Tuesday

Today is my daughter Katherine's 36th birthday.  She has been no contact for many years, she left home and went to Western Australia when she was 17.  I have no idea why she won't talk to us and at this stage I really don't care.  She is, or was, a very opinionated person and truly believed she was above everyone else.  The price we pay for trying to instill confidence in our children, and praising them for their achievements.  I just try not to think about it, I'm good at that these days.  Beating myself up and blaming myself for invisible flaws and slights achieves nothing.

Phill has been away since Saturday and it's been lovely to have some peace and privacy.  He comes back today unfortunately.  I want to go out, out of this house for a break from the cats who are driving me up the wall.  I love them dearly but sometimes it gets too much, especially with an old cat who thinks the laundry floor is his toilet.  He can get into the litter trays, the sides are not high and I've seen him do it when he wants to.  Every morning I am greeted with a mess to clean up.  Last night I put down newspapers so it was relatively easy to clean it up and just mop the floor.  He is about 14 and came from a farm that had hundreds of cats so I daresay he was inbred, but he just keeps on, he'll outlive us all I reckon.  Once these cats are gone, the younger ones are only three years old, and the bird who can't last much longer, there will be no more pets for us.  We are too old now and they are so restrictive regarding us going away.  We have a lovely cat lady who comes to feed them etc but she isn't getting any younger either.

The bridge over the railway was closed on Friday night and it's all systems go there now as they prepare to pull it down over the weekend.  There are cars and trucks everywhere out there, in front of our house, in the carpark at the rest area across the road and all around their work site.  It doesn't bother me, I actually like to have them all there.  Even the noise is okay, better than what comes from Old Yeller and her co horts.