Broken Hearts

Yesterday morning our hearts broke. Lily our precious little girl passed away while being rushed to SASH. She was only 1.5 years old and we had her for just under one year. Sadly, we suspect that she had Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP). 

For anyone who's been following this blog, you'll know that Lily had some health issues at the very end of 2017. For those of you who want to read more about her past, I had written two posts about her:- Meet Lily - Part 1 and Meet Lilly - Part 2. 

Lily was a crazy little girl! She was jammed packed to the brim with affection and mischief. She was fueled by her love of food, tormenting the dogs, chasing lizards, crickets, grasshoppers, moths and anything else that was smaller than her and moved! 

When she wasn't eating, chasing insects or thinking up new ways to *surprise* the dogs, she spent her time with us. She sat beside me all day every day, it didn't matter if I was on my computer or in the lounge room, she was right there beside me. Apart from her antics, this is what I'm going to miss. She was company for me, even though 95% of the time, she was asleep. It's hard to describe, she didn't need to be awake, she was just always there.

As strange as it may sound, but I would talk to her, I don't know if she understood? Maybe she just chose to ignore me! In any case, I would talk to her throughout the day while she was *sleeping* beside me.

One thing that has really ripped my heart out, is that I didn't say good-bye. I think in my mind, it was going to be like it was on NYE. That she'd go to SASH and they'd somehow weave their magic and she'd come home. I didn't think for a single solitary minute that she'd die. In my mind, she was simply too young.

Last night, the flickering of the tv had me seeing her wander in. Even now, I keep expecting her to wander in, meow maybe, before jumping up onto the chair beside me and going to sleep.

Lily, if there's any way that you can hear us or feel us. Please know that you were loved SO much little girl. Safe travels to The Rainbow Bridge Miss LilyPilly, run, play, have fun! You're no longer ill little girl! We'll meet again in the blink of an eye before you know it. XOXOXOX

The Smell Of My Past

I read a post a little while ago over at Behind Green Eyes, she had looked at various perfumes, that she had worn in her life. It's an interesting concept, because we normally think about our past in terms of, who were we in a relationship with, what we may have been driving, what music we liked or where we were living. So I have decided to track down some of the aftershaves/colognes/fragrances - call them what you will, that I have worn during my life.

I was able to find one of the first fragrances that I used to wear when I had moved out of home. I was on a very tight budget, and I believe at the time this was worth about $20, it now sells for $8! lol I remember purchasing it from those discount style pharmacies. Lomani and another one, which I cannot remember the name of, were my choice of the cheapies! They did the job, didn't cost earth and at the time I thought they smelt ok :)

This cheapie aftershave reminds me of being broke - point blank! I used to work seven days a week at two separate jobs, and I never seemed to have enough money to cover all of my bills. Ahhhh, the good ole days! lol

A friend of a friend, who had flown in from overseas, purchased a CK gift set like the one above, at Duty Free for me. I had never had an actual name brand cologne before and I treasured it! I only wore them on special occasions and they lasted me for years, as I was quite frugal with their application. I received another gift set similar to this, a year or two ago. I do like these mini's as they open doors to new scents, that you may otherwise not try.

Here comes the walk of shame... I don't know if the Lynx brand is available internationally, if it is and you wear it, I'm sorry, I'm about to offend you - please skip ahead. If it isn't, let me explain.... The way Lynx is advertised, is similar to 'those' tampons ads. You know the ones that show the wearer of the product, riding horses across glorious meadows and performing all sorts of activities at Olympic gold standard? This how Lynx is advertised towards young men. You just have to have it, because everyone is wearing it, right? 

What the brand fails to tell you is, that once you wear the product just once, it will hypnotise you and leave you feeling that you need more! This brand has not lost its momentum, and there are parents of teenage boys across the country cursing the brand name Lynx. Seriously, you can smell the wearer of this stuff a mile away! Not only do they manufacture 'aftershave' but they also churn out, body spray and deodorant..... All of which MUST be worn at once in large quantities! I would like to take this chance, to apologise to anyone who may have asphyxiated at some point in their life, when they passed me on the street. I am truly sorry.

The next item I would like to introduce is Safari, this was purchased for me out of the blue by an ex-girlfriends mother. There are two reasons that could have prompted this purchase... 1. That I used to wear Lynx lol or, that 2. That while I was going out with her daughter, she actually tried to pick me up, yes you read correctly..... Creepy huh? In any case, I cannot actually remember if I liked this one or not.

Then there was Tommy, Tommy has appeared in my life twice and although I no longer have any left, it is an aftershave I would probably wear again. The first time I was wearing Tommy, I was in my early twenties and had been diagnosed with depression. The medication that I was prescribed didn't suit, and the Dr didn't listen, so I took myself off the medication and went about my life. 

Jazz and Kouros appeared in my life around the same time, I cannot remember which one came first.... But I do remember, that I felt that I now owned some 'adult' aftershave lol I think because Tommy was marketed, as a trendy - young man scent. It's funny, because I still have both of these and I still like the smell of both of them.... But just not on me. 

Yeah, I know that sounds weird... I can walk past a guy in the street, who is wearing one of these and it smells fine. But I feel that as soon as I wear them, they somehow smell different??? It's like I am waiting for that 'one day', where I spray them on, and they just miraculously smell right lol

Okay, New West is one of my favourites and I have had it for ages. The reason being is, that my original New West, was in a mini's gift pack and when it ran out, my wife had a whole lot of trouble trying to buy me the larger size. She was told by many shop assistants that it was no longer being made. So it has now become something of the holy grail in my collection. lol I think that I actually wore this one on my wedding day.

Joop is similar to Tommy, in that I have gone through two large bottles and I don't have any left at the moment. It's also another one that I would wear again, as I feel that like Tommy, it's not an over powering aftershave. I remember wearing this particular aftershave, when I worked in a nursing home, an elderly woman (who was quite feral in her younger days) used to always comment on how good I smelt **shivers** 

I know that I have missed a couple of aftershaves, as I cannot remember them all. There are also a few that I can remember wearing, however I cannot remember what was going on in my life at the time.

My two current favourites are Dunhill Desire Blue and Bvlgari. The Dunhill aftershave has taken the place of Tommy and Joop. It's an aftershave that I can wear during the day or night as it is a fresh scented aftershave. Bvlgari is a stronger scented aftershave, which I prefer to wear either at night or when we go out during the day. The reason I say when we go out is, because I wear aftershave everyday, including when I am at home, even on those rainy days in front on the television :o)

I have not personally purchased aftershave for myself, since I was in my mid twenties! Every bottle since then has been a gift. :o) I am also ashamed to say that, I easily have at least four times as many bottles of aftershave, than my wife has perfume lol. So either I don't buy her enough perfume, or she buys me too many aftershaves lol

I can't help but admire Behind Green Eyes, for her in depth insight into her life at various points. Her recollection is far superior to mine! lol I can remember the early aftershaves and the later ones, but I have really struggled with the ones in between.

Well that is about it! I have given you a brief look into my bathroom cabinet, from the bargain basement cheapies, toilet cleaner (Lynx), and the name brands which I wear today. For those of you who don't know me in real life, now you know what I smell like! ROFL!!!