Whatever makes you sad..

[Master Ray]

Someone close to me losing their Dad today and wishing you had any words that could make them feel better... and failing miserably.   

[Sheena]

Words aren't always needed x

[Pol]

There isn't any words mate, tell them it will get easier in time and remember the good timed

[Sheena]

Take care of yourself witch, sending love x

[Stephanie]

It's not like losing you dad, of course - but one week ago we had to put our old German Sherpherd, Grol, to sleep.

Now, thing is, he was old, he would have turned 14 this coming Friday. And when we adopted him 2 years ago we thought he was only going to be with us for a couple of weeks at the most, he was in such a bad shape after being rescued from 12 years in a shed, with 40 other dogs, never seeing daylight, being abused for illegal breeding but also being physically abused.  We didn't want him to die at the shelter so took him home - and I guess he kind of liked it...he was never able to walk very far or to react like other dogs would react - but he recovered, he did show his affection in small ways and he had a very special connection with my friend who spent more than 6 months sleeping on a mattress next to him because he didn't want to be alone at night - and I wan't good enough for him, stubborn old boy. 
But yeah, last week we came to realise that the time had come to let him go - so we did - and although we know that we have every reason to be grateful to have had him for over 2 years - and we ARE - it still hurts a lot and he is missed.

We still have 2 dogs (and 6 rabbits, 6 guinea pigs plus some snails... ) so it's not as if the house is empty - but the old trooper, well, yeah...it hurts.

Sorry for the very long "obituary" - but it was good to write it down. 

Take care everyone. *hugs*

[Master Ray]

Animals are, a lot of the time, much nicer than people.  That's a fact.

[Shush]

Finding out this morning that my best suit has shrunk by a couple of inches. Haven't  worn it for a few years. There must be clever moths that eat parts, then re-sew to hide their work

 

[Pol]

Amazing how clothes shrink and shops keep labeling them wrongly, personally I've been a 30 waist since I left school n for some reason I have to buy a 36 now

[Pol]

On a more serious note, this email about our new pm


Our new Prime Minister -- Theresa May -- has officially taken office and everyone’s talking up her feminist credentials. But she’s helped to cover up one of the most shocking abuses of women of our time.

The hundreds of women detained at the privately run immigration detention centre Yarl’s Wood have come to the UK seeking refuge. Many of them have fled war in their own countries -- and 70% of them are rape survivors.

Now many of them report being raped and sexually abused by the very people who should be protecting them: the staff at Yarl’s Wood. But we don’t know how many. The Home Office, under Theresa May, refused to release the information -- saying it could “prejudice the commercial interests” of the private companies running Yarl’s Wood, like Serco.

In her bid to become our new PM, Theresa May said “big business needs to change” so the country “works for everyone -- not just the privileged few”. Let’s tell her to put her money where her mouth is. Let’s tell her to protect the women in her care rather than Serco’s profits by finally releasing the information about Yarl’s Wood she refused to release as Home Secretary.

Ask Theresa May to release the information about the scale of abuse at Yarl’s Wood.

Last year, a report found that more than half of the women detained at Yarl’s Wood feel unsafe. Allegations of rape, sexual abuse and intimidation at the centre are rife. And some of the alleged victims have been deported after speaking up -- before they could testify to police.

The Home Office is obliged by law to disclose information that’s in the public interest. Yet instead of opening Yarl’s Wood up to public scrutiny so it can stop the abuse, Theresa May’s former department seems to be complicit in allowing it to continue. Last year, it refused let the UN’s special rapporteur on violence against women into Yarl’s Wood -- and now it’s refusing to release crucial information that could help to expose, and ultimately stop, sexual abuse at the centre.

SumOfUs was created to hold corporations to account -- not least, those corporations that are capturing our public services. Serco runs everything from detention centres to hospital services in the UK. It needs to be held to the highest possible standards of accountability -- but instead, the government is working to protect Serco’s corporate interests over the interests of every woman in Yarl’s Wood, and the wider public interest.

Let’s tell Theresa May to stop pandering to Serco’s commercial interests, and release the data about sexual violence at Yarl’s Wood.

 

[Master Ray]

Damn, Pol, and I thought giving Boris the foreign secretary job was bad enough...

[Master Ray]

Aw... took my three year old 'niece' to the local park today and, out of the blue, she started calling me 'Daddy'...

I'm close to the kid, have been since she was born, but she's not even a blood relative.  My Mums most recent husbands adopted son knocked up her mother and, basically, buggered off, doing f-all for the kid in the meantime.  Useless twot.  Obviously she's seen grown men playing with their kids and she's copying what she's heard...   

What scraps she has that passes for a family have rallied around and are doing the best we can for her.  But there aren't many of us.

Genuinely quite saddened by this, she's a lovely little kid and deserves so much better.   

[Sheena]

My beloved dog died this evening, after being ill with cancer.  I'm so sad.

[Pol]

Big hugs Sheena , that's really sad I know how close we can become to our pets

[Master Ray]

My beloved dog died this evening, after being ill with cancer.  I'm so sad.

Sorry to hear it Sheena.  A lot of the time, dogs (or any pet for that matter) are much better than those often annoying and disappointing things called 'people'... best wishes.

[Sheena]

Thanks Pol and Ray.  I'm heartbroken