Lexie is now an angel

Lovely photos of Lexie tonib. You have lots of memories of her to cherish.

Even to the end Lexie was capable of causing chaos.

Starting on her final day when I went back to the vets to see Lexie & we arranged her cremation etc. I ordered sole cremation so I would get her ashes back & a pawprint as I did for Roman & Osiris. Historically I'd been asked if I wanted a wood/bamboo box & if so open or closed. It didn't register that I hadn't been asked that for Lexie. I also mentioned the issue with a poor pawprint for Osiris which they had refunded me for last year. I should mention that both Roman & Osiris had been pts at the main hospital as opposed to my local branch where Lexie was.

They didn't charge me for the consultation just the cremation.

When I looked at the invoice at home that afternoon the only thing on it was the cremation no mention of pawprint so I went back & queried that. They said they had done the pawprint & were just waiting for them to dry before laminating them & they didn't charge for them. This seemed odd to me so I queried & discovered that they now do ink pawprints not impressions in some sort of clay/wax which is in a box as was Roman's & Osiris'. They still do the impressions but this branch hadn't got any blanks. They checked with the hospital who had & I offered to go & get one so that they could do it that day as it was getting close to the start of their consultations starting. In fact I brought back 5!!! Also they told me that apparently they now don't charge for the impressions either

Historically Roman & Osiris' ashes took about 2 weeks to come back. Bearing in mind that Easter was in this period I realised that it could be a bit longer. However I did query it (all calls go to the hospital) after Easter & again on Wednesday 19/4 when they told me that her ashes were back & that someone was due to ring me to ask what I wanted on the casket, I had told them when I ordered it but I reminded them that it was just Lexie. This was late afternoon & apparently the person who deals with the plate wasn't on on the Thursday but would deal with it on the Friday & then it would sent to my local branch to join the pawprints etc.

When I hadn't heard anything by Tuesday I rang again, everything was ready & they would get her over to my branch & they would ring when she was there. I didn't hear anything Wednesday but when sat in the doctor's waiting room I got a phone call which I answered but then it was cut off. So once I was out of the doctor's (I'd been due in just as the phone rang so decided I'd better wait, however it was a long wait!) I rang them back & they told me I could collect her anytime. As the vets is just up the road from the doctors I went to pick her then. It was also convenient as the vets have a car park & is nearer the chemist where I needed to pick up the meds change the doctor had prescribed

They present everything in a paper carrier with nice string/rope handles containing, ashes box, pawprint box, candle on a jar (historically made by the head vet who died on Good Friday last year), card from the vets & the sole cremation certificate. When I looked inside Lexie's bag, I noticed the ashes box was different, it was more casket like & had her name on the side instead of the lid. I then queried was it sealed & apparently it was as that is the only choice they do now. That explains why I didn't get asked the questions I'd had with Osiris & Roman, for whom I chose open as we have historically sprinkled the ashes under a plant rather than bury the casket. The box would then be kept with collar/tag or any other small reminder on display with the pawprint. The plant idea came from only getting a carboard box with Penny & Chloe the options got updated for Roman onwards. Admittedly as It's possible I may move Roman & Osiris ae still in their box!

Oh well not an issue if I do decide on a plant for Lexie in the future I'm sure her casket can be carefully opened & one advantage id the casket is narrower but a bit taller so easier to find the right space.

Today I checked on Lexie's paw print impression, I knew that they'd changed but not quite by how much! It's now just a single print in a dark brown sort of foam/dried sand not sure which whereas the others where 2 paws in a white solid (looks rather waxy) Ah well although not as good I also got her ink prints as well

I'm not complaining, the person I was dealing with at my branch although very competent was new to the practice since Osiris & probably was not thinking how longer term clients may have not known about changes. At least I'll think to ask any relevant questions in the future, which I hope will be a long time away.!

As I said chaos to the end. She also would have appreciated that while I was the vets I booked the 2 new boys in for their annual vaccinations!

What's so nice about the candle chantel is the head vet made them himself. Don't know if this is just a left over or his family (his 2 sons are in the practice, 1 as a vet & the other i admin) have taken over or they are getting them commercially now. The cards are still the same, a lovely image of a barn owl, which has a significance for the name of the vets!

It must be a sad time for the vets as well as me as the head vet died Good Friday last year (April 7th) & his funeral was the 24th April. They are very much a family vets, with a number of long standing staff, not a big group so this time of year must be still raw.

That's a lovely idea, our vet doesn't do anything like that, not even a condolence card. Still I wouldn't change him, but I did hear a rumor that he was packing it in. I don't know what we will do if he does.

Oh that is a shame cazypops, I hope the rumour isn't true.

This is the first of some prints that I might get as memories of Lexie, Osiris, Roman, Penny & Chloe. They are not intended as actual portraits but as characteristics.

Not in its final place
Fairy Light by Carrie Hawks (tigerpixie) This portrait is based on a photo of her own cat Tabby. She spies a little fairy light coming to visit her.
I have a photos of Lexie from 2012 with a similar expression on her face.

20240501_145322 by osiriscat, on Flickr

The photos I have were taken by a member of the Yourcat & this forum Lozzie & they sort of combine her face into the imagery of Fairy Light.

20120229_DSCF1911 by osiriscat, on Flickr


2012-02-29 DSCF1885 by Lozzy by osiriscat, on Flickr


20120229_DSCF1914 by osiriscat, on Flickr

There is one more picture by Lozzy which she edited that I may consider having turned into a print as a memory of Lexie, just not sure of the quality when enlarged.


20120229_lexie by lozzy by osiriscat, on Flickr


I think it would look quite good with the one in the previous post.

Update:-
I decided to test order it through Pixels.com who were the licenced company for Carrie Hawks' work I chose or Fairy Light. When I saw the cost I decided to order it. If its awful then I've only wasted £16.60 Although an American company (part of Fine Art America) they have 2 manufacturing facilities in the UK for some things these prints being one of them. Fairy Light came from Glasgow. so no US shipping!!!