Christmas Day 2009

This Christmas Day I want to wish everyone Christmas Blessings. It doesn't matter what your religeon is, it doesn't matter if you don't believe, all that matters is that we are here and we are sharing love and joy. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are less fortunate than me, those who are mourning the loss of loved ones, those who are ill, or trapped in conflict.

We have just had our Christmas dinner and I am so stuffed full of food! I am sitting here wearing my paper crown and watching the traditional Christmas edition of Top of the Pops, waiting for the Queens speech at 3pm. I have Wilbur curled up next to me, he stole a party popper and it exploded in his mouth. He was very scared and dejected and immediately came to me for reassurance, he is such a silly dog. I love Wilbur because there is not a nasty bone in his body, even if he has just met you he will look at you with such complete adoration, I think thats why when things go wrong or upset him he gets very hurt!

Pickles loves her new toys especially the dog beer! The dogs have had their Christmas dinner too and loved every morsal! Oh no! Pickles has started........ she is grumbling....... mumbling......... woofing....... she wants my coffee!

Just look at all the the gifts Santa brought my boys. The best part about it was that neither boys asked for much because I have taught them about the cost of things and both were over the moon with everything they had. Even though there were gifts I was unable to get for them, not a complaint was made, I am so proud of them.

Joe enjoys playing chess and all he wanted this Christmas was a proper chess set. The one we got him is hand carved and is beautiful, something I hope he will keep and treasure for years to come.

My boys got me this Steiff pony! She is a welcome addition to my collection of bears. I love Steiff creatures so much because of the attention to detail. I didn't know of this pony but its lovely and I will treasure it forever.

I have been so lucky this Christmas but the best of all is just being alive and well this Christmas, being with my family, enjoying them, relishing in their youth. They still believe in Father Christmas and its such a special time. This is probably the last year that Joe believes because he is off to high school in September.... bitter sweet.

So on this special and Holy day, I wish you all health and happiness this Christmas and for the coming new year.

Come for a walk with me and my dogs......

Please feel free to click on any of the photographs to enlarge, I have imported them as small pictures because there were so many. I apologise for the blurring and colour issues but it was quite difficult to take photographs with 3 naughty dogs in tow! So this is the start of our walk, coming out of Lavister Walks.

We enter onto Darland Lane. When we first moved to Lavister Walks almost 15 years ago, there were no houses on the left but now it is quite built up.

These are my walking companions. Left to right: Wilbur, Pickles and Poppy.

We pass lots of blackberry bushes on our walk, some blackberries have past their best but others are still waiting to ripen. I must pick some to make some blackberry brandy for Christmas, its really lovely and makes nice gifts for friends.

These are the out buildings of Gamford Farm, it used to be a pig farm but has stopped working for a long while now. There were animal abuse issues and the place was closed down thankfully. I used to be able to hear the pigs squealing from my house and it wasn't pleasant.

The old sign for the farm which is as decrepit as the building itself is becoming over the years.

We walk quite a way down the lane before we come to the first set of cottages which is called the area of Trevalyn. Very pretty cottages but I wouldn't like to live in one because alot of commuters use the lane as a short cut and I think they think it is a race track!

We leave Gamford Lane and re-enter Darland Lane. There are fields full of horses and ponies, this one whinnied at us and alarmed the dogs. At this point, Pickles is allowed off her lead because it is a very narrow and quiet lane and she is a good dog..... Wilbur and Poppy are not to be trusted!

Trevalyn Farm, a really old farm house which has recently been restored. They converted the barns and outbuildings into flats and houses presumably to raise money for the refurbishment. The development is sweet but I think it has robbed the old farm house of some of its character.

I could not pass this hedgrow without taking a picture because the berries were in abundance and so pretty.

Here are my PINK sheep! I think the farmer must have either been drunk when he marked these sheep or it was raining and the colour has run!

I found this freshly dug hole in the hedgrow. It kind of turns off to the right. Not sure what sort of animal it belongs to but probably a rabbit.

One of my favourite trees along Darland Lane. Ancient oaks. One could stare at this tree the entire day and still wonder at its beauty and find different patterns, textures and life.

Sloe Berries, great for making Sloe Gin. I usually pick lots of these, freeze them then use them for my gin, again, another nice Christmas gift for friends. These should be picked after the first frost but as the weather has changed here in recent years, I prefer to pick them and freeze them myself.

We are approaching Darland Woods now, Pickles is checking that we are going the right way. The woods are on the right.

Just what the dogs have waited for. This is the entrance to the woods where all of the dogs are allowed off their leads. I am climbing over the style at this point while they have bounced off to sniff some smells.

Poppy has been squirrel and duck hunting and is about to re-join her "pack".

Wilbur sporting his leather head collar because he pulls so badly, a headcollar is a great way to control him without pressing on his neck. He tends to cough easily so I am concerned about any restriction put around his neck.

As we passed the lake, the sun hit the leaves of this tree and it looked so pretty, I had to take a picture of it.

We leave Darland Woods at this point and enter the Golf Course. It is a "pay as you go" golf course and has been in existance for almost 10 years. I remember it when it was agricultural land and one would hardly meet anyone on this walk, now you bump into golfers and other dog walkers so it has lost some of its charm for me. At least the golf course are planting trees and enhancing the environment but they have culled all of the rabbits and I have found some disturbing mole traps.

The entrance of the golf course and the exit for us! This is where the dogs go back onto their leads for safety because the main road ahead has a tendancy to be extremely busy.

Here we are on the main Chester Road, about 5 minutes walk from home and the end of our walk. The dogs are tired and so am I! So, I treat myself to an iced latte (skinny of course) with a dash of vanilla essence..... blissful x

Tired...... AGAIN!!!!

Yep, tired again! I wish I didn't feel like this. I can cope with feeling ill but not this washed out tired feeling.

Mum, Auntie Heather and Uncle Phil took me to Glan Clwyd today so it was a nice change. Uncle Phil is having a stall at Coedpoeth Village Fete on Saturday. He turns wood and makes the most fantastic crafts such as carved walking sticks, figurines and welsh love spoons. His attention to detail is "second to none" he has an amazing talent and his works of art astound me. I will try to get some photos and hey....... if anyone wants to commission a piece of work...... made by a 100% welsh man, living in the welsh mountians, let me know and I will get you in touch with him.

In Wales it was a tradition for a suitor to carve a wooden spoon for his betrothed which signified everything he could give her. These spoons are beautiful.

Anyway, I digress...... Radiotherapy over again, same faces, same routine. My radiographer yesterday and today was born in 1966, same as me! The year the football won the World Cup! I hope I have weathered better than him!!! Mind you, it was nice to put the young ones in their places when we talked about shillings, half pennies and the old pound note!!

When I got home I was ordered to bed by my mum!! I must admit, the second my head hit the pillows I fell asleep. However, last night my sleep was interrupted by a naughty yapping dog called Pickles! The only time she yaps is if she is upset but last night it was because I had a chicken defrosting on the side! Naughty Pickles!!!!

I managed to get to the doctors in the village and requested some diprobase on prescription without seeing the doctors. The nurse said this would be ok so I can collect from Glen in Rossett Pharmacy tomorrow.... that will save me about £5 - £10 because all our prescriptive medicine in Wales is free on the NHS.

So tonight, mum has gone home and I am looking forward to a night with my husband, hopefully a peacefull sleep and more radiotherapy in the morning.


Oh..... PS....... I can't share my secret with you yet but at the end of October........ one of my dreams is coming true........... watch this space dudes!!!!!!!!

Friends

My mum and Joe

Friends come in all shapes and sizes. They come from all walks of life and bring with them a wealth of information about their lives and experiences. They can be any age, any colour, any breed. Friends have no limitations.

Chloe

When I was a girl, I had pen-friends from all over the world. Some came and some went but I am still in contact with two of them, one from America and the other Canada. We have never physically met but we are still friends and we care about each other. We give each other support when needed and just because we have not met, it doesn't lesson the friendship or bond that we have.

Margaret, my mother in law

Some of my friends are tiny, some are large, some are wrinkled and some are covered in fur. Some I have met, some I have not but my friends are my friends and I value them so very much. My friends have played an integral part in my fight with Breast Cancer and some dont even realise it!

Mums dog Al

My blogging friends, well, I have not met you but you are my friends, no less or no more than those I see every day.

My Joe

So my friends, I thank God for cyber space and computer networking and I thank God for having you as my friends.

Tribute to Dogs Past and Present

There was a dog show in Rossett today, just a fun thing really. I would have liked to have taken one of my dogs but I am so so tired and I don't know why? Chemo is on Thursday 3rd September so this should be my "good" week. Mind you, if its anything like the Epi, I seemed to suffer from a cumulative effect of chemo. Anyway, enough of that stuff. Here is Wilbur and Pickles sitting together on the sofa. Its hard to believe that when Wilbur first joined our family almost 2 years ago, Pickles couldn't bear him to be anywhere near her.

Pickles is like a fluffy mountain goat at the moment. I only had the energy to clip Wilbur and I only did that because he was hot and bothered (he is a full action pup!). She is very much a "mother bear" dog. She tells all the children off who come to the house while staying at a safe distance from them. I think she is issuing warnings of "you must behave in my house". She is quite a character! She was and is my "3rd time lucky" dog.

Poppy belongs to my friend but she comes to my house on a daily basis while said friend is at work. She also stays some nights and weekends and is an integral part of our family. Harry decided to wrap her up in my dressing gown and she didn't mind at all. She is a characterful dog too.

It's hard to believe that this photo was taken 11 years ago in Erddig. I was pregnant with Joe in the picture and I am here with my mum, my darling first dog Bobbi and mums treasure of a dog, Suzi. I took mum to a rescue centre and she wasn't sure about having a dog again after losing our Ben and Sheba but I thought it was what she needed. It was love at first sight. Mum and Suzi had an instant connection. She was such a gentle and peaceful dog and I miss her.

Me and darling Bobbi on Red Nose Day!! What did we look like? She was my darling treasure of a dog. My little shadow. My little angel. Taken away too soon by cancer. She would have been 15 years old now. This week on 25th August 2009 was the 10th anniversary of her passing. I miss her with all my heart, she was such a special little dog.

Finally, rather ironically, my brothers/mums/brothers fiances dog Roscoe passed away this week. He had suffered a stroke and had been in decline for a few weeks. Sadly, his time came and he met a peaceful end.

I thank all of the dogs in my life for giving me their unconditional love, their support, their company: Patch, Ben, Sheba, Suzi, Bobbi, Sadie, Roscoe, Morgan and in life now; Pickles, Wilbur, Poppy, Al and Fudge. Without them, my life would have been / would be a much duller and sadder place.

Photos

This photo is of my very best and dearest friend Jan and myself at her sisters 40th birthday party last December 2008.

Same party but this picture is of my other dear friend Clare and my husband Jason

Again, same party and another dear friend Rachel (Rachel is really beautiful inside & out)

Christmas 2008, Flight Commander Harry Llewelyn with Pickles

Halloween 2008 - Harry and Joe

I found my camara and decided to download the contents. Oh what happy memories came back so I thought I would share them with you, enjoy!

I am going to try to download a video off the camara which is of my lovely Miniature Schnauzer Pickles who LOVES tea. There is no sound on the footage but what I am saying to her is "would you like a cup of tea?" she replies then I say "oh dear, too hot" and she replies. Her quest for a cup of tea is quite funny!