REMEMBERING MY GREY TABBY PRINCESS

Princess and Charlie

 

A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.
                              Ernest Hemingway (author)

Today, quite by chance, I came across my cat Princess’s Pet Passport and discovered it was her birthday. She was born on 7^th July 1993. The name Princess suited her well. She expected, and got, lots of attention. The above quote is highly apt.

                Princess was a big grey tabby born in Athens. I don’t know why so many cats in Athens are huge! When I first saw strays roaming the backstreets I was amazed at their size.
               Unfortunately, she died many years ago. She never did make the journey from Greece to the UK which is why those of you familiar with my blog ‘Quarantining in Corfu’ have never heard of her.
             But, a pet lover like you will understand, she is not forgotten. And the same applies to her mother Valentina who was such a character!
             The above photo was taken when Charlie was recovering from a blockage caused, as I discovered, from eating a new plant on my balcony, which had fibrous brown leaves. (See picture of Dracaena plant below.) Princess was keeping him company as he was naturally very sorry for himself – having just had a lifesaving operation.
            Anyway, memories, memories flooding back.
            Sending greetings to all cat lovers. Enjoy the company of your puss today.
  Love
Teresa x

PS If you liked the above quote please follow this link for more of the same ilk:  

A plant like this almost killed cat Charlie when he started eating it and it blocked his intestine... 

If you enjoyed this post I have a debut novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel,  recently launched which is set in Corfu which I think you will love! Find all the details here.     

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Actually, please find below the details of my other two books!

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

Blessings,

Teresa x

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

Goodbye Darling Charlie

Hello dear friend,

It is some years since I last wrote but this time it is with a very heavy heart and a great deal of sadness because it is to let you know that my beloved cat Charlie passed away on Wednesday 9^th March at 11.11 am…

The only good thing I can say about that is that he enjoyed the freedom I wrote about in my last blog for about 4 years and 10 months. And for that I am more grateful than I, the writer even, can express. Those of you who live in apartments or flats where your cats have restricted movement will understand and empathize with what I am saying.

When I decided to bring Charlie to the UK he was already just turned 12 – which is quite elderly for a cat. But I told myself that even if he only got a couple of months of running around outside then it would be worth the trouble and expense. So put that against almost 5 years and you will understand my gratitude.

But. And unfortunately there is a huge BUT in this story. He could have had longer…

So I just want to warn you that if your cat has both thyroid and kidney problems, which seems to be quite common in older cats, be VERY CAREFUL when using medication. And NEVER allow a vet who has only seen a blood test not examined your animal to prescribe medication for them.

To tell you that I am devastated that Charlie is gone is the understatement of the year.

Goodbye my darling tigery boy, star of this blog, I miss you more than words can say…

Tears and kisses, Teresa 

28th April 23 

Reading the above is still devastating. I still miss Charlie so much...! 

I want to share some good news with you today though:

My debut novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel,  recently launched which is set in Corfu and I think you will love it! Find all the details here.       

  

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!             

Actually, please see below the details of my other two books.

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

Blessings,

Teresa x

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

 

From Corfu to Wales! Quarantine Done!

Hello and welcome,

It has been some time since I last posted. And in many ways the repatriation of my cat Charlie and myself from Corfu to Wales seems a distant memory. The event was though, rather traumatic, for a number of reasons.

First, Charlie has begun to be terrified at every journey now. I found this out the day before the flight when I had to take him for his last visit to the vet. Only 5 minutes into the 15 minute journey he began being sick, and not only. The next day on the way to the airport, the same thing happened. Ooh, er. Not pleasant for anyone concerned  - beginning with Charlie himself.

When we arrived at the airport the airline knew nothing of Charlie’s booking. I had nothing in writing as the payment was made over the phone by card. I had arrived about 3 hours ahead of our flight. We had to wait on tenterhooks until the flight was closing and only then was Charlie’s ticket confirmed. Wonderful, not! And neither was dragging him out of his cage in the middle of the airport while the staff took his cage away to x-ray it for security a picnic either. Thanks so much to the lady from Bristol who was travelling on the next flight who watched over Charlie while I battled over the missing paperwork with airline staff.

Anyway, board the plane we did! The Thomson staff were lovely and checked on Charlie for me. “He’s fine and he’s got his water,” they told me. But I couldn’t relax because I had never noticed just how noisy a plane is until that one took off and I knew my little scared puss was in the hold below me. The engines positively roared! In actuality they were no noisier than on other planes it was just that this time the decibels mattered. I only hoped that when we were airborne he would get bored with being scared and nothing happening and just settle down. There was apparently another cat in the hold with him, so that was a bonus. 

We landed. I got my bags – lots of them which had cost me a fortune in excess baggage! Then we began the next fraught stage – the dreaded document check.

I had sent scanned copies of all the paperwork to Devra in the UK. And they had said that they seemed to be in order. But no one commits themselves to say for definite that they are. And I worried about the chip in Charlie’s neck, would the reader be able to scan it okay, and so on. If anything whatsoever is not in perfect order your pet may be taken away and put into quarantine. And this time in a cage, for who knows how long until you can sort things out. Think – time, money, worry and you are on the right track. (People who travel with their pets for fun must have very strong nervous systems!)

So, what happens is – the authorities go to the plane and collect your pet from the hold. They then take them away – in this case about a mile away from the airport at Bristol. There they check the animal over to make sure it is healthy. And, in Charlie’s case, they were kind enough to clean him up too. Boy, he really needed it! Then they thoroughly check all the documentation, including the pet passport, which has to be attached to the animal’s cage in a plastic wallet. If all goes well you are then free to pick your pet up and take it home.

We had landed at ten o’clock at night. It was dark and pouring down with rain. The airport was confusing and it took some time for my brother, who was meeting us, to find me and my luggage. It was also a bit of a hassle subsequently trying to find Charlie’s whereabouts. But find him we did. And collect him without problems in documents or anything else, we did!

Our mission was accomplished!!! Amen and alleluhia!!

All we had to do was drive home and get on with the rest of our lives…

 

P.S. If you want to bring your pet from abroad and want any help please don’t hesitate to contact me.

2nd May 23 

I want to share some good news with you today:

My debut novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel,  recently launched which is set in Corfu and I think you will love it! Find all the details here.       

               

* For those of you familiar with Corfu and the San Stefanos, Avliotes resort - the novel is based on this resort but fictionalized. In other words, though I feature the fabulous beach and Z shape of the resort, I have added in lots of other aspects from my imagination - including the Paradise Hotel! And all the characters are imaginary.

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Actually, please see below the details of my other two books.

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

Blessings,

Teresa x

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

Pet Passports, Wellies, and Sunsets - 40 days and counting!

The time is flying by and I am not doing as much posting as I thought I would because there is a general Internet connection problem on the island. Ah well. It is but a small frustration in the grand scheme of things.

The weather is improving though the breeze is still a bit chilly and the evenings are too. Having said that one brave woman was sunbathing in a swimming costume on the beach today. I, on the other hand, was dressed quite warmly complete with hat and gloves and paddling in my wellies. I didn’t envy her!    

Many of you are asking about the Pet Passport thing - how it works and so on – and I thought I’d tell you the details for those wanting to take pets into Great Britain from Europe. (I understand that from other countries there may be different rules so bear that in mind.). It wasn’t that long ago when to take a pet into the country it had to spend its first six months in quarantine. In that case the poor animal was holed up alone in a cage. This cost the owner thousands of pounds, and, too often led to the pet dying of a broken heart. I mean, you just can’t explain to an animal that they are in there because you love them and want them to continue being part of your life, can you?

I remember watching a programme on this topic in the mid-nineties. As I was already living abroad with two cats it was a sobering portent of what I would have to face if I decided to return to the UK to live. Some pet owners interviewed had chosen to remain outside the country until their animals passed away naturally.

Fortunately, all this changed just over a decade ago with the introduction of the Pet Passport Scheme. I was so happy about it that I immediately wrote it up in an article for the Athens News. I have heard a few bad stories over the years, of, say, cats going missing from their cages at airports, and so on. Bearing that in mind, and not being able to buy a cage on Corfu sufficiently secure for air travel I ordered one (that satisfies all the regulations) from the UK. It is a Vari Kennel which you can Google to find a supplier.

Anyway, the procedure to get a pet passport goes like this:

You go along to a vet who can supply one. (Sell you one I should say, it cost me 100 Euros.)

1) The vet starts by putting a chip into your pet’s neck. It’s about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted by injection. Its barcode is recorded onto the pet passport along with details of your pet – name, age, breed and so on.

2) The same day (in Charlie’s case) your animal is vaccinated against rabies. This is documented on the pet passport.

3) 30 days later your animal has a blood test to ensure there are sufficient antibodies present. This test is very unpleasant for the animal as the blood is taken from a vein in their neck.

In due course (in Charlie’s case after five weeks), the blood test results come back from the lab. If there are enough antibodies this is noted on the pet passport and a *six months waiting period begins – counting from the date of the blood test. Fortunately, Charlie’s results were good. I breathed a sigh of relief because…if there are not enough antibodies the animal needs another anti-rabies vaccination and the procedure of waiting and testing and waiting begins again. 

*In our case I decided to come to Corfu for this waiting period – hence this blog!

This bit was copied from Defra the government site:

Please note that steps 2 and 3 above must be carried out in a PETS listed country (Greece is PETS listed) and that your pet must remain within PETS listed countries.  Entry into an unlisted country would mean your pet could no longer be deemed UK PETS compliant and all PETS preparations (with the exception of the microchip) would have to be started again, whilst in a listed country.

Further to this, pets must be treated against ticks and tapeworm not less than 24 hours and not more than 48 hours before checking in with a PETS authorised carrier (on a PETS approved route), for the journey that brings the pet into the UK.

For further information on how to prepare your pet for export to the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), including documentary requirements and approved routes and carriers, please see the link below:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/pets/procedures/owners.htm

Please feel free to contact me if you want more info or if you want to pass on any advice on this whole procedure.

While I have been writing this there has been a gorgeous sunset over the sea which I have been peeking at from time to time. I am off now to enjoy the afterglow. Hope you are having a great weekend!

2nd May 23 

I want to share some good news with you today:

My debut novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel,  recently launched which is set in Corfu and I think you will love it! Find all the details here.       

               

* For those of you familiar with San Stefanos, Avliotes (see above) - the novel is based on this resort but fictionalized. In other words, though I feature the fabulous beach and Z shape of the resort, I have added in lots of other aspects from my imagination - including the Paradise Hotel! And all the characters are imaginary.

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Actually, please see below the details of my other two books.

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

Blessings,

Teresa x

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity  

Sun with teeth, Jamie Oliver and Martians - 58 days and counting!

After storms and high winds the sunshine is back – but it is “sun with teeth” as the Greeks put it; and they are right, it really is biting cold. But I did get my walk on the beach today and yesterday and, wrapped up well with a hat pulled right down over my ears, it was great.

As I walked I thought about how I can expect lots of this cold, windy weather in Wales. I remember almost crying with the pain in my ears from that very thing on many an occasion. I have with me the ear muffs I grabbed when they came into fashion one year and have never let out of my possession. I wore them once in January here but not since. It also brought up memories of iced up car door locks and windows. I remember bringing a can of de-icer to Athens. I never used it and finally threw it away. And oh, what about the joys of shovelling snow? Another winter treat to look forward to! Moving on…

I have been watching more television here than in Athens. I am following a cooking series featuring UK chef Jamie Oliver. I had heard his name but knew nothing about him. Now I know why some friends in the UK like him. I do too. His cooking is homely using lots of organic veggies from his garden. It is inspiring me and making me look forward to having a garden again. In Athens I had two balconies which I lined with plants in pots. Some grew quite tall. I miss them… Anyway, as I said, I like Jamie Oliver’s recipes and attitude. And when he uses dead flesh – I am a vegetarian and that’s what it is to me, I just watch something else until he gets back to, say, the dessert to follow that main course. (Just lurve desserts!)

So, now I have filled in the blanks below the name: Jamie Oliver. But! This is just one person and there are, well, hundreds at least that I know nothing about; not even their names. For instance, when it comes to music, someone in the UK will say things like, “Oh, I really like the new Moby CD,” and I’ve had to reply, “Moby? Don’t know them.” It was my brother who alerted me to this band years ago and I have since heard them, and I did know their music but just didn’t know their name. This is because on the radio in Athens, they usually don’t say who the artist is when they play the track. So, I know the music but not the name. So… mega gap in my knowledge which has already had people looking at me as if I’m a Martian. I can look forward to many more weird looks I’m sure…

I hope all is well in your world and that no one is giving you weird looks!

2nd May 23 

I want to share some good news with you today:

My debut novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel,  recently launched which is set in Corfu and I think you will love it! Find all the details here.       

               

* For those of you familiar with San Stefanos, Avliotes (see above) - the novel is based on this resort but fictionalized. In other words, though I feature the fabulous beach and Z shape of the resort, I have added in lots of other aspects from my imagination - including the Paradise Hotel! And all the characters are imaginary.

Set on the green and beautiful Greek island of Corfu in this novel I show the ever-present backstory of life, as I interpret the supernatural elements of our dilemmas and choices. 

I know, that no matter what your beliefs or experiences, you will surely recognize the tussles of my characters, as tussles in your own life....  Enjoy!

Click on the following links to check out my novel, Angel at the Paradise Hotel In UK /  In US / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Actually, please see below the details of my other two books.

I have been asking God for guidance and listening to His replies for many years. I share my methods in Pray Then Listen, A heart-to-heart with God.

Check out Pray Then Listen In UK / In US  / In Singapore

Available as a Kindle version or paperback! 

I wrote 9 Days to Heaven, How to make everlasting meaning of your life as my personal evangelization effort.  

Check out 9 Days to Heaven In UK / In US / In Singapore 

Available as a Kindle version or paperback!

Here is the link for the YouTube book trailer:  9 Days to Heaven 

For articles, plus more info about me and my work please visit my website.  (www.teresaodriscoll.co.uk)

Blessings,

Teresa x

PS. About the links to Singapore, please see my blog post Singapore and Christianity