Black Dog 12

Doodle A cruise, how exciting. Being waited on and entertained is what a holiday is all about. You've been busy, cleaning .

Anniebach* I fancy a canal holiday. Every time I see something on tv about canals, I think I'd like it.

ScaredyCat I bet you can hardly wait to see your son. Driving across Europe sounds interesting. Will you stop off at a few places?

SweetpeaSue I'm glad you're feeling a bit better and managing to do a few things. Bread made at home is lovely, isn't it? With thick butter on

We had a lovely day in Thisk - the coach left at 8am, got there at 11, after a stop halfway. We had a pub lunch, a mooch around the town centre, went to the James Herriot museum, which was really interesting. The interactive things there was good fun. Coffee and cake, a stroll down by the river, then got home at 7. Just had a snack, a shower, changed my bed, put the washer on. I'm cream crackered .

Hope everyone on BD has a restful night x

Rereading messages this morning. I know’daffodilS’ by heart but never taken the phrase ‘ I wandered lonely’ on its own before. Thinking that’s what I do. Wander lonely. Am going out this morning to wander through nearby woods and posh streets looking at peoples gardens. Trying to stop all the what ifs about the wedding on Saturday. We are not getting the lovely weather like the rest of the uk but if I get wet so be it.

Hi all x

Ellie Anne remember Wordsworth did wander lonely but
he found comfort and joy from the daffodils and when feeling
low he remembered those daffodils, try doing the same , when
in your bedroom and depressed think of lovely moments in your life . Why are you worried about the wedding ? You have
a lovely posh frock to wear and your son will be so happy x

HVDY so happy you had an enjoyable day in Thisk x

Doodle a canal trip in Wales, I can assure you there are many
pubs along our canals where you have your cooked meals , !

Sweetpeasue hope you are feeling better with each day , x

Scaredycat you must be so longing to see your son , my younger daughter is coming to visit me next weekend, haven’t
been here for over 2 years x

How is everyone?

Evening all. Just spent a frustrating half an hour filling in an online application to renew my driving licence only for them to say at the end they cannot verify my photo from my passport. ?
HVDY yes we are looking forward to our holiday. Nice not to think about what to have for dinner.
You had a very pleasant day in Thisk by the sound of it. Good company and a nice meal. Going by coach means you can relax and enjoy the scenery. Not surprised you were tired after that.
Ellie Anne you are doing the right thing trying to keep your mind occupied and not dwelling on your worries. Big events like weddings always get me anxious too. I’m sure all will go well and your outfit will be lovely. I hope, once you are there, you can relax and enjoy it. Fingers crossed for the weather to be fine.
Annie you’ve got me thinking of canal trips now. Nothing quite like a pub meal on the river. How is your ankle, is it feeling any better? So pleased to hear your DD is coming to see you soon. Is she staying for a while. I bet you can’t wait to see her.
Hope all the BDG are ok. Peaceful night all x

Hello all, still hear in the background, I do think of you all
I don’t feel up to saying much I’m ok just plodding on like I do
Annie how are you? Lovely your DD is coming to see you. I got a full time job with my little Coco she is sooo funny.
Doodle of on a cruise I love cruises nothing at all to do, we can’t go anywhere our passports have run out waiting for new ones to come.. enjoy wish I was going... I have been looking at canal trips I like the idea of spending time on a barge...
Scaredycat how are you getting on? Have caught up on all the news.
Hope everyone else are well...
take care all hope everyone has a peaceful nights sleep ?

Hi Joce nice to know you are still with us. Your Coco is obviously keeping you busy. Must be a joy to have around.
A canal trip sounds relaxing. There are a couple of series on BBC about canal trips. It looks so peaceful and tranquil.
I hope all things are going well for you. Take care x

I would love to go on a canal trip but I could never go away with dh because we don’t communicate or like same things.
Wedding is complicated. Daughter who lives a long way off says if she comes it will be all in one day. 5 hrs each way. Now she is not telling me her plans at all so I’m keeping out of it. Sons partner is great but has a very close family and they are much more involved . Any time we are together we are on the sidelines. It’s not deliberate. Anyway it will come and go.
Enjoy your visit Annie. You deserve some happiness.

Hi all x

Ellie Anne so often the grooms family feel on the sidelines
it’s unfair but it’s true. I hope you had 50% of the guest list, come the day it’s your son so be proud x

Joyce so happy for you, dogs bring joy and sharp teeth ?,
I haven’t been without a dog since my Grampa bought me my
first puppy when I was 17, have two now, at times have had three, they are my sixteenth and seventeenth. Give Coco a cuddle from me, lovely to hear from you x

Friends I can recommend a canal holiday , if possible take a day trip x

How is everyone?

Annie- so pleased you are going to have a visit from your younger daughter.You must be so excited.
I think I would like a canal holiday . My friends bought a canal boat but they found it very hard work as they were older.
All those little doggy lives you have shared- I,ve had more cats than dogs but both are wonderful companions.
EllieAnne- Weddings are very rarely without a bit of stress and worry. Try and relax and enjoy your day- you will look lovely in your new dress and just seeing your son happy should make you feel happy too. I,m sure his sister will not miss her brothers wedding - it,ll be a bonus for you.
Joce- so nice you popped in. Coco sounds like she has brought some Joy into your life. We love cruises too maybe next year eh! I,m ok thanks for asking. Hope you have a pleasant weekend.
HVDY- glad you enjoyed Thirsk it sounded a brilliant day.
Doodle- have a wonderful holiday .I,m not sure when you sail away but look forward to hearing about it.
Take care allx

Scaredycat Hope the AF has stayed away for you. Interesting that your friends found the canal boat quite hard work. It's something to think about before booking a holiday. Did you mean the work it takes to go through the locks? I've seen Timothy West and Prunella Scales tackle them in the TV series. I loved that.
Annie I'd never thought of the Word sworth poem in that way but now you've mentioned it I can see what he meant. I'm so pleased you're going to see your younger daughter soon. You will be excited about the visit, that's lovely.
Doodle We did some walking along the Pembrokeshire Way along the cliff paths. We visited Caldey Island too where the monks'(think they're Benedictine) Monastery is. It was quite a day, v hot, and I wondered why we were getting strange looks. Until I noticed my poor youngest son was coming out in Chicken Pox! We were given a wide berth in the boat on return journey.
HVDY So pleased you enjoyed your trip to Thirsk and James Herriot museum. Sounds like quite a full day.
EllieAnne Hope you can enjoy the wedding and everything goes well. It will be nice for you to see your daughter again. I think all weddings are a bit of a mixture of emotions, as family get togethers usually are anyway. Thinking of you.
Joce Nice to hear from you. Hope you're ok and I'm sure your little dog will keep you going.

Been so hot here today so it's nice and cool in our back garden at present and lovely and quiet--no loud music, bliss. Hope everyone has a good weekend and peaceful night. X

Ellie Anne I’m sure your DIL is involved a lot with her family as it gets close to wedding day but don’t feel you’re left out. It takes time to build a relationship. I have two DILs and get on well with both of them. We have grown towards each other over time. I’m pleased you like your sons wife to be. That’s a good start. I hope they will be happy together.
Could you find someone to have a little holiday with, friend or family member? I know several married couples who holiday separately as they have different interests. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the wedding. We didn’t have many of our friends at either of our sons weddings. They had many of their own guests to cater for and that was fine by us. It was their day after all.
Annie I bet you loved your first dog. I always wanted one when I was a child but for various reasons it couldn’t be. When I was married with children then I got the dog I longed for.
A day trip on the river is a good idea Annie quite slow and relaxing. Hope you are ok. Is your charger fixed yet?
Scaredycat owning a boat is a bit of a responsibility. There’s so much housekeeping you have to do to keep it shipshape. Nicer to go in someone else’s.
My DGD loves cats and would love one but not at the moment.
Thank you, We are off on Sunday so I will still pop in tomorrow
Sweetpeasue I watched the series with Timothy West and Prunella Scales too. They had a big boat. It looked lovely.
Oh dear, getting chicken pox in a day out wasn’t much fun. Poor boy. Yes it’s been so hot today. You’re lucky to have a nice garden to sit in. Hope you’re feeling ok and have a peaceful weekend.

Doodle fair winds and following seas.. hope you have a lovely holiday..

Annie Coco is a real joy, it’s been 20 plus years since I had my last 2 little dogs one weighed 2lb the other was 3lb both very small Yorkshire terriers they could out walk me then ? always said I would never have another it broke my heart when I lost them.. I’m happy with my little girl and her with us I think..

I just love ships, boats anything on the water, well sea for me.
Hope you all have a peaceful nights sleep.

Anniebach It must be so wonderful to see your daughter after all this time. Enjoy the visit.

Doodle Have a great holiday

EllieAnne Hope the wedding went well.

ScaredyCat Hope the AF is not a bother at the moment.

SweetpeaSue Hope you're ok today.

It's been boiling hot here today, so we haven't been out (It's lovely and cool in the front of the house). We went out yesterday, had a walk along by the river then drinks and dessert in a very smart pub.

I've had good news today, from the hospital. The bubble ECG I had 9 weeks ago has showed that everything is ok, no problem with the heart chambers etc. My heartrate is still a bit fast so I've got to have a 6-day monitor fitted in a couple of weeks. The Meningioma (brain tumour) hasn't grown, but I'm going to have a brain scan - in February 2024! I'm relieved.

Hope everyone manages to have a restful evening/night, despite the heat x

Joce we had Yorkies too. The smallest one we had would fit in a pint mug when fully grown. Her fur was beautiful silver and black (not the usual Yorkie colours) . She was very tiny but didn’t know that. She was forever off chasing Alsatian’s and bigger dogs. They were terrified of her . ?
Your Coco sounds lovely. I bet she’s great for cuddling.
Thank you for your thoughts. I hope the sea is calm too.
HVDY thank you too. We haven’t been out today either. Far too hot. Great news from your tests. You must be so relieved.
Glad you had a nice meal out yesterday.
Ellie Anne I do hope the wedding went well and you enjoyed it.
Sweetpeasue I hope things are ok for you and the pain stays away. Only a few more weeks till your test.
Scaredycat have a lovely visit with your son. Hope the journey goes smoothly and you have a great time.
Annie I hope you have a good time with your daughter. I bet you can’t wait to see her. Hope your ankle is feeling better.
Not sure when I’ll be in again but I will be thinking of you.
Take care all and catch up when I’m back. xx?

Joce It's wonderful that you are finding such joy again in your little Coco. We used to look after my son's labrador when he was working on rig and were so attached to him until he died. Our hearts were truly broken too. I'm so pleased you have a new little friend to fill the empty space.
HVDY That's wonderful news. You must be quite relieved. We have missed our walks so hopefully we will be making an effort tomorrow. Had car problems today.
Doodle Have an amazing time! Plenty or R&R and no cooking for you. Lovely scenery. ☺️

Hope everyone else has a lovely weekend. Scaredycat, Annie and all BD posters.

Hi all x

Doodle sorry I missed you yesterday to say have a great time,
so have a great time x

Friends I am sooo tired, my birthday last Friday, many FaceTime and telephone calls, yesterday my dearest, oldest friend and her husband arrived to spend the day with me, you
know I am so use to being on my own, so many conversations in two days, seeing my friend was wonderful, we didn’t become
friends at school , we shared a playpen !

One of my sisters telephoned me, I have said we haven’t had contact for over five years so you can understand the emotions.

How is everyone?

Anniebach Happy belated birthday for last Friday. How lovely that your friend visited you - fancy being friends for all those years! You haven't had contact with your sister in all that time? Not even 'phone calls or texts? It must have been very emotional to speak with her. x

It's too hot for my liking today - good to get the washing dry quickly (you know how I love keep doing washing haha). A friend called round but didn't stay - she brought me some cabbages, beetroot and lettuce from her allotment. Nice. I went to Morrisons and bought some plants for the pots and a few nice bushes to put in the back garden. Called in to see Son2 on the way back - his GF is away in Tenerife for 2wks so he's missing her - he could have gone with her and her parents but his passport hasn't yet come back (renewal).

How is everyone getting on with this heat? x

SweetPeaSue- yes my friends found it increasingly hard dealing with the locks etc.
It’s still very warm isn’t it - even the garden feels stuffy this afternoon.
I hope you are having a comfortable weekend with respite from your pain
Joce- Water is a constant source of Joy to me too- either
on it or just being near it. I would so love a sea view from my house.
I,m glad you have CoCo to keep you busy - she sounds delightful.
HVDY- such good news about your ECG - it must have been such a relief. Also good that you don’t need a brain scan til 2024. My daughter in law has to have a brain scan every year and it’s always so good to hear nothing has grown.
Love the sound of your river walk and posh pub a perfect way to,spend a Saturday.
Annie- Belated Birthday Wishes!! ??
So,pleased you had so many calls and good wishes . It must have been lovely to spend time with your old friend of many years. You so deserved some Birthday happiness.
But the best news that you heard from your sister- that must have been beyond emotional. I,do hope that will be the beginning of better things between you and your sisters.
Happy Happy Birthday.xx
EllieAnne- hope the wedding went off well and your son and his new wife had a wonderful day. Hope yoummanaged to enjoy it too.
Well it’s certainly a hot one today and promise of even hotter to come?Don’t really like it when it’s too hot to walk and do anything remotely active. Good excuse not to do housework though!! Pizza for tea tonight- no cooking!!
Hope tonight gets a bit cooler for you all.xxxx

Annie Happy belated Birthday to you...
Happy Birthday to you ?
Happy Birthday to you ?
Happy Birthday Dear Annie ?
Happy Birthday to you ..?
Sounds like you had a very busy day..
Hopefully you enjoyed it ???

And a very Happy Belated Birthday from me too Annie

So warm. Hope everyone manages to have a comfortable night.

Hi all x

Thank you for your birthday greetings and a song from Joyce

HVDY great to learn results of your tests x

Sweetpeasue how are you? I so hope you are getting some relief from your health problems x

Ellie Anne how was the wedding day for you ? Did your
daughter join you ? Bet you stole the show in your lovely posh
frock x

Scaredycat what is it about water ? the sea, rivers, canals, even
reservoirs, they always drew me like magnets, Some years ago
Catherine bought me an indoor water fountain. Yes it was good to hear from my sister, to hear her say ‘ I still don’t like your
birthdays, reminds me I will be a year older come August’.
how are you? x

My friends I shall refrain from saying ‘keep walking’ , gosh this
heat .

How is everyone?

* Annie* I do hope it's not too hot in your living room. It sounds as if you get the sun in there from the front the way you described it last time. Hope you can manage to get the windows open though when the heat is like this it doesn't seem to make any difference. No walking for us today. Oh my middle sister is a year younger than me and enjoys the fact mine is a couple of months before! ?My bowel pain is so much better, it's very strange. Not complaining though.
HVDY How lovely to have a friend who bring you her gardening produce. Love fresh beetroot. If you lived near us you could have some of our plums when they ripen. They're hanging in bunches like Grapes. We only got 3 last year. So pleased about your scan results. What a shame that your son's passport wasn't back in time for him to accompany girlfriend. Goodness knows how hot it will be in Tenerife though.
Scaredycat Hope you're OK and the AF has stayed away. Oh I love the sea. We intended a walk yesterday on the beach but unfortunately Uncle Tom Cobley and all did too. We couldn't get parked in the usually fairly empty spaces on top of grass near sand dunes. Never seen so many cars there.
EllieAnne Hope the wedding went OK and you're not too down about things at present.

I'm doing very well lately, thankyou. I'm afraid to say anything without touching wood. Hope everyone has a peaceful night. Hope it's cooler where Doodle is and they're having a nice start to their holiday.

SweetpeaSue I'm really glad you're feeling better lately and not having your bowel problems etc. I hope it continues. Son2 grows a lot of stuff in his garden, so we get courgettes, peppers and tomatoes occasionally. Our garden is about 70ft long but we only grow flowers and shrubs .

Anniebach I'm glad you're now in touch again with your sister. I was the youngest of 4 - the 2nd and 3rd of us are no longer here, only the eldest brother, who is 12 years older than I am (he's 75). I like to remind him of that sometimes .

I went to aqua aerobics today, which was really cooling in the water. Jacket potatoes, Jerk seasoned pork chops and salad for DH and Son1 tonight, I'll have tuna salad. I hope everyone on BD has managed to have a decent day. x

Not sure this will arrive but here goes anyway.
Annie belated happy returns. So sorry I missed your birthday. It sounds like an eventful day and lots of visitors and phone calls, So pleased your longtime friend visited and one of your sisters phoned. How lovely.
Sweetpeasue loosing a pet even if it’s not your own is always sad. They are so loving. Pleased your bowel pain is so much better. Must be such a relief for you and your DH.. let’s hope it stays that way. Take care.
HVDY DH and I are quite relieved to be heading towards cooler climates with all the heat you are suffering at the moment. Glad you’re keeping up with the washing. Hope all your DGC are ok and enjoying the summer holidays.
Scaredycat too hot for walking I imagine. I don’t do well in heat it saps the strength out of me. I never could sit and spend hours on the beach.
Joce hope you are ok and you too Ellie Anne
Sorry this is short and sweet but the internet is so slow. Take care all. I am thinking of you x

Annie happy belated birthday ?
I’m so glad that you had visitors and a special phone call. I hope that this will continue and you won’t be alone so much.
The wedding was fine. There were a few hitches problems with taxis and the registrar missing bits out but in the end it worked out. I was a bit down because my little grandson doesn’t want me when other Gran is there but I understand and don’t think anyone else was aware. Son and d in l were so happy.
Got big dentist appointment today so that’s my next worry. !!!