A short post today as I have had quite a few visitors. I have just put on my computer to order my medication so thought I would pop by to say hello before I settle down for the evening and get snug.
My carer has just gone so I am in my dressing gown and slippers and all ready for bed although it is only 7pm. But we were having a chat and she told me that her son and his partner, who live in a flat in her house, had just today lost their pet and were very upset. When I asked what their pet was (expecting the answer to be either cat or dog) I was astonished to be told that it was a Lizard called Gerald! Apparently they had buried it in the garden and put flowers on its grave.
When I expressed astonishment she told me that she had once cared for a lady who had a pet Iguana. It seems that again I am old fashioned. I can't imagine having loving feelings for a reptile. I have loved all my dogs and cats over the years and been very upset at the passing.
When we had Foot and Mouth disease and our whole herd of cows had to be destroyed (and then burnt in our paddock) I think both the farmer and I cried (the vet who lived with us for a fortnight made us go to the burning (it took the team a whole day to build the burning site with layers of wood, coal and various things before laying the cows and sheep on top (in a very sympathetic way I must say). The vet and the burning team stood round as the fire was lit and we all stood quietly (fortified by a glass of whisky each - which the vet provided, ) Our favourite cow was number 55 (all cows are numbered and registered by the Cattle Movement Service in the UK) a very maternal cow who in Summer when cows calved - often overnight in the field - would try her level best to steal the calf and tempt the calf away. If we saw the cow had calved when we fetched them in for milking and if she was distressed and calling for her calf we would quickly search the field to find 55 and there would be the calf. She wouldn't make a fuss when the farmer picked up the calf and carried it back to its Mum. We made sure at the burning that we did not stand by 55.
But a Lizard called Gerald? Not sure how I feel about that. Have any of you got strange pets? I rather think I remember John (Going Gently) having a pet hen. (and of course plenty of parrots and cockatoos around.