nlindabrit (Linda's Life)

I am so Happy!

2010-02-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

I am incredibly proud to announce that I have won a Western Short Story contest sponsored by the Art Affair website:

http://www.shadetreecreations.com/ArtAffair_WesternContest.htm

It seems I beat a number of American writers to do so and I am so thrilled, I just cannot tell you what it means to me:) The prize is a checque for $50 which I propose to frame.

I want to thank my dear friend, Judy, who not only brought the contest to my attention, she also read my entry for me and made valuable suggestions for improving the story.

The Best Laid Plans

2010-02-13T14:52:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was supposed to be my big day, the day I finally got to go to see the specialist at the hospital to hopefully get some help with my horrendous health problems. Long story short . . . it never happened! The Ambulance Service completely messed up my transport arrangements and by the time my wonderful husband had forced them to sort out the tangle, it was too late for the doctor to see me.

I was dreadfully upset, but I kept calm and while Tom played merry hell with the hospital, I had a phone conversation with one of the senior doctors at my local practice. He has prescribed me a different water pill to take in conjunction with the others and thinks it will help me to survive the next two weeks of waiting for the re-arranged appointment at the hospital.

I now go there on the 26th February and after Tom got through with them, I don't think they'll foul up the transport a second time:) In the meantime, life is difficult but I am blessed with the world's most wonderful husband who is doing all in his power to help me cope.

Louis has been adopted

2010-02-02T11:36:00.000-08:00

Tom took Floyd to the vet this morning for his annual check-up and vaccinations and we were delighted to be told that he is in tip top condition. He is fit and well and maintaining the same body weight he had when we got him 18 weeks ago. I am pleased about this as he is very food orientated and we certainly don't stint him. Fortunately he races around so much he gets sufficient exercise to keep himself trim. The vet said she thought he was an exceptionally fine example of the Dalmatian breed and was the most handsome dog she had ever seen. She also praised his sweet nature and agreed with us that he did not deserve the bad reputation he came to us with. Tom was so proud of him!

We got Floyd from an organisation here in Britain that rescues Dalmatian strays and rehomes dogs in need of a second home and a fresh start. They have a website, which is how we found them in the first place and I often log in to view the list of dogs on their books. They update the page regularly with photos and details of the dogs they need homes for and for over three years now the same spotty dog has been at the top of the list.

His name is Louis and he is only very lightly spotted. He was in the kennels with the society when we got Barkley and apparently is a very nervy dog in need of an experienced owner. When our precious Barkley died and we looked at the dog list with a view to getting another dog, poor old Louis was still in kennels, three years on from when he was rescued.

The Society tries hard to match the right dog with the right new home and we had begun to think poor old Louis was destined to spend the rest of his days in the Society's kennels. So, we were delighted to access the website today and see the following notice:

LOUIS HAS NOW BEEN ADOPTED.

We are so pleased that after all the time he has spent in kennels, Louis at last has a new and forever home and we wish him well. The Society does great work and in our case they could not have given us a nicer dog than Floyd.

One of my favourite places in England

2010-01-09T05:58:00.000-08:00

The traditional British counties of England, Scotland and Wales have all been revamped over the last fifty years or so into the modern county names we now know. Modern day Cumbria was once Cumberland and Westmoreland and contains the whole of one of the most beautiful parts of the United Kingdom, our Lake District National Park. There are 14 main lakes in the park which covers 885 square miles, an area roughly square 33 miles wide west to east and 40 miles wide north to south. It contains six major mountains, the highest being Scafell Pike at 3210 feet. I have climbed the fourth highest, which is Skiddaw at 3053 feet. I was younger and fitter then!

The deepest lake is Wastwater at 243 feet. The longest is Windermere at 10.5 miles. My personal favourites are Coniston Water, the most remote and mysterious of the Southern lakes and Derwent Water, the biggest and most beautiful of the Northern lakes.

Paul Reynolds took this photo of Coniston:

The two pictures below are of Derwent Water. The first is how it normally looks and the second is how it looks now in the snow!

My friends Jane and Margaret and I used to take our dogs to Derwent Water every summer. We would hire a cottage and use the ferry boats on the lake to drop us off at a different place each morning to explore the many walks available. There are standing stones, waterfalls and many forest, hill and meadow trails to ramble through. We had some wonderful and peaceful times there.

Isn't it odd how cavalier we always are about areas of beauty near to us? I had travelled all over the world, visiting both Moscow in Russia and Washington DC in the U.S. before ever I went to Cumbria, which is less than forty miles from my home on the Wirral Peninsula.

Winter Britain

2010-01-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

Winter continues to grip Britain and though by American or Canadian standards the weather is not at all severe, the truth is, we are simply not used to it over here and much of the country is at a standstill. Schools are closed and there is no public transport. Some services, such as Mail delivery and refuse collection are severely disrupted. There has been some panic buying in the shops, resulting in shortages of basic foodstuffs such as bread and milk. The gritting has been patchy at best, so it is treacherous under foot. Tom has been going out as little as possible. I haven't been going out at all, needless to say. We really cannot afford to have Tom break an ankle or a wrist. I don't know how we would manage, so we are erring on the side of caution.

Sweet Floyd, surely the world's most co-operative dog, dislikes going for walks in the snow. He loves to play out in it in the back garden and will race round and eat it etc, but then he likes to come indoors and warm his paws up again. He let Tom put him on the lead a few times, but just stopped dead in the street and refused to walk any further. So, instead of taking him for walks the last day or two, Tom has been playing tug of war (Floyd's favourite game)and amusing him at home. I can't believe the bad reputation his previous owners gave this poor dog. He is an absolute darling and we love him dearly.

Here are some more pictures from the newspaper of the snowy scenes around the country.

A frozen canal in Sale in Cheshire

A Highland Cow in Pickering West Yorkshire

Lake of Menteith in Scotland

Chollerford in Northumberland

Whittlesea Wash in Cambridgeshire

A frozen Waterfall in the Brecon Beacons

Blair Drummond Safari Park, Stirling Scotland

Brrr!!!

2010-01-05T05:07:00.000-08:00

The photo is from today's newspaper and features a place called Cale Green Park in Stockport, Cheshire, about thirty miles from where I live. As I write, it is snowing outside and for the moment at least, it is sticking. I am upstairs in the study, but Tom is downstairs and he tells me Floyd is out in the back garden playing around in the snow. He is eating it and having a thoroughly good time apparently:) They say this is the coldest winter in thirty years here in Britain and I see no reson to disbelieve it! I am so thankful to be retired now and not to have to venture out unless I want to.

My District Nurse, Helen came to see me yesterday and began the painstaking process of removing the dead skin from my lower legs. She was able to make a significant amount of progress and was warm in her praise of Tom and how well he has been attending to the dressings for me in betweeen her visits. She told me I was a very lucky lady and I told her I knew it. I am very impressed with Helen and the service the District Nursing team offer. They look at the whole patient, not just the particular medical issue that requires treatment and as a consequence, she is referring me for all manner of help and support which should assist me to manage my personal care and my health problems a great deal better in the future. As a result, not only are my legs improving, I feel better psychologically, because I feel I am improving my lifestyle in general.

I have a mountain of post to wade through, including new writing magazines to read and there is a stream of new books and DVDs arriving daily, so I am not lacking entertainment or occupation. I am beginning to feel optimistic about the coming year and aside from the fact I am still falling asleep at the drop of a hat (a consequence of my anaemia) I feel better in general.

I sent my Australian friend, Carol a calendar at Christmas and had an e-mail from her this morning. We first met in the U.S. in 1977 on my first holiday in America and have been friends ever since. My best friends, Jane and Margaret have been to Australia to visit her several times and she tells me she is coming here in April. It will be lovely to see her again!

So, a good start to 2010 and lots to look forward to. Helen is correct . . . I am a lucky woman:)

Help at last!

2009-12-30T03:50:00.001-08:00

After constantly nagging my doctor for several weeks, including putting my concerns in writing, the powers that be finally sent the District Nursing Service in to see me at home. My visiting nurse is called Helen and she is a poppet! She is a big girl herself and understands my struggles with my weight. She is referring me to the Lifestyle and Weight Management team for help in my weight loss efforts, which is an added bonus. She has inspected my leg problems, given Tom and I intelligent advice and information and is returning later to supply us with what we need to treat the troublesome areas. She has cleaned and dressed the wounds and is confident she can help us clear the problem totally. She intends softening up and then removing the dead skin for me. I KNEW the DNs were the right ladies for the job and I was right. Helen was non-judgmental and helpful, friendly and pleasant and a credit to her profession. I feel so much better for her cheerful and amiable help today:)

Here's Hoping . . .

2009-12-20T03:26:00.000-08:00

The doctor told me I would start to feel better once the Iron pills she prescribed for me began to kick in and she was right. I do feel better and even have a tiny reserve of energy to use each day! I think too that I am psychologically feeling better since the blood test results ruled out major new illnesses as the cause of my recent health problems. I am, by nature, a born worrier and I needed the reassurance of knowing that there was nothing too sinister lurking on the horizon.

The past few years have not been easy for one reason or another and Tom and I have several times said that we felt optimistic and hopeful about the approaching New Year, only to find that our plans and projects have not come to fruition as we had hoped. Hovever we remain undaunted and again this year we feel that the coming year is full of promise. We have plans to revamp our house and throw away a lot of stuff we no longer need. We want to reorganize our considerable living space in a way that will be more use to us and we want to get the house the way we want it and KEEP it that way!!!

I want to continue to challenge myself as a writer and also to study some of my favourite subjects more closely. I want to put a lot of effort into improving my health and my biggest objective is to recover my mobility to the extent that I can start riding Tedy again so that when the good weather comes, I can go out with Tom and Floyd.

I want to try to effect some changes in our lives that will give Tom more free time to do what he likes. He takes wonderful care of me and what is more he does it in a good spirit. He is always uncomplaining and cheerful but I want to be more independent and give him more freedom too if I can.

I wish all of my friends a very Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year and here's hoping 2010 is a good year for us all. As I write this,the sky has darkened and it is now snowing!!! Needless to say Tom and Floyd are out for their walk, so I'd best get some towels warm ready for when they return:)

Health Update

2009-12-17T05:09:00.001-08:00

I was supposed to go and see my doctor on Tuesday but, to my intense disappointment, I was totally unable to manoeuvre my way onto Tedy, my mobility scooter, to attend the appointment. I was very upset, because I have been feeling an improvement in my mobility and have been managing to get upstairs to bed each night. I was convinced I would be able to ride Tedy and it was a bitter blow to find I could not do so. I have had Tedy since March 2008 and it is not over-stating the case to say he has transformed my life. The sheer pleasure of being able to go out in the nice weather and accompany Tom and Barkley on their walks was bliss to me. I lapped up the sights, sounds and smells of Spring, Summer and Autumn and even managed plenty of outings throughout last Winter, despite the bad weather. I met neighbours I had not spoken to in years, made all sorts of new friends at the local shops and had a lot of fun revisiting our local parks with Tom and Barkley. I have been out with Floyd just once since he arrived eleven weeks ago, but that was my last successful trip on Tedy. Since then, this wretched fluid retention has confined me to barracks and I hate it!

Tom consoled me on Tuesday when I got upset and pointed out that manoeuvring onto Tedy was a different task to getting up the stairs, involving twisting and lifting my foot at the same time, whereas the stairs is a straight pull, with the help of the banisters on either side, so I can pull myself up with my arms. He is quite right, of course and there is no reason to suppose I will not be able to use Tedy again when I am fully recovered from the present problem. It really would break my heart if I thought I could never ride Tedy again!

I contacted the doctor and she very kindly arranged to call and visit me at home on Wednesday. She came yesterday, bringing with her a young student doctor who gave me my flu jab while they were there. That is good as it was overdue and I now need not worry about how to get to the doctor's surgery for that appointment. Likewise my quarterly blood pressure check, which they also did on Wednesday.

The doctor asked how I was getting on and examined me carefully. She thinks I look as if I have lost weight and as Tom has said the same to me, I am inclined to think my diet is working well and I am slowly shedding a bit of weight. Of course, it could just be the fluid that is making a difference, but I am making a real effort with my diet, so I hope there is true weight loss there too.

I am to continue the diuretics for now, which I expected to have to do, but it is exhausting and I hope not to have to go on taking them for too much longer. The doctor seems pleased with my progress thus far and thought I looked better. I told her I was feeling a bit better and she said the iron pills are helping in that regard.

We discussed my anaemia and she wants to refer me back to the hospital Diabetic clinic for investigations into the causes of the anaemia. I have been anaemic all my life, but it is significantly worse now and needs to be sorted out, so I agreed to go back to the clinic. Also, the doctor wants me to be able to substitute one of my present diabetic meds for a new drug that she feels will help me. The new drug assists with weight loss and is particularly good for diabetic people, also, unlike the medicine I currently take, the new one does not have the side-effect of fluid retention. The clinic specialist will decide if I can have the new medication. I go to the hospital on the 2nd. of February.

I feel much easier in my mind following the doctor's visit and hope to make significant progress in my recovery from this point. I am very lucky that my problems appear to be resolveable. At first, I was warned it could be a major problem involving heart, liver or kidneys, so I am lucky it has turned out to be less serious. I cannot fault my doctor for the excellent care she gives me and, as always, Tom is a gem. He constantly encourages and supports me, helping me find solutions to the problems my health issues give me. I am blessed indeed.

The Art of Critique

2009-12-13T04:35:00.000-08:00

I have been given ten short stories to critique by the lady who runs the Ladder Writers website. I am now a 'level 3' by dint of having more than 500 points, so I am eligible to be a critter. I am well on the way to level 4 now which enables me to shortlist stories in competitions, so these are new and fun experiences for me. I am very grateful to my friend, Judy, who brought Ladder Writers to my attention. I have been a little unsure about my continued involvement in the group, as I suspect I am a good deal older than many of the other participants, but I have been encouraged by the group owner to stay and am beginning to grow in confidence. Besides, it is doing me good to step out of what I might call my writing comfort zone and encounter many different types of work.

For example, to my slight surprise, a good proportion of the stories I have recently critiqued contained sexual or violent content and both are well beyond my comfort zone! However, despite the content not being entirely to my taste, some of the work is still extremely good and has been more than interesting to read.

I was nervous about undertaking crits but Hannah the group owner has produced a helpful guide to the art and I have used this as a template to do each crit. I won't reproduce her words here, but the method in brief is as follows:

First, read the story straight through, as though simply reading it for pleasure and when you have done so, make a quick note of your initial impressions.

Secondly, read the story again, more slowly and carefully, making notes of your comments and ideas as you do so. Your comments and ideas should encompass the following elements of the story:

1. Plot: Does the story start in the right place? Is it credible? Is the pace about right? Is the tale told in a sensible order? Is it at all confusing? What do you think of the word usage?

2. Characterization: Are the characters engaging? Is the rounding of the characters complete? Is the dialogue helpful in discerning character? Is the interaction between characters plausible?

3. Ending: Is the story ending satisfying? Does it come at the right point in the tale? Does the story feel complete?

4. Additional Elements: What are your favourite moments in the story? Was the POV correct and adhered to? Does the writer tell you everything, or leave you the chance to interpret? Is the story easy to read? How original is the story?

5. Errors: You should make a list of any spelling or grammatical errors at the end of the critique rather than include them as a part of it.

Thirdly, write your critique using your detailed notes, but also referring to your original paragraph of first impressions, which are relevant because that is how the story struck you upon first reading it.

Lastly, you should ensure that you follow certain principles when writing your critique.

1. You should always start on a positive note.

2. You should not quote from the text too much.

3. You should neither be rude, nor give false praise either.

4. Try to sandwich a criticism between compliments, or point out a flaw by contrasting it with something else you liked.

5. Try to back your opinions with evidence.

6. Always phrase your opinions as opinions not fact.

7. always 'suggest' rather than try to 'persuade'.

8. Do not generalize.

9. Do not command.

10. Don't refer to the 'rules' of writing. There are none.

11. Don't use upper case as this can be interpreted as rudeness or anger.

12. Avoid re-writing the author's plot.

13. Address the writer as though you have every confidence in them.

14. Don't be afraid to criticize genres that don't appeal to you personally.

15. Always remember that the critique is only your opinion.

Ladder Writers

2009-12-07T04:28:00.000-08:00

The idea of the Ladder Writers group is that you earn points by entering various writing contests and in other ways and move up the various levels of the group. I am the first member of the group to make it to level three and thus have become eligible to critique other members contest entries. I have never undertaken formal critiquing before, so I am naturally anxious to do a good job. The group owner has produced a helpful guide to the art of critique and I am using this as a template to do mine. I have sent her my very first one to read. I want to know for sure I am on the right lines before I do the rest. She has announced an increase in the points levels from level four to level seven and there are some new and exciting contest ideas. It has certainly decided me to stick with Ladder Writers for now as I feel I can develop more within the environment. When I am feeling better, I will probably enjoy my involvement more than I feel able to at present.

In Two Minds

2009-12-02T03:40:00.000-08:00

I am trying to decide what to do about the online writing group I joined recently. I have enjoyed my participation thus far, but there are some aspects of the way it is run that irritate me and overall, I think the group may be a little too 'young' for me. I am not rushing to leave though, as I am conscious of the fact that while I am under the weather, my judgement is not at its sharpest. I think I will continue to be a member for now and await developments. It has been an interesting experience though and if I do decide to leave, I have benefited from my involvement and learned a bit.

Soldiering On

2009-11-30T03:31:00.000-08:00

It is a cold, bright day here for the last day of November, though this must surely have been one of the wettest on record. I have seldom known such a dreary, rainy November before and there has been some truly devastating flooding in parts of the United Kingdom.

I have been stuck at home all month. My one abortive attempt to go out on Tedy was unsuccessful and I haven't had another go since then. I feel a wee bit better than I did, but getting up the stairs is still something of a struggle, so I doubt I can ride my trusty scooter as yet. It is hard to say how much progress I have made, though I think I have made at least a bit. Hopefully, the diuretic meds amd my attempts at weight loss will combine to improve matters.

I don't see the doctor this week, so I am just soldiering on for now and trying not to let my spirits get low. I am impatient to have a further chat with the doctor and see where I go from here.

One pleasant bit of family news, my dear niece, Helen, is pregnant again. Her son Alejandro was two last September and she expects the new baby next July. Children in Spain go to school for the whole day at three, so Aj will be off her hands, more or less, by the time the new babe arrives. I am very pleased for Helen and Tony. They are a lovely, young couple and their little son is a credit to them both.

Lucky Me

2009-11-27T05:05:00.000-08:00

My current illness has made me very worried and anxious lately, as a result of which, I have been driving my poor husband slowly insane. Fortunately for me, Tom is the most patient of men and he knows how my mind works. He has heard me cross-questioning my friends with medical backgrounds about my symptoms and has seen me hitting the Internet reading up on various types of health problems. He objects to my frightening myself with self-diagnosis and this morning he stood over me and made me ring the doctor up again. She wasn't there, but the head-nurse, Debbie was and she knows what I am like too and was able to reassure me about some concerns I had. As a result I feel a lot easier in my mind today. So, thank you, Debbie and thank you, dearest Tom!!!

I have been doing what many of my American friends do at this season and reflecting on my life, counting my many blessings. I am a very lucky woman. Thanks to my early retirement, I no longer have to work and can use my time to enjoy my hobbies and interests. I have a wonderful, loving husband and a comfortable home. We have sufficent resources for our modest needs and no major worries about money or our circumstances. Neither of us are in good health, but we get excellent care and treatment, so are luckier than many people. I am blessed with wonderful friends and a happy life.

My current ill-health has brought home to me how fortunate I am and why it behoves me to make every effort to look after myself and do my best to keep well in future.

Health Issues

2009-11-26T05:23:00.000-08:00

I spoke with my doctor again yesterday and she was able to tell me my kidney function tests were normal and so was my urine test. So, there are two more factors ruled out of account as we try to identify the exact nature of the problem I am experiencing. I'll be honest. I have always been a born worrier and tend to anticipate the worst rather than the best outcome to anything, so the more negative results I get, the better, as it prevents me from worrying needlessly. Heart and liver problems were mentioned as possible candidates and so was bowel trouble. Most things seem to have been ruled out now which is enough for me to be worrying as to what the problem actually is! I have to continue with both the medications she has prescribed for me for now and am not due to see her until the week after next, so I am going to have to try and put all this to the back of my mind and concentrate on looking after myself until there is further news.

Hurrah!

2009-11-25T03:20:00.001-08:00

As you can see from the Logo on the right, I am now an official NanoWriMo winner and I couldn't be more pleased about it. I already know that in its present form, the novel simply will not do, but at least I now have a framework to work with and can begin my re-write in the New Year with a clear idea of where I am headed and what I wish to achieve. LOL, Tom is entirely mystified by the whole concept of Nano and sees no point to it, but I do. People like me, who are intrinsically lazy and might never bestir themselves to complete a first draft are motivated to do so. I am grateful to the inventors of Nano for coming up with such a fun notion and I want to thank my Nano chums for encouraging me on too.

Health Issues

2009-11-24T05:07:00.000-08:00

Not a lot of news on the health front as yet. Some of my blood results are back and apparently I am both anaemic and deficient in iron. The doctor has given me a prescription for iron tablets and says I should feel a bit better taking them. The fluid retention is improving a bit with the diuretics, but is still a problem. Getting up the stairs to bed is a struggle, but I am managing and have made it to bed the last five nights in a row, though I am not sleeping at all well.

The doctor needs to investigate my condition further, but my size and my lack of mobility complicate the diagnostic process and she needs to discuss my case with a specialist. She will get back to me in a few days time. I am feeling okay but am very tired, so am just taking life pretty gently for now. I could still have some sort of new health problem to confront, but hopefully it will not be anything too serious.

Doctor's Surgery . . . or Office:)

2009-11-23T04:12:00.000-08:00

I thought I would blog a little more about the doctor's 'surgery' or 'office' as my American friends say. There are very few one-man-band general practitioners (family doctors) in Britain these days, most doctors work in group partnerships of several doctors and support staff serving a large number of local patients. Tom and I are fortunate to be in the care of a good surgery called the St. Hilary Brow Group practice. St. Hilary's is our local church and it is where Tom and I were married on 12th September 1992. St. Hilary's Brow is the name given to a steep ridged hill the church sits on top of.

There are four doctors who are partners in the group practice and working for them there is a group of other fully qualified doctors who are either new to or returning to general practice, as ours is a teaching practice too. The advantage for the patient is that there are always plenty of doctors around to get an appointment with should we need one. We rarely have to wait for more than 24 hours, often being seen the same day we ask to be seen.

The practice also has nurses, physiotherapists, counselors, dieticians and offers clinics for various conditions and disorders. Aside from our National Health Service contribution taken direct from our salaries if we earn enough to pay it, there are no additional charges for seeing a doctor or for any other form of health treatment here, up to and including consultations with hospital specialists and major surgery.

The only other health charges we pay are a contribution toward dental and optical treatment and for prescriptions, though people like me with certain chronic coinditions get free prescriptions, as do children and the elderly. Having health problems is always a worry for anybody, but in Britain no-one has to worry about affording treatment.

To answer Carol's question, yes, a nice friendly human voice answer's the phone in the surgery. There is a pleasant team of helpful receptionists. The British NHS is far from perfect, but my personal opinion is that we are lucky to have it.

Drumroll . . .and Fanfare!!!

2009-11-22T04:29:00.001-08:00

Well, I have made it and I couldn't be more pleased about it. My finished novel weighs in at 50,243 words and it is done. I have completed NaNoWriMo at my third attempt. As my basis I used one of my old BV stories and re-wrote it as a mainstreamed story, which I hope works as a non BV tale. I am FAR from happy with this first draft for many reasons. I struggled to stretch it to 50,000 words and had to fall back on a couple of writing cliches, such as over-use of flashback, to make it to the required length to succeed at Nano. However, I do at least now have a body of work that I can use as a framework and have already begun the re-working of the story in my mind. I plan on letting the manuscript alone until after Christmas, then I propose sitting down in earnest and re-writing the Nano version into a more finished story. I may even submit the end result for publication, if I can do what I want with it. Nano was quite an experience and I am delighted to have won at last. My profound thanks to my friends, who have encouraged me to keep going on Nano. You are all an inspiration to me.

On the health front, I am not feeling too good today, chiefly because I slept badly. I am finding it hard not to worry about myself, pending my blood results from the doctor. I keep telling myself there is no reason to fear the worst, but clearly there is something amiss and I can't help worrying what it might be. On the positive side, I have managed to get up the stairs to bed for the last three nights and that is a good sign. I suppose I must be patient too. I have only had the diuretic meds for five days and since it took many weeks for the fluid to build up, clearly, it isn't going to be magically put right in just a few days. If the doctor has not phoned me by lunchtime tomorrow, I'll ring the surgery and ask if the results are back yet.

Nano Day 21

2009-11-21T03:05:00.000-08:00

I got some writing time in yesterday and surprised and delighted myself by reaching a word count of 48,864! So, clearly, I am nearly there. One slight snag . . . I have run out of story and am having to fall back on a BIG cliche to squeeze out another 1,000 plus words. No matter. It is only a first draft and much of it will ultimately prove to be unsatisfactory, but at least the framework is there and I shall have something to work on. I now understand what teachers mean when they say the most important thing is to write and to keep on writing. It is oh so true that you cannot edit a blank page.

Some kind friends have expressed interest in reading what I have written, but it needs a lot of work first. Some friends will already have read the same basic idea, as this novel is heavily based on one of my old BV stories. I have mainstreamed it and I hope I have done justice to our beloved Barkleys in my invention of a new family with their characteristics.

I managed to struggle up the stairs to bed again last night, which has given me a sense of achievement. I rested well and hope to be in less pain and discomfort today as a result. I am trying not to worry and hope to hear from the doctor about my blood test results on Monday. So far today I feel better than yesterday and I'll settle for that.

Day 20 Nano

2009-11-20T03:10:00.001-08:00

I am not sure how much writing time I will get today, but up to yesterday my word count was 45,501, so I am very happy with that. I'm now reasonably confident I can get to 50,000 words before I run out of story!

Today, Graham my old friend and talented chiropodist and podiatrist is calling on me to sort out my sore feet and I cannot wait! Graham's grandmother lived next door to my mum and dad and we played together as children. He is the nicest, kindest man and takes excellent care of me.

I managed to make it up the stairs to bed last night after several nights sleeping in my chair downstairs, so that made me feel good psychologically. I am waiting now to hear from my doctor about the blood test results and where we go from here. I am trying to stay calm and not worry until I know where I stand. Hopefully there is a simple explanation for the massive fluid retention I have been suffering and there will be a suitable treatment to correct it. I can't help thinking that if this was something very serious, I would be feeling worse than I actually do.

Health Issues

2009-11-19T04:04:00.000-08:00

Paula the peerless phlebotanist from my doctor's surgery called this morning and managed to extract sufficient blood from me for the necessary tests to be carried out. I am not easy to get blood from, as my veins are silly, little collapsers, but Paula is skilled and patient and after three attempts, got what was required.

The results usually come through quite quickly and once she has them, the doctor can decide what we do next. I feel better, just for knowing that something is being done and hopefully, we can all work together to get me back on an even keel.

Day 17 and 18 of Nano

2009-11-18T12:50:00.000-08:00

Despite my health problems, I have had two excellent writing days and have broken the back of the story now. I just need to ensure I get to 50,000 words, even if I have to write nonsense verse to do it! My word count tonight is 43,240.

The doctor came to see me today and has given me some special medication to try to help me. The nurse is coming tomorrow to do my diabetic blood tests and the results will help the doctor decide where we go from here. It has been frustrating trying to get the medics to understand my problem, but I feel they do now. The doctor has promised to arrange for the Nursing team to call and examine the bad skin on my legs. I am relieved as I know I need help to get it under control again.

My good friend Graham who looks after my feet no longer makes house calls, but he is doing so for me and will call on Friday. It will be a blessing to have comfortable feet again. I have learned a valuable lesson from my sufferings, which is to be less stubborn about acknowledging how much help I need and accept it in future.

Nano Day 17 and my health issues.

2009-11-17T05:27:00.000-08:00

Up to yesterday I was on 35,613 words and I have made some progress since then.

I had an appointment to go to, to get my feet attended to and suffered a bit of a shock when I tried to do so. I got out of the house but could not raise my foot sufficiently to clamber onto Tedy, my mobility scooter. This was followed by an almost farcical struggle to get me back up the front door step and into the house again. Until that moment, I had failed to realize how serious the fluid retention problem had become. I have spoken to the doctor and someone will come to see me tomorrow to decide our next move. I have had to sleep downstairs the last two nights because of the severity of the fluid retention. I simply could not manage the stairs. They have GOT to help me! I love this house and don't want to have to move to one-storey living somewhere else.

Day 16

2009-11-16T05:39:00.000-08:00

My word count to yesterday was 31,763 words. I am still just about on track for succeeding with Nano for the first time. I am struggling with my health problems a bit. I had hoped for a lengthy writing session yesterday and wound up sleeping most of the time instead. I am not giving up though.

Nano Day 14 and 15

2009-11-15T04:27:00.000-08:00

My word count including day 14 was 29,523 and I am making further progress today. I have been drawing inspiration from my Nano buddies and I see Judy has finished! Heartiest congrats to her. I am growing in confidence that I am going to make it myself this year. I have already got further than on either of my previous attempts and I would really like to manage it this year. I am less concerned about story length now, as there are one or two areas I can expand on at need. I have enjoyed the whole experience and the need to focus on one piece of work.

Nano Day 12 and 13

2009-11-13T04:38:00.000-08:00

My word count is now 27,556 and I am delighted to have got that far. I am not too happy about the measures I am being forced to take to lengthen out the story, but I keep reminding myself that this is only a first draft and that I can go back to fix and tweak subsequently. I am hoping I can make it to 50,000 words, but the issue is in doubt at the moment. I'll have a better idea as I get more written.

Nano Day 11

2009-11-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

My word count is currently 24,990 and I am pleased with that. I am very nearly half-way through and certainly further in word count than ever before in Nano. Just over one third of the way through the month, so not too bad. I am a little concenred about reaching 50,000 words still, just because my ideas do not run that long. I may need to get more creative with the story. I am still determined to make it though.

Nano Day 10

2009-11-11T03:58:00.000-08:00

After Day 10 my word count is: 22,669. I am making slower progress now, but I don't mind because I have a clearer picture of where I'm headed and am growing in confidence that I can finish this year. Which is a great feeling!

Tom and I still feel under the weather, but we are managing to take life easy and let ourselves recover slowly. Floyd was a villain all day yesterday, stealing kitchen towels and clean laundry and ripping up boxes etc. We don't mind though. He is full of beans and becoming more confident. He was very much living on his nerves when he arrived, but seems more relaxed and contented now.

Another cold, dull, wintry day here in Britain. I think a cosy afternoon with a few new DVDs is called for:)

Nano Day Nine

2009-11-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

My word count as at Day 9 is 20,317 and I am beavering away on more. I have the whole story better sorted out in my mind now and am back 'on plan' which makes me feel a bit more confident. I am laughing at my dependence on the plan, a radical departure for me, but it is most definitely working for me this time. I am having a lot of fun tracking the progress of my friends too and all are doing well. I love Nano!

Nano Days 7 and 8

2009-11-09T04:31:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, my health is a problem at the moment and my sleep pattern has all but deserted me. As a consequence of which, I am falling asleep at inappropriate moments in the day, when I ought to be awake and writing. I can only soldier on and hope for the best.

My word count has reached 17,742 which isn't too bad, but I am nearing the point where I am off into less charted territory and so it may be slightly slower going from here on in. I keep telling myself not to be hyper-critical, as it is only a first draft and can be refined later.

Despite everything though, I am thoroughly enjoying the whole experience this year and that is the main thing really isn't it?

Nano Day 6

2009-11-07T04:15:00.000-08:00

Very little actual progress today, but I have nevertheless managed to increase my word count a little bit. I know the emphasis in Nano is very much on getting a first draft down and refining and editing later, but it is VERY hard to do that when it isn't your natural writing style and it isn't mine. I am a constant re-reader and edit as I go, so I took some time yesterday to read through what I had written thus far and am happy to have tightened it up a bit. My word count now stands at 14,594 which isn't bad at all for the first six days. I expect to slow down as I reach the less planned aspects of the story, but I am still hopeful of getting to the end. My biggest concern is that the story just won't extend to 50,000 words. I shall jolly well make it do so though! I am going to win this year. I have made up my mind!

Nano Day 4 and 5

2009-11-05T03:57:00.000-08:00

My word count up to and including day 5 is now 14,239, so as you can see, I have slowed down somewhat. This is good though, because I am slowly expanding on my original ideas and should be able to produce a novel of 50,000 words. Had I continued with the original plan, I estimate I would only have produced a piece of work of approx. 30,000 words and that would have been deeply disappointing as I do so want to be successful this year.

I won't get a chance to do any more on Nano today as I am starting to catch up with all the editing for friends that I have to do. I have got well behind with not being well. My tummy is still very upset, but I am definitely feeling a little better than I was. Tom is still very dizzy and aching, but hopefully he too will be on the mend shortly.

The weather in England is atrocious at the moment. Torrential rain and in Hampshire (a county down south) they had a tornado yesterday! We don't customarily get such things in these parts. There has been flooding in Scotland too.

For those of you who like reading short stories, Donna Hatch, who guest blogged on Judy's blog recently has a free collection you can download. If you visit her blog at:

http://www.donnahatch.blogspot.com/

Just click on the link at the left. I recently bought Donna's Regency novel The Stranger She Married and am looking forward to reading it. This lady knows her history and her writing style is very readable indeed.

Nano Day 3

2009-11-04T04:26:00.000-08:00

My word count now stands at 12,150 after day 3 of Nano, but I am not going to get complacent, because the change of direction I want to make in the story will involve a lot more work and I need to keep that in mind. So far, I have been able to make rapid progress by sticking rigidly to my detailed story plan, but I will be winging it more in later chapters and that is where there is a danger of me getting bogged down. I do so want to win this year!

On other aspects of my writing life: I am still the leading points scorer in Ladder Writers though I need another 65 points to reach the next level, level 3, where I get a chance to critique the work of others. The second short story contest had a completion date of 31st October and mine was in on time, but the person who runs the group has extended the deadline to 26th November, so I must wait and see how I got on.

I have three other contest entries in at the moment but haven't heard about any of them yet.

Nano Day Two

2009-11-03T03:51:00.001-08:00

I had another sterling day on Nano and completed my story plan for chapters three and four. My current word count is 9053. I don't expect to be able to maintain this pace, but it is a good start and so far, the plan is working well for me. I am not sure I am going to return to my old on the hoof writing style. It is easier in a lot of ways to have a plan and adhere to it, although it is a very new experience for me.

I have thought of a further direction in which I want to take the story and that is a good thing as I don't think it would have reached 50,000 on the current plan and this way, I am hoping that it will. I should have some quiet time to do some writing later if I am up to it, though others are waiting for things I have promised to do for them and I must turn my attention to those things too.

My doctor wants to see me in a day or two for a full check up and I am not sorry as I feel I need help. Several of my existing health conditions are playing me up and I am finding everyday life a struggle at the moment. If there is anything she can do to help me, or that I can do to help myself, I'll be glad to know about it.

Nano Here we go!

2009-11-01T11:58:00.001-08:00

Well, I am off to an excellent start with Nano and that despite being well and truly flattened by whatever this bug is that Tom and I have. My arms and legs feel like lead and my fluid retention is at its worst, rendering me very immobile indeed. Getting up the stairs to bed last night was a considerable ordeal, but I made it.

I have managed over 4,000 words today. The prologue and the first two chapters of my novel. All is strictly first draft, but I accept the guiding principle of Nano, which is to get it written and edit it later. I am sticking rigidly to my story plan which is unusual for me. I most often write on the hoof and allow my ideas to take me in unexpected directions, but I don't want to do that this time. If I do, I fear I'll fall behind, or lose my way and fail, as I have the last two years.

This year, I want to win!

I just heard I am still leading points scorer in the Ladder Writer's group, so once again I get the page to write what I like at the Ladder Writers site. So, I have written a tiny piece about Nano:)

One Man Army

2009-10-30T03:05:00.000-07:00

I read a story in the Daily Mail newspaper this morning about an unsung British war hero of WWII and so remarkable was it that I could not resist blogging about this extraordinary man.

His name was Freddy Spenser Chapman and he was a Captain in the British Army as well as being a Cambridge educated botanist. Left stranded in Malaya in July 1942 after the British Army in Malaya and Singapore had fallen to the Japanese, Captain Chapman went on to wage a one-man guerrilla war against the Imperial might of the Japanese army. He was eventually joined by two other British soldiers, but for a long time he fought a solitary battle for survival against overwhelming odds and not only survived but wreaked havoc on those who tried to hunt him down.

Chapman derailed trains, detonated bridges, destroyed trucks and cars and inflicted thousands of casualties on his enemies. He suffered appalling privations, health problems and injuries but refused to give up.

Chapman was finally rescued in May 1945 and safely extracted from the battle zone. He went on to marry and have three sons, becoming a successful headmaster as well. Sadly, his intense physical sufferings in Malaya had wrecked his health and by the age of 64, wracked with worsening pain and haunted by the deaths of innocent villagers who had helped him during the war, he shot himself.

Chapman didn’t want his wife to have to nurse an invalid, as he wrote to her in his final note. It was a last act of courage by the bravest of men.

“As one SOE officer and historian said of him, his survival in such circumstances and against such overwhelming odds represents: ‘Evidence of what the human body can be prevailed upon by the human spirit to endure.’
• JUNGLE SOLDIER: The True Story of Freddy Spencer Chapman, by Brian Moynahan, is published by Quercus, priced £18.99.”

I’m not sure I could manage to read the book which gives a graphic account of the depth of Chapman’s sufferings, but I am glad to have learned this much of his story and I am proud to honour such a gallant British soldier.

New Books

2009-10-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

I got a delightful surprise the other day. My good friend, Judy, whose two novels are to be published next year, has had a series of guest bloggers from her publishers featured on her blog. The posts have been interesting and I have learned a lot about the art of writing, the mechanics of marketing one's work and many different aspects of the world of writing. What a thrill then to be rewarded for enjoying these various posts. I was awarded a gift certificate from TWRP (The White Rose Press). I had a delightful morning browsing the various genres of stories that TWRP publishes and treated myself to seven new stories from three seperate genres. Four are full length novels and the rest are varying lengths. I am curious to sample some of the different types of stories and am looking forward to reading the downloads I purchased.

I bought:
Dry Moon by Karyna DaRosa
A full length novel from the Cactus Rose collection. It looks like a cracking good western story, with a strong, female central character and a good story. I like Ms. DaRosa's clear, no-nonsense writing style and her obvious depth of knowledge of the cowboy world. She writes with confidence and I am looking forward to the rest of the book.

Outrageous Behaviour by Amy Corwin
A 34 page story of the Regency period. I adore the Regency but, as a devotee of the late, great, Georgette Heyer, I am incredibly difficult to pleae when it comes to other authors writing about this period. I found Ms. Corwin's writing style to be excellent and felt she had an authentic Regency 'voice'. I am looking forward to reading her story soon.

Samantha's Sacrifice by Sandi Hampton
Another full length Cactus Rose novel, which I felt pulled into from the very first sentence. I know I am going to enjoy the novel very much and hope to learn a lot about this particular genre too. Ms. Hampton writes in a very vivid and immediate fashion and I felt fully engaged in the opening chapter.

Secrets in the Shadows by Sheridon Smythe
A full length Crimson Rose novel that has a western setting and very interesting central characters. I am curious about the genre and this looks a very good story indeed.

Shadows in the Fog by Dorris Jean
A 23 page short story from the Vintage Rose range. A love story set after WWI.

Stand-Off at the Waterin' Horse Saloon by Stacy Dawn
A 14 page short story from the Cactus Rose line.

The Mysterious Marquis by Karen Cogan
A full length novel from the English Tea Rose list.

I'll report back on each in detail when I have read them. The gift certificate was a lovely surprise and I wasted no time making use of it. Thanks, Judy!

Mummy's Boy

2009-10-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Floyd is a dear little fellow. We feel he has been starved of affection in the past and consequently is a little bit needy now. He will not sit near either of us if he can actually sit touching us instead. He loves to clamber up onto the settee and sit with his head on Tom's knee and sometimes he jumps joyfully up into Tom's arms and pillows his head on Tom's chest.

Floyd is just as affectionate with me, frequently coming to sit against my legs and asking to be stroked repeatedly. He also loves to nag me in the study until I turn away from my computer and he can jump up on me.Tom snapped this picture of him when he jumped up today.

Floyd is a most loving dog and seems blissfully happy with his life here. I am so glad we got him and I feel he was meant to be our dog.

Outraged!

2009-10-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

Tom laughs when I read the Daily Mail newspaper on-line every morning. They have a facility for the readers to post comments on the stories and I often do so. Tom calls it my daily rant:) Yesterday, I was so outraged by one of the stories in the paper that I did a little more than merely rant. I actually complained to the University attended by the student in the story.

It seems that there was an organized binge-drinking event in the City of Sheffield for Freshers week (the first week of term for the new intake of students) at Sheffield Hallam University. One student, Philip Laing, got disgustingly drunk and publicly urinated all over the poppy wreaths on a WWI memorial. He was photographed doing so and the Daily Mail printed the story and expressed its disgust at his behaviour.

The culprit is to face a criminal charge of outraging public decency and will appear in court on October 22nd. My purpose in e-mailing the college was to ensure he will also face disciplinary procedures there as well. I was pleased to receive a swift response assuring me that he will indeed face the wrath of the college as well as the court.

I hope I am not a stuffed shirt and I have certainly done my share of boozing when young. Nor have I forgotten the heady feeling of leaving school and enjoying my freedom for the first time. This young man made a mistake and I hope he is sincere in his expressed remorse, but there have to be consequences for what he did. There are young people his age serving their country abroad, fighting and dying and for him to mock the sacrifices of the past made me furious and sick at heart. Some things have to count and are due respect and honour.

Friendship

2009-10-15T06:39:00.001-07:00

I have always held decided views about friendship. Lots of people speak of having many friends, when what they really mean is, they have a great many acquaintances. To me, friends are not just people you know and like, they are people you love and for whom you would do almost anything. My small circle of close friends are like sisters and brothers to me and we are all very devoted to one another. Most of these friendships go back to my childhood and I never thought my views on this aspect of my life would change, but of course we live in the age of the internet now and it has changed friendship and its nature, just as it has changed so many other things.

Now, I have many more friends, spread across the globe, than I ever dreamed I would have. Some are acquaintances but others are very, very dear to me. It is a strange concept to have real friends that one has never actually met, but it is part of the magic of the world of cyber-space, that people with common interests and enthusiasms now find it easy to contact and get to know each other.

I am immensely grateful to some of my cyber-friends, for their support and encouragement in many aspects of my life. It is a new and exciting world and sometimes a disconcerting one, but I will always be grateful for my new friendships and their influence in my life.

One Week On

2009-10-12T03:42:00.000-07:00

I faithfully promise that my next blog post will be about something other than Floyd:) However, just for today, let's talk about him again. This is Floyd's tenth day here and as I type, he is lying with his back against my computer chair, flat out, fast asleep. He has had his morning walk with Tom and a mad half-hour tearing around the garden at break-neck speed, then he just collapses in a heap like the baby he still is. He is an adorable rascal and we have totally lost our hearts to him. He is very affectionate with us both and likes to sit or lie touching us, a throwback to all the months of loneliness and incarceration he endured before he came to live here. He isn't perfect. He likes to rummage and meddle in things that are none of his concern and he has a naughty streak, but on the whole, he is fairly obedient and very gentle and amiable. He is NOT a problem dog, just a lively, bouncy, typical Dallie and we are the right people for him. He is doing us good too, so it is a good match-up, whichever way you look at it. He lifts our spirits every time we look at him, because he is so clearly enjoying his life here. I am so glad we decided to get another dog straight away. We were meant to be a team, me, Tom and Floyd.

Getting Fitter!

2009-10-09T03:01:00.000-07:00

LOL! My fluid retention is receding a little. My mobility is improving very slightly. My breathing is rather better and I have less night-time pain in my legs. One other thing . . . I AM EXHAUSTED!!! The new pooch, Floyd, is either killing me or curing me. At this point I am undecided which:) I am kept continually on the hop by the new boy. He is young, lively and naughty and likes to eat my footwear. The tally is one slipper and one sandal so far. Tom's footwear has been stolen, but not damaged and I did have to rescue Tom's Texan Longhorn's cap from Floyd's jaws yesterday. He isn't naughty all the time, just has the odd, mad half-hour. The rest of the time, he's loving, reasonably obedient and fairly well-behaved for so young a dog. He is growing calmer and more trusting, as he realizes we are not going to lock him up, which is what he was used to. Floyd has a great gift of companionship and when Tom is off tinkering with his antique clocks or mending his computer, Floyd curls up beside me and dozes happily. We have totally lost our hearts to our mischevious pup and are very glad we got him. He is definitely doing both Tom and I good . . . if I survive:)

The Spots Settle In

2009-10-06T02:32:00.001-07:00

Today is Wednesday 7th October and it is two weeks since we lost our beloved Barkley. It is Floyd's fifth full day here, since he arrived last Friday afternoon. The dog has been on a steep learning curve since he got here and so have we. Tom has been absolutely wonderful with Floyd, calm, patient and persistent and Floyd has responded to my husband's gentleness and kindness. It was apparent to us at once that Floyd is wary of men, so Tom has done well to win him over. It was much easier for me. Floyd was more willing to accept affection from me to begin with.

Tom's instincts about Floyd have been proved right. He is a very gentle, loving dog, albeit a bit on the bouncy side because he is so young and lively. His facial expression has softened beautifully. All the stress has gone and he looks altogether more relaxed. The wagging tail is much more in evidence too and he seems to be relishing his life here.

We quickly realized that the dog's extreme reluctance to go into our kitchen sprang from his expectation that he would be locked up there, as he was in his previous home. We moved his feeding station from the kitchen to our hall. It isn't a problem as it is a nice, big hall and he now eats and drinks readily, because he isn't afraid of being tricked into the kitchen. It has taken patient persistence over the last few days, but we have largely overcome the problem of coaxing him into the garden too. As each day passes he is more and more relaxed about going into the kitchen to get to the garden. He is beginning to realize that he never gets locked up here and is free to wander at will.

He does NOT go wild and get over-excited by being given the run of the house, quite the opposite in fact. Yes, he dashes about like a mad thing and gallops up and down the stairs with all the exuberance one would expect in a dog who isn't two years old yet, but once he has had his mad half hour, he settles right down and is blissfully content just to be with us. It is the same after he has been for a walk. He is happy to curl up on the settee beside us and snooze away the afternoon or evening.

We always used to let Barkley sleep upstairs with us, so we have done the same with Floyd. He ignored the soft, nest-like beds that Barkley loved so much, but he was very pleased with a doggie mattress we tried him with. His favoured place to sleep is on the carpet at my side of the bed. I am often restless in the night and whenever I stir and shift position, he stands up and gives me a gentle kiss. He was a bit restless and unsettled the first night but since then he has been sleeping well. He loves to be allowed up onto our bed for a snuggle every morning before we get up. Floyd is settling into a nice routine and is clearly revelling in his new life.

Floyd is, as the vet said to us yesterday, "A whole lot of dog!" He is energetic and ebullient and any destructive tendencies he may have had probably resulted from boredom when he was locked up. What Floyd needs is exactly what we can provide here. He needs love and companionship and plenty of exercise and play. He needs freedom and understanding. In return we have been gifted with an exceptionally nice-natured, loving dog. He is highly intelligent and a joy to be with. A total win-win situation. We are blessed.

Meet the New Boy

2009-10-06T01:26:00.000-07:00

Well, Floyd arrived home on Friday afternoon with Tom. I had just come downstairs from our study. We have a wooden chest in the hall and I sit there to recover from the effort of hobbling down the stairs. I was still there, getting my breath back when Tom's key went into the door lock. I called to let him know I was in the hall and he called back:

"Wait until you see him, love. He's magnificent!"

Oh and he is magnificent! A tall, powerful Dalmatian with a noble head and a wonderful conformation. He doesn't have a bucketful of spots, just enough to make him beautiful and they are all a lovely shape. He is an obvious pedigree and a high-bred, doubtless expensive one at that. He is in tip top condition, rather thin, I thought and his coat is like silk. He was very cowed and nervous when he entered the house with Tom and his tail was jammed firmly between his legs. His facial expression was very stressed and his eyes were wild with fright. My heart went out to him at once. He had been through such a lot in the last couple of days.

Floyd had already moved from the only home he has had since he was a twelve week old pup to the house of one of the Dalmatian Club's female welfare officers. He spent two nights with her, then she drove him part of the way across England to meet another welfare officer who took over as chauffeur. He drove Floyd into Cheshire where Tom and a taxi driver pal of ours were waiting to take over for the last leg of Floyd's journey. Tom signed the adoption papers and he and Floyd made the journey home sitting in the back of Tony's car. Tom had an arm around him and sang songs all the way home and Floyd got that all important chance to bond with him.

Floyd is a friendly, affectionate boy but seemed very nervy and deeply mistrustful of any attempt to take him into the kitchen to eat or drink. It was also a struggle to get him to traverse the kitchen to go out into the garden, which of course he was needing to do! We let him have the run of the whole house and he dashed around like a lunatic examining everything and everywhere. In the meantime, Tom and I read through the paperwork they had sent with Floyd.

An excitable dog with boundless energy, it said. If you let him have the run of the house he will run wild and get over-excited. He needs boundaries and should be kept in the kitchen with the door closed. Then he will sleep on a blanket. He has had beds, but he tends to destroy them. He also destroys toys and needs the very strong ones. Floyd was doing his best to live up to this not very flattering description, nervously pacing back and forth like a caged tiger and shrinking from any sign of affection from us.

Oh, what have we taken on? I wondered. Were we stuck with a problem dog that was going to be manic 24/7? Would we be able to cope with his needs, or would we too give up on him, like his first family? Tom, the ever-calm and soothing-voiced rock of my life was much more hopeful.

"Give him time. I reckon he's a perfectly nice dog and we can settle him in here."

As usual, Tom was right! The manic problem dog is the comatose jumble of spotty paws in the picture below. More about Floyd tomorrow!

Life is a Rollercoaster

2009-10-02T04:48:00.000-07:00

The last ten days have been a rollercoaster of emotions for me as life has thrown quite a bit at me in that short space of time. I have run the gamut of emotions from joy to despair and back again and I feel wrung out and exhausted, yet exhilarated and excited too.

To start with, my health has been playing up again. I have a number of long-term health issues, with which I usually cope reasonably well. One thing I need in order to do so is rest. I normally sleep fairly well and this enables my arthritic body to relax and recover its strength. Recently, one leg has been giving me a lot of trouble and wrecking my sleep pattern. The knock-on effect is increased aches and pains and decreased mobility and ability to cope. Clever Tom has come up with a solution, we think, and last night was my first decent sleep in some time.

Having to put our sweet dog, Barkley, to sleep was a terrible decision and plunged both Tom and I into deep grief. We know we did the right thing though and we are very excited today, as Tom is on his way into the next county to meet with an officer of the Welfare Society. Les, the officer, is going to hand over our new dog to us. Later this afternoon, I should be meeting our new spotty baby for the first time and I can hardly type for the excitement!

I had a quiet, pleasant birthday at home with Tom on Wednesday, dropping asleep late in the evening, only to wake up to a dreadfully sad e-mail. The e-mail was from a lady I respect and admire asking me to pass on to the Valley-Dwellers the terrible news that her beloved husband, one of the revered stars of our show, has dementia now. I was honoured that she trusted me to pass on her messages and heartbroken to learn of the affliction she and her husband are having to deal with.

Thursday morning brought me more sad news by mail. One of my four 'adopted' horses at the Redwings sanctuary had passed away. He was a gentle giant of a Shire horse, called Victor. My adoption for him has been moved to a big, friendly Clydesdale, called Prince and though I am sad about Victor, I await the photograph of Prince with pleasure. He will be my fourth 'heavy horse' adoption in the last twenty years.
My other current adoptees are a miscevious coloured cob, Finnegan, a pretty grey pony, Icky and a retired police horse, Will Scarlett.

Last night, the results of the inaugural story-writing competition in the Ladder Writers group were announced. Many thanks Judy for suggesting I check this group out. I am hugely enjoying my participation in it and imagine my delight when I saw I had placed 4th in the story contest! The points I earned for that have ensured that I remain in top place on the points ladder, which gives me the right to post an article on the designated page this month. I'm going to tell them all about the Valley-Dwellers, I think.

So, a rollercoaster of conflicting emotions for me this last week or two, but through it all, the love and support of friends and the encouragement and kindness of friends have kept me going. I must go too, now. My new canine companion will be here soon, I hope, and I have some mother-spottydog bonding to do!

The Art of Writing

2009-09-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

I have read many books and articles about the art of writing and I have noticed that writing is often referred to as a 'lonely' craft. I can see why people would say this, because the creative process can largely be a solitary experience, but it is not always so.

In my case, I am blessed with a wonderfully supportive and encouraging husband and his participation in my work goes well beyond mere encouragement. Tom has a superb creative imagination and besides being willing to let me bounce my own ideas off him, he often provides me with ideas he has thought of himself.

Having a willing victim to listen to me read my work and knowing that he will always be honest about how it strikes him makes me eager to seek his advice and opinions. Tom is perceptive and intelligent and is often quick to see a flaw or a contradiction in what I have written. He is also quick to suggest solutions to problems and generous enough to allow me to accept or reject his suggestions as I choose.

He loves to be involved in my projects and likes to undertake all the technical support. Yesterday, we sent off two competition entries to different story contests and Tom did all the printing and assembling of the manuscripts and ensured all the rules were complied with. He has a Royal Mail stamp software set-up on his computer and can weigh our overseas mail and print off the correct postage for it. My two stories looked great when he had done his stuff and I am so grateful for his help.

A few months ago, when we made CDs of me reading my last Big Valley story aloud for the Gathering attendees to each have one in their gift bag, it was a joint effort from start to finish, even including darling Barkley, who obligingly barked on the CD for us:) One of my many happy memories of Barkley.

I'll await the outcome of the two contests with interest, though I shall not be upset if I don't get anywhere. I am entering the contests for fun and for the experience. Any actual wins would be a bonus, but I am not setting my heart on it. I think my pen-name really ought to be Team Us, to reflect the help I get from my dearest Tom:)

Heartbroken

2009-09-23T07:31:00.000-07:00

At 2pm today our beloved Dalmatian, Barkley was put to sleep at the Veterinary Hospital at Leahurst. The vets rang us earlier in the day to break the news to us that his MRI had revealed a large tumour in his pelvic area, which was inoperable. Radiotherapy might have reduced it a little and prolonged his life by a matter of weeks, but the vets made it clear that our precious boy was suffering and their advice was to let him go while he was peaceful and comfortable. We owed him that much and a great deal more for the last two and a half years of joy that having him as our companion has given us. We will never forget him and though it seems very unfair that his life was so tragically short, we are grateful for the gift of having him in our lives. Tom held him in his arms as he went to sleep and left us behind, heartbroken.

Our Pooch is in Hospital

2009-09-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

Tom took Barkley for his appointment at the Veterinary Hospital this morning and the orthopaedic team examined him in depth. Their opinion is that there are two possible causes for his condition. One is a very serious infection that has infected the spinal discs in his lower spine, the other is that it is a tumour. They have kept Barkley and will have him there overnight at least. Tom came home very upset at having to leave the pooch.

The Hospital rang this afternoon to tell us Barkley is doing fine and not at all distressed at being left there. He has eaten a good meal and cleared his plate. This was a relief to Tom and I and we are less upset, knowing he is tolerating the stay away from us well.

The Neurological Team has seen the pooch now too and they concur with the Orthopaedic Team as to the diagnosis. Tomorrow morning, Barkley is going to have an MRI and this should tell us which it is, infection or tumour.

If the problem is an infection, there are two possible treatments. Sometimes an agressive course of antibiotics, lasting ten weeks, can clear the infection up. Some dogs respond well to antibiotics, others do not. We think Barkley does respond well, so we are hoping this will prove to be the best option for him. The other option is surgery to remove the infected discs.

If he has a tumour, we will not know what treatment options are available to Barkley until we speak further with the vets. A lot would evidently depend on the size and nature of the tumour and its precise location. If it is attached to the spinal chord, there is little they could do, for example, or if it is a big one, it might be inoperable. A smaller less strategically placed tumour would be easier to remove or treat.

So, we must just wait and see what the MRI shows. The house seems empty without our boy and we are too worried to focus on anything much. We are trying hard to stay positive and not let our imaginations run away with us.

It just seems so unfair. Poor Barkley has had a difficult little life, culminating in his abandonment and when he came to live with us, he was supposed to be starting a whole new, good life of pampering and love. We just hope his condition is treatable so we can get him fit and well and back to being the happy pooch he has been for the past two years and more since we got him. He is a true blessing to us both and we love him dearly.

Worried!

2009-09-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

Tom and I are worried sick and it is no good pretending otherwise. The result of Barkley's blood test for Lymes Disease is a negative. The vet is as surprised and disappointed as we are, because she was so sure she was right. It means we are once again back to square one when it comes to diagnosing the cause of our boy's lame leg and high white blood cell count. We are terribly upset and trying not to let our imaginations run away with us.

The next step is for the pooch to be referred to the Liverpool University School of Veterinary Medicine and he goes there on Tuesday next. We may have to leave him there overnight, depending on what they decide to do. We are hoping they can help us, because we cannot let Barkley suffer indefinitely. He is miserable and not in any sense the happy and contented dog we are used to. Having said which, we will do everything in our power, regardless of cost, to help him.

Barkley is the joy of our lives and we want him well again, so we can all enjoy our lives as we used to. Neither of us can imagine life without our precious boy.

Counting my blessings!

2009-09-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

So there I was yesterday, downstairs using my laptop instead of being sat at my desk in our study. I couldn't access my computer files from my big PC, which was a minor inconvenience during the day. My other cause for complaint being that I was on my own a lot, as Tom was up here in the study most of the time, working on the computer network he has built for us.

So, here I am today, ensconced in the study and reaping the benefits. Tom has a new tower case now for his PC, which gives him more available ports to utilize and also takes up less room on his desk. My own PC CPU is now housed in the old square case from his PC. It is an elegant-looking black and silver box and is smaller and neater than my old grey one. It also purrs, like a quietly contented cat, whereas my old one was more like a mountain lion in full-throated roar!

While he was at it, Tom vastly increased the memory capacity of my machine and it is now responding much faster to commands, indeed it is zipping around at a rate of knots. There is much to be said for having a living-in resident computer engineer . . . and he makes great coffee too:)

A Possible Breakthrough

2009-09-10T16:34:00.000-07:00

Poor Barkley has been on a downward spiral again and consequently Tom and I are living on our nerves. He has been exhibiting a lot of pain and his poor leg has been getting progressively more lame. Tom took him back to the vet and we saw a new lady called Maria. She is very nice and had a lovely way with our doggie. She is an American and she took one look at Barkley and diagnosed Lymes Disease.

Now, you in the U.S. are much more familiar with this disease than we are over here. It is comparatively rare in Britain, but Maria seems convinced she is right. There is a specific blood test for Lymes and we should have the results in a week. If it is Lymes, there is a particular antibiotic that should clear the problem right up. We don't want to count our chickens yet, but we are praying Maria is right!

A Book Recommendation

2009-09-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

I am calling this post a recommendation, rather than a book review, as it it customary to read the whole book before writing a review and, as yet, I am only up to page 85 of one of the most interesting, absorbing and magical books I have ever read. The book is called: Riding the Edge of an Era by Diana Allen Kouris and is published by the High Plains Press of Wyoming.

High Plains is an independent publisher producing books about the history of Wyoming. I was sent the book by a wonderful friend and the author was kind enough to send me a wonderful message in it and sign it for me.

Ms. Kouris' book describes her childhood growing up in Wyoming. The family divided its time between their ranch and the house they maintained in a small town 90 miles away where the children went to school.

Diana was born in 1949 and as I was born in 1952 I think of her as a contemporary of mine, though our lives could not have been more different.

One of six children, Diana and her two nearest siblings grew up helping out on the ranch, riding horses and enjoying to the full a marvellous way of life, that was, little though they realised it, drawing to a close. They truly were, as the title says, Riding the Edge of an Era.

The book vividly describes the people, animals, weather, situations and adventures that befell the author and those around her. She writes with great warmth and humour and with consummate skill. Her descriptive powers are truly awesome. As I read, I almost feel I can smell the delicious food Diana's mother is cooking. I can feel the winter snow stinging my face as I punch cattle (which Diana did at the age of six!)I can see the bright colours of the many different flowers and trees that flourished in their bountiful valley.

This is a fascinating book that evokes a lost lifestyle and makes the reader sad to think it is all gone now. Diana has liberally sprinkled the text with wonderful photographs, some of which go back to the turn of the century. One has only to look at the strong, character-filled faces in the pictures to see the quality of the people who carved a life for themselves out of the Wyoming wilderness.

I often share my books with friends and post them to my sister-in-law who lives in a different part of the country, but nobody else is going to be getting their hands on this book! Aside from the inscription the author has put on it for me, I just know I am going to want to re-read this book over and over.

I have already added a whole host of story ideas to my ideas file, inspired by this book and I can't wait to read the rest of it. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

Creativity

2009-09-03T02:03:00.000-07:00

I have always harboured a secret fear that if I ever began writing different sorts of stories, I would lose my enthusiasm for writing Big Valley fan fiction. My association with the Valley-Dwellers goes back well over a decade and I must have written literally hundreds of BV stories in that time. I used to tell myself that I would only carry on with BV until I got bored with it, but I realized long ago that was never going to happen. I have computer files crammed with ideas for BV stories and I can honestly say I think I'll be writing BV stories for the rest of my days. I have loved the TV show and the characters since the 1960s and I don't see that enthusiasm or that loyalty ever waning.

The Valley-Dwellers is a unique group, with a very special atmosphere. It is very much a community, a fellowship of friends, who support and help each other. There is a lot of love in our group and it is a nurturing, kindly environment. I find my daily involvement with it a constant refreshment to my spirit.

I do feel now that I want to write other things as well and at last, I think I have the confidence and the will to actually do it. I've joined a creative writing group and am starting to enter short story contests. I don't have any large ambitions and will not be disappointed if I don't have much success. I am doing it for the best possible reason . . . because I want to, just for fun, for myself.

Tom and I both feel that we have slipped into a trough of depression for sundry reasons and are making efforts to clamber out of it. We both need fresh challenges and I feel hopeful we can make a bit of progress in that regard. I'm off to do some more creative writing now. I feel so lucky to have the time and resources to do so.

Writers Groups

2009-09-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

There are a bewildering number of different writers groups to be found in cyber-space. I have hesitated to join any of them for a variety of reasons but have now finally done so. I am a member of the Ladder Writers, who can be found at:

http://ladderwriters.com/index.shtml

The group was brought to my attention by a dear and very energetic friend, who regularly brings different resources to the notice of her friends. What attracted me to the group was its newness. There are only a handful of members thus far, though it will grow quickly, in my opinion. I also like the fact that the group is based in Britain. There are to be regular short story contests and I took it as an omen that the first competition deadline is my birthday, 30th September. My entry to that contest is already in, which enabled me to win a huge points bonus for August, putting my feet firmly on the rungs of the Ladder.

I am also writing a story for the Writers' Journal October competition. I am inspired to do this by my dear friend Judy's successes and her constant support and encouragement. Not that I can hold a candle to her in writing terms, because I know better. I am doing it for fun and loving every minute. If I have any luck, I will be thrilled beyond measure and if I do not, I shall be philosophical about it. The pleasure is all in the writing.

Barkley Update

2009-08-30T04:15:00.001-07:00

Barkley saw the vet again on Thursday and once again he watched as the dog walked up and down the pavement outside the surgery. The left hind leg is weak and gives way unexpectedly, but Barkley is not showing any signs of pain and the vet is satisfied with his progress. He has taken Barkley off his pain-killers and he is now being treated just with the high-dose antibiotics to clear up the blood infection and Glucosamine to strengthen the hip joint. He also has an anti-inflammatory drug called Metacam. His appetite is a bit uncertain when it comes to his dinner, though he will eat any delicious little treat we offer him. We are cautiously optimistic that we are getting somewhere this time and it is an enormous relief to know that our beloved pooch is pain-free.

The Elizabeth Cross

2009-08-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

Most people who know me are aware that I am no lover of the British Royal Family. I am a lover of tradition though and am happy for the United Kingdom to remain a monarchy. I cannot imagine a republican Britain somehow. Also, whatever I may think of some of her work-shy relatives, I am a staunch supporter of the present Queen, a gracious and hard-working lady who still undertakes a huge number of Royal engagements every year, despite her advanced age. I dislike most of the younger royals and hangers on who do not share the Queen's work ethic. I'd like to see Britain adopt the Dutch system where the Royals are Civil Servants and receive salaries commensurate with the work they do for the country, whilst the wealth and treasures of the Royal Family in Holland belong to the State.

Queen Elizabeth has chosen to mark the 50th year of her reign by the establishment of a new medal, the Elizabeth Cross. It is a beautiful thing, made of silver and is to be awarded to the next of kin of all service personnel who die in the service of their country. The first one was presented a few days ago to the widow of a warrant officer who died on active service in Afghanistan.

I feel sure these medals will not only be a treasured heirloom and a source of pride for the families receiving them, they will also be a comfort to the bereaved. I was very touched by this little poem in the newspaper, written by the two children of the dead warrant officer.

Pooch Update

2009-08-18T05:44:00.000-07:00

Tom took Barkley to the vet last Friday and was gone quite a while. When he came home he told me he was happy with the very thorough examination Barkley had been given, which included the vet coming outside to watch Tom walk the pooch up and down the pavement, so the vet could observe him in motion.

The vet agrees with us that the left hind leg and hip joint are the cause of the pain and that the spondylosis, though it does exist, is NOT the current problem. He took blood for testing and told us to keep Barkley on his current pain-killing meds and other meds until Monday, at which time he would ring us and let us know the results of the blood tests.

The call came yesterday and we were relieved to be told there was some positive news. It seems Barkley's white blood cell count is high and this can be due to an infection, which may have affected his hip joint. So, he is now on high-dose anti-biotics and other meds to address this issue.

We are not out of the woods yet, but at least we feel we are on the right track.

Outrageous!

2009-08-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

I don't often get hot under the collar about politics but I was horrified to read in today's paper about a series of TV adverts in the U.S. which are painting a grim and very distorted picture of the way in which the British National Health Service works.

Amongst other things, the ads describe the NHS as 'Orwellian' and 'evil'. The claims, made by high level American politicians include an accusation that elderly people are refused treatment on age grounds and that there is an actual financial cap on the value of a human life.

One influential financial journal ran an editorial suggesting that the eminent British scientist Stephen Hawking, would 'not stand a chance' if he had to depend on the NHS. In fact, Professor Hawking regularly receives treatment on the NHS and is quoted as saying: "I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment, without which, I would not have survived."

A man called Ted Grassley recently claimed Senator Edward Kennedy would not have received treatment for his brain tumour in Britain on age grounds, because he is aged77. When challenged, he admitted he had no evidence but hearsay to back this up. The Chief Executive of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence refutes the claim, branding it 'utterly untrue.'

NICE is an organisation which oversees the costs in the NHS to ensure value for money, but it does not 'cap' treatment and quantify the worth of a human life, as claimed in the ads, it sets benchmarks but these are regularly breached when a more expensive treatment is required.

I don't deny that there are regional disparities in funding and levels of care in Britain. I am lucky in living in a 'good' region, but overall, I feel very lucky to have the NHS to turn to. Also, people in Britain are free to obtain private care when they wish as well.

I found out some interesting facts in my research into this subject today:

Britain spends less per head of population on health care than the U.S. but our life expectancy is longer.

In the World health Organisation ranking list of quality of medical care, Britain ranks 18th and the United States ranks 37th.

Some facts about the NHS:

All children under 16 get free prescriptions.

Everyone over 60 gets free prescriptions.

People with certain, serious ilnesses, such as diabetes, get all their prescriptions free, not just the ones for the particular illness.

There are many other categories of people who can get free prescriptions.

People on low incomes can apply for free prescriptions.

All visits to and minor treatment from family doctors are free.

All hospital treatment is free and so is your stay in hospital. You pay nothing at all.

Like prescriptions, eye tests can be obtained free of charge and free glasses and contact lenses can be got.

Whoever is responsible for these outrageous ads should be ashamed of themselves.

Of Dogs, Toddlers and Sunshine.

2009-08-11T04:36:00.001-07:00

A quick update on Barkley. He was supposed to see the vet last Friday but the vet is ill and the appointment has been re-scheduled to next Friday. Fortunately, his new pain medication seems to be holding him and we are hopeful he will be comfortable until we can see the vet and get some more insight into how to stabilise and treat his condition.

On a happier note, I have at last met my great-nephew, Alejandro, over here with his mother, my dear niece, Helen, on a visit to his grandmother. Aj, as they refer to him, is a delightful little boy! He will be 2 in September and is a real live wire, constantly on the go, full of energy and curiosity. He is a sweet, happy child, full of fun and laughter and endlessly questioning anyone who will listen about the wonderful world he so clearly delights in. He dances at the sound of any music, from church bells to pop and chatters continuously in both his native languages, Spanish and English. He appeared to be enjoying his visit to Britain immensely, but when a plane flew overhead, he pointed skyward and told me something that made him very happy. He said: "Avions, Papa!" Meaning, tomorrow, I am flying home to my daddy. He was thrilled to bits with Barkley and patted him and gently pulled his tail, which Barkley didn't mind in the least. Aj said: "big wow wow", which I am assured means that is the biggest dog I've ever seen. Helen tells me that children start full-time school in Spain at the age of 3 and I can see that a boy as promising as Aj is going to be ready for school in another year or so! It was a joy to meet the youngest member of my family at last and to see darling Helen too.

The weather here in England is perfectly delightful at the moment. It is sunny and pleasantly cool and fresh. I have been out on Tedy every day and taking full advantage of the lovely days. There will be plenty of cold, wet weather to keep me indoors in the winter, so I am determined to get out and about now, while I can.

This and That

2009-08-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I mentioned the short story, A Brilliant Big Brother, which recently won a prize for writing for children. I said I had read it in Writer's Digest, but I was wrong. It is in my latest issue of Writing magazine and the author is a lady called Claire Black who lives in the North-West of England, as indeed do I. I read the 250 word story again today and am amazed at how cogent, focused and effective such a short tale can be. Congratulations, Claire!

My beloved pooch, Barkley, has been giving Tom and I cause for concern all this week and today was to have been the day he saw the senior vet in the local practice. An appointment we were hoping might give us some more insight into his condition. Unfortunately, the vet is ill and the appointment is now for next Friday instead. On the bright side, Barkley's new pain meds are holding him and he is coping well, though he is a bit sleepy and quiet, which we are NOT used to at all.

The weather is beautiful today, crisp, cool and bright, so we will all go out for a gentle airing after lunch and cheer ourselves up. Tom and I don't mind what it takes to deal with Barkley's condition. He is the third member of our little clan and he can have whatever he needs, we just want him to be happy and pain-free.

Food For Thought

2009-08-06T06:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't written a new story for a while and one popped into my head recently, so I wrote it. It was only a short one, a five chapter fanfic on my usual western beat and I liked it as I wrote it, though I was worried it was a little short on action. I have posted four of the five chapters on our board thus far and the reaction I have had has been wonderful. As many as 34 group members posted comments on one chapter and there have been literally hundreds and hundreds of page views. I have been astonished at how much my friends seem to like this little tale and It has all done my ego a power of good.

Then my latest edition of Writer's Digest arrived.

I was glancing through the magazine and came across a very short story (only 250 words). The story was a prize-winning short tale for children and I read it with great interest. By the time I got to the end, I was in awe of the author's skill and talent. I read it aloud to my husband, who was every bit as impressed with it as I was.

I couldn't tell a cogent story in 250 words to save my life, certainly not a tale like this one, humourous, touching, character-driven and very true to life. The experience was a salutary one, bringing home to me the world of difference between fanfiction and what might be termed as 'proper writing'. If I was in any danger of growing conceited about my own writing because of the kind comments from my friends, my reading of the story in the magazine set me straight.

The story was called A Brilliant Big Brother and was by a lady whose name I cannot recall at the moment. I'll include her name when I blog next. Her story was warm, funny and very human. I loved it . . . and I wish I had a talent like hers.

Another 'Crittur' Post

2009-07-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

I know Pat will forgive me for yet another 'crittur' type post, but I just had to share with you my latest photograph from the Redwings Horse Sanctuary here in Britain. Redwings is a huge charity that has a total of about 2,000 horses and donkeys under its care in several different locations around Britain. They operate an adoption scheme where members of the public can pay an annual sum to foster the care of one of their equines. I have four adoptions currently, including a beautiful grey pony called Icky, a mischevious coloured cob called Finnegan and an ex-Police horse called Will Scarlett, who was invalided out of the Nottinghamshire Police Force with a bad back. All the Nottingham Police equines are named after Robin Hood characters.

My other adoptee is a Shire horse called Victor. Shires are a breed of heavy horse, or draft horse as my American friends call them. Shires are usually black in colour with white legs or feet and often a white facial blaze. My very first adoptee from Redwings twenty years ago was a Shire called Jessie, who was rescued from slaughter, along with her foal, Bonnie. When Jessie died, I adopted her daughter, Bonnie and after her death, I took Victor on.

Victor has just been retired from the adoption list as his health is starting to fail. He will keep all his current adopters just not take on any more and he has gone to live at the Redwings Veterinary unit to be close to the treatment facilities. He will live out the rest of his life with Redwings in peaceful surroundings and will receive the very best of care. Sadly though, he has had to be parted from the group of equine friends with whom he has lived at Redwings thus far. All Redwings horses and donkeys live in social groups and they get very attached to one another.

When an animal needs to go into their hospital the rest of its group go too, to minimize the trauma to the sick animal. But when a horse like Victor needs to be moved poermanently, they cannot take the rest of the group as well. So, they have found him a new friend, who also lives at the medical centre and the two have become good pals. Clyde is a heavy horse too, a Clydesdale. They are often a lovely tan and white colour, but Clyde is an elegant grey horse. He is also totally blind, hence the mask he is wearing in the photo with Victor.

Clyde lost an eye to cancer four years ago and then a callous thug shot him, causing him to lose his other eye. He is safe at Redwings now and no-one will ever hurt him again. To help Clyde, there is a set of windchimes planted next to the water trough, so he knows where to get a drink. His friend, Victor, has bells threaded into his mane so Clyde can hear him approaching and the two are getting on beautifully as you can see from the picture. I have loved horses all my life and I get a huge kick out of my six-monthly reports and photos from my equine pals. This picture of Victor is just adorable and I am so glad he and his blind friend Clyde get on so well.

More Medicine

2009-07-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

These pictures ought to be on Pat's Critters blog really, but I thought I'd share them with you. I read the British tabloid newspaper, The Daily Mail on-line every day and there is seldom a day goes by without me saving one or more pictures for my on-line collection. I have a digital photo-frame and also make computer screen-savers out of photo montages. I think the Daily Mail boasts some excellent photographers and the pictures are often breathtaking and spectacular ones, like the recent one of Mount Everest, taken from a hot-air balloon at 36,000 feet. The wide-angle lens clearly showed the curvature of the Earth and it was like hanging from the edge of space with a perfect view of our world.

Other pictures are just plain nice and often funny with it. They rarely fail to cheer and comfort me. Like these two, which show a beautiful nineteenth century colonial manor house in Kenya, now owned by a couple who operate a hotel there. The couple both grew up in the area and used to look at the house and dream they owned it. Now they do and offer their guests sumptuous surroundings, delicious food and a friendly welcome from themselves and their young children,

Oh yes and there are the Giraffes.

A colony of eight, rare-breed, hand-reared Giraffes inhabit the grounds and they are very tame and friendly. They tend to pop in for breakfast, or wish you good morning at your bedroom window. The pictures speak for themselves!

Laughter is the best medicine.

2009-07-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

I am always awed by people who suffer in silence. Those heroic types who never complain and soldier on through life however difficult it may be, without a word about their sufferings are amazing. I admire and respect them . . . but I am never going to be one of them. If I am suffering, then everyone unwise enough to come within range of me knows about it! I can whine for England and I like lots of sympathy please.

I sometimes get fed up with being in pain. Pain is something I live with constantly and most of the time I can take it, but now and again I just feel heartily sorry for myself. Are there people infinitely worse off than me? You bet! It doesn't help me though, does it? I know one excellent medicine that can help me and it is one my husband, Tom doles out with a liberal hand . . . laughter.

We laugh about lots of things, small matters and more important issues too. There are few things we cannot poke fun at and laughter is so very good for us! Today I was much amused by the pictures in my newspaper of the antics of the baboons at our local safari park. It seems the critters have worked out how to open those roof-top storage boxes one sees on cars these days. The results speak for themselves. I laughed until I cried and felt a lot better for it!

My Family

2009-07-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

When my mother was in hospital during her final illness, her personality changed almost out of all recognition. The bright, cheerful, positive lady with the ready sense of humour and the lovely, friendly smile had vanished forever, to be replaced by a snappish, miserable, hopeless woman, who not only welcomed the approach of death, but hurried to meet it with great determination and single-minded intesity. She had, I felt, decided that her life was no longer worth living and just wanted it over and done with. My distraught father and I would have done anything to keep her with us and wracked our brains for the means of re-awakening her interest in life, but to no avail. There was but one thing she wanted and we could not give it to her alas. All May wanted was to be with her beloved and only son, Christopher, and he had died very suddenly after a heart attack two years earlier. So, May set about departing this life and succeeded in doing so, despite all the efforts of her doctors and her family to save her. I like to think she and Chris are together now, That thought comforts me greatly.

Throughout May's last illness she received regular visits from our extended family and one person in particular visited her almost every day. My niece, Helen, pictured above with her son, Alejandro, who will be two in September and is beginning to look quite the little boy now. Undeterred by May's crusty personality in her last days and ignoring the often frosty greetings she received, Helen kept coming to the hospital, pouring the strength of her youth and sweetness of spirit into her grandmother with cheerful and loving kindness. Helen was only fifteen then and already a very special girl in my eyes.

Seeing Helen now as a happy wife and mother, I know her dad would be very proud of her and what a nice person she has grown up to be. Her mother, Maria, deserves huge credit for raising her four children alone for the last twelve years. Chris was a devoted family man and theirs was a wonderful marriage. Helen is visiting from her home in Spain next month and I hope to meet Alejandro for the first time. He looks a happy, lively little boy and if he turns out half as well as his mummy, he'll be doing fine. I shall always love Helen for her tenderness towards her Nan. I am very proud of my family.

The Pooch

2009-07-09T04:31:00.000-07:00

We are a bit upset at the moment about our beautiful Dalmatian, Barkley. He was recently diagnosed with Spondylosis, a serious spinal condition, which cannot be operated on, but has to be carefully managed with medication for the rest of his life. Prior to his diagnosis, Barkley was in considerable pain and was clearly very unhappy and fearful to move etc. Such a contrast to his normal, happy, permanently tail-wagging self.

After the diagnosis, we felt we understood his situation a lot better, as the vets took time and trouble talking to us, explaining things and going over Barkley's x-rays with us. They assured us he should be able to lead a full, normal life, provided we take good care of him and ensure he gets the medication he requires. We found this to be borne out by the next couple of weeks, as we established the dog on his new regime of meds and watched him slowly gain back both his mobility and his confidence.

When we took him to his follow-up vet's appointment last Friday, we were able to report that he was well, happy and able to do everything he could prior to his diagnosis. They gave us some further advice and said they would like to see him in two weeks. Then, on Monday night, Barkley suddenly began howling like a banshee and limping everywhere again!

We couldn't see that he had sustained any sort of accident or injury that would have triggered it all again and anyway, weren't his new meds supposed to cope? We took him to the vet the next day and they gave him another exam. We talked some more about the nature of his condition and the vet explained that such flare-ups are normal. It is a case of establishing what meds will hold him best. He now has an additional capsule to take and is to have a different feeding regime, which includes special ingredients to help his joints etc.

Tom says I should have the same for my arthritis! Once again, Barkley seems to be responding well, but I think we have learned to be a bit cautious now. Obviously, this condition is going to be problematic and we must just try to do our best for the pooch. It is just so upsetting when he yelps with pain and cries because he is miserable. We love him so much and it goes right through us when he suffers.

Poor Barkley has had a troubled little life and we hoped, when he found his forever home with us that he could put all his worries and tribulations behind him. It seems he can't, but one thing is for sure, whatever he needs and whatever it takes, our boy will get it. Anything we ever do for this lovely boy has already been repaid with interest in the love and affection he showers upon both Tom and me.

Two News Items

2009-07-02T04:12:00.001-07:00

Two items in today's newspaper caught my eye. The first was the tragic death of two lovely German Shepherd dogs in the back of a van in Nottinghamshire yesterday. They had been left out in 85 degrees of blazing sunshine and both died of dehydration in less than an hour. Sad and tragic but shocking too, because they were Police Dogs and their handler should have known better.

The other was much better news. The Queen has decided to mark the 60th year of her reign by creating a new medal, to be called the Elizabeth Cross. It is beautiful and made of silver and is to be awarded immediately to the first 8,000 recipients, all of whom are the relatives of service personnel who have died since the end of WWII. In future, every closest relative will receive an Elizabeth Cross when their precious relative falls in the service of this country. Well done, Ma'am! I approve of this dignified and worthwhile way of marking your long reign.

Life in me yet!

2009-07-01T07:09:00.001-07:00

Britain is currently sweltering in 90 degree heat, a rare phenomenon around these parts! I don't like the heat, as I am not built for it and also, it seems to exacerbate my arthritis and fluid retention problems. I am profoundly thankful to be retired now and not have to worry about sitting in a hot office at a desk all day long. I am never more than a few feet from an electric fan at home and can keep myself comfortable and relaxed.

Due to neither of us feeling too good and acting like a pair of distraught parents over our beloved spotty dog, Barkley's medical troubles, we have still not pulled together our act for the Atlanta Gathering of the Valley-Dwellers group, though, today, we have at last made a start. Kathy, our wonderful leader, has been kind enough to tell me not to worry about it, but Tom and I would be ashamed to let everyone down, so we are determined to pull it off.

We have two new hot press machines, one for putting words and pictures on baseball hats and one for plates, but neither machine has been out of the box yet, so we have wisely decided to leave them out of the equation this time. We know from past experience that it takes a certain amount of time and experiment, trial and error, to perfect using these gadgets and time is our enemy right now.

Nevertheless, we plan on putting the mug and money bank press to good use and sending a ceramic piece for every person at the Gathering. I have the usual quizzes and caption pictures ready to send too. I have also managed to continue the tradition of writing a story especially for the Gatherers and am a bit pleased with myself that I have pulled it off. It is a lot longer than the previous two I have recorded onto CD. This one is over 12,500 words and is 52 pages long.

I plan on reading it aloud and sending the CDs to the Gathering. I'll post it on the WD later. It isn't funny as such, though it has a few comic touches and I hope the attendees like it. I am delighted to have got my act together and written it in four days flat. There seems to be life in me yet!

Our Baby

2009-06-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

It turns out our Dalmatian dog, Barkley, has ben diagnosed with Spondylosis and will require rather expensive medication for the rest of his life. Surgery to correct the condition is not an option. Tom and I were a little upset that the condition was so serious, as we were hoping his trouble would turn out to be a sprain, or some such thing. On the other hand, this condition is neither life-threatening, nor life-shortening and we are profoundly thankful for that.

The good news is that we were sensible enough to insure Barkley, so for the first year, we will be able to reclaim the money for his treatment and medication. Thereafter, we must defray the costs ourselves, but we are lucky enough to be able to afford to do so and we are happy to pay anything to keep our beloved pooch pain-free and happy.

I am impressed by the level of care Barkley has received from our Vet and the pet ambulanceman has also been a great boon to us as we do not drive. I am so glad that Barkley found his forever home with Tom and I as we love him dearly and can give him the extra care he needs to live a happy life. What he has given us with his sweet nature and fantastic personality can never be measured. It is a win-win situation.

Good Manners

2009-06-21T04:14:00.001-07:00

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/article6530406.ece?Submitted=true

I don't know if the above link will work, but it is an article in the Sunday Times about the increasingly bad manners of people attending live theatre these days. The article is great fun and mentions incidences of bad behaviour by members of audiences between the 1950s and the present day.

I personally hate people who distract me when I am trying to enjoy a play, opera, ballet or musical. I hate coughing and would have a fit if anyone talked, or answered their mobile phone etc. I would not hesitate to insist that the management of the theatre removed the offender, but it seems that many people are prepared to suffer interruptions without complaint these days.

I must admit though, there are some occasions when a little interaction from the audience can be amusing, especially when the actors rise to the occasion and give as good as they get. I was once at the Liverpool Playhouse watching a Victorian melodrama and the cruel husband on stage was refusing to forgive his wife an indiscretion.

In the audience was an elderly lady who had obviously never experienced live theatre before and she was hugely enjoying the play. She was thoroughly caught up in the action and was so incensed when the husband bade the wife to never darken his door again that she stood up and yelled at the stage:

"Ar eh! Don't be such a tight get! She said she was sorry!"

A lesser actor might have been thrown off his stride, but the man on the stage didn't miss a beat. He turned to the old dear and pointed a stern finger at her, declaiming:

"Peace, Woman! I have made my decision!"

The play was a triumph and the interruption, far from ruining the evening, enhanced the whole experience for us all.

I love live theatre and miss the old repertory theatre company days when we used to have season tickets and got a dozen wonderful productions every winter. I have seen some memorable plays at the Playhouse over the years and some were so good they could stand comparison with major theatre companies in London, or on Broadway.

Plays like Anthony Shaffer's Royal Hunt of the Sun, the story of Atahualpa and the demise of the Inca empire, The other Shaffer brother, Peter Shaffer's amazing play about psychosis and horses, Equus. The play, Conduct Unbecoming, set in the Edwardian days of the British Raj in India, concerning the honour of a regiment. Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood and many, many more.

I regret the rising costs that have led to the demise of live theatre and the fact that young people nowadays miss out on this type of experience. If they were able to go to the theatre more often, they would know how to behave there:)

We need sleep!

2009-06-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

Tom and I do not have any children, but we are beginning to know what it must be like when kids are not well and keeping their parents awake at night! In our case, the 'child' is our spotty dog, Barkley and he is rather a worry at the moment. There is much of the madcap puppy in our Dalmatian, despite his now being five years old and he tends to do things at the gallop, occasionally coming to grief. He hurt his left back leg a while ago and unfortunately, whatever he has done to it isn't properly healing. He has had several courses of treatment and is okay while the pain-relief is in place but re-commences limping and howling when he gets up or down when the medication is stopped.

The last few nights have been a nightmare and all three of us have had little sleep. He is again on meds now and settling down a bit, but further investigation is needed to track the source of his trouble and get it sorted out. So, on Monday morning he is going in for a set of x-rays under anaesthetic to try and determine what is wrong. His vet bills are going through the roof and though we have paid up thus far, we will have to claim on his pet insurance now that x-rays are required. We don't begrudge any expense necessary, we just want our precious boy to be pain-free and back to his happy self again.

What date is it?

2009-06-11T05:23:00.000-07:00

June 11th? YIKES!!! How have I let half the year slide gently past me? The next BV group get together, the biennial Gathering of the Valley-Dwellers is due to start on July 19th and Tom and I have to get busy! Sadly, due to my health problems Trans-Atlantic travel is not possible for me, so I am unlikely ever to be able to attend a Gathering in person. My friends in the group are kind enough to declare me a permanent honorary guest and always include me in the events and the goodies:)

I like to make my presence felt every two years by contributing to the fun in some way and we enjoy making goodies for the Gatherers on our 'hot press' machines. I have also written a light-hearted story for the last three Gatherings and recorded myself reading it onto a CD. That may not happen this year for several reasons. One is that I haven't written the story yet! Another is that following my long illness, my voice has yet to recover, so recording would be difficult.

I am getting seriously worried about getting the goodies made and despatched to the U.S. in time, but Tom is his usual unflappable self and assures me we will make it. I am determined not to let my friends down, so I must try to get my mind focused on what needs to be done. I am trying not to worry, as Tom is right. We always get there in the end!

Happy Birthday Henry!

2009-06-05T05:07:00.001-07:00

The gentleman in the picture is Henry Allingham, who is Britain's oldest man. He turns 113 on June 6th. Henry fought on land, on sea and in the air in the Great War. He was aboard an armed trawler called The Kingfisher at the Battle of Jutland. He flew patrol missions for the precursor of the Fleet Air Arm and wound up undertaking hazardous missions on the Western Front retrieving downed planes from No Man's Land. Henry was born in 1894 and has lived through the reigns of six British monarchs. He remembers the Wright brothers first flight and the sinking of the Titanic. He has outlived his two daughters, but he has grandchildren, great grandchildren and great, great grandchildren.

The Royal Navy is throwing Henry a spectacular Birthday party this year and he is looking forward to it. He will be wined and dined on the deck of a Naval warchip and his cake will arrive by fast attack ship. He will be presented with a decanter of 'Pusser's Rum', his favourite tipple, by a rear-admiral of the Fleet Air Arm. Henry attributes his longevity to cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild, women:)

Last Remembrance Day, Henry and two other surviving British veterans marched through the Menin Gate at Ypres, to honour their fallen comrades. His two friends have passed away now, but Henry says if he is still here next November, he'll march through the Gate alone. I don't doubt him for an instant!

Happy Birthday Henry!!!

Disgusted!

2009-06-01T03:19:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks, I, in common with the rest of the population of Britain, have been following the breaking news in the papers about the deep-rooted corruption in our Parliament. It concerns the expenses claims of our Members of Parliament (MPs)and we have learned, with growing horror, of a culture of over-claiming and fraudulent behaviour that has rocked the nation to its foundations. These wrongful claims range from huge mortgage cons and claims for items like clearing the moat of a country house . . . yes a MOAT if you please! Down to claims for new light bulbs and groceries. All the revelations are shocking and show MPs up as grasping, greedy and uttely shameless in their attempts to dodge legitimate taxes and charges. There is a grim joke doing the rounds that the House of Commons (where all MPs sit) should now be called the House of Common Criminals.

Two small items claimed by a total of 21 MPs have shocked me more than any others, even the biggest of the revealed frauds. One MP tried to claim for a £5 church offering made on his behalf at a Battle of Britain memorial service. Twenty other MPs tried to claim for the cost of Poppy wreaths they took to Remembrance Day ceremonies. To try to claw back the small amount of money spent to honour The Fallen in WWI and WWII seems to me to be unspeakably venal and not what these heroes died for. I am so disillusioned with British politics that I may not even vote in the next General Election.

Still coughing for England

2009-05-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

This is my fourth week with this awful virus, but I think it might finally be loosening its grip a little bit. I am still coughing for England but my voice is slowly coming back, though it is still pathetic enough to garner plenty of sympathy on the phone:) I am starting to feel a mite more human and tomorrow I think I'll wash my hair and change my clothes and try to feel a bit fresher and more like me.

Tom and I are starting to sleep a bit better which should help us feel better too. We have a lot to get busy with and time is running out. The next Valley Dwellers Gathering is in Atlanta in July and we need to break out the 'hot press' machines and make some gifts and prizes. They need to be made, packed and shipped to the U.S. in plenty of time this year. Last Gathering in Denver we had to send the goodies by high speed courier and it nearly broke the bank!

I have not been reading or writing much for the last month and have found it a struggle just to keep up with my Board reading and commenting. I have some outstanding editing for one of our authors, a French girl and she has waited patiently, so I must get to that soon. I have approx two more chapters to write on my own current story and will try to get my head around finishing that, then I'll have to make a decision about a Gathering story.

It has become a tradition that I write a story for each Gathering and read it onto CD for them each to have a copy. However, though I have an idea or two for a suitable story, I am far from sure I am going to get my voice back in time to do the reading. I'll have to think about it.

A suitable alternative might be to do some nice, photographic quality captures instead. Tom is busy in the study here installing a super-duper new printer that is said to produce gorgeous photos, so we might play with that. He has rearranged the desks in the study to accommodate the new printer and revealed a set of my bookshelves that had been half-hidden for ages. It is great! Like having a ton of new books, as I rediscover hidden treasures.

The papers here are full of one story today, which is the refusal of the French Government to invite our Queen to the 65th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings in Normandy. I dare say they will treat the U.S. President with a similar lack of respect. The French appear to have forgotten the nationality of all those soldiers who struggled ashore on that historic day to free their land from Nazi tyranny.

Queen Elizabeth is a lady who served our country creditably during WWII, as a military driver and like her mother and sister, she steadfastly refused to be evacuated to the the safety of Canada. To exclude her from the D-Day celebrations is an absolute disgrace, in my humble opinion.

Cough . . . Splutter . . . Cough . . . Sniffle

2009-05-15T05:47:00.001-07:00

I am heartily fed up of feeling ill! Truth to tell, I feel ill most of the time and I am used to that. I have adapted fairly well to it. I have learned not to make too many plans, not to expect too much of myself and to pace my activities to a rhythm I can cope with. I rub along tolerably well on this basis, but right now, all bets are off!

Tom got a bad cold and cough and lost his voice and it seems a lengthy sort of virus that won't quite loosen its grip and now I've got it. I can't sleep for coughing and my throat is sore. I can't talk, so, as Tom was swift to point out, there are upsides:) I wake up every day hoping I'm going to feel better, but so far, no luck. I'm not able to read or write as I cannot concentrate and I am FED UP!!! This has been going on for two weeks and more and I so much I need to get on with and just can't.

Here endeth the moan:(

Victory!

2009-05-01T03:42:00.000-07:00

alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330805213075657442" />

The beautiful lady in the photograph is the British actress and author, Joanna Lumley. She is as lovely in soul and character as she is in person and espouses some excellent causes. The two gentlemen in the picture are old Gurkha soldiers. Her father was a Major in the famous Gurkha regiments of Nepal that have served the British Army with faithful and steadfast courage for the last two hundred years and more. Nowadays, the Gurkhas who have fought for Britain also have the right to live here, and rightly so. This was not so before 1997, because the HQ of the Gurkha regiments was in Hong Kong. Joanna Lumley and the Veterans Associations here in Britain have been campaigning for the older Gurkha veterans rights for a long time and they won a famous high court victory in the case last year.

In a shameful act, the present Government imposed new rules making it virtually impossible for any old Gurkha soldier to meet the new conditions for entry, thus effectively prohibiting them from living here. The government entirely misread the mood of the British people on this issue. It is true that many people here are sick of the ceaseless tide of illegal immigrants flooding this country and the Government apparently thought they would get away with their perfidy.

However, the British people honour the brave, Gurkha soldiers who have served this country with such distinction and the outcry has been tremendous. Two nights ago, There was a Commons revolt and MPs voted down the new rules. The rebel vote has no legally binding power on the Government, but the moral victory was immense and was sufficient to force the Government into a humiliating climb down. The new rules will be urgently reviewed and changed.

Brava Joanna!

Don't Mess With the Wirral!

2009-04-26T03:43:00.000-07:00

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090426/tuk-vultures-circle-on-culture-capital-l-45dbed5.html

The article in the above link is about the move by the Wirral Peninsula's local authorities to close about half of our local branch libraries. A vigorous campaign of resistance from local people has led to the National Government intervening and I can only hope this temporary reprieve will turn into a permanent one. I was surprised and pleased to see the story had made national headlines and I hope this is a help to the keep the libraries open movement. Wirral stands for, Island of Strangers, in Celtic languages and we are an arrogant lot, considering ourselves different from and superior to the mainland areas of the North-West region of England. We stubbornly stick out for what we want, so here's hoping we get to keep our libraries!

Happy St. George's Day

2009-04-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

April 23rd here in England, is St. George's Day. So, a very Happy St. George's Day to all my friends in Britain and abroad. It is traditional here to wear a red rose in celebration of the national saint's day, but, sadly, few people maintain the tradition these days. I find this regrettable, as Irish people are still passionate about wearing the Shamrock on St. Patrick's Day and the Welsh wear the yellow Daffodil on St. David's Day. The Scots wear the Thistle on St. Andrew's Day, but like St. George's Day the traditional has faded away to a degree.

I have particular reason to celebrate the saint's day, as it was the official date of my retirement from work in 2005. The last four years have been happy and easy for me, in that, despite my persistent health issues, I am able to lead a quiet, tranquil life and do not have to try and struggle on with things I can no longer manage. There is a world of difference in not feeling well and having to soldier on at work, or being able to relax and rest at home!

I count myself both fortunate and blessed to be able to lead such a privileged life. I consider being British a part of my good fortune. With all its faults, I am still proud of my country and love it deeply. I would not wish to live anywhere else than England's green and pleasant land.

I'm easily distracted!

2009-04-20T04:13:00.000-07:00

Following on from my last post, yes, I am indeed suffering from a lack of focus and I am also easily distracted! One of the Valley-Dwellers set a most intriguing challenge in the Challenge Forum the other day and I couldn't resist! The premise was to write a piece about the coming of Heath to the Barkley family, as he does in the episode Palms of Glory, but instead of his parent being Tom Barkley, he is in fact Victoria's son and she has died.

So, off I went and started a one-part answer, which rapidly became two parts and is today turning into two and an epilogue! I can't help it. I get the bit between my teeth and I just have to run with it. Wish me luck!

Lack of Focus

2009-04-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

My main problem in 2009 has now been identified by me as a lack of focus. There are many things I wish to do and many projects I wish to undertake, but I am failing to focus on any one in particular and as a result this year is slipping away from me. There have been other problems, of course. Principally, a seemingly never-ending winter parade of illnesses, some minor, others, my recurring health issues, are more serious, but lack of focus is the main bugbear, no doubt about it!

There have been some positives already this year. I am back writing again and enjoying it as well. My BV stories have been warmly welcomed back on the WD and it feels good to be back in the groove. I have also started work on some submissions I intend to make this year, with a view to realizing my ambition to actually be published. Not that I have big ideas in this area, because I do not. I lack the energy to go all out and throw myself into marketing etc. However, if I could get a story accepted by one of the magazines etc. I would be very happy.

Tom feels much the same as I do, so we have made a small plan to get us moving in the right direction. I am going to spend the rest of April tidying up my story files and working on my submissions and my BV tales. He is going to finish stocking his workshop in the garden. We are going to spend next month making goodies for the July BV Gathering. Then we will plan an action list for the next month or two and so on.

Tom is pure gold, bless him. I have been feeling rather low lately, due to health issues and I get a bit depressed sometimes. I was sitting brooding the other day, feeling sorry for myself and wondering why Tom puts up with me. I reflected that we have now known each other for over thirty years. Tom's timing is impeccable. He sneaked up behind me, enveloped me in a hug and kissed me.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you too," I replied.

"I was just thinking. Do you realize we have known each other over thirty years now?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered. "I was just thinking about that."

"Isn't it funny how we think the same thing at the same time?" asked Tom.

"Yes, it is spooky," I agreed.

He hugged me again. "I love you."

"I love you!"

I do love him, but I don't think I shall ever deserve him!

To Be Honest . . . The pooch and I are a bit spoiled.

2009-04-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

The sleepy gentleman taking his ease on our bed is our spoiled Dalmatian, Barkley. He has six soft pet beds of his own, one in each of our two living rooms, one in each of Tom's two workshops, one in our bedroom and one in our study. Additionally, there is the bed-settee in the spare bedroom . . . Though, if you asked Barkley, I suspect he would tell you that it is his room and he is kind enough to let our occasional overnight guests use it. He even has yet another and more robust pet bed for use outdoors when we spend more time out in the garden in the summer months. Despite this embarrassment of riches, the pooch loves to stretch out on our bed!

When we got him, a little over two years ago, we drew up a whole list of sensible rules for Barkley's well-being. The rules included not being allowed to jump on the furniture, not being permitted on our bed and definitely no table scraps, or people food of any kind. Two years on and with typical Dally cunning, he has overturned every rule we ever made! On the other hand, the cowed, diffident, shy and fearful dog with his long tail clipped between his legs has vanished forever, to be replaced by the impudent, in your face, affectionate licking machine, with a tail that is switched on when he wakes up every morning, in whichever bed he has chosen for the night, said tail wags all day and night until he goes to sleep again. We love the new spoiled boy best! As to keeping him off the settees . . . The picture below says it all:

New Technology

2009-04-07T08:31:00.000-07:00

We all rely on our fearless leader, Kathy, in the Valley-Dwellers group, to keep us abreast of technological developments that affect our website and she takes a keen interest in new and innovative developments in the world at large. Today, she posted a fascinating link about the latest craze in ways aspiring authors choose to make that giant leap into publication:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/06/print.on.demand.publishing/index.html

The article is well worth reading and has certainly given me a lot to think about. I can see how it doesn't have the same thrill factor of submitting one's work and having it accepted for publication by an established publisher, but it is nevertheless an interesting alternative route to publication.

If I'm a Bigot, I'm a Happy Bigot!

2009-04-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

Last year, we banned a woman from our Valley-Dwellers group She had initiated a good deal of debate in the discussion forums of the site and whilst we are always interested to hear the views of newcomers,it became apparent that her idea of discussion was to keep re-iterating her own point of view, pounding people who dared to differ with repeated explanations of why her opinion was the only correct one. We banned her for upsetting people with her rudeness and her inability to see anyone else's point of view. I encountered her again in cyber-space when a friend directed me to a site that turned out to be for slash BV fiction, something banned on our own site. I wasn't intending to read anything posted there, but caught site of my on-line username in what this woman had written, so, of course, I was curious to read what she had said about me.

In a nutshell, she called me a bigot. My dictionary describes a bigot as: a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion. Apparently, I had come to the defence of the late Barbara Stanwyck on our site, following a newspaper article about her, in which she was accused of immorality and lesbianism. I pointed out that it was easy to accuse the dead of something, when they were not there to defend themselves, but I for one, didn't intend to give the article any credence. My accuser twisted this into an attack by me on the so-called 'gay' world.

I made no defence of myself, for a number of reasons. Firstly, because I don't consider myself a bigot. Secondly, I would not wish to be seen posting on a site of which I disapprove. Thirdly, I don't give a tuppenny damn what this woman thinks of me. I did however consider the accusation seriously. Was I a bigot or not?

My initial response was to feel that I am not a bigot. It is all too easy for people to shoot down anyone who makes a definite declaration about something by accusing them of bigotry. Are people therefore not allowed to have an opinion on anything. Must we go along with everything that happens in the world, because to take any kind of stand brands one a bigot? Surely not?

Personally, I don't use the term 'gay' in connection with sexual orientation. I object to the hi-jacking of the word, surely one of the nicest in the English language, for this purpose. The words, homosexuality and lesbianism are perfectly adequate. I am not violently opposed to either orientation, it is surely not a crime for two people to love each other, whether they are of the same sex or not. I do disapprove of the adoption of children by same-sex couples, I think children need both mother and father. I also disapprove of same-sex weddings. Marriage is a sacred institution between man and woman.

Do my views make me a bigot? I don't think so, but if they do, fine. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and to act upon that opinion. Which is why I resigned yesterday from the Barbara Stanwyck Yahoo group, when the posted messages denigrated both her and my beloved Big Valley series. I won't be a party to that. BV means far too much to me. I may be accused of over-reacting, but the mention of pornography and BV in the same sentence is not one I can tolerate. So, if I am a bigot, I am a happy one.

Feeling Patriotic

2009-03-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

Amongst my many interests and enthusiasms, I enjoy watching Formula One motor racing. The new season started yesterday and the first race was a humdinger in Melbourne, Australia. It was great to see a big crowd thoroughly enjoying the race. They haven't had much to smile about in that part of the world lately. The devastating forest fires in the Melbourne area wiped out a whole town and many people lost their lives, many more lost their homes.

In the off-season, the Japanese car giant, Honda, abruptly announced their departure from Formula One, leaving a factory with 750 employees, the racing team and two of the world's best drivers out of work. In a fairy tale ending, the team was saved at the last minute by some sponsorship from Richard Branson's Virgin empire and the team became Brawn GP, named for it's race director, Ross Brawn, the genius who oversaw the successful career of Ferrari and world champion, Michael Schumacher.

Seen by everyone as the poor relations of other, more established teams, Brawn GP, now a thoroughly British outfit, were expected to start and finish the race at the back of the grid. To the consternation of the likes of Ferrari and McLaren and the other big teams, Brawn GP qualiifed in pole and second position for yesterday's race and went on to win and come second as well. I must confess, I had a good chuckle about Honda, who have stuck with their unsuccessful team for a good few years, only to abandon it now it is a winner. Serves them right!

A deserved win for British driver, Jenson Button and a good second place for his Brazilian team-mate, Rubens Barrichello. Meanwhile, last year's champion, British Wunderkind, Lewis Hamilton, struggled all through practice in an uncompetitive car, only qualifying in 18th place. The media had a feeding frenzy of criticizing him and the team and predicting a humiliating lowly-placed finish for him.

What did Lewis do? He battled his way through to take a podium place, finishing third! Talent will out! I had the pleasure of cheering two Brits home first and third. It was a great race!!! Tonight, another of my favourite sports starts the new season on TV. Speedway, which here in England, is motor bikes racing around dirt track ovals. I used to go with my Dad when I was a little girl and I have loved it all my life.

My team are on tonight, The Bellevue Aces. Go Aces!

Books and the Sea

2009-03-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

I love books! I am beginning to realize how much I need to reorganize my rather hedonistic and chaotic lifestyle in order to create the reading time I need.

I was slow learning to read as a child. I was well past my sixth birthday before it all finally fell into place. I am not a person who picks up new skills quickly or easily, but when I do get it, I get it. Once I had finally mastered reading, I raced ahead of my class in the art. I exhausted every source of books in the infants school and they had to start me on the junior school curriculum.

I also ran out of reading matter in the local children's library (we had the sweetest little Victorian library fitted out with little chairs and tables) and my mother got permission from the Librarian to let me borrow books from the adult library. Mum promised to supervise my choices and she did so. I am grateful to Mum for introducing me to Georgette Heyer, Mazo de la Roche, Dorothy L Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Francis Durbridge and best of all, Phyllis Bentley.

Doctor Bentley wrote a series of books about two Yorkshire Mill families, one were mill-owners, the other, mill-workers. The Oldroyds and the Bamforths. I have re-read this amazing saga, which begins with the huge novel, Inheritance, many times and I never tire of it. It is so well-written and so moving. The characters absolutely live and breathe.

I buy far too many books. I have a vast stock-pile of books I have not yet had a chance to read, hence the need to build reading time into my day. Many of the books I am most eager to get to grips with are non-fiction works about the subjects that interest me the most: Ships and the Sea, Art, Cowboy times and horses.

Since we got Barkley, Tom has been his 'Daddy' and I his 'Mummy' and Tom has sweetly bought me Mother's Day gifts from the pooch. Today is Mothering Sunday and I don't wish to hear about Mother's Day being an American invention, Mothering Sunday goes back to the Middle Ages, so there:)

My present from the pooch is a pair of magnificent Victorian books called: The Sea. They contain a miscellany of wonderful topics about the sea covering everything from shipwreck to geology and ghost stories. All manner of amazing information and plate after tissue covered plate of the most wondrous illustrations. A real antique treasure!

I have also been given some early Easter gifts. I cannot eat a lot of chocolate because of my diabetes, so you guessed it, I have books instead:) More Naval material, in the form of a two-volume history of the Royal Navy from the year 608 to 1815 and another book, about Nelson's favourite ship, HMS Agammemnon. They are wonderful books!

Now, all I need is a chance to read them!

Tedy's newly tax disced and insured!

2009-03-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon was just lovely. A crisp, cool, pleasantly spring-like day and just the job for Tedy's first outing of the season. His new tax disc came in the mail the other day and Tom has replaced last year's with it.(All vehicles which use the roads in Britain have to display a current tax disc. The amount one pays depends on the size and type of the vehicle and how ecologically friendly it is. Tedy has to have one, but his is free. The money is used to maintain the roads etc.) Tedy is fully insured in case I hit anyone, though, so far, I have avoided that experience, apart from nearly running Tom down when I had got off Tedy, but left his key in. I accidentally operated his forward paddle and Tom had to jump for his life:)

We just went to the nearby village to buy essential household items (Ice Cream):) Barkley was delighted with the extra exercise and we went the long way for his benefit. I met a few nice people to chat to outside the shops as I waited for Tom and the change of scene did me a power of good.

I wass reading Pat's blog about riding holidays in Ireland and it reminded me of the quirky, slyly satirical Irish sense of humour. My friends and I swiftly learned not to bother asking for directions in Ireland. The replies one gets are interesting and amusing but definitely NOT helpful in enabling you to find your way. Replies I have received in the past include the following examples:

"Well . . . I wouldn't start from here, if I were you."

"Ah, yes . . . would you be wanting to go the long way or the short way?"

"How far is it? Ah, well, it's only a step really . . . if you're country bred."

"That place would be up the country a short way." (Up the country is Irish for miles from anywhere!)

"Well . . . it's a small, little bit low, is that cave." (Meaning you need to crawl on your belly for a mile!)

You get the picture?:)

Dreaming

2009-03-16T04:44:00.000-07:00

I had a slightly upsetting dream last night:
I had occasion to take Barkley down into the village where I grew up and while we there, I realized, with delight, that my mum and dad had not yet met Barkley, so we headed for their house. I was looking forward to introducing my beloved Dalmatian to my dog-loving parents, but part-way to their house, I realized, while still dreaming, that I could not introduce Barkley to mum and dad. My mother died ten years ago and my dad died six years ago, long before Barkley came to live with Tom and I. The pain and grief I felt in the dream was almost as sharp as that of my bereavement, though mercifully brief, because I woke up with a hammering heart and tears on my face.

My menopausal hormones make me unduly weepy these days. I cry at the drop of a hat and over the silliest of things, but I think there is something in what Tom says: That the tears are a release and are therapeutic. Better to let it out than bottle it up. I am tired today and a little under the weather, but the weather is lovely, spring-like and pleasant, so that is helping to lift my mood. I gather Britain was warmer than Greece yesterday! Strange weather!

I smell Spring

2009-03-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

The weather is still rather uncertain here, with high winds and sudden hailstorms and freezing showers, but, in general, the weather is definitely picking up. I have daffodils and crocuses flowering in my garden and now all the work is done, I can get out on Tedy again. I have been in for many weeks, so some fresh air will do me good.

Tom is raring to go with his new workshop and will enjoy setting it up as he wants it. I have a TON of new books to read, so I can sit in the garden and read and Barkley and I can keep Tom company as he sets up the workshop. The garden needs tidying and Kevin the gardener is going to treat the stone flags with some stuff that protects the stone from wear and enhances the colour too.

Soon it will be time to break out the hot press machines and make some prizes for the July Gathering of the BV gang in Atlanta Georgia. However did I find the time to go to work?

Charities

2009-03-04T05:45:00.000-08:00

Tom and I consider ourselves fortunate and blessed to be able to live comfortably on our Government pensions and as we have paid off our mortgage we are also secure in our home. We are not rich but we can afford to donate to our favourite charities and we do so. Some charities receive monthly payments from us, some are supported once a year, usually just before Christmas, others get just random, occasional donations. One thing we have done with the latest set of charitable donations is to reduce the amount we donate slightly. We promised ourselves we would keep a rein on spending this year and we are tightening our belts just a little bit.

I am very proud of my country, always have been and always will be, but there is one aspect of American life that I think we ought to emulate here and that is we ought to have a Veteran's Administration to ensure the proper welfare and care of our ex-servicemen and women as the U.S. does. Britain's most decorated private soldier, Corporal Beharry V.C. is speaking out on the subject right now. Few people win the VC and live to tell the tale, most are awarded posthumously. Corporal Beharry will NOT leave an injured comrade on the battlefield it seems. I hope he succeeds in winning support for his cause.

Currently Ex-servicemen and women have to rely on charities for help, where official help should be available. I hope we get a proper Veteran's Administration one day, in the meantime, we will continue to support the relevant charities.

Laid Low

2009-02-27T04:50:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Margaret gave her twin sister a dreadful fright the other night. She had gone off to bed, while Jane made them both a warm, bedtime drink. Suddenly, Jane heard a thud from the upstairs bathroom and raced to see what had happened. She found Margaret collapsed on the bathroom floor and was frantic as she could hear a choking sound.

Jane managed to rouse Margaret who was then a victim of very severe vomiting. It turns out to have been a bout of a very virulent 24 hour vomiting flu bug and, thankfully, Margaret has now completely recovered. I can understand why Jane was so scared. Their dad collapsed and died a good many years ago and it must have looked similar for a moment or two.

My ma-in-law tells me this bug is doing the rounds and several people in her assisted living facility have had it. She told me this AFTER she hugged and kissed me! Yes, you guessed it, I have had it too now! Not to be too disgusting but shortly before I did my exorcist impression, I had been drinking tonic water and Tom assures me I looked positively rabid:)

I now feel as if I have been comprehensively kicked in the ribs by a bucking bronco and I am as weak as a cat. The only thing I feel like doing is sitting with my laptop writing Big Valley stories:) Hey, that doesn't sound so bad!

Charmed

2009-02-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

My Christmas gift from Tom last year was a wonderful 'light box' for viewing my photographic slides. I have quite a few and have also been given the extensive slide collection of my late cousin, Joyce. Joyce was a very good photographer and I want to sort out and keep her slides to remember her by. She was immensely good to me when I was a child and her younger sister, Marjorie, is one of my closest friends. I was perfectly happy with the light box and had completely forgotten mentioning to Tom, well before Christmas, that I would like a charm bracelet. Tom had not forgotten.

I am obese and it is often hard to get things like bracelets to fit me. The standard length ones are 7.5 inches and I really need 8.5 inch chains for a comfortably loose fit. We looked at charm bracelets and to get one of the required length we needed to get a chunky sort of chain, which I didn't want. I prefer slender, feminine chains. Unbeknown to me, the world's best husband went to a village close to where we live, which boasts a very swanky jeweller's and gift shop. He asked them to try and find a suitable charm bracelet for me and yesterday, he proudly produced what he called my overdue Christmas gift.

I will never know what I have done to deserve my darling Tom, but I am so lucky to be so cherished. The silver bracelet is simply beautiful, slender and girlie, it fits perfectly and he bought me a set of pretty charms to start it off. The shop sent the bracelet home, so I could try it and now we know it fits well, Tom is to take it back and they will solder the charms onto it. He was so sweet to get the bracelet for me and the charms show the same thoughtfulness. There are four of them. Two are horses, one a standard prancing horse, the other a big draft horse, like my sponsored horse, Victor. The third charm is a dog and the last one is the only one I had actually asked for once. It is a traditional triple-charm, consisting of a cross, an anchor and a heart and is supposed to represent Faith, Hope and Charity, respectively.

I love jewellery and have a lot of it, but this bracelet, such a thoughtful gift from my dearest husband is going to be a favourite piece and much-worn. I had had a bad night and was feeling pretty rough yesterday, but as you can imagine, after a surprise like that, I felt like I was floating on air.

Dollars

2009-02-21T04:39:00.000-08:00

I learned very early on in my relationship with my beloved Tom that he is the most generous man alive. I had only to express an interest in a thing and it was mine. He has always showered me with gifts and surprises and I'll be honest . . . I love it! It is a responsibility I take seriously though. I think twice before I do express an interest in anything, because I don't want to cynically take advantage of Tom's goodness.

One area of my life that has expanded over the years of my involvement in the Big Valley group, is the amount of times I find it necessary or desirable to send money to the United States. This can be for anything from a gift to a friend, to payment for goods or services, or a contribution either to a collection for something, or to the running costs of something. Sending money to America was not always an easy thing to do.

There is Paypal now, which is handy and both Tom and I have an account, but quite often, we have resorted to simply buying dollars at a Bureau de Change and mailing them to the recipient. For smallish amounts this is okay, but I feel we have been lucky over the years that all have arrived safely. The largest amount we ever did that with was $500 and I breathed a sigh of relief when it got there untampered with.

Recently, I was reading my friend Pat's blog and she mentioned a nature publication called the Missouri Conservationist. I discovered, with pleasure, that the Missouri State Government is happy to allow foreigners to subscribe to this publication, but only if they pay the very modest $10 subscription by cheque, which brings me back to darling Tom and his unfailing goodness to me. The mail arrived today and he smilingly passed me a shiny new chequebook.

Yes, you guessed it. I am now the proud owner, well joint-owner with Tom of a dollar bank account to make it easier for me to deal with any American business I have. He cunningly got me to sign the joint application the other day without spoiling the surprise. So, I shall be subscribing to the Missouri Conservationist and it will now be much safer for me to send dollars to the U.S. when I want to.
Thanks, Tom and by the way . . . I LOVE YOU!!!

Baby Green Eyes

2009-02-17T04:39:00.000-08:00

Every year, the Dalmatian Society Welfare Service, who re-homed Barkley with us, produce a calendar and all the pictures in it are rescued dogs, like him. Tom took this lovely photo the other day and we thought we might submit it for consideration for next year's calendar.

Barkley has soulful brown eyes, but when he is excited, or when bright lights startle him, his eyes flash emerald green. This photo shows his lovely eyes off rather well, I think. I am so glad I supported Tom in his wish to get a dog two years ago. Barkley has proved to be an absolute treasure and has done both Tom and I a power of good.

My Flowers

2009-02-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

The two pictures at the top are of my Valentine flowers this year. Before Tom and I were married, we used to work in the same office. After we married, we both moved to new offices which were quite close to each other, so we could still travel to work together each day, but for the first time we were working apart.

On the next Valentine's Day, I was working away in the big office I shared with many other people when the security guard appeared at my desk with the BIGGEST bouquet you ever saw in your life.

Well, I have to tell you that when you are forty years old, pretty fat and not in very good health, you tend to be looked down on from a great height by the fashionable young beauties in the office. I don't think I'll ever forget their faces when I got those flowers.

It is pretty nice getting wonderful flowers like that and Tom never missed a Valentine's Day for the next ten years I worked there. The best thing of all, the guard who delivered the first bouquet said:

"I didn't bother checking who they were for. I knew they would be for you. The way you two look at each other when you say goodbye every morning is lovely."

He was right, they were for me and I felt like a million dollars at that moment. Is it any wonder yellow roses always make me smile?

Yellow Roses

2009-02-14T12:20:00.000-08:00

My sweet husband always buys me flowers on Valentine's Day and happily for me, he sometimes buys me flowers at other times too. We don't bother with elaborate cards and such, as we take the view we demonstrate our love for one another all the year round anyway. This morning's bouquet is a lovely, vibrant mix of flowers, including the traditional red roses of Valentine's Day, but also including, yellow roses.

I was touched when I saw them and knew Tom must have requested them specially. I carried a bouquet of yellow roses on our wedding day. Yellow roses are 'our flower'. I was going to post pictures, but Blogger won't play today, so I'll post them another time.

Conduct above and beyond

2009-02-13T05:37:00.000-08:00

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1144565/Nurse-walked-miles-snow-days-row-save-kidney-dialysis-patient.html

The news article I have posted a link to concerns a renal nurse who has proved once again that her profession truly is a vocation to some who practice it and that nurses deserve the nickname often given to them; Angels. It made me think about the British system of awarding honours in this country. People who receive medals get them from the Queen, but it is the Government of the day that actually decides upon the recipients. All too often, they are pop stars, or sports personalities, or fat business types. I would like to see Nurse Noble receive a medal in the next Honours awards, as a true hero and a fine human being.

I should say that this kidney patient would most definitely not have been allowed to die. If all else failed, a helicopter from our wonderful emergency services would have ferried her to hospital, but given how busy those services were and how full the hospitals were too, Nurse Noble's actions are all the more laudable.

Taking Heart

2009-02-11T06:41:00.000-08:00

This year did not perhaps get off to the best of starts for us, what with needing the very expensive drain repairs etc. However, I had a good feeling going into this year, and it persists. I am finding that life is improving in many areas simultaneously and I hope to build on that momentum and keep it going.

For one thing, my diabetic control seems to have improved and that has a knock-on effect in that it gives me much more clarity of mind than is otherwise the case. If my control slips, I become muzzy-headed and cannot think straight or write coherently. I prefer the clear head!

Writing again is a source of deep joy to me and I am lapping up the warmth of my welcome back to the BV board. My creativity has never been stronger and I am using my new voice recorders all the time to note down ideas and snatches of dialogue.

For some time, due to depression, I have been neglecting some areas of my physical well-being and that too has now been confronted and a start has been made in rectifying the problems. I have been dodging my appointments with my chiropodist, Graham, an old friend, who would definitely have told me off for letting my feet get very sore, since before Christmas and latterly couldn't go to his surgery anyway, as Tedy is still confined to barracks until the paving in the drive is set.

My sore feet demanded attention though, so I turned to another chiropodist friend, Claire, who called at my house and worked wonders on my feet yesterday. She also examined, uninvited, the appalling state of my lower legs, where I have ignored the dry skin now causing me so much trouble. Claire was sweet, helpful and so non-judgmental that I found myself relaxing and telling her all about it.

None of this is Tom's fault. He is ready, willing and able to help me deal with it all, it is my own inertia that has let it all slide. We are now embarked on the remedial treatment Claire recommends and she is going to come back in early April to do more work on my feet. She spent ages yesterday patiently stripping away dead skin and my feet feel wonderful today.

So, I am taking heart and perking up. Life is good and getting better.

Fellowship

2009-02-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

I was reading the Gazette forum of my beloved Big Valley Writing Desk yesterday and the messages in there warmed my heart as they so often do. There were birthday good wishes for three people, prayers for a recently bereaved member, more prayers for a member's mother after surgery and a plea for news on one member uncomfortably close to the Australian wildfires currently creating havoc and causing appalling loss of life. To my relief, our Australian member posted a long, detailed reassurance while at the same time letting us know how serious the situation was.

I don't quite know how we gently evolved from a set of people who all love the same old TV show, into this warm and loving fellowship of friends, but I am so glad we did. I have noticed that where we once were fellow-members, we then became friends and that now the word most often used is sisters. This is a group of people who care for one another and offer a support system that is unfailing and nurturing.

I feel very lucky to be a part of the Valley-Dwellers fellowship and long may it continue.