alexist

Thank you all for your comments, it does help a little. I went to bed early, which was a good idea--it finally stopped me from bursting into tears every 3 minutes.

We drove her to the vet's last night and said goodbye. I didn't look at her again because I didn't want to remember her like that and the real part of her was gone, so she went into the back wrapped up in a blanket and that was that. I don't want her ashes back either, although this morning I was thinking maybe I should have so I could have disposed of them myself.

Neil and I sat in bed remembering Zoe. She was our substitute baby for the past 2 and a bit years, really, and we fussed over her. It was easy to do, because she was great--gentle and funny and affectionate and laid back and more than a little daft. She used to lick our noses, and follow Neil around in the morning (she sat at his feet while he ate his Weetabix) and cuddle up to us in bed, and sit on the sofa while we watched TV.

( a pic of Zoe )

We will be getting another cat eventually, but not yet... not till June at least, because 1) it's best to wait a little while before getting another one, and 2) we don't want to get a new kitten right before we go away for 2 weeks. I'd like another Maine Coon, and I'm really tempted to go to a breeder (especially since I've read that hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is genetic in some lines of MCs, and breeders now screen for it).

1 bag only in Economy, and up to £120 for extra bags!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6341129.stm

Even though it doesn't apply to North America (US law guarantees passengers 2 checked bags) it gives me yet another reason not to fly BA. This is supposed to be a full service airline!

BTW, when I needed to check an extra bag on Virgin, it cost me $100. So they're seriously money-grubbing here.

Labourite bleating on about how introducing charging would affect poor people disproportionately, yada yada yada.

1) How, precisely, do all the (more egalitarian) continental countries manage, then? (Answer: their care is subsidised, and the poorest don't pay.)

2) We already HAVE a 2 tier system. If you have lots of money, you can go private. If you don't, you get what the NHS is willing to give you. And because budgets are lump-sum, expensive treatment for one person means less for someone else.

I'm continually amazed by how the basis of the NHS is taken as some kind of untouchable principle. (I'm all for universal care, I just don't think the NHS is the best way of providing it.)