Friday, July 31, 2009

Dreaming


I keep having dreams with Ralph in them. This morning he was running and playing with another large dog, a New Foundland, they were so well matched and were having such fun! In reality if Ralph had come across a dog as large as himself he would have come to me and hidden his head between my knees! He did this at the vet's once. We were waiting and the surgery door opened to reveal a rather large Rhodesian Ridgeback, Ralph took one look and "hid" himself! Poor boy, he was such a softy! In all these dreams Ralph is young and vigorous again, I like to think that it's true...........I don't think I'll ever be able to get over his loss, but I do feel happy when I'm dreaming him.

My hands are a total disaster, no prizes for these manicurist's nightmares! I've been doing alot of leather applique, which always leaves my hands in a mess. I use really tiny glover's needles, and they have an extremely sharp three sided point to them which shreds my fingers, but slides through the leather with ease. I have a friend who is a potter, who develped a severe dermatitis from contact with clay (real handy, that). Anyway he treats it with the ointment dairy farmers use on their cows' teats when they get cracked, it works a treat. I have a small jar of the ointment somewhere, I'll have to hunt it out and use it I think. The same stuff is used by many hand embroiderers, too. I imagine it can be bought very cheaply from a rural supplies store, I was given my jar years ago and only use it when my finger tips get severly cracked from multiple needle jabs. A little dab on the offending digit with a "bandaid" over it, and overnight the crack will be all but completely healed! It really is that good! I just thought I'd hand this on to all you fellow sufferers out there.

I have to finish my bears for the next online show "When You Dare To Dream", in September. The photo submission deadline is looming, but I've found it very hard to really get motivated since we lost Ralph. Still, I'm almost done and I'll be getting the photos done in a couple of days. Then I can concentrate on bears for Adelaide and London.

We've been having some fabulous Winter weather lately, with big blue skies and lots of sunshine. I can really relate to being a cat on days like this. I can turn my chair around to bask in the sun streaming in through the bay window, I could almost start purring! Now that we're well past the shortest day, I swear I can hear the birds gearing up for Spring. Soon they will be gathering up tufts of Ralph's undercoat that I've left out after brushing him, and lining their nests with it. It's so soft I'm sure it makes a beautiful lining to nestle into, the little babies will be tucked up nice and warm.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Linda -I think of Toby everyday - you just can't forget them when they have been such an important family member. He used to sleep in his bed in our room and every night when I go to bed I still look in the corner where he would have been.

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  2. I know what you mean Lesley, I feel a little guilty when I take Lily out for her walk, because we can really stride out now and it feels so wrong to be doing it!

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  3. Linda perhaps your dreams of Ralph are not really dreams...perhaps it's Ralph's way of letting you know he has a new friend to keep him company in doggy heaven and that he has found peace...I'd like to think so anyway.

    I will pass that tip on about the teat ointment to Glenn...he has bad split fingers from counting money of all things!!

    Hugs,
    Sandi

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  4. We have something here in the States called "Bag Balm", and yes, it is a miracle cure in a jar! A fabulous shampoo used for horses, "Mane and Tail", is also an excellent shampoo for people! Heals broken ends and makes hair glossy. Better products are made for animals than people...lol. :o)

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  5. What a lovely way to remember by having a Happy dream. I think you are coping really well Linda. Hope your hands hold up!
    Hugs Linda

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  6. Believe .... I'm sure it's Ralph's way of letting you know he's OK. In my family, we have this weird thing: when my mum-in-law passed away last year my sister in law prayed to her to show us a sign she was OK & a white feather turned up in the most unlikely of places. The same thing has happened to all of us in the family since - very odd, but heartening to know Mum's still there.
    Hugs, Marg

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  7. Hi Linda, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. It's hard to get over a soul that you love. My big baby Hudson is off colour at the moment with kenal cough, which he got from Rosie after she visited the vet, Unfourtunatley.
    He turns 12 this year and thats getting old for a big dog. The other 3 have shaken it but Huddy's having a hard time of it.
    Sending you Great Big Fuzzy Bear Hugs Merilyn

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