lotusinthemud

Evening in my study...

Tashi is sitting on the windowsill of my study. It's early evening and the setting sun is reflected bright upon the upper walls of the houses across the back alley. Birds are singing before bedtime. There's a blackbird on the roof opposite. Tashi, tantalised, cries quietly. Poor puss - temptation, but safely out of reach.

I'm typing up notes for Dharmavidya's third talk from last summer's retreat at our French Retreat Centre: Essence and Existence. This morning Colin came over and we spent a companionable few hours copying the tape of that talk, cutting and inserting tape covers, wrapping tapes, along with the other two that are going out, in bubble wrap. Tomorrow they'll go into recycled brown A4 envelopes from Peter's office - and into the mail.

The end of the day

Tashi is sitting on my study windowsill here on the first floor, chattering away at something in the back garden. I've just looked and can't see what. Surely it's a little late for birds? But he sees something with his cat eyes - and wants to kill it. It's all talk with him - he hasn't ever caught anything. (Shhh - don't hurt his feelings.) But the instinct is there.

This afternoon I posted off 70 copies of 'Running Tide' and Amida Newcastle newsletters I was working on yesterday. I walked down West Avenue with the mail in my old lady's wheely bag and found a huge queue in the Post Office. I'd planned to sit and stick the stamps on leisurely over a coffee - but the cafe was shut and the chairs have been taken from the Post Office in their 'improvements'. Afterwards I went to 'Out Of This World' and had a chat with P..., who has a holiday and evening job there - he's a sixth former from my old school, who came to the Amida meeting for the first time on Monday. I met him in the shop some months ago.

I've spent the evening catching up with two members of the Newcastle sangha on the phone. One wanted blogging advice. The other to give me her news and to arrange for me to take her down to The Buddhist House in May. Then chat with Dharmavidya and Madrakara on 'Hello'

Now, no more excuses - the pile of ironing demands my attention.

His gorgeousness

While I'm messing around with photos - here's Tashi
sitting on a speaker by the fire so we can admire him.

For cat lovers

From Boing Boing - help with cleaning your computer screen

Oh, a miracle!

This afternoon I have buried my little cat. Rest in peace, Tippets Satya, little Chocolate-point Siamese puss, daughter of Grand Champion Fistra Stringfellow and Adqwean Sun Kist, born in Wivenhoe, Essex, on 20th July 1988.

Satya has died

My little Siamese has died within the last hour. She stopped eating the evening before last and didn't drink yesterday. She still enjoyed being cuddled yesterday morning. During the afternoon and evening she responded to being stroked. I meditated with her on a cushion on my lap. She lasted the night, having not left the cushion beside the Aga, and was still responsive this morning. I sat on the floor and chanted to her and she tried to purr - her voice had gone. She moved her head against my hand when I stroked her. Then I left the kitchen at 1pm, leaving the wonderful little Chinenese chanting machine on quietly - 'Namo Quan Shi Yin Pu Sa'. When I went back at 2 she was dead - had died shortly after I left the room I think - rigor mortis had set in. She is wrapped in a towel now, somewhere cooler, with the chanting still going on. I will give her a Buddhist funeral tomorrow afternoon.

Satya still with us

Satya, little ailing Siamese, has picked up considerably since last weekend. She's obviously thriving on the added attention. Still poorly, still very thin but still live and kicking. We've been away on retreat this weekend - the wonderful Paws Indoors have been pet-sitting for us.

Sad little cat

My elderly Siamese, Satya, whom I've had since 1987, seems to be fading. She's very thin, although she has been eating well until recently. But today she's not interested in food and is only drinking a little. She doesn't seem in any pain but just wants to sleep even more than usual. She purrs when I stroke her, but, if she stands up, is keeping her claws out - her balance isn't good - and then she doesn't know what she wants to do, so she lies down again after a couple of minutes. Poor wee thing - I wish she could tell me how she feels....