ClazUK

I have neglected you all - been soooo busy cos it's my knee op tomorrow and I have had so much to get ready. I'm in at 7.30 am so will probably neglect you further till I get back home. Not had a chance to read back so I hope you're all well and hugs if you're not xxx

Why can't you go for a drink, silly? Go as mates, no pressure. I'm guessing you've been so busy with the boys that you've not had time to ponder singledom? And maybe now they are more independant? I kinda liked being on my own for a while, the freedom to go out and do what I wanted, but I'm not very good at it in the long term.

Having been away for about 3 years I just realised you've not seen my garden in ages. It has particular Rugee reference as Helen put its design into a Refuge Auction and Mark & Sam Squigg bought me it as a housewarming pressie. I had the hard landscaping done faithfully (except the inclusion of some grass at the end, as Sky refused to pee on slate) but the planting, I must confess, has been a bit ad hoc - gifts from friends, cuttings, garden centre bargains, - and demolition by assorted foster dogs. It was a bit sparce the first year, the builder dragged it out late into the planting season. Year 2 was getting somewhere, then I had the foster dogs from hell. Year 3 Dad died and I spent a lot of time with Mum and very little here. This summer has been horribly soggy so I've not devoted the time I would have liked to it. But it's looking fuller and softer and much closer to the 'woolly' look I really wanted. The Plan: Garden the day I viewed the house: After shed demolition and fence replacement: Groundworks: Topsoil and first planting: Last summer: This summer:

Happy to chat if it would help. I have friends who are various shades of sexuality - gay, bi, polyamorous, pansexual - and they've all battled with the 'acceptance' thing at one point or another. I'd seriously suggest to stop trying to put a label on yourself and fit neatly in a box..... all that is important is that YOU are happy and the person you are with is happy. One bi-sexual friend once told me "I fall in love with someone for the person they are, not the gender they are born with". I liked that. Phil is 17 years younger than me. I've given up caring about age, it's other peoples problem, not ours. If you actually enjoy his company, why not have a drink and see if it's worth persuing? You've probably been told this, but you do know never to take Ibuprofen etc. on an empty tummy? I take Diclofenac and always make sure it's with food. Just hugs I did 18 months for Consumer Direct (Trading Standards Trained and am now an Affiliate of the TSI) and this came up on a regular basis...... something you need to be aware of when trying to save money this way..... You buy a boiler, YOU have a contract with the supplier. Your plumber buys the boiler, HE has the contract. If the boiler develops a fault, you'll call the plumber out. The plumber can rightfully say it's a defect with the boiler, not his work, so you need to take it up with the supplier. The supplier can dispute it's the boiler and the fitting was iffy. You're caught in the middle. If the plumber buys the boiler and does the job for you, ANY defect or problem has to be shouldered by him. The Supply of Goods And Services Act 1982. Having seen some of the horror stories consumers find themselves in, I would ALWAYS get a tradesman to buy the goods, nowadays, it's too messy if things go wrong any other way.

Hello. Busy day yesterday, didn't get the chance to pop in. Post holiday washing, signing on, pre-op bloods/pee/MRSA test, vet visits for Scooby and Misty and Phil round here cluttering the place up I've been feeling s*** all day today, had an awful headache and, about an hour ago, pain like I had when I had gallstones, cold sweats and pure awfulness. But I just did spectacular throwing up (sorry for TMI) and am feeling a lot better. Odd. Diagnose THAT for me :-/ Am going to shove a sign on the door to Trick or Treaters to f*** off, and am going to get a quick nap. If I disappear it's cos I never woke up. Hope everyone is okay xxx

Morning, we got back late last night from Cornwall, lovely little cottage, the dogs did us proud. Caught up with my bessie mate and her hubby which was fabulous, but the 'charm' of Cornwall is lost on me, with their sideways rain, permanent damp and utter lack of anything useful on the doorstep! http://www.holidaycottages.co.uk/cornwall/south-cornwall/trefrize I have speedread back and see I've missed loads: Thinking of Owl & her Mum - hoping she continues to pick up after the mini-stroke. Jazz, you take care. Congrats to San & her gang. Erm..... forgotten the rest, sorry! Must get my head round the multi-quote thing. So I have a fortnight of frantic planning before my hospital visit, which includes making provisions for my dogs and my bunnies and aftercare for me. Phils work are being arses regarding his annual leave and I REALLY don't want my Mum rushing up from Newbury at her age...... lots to consider.... Anyhoo, have yourselves a wonderful day, may be back later xxx

Morning, sorry no time to catch up! A flying visit from me as we're off to Cornwall within the hour. Just the last minute bits and bobs and 2 dogs to shove into the car. Don't think we have wifi at the cottage we're renting so I'll probably be missing till Tuesday. So have a great weekend, see you next week xxx

Morning. Dogs fed and medicated, me fed and medicated, today goes..... animal food shop, car valet, hair cut, mechanic, bank, human food shop, window cleaner, pack, pub (pub with THE hottest landlord). Tomorrow goes...... Cornwall! I'm taking himself to meet my oldest bessie mate and for him to see I'm not exaggerating when I say Bodmin is bleak and 'orrible. But that's where she now lives so we will suffer it Thanks for good knee wishes, hopefully it's only an Oxford joint (partial) but they will decide once they're in there. I need to be out of here by 10 so had better get a wiggle on. Have a tremendous Thursday xxx

Eeeeeeeeeeek and hooooooooooooray in equal measures. About 2 months after the NHS guidelines, I finally have a date for my knee op. Wednesday 14th November. I now need to find a Scooby and Misty sitter and a Claire sitter. If you know any homeless, dog loving, cranky old woman loving people, please send them my way!

Ello. I'm in clean house limbo. First potential new lodger has just been, second isn't due till 6. Cue 4 hours of chasing dog hairs with assorted cleaning equipment. Himself and I are off to Cornwall on Friday and you tell me snow is coming? Bodmin is bloody bleak enough without snow, thankyouverymuch!

If they were prepared to get up 3 times a night and clear up lakes of poo/pee, they could stay here for nothing!

Thanks both. There's a v v uncomfy sofa bed downstairs and a loo both up and down. But I'm not sure I'm going to rest well that way. If I ignore them, I'll be too wobbly to clear up when they mess (and Scooby does runny cow-pats cos of the meds he's on which Phil, understandably, won't clear up). The only thing that might work is a dog flap but Scoob is so huge it would be a burglar flap, too.

Grump* Can anyone dogsit for a few days, please? I'm exhausted. Bed at 1.30, up at 3.15, 5.45 and 7.30. I look like a bag of poo I have no idea what to do, I cannot get the little sods empty enough to last the night. I'm now seriously worried what to do post-op as I won't be able to rush up and down stairs but I certainly won't be able to mop up ensuing puddles if I don't get up. *Grump* I've never had bags under my eyes but I now do. I didn't get to a planned trip to Brum yesterday through lack of sleep and a pounding headache. *Grump* On the plus side we have a mini holiday coming up, and I get to see my oldest bestest mate, so that's excellent. House to clean today cos I have 2 potential new lodgers coming round tomorrow, Sorry it's all me me me but I'm very Meh right now. Will try to degrump as the day goes on.

Eeesh can't keep up! I have had the bloke here since yesterday, we went to a great halloween party last night in Irthlingborough, somewhat spoilt by an appeal to foster a dog at the last minute and an evening punctuated by texts. I said I couldn't do anything till Monday but was 'persuaded' to have him today. I then got told I'd have to cut my planned Sunday lunch date short as they couldn't get him to me, THEN I was given an utter nonsense meeting point (a crossroads of 2 roads in that are in different counties, at a Toby, when there isn't even a Toby ON either road). Having worked myself into a frazzle at 3am trying to work out where the meeting point was, Phil reminded me we're in Cornwall from next weekend and the cottage had to be persuaded to have 2 dogs, they'd not have 3. Utterly sleepless and headache filled night, worrying about it. When I told them this morning I couldn't help, it turns out they had other fosterers anyway. And breathe. Hope they're not on here cos I'm really not impressed. Suzeanna, sorry to hear about your son but I honestly believe it's wrong to stay together 'for the kids' - children are not dumb, they pick up on it. Hopefully they can work out something good for all of them Jazz, hope you are feeling better soon. I'm worried about my 2 after my op, stupid things like who will pick poo or mop up indoor wees. Alex, sorry, I laughed too :-) Sandra, congrats! Marge, fab cake! Marion, blimey, glad it's sorted, sounds like £20 well spent. I constantly get bollocked for being 'too kind', sounds like a classic case of that. We had a 'no flowers' thing when Dad died, most people stuck to it and we had a fabulous £1600 to give to the local Stroke Association as a consequence, much more worthwhile. RMF: I have my first fire of the year blazing. I'm officially in winter mode.

Bloody hell, the refresh button has never been so used! Soooooo glad to hear your news Yantan. Gooster, I think it's the way of the world, nowadays, to send roooode photos as part of courtship. Yack

Bloody hell Marian, I'm sitting on the edge of the chair waiting for updates, I dunno how you are coping. Hope everything is ok, please keep us updated xxx

I *think* I'm pleased to hear I am an awesome mushroom Luffly lunch with the luffly Cheryl, we must do it again v v soon. I've got my spare roon advertised on spareroom.com. 2 people want to come and see it. This means I will need to hoover and clean. B@stards!

Mooooooooooorning! Flying visit cos I can hardly turn up for my lunchyfing with Cheryl in my dressing gown. Have a fab day, y'all, will be back later to catch up xxx

Collies, I'm sorry to hear you're going through this I had similar happen when I ran the rescue (Sam will back me up on this) to the point of the people involved asking for an independent witness to watch us do the count after a fundraising day. Given the business usually subsidised the rescue dogs enormously and a day of fundraising often wouldn't break £100, it was all a bit insulting. The sad thing is, it's often from someone who wants to emulate you, who admires you and wishes they could do what you do, be what you are. One of my worst offenders went as far as having her hair cut and coloured like mine and buying the same bloody car (Single White Female, anyone?). Those days are long gone now and thankfully I can laugh about it. But I know how stressful it was at the time, living with horrible accusations made out of spite. Maz, sorry you found something upsetting, I'd not seen that one Viv, welcome back. I have to say, it was as an offshoot of 'events elsewhere' that I got chatting to Snow and she fixed my broken password/dead email combo and got me access back in here. Todays RMF: You can tell it winter's coming, cos I'm baking. Coffee & walnut fairy cakes and cherry and walnut brownies today. Cheese & onion bread tomorrow, methinks. Bang goes the diet. Edited cos of Fat Finger Syndrome.

No cartliage in the right one and extensive wear/arthritic spurs, Suzeanna. The left one has suffered as a consequence of bailing the right one out. They've promised to look at that one (hopefully just an arthroscopy) once the new knee is settled.

Ok, I'm hibernating. The knees are hurting more than ever, it's blowing a gale outside (yet we have sun AND rain!) and it's soooooo cold. So I've done an online food shop and am not moving till I really really have to. Yantan, urban exploring is mostly mooching around old buildings, derelict or abandoned. www.derelictplaces.co.uk is a good place to start, some amazing photos of old buildings we're likely to lose due to neglect. www.guerrillaexploring.com includes newer structures such as The Shard, where people get to the places they really shouldn't 'just because. This nutter got onto the crane on the top of The Shard when it was still under contruction. Incredible photos: http://www.guerrillaexploring.com/gesite/public_html/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143:ges080-the-s-skycraper-trip-2&catid=3:rooftopping&Itemid=9 Of course, my urban adventures will be curtailed till a) I get a new knee and b) it's warmer :-)

Evenin' So sorry about the lurcher and the cat, Owl, so very sad. And for your CaniX friends. Cheryl, that's great news, hope it's lifted you a lot today The lady who owns Simba, the missing podenco x, was out all day yesterday but no new sightings. Today she got a call from a lady who saw a black dog just up the road from me, which is unlikely, a good 5 miles from the last sighting and through dense suburbia. So this afternoon/evening I have been driving around and accosting joggers/dog walkers, but no-one else has seen him, so I suspect it may have been an off-the-lead pet. And totally off topic, I am itching to do some urban exploring. Oh to have a less sensible bloke Am watching barking mad people on a dog walking type programme on BBC 2 - they make us dog owners look like loonies. Oh...

Bloody hell Cheryl, I had no idea I talk bollox to you on a regular basis on Faceache but didn't realise. CBT helped me enormously (as did Prozac but that's another topic) but it's not for everyone. I hope you can find something that works for you. Feel free to bend my ear/leak on my shoulder if you want to talk to someone who has narrowly avoided the nuthouse on more than one occasion. Hugs xxx

Thanks Owl - I'm going to catch up with her tomorrow and see if she's had any reports since Wednesday, the most recent one when I phoned her on Friday. At that point he had visited a pub car park twice and the landlord had phoned her; I suggested she brought the landlord some dog food so he'd keep coming back to there but I don't know if she's taken that on board. Regarding putting you up, I have room, and two couldn't-give-a-monkeys sighthounds that are used to fosterers. And I'd have no problems with Wispa sleeping with you if she doesn't take a shine to my two. I'll come back to you tomorrow; I'm a little concerned she's not really organised regarding this. She's done a website but sightings are not being entered, it was in the local paper but we only have a weekly here nowadays.... I'd happily take over some of the admin stuff cos my legs are useless, but I don't want her to think I'm taking the piss. My only real concern is Simba :-/

It's a bit far, innit? Would be fab if she could. The dog is registered with Dog Lost (Simba) so if you're reading, Owly-one........ xxx