Hooray! At last I can help! (Long, sorry in advance)

Tut tut! the sailors are ok though

And surely the jeni?

In moderation only [stern frowning doctor look]

Yes, phoenix I have seen that thread, which is why I hope you are keeping copies of all your stories for recycling.

Elegran , I do when I remember! I suppose I should just create a folder and C&P bits in.

Not sure if there might be a bit of a problem though, I think because they were posted on here, it may actually be Gransnet that has any sort of copyright type thing.

It does say "non-exclusive copyright" which ought to mean (shouldn't it?) that they can quote things but not prevent you from using them elsewhere?

Goodness, we don't give away our rights to our bon mots when we submit them to the internet! How on earth can the copyright belong to Gransnet (or any other forum)?

Don't worry, IF I ever get anything published, I don't really think that GNHQ would be likely to sue! And if they did try to, we could blockade their cake deliveries. That would teach them!

I seem to remember them explaining it once - it sounded as though they were staking a claim to repeat our gems if they wanted to, but not to deprive us of them and keep them for their own. When they sober up and return we might get it clarified again.

Elegran are you suggesting that they (whisper) d . r . i. n . k .?

Yeah, they probably smoke as well! Or at least some of them....

Oh Phoenix you have made me laugh, I'm sure you could write a book a sort of diary, you make everything sound so funny, all your adventures would be so good to read.

Well, phoenix they have to wash down all that cake with something

Time to stop planning/plucking up courage - go for it! We all think you're fantastic. Aren't there agencies who find publishers for you in return for 10% or something?

They do quote us on the Facebook page, but I don't suppose anyone but us reads it...

phoenix you're a wonderful neighbour ..and a brilliant writer.Anyone who's ever owned/walked a dog can identify with your exploits...definitely worth publication.My sister used to buy a magazine 'Our Dogs' there's a start.

Good luck ..We're in the queue for first edition

You lot are the wonderful ones, your lovely comments do give me a boost!

I have been speaking to J, and after a successful home assessment visit, B is coming home on Friday, which is great news. J has asked if I can be put on the rota to help, both with dog walking and helping B when she has to go back to work (she will take a week off initially, but they will need a bit of help after that), and for once I am glad that I am not currently gainfully employed. B is saying who he will feel most comfortable with, and I'm on his list! (we have known each other since about 1995, when he was a head of department at the same place where I worked)

Both she and B have been such good friends to me over the years, through my separation and divorce, my remarriage to Mr P (J was sort of matron of honour) and of course Jack's death.

I think it's an honour to be asked, just hope that when B needs his walks, they aren't going to become "yomps" the way that J's did when I was helping after her hysterectomy, or as we called it, her "hystericalectomy"!

Also wish that they lived in the same village, but that can't be helped.

I think batch cooking of soup may be in order!

phoenix, you sound so much more upbeat. Every cloud etc. - I know it's a cliché but it's so often true!

Love soup. Want to come and look after me? My kids think I need a minder!(or did they say keeper? Memory going)

I just love reading the posts from you phoenix -

Thank you all, virtual leek and potato and lentil and bacon, the two soups (always makes me think of Julie Walters ) that always seem to come out best from my repertoire , winging their way to you!

It IS good to feel that I can actually do something, rather than just sit here waffling on, although I must admit I do very much enjoy my time on Gransnet!

For goodness sake, phoenix, don't stop waffling.

What a dreadful thought, no Phoenix

Well, J's period at home has come to an end, so the rota is applied!

She had to leave for work at 6am today, so asked if I would like to go to supper, stay over and be on B patrol for the day, or at least until she got home at around 2pm.

There was an interesting discussion around the dinner table with regard as whether B would allow me to button his jeans (left hand still not working very well) his niece had been "on duty" the previous day and he did not feel comfortable asking her to do it, she hadn't realised that he couldn't do it, so B spent the day looking like a slightly older version of those lads one sees with the crotch of their trousers halfway to their knees. (Has anyone ever told them that they look just like they did at around the age of 2 when they had s*it themselves? Probably not.) B eventually said that he would, as long as my hands weren't cold!

He has made the most amazing progress, and last Thursday actually went with J on a ( much shorter than usual) walk with the dogs!

B & J went up to bed at around 8pm, I stayed up to watch a couple of programmes. As soon a they had gone to bed, Willow left "her" sofa which had a dustsheet on it, and moved to sit next to me on the other one. As she snuggled down I became aware of a less than aromatic odour, which I identified as eau de fox poo. Lovely. Bit late in the day to perfom canine ablutions, so just tried to avoid any deep breathing through the nose. Jasmine the cocker attempted SAS type stealth movements to wriggle in between me and Willow. It was fun watching her trying to do it in stages, so I pretended that I hadn't noticed. (Well, when you are the smallest of the dogs in the household and sometimes get chased and duffed up by a 15 year old cat, you need the odd ego boost). Lyle, (aforementioned 15 year old cat) decided to sit between me and the arm of the sofa, so I was pretty well wedged in.

The rest of the evening passed happily enough, although I did have to turn the volume on the TV up a notch to overcome the dulcet tones of Willows snores. At the appointed hour, I evicted all animals from the sitting room, turned off the TV and the lamps.

This post is already rather long, so I will save the events of the next morning (i.e. today) for another post.

As Pepys would say, "And so to bed".