Civil Partnership - Wedding

On Saturday we all went to see Glynn and Graham tie the knot. A super ceremony in the Plymouth Registry Office and some lovely weather to compliment the photos.

Down to Big Wigs after for a lovely meal. Val and Ches had a bit too drink so as we had to pick up Disney from his awayday with Auntie Linda we left about 8 ish.

Many thanks to all concerned - not least the happy couple. Graham made a very moving speech which left not a dry eye in the house!

Happy Birthday Alice

Alice is 11 today. Frightening when our granddaughter is heading towards her teens (she thinks she is already there!!! So do we sometimes!!!). So a big Happy Birthday to Alice!!!

Everything at the moment in our house is taken over by the latest addition, I am sure Al doesn't mind a few photos on the blog today of little Disney! One Westie, or West Highland White Terrier to be correct.

The photos are shown in reverse date order with the newest at the top. Thought we would try to get one of the family in before things were taken over by the White Flash!

Val will have a right old moan when she sees one of the photos. Todays competition is - guess which one!!!

Disney

The huge gap in our house by the departure of Holly has been filled a little. I am afraid Val couldn't stick it without the patter of little feet! Well, we now have very little feet!!

Every picture tells a story!!

Meet Disney or Heazles Noddy as the Kennel Club prefers - nope sorry, Disney it is!!

Born 21/02/09 one little boy West Highland White Terrier. With the exception of Pippa we have always gone for rescue dogs, the thought was that we could give them a good loving stable home after whatever they had been through in their lives.

Some time ago Val set her heart on a Westie pup. On Thursday last her wish came true. We now have a new baby, with all the attention that needs!!!!

The photos were taken on Thursday when we got back from the breeder. I will post some more later - he is a bit more adventurous now!!!

Sad news

It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Holly has passed away.

Sunday morning she woke up and wasn't right. We thought at the time that she may have had a stroke. She went for her walk on Sunday but wasn't her normal self.

On Monday we took her to the vets and had to carry her up two stairs into the surgery. She had an injection of Steroids and some pain killers, just in case it was something other than a stroke.

On Tuesday Val contacted the vets again and told them there was no improvement. In fact, even though she had had two more painkillers in the morning Holly was showing signs of distress come lunchtime. As she was on the same painkillers as Val has for her Arthur Holly had one of them.

The vet came out and Holly was in her bed in her spot by the radiator. She hated going to the vets, we didn't want her passing over in distress so she had us all around her and just went to sleep.

We were concerned about Al being there but the vet, Trevor Grinter, and his nurse were brilliant and explained everything the Al. We are now glad that we didn't try to go behind her back and say bye to Holly when Al was at school.

Hols was a rescue dog so we never really knew her age, but we guessed at 13 or 14 years. She is already being missed.

There was no way she was going to suffer. 13 good years ending with a couple of bad months just because we don't want to let go just doesn't seem right to us. Anyway she is now up with her friend, Treacle, running and jumping like a pup again.

Congratulations to Alice

I have just written a flaming great post on the happenings of this week and it's gone. Logged out then then access via my desktop -all not there!!!!

I gave a cracking account of the situation leading up to the subject of today's post, that is - congrats to Al. Only to find my words of wisdom have been swallowed up in that big blog in the sky!!!

To cut a long tale short. Al got her 11 plus results today and passed. She is heading off to Plymouth High School for Girls next September. Ches took advice and decided in the end that Al would benefit from a Grammar school education. All she had to do was pass the 11 plus!!!

She has worked her little cotton socks off, homework - tutor - extra school work. She took it all in her stride when she could have been out to play with her mates. Only a few moans along the way. But it has all paid off now - so let's hear it folks ---- CONGRATULATIONS ALICE.

I had put other pieces in such as congrats to Matt and Lisa with a baby sister (Henrietta) for Isaac.

Clare's adventures in the States and Mary's in darkest Cornwall. Me, I stayed at work!!

The magnificent showing by the Mighty Greens to take a 1-0 victory away from Molineux.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow when Al and I take our seats to watch the lads play Watford. Weather forecast is really bad which about matches the state of our pitch!!

Home again on Saturday to Reading. 6 points will do us nicely I think!!

Well that is it for the second time. You all look after yourselves, especially our Australian representatives. Hope the weather is being kinder to you now. At least you are off our news screens!!

HR and JJ

For those of you who have been missing our regular nutter, this blog can now reveal what he has been up to.

Just look at the photo above and you have probably got the idea. Guns out the window when JJ entered back into his life.

Glad to see you both happy and lots of love from those of us in Sunny Plymouth.

As a PS did you know that the happiest mothers in the country live in Plymouth? So says a recent survey. No great surprise to us living down here - now all we need is for the Mighty Green Army to win a few games and we might also have the happiest Fathers!!!

Just opened an e-mail from sissy Clare in NZ. Big move put on hold as B has large project in Melbourne. Watch this space!

Al took the first part of her 11 plus last Saturday. That is Literacy out of the way. Next Saturday is Numeracy. Will update you all when we know how she did. Confidence high after the first one!!

Argyle visit Arsenal - Al and Paul were there!

A grand day out was had. The Mighty Green Army descended on the Emirates and voiced support for the lads in green.

Unfortunately, Arsenal aren't known one as one of the world's top teams for nothing! When we pulled one back to make it 2-1 then it was in the balance. I was chatting to an Arsenal supporter after the game and from their perspective the next goal was going to be all important. Which was interesting as that as how I felt as well. Needless to say they got it, but not until after a fight.

I think it would be fair to say that on the ground the game went to Arsenal, but in the fans singing competition they came well and truly second. I was surprised how quiet the Arsenal fans were. Only really raising their voices when they were ahead, only to go silent again when we pulled one back.

All in all a super day out. Al and I had a great time. London has changed and become a lot more friendly than when I last went there. Football is no longer the base of the mindless. 9000 up from the Westcountry and no fear. The police were brilliant, the stadium security were brilliant and even when we popped in for a cuppa and a sandwich before the game and a hot cuppa and a meal after, the people in the cafes were chatty, friendly and helpful. The underground and those staffing it were helpful and friendly even though it was fairly obvious what we were there for and who we were supporting!!!

All in all if anyone from Arsenal reads this then thanks for a great day out and making us feel welcome. Shame about the result though!! Good luck to you in the future of the competition - remember last year the eventual winners knocked us out!!!

Photos above show our day in London. We got back into Plymouth at 02.20 this morning having left at 07.00 yesterday morning. Good fun and bring on Man Utd next year in the third round! Give Manchester a chance to show it is as friendly and welcoming.