Whizzie

Lovely dress Amy, you look great. Hope you enjoy your night out now you feel better Jayne. Jazz - sounds very much as if you need more dogs not dog beds! I will admit that ours have several each so I am in no position to comments really ;) We will be having a quiet New Year at WagTails House. The dogs are tired after a windy but sunny expedition to Newgale and then a walk inside the harbour at Solva (low tide!) where it was positively bracing with much whistling and rattling of masts going on. Doubt there will be many fireworks around here to upset them.

Just looked again at your photos Alex - that one with all the dogs is at Broadhaven South. The rock in the background is called Church rock. Nice beach with dunes behind that you can either drive to direct or walk to along the Lily Ponds. You really should get yourself back there sometime - it's a lovely place

You are all very welcome re the hearts. It is wild out west at the moment and we are hoping the wind and rain will soon move on having been with us all night. Lovely picture Merledogs - there are so many wonderful beaches in Pembrokeshire and most are dog friendly so it is hard to guess where else you may have been. Barafundle is beautiful, Broadhaven South through the Bosherton Lily Ponds is unique, Marloes has spectacular rocks, Newgale is long so ideal for dogs like our Reuben who loves to run, Broad Haven links to Little Haven via Settlands and makes a nice walk at low tide.........many, many more! We let our holiday home should anyone be interested. It is http://www.wagtailshouse.co.uk which I hope is okay to mention. We have a facebook page too which is a good place to see lots of photos of the area, dogs on holiday..... Sympathies to everyone returning to work today - we have an extra week this year to recharge our depleted batteries.

We had a lovely walk on Newgale beach in bright sunshine, so bright in fact that I should have worn sunglasses as there was so much reflection off the wet sand where it was catching the light that it was hard to keep our 4 dogs in view. As promised, we drew hearts on the beach for everyone who requested them so among the collection there was one each for Trudy, Diesel, Max and Dogstar's Mango. It was a good day to do it as lots of dogs out enjoying the beach. We had to beat a quick retreat after a heavy shower came our way but hopefully the hearts remained on the beach for several hours until the next high tide. I may draw more later in the week & see if I can get some decent pictures - the ones I took today don't show the hearts up properly at all

Just to echo others Owl, you need a bit of downtime as a carer. It is exhausting. Didn't realise Mummy Owl was such an impressive age. Have finished looking after my Mum for last couple to days & now preparing for going to WagTails House tomorrow. Feels strange that I will be meeting Patrick there as he'll be travelling from his Mum in Ludlow.

Have spotted your request for a heart for Max Alex so his will be joining in with some lovely company x

Hearts will be drawn for Trudy & Diesel. I will be honoured to do so. How lovely Sam re the little girl & the presents Patrick & I haven't exchanged any significant presents and I have donated to the hospice which looked after my Dad. A change for me as I mostly support animal charities. Hope Garfy has got through the day comfortably. Owl - it is exhausting looking after someone who is ill and confused. Believe me I know! You need help to keep yourself sane. Please don't think like my Mum that getting external help is a sign of failure. Mum took some convincing but realised later we'd done the right thing when Dad needed 24/7 help at the hospice.

Sleep well Owl & I hope everyone here can find some joy amidst all the sadness xx We will be at WagTails House in a few days. I've put an invitation on our page for anyone who would like us to draw a beach heart in the sand in memory of lost friends. It is something I always do for our own dogs, and now my Dad too. The offer is extended to anyone here.

Griff, I am so truly sorry to hear about your beloved Diesel. Hard to lose a much loved companion at any time but perhaps made worse at a time when everyone will be celebrating around you while your heart is broken. Much love from all here xxx

Painting has commenced. Bit bah humbug but useful at least ;) Mum has arrived safely at my brother's & Patrick has started his packing - but I won't allow him to leave until he has put the curtains back up for me now that wall is all done. Humungous heaps of muddy dog towels to wash from weekend walks, bet I'm not alone with that one!

Hello folks. Popped by to say hello & sorry to hear that there is sadness, illness, problems etc for many of you. Jazz - I'm so sorry you have lost your best little friend Owl - oh dear re pod problems but I am relieved your Mum will get the care & supervision she needs. I know only too well that there is only so much you can do at home. Yantan, Suzeanna, Griff & all poorly folk, also Dies & poorly dogs, I really wish you all well. I can't remember when I was last here but for those who know me but don't know my news, my Dad lost his battle to mesothelioma on Remembrance Day. The last months were incredibly hard for us all. Dad's last 3 days or so were at the local hospice. We were there a lot but he slipped away quickly in the night when we weren't with him. This will be our third odd Christmas looming as the festive season 2011 was when Dad was diagnosed & given 1 year, last Christmas felt like the one on borrowed time & this one well... Patrick lost his step-Dad to cancer this year too so he is going to be with his Mum, I kept my diary free to look after parent(s) but it is best my Mum goes to my brother & enjoys the grandchildren so I have a weird Christmas day for just me & the dogs. Rather than pretend to make a miserable go if it I will totally ignore the fact it is Christmas day and I will be painting a spare bedroom. Hubbie has nearly finished the prep for me. Most people think this plan is mad!

Best wishes to you all and thank you to everyone who posted kind thoughts about FIL. Big stuff going on here. Dad has a "mock trial" today re his mesothelioma industrial injury claim. I hope that Dad has one of his better days when he is able to speak clearly and recall the past with accuracy. These days get fewer all the time. There will be a solicitor and barrister representing Dad, a solicitor and barrister for the defendants (his former employer), a retired high court judge presiding plus someone taking notes and video. The point of this is to absolutely button down Dad's evidence while they can as Dad may be dead before the case concludes

Just popped in to say best wishes to everyone. We lost father in law to cancer a few weeks ago - such a horrible ending that whenever I have to have a pet put to sleep in future I think amidst the pain and sadness, I will really feel some gratitude that I can end their suffering. FIL was like something from Belsen and hadn't been able to absorb food properly for several weeks. Mesothelioma is weakening my Dad all the time which is really not nice to witness, or of course for him to experience. This is a lovely friendly and hugely supportive forum and I really don't want to knock it and seem negative but it is just not the place for me right now. I think that's because this thread is so often about illness and problems and while it is amazing how everyone helps each other I just need to escape as many problems as I can at the moment in order to get by. I hope you can understand that and I wish you all as much happiness, success and freedom from illness as possible. Liz

Very sorry to hear the sad news about Mia, Alex

Owl - there is some good advice from Dogs Trust at http://www.letswithpets.org.uk There is a specialist agent in Notts/Derbs http://www.lawrenceandbright.co.uk I hope you friend succeeds in finding somewhere suitable.

Normally Fridays are great but when it is the last full day of your holiday, then it's not so good! Sympathies to fellow hayfever sufferers - I had bad symptoms yesterday even when on the beach which has never happened before! When mine gets bad the only pills that help are the sort that make you drowsy so that's a right pain!

Do hope Ted makes it home by the weekend. Would you like to borrow Reuben in the meantime? He's had me up at 3am & 6am while his bottom evicts all the bits of crab he crunched up on the beach yesterday! Thanks Roo!!!

Forgot to say, Alex, that sounds really rubbish at work. Having to cancel/postpone a holiday is miserable. You are of course welcome to book with us for a break at WagTails House but we are proving popular so it would need some forward planning! I will give you the secret location of our shed key so you can access garden tools and not suffer withdrawal symptoms ;) I can also advise on garden centre locations for you!

Sorry to hear about your Aunt Owl and your car Griff. Jazz, hope the new home is still on track. Sending special encouraging hugs for Ted - 3 weeks must feel like ages. Enjoy your new floor Marian & I hope your kitchen gets sorted Michelle. Lovely in Pembrokeshire yesterday afternoon/evening. Sunshine always lifts the spirits. We had our dinner in the garden accompanied by sounds of horses galloping away in the field right behind the house and sheep in full voice on the hillside at the front, over the other side of the Cleddau river - definitely a welsh sheep choir!

Just clicked on the Big Brother thread instead of this one & wondered what an earth everyone was talking about. We are at WagTails House - one beach visit so far & various jobs to do. Hopefully as our week progresses the trend towards the former will increase! Felt bad being away for Father's Day & phoning is difficult as my Dad can only speak in a hoarse whisper as the tumour is pressing on his vocal chords. They will look at a small surgical procedure to see if they can restore his voice.

Good luck Jazz. Great news about garden Snow. If there are any good luck thoughts going spare, can I grab a few? We are off to see the hospice Community Nurse followed by the consultant and should get the results of Dad's CT scan. Patrick is off visiting his Mum & Step-Dad & will be trying to find out what is going on there after terrible communication from medical people.

That doesn't look much like a lounge right now Marian! How long will it take to be done? Sooo a new fugee species exists - the green armipitted orange oompah loompah. Do they glow in the dark?

£6k for a new gear box, they have got to be joking! For a car that cost £3k I'd be looking at buying a reconditioned gearbox with warranty - most models under £1k inc VAT & fitting if you go to a gearbox specialist.

Sympathies for Owl, Ted & Amber. Good gardeners are hard to come by Snow. I hope you find someone reasonable & reliable. It is a worry we have for the future as we have decent sized garden & allotment patch at the end, my parents do too & there will come a time when theirs becomes too much plus we have WagTails which fortunately has a simple garden layout & we pay for the lawn to be mowed. The garden is Mum's pride and joy and it will be very hard for anyone to match her standards!

Most of you already know about my Dad's illness. Today we had the devastating news that my (step) father in law has advanced terminal cancer too so both Dad's in decline. FIL was admitted to hospital at the weekend with acute abdominal/bowel pain. Can't quite believe it all at the moment. Info still a bit sketchy but I don't think he has very long at all. Patrick is just trying to take it in & decide when to go