I love that you wrote this: It’s been an odd time – filled with such longing for our boy, with occasional weeps, and not feeling guilty for that longing because the grief for a lost family pet is as strong as grief for lost human family.
Thanks also for the shout out for A Considerable Age. Wishing you happy holidays and good health in 2025.
It's quite bipolar, Alice, to have to deal with the two emotions together. It's nearly 5 weeks since H passed away so therefore still fresh. But such joy at the other end.
I remind myself to go with the flow. If I can.
Summer here helps.
Seasonal everythings to you too and thank you for such an interesting year of writers.
Those puppies look adorable. We have a couple of overseas trips booked in the first few months of next year so will probably wait until we're back. Thank you for the connection this year - I've enjoyed "meeting" you and look forward to your posts. Happy Christmas.
And to you, Kate. It's nice to have folk like you and Joanne who are in our timezone and awake when I am! Truth? I can't wait to see who adopts us too, 'cos we haven't a clue!
Cup runneth over last weekend indeed. For me that WAS Christmas. I'm onto Boxing Day now!
Oh Prue! What a week!!! Thank you so much for sharing these joys and gentle moments with us all. It’s been a tough year, but you’re grounding yourself beautifully in these environments that you so clearly adore. The serenity of Maria Island! And then that beautiful creek. I hope your feet have recovered, but what an amazing day. Happy sigh.
And I’m so glad that P1 and P2 are so inspirational. My neighbour’s ‘new’ dog was born four days before her old dog died. We often feel that there is a connection between the two. Whichever of these two you choose, it / they will keep you very busy and happy.
Take care my dear. I hope you have a lovely, joyful, restful Christmas and a wonderful 2025.
Thank you so much, Beth, and thank you for supporting me through this year. Happy Christmas, stay safe and I shall see you in 2025 with a new little companion by my side!
PRUE!!!!!! Your glorious account of your trip to the island had me right there with you - what an incredible landscape, the views, the quiet, the frogs, the water..... just wow. I'm so sorry about your sore feet, but hurrah for seizing that opportunity and really going for it!
Your puppy vocabulary is wonderful - 'butterballs', 'doddle', 'pootling', 'coddiwompling', 'wiggle-woggle'. I'm so excited for you in this magical time, and totally understand about you feeling torn, but that it was nevertheless the right thing to be there with the puppies and getting to know P1 and P2.
My sister-in-law collected her box-fresh puppy just this last week - I've seen pictures and videos, and she's adorable. She's a flat-coated retriever (the family has always had that breed, and always girls) and I'm looking forward to meeting her next year.
Sending love and strength and smiles and happy happy puppy times! Keep us posted!
And you're so kind to link to me - thank you very, very much. You've put me in such illustrious writing company, too - awesome! 😘
I'm so glad I could take you all with me. It's such a special place, Maria (pronounced Mar-eye-ah). It's got loads of convict history, loads of pre-settlement First Nation history and is now a World Heritage site and a National Park. Filled with wombats, Tasmanian devils, birds, fish, wallabies - it's been called a Tasmanian ark.
I also love that many parts are accessible only by boat...
Re the pups, every morning when we wake up, the first words we say to each other are Which One? We're still stumped... it's an ongoing story.
I didn't realise it was a real word until it popped up in Tom Ryan Author's Substack and since then it seems to emerge periodically in social media. Isn't it a glorious word? Perhaps we should make it our word for 2025 and see how much coddiwompling we can do!
It's always such a privilege to be invited into your world Prue and you describe it so well. I did feel that I was truly there with you today on your mystical walk (feet issues aside!) where dolphins are "young chaps" and wallabies are clearing their noses loudly. (One hears about these things so seldom *anywhere* else!!)
And those sweet woofs - those clownish "butterballs" as you so rightly call them - are just perfection, falling over themselves, rushing sideways. They are either in turbo-terrier mode or sound asleep to the world, nothing in between, lol. How will you choose!?
Thank you so much for your kind mentioning as well - I greatly appreciate such support.
Looking forward to seeing The New Terrier in Town, perhaps in the next post! Happiest Holidays till then, and that shortbread looks outstanding! Just the kind of thing Rupert Bear's mummy might pack for a jaunt like yours xo
I have no idea how 'we' will choose. I think if the stars are aligned, we will be chosen. This time next week we will know who our little bub will be. Cripes, I sound as if I'm about to give birth, don't I? And in a way, I suppose I am. How exciting at 73 years old!
PS: We did think of calling the pup Rupert, but then the name disappeared- the short versions were unpalatable.
There is much to admire here, Prue: the dolphins escorting you to your island destination, the pristine peaceful beauty of that place (magical - like something out of a movie except better, because I know none of it is fabricated), the fishermen's success, the rumbly-tumbly puppies, and that H is so much a part of this decision. Truly a dream weekend!
It is an honor to be among those mentioned here, and an honor to know that you find comfort in what lands on the pages of Chicken Scratch. When I'm out and about a lot, like I have been this weekend with a trio (yikes!) of social events, I love having the opportunity to say, "My friend in Tasmania..." ☺️ I'm counting down the days with you!
What a treat to come along with you to Maria Island and the Pupdate! What a wonderful way to bring the year to a close…and for me, such an uplifting, joyful read 🥰
And thank you so very much for mentioning This Little Farm Life too! I was so very delighted and honored that you enjoyed and linked to my recent post. And I apologize for the delay in thanking you… By the time I found your post, you were on your holiday hiatus. Wishing you great happiness with your new pup!
I love that you wrote this: It’s been an odd time – filled with such longing for our boy, with occasional weeps, and not feeling guilty for that longing because the grief for a lost family pet is as strong as grief for lost human family.
Thanks also for the shout out for A Considerable Age. Wishing you happy holidays and good health in 2025.
It's quite bipolar, Alice, to have to deal with the two emotions together. It's nearly 5 weeks since H passed away so therefore still fresh. But such joy at the other end.
I remind myself to go with the flow. If I can.
Summer here helps.
Seasonal everythings to you too and thank you for such an interesting year of writers.
Those puppies look adorable. We have a couple of overseas trips booked in the first few months of next year so will probably wait until we're back. Thank you for the connection this year - I've enjoyed "meeting" you and look forward to your posts. Happy Christmas.
Have a wonderful festive season and trips O/S. After that, can't wait to see what pup you end up with.
merry christmas to you and your family, can't wait to see which boy adopts you.
and can i say how delightful your weekend sounded, surely your cup runneth over.
And to you, Kate. It's nice to have folk like you and Joanne who are in our timezone and awake when I am! Truth? I can't wait to see who adopts us too, 'cos we haven't a clue!
Cup runneth over last weekend indeed. For me that WAS Christmas. I'm onto Boxing Day now!
Cheers and happy happies!
Oh Prue! What a week!!! Thank you so much for sharing these joys and gentle moments with us all. It’s been a tough year, but you’re grounding yourself beautifully in these environments that you so clearly adore. The serenity of Maria Island! And then that beautiful creek. I hope your feet have recovered, but what an amazing day. Happy sigh.
And I’m so glad that P1 and P2 are so inspirational. My neighbour’s ‘new’ dog was born four days before her old dog died. We often feel that there is a connection between the two. Whichever of these two you choose, it / they will keep you very busy and happy.
Take care my dear. I hope you have a lovely, joyful, restful Christmas and a wonderful 2025.
All the best.
Thank you so much, Beth, and thank you for supporting me through this year. Happy Christmas, stay safe and I shall see you in 2025 with a new little companion by my side!
PRUE!!!!!! Your glorious account of your trip to the island had me right there with you - what an incredible landscape, the views, the quiet, the frogs, the water..... just wow. I'm so sorry about your sore feet, but hurrah for seizing that opportunity and really going for it!
Your puppy vocabulary is wonderful - 'butterballs', 'doddle', 'pootling', 'coddiwompling', 'wiggle-woggle'. I'm so excited for you in this magical time, and totally understand about you feeling torn, but that it was nevertheless the right thing to be there with the puppies and getting to know P1 and P2.
My sister-in-law collected her box-fresh puppy just this last week - I've seen pictures and videos, and she's adorable. She's a flat-coated retriever (the family has always had that breed, and always girls) and I'm looking forward to meeting her next year.
Sending love and strength and smiles and happy happy puppy times! Keep us posted!
And you're so kind to link to me - thank you very, very much. You've put me in such illustrious writing company, too - awesome! 😘
I'm so glad I could take you all with me. It's such a special place, Maria (pronounced Mar-eye-ah). It's got loads of convict history, loads of pre-settlement First Nation history and is now a World Heritage site and a National Park. Filled with wombats, Tasmanian devils, birds, fish, wallabies - it's been called a Tasmanian ark.
I also love that many parts are accessible only by boat...
Re the pups, every morning when we wake up, the first words we say to each other are Which One? We're still stumped... it's an ongoing story.
I too am so delighted by Prue’s Down Under idioms—hard to choose a favorite, but I think “coddiwompling” wins out!
I didn't realise it was a real word until it popped up in Tom Ryan Author's Substack and since then it seems to emerge periodically in social media. Isn't it a glorious word? Perhaps we should make it our word for 2025 and see how much coddiwompling we can do!
I agree!! Happily, this wonderful word will always remind me of your new puppy 🥰
They are adorable. I await with bated breath as to which one (or two) comes home with you ;) xx
Two? Two!!!! Golly Libby - not sure I have the energy.
It's always such a privilege to be invited into your world Prue and you describe it so well. I did feel that I was truly there with you today on your mystical walk (feet issues aside!) where dolphins are "young chaps" and wallabies are clearing their noses loudly. (One hears about these things so seldom *anywhere* else!!)
And those sweet woofs - those clownish "butterballs" as you so rightly call them - are just perfection, falling over themselves, rushing sideways. They are either in turbo-terrier mode or sound asleep to the world, nothing in between, lol. How will you choose!?
Thank you so much for your kind mentioning as well - I greatly appreciate such support.
Looking forward to seeing The New Terrier in Town, perhaps in the next post! Happiest Holidays till then, and that shortbread looks outstanding! Just the kind of thing Rupert Bear's mummy might pack for a jaunt like yours xo
Thank you, Sue.
I have no idea how 'we' will choose. I think if the stars are aligned, we will be chosen. This time next week we will know who our little bub will be. Cripes, I sound as if I'm about to give birth, don't I? And in a way, I suppose I am. How exciting at 73 years old!
PS: We did think of calling the pup Rupert, but then the name disappeared- the short versions were unpalatable.
Christmas love, dear friend.
There is much to admire here, Prue: the dolphins escorting you to your island destination, the pristine peaceful beauty of that place (magical - like something out of a movie except better, because I know none of it is fabricated), the fishermen's success, the rumbly-tumbly puppies, and that H is so much a part of this decision. Truly a dream weekend!
It is an honor to be among those mentioned here, and an honor to know that you find comfort in what lands on the pages of Chicken Scratch. When I'm out and about a lot, like I have been this weekend with a trio (yikes!) of social events, I love having the opportunity to say, "My friend in Tasmania..." ☺️ I'm counting down the days with you!
'My friend in Tasmania...' Oh, I LOVE that!
XXXX
Beautiful videos, amazing pups!!! Thanks for the vicarious trip with you.
What a treat to come along with you to Maria Island and the Pupdate! What a wonderful way to bring the year to a close…and for me, such an uplifting, joyful read 🥰
And thank you so very much for mentioning This Little Farm Life too! I was so very delighted and honored that you enjoyed and linked to my recent post. And I apologize for the delay in thanking you… By the time I found your post, you were on your holiday hiatus. Wishing you great happiness with your new pup!
Thank you, Susan. I'm looking forward to reading you in 2025!
Same here for Knots in the String! 😊