OK calm down Eileen, Christmas has now started. I did slip, in that they had some Hunter wellies in TKMaxx, and I succumbed, have been wearing B&Q wellies for 2 years nearly now, and I need high wellies for going in the river, and I have got them, my prezzie to me! Girlies have got these fab rugby balls that squeak in a sort of lime green/yellowy colour. They won't last long probably but they are big and squeaky and will go down well, and they like yellow better than any other colour. My friend with the knee phoned me, she was waiting for the physio, consultant been in and its not good, she's had a blood test for ERA (???) I think and it was 95 and is now 77 and she can't leave until it is 20. If there is no appreciable difference by Friday she's back in theatre Have bought her a lovely cushion with a lovely motif about friends on it and a couple of other things, and toys for her girls of course. Griff, its not fair everyone has you carrying bags when you're on crutches, please be careful. Lady at the council said the swan had already been reported to them and RSPCA, am really hoping they do something for the poor thing. I was nearly crying when I was on the phone, the poor thing, it was doing its best when Mabs was leaping about, I called her away twice and each time she went back, and then she ran past it, if it had been in full health she would have had a good hard peck from it, that alone tells me it needs help. Lona, having been savaged by a swan and dumped in the canal by one, is very respectful and kept me between herself and the swan.

I have no time for the RSPCA whatsoever. They want your money but they do little unless there is some filming publicity they can get for their cause. Then they will exterminate at will too.

TW, it is ESR the hospital look at, it is an inflammatory marker in your blood, when i got diagnosed mine was 143! I am deffo done now, not going near town again! I am trying to get the courage to see a doctor, seeing the nurse Friday so might get my bottle up then

Won't be going up that way again till Wednesday, in the meantime will see if I can find a wild bird sanctuary or something, put the number in my phone. If its still there on Wednesday then I will ring them. Its in a place where there's plenty of food and shelter, it has been ringed, not sure if the foot is a recent injury though, could have been born like that. There's a lot of local people within a short distance and they will also have seen it and been concerned, so it is not in a bad place to receive help and has been already reported, and I don't think it will be ignored and left like that. That tow path is well used by walkers, cyclists and dog walkers and is used locally as a short cut into the town centre as well.

You so deserve those wellies,won't half get the wear out of them,money well spent Feel so sorry for your friend had they taken care of her properly in the first place,this wouldn't have happened Sure she's fed up,bless her

She's very scared I know that, I've run out of things to say to her, she's on a drip every 2 hours, so they are waking her up in the night to take bloods and put her on this AB drip, she is shattered and is worried about the fact she's not doing the physio and exercises she should be doing. Have found this place, so am putting the number in my phone when I go up the tow path again on Wednesday http://www.gwbh.org.uk/ Thanks Griff, we neither of us have any idea what it is or what it means, I'll tell her yours was 143, will cheer her up as it is a big drop wanting her to get it down to 20 within a couple of days, if she knows of someone who has been worse she'll feel better lol

How about contacting the Rspb? Now then I have set a friend of mine a task. She loves walking in the Scottish hills, especially over Christmas so I have sent her a fiver plus thermal socks, a pen and small notebook. She is to buy provisions to eat over a day or so and something for her dog in case he gets peckish. What could you buy for a fiver? The notebook is to jot down what she sees. This makes a cheap but fun present.

I was thinking of RSPB, but thought I'd see if there was somewhere local as I get the impression people in large organisations get a bit over themselves and stop doing the job they should be doing and start bigging themselves up and only come out when it suits them. She could buy a cheap flask and make butties for a fiver

I love thermal socks

As swans are a protected bird you could phone the swannery people. I will find the number for you.