Lent

Tis Lent tomorrow and shall be giving up Diet Coke as usual but also chocolate and crisps. That's right chocolate AND crisps. Trying to purge myself of some of my badness. Will also try to not let my Lucozade consumption go up as is also usual.

Childhood Books

I am currently re-reading some of my fave books from childhood. Last week it was The Secret Garden and last night I finished Charlotte's Web.

Reading them as a adult did not diminish the magic and joy I got from the stories as a kid. Reading The Secret Garden I felt I was once again in the garden with Mary Lennox, watching her and Colin transform from horrible brats into happy playful children. Just as the garden transforms from being dead and neglected to alive, full and magically. This story truly is the most special to me from my childhood and is always the one I think of as my favourite children's book. Despite this I have never read any other Frances Hodgson Burnett books but I have seen the movie of The Little Princess and the book of that and Little Lord Fauntleroy are in my Amazon Wish List.

Charlotte's Web is a book that was read to me at school and being a life long animal lover I adored it. It's a short simple story of friendship, justice and of how anyone can make anything happen. I have often thought about calling pets Wilbur and Fern, (in fact, I probably still will at some point) and spookily as I finished reading it last night a dog whose owner was visiting my neighbour ran into my house. It's owner was calling it, can you beleive the dog was called Wilbur!!!!! Spooky but true. Like The Secret Garden I can't watch the movie of this book. I did see the animated version that is years old but I haven't seen the new live action movie and probably never will.

Tonight I am starting the Roald Dahl classic Danny Champion of the World which was also from my school days and then Little Women - oh joy, how I love that novel. Then I need to buy the series of The Worst Witch (I do have this movie from way back with Tim Curry on DVD and I love it) and the series of The Naughtiest Girl in School by the best childrens author of all time Enid Blyton.

I will let you know how I get on with Danny, Mildred and Elizabeth as well as Jo and co.

Binx and Wilma - A Love Story

Binx; 4th July 2009 - 10th Feb 2010

Wilma; 9th July 2009 - 15th Dec 2009

2 days ago I lost my beloved cat Binx when he was hit by a car, he was only 7 months old and I adored him. 2 months ago I had to have my foster kitten Wilma put to sleep due to illness. Binx and Wilma were a couple, they were so in love with each other and I want to tell you their story.

My cat Ally was victim of the infamous Cyprus animal problem of not being neutered by the shelter she was in. When I adopted her she was pregnant, I kept one of the kittens (Presley) and planned to get her spayed. However, when the time came she was already pregnant again and on 4th July had her 2nd (and final) litter. I found homes for all 5 of the kittens but had thought that if I was to keep one it would be the black and white boy. I have had 2 tuxedo boys in the past (Sweep and Jezz) and have a real fondness for them. But I had found him a home and the day arrived for his new owners to pick him up - they never came. I didn't have their contact numbers and decided I would give them until the next weekend to get in touch or I would find him a new home. A week later and Presley and the kitten were best friends, played together non-stop and slept curled up together. I couldn't separate them and so I kept him and called him Binx after the cat in the movie Hocus Pocus.

On the 9th July another litter of 5 kittens was born in Akrotiri and to help out the owners who were leaving I took the mom and kittens in to foster them and find them homes. I found homes for all but one, a girl I had called Wilma. As hard as I tried no one wanted her, she was a bit small and skinny, the runt of her litter.

When it came to be that I just had Wilma and her mom left I mixed them in with my cats and Binx and Wilma met. 4 days later they were completely devoted to each other, and I mean completely devoted.

Binx, Wilma and Presley would all play together during the day but in the evening, that was couple time. Every evening without fail Binx and Wilma would snuggle up on the sofa and Binx would groom her. Binx loved nothing better than to groom both Wilma and Presley and whilst he love have to literally lie on top of Presley to do it, Wilma loved to just lie there and be washed by her little boyfriend.

As the weeks went on it became obvious that Wilma wasn't growing, she was also allergic to meat (having to live on just biscuits) wasn't putting on weight and was having problems with digestion. After many trips to the vets, including a Saturday night emergency call out and 2 night stay, it became time to make the hard choice. Due to being the runt and possibly premature, her digestive system wasn't formed properly and due to her size and weight the vets were limited in what they could give her or do for her. After trying all the available options nothing was working and she was in discomfort even when not in pain, I decided in was in her best interests to put her to sleep, the vet agreed and so on 15th Dec little Wilma went to heaven.

It seemed like I was destined to have Wilma in my family for her short life. It was like God sent her to me to make sure she had a good loving home and got to spend her life with Binx, whom she worshipped. 2 nights ago, 10th Feb, I was calling Binx to come in, he usually takes about 10 minutes so when it got to half an hour later and there was no sign of him I decided to walk round the back of the block and call him from there. When I got to the end of the road I saw some white in the road. As I walked over to it I was praying, please don't be Binx, please don't be Binx. Sadly however, it was my little darling Binxster.

I am devastated and the only thing that comforts me is that Binx and Wilma are together again cuddled up on a sofa somewhere in heaven. I think that maybe Wilma couldn't cope without him and God decided that she needed him more than me, Presley and Ally did.

Miss you both dearly, sleep well my sweethearts

Hilary Duff

My friends Emma and Lisa will be thrilled Hilary is on there, they both say thay can't see her on the TV without thinking it's me. I can't see it. I tried to do the morph feature but it was broken, will try that another time.

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage

MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph

Celebrity look a likes

When in Borneo I 'wasted' many an hour on a website called 'My Heritage' finding out which celebs my Borneo chums looked like. The website has revamped itself a bit now and can post the results to blogs. I'm gonna give it a go now with some of my Cyprus friends. Watch this space.....