Ash Wednesday

Psalm 51 - another much recycled Greenpatch

Lent Approacheth

Well here I am, back down to earth after my recent expeditions and wondering where January went. Why, it's been nearly a week since I last blogged, for a start! I can't believe  that Lent is almost with us. Not yet, surely? Yet I spotted a  large pile of last year's Palm crosses in church yesterday waiting to be turned into ash,  so it must be so.

So, with Ash Wednesday in mind, here's a link to another of the marvellous blessings by Jan Richardson of The Painted Prayerbook - Ash Wednesday: Blessing the Dust.

All creatures great and small: R.I.P. Greenpatch Cat

                                            - Greenpatch dog and cat, 20 February 2012

It's a strange time  to be starting a new blog. The last week's been one of those weird, liminal periods when  normal time and routine were suspended and  we've been  plunged into a deep fog of waiting and watching. Fifteen year-old Greenpatch cat, who'd been unwell for a while, took a turn for the worse. Though I didn't  mention it at the time, the planning and beginning of Growing Greenpatches took place whilst I and Mr GP were keeping vigil through Tuesday night (we took turns to doze on the sofa) and into Wednesday. The photo - one of those chance in a million moments - was taken on Monday evening, at least I think it was Monday ; (ignore the camera setting), tiredness has played havoc with my memory; just as she began to wind down and slip in and out of consciousness. She died early on Wednesday evening. Funny old way to spend Ash Wednesday....very surreal...strangely right...

I can't say it was a happy experience for any of us, however,  though I hope it was a peaceful one; the main thing being that that she was kept as warm and comfortable as possible and died with us beside her; rather than, as our two previous cats were, in the very caring, but clinical atmosphere of the vet's surgery.  We always adopt elderly rescue cats so our children love to joke about our home being a last staging post for elderly moggies. Be that as it may, and yes, you do set yourself up for heartbreak, (this is the  third cat we've lost in six years), we reckon it's more than compensated for by knowing that our pets, whatever experiences they've been through in the past, are loved and cared for in their twilight years. They've all been so different from each other in character, personality and behavour, as I said once in my old Greenpatches blog:  Goth Cat, Viking Cat and ....well, we never gave Chops an honorary online moniker; Mr GP's just suggested 'Scaredy Cat. ' Yet they've all been equally loved. 

So...and though I'm embarrassed to admit it, we don't feel it's in any way disrespectful to 'Scaredy Cat's'  memory to reveal that yes...we've already been out a hunting and that subject to the go-ahead by the vet, a certain furry gentleman should be heading our way in a few days time.  Rather we feel it's a testimony to the love we felt for her that we  just have  to share it with another moggie.

RIP Greenpatch cat.We'll miss you.