Animals Archives — Amy M. Young

Taking A Break

This was originally posted over on SecretPeriwinkle.

This is a damn hard thing for me to say. I have prided myself on my ability to push through some tough situations. But this time, I can’t.

As you may know, Tuesday morning, our youngest Chihuahua boy went out for a second morning run after my spouse put our daughter on the bus to head to school. He never came back from that run, and the entire day really has me feeling like I’ve been hit by a train emotionally, physically – pretty much every way you can think.

We never expected what happened that day – that our Ozzy would go into uncontrollable seizures. That we’d have to rush him to the vet and say goodbye in a matter of an hour. I’m quite sure we got through that day on pure adrenaline and now, I’m at least sitting back and really feeling the grief and hurt.

So, I’m taking a bit of a vacation to recharge and regroup. We’re going to get started on the whole studio move early and take the time to find a way that we can honour the memory of the most loving, gentle dog that we have ever met.

I’ve been feeling like I’m on a treadmill that is getting faster and more out of my control lately because I haven’t been able to find a way to stop and get a breath in, to get a true rest. I am taking that time now, because if I don’t I know my body and mind are going to force the issue.

I’ll still be on social media. I’ll still be talking. I just won’t be doing any streaming, or doing anything creative for anyone but me, as part of taking care of myself.

Mark your calendars. I’ll be back around the 15th of May.

Take care of yourselves. <3

Happy Birthday Ollie

So, I had a big and introspective post ready for today.

But my subject clearly got derailed because a certain red point siamese got up on my desk and refused to take no for an answer. It’s his birthday, so I figured I’d indulge him.

No doubt you’ve noticed in my Instagram, Facebook and Twitter feeds recurring images of a cat. Yep, his name is Oliver. He’s six years old today. (Today’s featured image is not him)

He’s been my cat since my first cat died not too long after we got him. He made an impact on the ride home and he’s been loving and stinking ever since (yes, I have tried other foods that would make him smell less, no he won’t eat them, and trust me I’ve tried). He took to my little miss like no one’s business (they’re both gingers) and it doesn’t seem like it has been this long.

He refuses to believe that I need access to my keyboard to do things, and usually plants himself purring and warm on my desk right in the damn way.

So happy birthday you stinky, loving meezer. May we have many more years together!

Ode to My Siamese…

Since 1999, I have had my own Siamese. Before that, my parents had my Siamese. He was brought into our family for me, but unfortunately, I couldn’t take him to university with me. He never forgave me.

The first Siamese to share our home was a seal point apple headed girl we named Ayesha, after Erik’s cat in Susan Kay’s Phantom. She lived to 12, and was the only cat that I can say that I’ve ever seen that put me to shame for being allergic to damn near everything. When she passed on, we decided that we were going to go on without a Siamese in our lives.

That lasted less than six months.

We ventured into the middle of nowhere in Quebec to bring home our current boy, and he was a little stinker (literally) from the word go.

Now, almost 6 years later, I am sitting back and smiling. I have the most laid back ginger meezer in the world I think. He gets along with damn near everyone. I have never seen a Siamese like this. If he doesn’t like you, I’m going to say no to you as well, because his weird-o-meter is very well attuned.

He likes to get on my desk, demanding to be cuddled, at the worst times. I think he knows when I’m trying to get things done. He’s chewed more cables than I care to think about, and done things that I just raise my eyebrows at. He follows me everywhere I go, and when I am feeling blue, is there in a flash to cuddle with me, purring and kneading.

This cat is the source of many Instagram posts, because he’s either just that photogenic or in my face to the point I can’t avoid him. Some days, I don’t know which it is.

I love ya, ya stinky bastard. Now, can I get some work done?