The Last Day of Sable

After not leaving work until late because my boss wouldn't get back to me about what needed to be changed on a report (that turned out to be just one word in the end), I got home to find Sable in the cupboard. She hardly recognised me, but I got her out and gave her the evening pill. I took her to her food bowl and put some fresh food out but she wouldn't eat it and then went outside to sit in her little cardboard box by the back gate. I decided to leave her out there as it was a lovely, warm evening and she seemed comfortable. I watched Corrie and Eastenders and then I watched the last ever episode of Ashes to Ashes. It was really good, but a bit off the wall. Then I went to find Sable and she was underneath next door's gas meter. She was just kind of flopped there rather than sitting. I sat on the stairs and talked to her for a bit.
Then Chris came home at about 10.30pm and I was a bit angry that he was so drunk, because I wanted to spend time with him deciding what to do with Sable (if we were still going to put her to sleep tomorrow). He went and got Sable from outside and put her back in her cupboard and we agreed it was the right thing to do. But Sable obviously wanted to be outside. She went back outside and we found her by the back gate again. Chris brought her inside and then she went back outside. Chris sat outside watching his flowers and picking snails off them, and I asked him to keep an eye on Sable. He thought she'd come inside, but she hadn't so we had a search and he found her on the steps to the car park - it looked like she'd fallen down the stairs because she was so wobbly. When I got there she was up and moving around again, but was really disorientated so I picked her up and we put her back in Cat Death Corner. She was so unsteady that she couldn't even walk along the bedhead or turn around so she just flopped. After a while I decided to go to bed and she pretty much stayed there all night.

When I woke up, she was still there. I gave her the morning pills and she didn't even resist me in the slightest. I put her by her food and she wouldn't eat and she just wobbled back to Cat Death Corner. Chris and I both agreed that it was definitely time for her to go to sleep.

Chris phoned the vets and they could get us in at 1.50pm, but Chris had to go to work and asked if he could meet me there. I demanded that he came home and helped me get Sable to the vets as that would be the bit that I'd find the hardest. He agreed to come back and help.

So Chris went to work, Sable stayed in Cat Death Corner and I walked through the park to get the car tax renewed so that I didn't get a fine for that as well. I came back and fixed the car and then got ready for Chris to come home so that we could take Sable on that one last trip to Cross Street.

Sunny Days

I got woken up this morning by Sable falling off the bed. She'd obviously been for a wander and was trying to get back to Cat Death Corner, but was too wobbly. I helped her up and went to get her pills. I decided to give her a whole pill of steroids instead of just half to see if it'll make her any better than she is.

Chris had fallen asleep on the sofa while fully clothed, so I woke him up with a coffee and some toast. He had a bath and Sable went back to the bedroom cupboard.

It's a glorious day. It's also Sable's 12th Birthday so at least she made it to 12 full years.

Sable goes downhill

I woke up and Sable was making that noise with her mouth again so I gave her the pills and hoped she'd feel better. She was still quite wobbly by the time I left for work, but seemed a bit better.

I spent the day pushing the broadsheets for more coverage on Rick Astley and sorting out the dates for the Daily Mirror interview. Gaby found out that her Aunt is dying of cancer and so the two of us were generally upset together. We're the death corner.

Mel came into the office for a bit and everything got tense. She left and everybody went back to normal.

I came home from work and found Sable in the bedroom cupboard again. I gave her the steroids and she wandered to her food and ate a bit and drank quite a lot. She went to the litter tray and then headed back to 'Cat Death Corner' (the same corner by the right corner of the bed that Spirit used to go to when he was in his last few weeks - but whereas he spent his time underneath the bed, Sable is living on the bedhead but in the same corner by the dimmer switch).

I had the left over Sea Bass from the other night and a bit of wine. Then I watched the Lion Man on TV and Cougar Town.

I'm definitely more of a cat person.

Sell ins, Sushi and Sable

Sable seemed really chirpy this morning and I felt as if she might be seeing the benefits of her medication. I was still upset, but feeling hopeful. Just as I was leaving for work, I got a call from Steven who talked to me about Sable, Tweaky and various other things. He said that the day after Tweaky died, him and Sean were looking round Battersea Dogs Home for a replacement (before they decided to get purebred Labs). He agreed that it would be good to get a new cat straight away once Sable does go. But that's hopefully not for a while yet.

I got to work and got cracking. I managed to confirm Rick Astley for BBC Breakfast, Angela and Friends and Live from Studio 5 as well as BBC Radio 4's Midweek and Saturday Live. I also confirmed him for The Guardian Weekend's feature and the Daily Mirror's double page interview with pictures.

However, by the end of the day we were laughing at this:



I went for a quick bite of Sushi at Camden Lock's Hi Sushi Salsa with Gaby and we had the sushi buffet (which was lovely). Then we wandered back down towards Camden High Street. Gaby went to her date with her ex and I went to the bargain book store and got another copy of Rupert Everett's book for Eric's birthday present. After that I got the bus home.

I got home and couldn't find Sable. I started to think she'd done that thing that cats do where she'd gone off to find somewhere quiet to die. Then I found her in an old cardboard box by the back gate - obviously it had been in the sun during the day so she was nice and snuggled.

I watched a bit of Eastenders and Corrie with a G & T and then Chris came home to tell me about his exciting day at the plant nurseries. He cooked himself some food and we watched some TV. I went out and brought Sable in as it was getting a bit cold and she hadn't come in by herself, I gave her a pill and then I went to bed to read more of Rupert's book.

Acorn House

I woke up and cried a lot about Sable and then Chris watched the Grand Prix from Monaco while I mopped the kitchen floor and washed Sable's drinking bowl. I took the rubbish down and just kept myself busy.
After the Grand Prix, we drove to Waterhouse and picked up the van. We filled it with salads from yesterday and then made our way across London to Acorn House restaurant in Kings Cross. We unloaded the van and put everything in the fridge before going upstairs and having a cup of tea with Phil (the manager). Acorn House is lovely and Phil was really sweet.
As we sat there, the heaven's opened and it absolutely chucked it down. We drove back to Waterhouse through torrential rain and then I drove home and dropped the car off and Chris picked me up in the van. We went over to The Old Dairy and met up with Andy, his gorgeous girlfriend and their friends. The Cricket was on the telly and everyone went mental when England beat Australia. Chris had a glass of red wine and I had a Guiness and black while we sat at the big table by the window. Then we went to Petek on Stroud Green Road, but the starters were so big that I had to ask to take my Sea Bass home to eat. We walked back round Finsbury Park and talked about all sorts of things before coming home and looking through my cat book at pretty breeds of cat. Sable came in and Chris put the book away hurriedly as if he felt guilty.