Good Riddence 2022

Good Riddence 2022 it has not been nice knowing you!

I'm sure some good things must have happened but I honestly can't remember them over the 💩 you've dealt us as a family

2023 is also going to have a tough start, especially for my dad as he starts his fight against Esophageal Cancer

My mum is living in her own world these days due to the Vascular Dementia caused by her stroke in 2021 which is tough on everybody, what little empathy she ever had for others which wasn't much, has now completely disappeared

My uncle was finally laid to rest in Cyprus after we weren't informed of his death until several months after the fact

Christmas Present to Myself

I only went and done it!

It was late Christmas Eve in Guildford at around 1630 and all the shops were closing down for the festive period 

I'd been overly warm in my Christmas Jumper all day and I was hot and sweaty, the back of my neck was really uncomfortable because my hair was so damp with sweat 

I turned to my partner and said "If only I could find a hairdresser where I could just walk into, I'd get my hair cut off right now, it's been driving me bonkers today"

As we rounded the corner fate stepped in, my partner spotted that there was a barbers shop still open and what looked like a member of staff outside

We asked what time they closed and surprisingly for Christmas Eve they were still open until 1800, I asked if they'd be able to cut my hair off short now, the guy said he'd have to ask and we said that's ok we have something to do and let us know when we come back this way again in 10 minutes

Christmas Round-Up of 2022

Wishing all our followers both new and old a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Photo Description:- Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel and Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel sitting side by side in front of a frosty Azalea bush. Both are wearing red Santa Hats worn at a jaunty angle as they look at the camera

It's been a tough year here at Crazy Towers, first discovering that both my parents now have dementia and all the changes involved in

Christmas Risk Assessment

Photos Description:- Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel and Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel sitting side facing the camera in front of and Ivy covered fence wearing Santa hats

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN:

Please be advised that all members planning to dash through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are required to undergo a Risk Assessment addressing the safety of open sleighs

Feeling Deflated

⚠️Trigger Warning⚠️

Talk of Scans and Surgery

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Photo Description:- A deflated planet earth balloon

New Product from Paleo Ridge

Were so excited that Paleo Ridge have just launched a whole new range of complete meals

Introducing the Essentials Range 

Photo Description:- Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel laying next to a large cardboard box with the word woof written in blood black letters on the front. On top of the box are the six new Essentials meal boxs

The Essentials Range has been formulated to provide dogs

Time Lost

Later today dad and I are heading back to the hospital for his 6 week post op check up, the new knee looks great and he's getting around so much easier, also his pain levels are now greatly reduced which is fantastic

I'm a bit worried about the amount of pitting edema still in his calf and lower leg as he keeps forgetting to elevate it, but he's religiously doing all his physio exercises which is great and he now has 85 degrees of bend in it, 90 degrees is what the physio aims for

Physio is the most important part

A trip into the unknown

I'm taking Boris on a little adventure today to see his favourite vet Tania for a second opinion, it's taken me some time to track her down since she swapped practices

Photo Description:- A head shot of Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel facing the camera with a wall of autumnal dead bracken behind him 

I felt at his recent yearly check up

Too Cut or Not to Cut

 Decisions Decisions

I really can't decide whether to get my hair cut short again, it's soooo long now (half way down my back when it's wet) it gets really knotty every day and even with detangle spray it takes an age to brush out

Current length and excessive volume when my hair is dry
Once wet it reaches half way down my back 

I can't tie it into a pony tail because of an old shoulder injury which means I can't lift my arm high enough which is so frustrating, on a pros and cons list the only reason to keep it long is so I don't have to endure having a haircut every 4 weeks because my hair grows so fast

A Day Off - NOT

Saturday morning - and so it starts when the dreaded house phone wakes me from my slumpers before it's even 0800

One day is all I ask, just one day to myself!

A typical type of phone call I recieve several times a day on most days from my mum, the item she requires varies from time to time, but the conversation always takes the same route

Whenever mum wants something from Tescos I'm expected to jump too it,  drive the 10 miles to my parents house, do their shopping then unpack it all once I get back to their house, then drive the 10 miles home again without so much of a word of thanks

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Mum - Can you go shopping today?

Me - Can it wait until tomorrow? 

Bit of a Round Up

Bit of a weird day today filled with much sadness for our Queen, I didn't watch the funeral but I will at a later date when I feel more up to it

Sadly last week I was  also informed of the death of a good friend and work colleague of many years, which has made me feel very out of sorts at the moment

Dad Update

Dad is doing OK and yesterday managed 8 stairs up and down in the gym, so they're looking to send him home soon, normally it would have been yesterday, I was in for 5 days for each of my knees, but it's felt that dad is going to need some extra help with carers at home for a short time until he's built his strength back up

He should have had his knee done years ago, but he's so damn polite and hates making a fuss that he slipped through the net by insisting he could manage

When I pushed for it originally after mum's stroke dad was so much fitter, as the day of his surgery approached I asked him many times if he was sure it was what he wanted, knowing how hard the recovery can be I was starting to worry it might be too much for him as he's quite frail now

RIP Your Majesty

𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐈

𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟔 - 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

Today we pause to remember and celebrate Queen Elizabeth II our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this difficult time

Phillip came to me today, 

and said it was time to go. 

I looked at him and smiled,

as I whispered that "I know"

Good News at Last

After months of pushing for my dad to have Knee Replacement surgery as his leg is so bowed the hospital finally rang yesterday to say that they had a cancellation and could finally fit dad's knee replacement surgery in this coming Monday

He's needed a new knee for the past 10 years or more and can barely walk these days as his leg is so badly bowed

So we're off to his pre-assessment appointment this afternoon, talk about short notice

A Quick Update

 Busy, busy, busy but so lucky to have such amazing friends keeping me sane when everything gets too much

Also not forgetting Himself who's my absolute rock, who never complains when like yesterday a quick trip to my parents house to collect prescriptions and make up their pill pots, resulted in me unexpectedly doing the shopping and having to reassure dad about something he got the wrong end of the stick about, so I didn't arrive home until really late in the evening

Photo Description:- My mum sitting in her wheelchair in Tescos on our very first trip out shopping, she's wearing a blue coat and a poppy facemask

Also Boris and Eko who are putting up with irregular walks that are usually too short, irregular meal times and the fact I come home smelling like another person's dog that my parents (me) are looking after whilst her owner is in hospital 

Silent Sunday

Photo Description:- A profile head shot of Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel facing left with his mouth open and focused intently at something off screen

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The Queens Platinum Jubilee Weekend

This weekend at Dogstival was a very special moment for The Boys and I

Too finally be able to meet everyone from Paleo Ridge face to face, especially Esther and Will who we've got to know quite well over the phone and via emails was just amazing

Photo Description:- Boris and Eko sitting in front of the Paleo Ridge stand wearing their Union Jack bandanas 

Eko flashed those sweet puppy dog eyes of his and everybody from

Jackanory Part 15 - Glitter Highlights?

I've recently noticed that Eko has developed some white eyebrows and I think they're so adorable. When he was born Eko was a beautiful shimmering light gold with a pink nose and two tone coloured paw pads

A recent photo of Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel laying on grass and looking at the camera with his tongue out and showing off how his eyebrows have recently started changing colour

At only 4 years old I'm inclined to think Eko is changing colour to a more roan like appearance, rather than going grey because of his two tone paw pad colouring

 

Silent Sunday

Boris sat chilling out amongst the long grass with his head turned to the left, he's also wearing a blue cooling vest as it was quite a warm day

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Time Off For Myself

My Reality of taking time out for myself, is it really not worth it! 

A great weekend was spent at Dog Fest Losley Park - The first day was spent with Himself and the second day with my friend Pippa, of course Boris and Eko came on both days too

Amazingly I didn't overspend and even though I was on my feet all weekend I did OK, but I'm sure feeling it today though, I'm really struggling just getting around in the house

Boris and Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel sitting on the giant letter D of the display spelling out the rest of the word Dog Fest which is out of shot. All the letters were covered in a green astro turf which looked amazingly like real grass

Then at around midday I heard the sound that I've come to dread, the house phone started ringing and it was my dad, he wanted to go shopping today instead of waiting until Wednesday as arranged

Bluebell Season

How I love the Bluebells at this time of year, but this year it just doesn't feel right to head out to our most favourite and secret Bluebell location without Dylan, Boris's brother

Dylan sadly Crossed the Rainbow Bridge over Lockdown, I didn't blog about it at the time as it wasn't my place too and I respect his mum too much, but every year we'd go to this location to photograph the Boys together

On our usual walks there are so few Bluebells and they're rarely blue, but the other day we found a very tiny and almost perfect patch, I remembered recently reading

A Split Second Changes Lives

A split second and everything changes, in photos it can be pretty funny like with Eko here, but in life that split second can change everything forever

A Stroke is sudden, a split second!

It changes everything you once knew, not just your life but for your family and friends too

A year ago this month my mum was hanging out the washing then BOOM!

Everything went

Allotment Adventures

Took Eko to the allotment yesterday and what a clever and brave boy he was

Ever since Eko was a tiny puppy getting him onto our allotment without upsetting him has been virtually impossible, so he's not been down there very often as he gets so very stressed out

To get to our allotment we have to go down a long narrow alleyway, on one side there are approx 8 large dogs of various breeds barking ferociously and throwing themselves at the fence, it's like running the gauntlet every time we visit

Eko laying on grass tucking into a chew held between his front paws with a look of total bliss on his face

Boris has always totally ignored them and we've never had any issues, but

Dog Etiquette 101

Absolutely brilliant

The other day I was at the local public park not a dog park, but dogs are allowed there. 

We were walking along in a high movement area so I had my dog on a leash.

Another dog, off leash, sees us and starts approaching.

My dog needs her space so we start moving away, but the dog got to us before we could leave. 

My dog was stressing a little so I politely said to the woman

"Sorry my dog doesn't want to play" and ushered her dog away.

Her dog gets the message and moves on.

Quite good, right?

Here comes the juicy part:

Silent Sunday 🤫

Boris the sitting out on the common in the warm Winter sunshine, he's facing to the left with a happy expression on his face, his tongue is hanging out to one side to cool off after racing around in the Heather

This post is linked too:-

Over 40 and mum to one

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Regretting Choices Made

This past few weeks have been particularly tough for me personally, nothing out of the ordinary has happened, except I've been feeling the ominous cloud of the Big Black Dog circling around me again

The biggest change in my life since mum's stroke has been losing my freedom, I used to walk the dogs for many hours out on the common, just enjoying nature and never having to worry about what time it was

Looking up a tree trunk into the sky, with the words "Some days I feel very small" written in white in the lower half of the photo

Nowadays I'm always having to watch the clock to be somewhere at certain

Jackanory Part 14 - Don't Feed the Trolls

Found this old post of Eko as a puppy, when I wrote it I was very angry but decided not to post it and feed the Trolls at the time, hence why it's now part of our Jackanory Stories

OMG the keyboard warriors are out in force again, yet again I've received unsolicited training advice to use a prong collar on Eko to teach him to respect me

There's absolutely no need to train dogs using fear, force or dominance with e-collars, prong collars, choke chains, rattle bottles, discs or any other of the many adversive training methods out there

Emma Kate

Emma Kate Wheeler

We'll never know

Bench perfectly placed

For those in need

Her family loved her

To pick such a spot

Ten Year Round Up

I don't really know where to start with rounding up the past 10 years

So much has happened 

Myself in Blackpool with a Slush Puppy in my hand licking the straw wearing a purple fleece and ginger hair

I was forced into medical retirement from the job I loved