Compostable Kate

This is Moet, the dog I lost for three days. He was found safe and well, but I will never forget how distressing it was, or ever stop feeling guilty about it. It was supposed to be a simple thing, puppy-sitting little Moet for a few days. I've been looking after other people's dogs and puppies for years, and apart from having to clean up some messes I've never had a mishap. Moet had been to visit before he came to stay, and had a good look and sniff around the unit and the back yard. My yard isn't big, just a patio and a scrubby garden bed, imbued with years and years of dog wee, with shrubs to wee on, and the occasional possum or neighbourhood cat to sniff out. I did have one escape artist previously, but Donny (cocker spaniel) only managed to squeeze himself into the neighbour's yard, through the little gap where the water mains taps are. He couldn't get back again, but he couldn't get out, either, so it was easy enough to retrieve him, and he neve

WARNING: This is a big whinge. Feel free to skip it. 29.01.12 I didn't sleep AT ALL last night, but it wasn't for want of trying. I went sensibly to bed at 9.30pm - not even staying up to watch the men's Australian Open final - as I had plans for today, but couldn't sleep. It wasn't that I slept intermittently; I didn't sleep at all. This is not unusual; to say that I don't sleep well would be an understatement. I very rarely sleep for more than 5 hours at a stretch, and it's more usually 3 - 4. I know that I do sleep sometimes, because I have lurid nightmares and the most bizarre dreams imaginable. But occasionally, like last night, I don't fall asleep at all. There are various reasons why I can't sleep. Last night it was predominantly pain. My hip joints were burning, and my thigh bones were aching (not the muscle, the bones ) and I had run out of Tramadol, my main pain reliever. I always have pain, but this was more and worse than usual.