i do, i do, i... don't?

A while ago, i spent a night with a few girlfriends discussing and researching our favourite engagements rings. It started as 'i would never say yes to...' and ended with 'i couldn't say no to...' I also have had a few conversations with my family, and even Michael, about rings of the marriage variety...
We came up with a few varying ideas on what we did and didn't like.....

So i thought i would share some of our findings!

I would never say yes to....

(That last one is the ring that Edward gave Bella in Eclipse. No way i would say yes to that ring... vampire or no vampire....)

I couldn't say no to...

I'm a sucker for the antique style filigree rings... ^.^ But those three are all delicious. The very top one is my favourite i think. Of course, we all came to the conclusion that the ring doesn't really mean a whole lot in comparison to the person asking us... and how much we would love them - but it's still nice to be girly and think about these kinds of things!

hmm...

Michelle and I are sitting in the lounge room talking about little Ponyo. I went into my room and got my spiritual diary, which has quotes and inspirational messages which you are supposed to read and then meditate on each day. Every few days there is a new theme in the book, for example, May = loyalty, August = meditation, September = effort, etc. I looked up Friday 15th October, the night that Ponyo died. Here is what it said:

Courage.
Do not take life's experiences too seriously. Above all, do not let them hurt you, for in reality they are nothing but dream experiences... If circumstances are bad and you have to bear them, do not make them a part of yourself. Play your part in life, but never forget it is only a role. What you lose in the world will not be a loss to your soul. Trust in God and destroy fear, which paralyzes all efforts to succeed and attracts the very thing you fear. (Paramahansa Yogananda)

It seems strangely appropriate...
On another note, here is the video i made for Ponyo.

"he's mummy's baby... he's mummy's boy..."

Oct. 2009 - 15th Oct. 2010

Ponyo

• the cute noise he made when he saw a bird outside the window
• the not so cute noise he made when he was about to throw up
• sitting quietly in the back seat on the way to-and-from Meningie
• lying between Michael and i on the bed
  
• putting his head on the pillow and sleeping like he was a human
• fighting with the toy tiger
• the cute little tingle of his bell when i called him for dinner
• sleeping on the top of the mattress leaning against the wall
• sleeping in my armpit
• sitting on the edge of the sink/bath and watching the dripping tap for hours
• stretching his paws out to touch me on my mouth
• stretching his paws out just so he could touch you
  
• rolling over and waiting for a belly rub (just like a dog)
• checking if i was alive (when i was sleeping) by sticking his mouth right on my mouth (to check for breathing?)
• coming and sitting right with me when i was crying/upset
• making friends with stray cats (Patches, Cloud, Boof, etc.)
• making 'cat haters' into 'ponyo lovers'
• meowing at the door when he wanted to come in
• sleeping under the computer desk in the very corner of the room
• sleeping on the edge of the laptop (where the hot air comes out)
• resting his head right on your arm/hand when he was sitting in your lap (even if his neck was stretched out and uncomfortable)
• jumping up onto the window sill and watching the birds/street
• alwaaaayyysss walking in front of the computer screen - only if you were actually wanting to LOOK at the computer screen though.
• never eating his food unless someone walked him to the bowl and stood there with him
• climbing up trees and pretending to be stuck so we all worried about him (perhaps just to show us how high he could climb)
  
• chasing pinecones at mum's house
• learning how to open the kitchen door at Michael's house
  
• leaving muddy footprints all over my washing machine (after coming in through the window)
• always finding the warmest spot in the room to sit
• drinking the spilled water after i watered my plants with the carp fertilizer
• drinking out of the half-drunk cups of water next to my bed
• waiting for me in the bathroom as i showered... and then going in after i was finished to lick the water off the ground
• purring realllllyyyy loudly... and then gradually getting quieter and quieter as he fell asleep... then finally giving out a greattt big sigh and falling asleep.
• leaning his head down gently and pushing it against yours - forehead-to-forehead - when you bent down to give him cuddles
• always letting me kiss him all over his face and never getting annoyed with me
• sleeping in the beanbag with the tiger toy
• almost being sat on whenever he sat on Michael's black computer chair (but trusting that you wouldn't...)
  
• exploring everywhere he went... finding his way into almost any place possible... and even places seemingly impossible... including every roof in Meningie (most likely)
• his little white G-String, and his little white armpits... and the tiny little white tufts of hair that were hidden on the inside of his paws...
  
• actually letting me play with his paws enough for me to discover the hidden white tufts
• keeping me company whenever i was on my own at Meningie
• blinking one eye
• always wanting to eat human food... (and not minding at all when grandma and grandpa spoiled him....- mum and brian)
• catching and eating moths and blowflies
• being so good with traveling and not minding all the different homes he had
• putting up with Bella and Foster, even though they are SO annoying
• finding his way into the heart of everyone he met - just by being his beautiful little self.

Best Memories:

1. One night he was staying at my mum's house and she decided she would try and let him sleep in her room for the night (as i told her he usually slept in the bed with me when i was on my own). In the middle of the night, he woke up and stretched his paws out. Mum had forgotten that he was there and suddenly jolted awake, giving out a loud yelp! Ponyo jumped right up into the air, over my mum, and onto the bedside table, knocking the water glass flying and spilling water everywhere. Mum said he looked at her with his big wide eyes as if to say 'what did i do!?'
2. After school on a Friday afternoon, i came home to find Patches (a stray cat that Ponyo was adored) sitting inside my laundry. In an attempt to tame her, i closed the window behind her. She was very frantic and scared and ran into the bathroom. Ponyo casually walked in behind her, walked straight up to her and put his arm over the top of her back. It honestly looked as if he was putting him arm around her shoulder and saying 'It's Okay, mummy is friendly.' I could then get close to Patches, enough to pat her and give her some flea and worming medicine.
   
3. I was on my way out to the shops and saw Ponyo sitting on the edge of the sink, staring at the tap as it was dripping. I had never seen him do this before, and i thought it was quite funny. I called out to him (as i usually did, to say goodbye) but he was so mesmerized i ended up leaving him there. I came back approximately four hours later... and to my knowledge he had not moved an inch. He was in exactly the same spot, staring at the tap as it dripped. I said "Ponyo... you're not still seriously sitting there watching that tap?!" As if he heard and understood me, he mewed quietly.... but kept his eyes firmly fixed on the tap. That became something he did regularly.
4. I was about to go home to Meningie and Ponyo was mewing at me as i carried him to the car. He didn't seem to want to go in, which was strange for him. I was getting frustrated with him, because he kept climbing up into the back platform inside the car, near the rear window. I was about to pull him out when he started coughing. All of a sudden he vomited all over the backseat an entire plant that he had obviously eaten and was not digesting properly. Gross... but at the time it was completely hilarious. Ponyo, however, was mortified and embarrassed and moved into the corner of the window and looked ashamed. Michael cheered him up by tapping on the window and making funny faces at him. Poor little man. All he wanted to say was 'Muuum... i'm feelin' sick... i'm gonna puke!'
   
5. When he was a tiny kitten, we were still living at mum's house. Bella took a particular liking to ponyo, however because Bella is such a big dog, we tried to keep them away from each other. We thought ponyo would be too scared, and that bella might try to kill ponyo. In the end... we let them start to roam around together, and were shocked to see ponyo actually jumping out at chasing after bella... and bella actually being the one to run away. Ponyo would run up to bella and then just as he was about to pounce on her, he would splay his claws out and stop right in front of her, giving bella the fright of her life.
   

There are many... many more memories and cute little things that my beautiful little baby boy would do. I hope i don't forget any of them. He truly was the most amazing cat in the world. He was my little bundle of sunshine. He was such a kind soul; he never hissed, scratched, or ran away from anyone (unless he was being cheeky and climbing trees), and he always loved to be around people. He was only with us for such a short time (one year) and i expected him to live for a long time yet... but obviously the universe had other plans for him. I take comfort in the idea that he was such a truly amazing little soul, that the universe decided that he could skip the whole lot and transcend straight into being an angel, somewhere in another realm. I am so lucky to have had him, even for that short time. I absolutely could not imagine a better little baby to have. He was the sweetest little angel anyone could ever ask for, with a personality that will never be matched by another. I will love him forever, and miss him constantly. I hope, wherever he is, he knows just how much he changed my life.

i love you pongo.
i love you baby boy.
i love you puss-cat.
i love you warmy one.
i love you mummy's boy.
i love you bacon ball.
i love you bubby boy.
i love you purrer.
i love you pon-yaaa.
i love you ponyo.

i love you.

MmmmHm

I just heard the most awesome thing ever.......

Her: You see my point, right?
Him: Oh yeah.
Her: Don't say you also see hers.....
Him: I'm only lookin' at yours.

*end scene*