!

No news day today,

Dog haircuts completed, the cost has gone up!

Rude moronic shop girl smiled at because I couldn't be arsed saying something.

Dinner cooked,

Rhubarb swapped for some chicken feed.

Gardening done,

I'm now wandering through youtube

And have just enjoyed Estonia's Entry in Eurovision

Oh the excitement!

Finlay @ Christmas

Some animals get under your skin

For recent readers, I post this, my favourite photo of Finlay

He was sitting on the couch watching tv when I snapped this pic of him and father Christmas

It made a lovely Christmas card

I still miss him...he broke my heart

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie--
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find--it's your own affair--
But...you've given your heart for a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!);
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone--wherever it goes--for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart for the dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long

So why in Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear? 

Kipling

A Happy Dog

I was reading Yorkshire Pud's blog last night and was reminded of  an area in Sheffield I used to know very well. YP rented an allotment off Hagg Hill, which was the back road between the surburbs of Crooks and Walkley and Rivlin Valley which led into Hillsborough.
At rush hour these essentially country roads were often gridlocked with commuters so  the usual five minute journey across the valley could take a frustrating half hour or so.
Back in 2002, we had only one dog, a bouncy, lively Welsh Terrier called Finlay.
Finlay loved Traffic jams , for it was the only time he was " allowed" to drive the car.
Ok when I say drive the car, he used to sit on my knee with his paws on the steering wheel and his head out of the open window, a position of power where he could  watch the world move slowly by as we edged our way through the traffic home.
His happiness of this simple little treat always made my day.
On one of these treat days, We were spotted by the traffic police. I never saw the policecar behind me, so the sharp knock on the window threw me slightly
I wound down the window fully and Finlay stuck his head out to say hello to a slightly amused policeman
" What are you doing? " the policeman asked as Finlay smiled broadly at him with big goo goo eyes.
" He likes to drive" I said lamely
" Has he past his test?" The policeman asked
" well  no but , I do the peddles for him " I tried to be funny
" In the back" the policeman ordered with a smile, and before he walked back to his car he kissed Finlay very gently on the head.

Such is the power of a cute happy dog!

Finlay, a few hours before his death  in 2007

Homo Twin

It's my birthday on Monday.
Apparently I share it with the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Morgan Freeman, Lori from The Walking Dead and the famous cinematic pirate Robert Newton!
I also share it with my twin sister Janet.
Janet and John
( who said that my parents didn't have a sense of humour)
Funnily enough I am a twin born under a sign of " The Twins" ...whether that is auspicious in itself, bugger alone knows .
Personally, I think it's all a pile of shit
As you may be able to tell , I have little time for astrology
According to the literature
These are typical Gemini traits!

• A passion for novelty
• A curious disposition
• Socially outgoing
• Witty in speech and prone to banter
• Creative and quick to task
• Emotionally unreachable and difficult to pin down

How many people can tick these boxes? Looking at the list , I think only three apply to me.
Perhaps the more negative gemini traits suit me better?
You decide

Anyhow

Apparantly , because we were always dressed in white as babies, my sister and I were given the nickname the " Omo Twins" by townfolk

An Omo twin? ......perhaps people in 1962 Prestatyn knew something I didn't until the 1980s

Simple pleasure

It was when I was listening to the Cricket match on The Archers

that I noticed something small but rather sweet to blog about going on in the back garden.

Amongst the aqulegia , and the Welsh poppies William was happily chasing
bumble bees with a big silly smile upon his face.

Ireland Says Yes!

On this camp as Christmas Eurovision night where Conchita Wurst has proved herself to be an articulate and rather gracious ambassador for everything sweet natured, and accepting in this world,it is only fitting that the catholic nation of Ireland, in a historic referendum, has voted in gay marriage.
How bleeding wonderful is that!

Bojana Stamenov From Serbia out camps all comers 

The big girl should have won over Sweden

Slimming World

I went to my first meeting of slimming world today.
I wasn't nervous. A female dominated situation doesn't faze me much and I knew everyone would be very welcoming.
The " usual " leader wasn't there today, so I had her friendly stand in called Rita.
I liked Rita, she said I would "feel fabulous in a few weeks"
The woman taking the weigh in cackled loudly at that and chirped up rather optimistically " he looks fabulous now!"
I preened.
So I had the pep talk and was given all in the information very professionally. We had a big laugh about " syns" and I rolled my eyes with genuine surprise when she told me that chicken legs ( without the  skin on) was a free food!
I filled out the forms, paid my fee and when I joined the weigh in queue I suddenly noticed that the woman behind me was eating a boiled egg!
" I haven't had any breakfast" she explained with a smile when I looked round.
" how many syns is that?" I asked, getting into the lingo
" Oh boiled eggs are free" she told me, a statement which prompted me to ask how many syns were in an average scotch egg! This led to a somewhat lively debate in the line involving four slimmers and the weigh in woman who kept calling me " Sweetie"
No one seemed to know, although one young woman at the back helpfully shared with me the fact that a standard onion bhaji was 5.5 syns!
Like I said everyone was very nice and friendly.....my first weigh in is next Saturday!
Hey ho!