Whizzie

I hope you end up being pleased with your decision and enjoy the extra luxury. I am obviously very out of touch with pricing - it seemed extortionate to me but I've not flown anywhere for ages.

Some of you may be interested/shocked/horrified etc to see this http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/video-rspca-investigation-at-rescue-centre-near-wellingborough-1-5049712 I'm not going to comment on it and will let people draw their own conclusions.

Just a quick visit to wish everyone well, especially poorly folk. My Dad is among the latter. Mesothelioma is really taking its toll this year. He was in bed most of yesterday. The cough won't go away, he is always tired, cold and seems to have no appetite in recent months

You could have a week's holiday in the UK for £419! I know a good place ;)

Sorry, I am not a frequent flyer & how you spend your money is entirely your business Gooster but £419 sounds an extortionate amount to me.

Griff - my Mum has an immune system problem & takes vitamin B supplements (amongst other things). She had exactly this reaction when the chemist got the drugs from a different source & she effectively took an overdose. She was bright red & swollen within 10 minutes but the reaction wore off after a few hours. Have you just gone on the vitamin supplements you mentioned? If so, please check the dose.

Now there's an image - owl touring the town in a phallic symbol! Nearly choking on my breakfast at that one!

Jayne and Amy, if you are both single and would prefer not to be have you ever thought about having some coaching to boost your self-confidence? I am probably lucky that in the course of my work, I have been on some good courses. Some of the techniques that encourage you to think and see things differently are actually useful for life in general. Just a thought. I have a semi-retired friend who has taken up lifestyle coaching - she is not my coach but when we meet for lunch and a chat some of the things she says are quite thought-provoking. A good coach in my view just brings out the best in you - it is there already, but sometimes needs a little nurturing to emerge. It is so easy for all of us to get stuck in our various ruts and sometimes a little nudge in a different direction does us good. Incidentally, I did not meet my husband until I was just over 30, although I hadn't been single for any significant periods before that. I dread to think what might have happened if I'd married some of the boyfriends I'd had when I was much younger! If I look around at my married friends many of them married later in life or have been divorced and are much happier second time round. Meeting Mr Right can happen at any age and marriage/permanent relationships in your 20's are not for everyone. Don't despair, you are both lovely people with lots going for you x

Sam, you are right, but you are indeed sounding like a very old Squirrel ;)

Hope you feel a lot better soon Griff. Gooster - I too would not go there if Mr G has an OH, however much he claims to be committed or not. Sounds to me like he is trying to get the best of both worlds which is not fair on you or his OH. Thank you for plant advice. We bought 2 false box balls this afternoon & they look fine hanging from the hooks at the front of the pergola. I was so tempted by baskets of violas at only £5 each but dead flowers look dreadful so I resisted. We may contemplate a couple of pots & ideas have included thyme, rosemary, sedum etc All these could work in a pot but not be so great perhaps in a hanging basket

Eeeuuuwww, dentists - no likey! Reuben has still not grasped concept that rising at 6am on holiday is not necessary or particularly welcome! Alex - thanks re plants, looks like we are a bit stumped & may have to resort to something artificial like box or conifer balls. Will see if I can find any that look half decent.

The pergola has a couple of climbers in large pots left by previous owners. They are not doing much as yet. Maybe I'd be better looking at artificial box or conifer balls. It looks a bit bare with nothing but I am not sure guests would want garden maintenance duties.

I have a question for the esteemed gardener of this forum - yes Alex/Merledogs I mean you ;) At WagTails house we have a decked area with pergola over with hooks for baskets as well as several brackets on the fences for baskets. Baskets & pots were the main colour in the garden for previous owners. Obviously being a holiday home we simply can't have a high maintenance garden so lots of pots will be a no no. Can you recommend anything for baskets that would cope with minimal watering, no dead-heading etc? I could only think of ivy but hubbie hates ivy as he is forever pulling it up in the garden at home. Ideally I want something inexpensive in case it dies!

buddyboy - sorry, missed your post. Perhaps indeed we can meet up for a dog walk on a future holiday. As time goes on hopefully when we are at WagTails House we will spend less time doing jobs and have more free time. We are still adding things at the house which we have only had since last November and making it even nicer than it already is.

Good luck Jazz, a rotten situation x Owl, glad an appointment is sorted. Remember James who had the motorbike accident? It was a couple of weeks after discharge before he got a physio appointment - they were short staffed. James has just been told he can begin to weight bear on the smashed leg and his arm has recovered enough to use crutches. He was ecstatic about having his first proper shower the other day as he has no cast or dressings & he could get upstairs on his bum. Enjoying the return of Wi-Fi but at the same time not pleased about the addiction! ;)

We now have broadband at WagTails House so I am no longer reliant on a dodgy mobile phone signal and tiny text. Hooray! Best wishes to all from drizzly Wales. For about 40 minutes this morning we had a 2 mile beach to ourselves.

Thank you for all kind thoughts and offers of sharing and venting. I will keep quiet here, not because I don't trust the people on this thread, but because I think it is probably best. It is a horrible situation with feelings running very high on both sides. My Dad was 80 on Tuesday. We had a Chinese meal. He ate moderately, coughed quite a lot and wanted to go home for a sleep afterwards I bought him a chair and footstool for his birthday - it is only an Ikea one but he tried one we have at WagTails House and found it really comfortable. He doesn't slouch in it and that saves him chest pain. I'm happy to be able to help a bit.

Good morning all, I'm just here to say best wishes to you all. I have not forgotten you but will keep a low profile and not comment much as I am attracting plenty of flack elsewhere which there is no need to drag over to here. Before vanishing again, I just have to say that Jayne that waist is amazing. One day I will find mine again. The family health stresses over the last year or so have contributed to its disappearance! Best wishes Liz

Indeed Yantan. Sadly I have been aware of (but not involved in) similar things with other rescues too. You seem to see the best and the worst of people in the rescue world.

Embroiled in a horrible situation about a rescue that I used to support. Very sad that it has come to this, but can't do nothing when I am certain changes need to be made. I'll say no more

Good news Griff but I hope you also feel better soon. I hope you can sort something out for your Mum soon Owl. I am visiting someone tomorrow who has become a full time carer for their mother who has both dementia and terminal cancer. Not surprisingly she sounds very stressed. Good luck with the stair lift Jazz. Merledogs, can you come & do my garden please as I seem to have lost interest in gardening recently.

How distressing for you Owl. I hope things with you Mum improve

Love the Google Nose thingy! Just to clarify, rumours that I might be pregnant are not true - the travel cot I have just purchased is for guests at WagTails House!

Sorry to hear about your Father in Law Murtle. Hope you are soon better Owl. I hate any animal being in distress Apologies if I have missed anyone, just skim read as have been away with work & ongoing problems with my Dad so my head feels a bit mushy!

Hope everyone surrounded by snow is okay. It has settled on the grass here but the roads are still clear as yet, and although it is still snowing it is very fine stuff that's having little impact. I am worried about my Dad who has been to the hospital for an x-ray and been prescribed oramorph by the cancer nurses as his coughing was so bad. They didn't tell me any of this stuff while I was away working for a couple of days. Dad's appetite has declined and he is doing very little. He is suggesting I take my Mum shopping to look at blinds and saying he doesn't do shopping - I know normally he'd have taken her even so Mum went out to lunch one day leaving cauliflower cheese in the microwave for Dad - he ate it cold as he couldn't operate the microwave!