New dog, old issues

So we've got wee pupster in our life now. I should probably be more specific. We've got a young dog/puppy in our lives. This is Glen, Emily's puppy. He's not wee - at 6 months he's bigger than Maddie and as tall as Murphy. He's a short haired German pointer. (Currently only points at the cat) and he's more trouble than Maddie ever was!

(Here he is not wanting to go on his walk cod it's raining)

He's a counter surfer as well but he has longer legs! So nothing's safe - he has a habit of getting the kitchen cloth (he's eaten one already), he took an onion out the vegetable basket (at least Maddie sticks to carrots), he boxes Maddie cod he wants her to play (no chance) and on Sunday he got my bottle of sparkling water. I'd left it on the floor by the sofa and realised he had something in his mouth and was doing that shaking things they do. He was having a wonderful time to himself! Til I realised it was my bottle he had! 

I got it off him and make the fatal mistake of opening it. Oops! It exploded everywhere! (It was a litre bottle). I'll be a

touch more careful next time.

He's a real wriggly troublemaker but he's lovely anyway! Once he calms down he'll be fine, like Maddie is now. 😄

me, me, me

I haven't blogged for a while - moving onto Instagram and Twitter, being as how they're more immediate. Plus I can't type properly and get so fed up having to go back and correct it all the time! However I'm composing an ode - to the cold - so blogging is better suited.

I'm never ill - ask anyone. I breenge along, full of rude health and energy, when all around me are catching things left, right and centre. I attribute this to a normal 70's upbringing, leading to a very healthy immune system, plus a relatively upbeat attitude to life. And lots of exercise and outdoor air, not in a city (thank you dogs).

Every now and again though, something hits. In the same way that my lack of experience being ill leads me to have little sympathy with those who are (I may have got that from my mother, but I do try, honest!), it also leads me to being a bad patient - and if I get a cold, it's the manflu! None of this struggling along uncomplaining for me - if I'm sick, everyone's going to know about it!

 I've had horrendous coughs before but they usually go away after a couple of weeks. I've had the odd flu-like episode (and running a 10k with no training whatsoever beforehand a couple of years ago knackered my body enough to give me a stomach-flu) but these pass after a couple of days.

This year, I've broken all records. As of tomorrow I've had the cold for 6 weeks! I've been through all rehearsals and the performance of the Christmas Carol Service complete with tissues and cough mixture (NB - even when I can't hit the notes just above middle C, I can still get the high ones beautifully - clearly the cold doesn't affect those parts of the vocal chords). I've annoyed my colleagues at work by coughing all over their telephone calls for this period. I've gone through three bottles of cough mixture and four boxes of tissues (thankfully balsam-impregnated), my nose is permanently raw but could've been a lot worse - thank you Kleenex! I've passed the cold on to at least two people, who are now over it. Hmph!

I'm definitely getting there - although to be fair I thought that a week or so ago, at which point I went on our work's Christmas lunch and we were kicked out the pub at 1am when they closed. Twelve hours of talking (and/or drinking) just gave me a new/worse cold all over again!

However I've been more careful since and although I've been up to at least midnight most nights trying to get al the usual stuff done - baking, christmas cards, Facebook, Twitter etc I do feel I'm finally getting on top of it.

I'm back swimming (had to stop for a month after I got a tattoo) and I think that helps. Exercise is the key! As long as you have the energy and can breathe properly.

So six weeks and counting, but I can see the end of the tunnel now. Just in time for a prolonged period of Christmas stay-up-late nights and festive drinking...! Watch this space (or just listen for me coming)

Oh and PS - Maddie ate the bread we bought for breadcrumbs and was so anti-giving-it-back this morning I've got a sore finger now too!

How many days?

I'm going to set up a sign like they have in factories - so many days since the list accident - only in this case it will be so many days since the last incident! So far it's two days since Maddie ate my breakfast (a meal bar which I'd left down with only one bite out of it).

How many days til the next? We look forward to it!

Murphy up to his own tricks

Just to prove Maddie's not the only one who can get into trouble, I got a call from Laura at lunchtime in a total panic - Murphy had run off and she'd been looking for him for half an hour to no avail. Various people had apparently seen him but she couldn't locate him. Think she had everyone in the woods looking for him, she was in a real panic and was there anyone at home who could help her look?

I decided to go home to help and Sally offered to run me home as I had the bike. Half way home I got a call from Alex (Emily's boyf) - he'd been skating at the track and Murphy had come bouncing up to say hello. He'd walked round with him for about 20 minutes but no sign of Maddie or Laura so he'd taken him home and put him in the house - but still no sign of Maddie. Did I have Laura's number?

Good man, Alex! I let Laura know and thanked him. Murphy rescue mission aborted and we went back to work. At least there were no deer legs involved this time!

Now I'm wondering - did Murphy run off after a deer (as I assumed) or did he realise Alex was there and go to say hello?

Who knows. All's well that ends well but I suspect some use of the extending lead will be brought into play for the near future.

Welcome home

We were so looking forward to getting home and seeing the doggos and catto. Apparently Murphy didn't seem to miss us much - just lay around "doin' his thang" but Maddie did go around looking for us - awww.

More of a shock was the state of the house when we got back - bear in mind we were away for a week and there were (on and off) up to 5 people, none under the age of 22, in the house. well -

- there was no cat food left
- not an iota of toilet paper in the house!
- bags of wet towels lying around (which had clearly been there for a couple of days)
- food literally rotting in the vegetable basket and the fridge
- the bins hadn't been put out
- all the towels out the cupboard and tossed over the banisters (used once)

And these people are looking to set up in their own places?!!

Oh yeah - and PS

Got home from Guides and while humouring Maddie (standing freezing in the garden while she sniffed her way around it) saw a flash of something red by her bush.

Behold - an empty digestive biscuit packet! Well well - no surprises there. However it turns out she'd been even sneakier than normal - Richard had had the packet on the table at his elbow, so she must have nicked it LITERALLY from under his nose!

You gotta admire her cheek!

(PS there were apparently only five left so it could be worse)

Everything in the garden is NOT rosy!

Poor Gizzy! Now Emily's back Gizzy's lost one of her snoozing locations (on Emily's bed)

As you can see, she's not happy - looks like she's manning a one-cat picket line at the door.