The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Happy New Year.

Did you have a good one?

Did you get loads of presents?

Did you get drunk? Have a snog? Vomit profusely?

For such a crap 2015, I was very fortunate for it to end on a high note … in Australia, with my family, relaxing, catching up with friends and – even more wonderfully – catching up with 2 groups of mates who also happened to be in Oz, the lovely Jonathan and Truus and my beloved Paul and Shelly.

The best compliment I can give my break is that for someone who has found Christmas pretty hard to enjoy ever since my Dad passed away, I had a wonderful time.

Sure, Otis got more presents and much better presents than me … but overall, it was a much needed, special time.

Talking of presents, I think I should explain what the photo accompanying this post is about.

Not just because I accept it looks weird and I need to [badly] justify myself, but to reinforce the fact that while it may be a new year, the old rubbish will still be spouted on this blog.

So back to that photo.

As many of you know, I love my cat Rosie.

Well about 6 months ago, I heard of a company called Cuddle Clones who will make you a – yes, you guessed it – cuddly toy clone version of your pet.

So after sending them a huge amount of photos, dimensions and money … cuddle clone Rosie turned up and I have to say, it’s pretty good.

It’s so good that Jill, Otis and I have all – at some point – looked at it, thinking it’s the real thing.

In fact the only person who isn’t impressed by it is Rosie.

OK, I get that this is all a bit weird.

I even accept that it looks like some sort of taxidermy experiment.

But I’m used to liking things no one else does so your insults will just bounce off me.

The fact is, seeing Otis walk around the house hugging it [or should I say, dragging it around by it’s tail] makes me happy. Not just because it helps justify the stupid amount of money I paid for it, but because it lets him do what Rosie will never let him do.

Their relationship has been really interesting to see evolve.

At first, Rosie was petrified of Otis.

From a household of quiet, Otis turned it into a household of mayhem.

But now, despite Rosie being a little where of him, they are quite fond of each other.

They look at each other and miaow/mutter.

Rosie will go up and sniff him while Otis crawls over to lean on him.

It’s not just sweet, it is – at least for me – a reinforcement that I have my own family.

A group of people [and animals] bonded [in some cases] by blood and [in all cases] love.

We put up with each other. We look out for each other. We take care of each other.

It’s something I wasn’t sure I’d ever have and, if I’m honest, something that is better than I ever could have imagined.

And yes, I appreciate this is quite an emotional ending for a post about an overpriced cuddly replica of my cat.

Which doesn’t bode well for the standard of blog post you can expect to read in 2016, does it?

Mind you, when has it ever been good?