Weekly round up and stuff!

Where does the time go, can't believe over a week has past since I blogged!

Ruby is doing okay, she has a new pill from the vets which helps with her breathing and we've started her on the essiac tea together with some homoeopathic things that will hopefully boost her immune system and give her some extra time. It's quite hard keeping any weight on her now but she is keen to eat and walk and seems as happy as ever. This morning she and Jim chased a bunny (no they didn't catch it) and she was so excited when she came home and recovered quicker than poor old Jim who barely made it through the door before collapsing LOL. A couple of photo's of them lined up for sweeties. Think Gangley must be in amongst the legs because I remember her being there but blowed if I can spot her LOL. On the 2nd photo you can see Jim and Alfie are both missing a back leg, for different reasons.

Had a lovely birthday tea round son's Thursday eve and for his birthday present I made him a digi mini album all about the coast to coast walk.

Yesterday Dawn and I scrapped as usual and I did this hybrid page using a free kit called biker boy.

Dawn and I popped into town this morning for a mooch around and she spotted a dress in M & Co sale for £15 and persuaded me to try it on, fitted so well and looked so nice that I bought it,  lord knows where I think I'll wear it LOL. anyway it made my day finding something that looked good and was cheap LOL.

Tomorrow we're off to Mum's 70th birthday BBQ (birthday is actually Monday), looking forward to that, love meeting up with all the extended family which doesn't happen often these days as there are so many of us LOL....

Phew that was a long one, better not leave it so long me thinks LOL.

Sad news

Yesterday Ruby our foster girl who has been poorly since arriving here in February had some x-rays which showed she has multiple tumours in her chest! The outlook is poor and we are all quite devastated! Hoping and praying Ruby will stay well enough to  enjoy the summer here with us her family.

Everyone who has met Ruby falls in love with her, she is just the sweetest little lady, so gentle and quiet but boy does she  come alive when Ben or Harvey visit, Miss Ruby two shoes adores the grandsons and it is wonderful to see them with her.

All tears have been shed away from Ruby as we don't want her stressed, after all she doesn't know she's sick and we don't intend telling her!

Other hounds are well and happy and I have been told wrist is healing well enough to go ahead with next op in September, oh deep joy!

Ruby and Ben

Ruby and Harvey

Canvass

Using the papers left over from the layout I did on Saturday I've made this canvass for my friend Bim. Her beautiful greyhound passed away recently and is buried in our garden because she totally adored Eric and this was her favourite place to be. Hope she likes it. I used the flowers I made and then didn't put on the layout as they would have been to bulky.

Ruby was back at the vets last night and has gone from 26.4k last week to 27.1 this week yay! the vet said she was vastly improved but still a long way to go. He's hoping that's it's a deep routed bronchial infection and not something more sinister! today she is the brightest I have seen her in weeks! Paws crossed pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee

Bramford crop

Had a super day Saturday at Bramford crop and did this kit from last month's Papermaze kit designed by Janina who also runs Bramford crop. Thought I was going to struggle with all the pleating but once Dawn suggested I do it from the back it got easier LOL. There is supposed to be 2 beautiful flowers on it but I've decided they would be to bulky to go in an album so have kept them back to use on a canvass I'm doing with the leftover papers. Photo is of Mum, Dad, my brother and his wife and daughter when Mum and Dad visited them last month in Colorado.

Pleased to say Jim is back to his normal cheeky self!

Ruby finishes abs's today and goes back to vets tomorrow, I'm thinking she may (paws crossed) be a little better, we're now feeding her extra meals to try and put some weight back on her and despite still coughing I haven't heard the wheeze for 2 days.

Busy week ahead, several projects I need to knuckle down and do and hospital Friday. The plan is to x ray wrist and see if it's fused enough to plan the next op! not sure if I'm ready to start going through that again just yet!

Scrap day!

Thank goodness it's Friday and scrap day! really needed to sit down and chill out.

First one I started last week and never got round to finishing it was based on a previous kit designed by Vanessa from Papermaze. I always do a yearly album and felt my 2011 album needed the first page to be of Christmas! those of you who know me will remember I spent Christmas in hospital and we finally celebrated Christmas on the 3rd January 2011 LOL.

Second one is hybrid, I enlarged the photo of Ben and then faded the transparency added my journalling and printed it off, then added the two colour photo's and a circle of brads, it was going to be stitching but chickened out as wrist has been a tad sore this week.

Bramford crop tomorrow woohoo and I have a kit so don't need to prep anything.

Jim is back to himself after his funny turn at the weekend but Ruby doesn't seem too good at all, even by her standards she is very quiet but is eating and going for walks as usual. We're doing our best to try and fatten her up but it's not working and she looks like a bag of bones! She'll be going back to vets next weeks when her anti biotics are finished!

Pleased to report apart from a stinking cold cold Marc is fully recovered from his adventures!

The boys made the newspaper!

Following on from this article in the local paper in April. (page 6). Marc was contacted yesterday from the Police press department who were keen for their achievements to be highlighted in the local paper again, so hot off the press is this follow up article here,( back page).

With gift aid added to just giving and a few more pennies the total is edging up to £2,500! boys are pretty much recovered just a few blisters left LOL.

Non walk stuff

On the day the walk started our dear friends Shellie and Kit arrived for 5 days, they are such lovely people but live in Hereford so we only get to see them maybe once or twice a year! We all get on so well and they totally adore and spoil the hounds and us! I knew they would come armed with gifts so made them this little wall hanging, sadly it's a terrible photo.

The Monday temperatures soared to over 30 degrees and everyone retired for a siesta, Eric found me crashed out with Ruby one side and Gangley the other. Just what you need two fur coats LOl unusual though because it's normally Aflie and Mojo who join me for a nap LOL.

 

Photo of Shellie Kit and hounds (have edited out faces)

Alfie looking very regal

Mojo trying for cute

Their visits always pass so quickly and on Wednesday it was time to say goodbye.

Jim has had a funny incident, started Saturday evening, he was huffing and puffing and salivating so much his muzzle was soaked. We ended up taking him to the vets Sunday as he had gotten worse over night, vets weren't sure what wa going on but gave him a steroid injection and anti inflammatory injection and he seems a bit better.

In my opinion Ruby has been unwell for a few weeks, dropping weight and condition but each visit to vets found nothing wrong, yesterday she went for yearly jabs and the vet finally heard this wheeze/crackle I kept on hearing, he wasn't happy with it and took some bloods and gave ab's, so now we have to wait for results and see if they indicate what could be wrong. Ruby has dropped another 2.4kg in 3 weeks, feeling sick with worry for her! Ruby has ried very hard to be friends with Lucky but the ducks is a loner so now she's decided to attach herself to Jim and seems happier to have a special friend.

Going to crop Saturday and have loads of projects on the go, so might even have something to show soon LOL.

The end!

The boys finished the walk at 19.11 last night in glorious sunshine

and in true Wainwright tradition walked out to the sea to dip there toes and take a few minutes to reflect on the last 9 days. Marc said it was a mixture of exhaustion, surrealism and total euphoria!

and then it was time to meet up with the family

have a pint and fish and chips and then start the long ride home!

This morning the just giving and gift aid come to just under £2,400 which will go the he kennel fund for Greyhound Gap.

Marc. Steve, Greyhound Gap and myself would like to thank everyone who has supported the walk and given so generously! we're hoping there will be a few more pennies at the end of the month to add to the total.


So for now walk co-ordinator (that's me LOl) is signing off and putting her crafting hat back on LOL.....

THE FINAL DAY

3rd July    - Day 9 Blakey Ridge to Robin Hoods Bay

THE FINAL DAY

The boys started out before 7am and as they left before brekkie the landlord left them out packed lunches. So off they set in high spirits. They had decided to split the day into three 9 and a half mile stretches .

9 and a half done and first pit stop!

Pushing on and another 9 and a half done!

 The North Sea views are fabulous and just a few miles left to finish the walk.

Spirits are high as the news reaches the boys that the 2k target has been reached.

Marc's wife will be waiting for them at the finishing point armed with camera, so come back tomorrow for the

final chapter!

Day 8

2nd July   - Day 8 Ingleby Cross to Blakey Ridge

Both boys stayed off their feet quite literally for 12 hours after completing yesterdays 33 miles and by morning had recovered, so after a hearty breakfast set off in high spirits for the penultimate day!

They managed to average 2 and a half mph over the Cleveland Hills 

and 5 miles in came across a drink station that was for a long distance 33-mile race. They tried to make out they were part of it but the t-shirts or the backpacks gave it away, they still got drinks and encouragement and were very grateful! 

First view of the North Sea

So tomorrow is the final day !!!!! and it's going to be a long long day but hopefully the thought of it being the last part will make a bit easier, that and the ride home that will be waiting at the end for them!

Day 7

1st July    - Day 7 Grinton to Ingleby Cross

Not a good day for Marc and Steve. The walk was a long (33 miles) boring one through field after field with lots of pain due to Marc’s blisters and Steve’s sore ankle. Each step felt like their feet were on fire and they said it’s not fun anymore!

Seasoned walkers have told them that 9 days is impossible and even 10 would be hard going but the plan is still to try and finish on day 9, as they need to be on duty Monday!

21 and a half miles tomorrow climbing the Cleveland Hills and Sunday the final day looks set to be at least 16 hours of walking/crawling the final 28.

Time to grit teeth and get heads down and push through!

All messages of support are being gratefully received. I have to admit to feeling quite low on their behalf, it's a rotten feeling being so far away and not being able to help! I quite literally had to talk to Marc tonight as he and Steve struggled through the last mile and waffled on about anything just to keep them moving. Hope tomorrow is a better day for them.

On a lighter note Just giving page has reached 84%.