Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

The same again today. Amazing how quickly you can get used to doing nothing......

[Whyperion]

TOIL (Time Off in Lieu { of whatever the overtime payment is supposed to be} ) Often granted to persons on fixed annual salary levels. Sometimes accrued at 1 hr , overtime = 1 1/2 hrs time off in normal time (or whatever, or not ). Often so built up that worker never gets time to take off the time due, as the work never really goes away, alternatively used up on getting in half hour later, extended lunch break or just the odd day off (often to make a long weekend, with the law that as soon as you are not in the whole shebang blows up - I've had sites where I wasn't burnt down because the workers in charge were not paying attention, the 10 min job done by someone result in drilled through pipework , or doing a friday job for a firm that went into liquidation over the weekend , before anyone had taken the normal payment up front ). Also had the pre-booked holiday (10 mths in advance), then decided by others that that weekend would be the office move - neatly not getting the right bits of my stuff ready for when I got back.

[Stanley]

Tension mounts and I think I will be checking my packing......

[Marilyn]

My hubby had 5 months of sick leave up his sleeve when he left his last job...a shame that can't be paid out!

Had an irritating job today. The corner of our kitchen rug (stuck on floor tiles with special carpet tape) had lost it's grip and was becoming a potential trip hazard. I could have just slipped more tape underneath, but decided to take the whole thing up. That way I could clean the rug, and the tiles beneath, and remove the old tape/adhesive. Took me about 3 hours!
All on my hands and knees...I ache a bit now.

[Stanley]

Never mind Maz, good exercise!

[Wendyf]

Worrying about my lovely old pony Dennis. Something has gone wrong over the last couple of days and he is not himself....I have a feeling he may have suddenly lost most of his vision but it's hard to tell. i shall be calling the vet as soon as poss.

[Sue]

Setting off to find the summer...ie off to France via a family visit in Birmingham. Ferry tomorrow

[Stanley]

Poor old Dennis..... I have my fingers crossed.
Susan visits this morning, we have plotting to do!

[Wendyf]

I spoke to the vet yesterday and he agreed that Dennis's sight may have suddenly altered. As Dennis seems relaxed and is grazing away happily I agreed to monitor him over the weekend and vet Nick will visit Monday morning. My crazy old pony who canters up to say hello stopping dead in front of me and gallops round the field wildly for no reason at all has gone though....he is moving steadily around keeping his head close to the floor. He seems unconcerned, it's just me who is distressed!

[LizG]

It's awful when 'all of a sudden' your pets get old. Poor old Dennis, but you're right it's you who will be sad about it. To him it's just another day, but it's a bit foggy.

[Marilyn]

I felt the same overwhelming sadness when my dog developed night blindness ( prior to daytime blindness) due to Diabetes.
Heard a noise in the night and found her trying to negotiate her way around a coffee table en route to her water bowl.
It is sad...but after that we left a lamp on for her and she coped quite well for a while. Animals are amazingly good at adapting, and accepting a little human help...

[Sue]

Our last cat was deaf , then went blind and then lost sensation in her whiskers. It all happened really suddenly. Combined with severe arthritis and kidney disease there was nothing we could do but say good bye. It was a very very sad day. She howled a lot and we could not work out if it was pain or isolation due to lack of ability to sense her environment.

[Wendyf]

I haven't wept so much over a post for ages....all the beautiful animals we give our hearts to....there have been so many over the years.
The two cats we have at the moment both had mystery accidents within a month of each other a few years back. Tinky lost a leg and Feebie lost the sight in one eye after being peppered with shotgun pellets, but after the first shock of coping with their injuries we loved them just as much....if not more.
On a positive note, Dennis seems slightly improved tonight and is moving with his head in a more normal position, so either I was wrong about his eyesight and it has been something muscular, or he is gaining confidence. Fingers crossed!

[Stanley]

It's the price we pay for all that unconditional love Wendy and we are all signed up to it. It's even worse when we have to kill them because of something that has developed. I always remember what Mrs Marsh said to me when we injected Jack because he was getting dangerous. She said she hadn't thought anyone could manage him but I'd given him four good years after a lousy time as a pup.



Maz pic of Jack......

[Marilyn]

I knew that was a lovely pic when I took it.
There was something about that dog that was very lovely indeed. I know you had problems with him in the end, but I think he had quite an "old soul".

[Stanley]

He was a good dog and his problems in the end came down to the horrible treatment he had in the first 18 months of his life. When I put him down Mrs Marsh the vet agreed with me and I got hate mail...... But he had 4 happy years, that's my only consolation.
You're right, it's a great picture and is still on my wall.



Jack with Meg, Doc's old border collie. They were great mates and Meg had Jack completely under her thumb. He was a bearded co;llie cross Lurcher and had some good breeding in him if I am any judge. A good dog ruined by a cruel, drunken master. The way he got into a rescue home was notable. Two policemen had seen him being abused and saw him tied up to a lamp post outside a pub one night so they stole him!

[Julie in Norfolk]

Today I shall be mainly taking Sam-u-el the span-u-el and his cohort Honey off for their quarterly pampering down at Dirty Dogs, the doggy hairdressers at Wymondham Station. It is tradition (and a guilty pleasure) to have breakfast at the station as there is a wonderful restaurant there.

[Wendyf]

Sounds like an excellent tradition Julie!

[Sue]

I feel your pain Wendy. I hope he recovers and quickly.

Arrived here in France to weeds over 3 feet high. Veggie plants are either monstrous or gone. This is going to take some tidying up, but at least we have found the sun and lots of it. No visitors and children until early August and we have a week before we potter elsewhere in France for a few days., but it is very hot and not gardening weather.

[Wendyf]

Put your feet up and relax for a few days Sue..

[Sue]

Veggie plot and now for the railway




REST
Moi? Non, jamais.

[Stanley]

Looks like an adventure playground.....
Packing and making sure everything is ready for Keele. That includes leaving an empty fridge and a clean house.....

[David Whipp]

Good luck with your journey and lecturing Stanley.

Today, I've got the tricky problem of creating a lock for our town centre canal boat...

[Stanley]

Thanks David.... it will be a hoot!

[Wendyf]

Hope all goes well Stanley and that you have a wonderful time. We shall miss you on One Guy....when will you be back with us?