Thursday, December 31, 2009

Well What an Extraordinary Roller Coaster of a Ride 2009 has been!

What an amazing year 2009 has been both exciting and depressing, scarey and adventurous.

After being bullied, tormented and belittled by the boss from hell, he eventually got his own way by getting rid of me. I've not been unemployed since 1996. Looking for a job has been totally soul destroying, I've never had to put so much effort into trying to find a job. It's now been six months and still no job in sight. The redundancy money is shrinking fast.......my sanity is waining!

In order to keep my sanity I decided to bring in another dog (remember what I said about losing my sanity?) so yes I now have three Gordon Setters. Total insanity!!!

Brodie came into my life a week after my redundancy cheque was cashed. He cost me a staggering 700GBP (my first Gordon cost 200GBP!) and has been a drain on my resources ever since, energy and patience ever since :) . On the plus side he's kept me engaged in life, kept me happy, created a project and has made me laugh so many times I cant remember.

Brodie, otherwise known as Kilnrae Kemerton Crusader at Billingham is now taller than Harvey and Bailey, is the most arrogant Gordon I've ever had and apart from his rather odd shaped tail I think he may make quite a good show dog. He's certainly a challenge, very strong willed as well as physically strong. He's only just made his show debut and won best puppy with point number one towards his JW as well as beating other dogs a lot older than him. We'll see. All I ask is that I have some fun with him and his show career isn't cut short as quickly as Harvey's.

On the down side, Bailey is now pretty much completely blind. No sooner did I suspect that his sight was faltering than the Late-Onset PRA scare started - and yes he has it so had to be withdrawn from stud and who knows what this means for my line - will Harvey go blind? To see this once proud dog lose his dignity and confidence is very sad. One day I know I'll have to make a decision but not quite yet - he still enjoys life and until his quality of life is questioned he will still play have his place in the armchair.

Harvey has at last left behind his fear of people and seems so much more laid back - although if a dog decides to take a pop he will still have a go - true Scotsman! He is now very grey but apart form that he is still a very handsome man. I took him to just two shows this year and in one he won 2nd in a wonderful PG class. He performed like a pro - what a shame he never quite made it.

We had the worse snow I think I've seen in my life in February. A good foot or two with drifts. Wood Street was totally cut off - even with a 4x4 we couldnt get out of the village.

....and the hottest heat wave we've had in years. It lasted for about a week and nearly killed me. It actually reached 30 degrees which isnt fun when you have no air con!

We saw the first black (although I would argue is also half white) US President in Obama - I know he may still be in the honeymoon period but I like him, his intelligence and manner.

2009 saw the worst recession in living memory. Hopefully Gordon Brown will be out of a job in a few months time - I blame him totally - the bloke's a complete and utter idiot! Alan and I had no proper holiday this year. We went to New York in the Spring for a long weekend but apart from that we've not done anything - how I miss California. Some may say I've been 'on holiday' for six months but to them I say you try bringing up a Gordon Setter Puppy and call it a holiday? It's certainly not been easy, he's a challenge and along with trying to find a job I can honestly say that its NOT been the 'easiest' year!

Roll on 2010, it's got to be better, hasnt it......easier? Maybe.....I am full of hope, as I always am at this time of year - Happy New Year to one and all. Things, as the song goes can only get better :)

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Guy Richie's Sherlock Holmes


For the first time in about three years we went to see a film with Emily and Matt Cross and their friends. We went to see Sherlock Holmes with the gorgeous Robert Downey Jr (phwoar!!) and it was totally brilliant. Possibly not how Conan Doyle would have wanted it but I actually think he would have embraced it's energy and very new version of his super sleuth hero!

Loved it - 9/10!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Brodie at Seven Months Old


Brodie at seven months old and in my humble opinion not a bad looking dog.

First Snow of the Year!



Christmas has come a week early this year - its actually snowing, I cant recall it ever snowing this near to Christmas and can only remember once when I was very young that a few flakes of snow fell on Christmas day!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Five months on....


It's hard to believe that I've now had Brodie for five months, yes he is such a part of my life now I cant imagine life without him but also it only seems like he arrived yesterday!!

He is now my largest Gordon, bigger even than Bailey. He's still very leggy and thin so of course he doesn't look 'bigger' but he is certainly taller than both Harvey and Bailey - amazing! Its so hard to imagine when you bring that little 8 week old puppy home!
He has also got used to all the home comforts, the routine of feeding, walking and sleeping and like all my animals treat this place like a hotel :)

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Brodie's First Show


Today was one of those days that all those sleepless nights, walks in the rain, training sessions, was all worth while. My beloved young man, Brodie went to his first show. He was entered in a Gordon Setter Junior class because there was no puppy class and consequently was the youngest one there - he won, yes, he won the class and was awarded best puppy!! I am so proud, yes he still acted like a puppy but he knew it was time to behave, he knew this was serious but even so he enjoyed every minute of the show, he never complained once and kept going right to the end when for such a young man he must have been shattered!

After judging the judge came up to me and said 'you have a really nice young puppy there - I love him' - and the icing on the cake as if this wasnt enough - he has his very first point towards his Junior Warrant!

I love this little chap - this is what it's all about - bringing the best dog home as well as a couple fo rossettes!!

Monday, November 02, 2009

The Yankees Win the World Series


As predicted the Yankees won the 2009 World Series beating the Phillies 4 -2. The last time the Yankess won was in 2000 and from a different ball park!

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Hallow'een


The last day of October and still beautiful weather, a true Indian Summer.

This is without a doubt my best Jack O'Lantern to date - very scary!

Friday, October 30, 2009

It's all about the dream!


Why do I keep on and on trying for that ultimate show dog, why do I put myself through the highs and usually the lows of bringing up, training and showing a dog that may just may become that once in a lifetime dog? Well maybe this little poem by the famous African-American poet Langston Hughes sums it all up.

'Hold fast to your dream,
For if dreams die,
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly'




I suspect his dream was for black and white equality in the US - mine is just a little bit smaller - to make up a Gordon Setter into a champion, but we all need dreams, however small or large!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Four Months on and still no sign of a job!

I am writing this blog so that hopefully one day I can look back and wonder why I ever worried.

Things that worry me:

1) Am I losing all my skills - forgetting how to do what I did
2) Am I losing what little confidence I had
3) Am I getting too used to and too comfortable doing nothing
4) How am I going to be able to manage being morbidly tired again when I've got used to feeling human again?
5) Maybe no-one will ever want me, do I actually have any skills?
6) When do you call it a day and go to Tesco to ask if they need any shelf stackers!!!

I am hoping that I can look back on this blog one day and laugh - at the moment it doesnt look too funny!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Gutted! Both Los Angeles teams are out of the finals!



It's going to be a Yankees/Phillies final - gutted! After postponing Saturdays game due to bad weather the Angels play their final game with the Yankees in New York, the Angels lose - I blame the bad weather. Why on earth play a summer game in a freezing cold, autumnal city!!

Well done Angels they can be truly proud of this seasons play - and of course well done to the Dodgers on reaching the final four - just a great shame it couldnt have been an all LA final!

Remembering Nick Adenhart - Killed so tragically at the age of 23 after making his MLB debut.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

22nd October - a very poignant day for me!


For some reason todays date has a lot of poignancy to it.

My first setter, an Irish called Pippa was born 30 years ago today and Annie, my first Gordon Setter was born 20 years ago......and the rest as they say is history. The longest love affair that I've ever had :)

It's also the day I started BOC - 13 years ago as well as the birthday of my one and only mother-in-law or should I saw ex-mother-in-law, although I do still keep in touch with her.

I was waiting today for the phone to ring with that dream job but sadly that didnt happen!

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Angels are through to the playoffs.....


........ meet the Yankees on Friday - oh how I'd love to be there!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Book read: Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones


This was a very different book from my usual remit and all thanks to the Richard and Judy book club.

About a tiny Island that is being taken over by rebels and civil war. An unlikely hero is the only white man on the island married to a native woman who becomes the local teacher. His teachings of Dickens' Great Expectations keeps the children as well as the parents thoughts diverted from the obvious danger of war. A violent yet engaging tale of hope over adversity.

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Book Read: Ghost Heart by R J Ellory


This author is fast becoming one of my favourites. A Quiet Belief in Angels was a rompingly good tale as was Ghost Heart. A tale of a sad lonely woman looking for love and finding instead the history of her family. A great twist at the end that I didnt even see coming.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Experience of a LIfetime!


Everyone who's ever been to London will tell you that they've seen Big Ben - but I've not only seen Big Ben, I've stood right next to it as it chimed and climbed the 334 steps for the privilege because of course Big Ben is the the 14 ton bell that blasts out the hour from the Westminster Clock Tower although of course the tower is usually referred to as Big Ben.

This was an incredible experience, to be behind the clock face, to be beside the bells when they chime 3 o'clock - New Years Eve is never going to feel the same again.

Along with the Clock Tower tour was a tour of the Houses of Parliament which was also awesome - what an amazing heritage we have in England and the UK. We stood in the House of Commons and House of Lords, stood next to the Speakers Chair (Order!!), stood in the Queens Chamber where she gets ready to open parliament - amazing, I feel truly privileged to have toured this wealth of history.

This trip was all thanks to Alan's counsin Mike who found out that you have all this for FREE (yes free) if you wrote to your Member of Parliament and asked for an invitation - that's got to be one of the best freebie's I've ever had!

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Three months on and still absolutely no sign of a job!


I have now been unemployed for three months and not a sign of a job. I've had no interview, no important phone call -nothing! I despair at the angencies! I dont know how they can keep afloat!

On the plus side my time at home has meant that I have a very well behaved, well balanced, well socialised Gordon Setter puppy but there is a limit to the kind of conversations you can have with a pack of Gordons!!!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Book Read: Too Close to Home - Linwood Barclay


As with the last book I read from this author, the journey is a fantastic page turner but the ending is to some extent a damp squib but even so it was a perfect book for these wonderful, unemployed late summer days spent reading in the garden!

It tells the tale of a family exterminated in one evening - it should have been their neighours who each have secrets that no-one else knows.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

I'm a pilates virgin!


I did for the first time ever, pilates! It comes as part of my gym membership so thought in these times of thrift that I'd make the most of my membership!

It was dare I say 'easy' compared with many fitness regimes I've tried in the past but my god does it stretch and tone the muscles - really loved it and will be back next week BUT boy do I ache now!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Two Months with the Wrong Dog :)


It's really hard to believe that Brodie has been a part of my life for two months - it really does seem like he's been here forever. He is incredibly well behaved for a Gordon and continues to listen to commands, telling-offs and instructions as well as learning the 'rules' from Harvey. I know the terrible teens will kick in in the next year but at the moment he is dare I say a pleasure to live with - I am even allowed lay-ins!!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Book Read: A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

This is the second book by Mark Haddon the first of which was the well acclaimed Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - a real insight into autism and still remains the only book I have ever read in one sitting - by the pool in Florida.

A spot of bother is written in the same style, easily read prose, real page turners. Although this story about a retired man having a mid-life crisis is incredibly entertaining, very funny as well as very sad I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone who has a history of depression!

It's about a man in his 60's who discovers a lesion on his thigh that he is positive is cancer despite being told its eczema - this is exacerbated by finding his wife having sex in his bedroom with an old colleague and his daughter marrying the wrong man!! Very funny, very sad as well as being incredibly well observed as regards the family set up.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

9-9-9 - but my luck didnt come in today!

In certain parts of Asia the number 9 is thought to be lucky. Today was 9th day of the 9th month 2009 so according to these superstitions should have been the luckiest day of my life - it wasnt. My lottery numbers didnt come up, no-one called me with that perfect job - not even after I'd rubbed my lucky cat, had two black cats walk in front of me earlier on this week and seen the end of a rainbow did my luck change! ;)

Sunday, August 30, 2009

The Guildford Civic Hall - the end of an era...


This week saw the beginning of the end to the old Civic Hall in Guildford. For me it was the end of an era. I have seen countless acts and been to many do's there - it was a sh*thole in the end there's no denying but it really does hold a lot of teenage memories for me.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

How much fun can you have in a wet suit - also known as 'does my bum look big in this?'




What a fun day I had, absolutely awesome. Jet skiing should carry a government health warning - you will want to take this up as a hobby!!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Well Done to the British Dressage Team


For the first time in over 16 years the British Dressage team have a medal - the silver medal!!

Very well done to Maria Eilberg, Carl Hester, Laura Bechtolsheimer and Emma Hindle.


Monday, August 24, 2009

We've won the Ashes - that little urn is returned to it's rightful home!


After an absolute roller coaster of a tournament we have won back the Ashes, that most coveted trophy in cricket contested between Australia and England. I cant believe it, brilliant, well done England!





Andrew Strauss, England Captain with the significant if tiny trophy!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

International Champion Kilnrae Whirlwind


Incredibly on the day that Pelle receives confirmation that he is now an International Champion he is also the proud father of eleven puppies. So Bailey is a grandfather yet again!!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Brodie: One Month On...


It seems almost impossible that I've only had Brodie for a month, he is so much a part of my life now. Yes, he gets me up at the crack of dawn yes he can push my patience sometimes but when he's sweet I cant see any wrong in him!

Friday, August 07, 2009

Brodie at twelve weeks


Brodie has now had his final jab and will hit the pavement this weekend. He now weighs a whopping 11.40kgs - almost doubling his weight in just three weeks!!!

His personality is really beginning to shine through, he is a little bugger but a loveable little bugger. He's a Gordon - you dont have this breed for an easy life - they are a challenge, they are a commitment, they are a way of life - the Gordon Setter!

Monday, August 03, 2009

Books I have Read - Two Caravans


Another book by Marina Lewycka. Again another thoroughly enjoyable romp but with its fair share of lessons in intense farming and how we treat our poorly paid and immigrant workers.

Enjoyable yes, but not as good as the wonderfully funny A Short History of Tractors in the Ukranian.

Brodie at Eleven Weeks


It's hard to believe that I've been out of work for five weeks and that Brodie has been a part of my life for three weeks. I really cant imagine life without him. We're stil having a few problems with sleeping the whole night through but apart from that he is turning into a nice dog, nice personality, very funny, very confident, very arrogant as I believe a Gordon should be.

My frustrations of trying to find a job are at least being helped out by this little chap who makes me laugh on a reglar basis.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Books I have Read - Netherland


Netherland

A strange book about a dutch man from London who winds up in New York and joins the local cricket team - and meets a man who some years later is found dead in the river. This book is about the memory that discovery invokes.

Not exactly the best book I've had but I have to confess I still think about the main characters as they were so strong.

What interests me is why an Irish man has written about a Dutch man who is obsessed by cricket....hmmmmm

Friday, July 31, 2009

Today we saved a kestrel!


Whilst walking the dogs this evening we found a kestrel spreadeagled in the woods where I walk the dogs. Harvey in fact found her so we picked her up and inspected her. She just has a bump and cut on her head where we think she flew into a tree.

We passed her onto our neighbour who rescues animals and has all the facilities so fingers crossed she makes it through the night - he mate is missing her.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Alan is a fully Qualified PADI!


Today Alan passed this open water scuba diving exam and is now has his open water licence.

I am very proud of him.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Brodie: Ten Weeks old


Brodie is now ten weeks old. He is virtually house trained, just a couple of accidents in the last week. He knows his name, he comes to the whistle (although we'll see what happens in the outside world), he's incredibly intelligent and is growing like a bamboo plant!

His feathering has started to grow and he has definitely got those all important testicles!

For the last two days I've left him for an hour to go to the gym and he's behaved, not screamed and not panicked. The only problem we have to solve if his sleeping, he still wakes me up at 4am, still whines and still doesnt really like his crate. Lets see what happens one week on from now - lets hope things have changed and I am no longer craving sleep.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Books I have Read - When Will there be Good News


A brilliant roller coaster of a ripping yarn/who dunnit/murder mystery!

Kate Atkinson is a superb writer but I just think I preferred Scenes from the Museum.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

book read: A Thousand Splendid Suns


I cant recall the last book that actually made me cry - oh yes I can, it was the Kite Runner, funny that as this book is by the same author. Oh God what am emotional roller coaster, what a wonderful book and what a wonderful way to bring the plight of the Afghanistani women to a worldwide audience. In fact it wasnt the actual book that made me cry but the wonderful after thought at the end of the book that outlined the sexual apartheid that is common in rural Afghanistan.

As a feminist this book appalled me. The way that women are treated as just a breeding commodity who cooks and cleans is just beyond belief.

10/10 to Khaled Hosseini for bringing the plight of Afghanistani women to the attention of the world.