ANOTHER SAD LOSS (well, two actually)

On Wednesday we lost another member of the extended family. In 1989 my mother acquired a small Siamese kitten from our housekeeper Helen. She was named Tikki and stayed with my parents until my mother's death in 2002. My father found himself unable to deal with her and Helen took her back.

Tikki was put to sleep yesterday. She would have been 22 on Christmas Day.

Also admitted to the great cattery and kennel in the sky on Wednesday was Tigger, for 12 years the pet of Darren and Toni Naish and family. Rest in Peace little fellows.

The picture, by the way, is Helen, not my mother. Barbed wire tattoos and anarchopunk T-Shirts hanging up to dry were not de rigeur in my Mama's day more's the pity..