Afternoon everyone. Happy Good Friday. Well I've had a wasted morning. I was up at 6 o clock - couldn't sleep. Went out with Taff at 7 for his short walk. When I got home OH had decided he was going on the Mersey (again) so I decided I wasn't staying in while it was such a lovely day - blue skies but a bit chilly. I decided to go on this loop walk I've only been on it once before. I made a butty & a flask for lunch as its about a 4 hour walk. Packed my bag with the camera & Taffs stuff & lunch & walked to town to get the train to the next station & the start of the walk. Got to the station & you couldn't move for Rugby supporters going to the match against Wigan. Loads of lads carrying cases of beer & some of them drunk already ( at 10.30) Got off the train & walked to the start of the loop. Three different dog walkers were coming back towards us. They said they had turned round & come back as it was so muddy. Anyway I wasn't going to give in & carried on. My boots were 3 inches thick with mud & they felt like lead weights. I got up the hill & down the other side & couldn't find the path as there where deep snow drifts at the edge of the field. So had to give up & turn round. Got to the station again & had just missed a train so had to wait 1/2 hour for the next one so I sat there & had a coffee out of the flask. Got to town & had to walk home as the buses are Sunday service & they only come when they feel like it. none passed me on the way home anyway!! I got home at 12.45 & have just eaten my butties. At least I wont need to take Taffy out again. He's flaked out now.
Hope you all have a more productive day than I've had. I'll have to go & put the hose pipe on my boots now.

I've come over feeling all faint and exhausted reading about your day. I admire your stamina and determination (especially AFTER the others told you they'd turned back!)

Dunno about more productive - I doubt anyone's had a more strenuous day than you!

Put your feet up and take the rest of the day off!

Hi Helena,
Sorry you didn't have the sun on your walk but just for a change I did.but to make you feel better it has gone again now. The above 'quoted' sentence made me laugh - what did you do to impress him ...... start-jumps, push-ups, dancing, standing on your head? ..... oh sorry I think maybe you meant Zena did some tricks. I hope by the time you read this you will have completed on the new van change-over.

Malka - You certainly sound as though you had a laugh with all your reasons for you colourful face. Norty gel

Emmis - what a nightmare of a drive you had last night I hope you enjoy your art gallery visit and the rest of the weekend.

Chris - I hope you had a nice soak in the bath and that when grumpy drawers arrives home he is happier.

Lore - enjoy your week off ..... except it's not a week off is it ... you are a gem doing so much with the cadets.

Pat - sods law about the rail travel for your son Never mind he'll be with you soon enough - you must be really looking forward to it. Have a lovely weekend and enjoy your sons's stay.

Norma - Congratulation on the ciggie front and don't give in to temptation The first 3 days are the worse, so you have done brilliantly. Keep it up.

Lynn - Just keep telling yourself that Dillon can't help his odd behaviour and each day you are a day nearer to all that behaviour stopping.

Moet - sorry you are having to work all weekend. Have a good weekend in spite of the work though.

I'm bound to have missed some people out - sorry if I have and Hello to you and enjoy your weekend.

I ended up going to Eton (a lovely picturesque town) with my OH as it turns out the brand new amplifier for the surround-sound-system I'd bought him was faulty Eton was the nearest other branch to get a replacement. I took the dogs and walked them around The Brocas which is meadowland that goes down the the Thames banks with Windsor on the other side. I only had about 20 minutes and although Flash was off lead, there was no way I was going to let Rucksack off. Poor lad, he is really suffering with his hormones too.

When we got back on to the estate here, my OH dropped and the dogs off at the top and we walked back (approx a mile). Rucksack who use to walk to heel just drags me from bush to tree to sniff, lick and wee. Driving me made and I honestly don't think he enjoys himself out walking at the moment ... poor Flash doesn't as he just has to run along to keep up, with express train of a brother.
They lay in until 8 this morning which must be the latest ever. However, one of them, probably Rucksack had been sick but clearly hadn't bothered him.

Quiet afternoon here although I should get on with some jobs

See you all later.

Nippy / Jenny g
If I last another 3mins i,ll be doing well ,drinking loaaaads water at this rate ,I'm going to be responsible for the NEW LOCH that's appeared here
So much for the sun ,gone now and a few flakes of snow in the air I WANT THE SUN BACK PLEASSSSSE
Half the roofs now tiled yeaaaa their cracking on ,don't think the back will be done today ,off for the weekend
Just wish they'd shut the gates ,as the muppets ,have no road sense ,nor do I want the girls escaping looking for male dogs
Tempted to have a birll on the scaffolding ,as used to be fairly good at gymnastics at school ( many many moons ago )
I'm sure this stupidity is down to the lack of nicotine ,or I really have LOST THE PLOT
Have a good afternoon folks

Lovely and sunny here, very cold still though. Some inner voice told me not to take Caria and Lona out together as I had planned, so I didn't. Keshi and Cariad went onto the field where Keshi is just overwhelmed by the appearance of Cheese and is doing everything to show my why SHE should have it. Got Cariad doing some sendaways so she had rewards as well. Got Keshi walking to heel now and sit, down, sit and stand and a little recall, although when she sits at my side, she gradually edges herself round so she is sat looking at me, to remind me she is still there and needs Cheese
Took Lona and Mabs onto the tow path, just coming up by the Church and I saw a couple of dogs coming the other way, offlead, and one just charged at Lona, had seen it before they saw me and had stepped to oneside, Lona did lunge at it, but they did apologise and I pointed out that she wasn't going to sit still and let it charge her and they said yeah they realised that, I am quite defensive of mine these days because there are so many muppets about and I'm not having any of my girls blamed for another dogs actions. Mabs kept out of it, luckily no chickens about either !!!!
Sooo we get on the towpath and I am doing really well with Mabs and recall, all with my cheese, then a staffy comes charging towards us, Mabs took one look and fled past me, managed to get hold of her, put a lead on and went back to some steps off the tow path and took them half way down, owner had got the dog onlead by then, but it was pulling like a train, Mabs pretty hyped up, back up the steps, carried on, next thing is a couple of bikes with a dog running loose besides them, no idea where I was supposed to go, in the end I climbed through the fence, steep drop down to the river at my back holding onto Lona had to let Mabs loose, she wasn't keen on the people on bikes and ran off up the path, as they went past me I said to them she was scared of the bikes, so they got off, retrieved their dog, and I called her and walked off and she went zooming past them and came to me. By now she is high as a kite with the excitement of it all, and not listening, just running round. Gradually got her calmed down a bit, ended up having to sit down and feed cheese to Lona and she came up to me in the end. Just have to keep working at it, she goes into panic mode quite easily and is strung out when heavy wagons go past, one of the reasons she stayed with me actually, because I thought she would do better with me as I know her and what the triggers are, she will calm down as she matures and gains more confidence.
This morning Keshi's collar was all chewed up and in bits, so Mabs is in shredding mode again, I bet she comes into season, the way she is acting at the moment is way over the top even for her. No point in putting a fresh collar on Keshi, I do have Mabs's puppy collar and lead (in pink) so she is using that at the moment for going out, she is nearly ready for a grown up one anyway as the ones she has had on are at their full length now.
Taran's mummy has sent me a vid of him doing his latest party trick which is roll over. I will see if I can load it onto the photoimage site I am using now for my piccies, it is quite a basic site, but easy to use unlike photobucket nowadays!!!

Brakes all finished. New discs and pads fitted and horrible noise has gone (he's done quite a few over the years, Helena, so I'm confident they are safe)

We did get off to town about 1 pm. Couple of stupid drivers on the road - undertaking into the wrong lane and cutting across to turn off) and only one annoying dog owner to contend with - the others were all fine

The queues for Butlins were looooong so we will be using the back way to and from town most of the time now - so much quicker. Lots of people about. Lovely sunshine and although the wind is cold, it is just a breeze rather than a hurricane today so, all in all, a nice walk.

tawneywolf
You DO make me laugh!

Afternoon Taffsmum, oh Lordy, I was worn out just reading all that imagining what you went through Bet you wish you could wake up and start the day all over again doesn't it! Glad you got home safe and ate your sarnies lol! Poor Taff, he must be cream crackered and all he got was a walk through the town and a sit down at the station instead of a nice run through some open fields and tracks! Maybe tomorrow then huh?!

Lol, no Pat, I wouldn't have wanted a day like that on top of the week I've had I've had a really do nothing day today with Dave and it's been the best day since I can't remember when. I even left all the washing up all over the place in the kitchen from lunch cos I was enjoying my day off so much, but I'm gonna get to grips with it all now. Hope your son arrives safely and hoping upon hope that the you know what has now departed

Afternoon Jen, ooooops yes, when I read that again, it did sound like me and him did our tricks doesn't it!!! Needless to say, I had none to show him, being in the middle of nowhere, with a biting wind and me in me dog walking gear, it would have taken great effort on my part to be able to impress him with something!!!

I bet the air was a bit blue when your o/h found out the amplifier or whatever wasn't working on his new surround sound. I've got all that to come when Dave rigs his up when he's doing the lounge next week-end, and it's been sitting in his damp garage for almost a year!! I'm soooooo glad I won't be here when he sets it up

Oh that Rucksack must be driving you nuts atm and poor you and Flash having to keep up. Sounds a bit like our normal walk with Zena, which is usually in the form of a race of some kind, especially when going UPhill! Enjoy the rest of a relaxing day there Jen. p.s. I'm the one who's nicked your sunshine

Afternoon Norma, noooooooo don't do it those poles will be freeeeeezing, you'll lose your, along with your mind!!!

Afternoon June, what a palarva you have to go through on your walks to avoid all these numpties about. I'm the same as you, if I have an escape route which doesn't entail causing me or Zena major harm, I always take it, far better than facing the alternative. Keshi sounds to be doing really, really well, make sure you raid that casualty for more cheese next time you go then. Zena does that sideling round to the front too, always has, but unless you're doing obedience does it really matter? I think she's doing brilliantly for one so young, you must be so proud of her Which one was Taran then?? Ash is Junior I know, but I can't remember who Taran was, maybe it was Che? Glad you've had some sunshine, now all we need is the warmth to go with it, but I'm sure you've got that fire roaring. Enjoy your tea and chocolate biccies June.

Afternoon Chris, glad the brakes have been fixed and properly! You talking about undercutting there, I'll never forget driving up to Gatwick one night, and this lunatic cut across in front of me from the overtaking lane (I was in the middle lane doing 70mph) and then across the slow lane to take the sliproad off the motorway and talk about cutting it fine, he almost had to swerve to get on the sliplane Always stuck in my mind that, he could have caused a horrendous accident there. They're everywhere walking this earth aren't they Chris

We've now got glorious sunshine, and there I was, having a lovely nanny nap, after a very quiet morning, just pottering about with Dave decluttering the lounge and packing stuff away ready for next week-end, when Zena jumped on me barking to wake me up cos the postman had come!!!! WHY are we having post on good friday anyway, and WHY does everything have to happen at 3.30 when I'm dead to the world!! He usually comes when I've just sat down with my lunch, but not today, he decided to wake me up instead Thankfully, it was something I was waiting for instead of a Pizza delivery leaflet, otherwise I'd have been even more pee'd off with him

Still no news on the van Dave rang first thing, nothing had been done, but guess what, it was all being done today and would be ready by 4pm. We have heard nothing I can see where I'll be staying next week-end, in Van no. 1 and although it's nice, I really did want to trial run this new one and get everything into place at my leisure whilst Zena was zonked out at my feet in the evenings, but it seems that just aint gonna happen

Still cold here, but dry, and it's going to stay dry all over the week-end and dry is good cos it means a clean dog!

Yep.. Taff was shattered. He's been asleep most of the afternoon - I had a Nanny nap as well He did have a good run in the muddy fields & some zoomies in the snow though.
Glad you've had a quiet day Helena. You need it after the week you've had.

Yes Helena it's GONE! But I've shifted and rearranged the furniture around so much now with all the extra space that I am starting to wish it was back lol! Looked better in here before! And my back's now killing me! The guys who took the table did ask if I wanted help to put the furniture back (coz it all got shoved in one corner) I said no because you know wot us wimmin are like - I change my mind ten times so would have been moving it again anyway.

Just waiting for Alfie to get here about 8.30 and then off to get them from airport. Their flight is running 20 mins late but they sometimes make that up on the way in.

I have childishly put my table and chairs where it used to be just because I wanted to USE the space it occupied lol! I am sat where the PT was right now!