Me backs gone!

If you have ever had trouble with your back then you know where I am coming from.

As usual an act of stupidity. This time it appears that I have trapped a nerve, the discs are involved somewhere along the way. Now, if I am standing and clear my throat with just a little cough, I get a pain shooting down my right leg!  Come on, isn’t that some sort of mega design fault. I have found that when I lay down to get a bit of kip the left leg decides to object if it is not exactly placed. Unfortunately I don’t know how it wants to be placed from night to night. And joy of joy, if I get the leg in a place to please those little Munchkins in my brain then another group of said Munchkins decide it would be a giggle to have cramp in the base of my foot!

I am not allowed to criticise my employer in any way. So let me just say that it is such a great system we run. I took off one day to see the doctor and sort out exercises. Very rare do I take a day sick so am unfamiliar with the process. When I got back I had a “back to work” interview, and my poor Line Manager had to spend (literally) half the working day filling out forms, updating IT systems and speaking to me.

What happened to getting back after one day and having the “Hi Paul, you OK? Any on-going problems with the back? Anything I need to be aware of? If you need anything give me a shout. Don’t lift anything. Nothing happened yesterday that you need to be aware of” chat?

The world truly has gone mad.

On a different note you will, by now, be aware that the mighty Green Army will be giving the Football League the benefit of their presence again next season. A bit too close for comfort. Sorry for Aldershot and Barnet but ever so glad it wasn’t us!!

I am still plodding on with my other blog, the Micro Machines one. It is taking a long long time. I have, at last, figured out how to get the entire Star Wars listing on to one page. The other system I tried, putting on a number of pages was rubbish and has now been deleted!

There is a link on this blog to that one if you want a look see.

HR is now firmly settled in Holland. His permission to reproduce the e-mail below has been sought and granted!

Hi again;
Easy (?) is staying with us until Wednesday evening while Rob and Jolanda are in Hilversum.
So once again I am taking two "beestjes" for a walk three times a day.
This has given me the opportunity to consider the anatomy of a Terrier.........
given that he pees (or attempts to) every few metres I think his body must be built around one a big bladder (or lots and lots of small ones).
This is supported within a framework and at the front of that is the "movement/seek and destroy sensor assembly".
There is an enhanced propulsion system on the framework which allows him to do "paw-spins" which involve standing still while shooting clouds of dust,grass (and anything else his back legs are on) out behind him.
To this end he has managed so sand-blast an unprepared Iwans` face and to cover my trainers in soil.
I think he ought to have a back-blast warning akin to what we used to learn about the "Charlie G" anti-tank weapon !!
One of his unique talents is cocking his leg...then pooing !
I assume that is just a trick with which he impresses other dogs; or just to confuse us chaps !!
Tomorrow (30th) is a big day for us here because it is "Koninginendag" and this year Koningin Beatrix is abdicating and passing the throne on to Prinz Willem-Alexander.
Obviously from then on it is "Koningdag!"
So the flag goes out tomorrow with its` orange "wimpel" on top (like a streamer) to show support for the "Oranjes" as members of the House of Orange (ie the royal family) are known here.
I cut down the trees in the front garden so this time the flag will billow happily and not get stuck on a branch.
On 4th May we have "Erineringsdag", which is like Remembrance Day in UK.
Flags fly at half-mast from 18:00 to sunset.
Then on the following day they fly normally all day in comemoration of Liberation Day in 1945.
I wish we had such pride in the UK and were allowed to show it.

That’s it for now folks. Look after yourselves. Fingers crossed for next season!

 

A message from HR

Hi

HR sent me an e-mail and made me think we haven’t had an update from him for a while – so here goes. And I am doing this via Windows Live Writer as it is meant to be easier …. we shall see!

Over to HR

Hi I just had a peak at the Blog and thought you might like a Terrier update?
Lotje is with us again while her owner Ellen who married a chap in Turkey, has popped over to him .
Lotje is happily in her basket beside me and we have managed to get her to stay there at night rather than invading our bed !
Yesterday Joke "plucked" Easy the Cairn terrier from Het Klooster Hotel and his colours are superb !
He has stayed with us too when his owners (Robert Jongbloed and Joland Bos) need to get away for a break.Robert (who used to be a war-correspondent) is a bit poorly so we are always on call to look after Easy if need be.
While Lotje is female and very attentive (but also possessive of our laps/attention), Easy is male and must "own" everything.
The cats are happy with her where with Easy they go up in the "zolder"  (the loft) and we see little of them until he returns to Het Klooster !!
Soon we have Stacie and Rakker coming to stay for a while ; they are Chi Chu/Terrier mixes so basically are fluffy but behave like a terrier !
Needless to say I am becoming better at predicting Terrier-behaviour and can spot the "double back and nick your pizza (or cat food etc.)" before it happens.
It`s the only thing I don`t like about them because it is a case of "I`ll follow the Alphas , but turn your back and I`ll stitch you up !!".
I assume that terriers are "man-made" because in the wild as a pack there would be anarchy !
Oh well , I had better get on. It will soon be time for a search and destroy trip to the woods !!

Easy the Cairn Terrier

Stacie and Lotte

On the subject of  Terriers. I was out in the woods with Disney and Google yesterday and a couple came riding past on their horses.

Luckily I saw them and had put my two on their extenders because they decided that these rather huge dogs with people on their back were spoiling for a fight .. so we will get in first!!

Typical Terriers, very little fear …. or possibly very little brain!

Does Windows Live Write work?

Only one way to find out. And that is to publish a post!!!

Pictures of Disney and Google, the two West Highland White Terriers that share our house with us.

Wash day two years ago. The only time I could find pictures in which they were white!!!

First Google.

And then Disney.

Bottom of the bottom league

Oh dear.

The mighty greens are truly the strongest team in English League football. We are supporting the whole top four divisions on our shoulders!

Worryingly we have 13 games left to rectify (save!) the situation. Away today at Wimbledon. I was a little surprised to see the team bus leave Home Park at 16.15 hours. Not a lot of time to get to London I must say!

The boys (Disney and Google) and I headed out to Whitsands today. Low tide at 11.45 was ideal for us. They love the beach and a run and roll in the sand. It is lovely watching them. The rain held off and we had the whole beach to ourselves. People pay a fortune for what we did today, I really appreciate the area that we live in. Walk in the woods one day and the beach the next. Friday down by the river where the boys get to see all of their friends and run with whatever pack they form!!

Cross fingers for Argyle and see what the end of season brings!

Happy Christmas 2012 - the world is still here!

Sorry I have been away for so long. Waiting for the end of the world.

Have been messing about with my other blog. Trying to show my Galoob Micro Machine collection is proving a very long task. Feel free to have a look, just click the link on this blog.

The collection has taken up a fair bit of the little spare time I have. Getting a listing onto the blog has proved very difficult and I have had many hair pulling, computer out the window moments!

Well, tomorrow is Christmas Day and Ches has just found out that instead of working from 08.00 through to 20.30 she is only on duty from 15.30 to 17.30! Brilliant news. Many thanks to the families of the people she cares for. It means that we will have a reasonably normal family Christmas!

Tony, my brother down under, rang this morning. I explained that it has been a little wet over here and that the boys and I were about to head to Plymbridge for their daily walk and roll in the mud. He kindly informed me that it was sunny and 32 degrees in his part of the world. Yeah good one bro!!

Had a little chat to mum. She is a poorly lady but seems to be looking forward to Christmas.

Seem to have a fair number of family half way around the world. Anne and Tracey and family are gettin along fine. Lovely photo card from them. Doesn't seem that long ago that Tracey was using our stairs as a makeshift slide along with Cameron and Alice. Now she is a mum of two and Cameron is the new Chef to look out for! Alice is 14 going on 21!

My sister, Clare, is also down that part of the world, living in Sydney with hubby Brendan. Hope you get well soon mate by the way.

Well, must go as many things to do. Hope all reading this have a super Christmas and a great 2013!

Lottje picture

Forgot the picture of Lottje.

There you go.

E-maile between HR and me re terriers

Been naughty again and haven't got around to posting. Just been busy with a few projects that seem to be taking rather longer than I first thought!
HR and I had an exchange of e-mails concerning terriers. As you know we have a couple of Westies, Disney and Google, so HR feels I should be an expert on the subject. The boys and I went to Plymbridge again today, the top route by Wrigleys. On this route they use me as a formula one racing driver uses a pit crew. Just to top up on energy giving items, in this case doggy chews! Then off they go again into the bush.
Google hasn't quite got his sense of direction so Disney has to go off looking for him. He is getting better and I only lost him twice today! I know when he is lost as when we are reunited he comes running past me then does another couple of passes before being distracted back into the woods!
Anyway the e-mails as promised. HR and his new wife JJ are doggy sitting Lottje.

By the way I discovered the most useless expression to use to a Terrier today......."slow down..!"

Lotte does sit though.

By the way as an experienced Terrier person....where is the "off" switch ? !

We have had a great day.....ending with chasing balls and fallen apples in the garden.

Iwan did his best but it was like being on a bombing range if I threw balls for them......Iwan would trot off after the ball like a bomber,a t a gentlemanly pace .... when suddenly a grey streak like a Eurofighter...would swing curve past, out-flank him...steal the ball and run off with that expression of both sucess and possession which only Terriers have !!

I think her batteries are low becaiuse she is flaked on the matt beside me !

Unfortunately there is no “off” switch with these models.

If you use excessively you will find the batteries run down completely. However, due to what I can only think is a malfunction at the design stage, recharging is done at a remarkable rate.

We do find that, providing distractions are not present, batteries run down completely when the sun goes down. Do not provide any audio input at this stage as it will cause the motors to over compensate and turn the audio input into output at a tenfold ratio. You may be interested to note that the Doppler effect is quite noticeable with these models, especially when all else is quiet.

A secondary use for these models is an alarm clock. You can charge the whole block for this facility if you are able to persuade your neighbours that early rising is good for their health and wellbeing.

We hope you enjoy your flirtation with this model as ours bring us many hours of joy, especially if we are trying to watch any TV with an animal content!!

Hi again , and thank you for taking on themantle of "Terrier Help Desk".

I think terrier stuff this might be blog ,material  !
It makes a change from my monologues about flying and guns !!

Last night we watched TV and Lottje snuggled down on the sofa and this was only broken by a "launch" at Boots (the matriach mog) who decided to do Bruce Lee impressions at her as she went past.
I managed to arrest Lotje as she got her gear up and return her to the circuit ( I lied about not mentioning flying!).

At midnight we all settled (Joke,Iwan ,Lotje and me) in the slaapkamer; the cats had dispersed themselves out in the schuur (the utility area outside the back door) or up in the zolder (attic).

My attempt to lure Lotje off our bed and into her own failed because after a brief sitting and smiling exercise her springs took over and she would reappear beside me.
I discovered the next phase where she showed her latent burrowing instincts ! The covers were not enough and she dissappeared beneath the bedclothes; thankfully stopping and settling down after her tail dissappeared !

Joke is not impressed by any of this and blames me for it all.

So I settled down to a night with a live "Knuffeldier" (cuddly toy) and almost managed to avoid having my face washed again before we dozed off.

I hoped that (like cats) she would become too warm under the covers and move out ; but that didn`t happen until I got up to go to the loo at about 2 and disturbed the quilt.

At one point I descended to the use of chemical warfare... but that had no effect!

We went for our usual walk this morning and Lotje did impresions of a sidewinder on a piece of string ! Only changing pace to explode into the undergrowth...after a blackbird !

Iwan has a runny tummy (probably stress-related) ,so plods on as usual,but with an earlier than usual loo-stop in the bushes !
Lotje didn`t wait until we left our own territory and I now have a recovery and disposal job to do in the flowerbed !!

Overall though she is a lovely litle animal and would be ideal company. I just have to anticipate like mad !!

However I confess: I will be pleased when Ellen gets back from Turkey and I can give her back !!

Today is day two......and I see her small paws returning from the schuur....
End of e-mail correspondence.

You may recall that we had a lovely old Labrador, Holly. Now Labs are obedient creatures who anticipate your every whim and only exist to please. We went from that to getting a puppy Westie.

Westies very much have a mind of their own and want to know everything that is going on around them. Their definition of "around them" is a circle of about 100 metres. This makes walking in the woods an interesting experience. They want to be in about six places at once.

Val, my loving other half, did not take Disney out for walks in the woods. So when she thought he must be lonely and needed a sibling she didn't take the complication of dogs going in different directions into account. So we got Google. One year nine months down the line Google is now very confident and wears his explorers head with the same devil may care attitude as Disney. Makes for interesting walks!!!

This is different

I haven't published for a month or so, so thought I should let the world know what has been happening around here. I find that my blog has changed, or at least the way I get into it!
Hopefully there will not be any changes from a view point of view as this new set up has confused me no end!!
Still, life appears to be full of change nowadays. So what is another eh?
At home things are going along. Disney has been scratching and has taken his fur off in two places around his bum/tail area. One of my fellow dog walkers recommended NatPet, so we bought a bottle.
It appears to have worked. The loss of fur wasn't too bad but this stuff has stopped him scratching and biting in that area. He is also sleeping better at night!
It's like having kids at home again!!
We checked him out for fleas and gave him his monthly dose on the neck, I reckon he is bothered by pollen or something akin. Google doesn't appear to be suffering, although he does have a good sneeze when in the woods!!
Alice has now reached the age of 14. Amazingly she is a genius as she appears to know everything about everything! I can't remember being like that at her age - well, actually I can't remember anything at all nowadays!! Get to the top of the stairs and wonder why I set off in the first place!
Ches has had a good go at her flat. She has painted and papered her bedroom and painted the hall. I helped her with the garden, the whole place looks a lot better now. Not that it looked bad in the first place.
I am out to Ches and Al's place tomorrow to try and sort the Virgin Hub. First one kept cutting off from the Internet every so often. Virgin have sent another which I will try and connect tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
Al went out to Plympton fair yesterday and some kind soul pinched her mobile. Annoying as she saved for a while and did extra chores to get money to buy her prized Blackberry. It was second hand when she bought it, but still pricey. Some Bastards around aren't there. Unfortunately she didn't know the IMEI code so we could only stop the charges on my account rather than freezing the phone.
Ches has been working all the hours sent again. Her line manager is poorly and Ches has been covering her shifts.
The DWP are playing silly buggers with her Bereavement Benefit claim. Don't understand the problem myself. When Mark sadly passed on they were married, they were separated but he still had a financial and moral obligation to Alice. The fact that he turned avoiding those responsibilities into an art form is, to my mind, immaterial.
I am getting along well with my Micro machine collection. Have set up a blog in which I intend to show pieces individually. One of the problems I have found since collecting is identifying individual pieces, there are just so many! I currently only have one I am not able to name, but will keep trying! Anyone know the name of a large hairy Star Wars beast, white with two horns set on top of the head? Two eyes, one nose and a normal mouth. Black toes.
Val has just sent me on a wild goose chase. Get the dogs in, she says. Note plural. Out I go and Google comes running in. I shout for Disney, no response. Down the steps at the end of the courtyard. No sign of him. Back into the house to find him sitting in front of Val!!! "Oh I meant Google not dogs" she says!!!!!!
Google is now in our bedroom attacking the sofa he sleeps on. I have told him when its destroyed he is on the floor - but he ignores me!!
Well, time to go. Ches is taking Alice around to Lin's where she is having a sleepover with Alisha. She hasn't been on a sleepover since ... oh... last night. She was at her friend Alice's. Two Alice's in one house - oh joy!!!