Its about Time!

I am sorry it has taken such a long time since my last post, in fact I don't know where to begin! Last post I think was about our New Year celebrations; and it has seemed as if the year is well under the way, so much has happened.

First John had his 80th birthday and I took him and the Jellies off to Bailiffscourt our favourite hotel.

Here we are at his birthday dinner his cake!

To think that that day we nearly lost the Jellies when they jumped over a wall in Arundal where we had gone for a walk about. On our way back to the car we went into a little park near the carpark, they rushed over to the wall at the end of the park bordering the Arun river which was in full spate, tide going out. They didn't realise the river was there, and the next thing we knew they were swimming for their lives, luckily there was a tiny strip of ground and grass along this wall and by coaxing them onto this they managed to walk along to a small boatyard next door where they could scramble on land. John had to climb the fence into this to lift them over the fence, they were too exhausted to jump back to me in the park. But if that strip hadn't been there we might never have found them as they would have been swept away in this

After this adventure we went back to the hotel, and then took them for a walk along the beach later onwater and sea was still very stormy.

It would have been a terrible birthday if they weren't such good swimmers; I now know that all dogs can swim they had never showed any inclination to do this. It really doesn't bear thinking about. So we had something special to celebrate besides John 80 years.

The following weekend 12/13th John had organized a family gathering in one of our local hotels for nearly all his relations in and around here plus his sister and niece over from New Zealand, his nephew, wife and baby Nell and Royce's sister-in-law as well as another niece and nephew who live herein the UK and various cousins and his favourite and only auntie Dorothy, 95 years old and still going strong. It was a real family gathering and a good time was had by all. But prior to all this John took the Jellies for a walk at Hydon's Ball. A lovely wood to walk where we have been several times over the years. And Jed ran away, after a deer John was unable to get him back whistling, so after quite a while he came home with just Nellie. I was "doing my nut" when a friend who lives around there rang to say they had found Jed in their neighbour's garden with a deer he had caught and was killing (they had to shoot the deer) so John hared over there to get the "bad boy" and then went to the hotel to get the room ready with all his paraphernalia for the evening. But the party and feast was a huge success, everyone thoroughly enjoyed talking to various other family members with:" remember when". Lots of good stories came alight. Next day Sunday was Nell's 1st birthday which we celebrated with some of the immediate family. Nell is an utter sweetie who entrances everyone. For her I had even baked a cake, me who isn't at all good at baking cakes, but I now have a fail-safe recipe which turned out quite delicious. Must do it again.

But the GOOD NEWS is that that morning Saturday 12th at 1.08 am my latest grand child was born: Alessia Lidia (after her two grandmothers) aka Beanie. She weight 7lb 5 oz and was & is a little poppet.Rita had a bad time, as the baby wasn't coming when she should have so she was induced; everything was going to plan till suddenly Beanie's heart beat dropped so they decided on a caesarean. But next morning mother and baby were fine and I was able to go and visit 3 days later here I am with her fast asleep on my arm, which after an hour or so went to sleep, my arm that is. Luckily her other grand parents and great auntie came for a visit so it was their turn to hold her. She is going to be much loved, cuddled and held and she can already wrap her Daddy around her little finger .

During all this going on, the Jellies haven't been in such a good fettle. Jed developed a sore along side his nose, and a week or so later Nellie also developed spots on her face, neck and upper body this looks worse than it is, and here is her scar. A visit to the vet resulted in having a biopsy done and the vet was then able to tell us what they had: ringworm!!!!! Very expensive and quite nasty. They are on massive dose of pills twice a day, it is early days yet and they don't seem to respond as of yet. But the vet said it would take at least 4 weeks for results to show. John has decided meanwhile to have a 2nd opinion from another vet to make sure they are getting the right medication.

And now for the final episode in this horrendous saga, when we went for a walk this afternoon in one of the wood not to far from our house Jed disappeared again, we think after a door. Nellie rushed around looking for him, we whistled and whistled; a kind walker who did the same walk said he could hear the whistling and that Jed definitely was not in the area. After waiting nearly an hour in the rain we went home but John will go back fairly soon to see if Jed is waiting in the car park. He does have our land line and my mobile phone numbers on his tag. He is also micro chipped but I am hoping and praying he will turn up at the car park; or that some one will find him. I will also phone our dog warden to see what else we can do. I am THAT anxious and worried about him. Except for Beanie's arrival and John's birthday party 2008 hasn't been that good.

I will keep you posted hugs to you all