First & foremost, many thanks to those who posted or mailed privately
messages of support and/or condolence over Peri's death. It really helps
to know that there are others who really understand and appreciate what
the newly bereaved are going through.

A special mention to CN for Sammy's moving "Tribute to Pericles" which I
will pass across the divide when I have the strength to stand at his
grave. Please advise Sammy from me that I think Peri would like her,
after say a year as a typically "royal" period of mourning, not to
further deprive herself of the benefits of at least a penfriend of the
opposite gender.
Also thanks to Tweed for the URL of Dr Addie's FIP website: I'd
investigated the more generalised info. sites already but it was good to
get to a "gold standard" source. I've also joined the Yahoo mailing
list/group on FIP: just a mere 27,500 messages to read to get up to
speed. But it was good to know immediately that my hygiene protocols
were already up to the recommended standard.

In answer to CN's kind enquiry into the state of Bandit & Snowball:

The high-risk period for them to develop the FIP mutation of the Feline
Coronavirus with which they're bound to be infected lasts another month
or so, although the chances of them developing said mutation is under 10
percent, thank goodness. In the meantime they've had to become used to
daily examinations for any signs. Luckily they seem to enjoy the extra
attention :-)

For two days after Peri's passing Bandit spent long hours in the chair
next to the one in which Peri chose to spend his last few days. Missing
him, I expect. Since then he's spent much more time with me. He &
Snowball now regularly indulge in long head-washing sessions which he
wins through experience and persistence despite having a lot more fur to
get through.

Snowball has vigorously expanded into the space made available to him,
demanding twice-daily walks in the Out. We don't go nearly as far from
home, since he has nothing like Peri's level of confidence (yet, I
daresay it'll come), but it's good to get out there, and he's equally
adept at accepting the adulation of the hoomin neighbours. A
hundred-pound-plus Leonberger d-pet leading its hoomin on a walk-past
had him speedily retreating to the In, however. Sensible fellow.

John Donne wrote in "For whom the bell tolls" that "Each man's death
diminishes me".
I'd like to expand that into "Each loved one's death diminishes us", as
I certainly have always felt that upon the loss of a pet as well as a
hoomin. Rather more so at times.
Certainly I, Bandit & Snowball have had a piece of our lives removed and
will never forget our missing companion.

Purrs to all

Gordon & the TT
(back to lurkmode)