Odi goes on an adventure

Ok.... well the good news is that I found the cable for my camera, but sadly not before ordering the new one, which is on it's way and I'm hoping I can return. So yes, Lizzie, you were right!

I didn't take very many pics and they're not totally wonderful (sigh), but you'll get the lowdown tomorrow as I'm off out to dinner soon and I want to tell you the latest Odi news.

Odi has gone to Forfar, to Guide Dog Central Office or 'Big School' as I often refer to it, to get the next assessment to see if she'll make it as a brood bitch. She's gone to have a scan and this has meant a few days stay.

I felt quite sad handing her over to the Puppy Supervisor in the car park at Carfraemill as she hadn't a clue what she was heading for and I worry in case she doesn't settle. I won't know as I don't think they're going to get in touch with me, but she'll be back on Friday afternoon, so it's not all that long. Her start was good as she leapt out of my car and straight into the PS's car no problem, so that boded well.

On the drive home a spreader had left a whole load of muck on the road and the 4x4 I was following threw it up and spattered my lovely white car. So as well as cleaning the house I also had my car to clean, but by the time I got to it it was like it was baked on. I took myself off to the diy car wash in Kelso as it was impossible to get it clean with a bucket and sponge.

The good thing about all this is that it took my mind off Odi not being at home, cos it sure is quiet around here without my lovely bumptious puppy to keep me occupied.

Slight hiccup

I've lost the cable to release the photos from my camera onto my computer, in spite of a wall-to-wall search throughout the house, and for some bizarre reason my computer has decided it doesn't want to recognise the disc, so photos remain secure, but undownloadable.

A cable has been ordered and will be with me shortly and the report from my trip to Jerez will have to wait a few more days as I've already been told off once for not putting photos on and don't want to go there again.

One of the good things about the wall-to-wall search is that it turned up all sorts of things I'd completely forgotten about, for instance my much loved stopwatch that I couldn't find about 4 years ago when I needed it and my Sony Walkman that I thought had taken a walk on the wild side when we moved, but had obviously been put in a very safe place.

So come back in another few days and Jerez, complete with undoubtedly not terribly good photos, will be with you.

For Denise

I omitted to post a photo of Odi and pony and cart in my last post. Basically because I haven't as yet learned how to get photos from my phone onto the blog without having to download them first and I hadn't had the time (inclination?), tho had put it on Facebook so those of you who've already seen it can look away now. Anyway, after a resounding telling off for not posting the pic from Denise here it is:

Odi having a fun day out

Tales from Jerez will follow shortly.....

Still coughing

I am feeling better, but very slowly. I had a bit of a bad day yesterday cough-wise, but that was after doing an all day workshop the day before. But I thought I'd ring the doctor and check and see if there was anything could be done, as I really don't want to be coughing my way to Spain. However, it looks like I will be as the Doc said there didn't seem to be any infection and she could give me steroids to help dampen down the cough, but I declined that offer and went on my coughing way.

One of the lovely things Odi and I did get to do yesterday morning, was go out with my friend Ann (affectionately known as Mad Ann by Mountain Man and me). I met her years ago when she bought my very first Shetland foal off me. She phone me up and asked if Odi and I would like to accompany her on a bit of a pony drive out in Gordon Community Woodland as she would be passing my door. Sounded like fun, and ever such good training for Odi... so off we trotted in a pony and trap accompanied by a frenzied Odi and Ann's Dandy Dinmont, Wizzie. Wizzie is a bit wary of Odi as she's not really a play-type dog and Odi, as we all know, is.

Anyway, the dogs behaved well and Odi settled down to run ahead of the pony trap. It was so much fun being out in the sunshine along the old railway line. There was only one muddy bit and Odi, much to Wizzie's consternation, lay down and rolled in it, but that was the only negative thing she did, so I felt pretty good about it all.

Today, we had a quick trip into Edinburgh this morning and then I've spent the rest of the day looking at what I'm going to take to Spain with me. As I'm quite a last minute packer I feel like I'm ahead of the game here. I always leave something behind though, so it'll be interesting to find out what that might be.

So that's me. I probably won't do a blog entry tomorrow and I'm off on Monday, so rejoin me here on or around the 18th September and I'll tell you all about my Spanish adventures, which I'm hoping won't include too much coughing.

Take care one and all!

Positivity needed

After a weekend of non-stop coughing I'm hoping that this week it all clears up. The last time I had a virus that went on and on was a few of years back when Mountain Man and I both got flu and it wiped us out for over a month. Neither of us can afford the time for illness. MM is about to go off on several trips abroad to ride his bike and look after people while they ride theirs and I've got workshop on Thursday and other work that needs concentration. Neither of which is easy for me when I seem to have to cough every other minute.

On Saturday I facilitated an all day workshop on my own aided and abetted by Lemsip and other medications to keep as much of my cough at bay as I could. It went incredibly well for the clients, but it wiped me out, so yesterday was spent in recovery. This entailed going to Melrose with the dog and sitting outside a cafe enjoying the sunshine and a toasted sandwich and then coming home and sitting out in the garden reading. I wasn't good for much else.

I also don't want to still have this next week when I'm off to (hopefully) sunny Spain to spend time with my friend Larraine at her sister's apartment in Jerez. I'm pretty well up to speed now with my travel arrangements and only have my Euros to get and then it's just a last minute flinging of clothes and sun tan lotion in the suitcase and I'll be good to go. I certainly don't want a cough as an accompaniment.

Right, enough of that... time to think positive and thoughts about wellness. And I'd be very grateful if anyone who wants to add to that positivity did so. Or keep your fingers crossed. Or anything really that might help me feel better.

Thank you!

A day for laughing

Today the rain set in. It's been awful. A real downer. Wall to wall grey with a glimpse of a parting of the clouds for moments to tease me into believing the grey might lift, but no... tease was about it.

However, what has lifted my spirits are my planning for my trip to Spain that's coming up rather soon and also some rather funny letters and emails from East Coast Rail that have totally made me laugh.

I know some of you will have seen the letter I got on Facebook, so if you've already seen it you can look away now. This is what it said:

'Dear Vee Freir.
I am writing to confirm your complaint has been logged and a full response is on its way to you, however there has been a delay with this correspondence and we have enclosed a complimentary ticket.

Due to a stock issue we are unable to enclose this ticket in our response, however I hope to ensure you that a letter and compensation will be with you in due course'.

I collapsed in laughter when I got it, especially as my complaint was because they'd failed to send me the complimentary tickets I was due from a previous compensation. You have to laugh.

(Ok... you can come back now if you'd already seen it.)

Then this afternoon after the previous complimentary tickets did turn up I got this email:  

'Thank you for your phone call on 28 August 2014 regarding the complimentary ticket that you have been expecting.

 I am sorry for any inconvenience caused by the delay in sending it to you. I can confirm that it has now been sent by registered post. The tracking reference is ********. I hope that you receive the ticket very soon.

Thank you again for contacting us and I hope that you have an enjoyable journey.'

Jeez... after all that so do I! Still it is a first class ticket and I'm using it for my going and returning from Spain so I shouldn't really complain.

Or maybe I should... you never know I might actually get another!

Off again

This time to London and taking my bug with me.

Yes, it's been over a week of coughing and spluttering and feeling pretty awful and, on the understanding that I'll feel no better nor worse, I'm heading on the train for 24 hours of meetings and probably a very nice dinner to ameliorate the way I feel about the meetings and the bug.

I'm leaving Mountain Man at home, also coughing and spluttering, with a very bouncy dog. Odi has no sympathy with illness whatsoever and just wants to play, play, play.

There is one good thing though about train travel, which affords not just time away from an exuberant hound, but also time to think about a poem that needs written.

A month or so back I did an online course with The Poetry School. And very good it was too. Painful, but good. Painful in the sense that for me to write a poem in a week for 5 weeks was like pulling hen's teeth, but I managed and the group I was with were not just excellent poets, but brilliant critiquers. We decided we wanted to stay together as an online group and yesterday was the first assignment deadline. It passed. I'd thought lots and lots, but nothing came, so I'm determined to spend some of my train time not thinking about the accountant I have to meet with first thing tomorrow, nor all the sensible business-type questions I need to ask, nor the other people I need to see/be nice to /ask sensible questions of etc etc, but thinking of words to put on a page that actually go together and have a poetic quality about them.

Mmmm... maybe the alien world of business might be the easier option after all!