HAPPY CHRISTMAS

From all of the Taylor pack both human and hound we wish you all a very 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS

BUSY BUSY BUSY!

How is it a few weeks ago I was feeling rather smug that I had Christmas sorted and all of a sudden I'm in a panic trying to finish things off.

Tomorrow my little grandson Ben will be 8, the years have gone by so quickly and he is growing up so fast. He's having a party with friends at lunchtime then family will visit for cake later. I made his party invites and thought they were good but Ben bless him thought they were mega cool LOL.

I'm very  pleased to update you all on Herbie's progress, he's had his first chemo session and is now adapting to life as a tripod and can go up and downstairs, impressive!

Greyhound Gap have a DVD out for sale, Amanda another volunteer has been working on it all year, I've helped a little bit by designing the cover and researching stories etc and there's a section on walking the beat. Approx running time 52 minutes and at £12.50 inc of p & p is a bargain all money raised goes to the kennel fund. If you fancy a copy you can buy it here. By strange coincidence Amanda chose a photo of Gangley and Orin for the front not knowing they were our dogs LOL.

My Dad is making brilliant progress after having his hip replaced last Thursday and Mum has been a wonderful nurse. The females in our family are not usually good Florence Nightingales, day one is okay, Day two interest starts to wane and by day three forget it LOL. Just hope Mum doesn't get worn out herself.

Gangley hasn't  been so good lately, whilst she is in no way ill her wobbling has increased but she's still managing two shorter walks a day and still eating like a dog twice her size LOL. Other hounds are all well, Elmo has so far destroyed two baubles from the tree and a Father Christmas not as bad as we feared.

A few projects finished but better wait until post Christmas to share. LOL.

Sue x

My Dad

 On Sunday we took Dad and Mum out to Sunday lunch as Dad will be in hospital for his birthday on the 14th. Dad had his hip replaced yesterday and will hopefully be home Monday. Poor Dad has had a really difficult year with health problems and we're all hoping this operation will be the beginning of better times for him.

I was asked to design the Greyhound Gap DVD cover and disc which should be on sale soon. I had helped a little bit with information on dogs and the walking the beat stuff and apparently I will be in the acknowledgements LOL. All very exciting. Amanda who is making the DVD sent me this photo and said do you know whose dogs they are and are they gap dogs of course I knew it's Gangley and dear Orin what a coincidence she chose that photo.

 A friend of ours in the village is very involved with German Shepherd rescue and had two gorgeous boys of her own so for Christmas I've done these which are now framed and wrapped.

I've also down some new pages for the Hound album I made Eric last year of Indy and Rocky's arrival.

And the biggest shock ever is we have the tree up and the house decorated. Normally we are very late doing this LOL. I wasn't going to have the tree up (we didn't last year) because of the 3 young dogs but Eric got it out and left it bare for a few days and as they showed no interest we decorated it last night. I am still not convinced it will survive!

 A few other photo's

 Mum made these lovely ducks for me
and the stockings which I've had for years.

and all our bridge babies are remembered even more so at Christmas time with thee lovely things Mum made for us, last night as we hung them up we felt quite sad especially adding Orin who at just 4 years old should still be with us. Such a wonderful way of remembering each hound that once shared our lives.

Off to Christmas crop tomorrow and have just made a malteser tray bake yummy!

I is poorly

Legitimate excuse for not blogging I have a sick note LOL. Chest and water infection guess that's buy one get one free. Strong antibitics so starting to feel better.

Very pleased to announce Herbie is well and truly on the mend and is now going for 2  - 5 minute walks a day and is finally sleeping through the night, his poor Mum Lorraine is exhausted.

We're taking Ben out tonight to see the Christmas lights beingswitched on, we've done it every year since he was born but suspect it will soon be un cool to go out with the wrinkles so  had better make the most of it. Ben will be 8 on the 21st December how time has flown.

All the hounds are well (touching wood) just fed up with the constant rain and mud as are we!

I have decided to sell my Cricut Expression, I've had it since 2008 and only used it enough to wear out the original cutting mat, with it comes four cartridges,plantin school book, home decor, home accents and accent essentials, so if you fancy buying yourself a Christmas present it's going for £75.00.

HERBIE

I've held back until today to post about Herbie as he has been terribly poorly. He had his amputation and all seemed to go fairly well and the following day he went home. Once home he went down hill very fast and was eventually admited into a vet hospital. It seems his vet never gave him a anti clotting injection and as most greyhound owners know their blood really doesnt clot very which following surgery can be very dangerous. Herbie began bleeding internally and it has taken all weekend for them to stabalise him. He has however now turned the corner and god willing will be home in a few days. All of gap world have been sending him massive good thoughts and weve all been on tender hooks all weekend praying ee would pull through. This morning his Mum (Lorraine) rang me as she wanted reassurance that she would cope when he comes home, I told her it is stressful and you remain on red alert for months but they are so well prepared I feel sure they will cope. Lorraine is a strong woman and I know she will do just fine. Milo one of her other dogs is now not eating at all no doubt missing his brother and Lorraine's austric son can't understand why they just don't go and get Herbie. It's been hell for all of them and I hope and pray that happier days lay ahead for all of them.

A lovely photo of Steven and Herbie

Today my Dad received a call from the hospital to say he is booked in for his replacement hip operation on Decemeber 12th, it had to be put on hold earlier in the year  whilst they tried to find out about the other problems, so looks like Dad will be spending his birthday in hospital. I've made him a card, it is a card on top of a card and has a beautiful poem about Dad's. Terrible photo as per usual.

Had a wonderful relaxing day at crop on Saturday and did this layout of Eric, then yesterday we went out and bought him boots and jodphurs, the man is totally hooked on riding LOL.

Hounds all well and were so good yesterday when we not only did a bit of shopping but even had lunch out together LOL.

Happy hounds and sad news

 Belle Gangley and Twizzle a few weeks back catching the last of the sun

 Rocky and Indy

 Mojo and Elmo

 Twizzle with Daisy May my sisters puppy who is a whippet chihuahua cross

 Belle getting in on the action

 Belle isn't very big so it gives a good idea of how small Daisy May is

Dasiy is adorable and I love her.

Finally probably the worst photo I've ever taken of a layout recording this years walk. Lots of hidden journalling. Layout is actually quite nice and used papers from a Bramford kit, tried to follow Janinas design but as my photo was landscape had to make a lot of changes.

A week or so ago I had all but decided to stop blogging as I have so little time with 8 dogs and feel like nothing of interest to say or show really but then one of my dear friends I've known through greyhound gap for over 7 years rang me to say her greyhound Herbie had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Herbie is greyhound gaps most loved hound and such a clown and the news hit everyone very hard. Whilst talking to Lorraine I remembered I'd blogged when Jim, Sandy, Ranger and Lucky were diagnosed with the dreaded bone cancer and went back to read it. After going through lots of tissues I realised what a source of information this was and passed it onto Lorraine so she could read a blow by blow account of what happened how we felt and coped. So that said I've decided maybe the blog is of use to me if no one else and will carry one LOL.

Lorraines daughter had drawn me some hounds to use in card making that I had called Herbie, I think previous post has some pictures so please send loads and loads of positive thought to dear Herbie and Lorraine. Herbie is at the vets for amputation as I type.

I apologise for not visiting my blogging friends but will try to soon.

sue x

Bad blogger

Seem to have got out of the habit of blogging and have to rely on my Mum to remind me LOL.

Operation went okay and have had stitches out.

We lost the electric during last Mondays Storm for 11 hours but considering a week later some people still don't have any we were lucky and didn't sustain any damage just a few branches down.

Not much happening here, hounds are all fine (touches wood) totally fed up with the constant rain as am I and also missing their evening walk do to the dam fireworks. Hoping last night was the last lot!

Haven't done much crafting but have started designing some new cards, well two actually, note to self must try harder. Now the clocks have changed I don't seem to be getting as much done.

Herbie was drawn for me by my friends daughter Emma, Emma is very talented and has her own website http://nimrodelriver.wix.com/paintpotanddaydreams. It was Emma that painted this for my present to Eric a few Christmas's ago. If your looking for a special present Emma does take commissions.

Meet Herbie, I intend to make more cards featuring Herbie, it was so kind of Emma to draw him for me.

A few photo's of the hounds

 Mojo in his new jumper

 Indy looking chilled out

 Belle and Twizzle always together, Twizzle is just adorable and takes care of all the hounds despite only being 3  years old.

Right well hopefully I won't leave it so long next time LOL.

Sue x

Great news!

Yesterday my Dad went back to hospital for results of many tests he's had throughout the summer and the good news is he's okay. We as a family have been so worried all year and now finally the dark cloud hanging over us has been lifted and he can also go ahead and see the hip surgeon and finally get his hip sorted out. I am a relieved and happy bunny!

I also had a hospital appt just routine check up and my arthritis consultant agreed with me that my right knee is on it's last legs (he thought that funny) but as I still have several hand operations planned we're hoping to nurse it along for a bit longer. Shall go back after next weeks op and have a steroid in the knee which hopefully will buy me some time.

Had a lovely day scrapping with Dawn today and scrapped this old photo of my Mum for my heritage album.

Have also finally finished designing and printing the book about this years walk. Now have to cut it all to size and mount it times two as Ned wants a copy as well. Going to make a start at crop tomorrow as I'll have more space to work with.

Hounds are all well and yesterday got in some sunbathing as we had a beautiful sunny mild day. Today is damp and dreary, suspect yesterday really was the last of summer. But it's been a good summer.

Lots of little jobs and loose ends to tie up next week and already feeling very anxious which is ridiculous I've done this so many times I really should have learnt to control my nerves by now LOL.

Grrrr was just putting the layout in the album and spotted a mistake in the journaling don't you just hate having to go back and correct something you thought was finished!

For my Mum

My Mum has just brought to my attention the lack of blogging LOL so this is for you Mother.



This is a layout I actually designed myself, so out of practise with paper layouts. Photo is of my Mum and Dad on their wedding day.

This is using the idea of a previous kit from papermaze but using my own stash. Flowers have been die cut and coloured in with water pencils.

To think only last week the hounds were laying outside basking in the last of the summer sun. Belle and Twizzle are inseparable these days they even sleep curled up together and Rocky is finally feeling happier with life after taking such a dip when Orin passed away so suddenly.

Roll forward a week and it's turned really cold, had to order Mojo and Gangley new jumpers which arrived today, stops them freezing during the day when I'm too tight to turn the heating on.

Alfie is finally better after 3 weeks of being very poorly due to an infection from a cat scratch, you can see his head had to be shaved.

Elmo is looking fab, solid muscle when he arrived in January 2012 he looked like a greyhound whippet x these days it's more like a whippet hippo x and he is the least interested in food of the hounds.

Indy has his bandage off now and has been really good and not bothered the claw too much, the wick is very exposed and still looks very sore.

Trying to finish off a few projects as I'm having a small op on hand on the 24th and not sure how long it will stop play LOL.