Goodbye, Bonnie cat...

I had to have Bonnie put to sleep yesterday.  She had deteriorated overnight, could barely walk, her face paralyzed and I suspect she was nearly blind. It wasn't fair to keep going with treatment involving cortizone this coming week with no real idea if it would work or not. She had made no improvement these past 2 weeks at all.

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Goodbye to our dear Bonnie cat...she was the best mouser and a tough little cat, gone to chase birds somewhere better xxx

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She's buried down the back of our block, under a gum tree, with Monte and Clyde who have gone before her. 

xxJoolzxx

 
 

 

Squash and spinach rotolo...

I've made this dish a few times now and it really is yummy. 

http://simplyjoolz.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/squash-spinach-rotolo.html?m=1

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Unfortunately, the link which I put up on that post is now defunct but I found another one which has the recipe...
http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/squash-and-spinach-pasta-rotolo/13776/
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 I added chicken this time as I'm not a good veggo but otherwise its a lovely, warming vegetarian dish.

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I roasted pumpkin (I didn't have squash) and an onion, drizzled with olive oil, on an oven tray until tender and slightly caramelised. About half way through, I threw in 5 chicken tenderloins (also tossed in a bit of oil) so they'd cook too. Once done, allow to cool and break up the chicken into little bits  before assembling.  I also used fresh spinach instead of frozen...

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After I took this pic, I filled the gaps up with pasta sauce then topped with a bit of grated cheese...

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A nice dish if you are sick of spag bol or other pasta dishes.

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Update on Bonnie, our cat - she has made no improvement in the past week.  She actually took off on Wednesday morning and spent the night out in very cold, wet weather.  We thought she'd gone off to die, perhaps.
Anyway, she turned up last night but she is no better.  It seems her vocal chords are also affected as you can hear her breathing/purring very loud, even when she is at rest.  I have taken her to the vets and they will look at her later today.  It seems she may have either had a stroke as she has paralysis to her left side or maybe brain lesions or a worse inner ear infection than first thought.  Things do not look good...
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Joolz xx

Poor sick cat...

Our poor old Bonnie cat is struggling at the moment. I had her to the vet last Saturday as she was wobbly on her feet and one eye was closed more than the other.  They thought it was an ear infection so I had drops to put in that ear but yesterday there had been no improvement and she was no better so I took her back. 
They kept her there all day and decided to try some anti-biotics (tablets) and an anti-inflammatory (liquid) to see if that helps.  She did have a cat bite abcess a while back near her left ear so they think the infection may be linked to that.
She was very mopey this morning but I got her meds into her so we had a cuddle and she was purring away.  Poor love is 9 years old and she's looking very moth-eaten a she hasn't been able to groom herself properly.  Hopefully the meds will kick in and she'll spark up again.

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I had my eye appointment in MtG yesterday and was walking past a chemist and saw a sign advertising 'walk-in Flu shots'.  I thought I may as well get one right there and then instead of having to go to the doctor and pay $70 plus the jab.  This cost me $20 and I got straight in, had the vaccination then had to wait 15 minutes in case of a reaction. Done and dusted!
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Tuesday night dinner - chicken casserole with leek and mushrooms...
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...and last night, pork chops with maple apple sauce...
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The apples were sauteed off in the pan juices with shallot and thyme then maple syrup and water was added, then it all had to reduce.  Delicious with the pork.
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Tonight we are having a thrown together zucchini slice with lamb chops and salad.  The weather is decidedly wintery today with a few showers of rain so I've already been shopping for the few ingredients I didn't have so I can get home straight away after work.
I wonder how Bonnie will be when I get home?

Cheers - Joolz xx



  

This week so far ...

 I snapped this one of Bonnie, just sitting with her paws on the garden edge, surveying the goings on...

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 McLeod's Daughter's rose ...

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 Not sure what this one is called, my mother-in-law struck it from a piece for me ...

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 Excitement plus - my first tomato of the season ... yeah, well it may take a while before I am eating it...

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 The plants in the topsy turvy planter have all hardened up over the past week...

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 ... although the one hanging out of the bottom has suffered some shock and lost some leaves, but it has hardened up too so I hope it will go okay.  The basil is good too.

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 Ah, don't you love a man in the kitchen?  This is Gus preparing Sunday night's dinner...

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 Thai-style Chicken, Prawn & Corn cakes with an apple/spinach/blue cheese salad (it was meant to have pine nuts but Gus put pistachios in instead and we also said fresh mango and cranberries would have made it nice too) and home baked wedges.  There was a sweet-chilli dipping sauce to go with it.  It was delicious! Again, we dined on left overs for lunch.  If I scrounge lunch at home for Gus, I save $7 a day.

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And in keeping with an Asian inspired menu, I made a Phad Thai with rice noodles last night.  The little meat balls are pork and veal mince for something different.  Another winner! And lunch for today too.

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We had a thunder storm in the late afternoon yesterday and a lovely heavy fall of rain which topped up our rain water tanks again.  We need 'late in the year' rain to see us through the summer.  Today is blue skies and cool so I am off to work then Bri comes home again this arvo for 'swatvac' before her exams start next week.

She has requested 'Devilled Sausages and mash' for dinner - I love it qhen they request good old homecooking.  What can we have for dessert??

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Cheers - Joolz

Pics from the weekend ...

 We are having very mixed spring weather in these parts - Saturday was an absolute pearler of a day then by late afternoon, the clouds rolled in and threatened a thunder storm ... but it never eventuated.

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 Sunday morning was bright and sunny, just look at the new growth on our Silver Birch ... then we had light hail at 10.30am!  Crazy!

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Bonnie - check out those whiskers!

A few months ago, I think Bonnie got in a fight.  Her eye looked a little sore for a few days and now she squints a bit and her right eye can sometimes look crossed.  There is no wound.  She is so hard to photograph.  The minute I get out the camera she is off or looking away from me.

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Another silly pose!
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She really is a pretty puss and keeps herself very clean and well groomed, seeing she is an outdoor mogster.  She does get shut in the garage if she comes home each night, but sometimes she stays out way past our bedtime and doesn't come home!
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Another dishcloth finished - I'm good at finishing one every 2-3 weeks!   I start them off then let them sit for a while, them pick them up and finish in one go!  This one is called Baby Block and was a nice
pattern to knit up.

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I am still struggling with blogger - it's putting photos up in a back to front order (compared to how it used to) and in HTML mode, I can't seem to cut and paste pictures into position.  I hit 'insert a caption' but couldn't undo it so it had to stay there.  Baaah!  Hate is a strong word but ... Blogger, I HATE you!
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Cheers - Joolz

A missing moggie and pot-roasted pork...

Our mogster, Bonnie hadn't been seen since Friday. I was pondering this, this afternoon and said to Gus - I don't suppose she is out in the big shed? Sure enough, she was. He lifted the roller door and she shot out like greased lightening! Poor thing hadn't had anything to eat since Friday night! She scoffed down a serve of Whisker's casserole and some dry food then took off out of our garage. I don't think she wants to be locked in tonight!
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This was dinner on Thursday night - Chicken Enchiladas a la Joolz.
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We have had a very lazy weekend. We were going to go 'glamping' in Ruby this weekend, over in Victoria but the weather just couldn't get me enthused to spend 2 nights at a camping spot, where there is nothing but a 'long drop' toilet. Once we pitch the tent off Ruby we cannot go for a drive anywhere so if the weather is bad, we are confined to the small tent. Had the weather been fine, we could go fishing in the reservoir there or just walk for miles and sit by the camp fire. I think we made the right choice to stay home - all our gear would be muddy and wet and that is hard to clean and get dry in this weather. Next free weekend with fine weather, we will be off!
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Angus is cooking Manu Feildel's Pot-roasted Pork with Prunes for dinner - this is the plated up dish.
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Cheers - Joolz

Cat and mouse...

I was just pondering what to write about today when my mogster, Bonnie, skulked past the study window with a little mouse in her mouth.
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She bought it into our garage and what ensued was indeed a game of cat and mouse.
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Poor little mousey...
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... I'm afraid I don't like your chances!
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I left Bonnie to do her job. I don't want mice in our house so it's nice to know she is a good mouser.

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Daylight saving hours finished on the weekend so it was lighter at 6.30am when I got up. That will only last a few weeks until winter sets in and the mornings become darker again. It was misting with rain a minute ago but now the sun has come out.
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Funny how soups, stews and casseroles become instantly appealing when the first cool weather blows in. I noticed Pip at Rest is not Idleness had a yummy soup and dumpling recipe on her blog and Marie at The English Kitchen has a hearty Thick Pea Soup recipe and lots of other scrumptious things on her food blog. Give them a go!
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Enjoy your week, I am feeling so much better now and looking forward to the Easter break in a couple of weeks time.
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Cheers - Joolz

A game of cat and mouse...

Bonnie had a little mouse bailed up this morning...

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she would watch it run...
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.... flip it with her paws...
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... twice the poor mouse huddled between this pot and the wall...

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... Bonnie would scoop it up again then let it go...

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... catch him by the tail... let him go...

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... chase him some more...

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...catch him again (I think the mouse is pleading!)...

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... a photo opportunity - say cheese!

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Off for another chase...

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Gotcha!

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I think Bonnie got sick of chasing the poor thing...poor little mousey wasn't around five minutes later.
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Joolz

(Disclaimer: Um yup, a mouse probably was harmed in the making of this blog.)

Early morning gardening and a tidy home...

Bonnie cat was up early to help me do some gardening. Cat on a pole!
Feeling very pleased with myself. Got it all weeded and roses dead-headed by 9am.

This is sweet Tilly. I bought her from our local weekly market.

You can see she had 3 little kitties in her pockets.

This is our family/dining room. Neat and tidy for a change.

I love when I can tidy and no-one messes it up. Everyone was still asleep this morning when I took this pic.

Have a good week. We are having visitors from Melbourne for the Australia Day long weekend. Hope to do some four-wheel driving along the coast, maybe visit the Coonawarra for lunch at Hollicks and just chill out here a bit. Hope the weather is good.

Cheers - Joolz