I have been trying to remain occupied since the end of last year, for obvious reasons.  The first big occasion I had to deal with after losing Kev was Christmas, and obviously this was a difficult time. Last year his gift to me was some kate moss perfume and that is a great and lasting souvenir of the little chap.  Everyone who knows me is aware that I have a huge weakness for good quality brands, such as  Calvin Klein perfume although I still have not got anything of theirs.

I do prefer the big name fragrances rather than the ones that are created as a publicity vehicle for stars – although my choice of Agent Provocateur perfume for my birthday present last week is maybe more like the newer designer creations.  I bought it online, after trying it with a tester at the local store.  It is important to let the liquid dry and see how it seems after a few hours before choosing. Then I found it cheaper at an internet store and it arrived in a couple of days.

After hearing the sadness of the death of little Ivan Cameron, I am reproducing this lovely photo of the family in happier times. The baby Ivan is clearly achieving things that the parents had been told were unachievable.   In moments of grief these happy images of a beloved child or pet offer immeasurable consolation and I am very pleased to reproduce the Camerons’ happy memory here.

Grief is often a subject of which we cannot speak to others – a little like the issue of vaginal dryness.

This is just the latest image that has endeared me to David Cameron as our future Prime Minister.  Anyone who can devote his energies so publicly to a severely disabled child and hug dogs for a photo shoot without a thought for his own supremacy has my vote! “never work with animals or children” the saying goes .  Certainly David Cameron’s beautiful severely disabled son Ivan was a scene stealer, with a tranquil beauty that belied his painful life.  Our thoughts go out to the whole family on the loss of their beautiful boy.
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On the subject of dog biscuits, which we are, did you know that today is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation day? Seems like there is a day for everything now: talking to some non-dog lovers this weekend, they were horrified at the idea of ‘Take Your Dog to Work Day’. That is an established annual event here in the UK and I think it is an excellent one. Workplaces are high-stress places and it is proven that stroking a dog will reduce blood pressure. For that single benefit alone I applaud the idea. Most dogs are far nicer personalities than the people I have worked with.
Obviously the dreaded health and safety regulations rear their ugly heads on occasions like this. “What if???” they squawk in the quest for problems. As long as the kitchen has a Bosch tankless water heater there should be no problems in bringing your canine companion to the office, and making him a drink.

On Saturday we made the sad journey to the Vet’s to collect dear Kev’s ashes. If such a sad task can be said to ‘go well’, then this one did. Our Veterinary nurse gave us the little box in a private room, and had even brought some biscuits in case our blood sugar levels needed a lift – as long as it was not a weight loss pill. There was also a certificate verifying that the box contained Kev’s remains only. We took the box and went to collect my Mum, who also wanted to come along for the scattering. The place we chose is the local churchyard. Since we moved here permanently Kevin had been unwell and there was no single ’special walk’ that we wanted to commemorate. The position was different in London, where Kev spent many happy hours roaming around in the grounds of Alexandra Palace.

Every year I used to go through the same time consuming routine as Dad spent hours trying to get car insurance quotes before the renewal date.  It really does not need to be like that. There are plenty of websites  that collect all the information together to get you the best rates, leaving you more time to do the things that you enjoy – like walking.  Make things easy for yourself whenever you can.