Typical Bloody Sunday

Steve was visiting Ed this morning, I was concerned about him going as his mobility really hasn't been great these last few days. The problem is Steve had pomised Ed he'd go, and with Ed being the way he is, Steve didn't want to let him down. I suggested if he could wait till after lunch that I'd go with him, but he wasn't keen on that idea. Anyway he went alone and I decided to spend my morning walking!

By about 10am the early morning sun was hidden behind the "niwl." (Fog reduces visibility to less than 1,000 meters often mist is lighter with visibility above 1,000m, and low clouds are suspended above the ground, while fog/mist touch the surface.) (We'll stick to Niwl!) I took Sammi, Zeus, Ross and Beti in the van and parked on the outskirts of the village. The noise from Beti in the van is becoming a bit much, there seems to be nothing I can do when I'm driving. At least when I walked away with Zeus and Sammi she was quiet. We had a lovely walk but even with such poor visibility, I was surprised to see so many people about. I did a circuit down towards the village and back round past the top of the donkey field, WOW the donkey field property is for sale. £475,000. 😮 I guess we will always call it the donkey field, but I'll really miss them when they are gone! 

I opted to do the same walk with Beti and Ross, keeping them on the long leads too. I've really lost confidence in having my dogs off the lead in all locations. To be honest, it's not that I've lost confidence in my dogs; as they say, it's not us, it's the others! Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves, the only struggle is as soon as Beti clocks the van on the way back she pulls so hard to get back to it. Beti loves her Blanik Bus! 

I went back home to swap dogs, I had considered taking Ross a second time with Meerah, but he was starting to limp at the end of his walk so it was safer to leave him and take Beti a second time. 

It was a typical Sunday on the mountain, there was nowhere to park to go down towards Llyn Ffynhonnau so up hill it was. People, dogs, bikes but thankfully no sheep. The girls were very well behaved apart from when Meerah tried to flatten Ian! By the time I was taking Orin and Siska, the sun had broken through the "niwl" and we actually had a bit of blue sky ... with so many about I kept them on the leads too .. Orin has never been on the lead on the mountain before and at times I think he forgot almost pulling me off my feet, so yeah, I'm a little achy tonight! 

I must admit there was a satisfaction in walking everyone today, and it does no harm for them to walk on leads, after all they get plenty of free running in the fields. 

Morning Walks For Everyone

Nursery Tremadog

I guess we had a nice walk - but my god that was some rain! Beti and Meerah loved it there; at least it was quiet, but I wasn't the only dog walker who braved it. Mum was horrified, but we live a very different life, and with only rain and no wind, well, as I've said before, you only need the right clothes! I only braved taking two photos, my phone is too precious to lose, but I absolutely love the top photo for the view and colours as much as for the dogs. Obviously the bottom one is a better one of "just dogs!" 

Fed Up Of Rain

After sulking in the house all morning, the weather clearer a little and we got some time in the fields at least. Lets hope we can have a bit more "time out" tomorrow, even if I do have to go to Tremadog straight after lunch! 

3 x 2

Walk number one today with Orin and Siska was on the path at Cwm Dulyn, I really wasn't expecting it to be so busy there, but I guess I wouldn't realise it was half-term at the schools until it was pointed out to me. I had planned to do walk number two there as well, but halfway I had a brainwave, I turned back, put the girls in the van and went elsewhere. 

I drove back towards Freshfields and walked the girls up a path in Nebo. I used to walk it with the rescue dogs, but hell, I don't remember it being this muddy! I intended doing a circuit around the block, but got caught by Lesley (Ex Boss) and ended up talking for ages at the side of the single-track road. She had been walking her dogs in Cwm Dulyn too, we could have spent hours catching up ... but Beti and Meerah were none too pleased and wanted to get on with it!

As I was loading the van to go out this morning, I heard a ruckus in the bedroom. I went to the window and saw that Zeus had pinned Sammi to the floor. I was seething. Steve was quick to defend his precious boy, "well she's not completely innocent," hell I know that she probably tried to tell him off and in the excitement, he's bowled her over, but it can't happen again! She's an old lady, his bloody mother, she deserves respect. From now on, when I'm getting dogs ready to go out, or even if I'm doing something around the van, Sammi will have to go in the kitchen. She's too precious to be knocked about like that. Steve agreed that Zeus' behaviour was unacceptable, but quick to point out that he's not "an Orin" who takes so much crap from Siska. (though it's six of one and half a dozen of the other with those two.) Anyway a short walk for Sammi and Ross on home ground... she seemed fine!

Been Playing With AI

My Beti

Such a beautiful girl doesn't need enhancing, but often the background finishes the photo, so yeah, that can be changed. 

Isn't she just perfect!

The Boncan

Whilst looking for photos of Colleen when she was here, I came across this taken in June 2015...

Well, look how it looks from the outside now!

And inside—it's just so private and sheltered.

Colleen

 The phone rang early this morning, I'm a tad confused by the name on the screen ... "Morning." I'm instantly aware that something is wrong, the voice at the other end of the line is broken, this was not going to be one of our usual calls of banter and piss-taking. He continued, "I've got some bad news. I lost Colleen yesterday, and I thought with your animals being your everything that you'd understand how I'm feeling." My heart hurt for him, I cried with him, Colleen was his everything. He'd had her for 34 years, which is over half of his life. What do I say? What can I say? It's too early for the platitudes; it's too early to say very much at all other than listen and be kind ... he's not just the guy who fixes my computer, he's a friend. I've not come across many more dedicated to his horse, and my heart hurts for him. 

Home Again

Well, now I regret not walking yesterday, unfortunately it was back in the fields for everyone again today. Though this photo was taken yesterday, it was pretty much the same disappointment today. "We want to go out in the van!"  

Last night, Steve had an angina attack, one of the most severe ones that he's had over the years. It happened at bedtime, Steve took his medication and went straight to bed. Though he was asleep quickly, for obvious reasons I was unable to settle. I listened out for every breath, and every movement for hours before eventually falling asleep.  Today Steve says he's "Fine" but it's a rest day ... and I decided to ensure he stuck to the rules and I've stayed home. I've no idea what bought it on, but the fact that the rest of the logs were put away whilst I was in Tremadog on Saturday may not have helped! 

Ross and I are sticking to our diets, though I have more choice than him, we both started on the 1st of Feb. I've no idea how much he's lost, but for his health this extra weight has to come off. I aim to get him back under 40kg - maybe to about 38kg. He's like a tank and it's doing his bad elbow no favours at all, he's stiff, not lame, but it's particularly obvious in the afternoons. He's now on 40 (on the syringe) of loxicom daily, but I'm hoping if he loses some weight and the weather improves that we may be able to drop it slightly over the Summer to get further benefits over next Winter. I had set myself a target of losing half a stone before Crufts and then reassess further with a sensible target. (2 lbs to go in 2 weeks and anything extra will be a bonus!) I am hoping that if I lose weight that my knee and thigh muscle will be less painful too. 

Sunday In The Fields

With the snow coming down so heavily last night, I hoped for some white stuff fun today, but sadly the overnight rain took it all away.  When you hope the weather forecast will be wrong - it isn't! 

For the first time, Meerah has told Zeus off today. He grabbed her by her tail as she ran past, and instead of just screaming and running off, she turned round and told him. Ok it wasn't very authoritative, but let's hope it's the start of her sticking up for herself in his company.