move on in a situation like this; I really don't! I'm just so sad 24/7....

Zoë is very ill...

Today, we were at the vet's once again...Zoë is so very ill. Her asthma is very bad, she has a huge throat-infection, that just doesn't go away and now, she is lethargic and not eating.... She is not even 17 months old, so I'm very, very worried!

The injections, she is getting, aren't working as they should...next week, she'll have more injections. Maybe, she needs a "little" longer to accept this medicine...let's hope, that's "all".

In the meantime, I'm trying my best to get her to eat anything. She normally only likes her biscuits, but her throat is too sore for that, so I'm tempting her with soft(er) food...she is interested because she is hungry, but eating is just too painful.

I hope, she will eat something by herself soon; otherwise she will have to be force-fed by the vet. *sigh*

GREAT Give Away.

Bowlsnannies is having another GREAT Give Away: the cutest rag doll you've ever seen! But....hurry...there is not much time!

Here is the place to sign up:
http://itsaboutannie.blogspot.com/

You can see pictures of the doll there, too.

Bearded Collie walk.

Last Sunday, we joined the Bearded Collie walk for the very first time and it was great fun. Extra surprise: there was SNOW in Garderen.

There were 27 beardies and 2 other dogs; one was Shelly. Afterwards, we all had hot chocolate and apple pie. It was a lovely afternoon and I'm already looking forward to the next walk if the distance is not too long and if we are all well enough, healthwise, of course.

poor hedgehog died.

Well, as I expected...the poor little hedgehog didn't make it; he died. The hedgehog-rescue here only accepts them if there is blood visible, but shock is just as dangerous, of course; maybe even more dangerous! And the poor animal definitely was in shock over the fireworks that were practically thrown ON his head while he was sleeping...

But since it's freezing heavily here (minus 15 degrees Celsius), I can't bury him just yet....my garden is an animal-cemetery...so I'll have to wait until the temperatures go up again.

But...after just 5 days, 25.000 people have signed the petition against fireworks and 40.000 signatures are needed for the issue to be handled by politicians, so this is going very well!

Terrible fireworks!

The new year is here....and the fireworks were just awful and lasted from 10 a.m. on the 31st until 2.30 a.m. this morning! And they are still at it, today. My poor pets were (and still are) so very frightened: the dogs still don't want to go outside (I have to drag them!) and Zoë has been hiding in the closet since yesterday morning! Only Murphy is OK now. *sigh*

But...there is hope....today, a petition has been started to ban fireworks for non-professionals! The Netherlands are one of the few countries that allows non-professionals to handle fireworks themselves, causing lots of troubles and accidents, every year on New Year's Eve. (But is starts weeks earlier and lasts for days into the new year, too.) Plus all those scared pets and animals living in the wild!

I rescued a poor hedgehog in shock, yesterday. He was just lying there...in the middle of the street, not curled up. Fingers crossed, he'll survive!

So, if you love animals and live in the Netherlands, you can go here to sign the petition:

http://www.petities.nl/petitie/burgerinitiatief_meer_plezier_met_minder_vuurwerk/

Thanks!

couple of budgies

At last, I finished the budgies today. One was already finished and the other one "just" needed sewing together and then, I made them a swing, too.

Unfortunately, they kept falling backwards, so I had to use black thread and that is visible. I wish I knew another way of securing them, because this is not so nice.

But....I have them hanging under the big lamp in the livingroom, so the background is not one light color, so where they are now, you can't really tell that I used black thread. ;-)

Cheer up your doors. ;-)

Last year, I bought some decoration-stickers on sale, but I had no idea what to do with them...until I came up with this:





Doesn't it look cheerful? :-)

snow in November

We are having snow in November...again....last week for a few days and today, yet again.




So you just have to stay warm:





I wish all pets could stay warm like this....they all deserve it so much!

new update on my missing stray-cat

It's been over a month since I wrote here last....I just wasn't in the mood, because I'm still grieving over my lost cat. A lot!

I've done so much more to find him....I went back to Bavel, because someone was sure, he had joined the group of stray-cats around her house and at that same time, I put up flyers at every gasstation (on the high-way) on the way from here to there and back; 14 all together, just in case that woman dumped him somewhere halfway or in case, he is on his way back to me.

I bought several adds in newspapers, both locally and national. I still call all the missing-pets-places weekly.

And I had flyers delivered house-to-house in all 2100 houses in the whole village of Bavel, offering a reward for the person who brought him back to me alive. Since then, I received several calls and E-mails with pictures of red cats, but it was always the wrong red cat.

And now it's 2 months and 1 day, that he's been missing....winter has come and there is snow....and that poor sweety just vanished into thin air....I really don't believe anymore that I will ever see him again...or that I'll ever hear what happened to him...and that is breaking my heart!

I'm still literally ill because of this. I can't eat/sleep...spend nights on the toilet....I have not listened to any music since day 1 and haven't crocheted or sewn a thing. I just can't!

Most people around me just don't understand....they either say, I should move on or they have backed off completely and stay away (they even "forgot" my birthday! Well, they didn't have to worry...I wasn't in the mood to celebrate, anyway!); "friends" since a long time....can you believe it? If they had something similar happen to them, I would never do that....I would offer support for as long as they needed it...but I guess, people are not like that, anymore... It makes me sad and angry...that people, you've been friends with for a long time, can just act like that....so I learned a huge lesson! Again!

Somehow, I'll have to find a way to deal with this huge loss...if only for my 4 other pets, who completely rely on me, but at the moment, I just don't know how....I'm still too sad!

another update.

No, he hasn't been found....but I finally called the women involved. (They seemed to have disappeared from this world!) The one from the south was visiting the one nearby, so I had them together at one time! They were so rude and blaming it all on me! They said that my way of searching was the reason why nobody would ever call me, even if somone did see him! The nerve! They did/do nothing (and go on living happily ever after!) and I'm searching high and low!


The one nearby, my "friend"/ex-neighbor, was full of lame excuses why she hadn't been in touch with me....really....if someone, you've known for almost 20 years (and have lived next door to, for almost 10 years) can act like this...so unsensitive and so callous!

And all at the expense of a poor innocent animal! They kept lying about what they had said and done...and about the time-line.....2 women of (about) 50 and 70 years old! Very adult-like....NOT! I never ever want anything to do with them, again!


In the meantime, I keep calling all the offical pet-missing-places, but nothing! Because of all their lies, I'm not convinced anymore that the sweety is indeed where they say he is, so tomorrow, I'm going to widen the search and inform everyone, I can think of, between here and Bavel! Just in case, they dumped him somewhere else!


My hopes of ever finding him, are getting less and less, but I won't give up....miracles do happen, don't they?

short update on my missing cat.

Last Sunday, I went to Bavel again. A man had called me and he told me, he had seen my cat, twice! It was definitely him! So, I made an appointment with this man to meet him on Sunday at lunch time and I drove the 150 kms/95 miles south again. Only to find this man NOT at home! I just couldn't believe it! How can one person do this to another person? To give me so much hope! And to be so callous!


While I was there, I searched more, of course and also asked more people about him, but nothing! I just can't believe how a cat can just disappear into thin air like this! I really can't!


This morning, I called all the official places again....where I had registered him missing...but nothing!


I'm still literally ill because of all this and I just don't know what to do if he will never be found.... That poor, poor animal!


I made a special hyves-site about him; it's in Dutch, but please, spread it around if you know someone in the Netherlands! Thanks!


http://roodje-vermist.hyves.nl/

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More pictures of my stray.

Some more pictures of my stray, so he will hopefully be recognised (and found!) soon:

update on my missing stray.

No, he hasn't been found....but a lot has happened since I last wrote. I spent 2 whole days searching in the village, where he went missing. The first time, the day after I heard; the second time, last Sunday. I travelled south, the day before, and stayed overnight at a friend's house, so I didn't have to drive all that way (150 kms/95 miles one way) on 1 day again.


I put up 150 flyers in total (in the whole village, plus part of the city of Breda where someone thought, she saw him); on the streets, at the local vet's, supermarket and library and also delivered flyers house-to-house in the near vicinity of where he went missing. Plus I made sure, a message (with picture) was put on local TV, local internet-sites and today, an ad will appear in 2 local newspapers.


So far, I've driven about 750 kms/470 miles and spent almost 200 euros/275 US Dollars on flyers and ads, but still nothing!


And I haven't heard anything anymore from my "friend"/former neighbor, who was the middle person in this situation. She was the one, who convinced me, her friend was the perfect woman to take in my stray and give him a good home. I've known this "friend"/neighbbor for over 15 years and she knows, what a terrible year, I've had (with illnesses and operations and next-door-neighbor-trouble, etc), so I blame her for talking me into this, eventhough she knew, my judgment is bad at present, because of all this trouble! How wrong can you be about a person... And now, she is a huge coward, for not even calling to ask how I'm coping and for letting me handle this, all by myself and not even offering to help!


Well, I've had an emotional breakdown! Even the doctor can't help! Since I heard this awful news, I haven't been able to sleep or eat and all I do is cry, throw up and have diarrhoea; out of fear and grief over this poor animal. I don't know what to do anymore...the guilt is killing me...I'm SO angry at myself....for giving him away! I will blame myself for the rest of my life....that's for sure! That poor sweety trusted me....trusted me to do the right thing for him....but I betrayed that trust....and now, I will have to live with that for ever....


I read this somewhere lately: "There comes a time in your life when you realise who matters, who never did and who always will. So, don't worry about the people from your past, because there is a reason they didn't make it into your future. I have certainly learned this the hard way."


Well...so have I....I'm absolutely devastated about this missing sweety....and I'm sick and tired of the lack of concern of these 2 women involved! I keep wondering if he has something to eat...a place to be dry and warm enough....if cat-haters are chasing him out of their precious gardens....or if he is slowly suffering to death.... The not knowing is so very, very difficult...I'd rather have found him dead; then, I'd at least have known where he is now...

My stray escaped and is missing!!

My stray-cat already escaped his new home! On the very first day, he was there! The woman left the outside door ajar!!! Really! I couldn't believe it, when I heard it! She promised me a dozen times, she would be extra carefull with the doors and windows!


So, now, the poor cat is lost in a village that is completely foreign to him; 150 km/95 miles away from here! What must he think? That everyone deserted him, most of all me, because I gave him away, when he trusted me! I did it out of good intention, but still...


I registered him with all the official missing-pet-authorities and made a flyer to pass around, but I'm not holding my breath. I have a feeling, I will never see him again...


I gave 3,5 months to this sweet cat to resocialise him, because he was very untrustful towards people....and all this was thrown away in 1 day... I'm so very, very sad!! I'm physically ill because of it...


And I'm so tired of the well-spread carelessness in general, these days. But especially when poor animals are concerned! They depend on us! If you are not prepared to make an effort, then please do NOT take an animal into your home!

My stray found a new home.

Today, my stray-cat went to live with a new owner. The lady drove almost 150 km./95 miles, just to come and get him. His new home will be near Breda (in the south of Holland), of all places!


I grew up near Breda and lived there for almost 18 years, but I haven't been back there for almost 10 years now...


Of course, I'm very happy, he has found a new home before winter started, but I miss him already....but he is such a sweety, so he deserves his own home without dogs or kids (which he doesn't like)!

My stray again...

Here is another photo of my stray-cat, sitting on the night-shelter, I made for him.


I keep on encouraging him to come inside, but he's afraid of Sita, unfortunately...


He's looking better, physically, though. Not as thin, anymore and no more wounds. Plus he's lots more cuddly, than he was before, so that's a good sign.

Waiting in line for lunch. ;-)

Just took this photo and I think, it's so cute; Zoë waiting in line for lunch.


At last, my youngest girl is getting more patient; before, she would have pushed Murphy aside. And he let her do that, too. ;-)

Hallowe'en is coming!

Eventhough, Hallowe'en is not a big thing in the Netherlands (yet?)(unfortunately, if you ask me), I've started a cute Hallowe'en-project:






The cat and the witch-hat will be in black felt.


I'm going to make a broom, using a real stick and some straw, so mine will not be a kitchen-witch, but it will still be cute, don't you think? ;-)

Rare picture

This is a rare picture of Zoë and Murphy. They hardly ever lay next to each other, except on me; and then, I can't take a picture, of course. :-) They are good friends and often play together, but laying side by side like this, no. So, I rushed to get the camera and took this pic. (Murphy is sleeping on Sita's pyjamas.;-) )

walking in the woods...

Yesterday, we went for a walk in the woods again. Because of Sita's knee, we weren't able to go for a very long time, so both girls enjoyed themselves, a lot.


Sita went into the water, straight away, of course. Shelly never goes in and hardly ever gets her feet wet, but she just drinks a little water.





Afterwards, Sita likes to roll in the dirt. ;-)

Sita's poodle-leg ;-)

Here is the promised pic of Sita's poodle-leg.



Luckily, her long hair is hanging over it, when she walks, so you hardly notice. ;-)

Sita's stitches removed.

Yesterday, Sita had to go back to the orthopedic surgeon and he was very satisfied with her progress, so far. The stitches were removed (so she doesn't have to wear her pyjamas anymore) and from now on, she starts her rehabilitation-period, which will take 3-5 months. *sigh*


She won't be allowed to jump or run for a while. And she is not an easy patient...she wants to do everything herself. ;-) But she will just have to learn to accept my help....starting by letting me carry her up and down the stairs (and she weighs 50 pounds!), twice a day, since she is used to sleeping in the bedroom, like all my pets. ;-)


But the vet is sure, she will make a complete recovery, so I'm happy. At 8, she is too young to be retired already. ;-)


Her leg looks like a poodle-leg now, which is quite funny. I'll take a photo ASAP. That's a promise.

picture from the past...

Yesterday, I found this picture of Shelly and Sita, when Sita was still a puppy. So, this is 8 years ago. How time flies...


But it's clear, that both girls were best of friends since day one, eventhough, they didn't live together yet, back then.

my stray-cat

Some time ago, this poor stray-cat came asking for food. He was very skinny and had fleas and ticks and worms and some wounds, too. My neighbor and I patched him up, had him registered as a found cat and also put up flyers everywhere, but nothing.


So, we think, he's been dumped, poor thing. I'm trying to find him a good home before winter starts, but it's not easy. He is quite timid and doesn't like to come inside the house, so fingers crossed.


In the meantime, I'm feeding him, of course and I made him a warm and dry shelter, which he uses, too, but he deserves a real home!

Sita's pyjamas

Here is a pic of Sita in her pyjamas. She has to wear this shirt during the night, to prevent her from removing the stitches in her knee.


She doesn't really like it (and has actually removed the shirt a few times already), but no choice; until the stitches come out on Friday, she will have to wear this.

Sita as a kitten-mommy.

When Murphy was just a tiny kitten, his real mom got very ill, so Murphy (and his 2 brothers and 2 sisters) had to go to their new homes extra early. In fact, they were still too young, but Murphy got a great foster-mom in Sita. She kept him warm and was really very patient. She would have made a perfect mom, if she ever would have had the chance to have puppies herself.


Just look at these pictures. Aren't they so cute together? Murphy even tried to drink with her (4th picture) and she let him try, too, eventhough her face says, she wasn't too impressed...

budgie

Here is a pic of my crocheted budgie. I'm making her a friend, but thought, I would put this pic on my blog, already.

Sita's knee-operation

Last week, Sita, my Bearded Collie, had a major knee-operation.

Some time ago, she was knocked over by a huge, wild dog and eventhough, she seemed fine at the time, she started limping severely, some time later and an operation was necessary.


Her knee-joint turned out to be a complete mess: the wrappers were torn, her knee-cap was very dislocated and the heads of both bones, leading to the knee, were full of scar tissue already and very uneven.


Here is a picture of her knee now. The rehabilitation will take at least 3 months!


So, my warning to all owners of big, wild dogs: please make sure, your dog does NOT knock over other dogs; the damage can be awful, very painful for the other dog and very expensive for it's owner! No matter how small or big the other dog is; Sita weighs 50 pounds, so it can happen to big(ger) dogs, too.

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cloth dolls

Recently, I found a new craft: making cloth dolls. I've made 3 so far, all patterns by De Powell, whose site can be found here:
http://www.bowls-n-annies.com/


She has lots of great (E-)patterns and wonderful doll-hair, too. Her site is really worth visiting.

Here are pics of my dolls:

My crafts

In the beginning of 2006, I started crochet and a little knitting and only recently did I start sewing stuff.

It's a great hobby and I can highly recommend it. ;-) I've never been into crafts at all (I'm a huge bookworm), so if I can do this, everyone can; really!

Here is a link with the stuff, I've made so far:
http://picasaweb.google.com/e.willemstijn/MyCrochetCreations

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Zoë

Zoë is the benjamin; she just turned 1 year old and came to me, last December.

She had a very bad start in life, because she was taken away from her mother, when she was only one day old. She was hand-raised by a very sweet lady, who made sure, Zoë survived, because she had a lot of health-issues and it was unclear, for a long time, if she would make it.

Shelly

Shelly is a rescue dog. She is about 14 years old and was rescued by my aunt, 10 years ago.

When my aunt died very suddenly, 2 years ago, Shelly came to live with me, of course.

Murphy

Murphy is 6 years old and his mother was found in Barcelona, Spain. Very pregnant, but otherwise just skin and bones. She was taken to the Netherlands and the next day, she gave birth to 5 completely black kittens.

Murphy is half long-haired, so his father must have been a long-haired cat, since his mother had normal short hair.

Sita

Sita is an 8-year-old Bearded Collie-girl. She came to me when she was just 9 weeks old.

Last week, she had a major knee-operation, because she was knocked over by a huge dog, some time ago.

So, we have now started her (at least) 3-month-rehabilitation-period.

Elma's 7th heaven.

This blog will be about my little world, my 7th heaven.

Due to bad health, my world is at home, together with my 4 pets, who mean the world to me, and my crafts: crochet and sewing.

I've called this blog "7th Heaven", because my home really is my 7th Heaven; I enjoy my life inside and am completely at ease here.

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