[Gpdd] ANNOUNCEMENT - good and bad news

[a.mills at portset.net]

I'll get the bad news over first.  Last weekend, I lost my little texel.  He was only about 18 months old.  I'm not sure exactly what was wrong with him, unfortunately the vets around here aren't particularly good with small pets, but from his symptoms I think he had something similar to what Deb's Scruff had a couple of weeks ago.  He appeared to be a bit bloated - I'm not sure whether it was gas or water.  He was very quiet but did not appear to be really ill.  After a while his swollen tummy went away and I thought he was improving.  Although he wasn't eating much, he appeared to be nibbling a bit and was drinking.  Then he just went downhill very quickly and we lost him.  I really hate it when you don't know what's wrong and can't seem to do anything to help.  I also hate it when they're so young.  At least if they die of old age you feel they've had a full life but when they go so young it just doesn't seem fair.

Now for the good news.  A fortnight ago when I went in one of the local pet shops I saw a little brown and white rex.  I liked him at the time but didn't really have room for any more.  Well, with the unfortunate loss of my little texel, it created a space.  I had already half made up my mind that if the rex was still in the shop when I went in again I might get him.  Well, you can guess the rest.  He was still there, but he's not any more - he came home with me.  I got him at lunchtime so took him into work this afternoon and everyone fell in love with him.  He's got a brown and white head, a mostly white body with a brown bottom and a white tummy.  I really didn't expect him to still be in the shop, what with Christmas coming up, but I think it was just meant to be that I should get him.  I think he must have been waiting for me to come and pick him up.