Better night

Eric rang last night and was a lot happier, good campsite in fact from his tent he has a super position to watch the practice and racing without even having to move. He held the telephone up so I could here the bikes roaring past ..... oh boy was I jealous! and the weather has improved a lot so all round he's much happier and having a good time.

We had a much better night, went to bed quite early and had all the dogs settled by 10pm, usually Jim and Rulu sleep in our room and the other three sleep in the lounge, study and dining room. Last night they decided they would all sleep with me, probably because they all feel a bit unsettled. So there we were all of us tucked up and asleep by 10pm BLISS..... even better no one had me up until 4.26am to be precise LOL ....course by 6.ooam I had had my breakfast and showered, beautiful sunrise this morning but it has already clouded over with yet more rain on the way.

Going to pick Vikki and Ben up from the train station at 10.00am then pop to the Dr's to collect my pills and get him to check out a odd looking freckle/spot/mole on my arm which is worrying Eric, then back here for lunch and Dawn is going to join us. Tonight Marc is coming over to take the bin out for me and unblock the kitchen drain which is overflowing everywhere despite Eric doing it at the weekend. Guess all the rain has sent debris into it.

I have apologies to make .... unknown to me my outgoing emails although showing as sent are not reaching anyone, and it appears it could have been going on for several day. Can't figure out what is wrong as incoming mail is fine, so sorry guys if you think I'm ignoring you all I'm not. Which is the reason I've updated my blog early today as several people have been a bit worried.

Dawn's coming tomorrow for a scrap day yay !!!!! finally I'll get to do some scrapping this week.

They're off

Eric and his two friends, Simon and Chris have today set sail for the Isle of Mann to watch the TT racing. Last year was the 30th anniversary of their very first motorbike holiday together as teenagers. They had hoped to go away last year but men being men didn’t get organised in time and then when they realised this year was the centenary year of the TT they decided that this would be their big holiday. Chris up until last February had spent the previous 20 years living in Australia with his family and unknown to any of us had decided it was time to return to England to live, which seemed to be the signal they needed to make the much talked about anniversary holiday a reality. So since the autumn they have been planning their big adventure. Ferry places and campsite were booked well in advance and there followed lots of meetings to plan their adventure. All three ride how shall I say it, I know “Classic bikes” … LOL. Yesterday morning saw them all ready with tents and sleeping bags etc, the poor bikes were weighed down, obviously with creeping years they don’t travel as light as the original holiday. Apparently 30 years ago they had one tent between them and no real destination in mind but with the optimism of youth off they set. Bit different this time round I can tell you. The weather yesterday morning was horrendous heavy rain and very windy. I was really quite anxious for them travelling in such abysmal conditions with the heavily laden bikes (I was a tad naughty after they had layered up with thermals, leathers and waterproofs I tongue in cheek enquired if they needed the loo – lets just they they all screamed at me hehehehe). They had decided to take a scenic route and stay in Liverpool last night ready to board the ferry this morning. The journey with pit stops took about 7 hours !!!!!!

Eric was/ is very worried about leaving me on my own. , And apart from numerous stays in hospital and a short weekend away last year with Dawn we haven’t spent anytime apart. I’ve had to promise everyone I’ll wear my mobile at all times in case I fall or get sick (Mum has made me a super little pouch for the mobile), which I can wear comfortably. I think in true Suzy ostrich style I was the only one not concerned. We had lots of offers for dog walking but in the end decided, people whilst generous in their offers don’t really understand how different it is to walk greyhounds, so the dogs are grounded for 10 days eek !!!! Mind you they do have nearly ½ acre of garden to roar around it. Well I have to admit yesterday was just awful, Mac from 5pm spent the entire evening AND night looking for Eric, Lucky was bouncing off the walls because she hadn’t been exercised, Jim was very sad and confused, Sandy “miss I’m not bothered” demanded lots of bones and attention whilst Rulu just shadowed me so much she nearly had me over. I’d likes to say our first night went smoothly BUT it didn’t. Mac got me up at 12.30am, thinking he needed to go out, I let him into the garden, but oh no he was looking for Eric, so there I am in my coat and boots in the pouring rain frog marching him indoors and then drying us both off. Rulu needed to go out at 1am, 2am and 3.30am (well us older ladies to have a few problems in that department) and then Sandy as usual sounded the early morning roll call at 5.50 am … Jeez I’ve spent the day absolutely shattered.

Eric sent me a text last night asking if he could come home yet…so I replied no you can’t you’re on holiday and it’s supposed to be FUN. Honestly he’d only been gone 10 hours. I know he’s going to miss us all and be worried silly about me, as he said seemed like a good idea 10 months ago LOL.. Anyway after all the kit he’s bought, tent, panniers, tank bank, cooking stove etc etc etc he’d better enjoy himself.

So far from thinking I would have all this time to scrapbook, all I’ve done is walk round like a zombie wondering how early I can go to bed LOL….

Here’s hoping the boys have pitched their (separate tents) and watched some practise racing and I have a quieter night.

Collectively Yours Challenge

The challenge this week is to do a LO using multiple photo's ... so here's mine. It's a layout of Dill our second greyhound who sadly passed away two years ago aged only 7 from bone cancer. I wanted to create a simple LO so the focus was on the photo's and journeling. I usually use just one photo on my layouts and yet I've done two this week using multiple's .... and enjoyed it!

Well it's been raining since 10am YESTERDAY with no sign of it stopping... Dogs are pretty darn fed up I can tell you.

Just been speaking to my brother and family in America via the webcam, don't think I'll ever get used to being able to see them and speak to them when they are so far away. The first time we did it I cried buckets. It's lovely to be able to see my little neice Katie and somehow it doesn't seem quite so bad with them being over there when you can see and talk. Katie was only 2 when they left and is now 4 and sounds like a real little American, she has a lovely accent and has just graduated from Kindergarten ..We used to use MSN but the quality of the picture and the time lag were a pain, now we use skype which has a much better picture quality with hardly any time lag in the speech.

I'm all on my own for reason to be divulged tomorrow (don't want to jinx anything)... watch this space.

The Design Collective Bank Holiday Challenge

We have been challenged to do a layout using clear stamps... I had already picked these photo's out to have a go at using multiple photo's on a layout. Usually I stick to one, so maybe that's the reason I've actually finished the page in one day!!!! or more like as Scrapdolly said on her blog "It's perfect scrapbooking weather" ie it's been raining hard all day, so all outdoor jobs are rained off leaving me to scrap guilt free yay!!!! The photo's are of me and grandson Ben and hounds (of course) playing in the garden. Eric was taking the photo's and I forgot to take some of him playing with Ben. Ben much prefers to play with Eric and will happily follow him around outside for ages. Yesterday as it was Vikki's birthday we managed to have a family lunch with Marc (son) joining us, unfortunately Vikki's husband had to work but it was still lovely for us all to get together. Ben had been grumpy all morning (guess at 17 months he already hates shopping) but as soon as we arrived home and he saw his Grandad he was all smiles and laughter !!! Vikki loved her Flyflots we got her and we had a good day.

Marc has gone to Wembley today to watch Blackpool in the playoff's. I really hope they win and gain promotion otherwise someone is going to be very unhappy...

Poor dogs are fed up today, only 1 walk so far, apparently we are set to get a whole months worth of rain day and tommorrow. Muddy paws x 20 oh deep joy......

Transparency class ....

Finished off my layout today based on this weeks classes from the Design Collective. Had great fun yesterday playing with the inks and had it all ready last night, just needed to be stuck down today. Oh what a hash I made of it, everything that could go wrong duly did so plus more. A tiny piece of glue seeped out from under the M in Jim so I tried wiping it off with a wet wipe, well you've never seen anything like it, the tiny drop just got bigger and bigger spreading out until it reached the text, what a mess!!!! ended up having to reprint the whole thing. The light when taking the photo of the LO has unfortunatley caught the transparency so it partially shows which is a shame and in real life it doesn't show at all. The flowers are cut out from the mixed up inks as is the title and the frame laying over the photo is cut using my craft robo from a design by silene shared out on UKScrappers.I'll definatley being using this medium again. If you want to see a close up click on the photo and you'll get a bigger image. Tomorrow we get a new set of classes which I really look forward to and head for the PC first thing. DC have also just announced there are to be some some Bank Holiday challengers using stamps. Not sure if I'll have time but will try and squeeze something in.

Tomorrow is also my daughters birthday so we're meeting up for a wander round town then back here for lunch and hopefully son will also make it. Can't wait to see my grandson Ben as they didn't come over Wednesday as planned becauuse they both had rotten colds. Talking of the son the tickets for Wembley arrived this morning so I'm the bees knees at the moment LOL... phew !!!

Today we had some news that we were dreading. Eric's sister and brother-in-law in Wales who lost their precious greyhound Holly last week have now had to have their youngest grey Moss put down today. Poor Moss was only 3 and a couple of days ago he lost the use of his rear legs. After two days staying in the vets it was decided because of the dreadful pain he was suffering and not responding to any treatment the kindest thing to do was to let him go. I just can't begin to imagine how terrible they must be feeling to have lost two of their beloved dogs in 10 days....My heart is just so darn sad tonight for them...

Sleep tight little man and run free again with Holly xxxx

Playtime

This is a layout of a very young Rocky and Rulu, they used to love playing tough and rumble (as we called it) which is what the title of the page was supposed to be but I stuck it down wrong and ended up with rough and tumble darn it. I'm going to put it on A true Friend blog as their challenge this week is to showcase your pets at play. This is a fab site for showing off your pet layouts.... and as everyone who knows me will tell you I am a complete dog bore so finally somewhere to show them off without boring everyone. Check out their blog http://a-true-friend.blogspot.com/2007/04/welcome.html

It's been playtime for me as well today because as hoped the postie finally brought my parcels so I have spent the day experimenting with alcohol inks on transparencies. The last set of classes from the Design Collective is all about transparencies so I can now finally start my layout.

Still no word from Blackpool website about the tickets I requested on my son's behalf and the latest news says all sold out!!!! hope I got it before they all went. I could be in deep poop eek !!!!

Scanning Layouts

Well I've tried really I have but scanning and stitching is both tedious and the results as seen on yesterdays layout of Rocky are rubbish. Now I know some people get fantastic results but obviously not me..... So Eric kindly photographed my layouts and I'm much happier with them. Bet you're wondering why I don't do it myself.... simple you need to be up high and lean over the layout and I simply can't get up on the chair and that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. So here's Rocky again only this time photographed and not scanned. LOL

I've bought a couple of files in the vain attempt at getting more organised with my sketches and Design Collective classes. A little (who am I kidding) project for next week.

Talking of the Design Collective, this week classes are all about using transparencies, something I've been wanting to try for ages. Ordered some Monday and they still haven't arrived !! also ordered some alcohol inks to use on them ... Hope the postman comes with parcels tomorrow.

Lavish use of ....... Brads

This is a LO from the Design Collective week 6 Class 1 .. By Kirsty Wiseman to use brads and boy did I ... my fingers still hurt from opening all the split pins LOL... I have decided to link it to the challenge on "Collectively Yours" my first time LOL. Also the first time I've scanned and stitched a LO (because I'm rubbish at taking photo's) but have ended up with a nasty shadow on the LO which isn't there really. Oh well back to the drawing board.

It's been a frustrating day had so much to do and just seemed to flit from one thing to another without really knuckling done to anything, so have bits of paper scattered all over my desk with lists of half finished jobs. Added to spending nearly all day with a telephone attached to my ear trying to get tickets for the Blackpool playoffs at Wembley for son (no we don't live in Blackpool but he has supported them for years and regulars travels to watch them) who I might add is off enjoying himself at Alton Towers. The ticket line has been PET all day (permanently engaged tone) can you guess I was once a BT operator....and there not taking internet bookings.

Had a wonderful day at the crop Saturday where I did the Rocky LO and Sunday we finally got the pots and baskets done yay !!!

Mac had is follow up appt at the vets after his dental and got the all clear.

Mouse mystery solved

The mystery of the dead mouse has been solved. Apparently after changing the batteries the base station goes into sleep mode and has to be reset. Well really I didn’t even know I had a base station Lol, so you live and learn.

Hospital appt didn’t go quite as I imagined having pretty much decided I was going to leave the wrist alone. Unknown to us within the prosthetic joint is silicone, which has been damaged with the metal joint breaking and coming out of place. The silicone has now got bits breaking off which can travel around the body and attach itself to lymph nodes eek!!! So therefore has to come out. Unfortunately there is not enough bone left to re do the operation so I can either try to manage with nothing in the joint or have it fused. I’ve opted to have the damaged joint out in day surgery and see how I cope with nothing as I really don’t want it fused but realise this may yet have to be. Anyway the estimated wait for the surgery is 20 weeks so I can happily go back into ostrich mode. The surgeon was quite shocked at the lack of movement in my right hand which has had the wrist replaced and the knuckles and countless ops to repair tendon and ligaments but like most things with gradually deterioration you adapt.

It’s been a glorious day here with lots of sunshine which helps lift your spirits that and a large bag of maltesers Eric bought me.

Looking forward to the crop tomorrow and have prepared some work in advance otherwise I’m so busy talking I don’t get started.

A Quiet day

Finished my layout from yesterday and was just scanning it when my mouse stopped working, changed the batteries and still dead !!!! have had to come over to Eric's pooter and it just doesn't feel right. Ended taking a rubbish photo of the Lo instead as scanner is only linked to my pooter. The LO is based on a class from The Design Collective, when it was issued I didn't have the eyelets or floss so did a layout of Rulu and improvised with brads and ribbons. This time I had all the right stuff and wanted to do it again for a different album. Even plucked up the courage to write on it, usually I do the journaling on the PC. Anyway apart from the rubbish photo of it I'm quite pleased with it.

Woke today feeling rotten, sore throat and tired so had to cancel going out with Dawn. My right wrist which is supposed to be the good one hurts like hell, think I've tweaked a tendon using my keyboard in the wrong position. Eric has been on at me for weeks to make mind up where I want it as it's currently to high for comfortable use.

Dogs have all been really quiet today, think they are all fed up with the miserable weather like me. Oh to see some sunshine again. Still haven't managed to do the pots and baskets, it's rained for days now.

Tomorrow I have an appt at the hospital to see the hand specalist as the replacement joint in my left wrist has come out of place! The op was originally done in 1999 and supposed to last 10 years. Really not looking forward to it at all as I know the options are going to be very limited.

Mac receives a parcel

Last night we received a very sad telephone call from Eric’s sister and brother in law in Wales. Like us they rescue greyhounds and also have 4 BUT they rang to say:-
Holly who had been with them for over 8 years had passed away. She had been suffering for a while with a problem with her larynx, which caused her to have problems swallowing. Yesterday the larynx collapsed and despite being given oxygen and steroids there was nothing more that could be done. Our hearts go out to them and we know that right now there are no words to comfort them but hope they will soon be able to remember the happy times and be proud of the loving home they gave her.

Sleep tight dear Holly xxx

Today started with a parcel arriving addressed to HRH Mac. Inside were some yummy treats from his lady friend Miss Flo O’Sausage complete with the following note.

Deer Mac

Ewe woz sooo brayv at Mr Vet’s – eye du hadmyr ewe. Eye hope ewe lyk little prezint…. Dey is eassee to eat even wiv missin teefs… luff FLO xxx

Thank you Shellie it made us smile and was good timing after the sad news from last night.

Mac is now back to his normal self thank goodness....

Well Dawn and I set off to the workshop this morning we took ages to find it; eventually the postman took us there. The house (I use that term loosely) had no name post and was up a very long drive. It was gorgeous!!! Anyway it turns out the lady runs these workshops and sells her wares for a company called Making Memories. It couldn’t be further away from the scrap booking we do. Everyone else was already there by the time we finally arrived and obviously all knew each other! Still we enjoyed ourselves doing our own thing and I confess to a certain satisfaction when I started hammering away setting eyelets (it was soo quiet). At the end the lady walked round looking at everyone's work and said to me "oh that's nice dear" I felt like I was in infant school LOL. One woman completed 10 pages in 3 hours using her power box... what the heck is a power box, just looked like she had prepped to me. It finished at 12.30pm and we quickly left stopping off for lunch at the pub on the way home. Thank you Dawn it was different but fun. AND we still have the crop on Saturday to look forward to.

I’ve almost finished the LO just needs some journaling which I shall try and do tomorrow.

BUSY PREPARING

Mac is much better, and after a short walk this morning and a spot of brekkie he retired to the sofa to continue with post op recovery IE: his snoozed the morning away. His teeth minus three are sparkling white and have a real Hollywood bling bling look.

I’ve been busy today preparing a few layouts. Dawn (My bestest friend) and I are off to a workshop tomorrow. It’s was part of a Birthday present from her daughters and I was kindly included. We don’t really no what to expect and have been told to bring EVERYTHING do they really mean EVERYTHING. Well for one thing we wouldn’t get it all in the car.

Saturday will see Dawn and myself go off to our local crop at Otley, which is run by Ness. It’s the highlight of the month we have a great time and of course there’s always the added bonus of Ness’s Malteser cake.

Dawn and I are Malteser addicts !!!!!!!!

MAC IS HOME

It's been a day of worrying and stressing out about Mac. Felt so guilty when he happily went off first thing with Eric this morning. Tom our vet rang mid morning after X-raying his leg to say he could see no sign of infection or tumours and would rather treat him with Metacam as and when needed rather than put him through more surgery on his leg to remove the plate and 20 plus screws. He also feels that as the leg originally broke in 3 places whilst out walking on the lead it suggests it could have a weakness there,and so keeping the plate intact will provided continued support to the leg.

Mac ended up having 3 teeth removed and is currently, a bit wobbly, very disorientated and leaking blood from his mouth. Must be feeling rotten as he hasn't started to whinge yet!

When Mac's leg broke he was staying with us as a GAP foster dog. Lisa the founder of Greyhound Gap was fabulous, so supportive and without hesitation said he must have whatever it took to save his leg. We were lucky that within our vet practice there was a vet (TOM) who was prepared to actually try and save his leg and ordered the huge plate and screws needed to hold all the breaks together. The final bill came in at over £2,500. Huge by any standards but when you consider GAP is completely run by volunteers with very little money it was a massive amount of money to find. So began the very first emergency GAP online auction with everyone donating and buying items. The total well exceeded the amount needed and has gone on to become a regular and popular event within the GAP community.

Needless to say it took months of rest and patience for the leg to mend and by then we were so attached to him and he to ERIC (I was only ever the handmaiden)that we willingly joined the failed foster GAP club and adopted HRH Mac McWinge.

It's raining

Today I had planned on starting to make up my hanging baskets and pots BUT it's rained all day...... So instead I've ben playing on the computer and made this slide show of the hounds scrapbook. All of these pages are made using the Design Collective classes which are proving to be challening and as hoped taking me out of my comfort zone, except for the Poppitt page which was a kit put together by Ness at her Otley crop.

Tomorrow Mac has to be at the vets at 8.15am to have a tooth removed and whilst under the anesthetic will have his leg x rayed to see if the plate put in almost 2 years when his leg broke in several places needs to be removed. He's been very stiff lately and the vets feel the plate may be the cause.

Construction slow going!

Construction still on going bit more difficult than I thought.

Have been scrapping of course.
Funky Flowers lesson from the Design Collective classes.
Photo of daughter and grandson and called "A Swinging time"