Happy Christmas to you all

Sent Eric out last night to take some photo's of the outside lights whilst we still had the snow LOL Sure does look like Christmas now



these photo's will have to be scrapped for sure LOL...



Probably won't have time to come back to blog land before the big day so here's wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sue xxxx

Happy Birthday Ben

Today our little Grandson Ben is four, I can't believe he's 4, where did the time go.

Ben's birthday party was yesterday and despite the snow most of us made it! We all had the same idea of swapping Christmas presents just in case we get more snow so that added to the total chaos. Ben had a great time and got some fab presents. I took hundreds of photo's most are rubbish as there was so many kids and people moving around but they do give a feeling of the fun and laughter that was going on.



and here's the birthday boy! how grown up he's looking.

So here we are on day six of the snow !!!!!! I hate driving in it but can't put it off any longer and have to go out this afternoon, the main roads are clear so fingers crossed.

I was trying to take some arty photo's of the snow Saturday but look who kept running around and getting into shot.



Alf loves it and would be outside all day if I let him.



Surprisingly Gangley quite likes the snow as well, she runs around chucking it up in the air and then eating it when it falls down LOL.

Jim is ok, his back leg isn't getting any stronger which we find strange, he still has a good appetite and isn't puffing or blowing but he does seem to get very tired but he seems happier enough and that is all we can ask for.

Lucky seems to be emerging as alpha dog! she has become much more confident this last week and is getting quite bossy with the others, we really miss Sandy's strong stabilising influence on the pack and as for Ranger well we just miss his silly happy little face.

SNOW

We woke up this morning to a really heavy frost, then it started to snow and even worse laid !!! Alfie Bear loves it, the others myself included like to look at it from inside LOL.



I didn't realise as I took a quick photo (from indoors) that I had the conservatory in shot, shows it off quite well. Eric said all he needed was one more week and then he could have finished it for Christmas. I think he would have to have worked night and day myself but the electrics are done all the lighting is up and working, just one more piece of plasterboard to go up then it can be decorated. I have even finally decided on colours and fabrics etc, not that I shall buy anything yet just in case they go down in the sales LOL.

My little car had it's MOT yesterday and failed but only needed 1 new tyre and then passed. hooray !!!!

I made and sent this card first class to Dawn last Wednesday so it would be there for moving in day on Thursday. Has it arrived Nope !!!!!

Happy Birthday Dad

Today my Dad is 71 Happy Birthday Dad! I love you xxx

Sorry to have been AWOL, I needed some time out but I'm back now LOL.

Jim is happy and seems well although I have to admit we watch him and worry about him constantly. I think if I'm honest he is showing a few signs of not being quite right but I'm hoping it's all in my imagination. The rest of the pack are slowly beginning to settle down but boy do we miss Sandy woo. As alpha dog she kept everyone in line and with no clear new leader emerging they are still a bit all muddled up. Much like us really. I long to stroke her velvety fur again and hear her happy purrs and miss laughing at Ranger's antics, for such a big dog he used to walk around on twinkle toes and make us laugh so much.

I have been busy making Christmas cards, unfortunately I managed to post some that just had people Christian names on with no addresses LOl see I did say we're all muddled up! I've also made a few Christmas gifts.

I had another birthday last week and despite not feeling like celebrating had a lovely day! I received some beautiful cards and presents. Eric made me a 12 x 12 frame which is magnetic so i can display a layout on it and then change it for another easily. I love it !!!

A few bits I can show.

Dad's birthday card, m first attempt at a tri fold



A just because card for my friend Shellie



This layout was designed by Lesley for papermaze crop, the photo's were really old Polaroids and even after scanning and adjusting weren't great but I wanted to scrap Marc's first birthday in 1979 eek!



and this one is by Ang for Bramford crop, I love this photo of Ben which was taken at Mothercare last month. Ben is looking very grown up!



Probably a load of other bits I've forgotten about but I've got a date with a Christmas tree now.

One year today

Today is Gangley's first gotcha day!

This time last year Eric travelled up to Lisa's home in Stoke (Greyhound Gap founder) and returned with Miss Whiplash. Gangley is a feisty stubborn little madam, who loves you most when you have food or if she’s cold. She spends her days sunbathing when it’s hot and hidden under blankets when it’s cold.

Gangley and Alfie Bear spends hours playing together but only when she says so, poor Alfie if he tries to start a game he soon gets told off but a few minutes later she’ll say okay now we play….



and she also lets Alfie snuggle up BUt only when it suits here LOL



We love you sweetheart .....

Sandy's story

Again I find myself thanking you all for so many lovely messages. I can hardly believe in less than two weeks we have had two of our beautiful hounds taken from us.

Back in October when Sandy's tumour became really bad, she didn't at any point gave us the signal that it was time to throw the towel in and so the operation to amputate her leg went ahead. Yesterday Sandy did give us that look, the look that says I'm sorry Mum it's time for me to leave.

Poor little Gangley is beside herself with grief and spent last night laying next to Sandy trying to get her to wake up and howling quite literally.

This is Sandy's story
12/10/98 TO 28/11/09

After losing Poppit, Dill was so sad and missed the company of another greyhound, so we decided it was time to find him a friend. Our search took us to Ann at kama’s Cave. Ann had so many beautiful greyhounds all in need of a loving home but didn’t feel any of them were suitable to live alongside our smaller dogs Rocky and Rulu. We liked Ann immediately and admired the work she did, so we started to visit the kennels a couple of times each week to walk the hounds. This is when we met Sandy, poor Sandy never made eye contact with us never lifted her head not even when out walking she was completely and utterly closed down. After many weeks of walking her one morning as I went in to get her ready and I saw her tail give the tiniest little wag, that was it I was going to take her home!!! I told Ann and she said Sue she’s a cold fish and not for you but I was adamant and we took Dill and Rulu up to the kennels to meet Sandy. As soon as we let her loose in the compound she changed in an instant and became playful and I swear it was love at first sight, well for Sandy anyway, Dill was so sweet and gentle with her. He seemed to sense how fragile she was.

Sandy came home to us on 4th October 2004, and immediately made herself at home, all was well in her world until Dill died 6 months later, also of bone cancer. Dill was her safety blanket and she was always with him. Sandy once again seemed to withdraw and close down, demons from her past began to emerge with horrible nightmares. It took a long time for Sandy to once again find the courage to start to enjoy life again but with lots of patience she slowly re emerged and became the cheekiest little madam.

I remember saying to her shortly after she came home, you’re safe now sweetheart and I don’t care if you never kiss me it’s enough for me to know your safe, well true to form she never did give me a kiss, Eric yes, me no but it didn’t matter, she was safe and loved and she knew that. Other than Eric she adored Marc and would wag her tail like crazy when he came to see her. She was his special girl and woe betide any girlfriend who might try and muscle in.

One day we came home and found she had shredded a screwfix catalogue, oh my god it was like confetti everywhere, it took hours to clean up and from then on if we ever left paper or tissue out she would shred it. One day Eric left some important paperwork out and of course when we came home we found it shredded, she was very firmly told off and frog marched into the bathroom as a punishment, poor Sandy was so scared that she had an accident but when we let her out a few minutes later everything changed, it was like she thought to herself well if that’s the worst that can happen to me when I’m naughty that’s okay. From that point she decided life was okay.

Sandy was such a stubborn girl, when Eric would walk her and say “come on woo we’re going this way” she would stand still and refuse to move as if to say “no I want to go that way”. It became a regular battle of wills and used to make us laugh. When Sandy was happy she made little purring noises and you would say “Sandy are you happy” and she would answer with her happy purr.

Sandy eventually became the matriarch of the pack and as such certain jobs fell to her, like telling me at 3.20pm each day that it was time I started to get their tea ready, this was done by running up and down and barking very loudly. Another important job was to remind Eric when it was time for their walks, again lots of charging around and barking. Sometimes it was difficult to obey her demands because we would be laughing so much.

Sandy’s favourite place to lie indoors was in the hall, just outside the kitchen with her legs in the air or against the wall, this way she had every room covered and could see everything. Of course she also loved to kick her legs around when dreaming and eventually did a good job of wearing the wallpaper off. Outside Sandy loved to lie on the deck in the sun and roast, on hot days I would have to chase her in, she really was a sun babe.

Sandy started to limp in May and in June was diagnosed with bone cancer. By October we had no choice but to amputate or let her go. We chose to amputate as despite the horrendous pain she was in there was no way the woo was ready to give up. In the end we were only able to give her another 8 weeks, but boy did she enjoy those weeks, pain free and back to the wonderful, cheeky little girl that was Sandy woo.

We will always love you sweetheart……….



some of my favourite photo's of the woo (click on image to enlarge)

Sandy

A couple of days ago Sandy began to shows signs of pain and was very stressed during the nights. We took her to the vets and he said his pessimistic side felt the cancer had returned his optimistic side said she had hurt her back.

Last night we eventually discovered her pain was coming from the base of her back/tail, despite throwing our full arsenal of pills and potions at her, we were unable to control her pain and having discussed it through with her vet this morning we felt it was unfair to prolong the pain she was in. There simply was no where else to go.

Sandy deteriorated quite rapidly this morning whilst we were waiting for the vet to arrive, which in a way confirmed our fears that it was indeed the cancer.

Eric took Sandy and Jim for one final ride together and when they came back I watched Sandy clean Jim's ears and he in return nuzzled her and it was truly the most wonderful but heartbreaking little scene to witness, I truly felt they were saying goodbye to each other.



Sandy is now at peace with no more pain.

Sandy you were the bravest little lady I have ever met....and beautiful right up to the end.



Love you always....