Hello, World

Posted on | June 3, 2010 | 40 Comments

Apologies for the sudden and prolonged absence and thank you for the thoughtful, concerned and generally lovely emails and messages sent by many of you. My beloved cat, Mandoo, died and I required a blogging break to come to terms with the loss. Mandoo was relatively young for a cat but he became seriously ill last month and passed away suddenly in his sleep; I console myself with the fact that we gave him a good life (he was a rescue cat) for five years, loved him dearly, and that he was not in pain. If you have been reading my blog for long then you may have picked up on the fact that I was besotted with him and have an obsession with cats in general; it won’t be long until there is the pitter-patter of paws in my life again but Mandoo will always have a dear, special place in my heart.

It may take me a while to fully be up to speed with blogging, especially as I have been in something of a reading slump at present; reading so little is hardly conducive to book blogging but I have enough of a backlog of reviews and bookish news to keep you all occupied for a while, I’m sure. I have managed to read The Vet’s Daughter by Barbara Comyns along with Simon of Stuck in a Book and Polly of Novel Insights and hope to share my thoughts tomorrow; I am also attending a Yann Martel reading tonight, which I plan on posting about. I’m just back from an extended break at home in Glasgow and the sun is blazing in London so I am off to enjoy it whilst I can with a book.

Category: Housekeeping

Comments

40 Responses to “Hello, World”

sakura
June 3rd, 2010 @ 11:58 am

Welcome back. Losing a pet is a really difficult thing (we lost our dog a month ago too) and it will take time to heal. Just think about all the great time you had together. You were both lucky to find each other. London is sunnier now, so hopefully things will perk up. Looking forward to seeing what books you’ve been reading. Have fun at the Yann Martel reading!
Nymeth
June 3rd, 2010 @ 12:02 pm

*hugs* I imagined that that was why you weren’t up for blogging lately. These things take time, of course. But it’s lovely to hear from you again. I hope that bit by bit you’ll be able to feel better. The empty place a lost pet leaves is never really filled again, but a new critter to love does help make life a little brighter again. Wishing you the very best, Claire. Have fun at the reading!
Kals
June 3rd, 2010 @ 12:03 pm

I’m sorry about your cat Mandoo * Hugs *

Welcome back
stujallen
June 3rd, 2010 @ 12:16 pm

nice see you back claire ,my toughts go to you ,nothng worse than losing a beloved pet ,all the best stu
Verity
June 3rd, 2010 @ 12:17 pm

Welcome back Claire – it’s nice to see you again here…
Cornflower
June 3rd, 2010 @ 12:35 pm

Claire, I can imagine how you feel about Mandoo. It’s terribly hard. All good wishes.
skirmishofwit
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:02 pm

Oh Claire I’m so sorry. I know how hard it is to lose a pet. I’m sure you did indeed give Mandoo a lovely life with you.
Merenia
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:04 pm

Hello Claire, we missed you. I hope you’re feeling better soon. A lot of love can go into one little cat – I was crazy about mine. Best wishes.
Jenny
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:05 pm

Oh, Claire, I am so sorry. Losing a pet is so wrenching – I hope you’re taking care of yourself! *hug*
Laura
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:07 pm

I’m very sorry about your loss, Claire, but also glad to hear from you again.
Book Psmith
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:26 pm

I was beginning to worry when Paperback Reader was quiet for so long. I am so sorry, Claire, about Mandoo. Sending a big hug across the pond.
tea lady (the glittering burn)
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:33 pm

I am very glad to see you back and hope that you feel better soon…
Darlene
June 3rd, 2010 @ 1:48 pm

I read somewhere that grief is the price we pay for love. Not normally a follower of religion, I found myself sitting cross-legged on the floor of the library skimming through books about animals in heaven when my dog died. Anything to help me think that Squire wasn’t completely gone. Nothing helps and now I need a tissue just thinking of him.

Lovely to see you back, Claire, take care.
Bloomsbury Bell
June 3rd, 2010 @ 2:16 pm

I am so sorry to hear about your loss – I am completely the same about cats and my cat, Etienne, is my baby. I adore him utterly so can only imagine the grief that you are going through. I hope you start to feel better soon. x
Jackie (Farm Lane Books)
June 3rd, 2010 @ 2:56 pm

Good to see you back! I’m looking forward to seeing Yann Martel tonight – I’m really hoping he can shed some light on why he wrote such a terrible book
Amanda
June 3rd, 2010 @ 3:22 pm

Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about your kitty.
Steph
June 3rd, 2010 @ 3:54 pm

Claire, so sorry to hear about Mandoo. I know from personal experience how hard the loss of a pet can be (over 2 years in, I still tear up at times when I think of my beloved childhood pup). I’m so glad to hear that you were able to give Mandoo a wonderful home and that his passing was one without pain.

And of course I’m glad to see you back – the book blogging world hasn’t been the same without you!
selena
June 3rd, 2010 @ 4:13 pm

So sorry to hear about Mandoo, Claire. I can’t imagine how difficult this must be. I hope you take as much time as you need to get back into the swing of things – we’ll all be here to welcome you back
Jodie
June 3rd, 2010 @ 4:25 pm

Sorry about Mandoo luv. Just remember he is running around doing all his favourite things, remembering how much you loved him (cat Vallhalla = existing). Good thoughts flying your way.
JoAnn
June 3rd, 2010 @ 6:37 pm

It’s good to see you back, Claire! I thought the quietness here was because of Mandoo…. take your time. (hugs)
Buried In Print
June 3rd, 2010 @ 9:58 pm

I’m very sorry to hear that, Claire. And I remember that it took me forever to settle back into reading after I lost a furry companion; I’m sure even a short book like the Comyns was a struggle focus-wise.
Geraldine
June 3rd, 2010 @ 10:30 pm

So very sorry that you have lost a much loved cat, Claire We had to say goodbye to one of our cats in April. It had got to the point where having him put to sleep was the kindest thing we could do for him. I sympathise with your loss, pets are as much a member of your family as your human relatives.
Michelle
June 4th, 2010 @ 3:33 am

I am so sorry for your loss. I had to put down my cat five years ago, and I still miss her. Our furbabies find a way to steal into our hearts and leave a permanent impression. My thoughts and prayers are definitely with you!
Allie
June 4th, 2010 @ 4:28 am

I am so sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is incredibly difficult.
Mrs.B.
June 4th, 2010 @ 4:40 am

Claire – I’m so sorry for your loss and hope you are feeling better. I’m glad you’re back. I was wondering where you were.
Simon (Savidge Reads)
June 4th, 2010 @ 7:54 am

Glad to see you are still about Claire. So sorry to hear about Mandoo (what a marvellous name) you know how cat obsessed I am so I totally empathise! Don’t rush to get back in the swing you will see we are all happy to wait and let you have as much time as you need.

As for slumps… I think it’s viral and airborne x
Dot
June 4th, 2010 @ 9:59 am

I’m so sorry to hear about your cat, it’s sp difficult to lose a pet. Hope that things feel better soon.
Simon T
June 4th, 2010 @ 10:30 am

Welcome back – completely understandable break xx
bybee
June 4th, 2010 @ 12:20 pm

I’m very sorry about Mandoo.
Paperback Reader
June 4th, 2010 @ 12:50 pm

Thank you all for your kind and welcoming words. My heartfelt sympathies to those who, like me, have suffered the painful parting from a furry loved one.
The Vet’s Daughter | Paperback Reader
June 4th, 2010 @ 2:34 pm

[...] them both as, otherwise, it may have been some time until I picked it up myself. As I alluded to yesterday, I have been in something of a bookish slump of late but The Vet’s Daughter was one that [...]
Violet
June 6th, 2010 @ 8:48 am

A bit late getting here, but sorry about your cat. Hope the reading slump doesn’t last too much longer.
Karen
June 6th, 2010 @ 12:05 pm

So sorry to hear about the death of your gorgeous fluffy one. We have a fluffy boy in our family too so I know how precious they are in our lives. I hope your reading and blogging can be a bit of a comfort during this time.
Iris
June 6th, 2010 @ 1:49 pm

I’m very sorry about Mandoo. I can imagine blogging would be the last thing to think about when that happens.
Paperback Reader
June 6th, 2010 @ 5:57 pm

Violet, Karen, and Iris, thank you for your wishes. I am feeling less slumpish, at least, and slowly but surely getting back into blogging.
Rebecca Reid
June 7th, 2010 @ 3:31 am

I’m so sorry to hear about your loss!
Kate
June 8th, 2010 @ 5:53 am

I’m so sorry about your cat. It’s incredibly hard to bounce back from that. Best wishes.
Novel Insights
June 8th, 2010 @ 10:05 am

Sorry to hear about your poor puss cat. Very wise to take a break. Welcome back x
anothercookiecrumbles
June 10th, 2010 @ 7:56 pm

I’m really sorry to hear about your cat x
Paperback Reader
June 12th, 2010 @ 2:13 pm

Thank you Rebecca, Kate, Polly and Pri.