Emily - RIP

 We were still all very sad and tearful this morning.  Tom and Harry spent the first part of the morning playing games and football and Mary was again up late and still feeling the loss of Emily really badly.  We conducted a funeral in the garden late in the morning burying Emily near the fence between our garden and the neighbour's where she spent so much of her time.  We wrapped her in her favourite blanket, Mary placed a card and her food fork in the grave as well as a copy of this prayer which I wrote for the occasion:-

Dear God,

We thank you so much for the life of our dearly loved cat, Emily, who during her time her on Earth with us gave us so much pleasure, fun and companionship.  We remember all the funny things she did, like waiting at the table to be served, snuggling up to us in bed, saying hello in her own special way when she came into a room, eating the best seafood and fish, always being there to greet us when we came home or back from holiday, and attending all our house groups.  We thank you for all those precious moments which we shall remember with a smile.

We know that you created her, that she belongs to you and that she now must return to you.

Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity for her to be a part of this family and we will remember her with fondness always.

May she find eternal rest where prawns and fish are always there and where she will always have a place at your table and a warm bed on which to snuggle.

Amen

This evening I took Tom and Harry to St. Mary's Stadium for the Saints v. Torquay United match in the First Round of the Carling Cup.  Saints won 4-1 with excellent goals from De Ridder, Lambert (free kick), Chaplow and Forte.  After the game Tom and Harry managed to get quite a number of autographs from the Saints' players including a photograph of them with Ricky Lambert (see above).  There were only 6,500 spectators this evening and the city centre was quite deserted.  The rioting on the streets of England has continued tonight with rioting in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Gloucester, Leicester and Nottingham.  Southampton has been spared and it feels like the Blitz must have been in the 1940s - which city will be hit next?   Tom and Harry came back this evening feeling very pleased with their wonderful evening out.   Harry intends to make Southampton his second team after Chelsea!