Friday, 18 March 2016
A 45 mile an hour gusty EAST wind (the cold one) had been blowing since midnight, making for an unrestful night, along with worrying about Mary the cat.
The day began in floods of tears when I called the vet and learned that Mary’s X ray had come back showing advanced lung cancer. She was in an oxygen box to keep her going till we could get there, which we did in record time. There was no way to extend her life with any comfort, so we said goodbye and then brought her home for a garden burial in the wind. We let Smokey and Frosty say goodbye, too, just so they would know she had not disappeared and not returned. I have no idea what they might think of that.
Mary used to like to lie out on the warm concrete of Nora’s parking pad next door. We buried her at the prow of the good ship Ann Lovejoy near to the place we could often find Mary lounging on warm days.
I will order a Mary Rose rose to plant there.
After the burial, Smokey stayed close by wanting some attention.
Smokey would much rather we had stayed home. However, the wind decreased a bit, the sun came out, and we decided to go to Jo’s garden (the only one we still had not been to this year.) On the way, we stopped at the Depot Restaurant, right behind the veterinary clinic. This could have been an extra poignant moment, but a sweet dog was being walked after leaving the clinic and I got doggie kisses.
The purpose of our Depot visit was that Chef Michael was giving us some St Patrick’s Day shepherd’s pie as a birthday present. It will make a grand dinner.
Jo’s garden
This garden is focused on being at its best in late spring and summer so has not a lot to offer right now. We hope to be able to mulch it tomorrow and then cross it, the final private garden, off our spring clean up list.
Long Beach
We checked for deadheads the planters along Sid Snyder Drive…
and the tiny entry garden at the World Kite Museum.
I was pleased it had some good narcissi as last autumn, exhaustion had kept me from adding more bulbs here.
home again
With the loss of Mary, the bleeding hearts in the garden were a comforting sight, as were the many kind comments that I had gotten on Facebook.
Unfortunately, I will probably have to cut the big melianthus back because in all our wind, it has flopped open.
Mary’s sons came to join me in the front garden.
Finally, I opened the rest of my birthday presents from yesterday.
From my dear Montana Mary:
The book is blurbed by Susan Wittig Albert, whose China Bayles mystery is a favourite of mine. I did not know that a Farmer’s Market mystery series existed (by the same author). Bring on staycation! (Eight more months…)
From Mary and Denny at Klipsan Beach Cottages:
It was cheering to have some presents to open. As usual, Mary had also sent a catnip sock for the kitties.
You will probably not be surprised to know that I’ve started working on a photo tribute to Mary the cat. Expect it soonish.
I have a guest garden photo for you today:
Ginger’s Garden Diaries
from my mother’s garden diaries of two decades ago
1998 (age 73):
March 18: Dental appt for routine cleaning and a piece fell off the tooth next to the crown on right side. So I’ll have to go back. When I came home I eventually went out and did more weeding asparagus and digging out berry plants. I can finish tomorrow in about an hour.
So very sorry to hear about Mary. She has a lovely resting place.
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Thank you.
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So sorry to hear about your kitty passing, many blessings to you and your family and the kittys! Debbie
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Thank you, Debbie.
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I should have side happy birthday to you but I missed it out. Consider it said in retrospect.
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Thanks, Mr T!
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Sorry to read about your sweet Mary and may she rest in peace
in your beautiful garden.
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Thank you very much.
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Oh I’m so sorry about Mary 😭. That’s how my poor Bubbles died as well. She was eighteen with advanced kidney failure. We had her cremated and she now resides alongside Squeak our old cat and my dear mums ashes on the sideboard. Mum loved my cats so it’s quite fitting they’re all together .
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Ah, that is sweet. My grandma’s cat was named Squeaky, by the way. Thank you, Cathy.
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So sorry to hear of your Mary cat passing on. My deepest sympathy.
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Thank you.
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