What a Beautiful Day, Hey, Hey, What a Beautiful Day

At last, spring may be here. At last the rain has gone, the sun shone all day and it was warm! It was a perfect day.

We spent the morning in the garden, true T shirt weather. We started digging the vegetable patch ready for this years goodies. We put the chooks in the patch with us and they had a field day - I just hope they dont get sick from all the worms and grubs they ate! They had a wonderful time. Should produce some wonderful eggs.


Denby spent his first real day outside with us and although still very wary of the dogs spent the whole morning with us in the veg patch basking in the sun. He really doesnt like going far, unlike Daisy!

I walked in the fields out the back for the first time this year due to the incredible amount of rain that we've had this year. Daisy has thoroughly missed her walks with the Gordons and came with me and the boys right round the fields - at one point she rubbed herself up against Harvey while he was pointing, not even his lashing tail put her off - she was so happy!

We planted two lots of potaoes. Two new varieties to us, Yukon Gold and the much acclaimed Mayan Gold.

We then went into town and had lunch in Bar Ha Ha - its a long time since I've eaten in there and I dont know if it was the fresh air that made me so hungry or whether it was that they had genuinly improved their cuisine but this was possibly one of the best meals out I've had in months (lamb steak with couscous).

It was the last day of Crufts. BIS went to Ch/US Ch Araki Fabulous Willy. I dont really like the professional show teams winning Crufts, I like hobbyists like myself to win but alas, Willy with all his entourage from the US won the day and I have to say that professional team or not, there's no way anyone could get near him, I think he may even be better than when he was being shown over here.

I can relax at last!

A couple of days ago I was wondering whether this stress was worth it as regards going to Crufts. Today I can say without question that yes it was - it was a wonderful Crufts even if I didnt do anything with Harvey. The only downer is that I had to go back to work today and I am totally and completely worn out, knackered, done for, I want to sleep for a week!!!

Well done Brie, Alfie and most of all Pelle - Bailey you should be a proud boy, you super stud but all you wanted when I came home was to know what I had in my pedigree chum bag :)

Crufts - The Biggest Dog Show on Earth!

Well, here we are again. thank God Crufts is only once a year - I am absolutely shattered! I started out at 6am - in Birmingham by 08:15am. Thursday is my favourite day - not many people, not so much congestion. I actually had a look round the trade stands this year. Last year being on a Sunday I couldnt get anywhere near them!

So, Harvey's second Crufts and I have to say he let me down badly. Whether it was lack of practice (we havent been in the ring since Sept), whether it was that hiker who kicked out at him a couple of weeks ago or whether it was a problem with his nether region I dont know but for the first time ever he backed off the judge (although many people said he may have been frightened of the judges Gordon tartan trews - hmmm). I was even more disappointed when his brother - you remember the one who wasnt even chosen to be a show dog - won the class. Me and Debra (age old dog exhibitors) were chucked out (technical term for not being placed) - we are now sacked from Team Kilnrae :)

The good news however is that Kilnrae Whirlwind won Best of Breed - Whirlwind or Pelle as he is known to his friends in Holland is my beloved Bailey's son - so how about that for a record Bailey has sired this years BOB and last years Best Bitch!!! What a stud!

To summarise this was definitely one of the better Crufts. The NEC wasnt as cold as last year, it wasnt as crowded and to be honest I liked John Mawers judging. Plus he was on his feet from 9am until about 4pm and he is about 80 years old!! That's quite amazing. I can only hope I am that fit at that age! Three good results for Kilnrae. French Mustard 1st PG dog, French Kiss 1st PG bitch, Kilnrae Whirlwind BOB - French Toast and French Connection - thrown out how embarassing! ARGH!!!

Is it Really worth it?

So here we are, the day before Crufts, I am a complete nervous wreck - why? I cant explain. It's just another championship dog show but I get so nervous!

Harvey looks lovely, smells nice and is clean for the first time in ages - is it even going to stop raining?

I have packed my bag, filled the car up, packed my lunch, cooked the liver for Harvey now I am going to have a quick glass of wine then its off for an early night because I'm up at 5am tommorow - remind me why do I do this :)

You've Got To Fight, For Your Right...To Party!

Whether stupidity or naivity we decided to have a party to celebrate Alan's 35th birthday. After the recent incident of the hiker kciking out at Harvey the other week I was a little tense to say the least of loads of people descending on Billingham but I need not have worried. Harvey was his usual loving, dopey, doe eyed self and won a number of friends including (I hope) Shahida who was very sceptical about meeting my dogs.

As well as partying till the early hours there was also an amazing lunar eclipse. The picture doesnt tell the whole story - the moon turned a murky brown - amazing sight!

The party went well, we played Guitar Hero and Wii all night, I'm pretty sure it went OK, people seemed happy and I eventually got to bed at 2:30am!

Leave me Alone - I'm having a Mid-Life Crisis!

I cant believe it's the first of March - yet another year zooming past on the ever lasting cycle of insecurity, unknown and uncertainty thanks to 'The Company'. The whole IT dept is falling to pieces, Alan still has calls whenever he's off sick, holiday or even asleep! How in Gods name are they going to manage without him? It turns out that I am also considered disposable but you know what? I really am ready to take my cheque and leave now. This has been going on for over four years and I've had enough. Despite having over ten hours sleep last night, I still feel totally exhausted - stress is so draining. I dont know what I'd do outside of 'The Company' but at the moment I am wasting my life feeling miserable, unappreciated and discussed behind closed doors as if I'm just an office chair or a desk!

I've just received an email from an old and true friend to say that she's off travelling to Aus and NZ for six months travelling - this has just made my MLC feel even worse. I am so happy for Tina, I am so pleased she has the balls to do what she wants but it's just made me feel ever more low.

It's now been raining (with only hours of respite) for nearly three months. The garden has a pond I didnt plan, all I seem to do is trudge through mud, my hamstrings are killing me, Harvey's coat has all but fallen out (great for Crufts next week) and I seem to have two permanently wet dogs and a house full of silt from muddy creatures - but that's not disparaging them - they are my sanity and here are some photo's that can even make me smile in this dark, damp, miserable winter!

I need to think deeply about how to change all this but with a big mortgage, a small menagery and being completely spineless I'll probably just stay put, ride it out and see what the future brings - I just hope something happens soon before I lose my sanity!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Yes it snowed in the South of England and yes the South of England came to a grinding halt but who cares - I loved it, Alan loved it and Harvey was in doggy heaven! We had at least 2.5 inches - wahoooo!! This is the most snow we've had in years.



On the moggy front, the dogs are getting far better with Denby, he has slapped Harvey round the face a couple of times but he is such a sweetie he just backs off. Bailey on the other hand is being his usual macho self but so far so good and hasnt taken a pop at Denby and in fact is being quite a gent. We're nearly there, nearly a happy family again but it's quite tiring and a bit stressful but we'll get there with a little hard work and patience.

Chick, Chick, Chick, Chick, Chicken, lay a little egg for me!

After nearly a week of Marigold laying wonderful eggs we have now had almost a week of shell-less or soft shelled eggs. Their mash is for layers and I'm adding oyster shells to their feed so not sure what's going wrong unless it's just that she is young and the weather has suddenly turned cold - have to see what happens in the next few days and maybe contact the Eglu forum for help.

Denby and the dogs are getting better and better by the day. I'm sure by the end of the week we'll all be good friends. Daisy, however is still doing her prima donna bit and pretending that he doesnt exist!

A Lot Can Happen in 24 Hours - Welcome to Billingham Denby!

A lot can happen in 24 hours!! I woke up this morning at 8am to the sound of the phone ringing - my head was sore from drinking a few too many glasses of red wine....anyway, the phone call was the vet!! The people who said they'd come and look at the stray cat didnt even bother coming to see if it was theirs so the veterinary nurse, Zoe decided that enough was enough and I could have him. Hopefully she can spot a good, honest animal lover when she spots one!

Alan went to a gaming exhibition in London with his mates so this left me to pick up the stray cat. I've named him Denby after the vets practice that took him in plus there is a very famous vineyard round the corner called Denbies - so it seemed only right.

He resembles a British Shorthaired. Very cobby, very large round face. He is like a British blue in colour with ginger tabby points - and because he's only just been neutered he has a very jowelly face and is incredibl y handsome. But the real attraction is his temperament - he is so affectionate and cuddly.

It's going to be a bit of a journey until we are one happy family again - I was convinced her ladyship (Daisy) would pack her bags and leave home but no, she did her usual act if something upsets her - ignore it for long enough and it will go away!!

Harvey and Bailey are a little more difficult because of their pack instincts, heirarchy and their size so they are kept in check whenever he's out of his crate. It wont take long, just a bit time consuming and stressful but fingers crossed we will all love each other in a week or so's time.

Disappointment is my Second Name!

What a weird 24 hours its been! Last night my friend and neighbour and fellow animal lover Michele (Muff) contacted me saying that she had been to the vets and that a cat had been handed in as a stray and she had fallen for him big time. Her hubby says no more pets so asked me if I knew of anyone who would like to give this gorgeous cat a home. I said that I had actually been thinking of having another cat - a moggy even to join my snooty prima donna Daisy.

So, I called the surgery first thing. They said the cat was still available so I had a half day, steamed over to this surgery with all my crudentials only to be told that a few minutes before I arrived a call had come through to say could they come down and see this cat as it may be theirs. So I had to wait, but I had no call so it's absolutely brilliant news for this lovely cat if he's found his real owner but I feel gutted - it was love at first sight :(