Gilbert the Good – my weekend

 

Gilbert the Good – my weekend

                        We had a busy day on Saturday and it was fun.

We went out early as usual as it was going to be hot later on and it’s not good for us dogs to be out in the heat, even in the woods.

 We couldn't go in the ponds, though, as there are signs up warning of DANGER from blue-green algae. The humans found out more from AI:

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is extremely toxic to dogs. It grows in stagnant lakes, ponds, and slow-moving rivers during warm weather. Ingesting or swimming in contaminated water can cause rapid liver failure, neurological damage, and death within minutes to hours. There is no antidote.

My humans have spoken to some people whose dogs died because of this, and they were very sad.

When we’d been home for a couple of hours, we had visitors! Bethan came to see us with Charlie and Jack. Robert stayed at home because he had banged his head and felt a bit dizzy. Anyway, he was company for Lolly.

It was Charlie’s birthday earlier in the week - he was eleven years old. That’s the same age as Roxy. He had a birthday party before the end of the school summer term. He’s a keen cricketer so the venue for his party, Lord’s Cricket Ground, was perfect. I don’t understand cricket, but I’m just a dog, so that’s understandable. I like ball games, though.  Roxy and I have a ball each and we chase them for a little at the beginning of our walk and then carry them the rest of the time. 

Jack made lots of fuss of Roxy and me, while Charlie played with Herschel and Jellicoe. Everyone in our house was tired the next day, and we didn’t go out. Bethan and Charlie went to Lord’s again for the finals of ‘the Hundred.’ That was cricket, too, and my humans sat and watched it on the television. They wanted to see if they could see Bethan and Charlie in the crowd. They didn’t!

The women’s match wasn’t very exciting, but the men’s final was gripping – well, that’s what the humans said, anyway.

 We didn’t go out as early on Monday, but we still weren’t allowed anywhere near the ponds.

In the afternoon, Roxy managed to find her way past the fence into the garden pond. There’s no blue-green algae in there, just lots and lots of duck weed. The humans were thinking of removing the fence, but they're thinking again now . . .

She only paddled, but her fur soaked up a lot of water which then dribbled all over the house.

On Friday, Susannah and Frankie and Arthur are coming back from their holiday in Devon. They’re going to stay on Friday night and go back to London on Saturday. It will be nice to see them again. I like playing with Arthur – he’s fun.

TTFN

Gilbert

I’m all right, Jack

 

I’m all right, Jack

            Royal Coat of Arms over the Main Gate of Chatham Dockyard

    Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Kent is the Garden of England (and Chatham is the dustbin in it!)

 I was brought up in the Medway Towns (now known as Medway) in Kent at a time when the Army and Royal Navy, including the Royal Navy Dockyard, were significant employers in the local community.

Chatham, often pronounced Cha’am (glottal stops are common in Medway) was a colourful society, stuffed with public houses after the end of the Second World War, because of the great density of workmen. There were between 200 and 280 pubs in the Chatham area.

It was, and still is, home to the Corps of Royal Engineers, and was an important Naval port. Therefore, many of the expressions familiar to me stem from that background, many military, and many more Naval.

Some phrases were blunt to the point of obscenity, but had usually acquired a semblance of gentility by the time they were adopted by the wider populace. Thus, ‘I’m all right, Jack,’ originating from the Royal Navy in the nineteenth century, was usually prefaced with a profanity, which was lost with time and usage.

It’s believed to stem from matelots (Royal Navy sailors) when the last person climbing the ladder up the side of a ship would say, on reaching the deck, ‘Pull up the ladder, Jack, I’m all right.’ In time, this was reversed to become, ‘I’m all right, Jack,’ sometimes followed by ‘Pull up the ladder.’

Out of context, it came to signify a selfish, smug attitude, with scant regard for the well-being of others.

I have only heard it used in jest.

 It was also the title of a 1959 comedy, about industrial life and strife in the 1950s, starring Peter Sellers, Terry-Thomas, Ian Carmichael, Irene Handl, and others.

The bells, the bells!

 

The bells, the bells!

                                                Image source

The crackers we pulled at Christmas with our youngest daughter and her family contained small musical bells. There were eight crackers. wrapped in manuscript paper and ribbons, and we were able to play a selection of simple tunes with them. There were six of us so two people had two bells each. They were great fun. Jack was entertained for a very long time after lunch, following the ‘manuscript’ and playing the bells. Each bell carried a number from 1 to 8.

The crackers we pulled with our middle daughter on Christmas Day were beautifully packaged. I took the miniature cones and ribbons from them and put them on the small growing Christmas tree in the conservatory. Those crackers contained what were described as ‘superior’ gifts, and they were rather nice. One, a small silver whistle, was effective at summoning the dogs from the garden.

Quasimodo never actually utters ‘The bells, the bells,’ in ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ but his life is enmeshed with the bells of the cathedral of Notre Dame.

A different sort of bells, which make no clanging noise, are ‘The Bells The Bells’ in Gogarth, North Wales. ‘The Bells The Bells’ is a steep, exposed cliff rising from the sea, on the small Holy Island off the west coast of Anglesey. The rock is quartzite.

                                              Image source

It constitutes an extreme climbing route, considered one of the most difficult and dangerous climbs in Britain. It was first climbed in 1980 by John Redhead, and is rarely climbed because of its severity. A fall could be fatal so planning the climb is supremely important.

I have never climbed, but have read several books by mountaineers. They are more than exciting enough and I am constantly amazed at the skill and audacity of climbers and perturbed by their drive. They climb because the mountains exist, defying and challenging puny humans to overcome them. 

Herschel

 

                                                                                                                            Herschel

Herschel soaks up the warmth.

Does my life revolve around animals? Yes, four-legged and two-legged. On Monday last week, it was Herschel’s turn to spend a day with the vets. He arrived at 8:45 and had four teeth extracted. By half past three in the afternoon he was home again, and very pleased to be in his normal surroundings. He rubbed all round the dogs, purring loudly. We were told that he had been a very good boy and let the veterinary staff do all they had to do without fuss.

Two days later he was due to have a routine check to make sure everything was healing properly, but in the morning he was not very interested in his breakfast and was only persuaded to eat it with the addition of some chicken broth. He licked up the liquid very readily, but still left the meat, so his appointment was brought forward. The vet could find nothing wrong but felt he must be in pain, so prescribed some pain-killers for him. She gave him one before he came home and he was a very happy boy. We thought he might be a bit high on the drug as he was charging around the house, and we wondered if he would ever settle down to sleep that night.

The prescription was for a minute amount of liquid to be squirted into his throat, where it would be absorbed through the mucous membrane. Cats don’t take kindly to having things sprayed anywhere near them, let alone into their mouths. To add insult to the process, the medicine obviously tasted foul. Even worse was the fact that it had to be administered three times a day.

Herschel is a very forgiving cat. He struggles to get away when he senses what is about to happen. but never scratches or bites. A quick scruffing and the job is soon done, the pain is alleviated and peace is restored. He is now eating normally again. Long may it last!

Yesterday, when Charlie (10) and Jack (7) were with us for the day, both Herschel and Jellicoe received an extraordinary amount of attention. To Charlie’s delight, Herschel went to sleep on his lap and remained there for a long time. This served a double purpose. Sleep is good for healing and recovery, and Charlie was where we could see him and not able to slope off to nick more trifle!

The London Family

 

The London Family

Jack with Roxy, Herschel and Gilbert

The London family came to see us on Saturday. We hadn’t seen them since June and, of course, the children have grown. Charlie was ten in August and is going into his last year of primary school. The nail-biting business of applying to schools begins now, with offers not made until March. The most popular schools have strict catchment areas, which are adjusted from year to year, according to the numbers applying. There is no guarantee of a place being offered, unless the child lives right on the school boundary.

Charlie and Jack made a beeline for the cats and spent much of the day playing with them and stroking them. Jellicoe responded magnificently, stretching out on whichever child’s lap he was inhabiting. Herschel became rather over-stimulated and started lashing his tail, a warning to keep clear. He is not as used to being handled as his brother, since he doesn’t make regular visits to the vet. He is very affectionate, but on his own terms.

Robert is entranced by cats and loves watching them. He says he’d get no work done if he had a cat. As he’s allergic to them, having to take an antihistamine before he comes to our house, it’s not very likely he will be acquiring one. It doesn’t stop Charlie researching hypoallergenic cats, though there are no completely hypoallergenic cats.

Roxy and Gilbert were largely ignored. The children have a Labrador of their own, so dogs are not a novelty to them.

Jack spent quite a long period playing cards, first with me, and then with Barry. Apparently, he plays three card games with Bethan every morning before breakfast!

I had made a trifle, but realised, after I had started, that I had no custard. Charlie and Jack were very understanding, but made it clear that a proper trifle should contain custard. I promised them that I would order some immediately, and did so. The lack of that vital ingredient did not prevent them from quietly demolishing most of it in the dining room as the adults sat and chatted in the conservatory, unaware of the boys’ activity. It didn’t do them any great harm as it was packed with fresh blueberries and raspberries.

All too soon, it was time for them to leave. We sent them away with apples and plums and a tradescantia I had potted up. Ninety minutes later they were home again. It had been a most enjoyable day. The dogs and cats were exhausted, Herschel so much so that he didn’t come upstairs to bed. Most unusual!

The following day was a quiet one, as the animals reverted to their usual routine. Today, Monday, the dogs have been out for a lovely walk, and much joyous swimming in the rather depleted ponds. We have had heavy rain, but need very much more. We haven’t had a hosepipe ban imposed in our area, though it could still happen.

Most schools start back later this week, and life returns to normal, with all the demands that come with a busy Christmas term. The daylight hours are shorter, the nights cooler and longer, and soon we shall be lighting our first fire. Then it will be time to draw the curtains, light the lamps, and enjoy the cosiness of autumn.

Preparations

 

Preparations

Gillian is apt to descend on us with no prior warning, with one or more of her children and grandchildren. It’s always lovely to see her, but we have to rely on what is available in the way of refreshments, though, to be fair, she usually brings her own. That way, the children are not faced with unfamiliar food.

Impromptu family visits are fun, but those which have been telegraphed in advance – that is, planned – take on a different countenance. Absolutely no-one in our family is at all awkward or demanding, but it’s always nice to ensure that things are as welcoming as they can be.

Part of the fun is making sure we have acceptable provisions. For example, dairy milk is not well tolerated by some, so almond milk is provided, but that’s not good for everyone, either, so we order oat milk. Some are vegetarians, and food provided for them must be kept at a safe distance from the offerings for the carnivores.

Once the food has been organised, we set about ‘tidying.’ This is a mammoth task, as we have many interests and are untidy and apt to be distracted.

Finally, ‘alles ist in Ordnung.’ For no particular reason, we use German phrases occasionally. I suppose we use French, too – ‘tout de suite,’ for example. Somehow, foreign phrases seem so much more fitting than our pedestrian English, and, of course, our language is littered with Latin expressions. What a mongrel nation we are!

Anyway, the house is at last less of a tip than usual, the dogs have been exercised, and we welcome our visitors with open arms.

A couple of weeks ago, Susannah and Arthur came to stay for a few days. Susannah works to a different timetable from everyone else, rising at 4:30 and retiring in the early evening. Her childhood friend, Jo, was staying with her for a few weeks. She now lives in Ecuador, but came to see us, which really touched us. She’s a breath of fresh air, a vibrant personality, and great fun. She and Susannah make a wonderful double act, with a terrific sense of humour.

 Yesterday, Bethan and her family came for lunch. They arrived with a beautiful bunch of sunflowers and a loaf of chollah. They never come empty-handed and always bring us chollah from a Jewish bakery close to them, as they know how much we like it. My first experience of chollah was more than thirty years ago when I saw it in a supermarket and thought it would be interesting to try. Robert’s grandmother used to make her own.

We aimed to eat at 1:00, and nearly made it. I think we sat down about 1:30, which is rather good, for us. Charlie and Jack are older now and better able to control their hunger pangs, so it was all quite relaxed.

                  The beef joint prior to cooking. It didn't end up on the floor this time!

Barry had prepared a beef joint ‘sous vide,’ garnished with rosemary and thyme from the garden. It cooked slowly for twenty-four hours and sliced as easily as butter. Bethan took over and cooked the vegetables – carrots, green beans and tenderstem broccoli. I only recently discovered that tenderstem broccoli, sometimes called broccolini, is a hybrid of kale and broccoli. It is delicious cooked al dente (there we are, an Italian phrase to enrich our English) or eaten raw in salad.

Almost as soon as we sat down, Charlie asked if I had made a trifle. Luckily, I had. Out of curiosity, we looked up the French and German translations for trifle and were rewarded with ‘bagatelle,’ and ‘kleinigkeit,’ both meaning ‘a little thing, a minor detail.’ Clearly, trifle is not something familiar in French or German cuisine. It is English in origin, first appearing in cookery books in the sixteenth century.

Roxy and Gilbert were thrilled to see more family members, nudging and nosing them, Gilbert bringing them toys. Robert, Charlie and Jack were delighted to see Herschel and Jellicoe. They would love to have cats of their own, but Robert is allergic to them, and has to take antihistamines before he visits us – or maybe it’s us to whom he’s allergic.

The cats were fussed and stroked and talked to and played with, and responded with grace and patience.

Jack trawled the raspberry canes to discover edible berries, which turned out to be anything which was pinkish. He also discovered a few more cherries and strawberries. Charlie concentrated on training the cats!

                                        Roxy snoozes and dreams

It was a lovely day, and we all slept well last night. My back was stiff and sore by evening, but that was a small price to pay for the pleasure of seeing much-loved family.

                                Gilbert enjoys a well-earned rest
As children and grandchildren grow and create their own family units, it becomes more difficult to arrange meetings. Barry and I are the older (oldest!!)  generation now and as is normal, older family members tend to fade a little into the background, or possibly it is that we become observers more than participants. I know our children would hotly deny that this is the case, but it is the natural order of things, which they will realise in the fullness of time.

Visits

 

Visits

Push-up puppet. I love these little toys! He looks as if he has strange growths on his legs, but they're tree branches behind  him.

I had an ophthalmology appointment last Wednesday – just the usual annual check – but I postponed it as I’m still learning to walk without falling over (I jest!)

It was fortunate that I had, because our eldest daughter, Gillian, arrived unexpectedly with her younger daughter, and three of her grandchildren. Gillian has three children and six grandchildren, ranging in age from one month to twelve years. So, we had Ariella, a very competent four-year-old, and her brother Luca, who is two and a half, and their cousin, Melia, who is two. Melia had broken her arm in two places a few days previously, and had a half-cast on it, but it didn’t stop her doing everything she wanted to.

We had a delightful time with them. The children are all very accustomed to spending time with big dogs, so Roxy and Gilbert were simply accepted as part of the furniture. The cats were more of a novelty, but are unfazed by children, and can swiftly take to the heights if necessary.

They left for the homeward journey with Kiri’s car loaded with last Christmas’s presents and a selection of toys, books and bedding no longer needed in our house. We still have plenty left!

Blue Power Ranger. Apparently, he is autistic, I've just discovered! I think we have some different Power Rangers, too.

On Easter Sunday, Bethan and Robert came for lunch with Charlie and Jack. Barry had promised to cook a roast beef joint ‘sous vide.’

‘Sous vide is a cooking method where food is vacuum-sealedin a bag and then cooked in a precisely regulated water bath for a prolonged period at a low temperature.  This technique ensures even cooking, tender texture, and moisture retention in the food.'

The joint was ceremoniously placed in its water bath on Saturday morning, where it remained for twenty-four hours. While Barry went out for a walk with Bethan and family, and the dogs, I continued preparing vegetables. When they returned home, it was time for the moment of revelation.

 As Barry lifted the meat from the sous vide bath, the bag containing it split, and the beef ended up on the floor. I was so glad I wasn’t responsible for it and just cackled with laughter. It was swiftly picked up and run under the tap and patted dry, ready to be sealed in the frying pan. Roxy and Gilbert were delighted, and spent a long time licking up the juice, which otherwise would have supplemented the gravy. Barry will double-bag the meat next time!

 The meat was delicious, very tender, and moist. Bethan had made an apple and blackberry crumble, and I had made a fruit trifle, so we ‘filled our boots’ to capacity after the main course. We don’t usually eat much during the day. Barry has breakfast and supper, and I normally just have supper.

‘Sous vide’ requires forethought and planning, not something for which I am renowned. I’m more of a ‘look in the fridge and see what’s available’ cook.

Jack had made a collage for me, entitled, ‘The city and the sun’ and I’ve promised him that I’m going to mount and frame it. He also made me a birthday card, which made me laugh. 

Charlie made one, too, but he forgot to bring it with him. He said he'll bring it 'next time.'

Nearly everybody in our house slept very soundly last night. I had several bouts of cramp because I had been on my feet more than usual. It was a small price to pay for the privilege of spending quality time with family.

Tonight, we’re having cold meat and bubble and squeak, followed by fruit crumble and/or trifle. Then we’re returning to our usual light meals. It’s fun to have a blow-out now and then, though.

 

Another birthday

It was Barry’s birthday on Monday and the day passed quietly. In the main, we have gone beyond the stage of buying gifts for each other. It is almost impossible to find something he hasn’t already got, and if he hasn’t got it, he has no interest in acquiring it.

Occasionally, I give him a bottle of fine brandy or port, but he rarely drinks, so the bottles last for a long time. I can find books to interest him, the one pictured here being an example. It is a book to dip into, I think, and we shall both enjoy it.

Otherwise, we each decide if there’s something we would like, we discuss it, it is agreed, and we buy it. It is not the most exciting way to bestow gifts, but it pleases us. Our joy in giving is mainly confined to seeking out presents for the youngest members of our family. There are currently seven under twelve years of age, with a new one expected in March.

Children and grandchildren called and sent messages to wish him a happy birthday. Charlie and Jack sang to him, which was sweet, and Gillian also serenaded him.

He had decided that a(nother) cordless electric screwdriver was something he would really like, and after much research - there’s always detailed research! – he selected one that satisfied his exacting requirements. Cordless electric secateurs were also on his wish list. They have arrived and have already been put to good use and declared excellent, relieving the hands of much hard work. An extension pole arrived today so that the many trees and bushes we have rapturously planted in the decades we have lived here can now be pruned and shaped and otherwise made good.

All these things are rechargeable!

I think the thing that pleased him most, though, was the appointment that was made, of which more anon.

                        Look at those lovely noses! I love dogs' noses.

Knitting and other things

 

Knitting and other things

We had a busy day on Saturday, when our youngest daughter and her family came to see us. They were supposed to have come before Christmas, but other things got in the way, and we had to postpone their visit. It seemed strange to see the children eating chocolate Santas and reindeer in February, but why not?

Jack wanted to learn how to knit and picked it up quickly. Apparently, he was sitting up in bed knitting on Sunday morning!

I also wanted to introduce him to French knitting, but the wool/yarn I had was quite thin and difficult to loop over the pegs, and I couldn’t get it started, so I left that for another day.

 A French knitting spool is a simple loom with three or four pegs, and produces a thin tube of knitting, which can be used in a variety of ways, to make small mats, for example.

The one I had as a child was a cotton reel with four nails hammered into it!

Often, looms with more than four pegs are used to create socks, or hats, called tuques, or fingerless gloves. Some looms may have as many as a hundred pegs. Knitting produced from the larger looms is known as spool knitting. Bizarrely, to me, anyway, spool knitting was historically used to produce reins for horses.

This form of knitting originated over four hundred years ago. During the First World War, French or spool knitting was used as occupational therapy for wounded soldiers in hospital, to practise and maintain fine motor control.

As usual, I over-catered, so we had much food left over. Bethan always arrives bearing gifts, and had brought a challah loaf and rolls and some delicacies, so there was no chance of us starving. She also gave me a beautiful bouquet.

Herschel is quite a florist and always tries his paw at flower arranging, pulling out some stems and laying them on the worktop. He did that for a couple of days, then, satisfied with his work, followed other pursuits.

We had a lovely day. I did very little, not finding movement very easy at present, and felt rather guilty that Barry, Bethan and Robert were doing all the fetching and carrying. They were happy to help, or so they assured me!

The cats excelled themselves, loving the attention Charlie and Jack – and Robert! - gave them. They seem to appreciate company as much as the dogs do.

Jellicoe, as ever, was as interested in the food as the dogs were and swiped a Madeleine before we could stop him and galloped off with it, with Gilbert in hot pursuit. Gilbert got the lion’s or, rather, the cat’s share, his poorly paw not hampering him one iota.

Sunday was a very quiet day, all the animals, four and two-legged ‘relaxing.’

We are still eating our way through the supplies, and I haven’t had to think about meal preparation since Saturday. 

Christmas mugs

 

Christmas mugs

This is something of a rambling post. ‘So, what’s new?’ I hear you mutter.

A few years ago, I started collecting Christmas mugs and for a while they were brought into use for the whole of the festive season, from December 1^st to January 6^th.

In 2023, I completely forgot about them, but this year I am determined that they will not be left, neglected and unloved, in the sideboard, the very sideboard that was responsible for my sojourn on the floor.

It’s odd the way some people apportion blame to inanimate objects. For example, when my children were small, if one of them caught their shin against a chair, the cry would go up, ‘Naughty chair!’ or was that just my mother-in-law who said that? (My mother would say, ‘Never mind, rub it better,' just as I do.)

A comforting path lies somewhere between truth and fantasy. When my husband was a little boy of five or six, he broke his arm, but instead of telling him he was going to the hospital, his mother told him he was going to a party. I suppose she was trying to be kind and spare him the fear of going to hospital, but I can’t think he would have been in much of a party-going mood. A little gentle preparation would have been much kinder.

When a toddler is told he’s going to have a baby brother or sister, all too often emphasis is laid on what fun it will be to have a sibling to play with. I made a peg doll family to explain to my small children that the baby would be small and noisy and not a playmate for a very long time. Would it have made any difference to them to let them believe that another baby would not affect the family dynamic? I don’t know, but they seem to have weathered the trauma of additional siblings and grown into sensible, loving parents in their own families.

Three-year-old Charlie had a very robust reaction when Jack was brought home from hospital. ‘Put him in the dustbin!’ he said. The two boys, now nine and six years old, are very affectionate with each other, most of the time, and Charlie is quite pleased with his younger brother. Jack is certainly delighted to have a big brother.

 

 

?

I don’t know whether it’s Christmas or Easter.

We have been eating egg-shaped shortbread biscuits from a rabbit-eared tin. The tin was intended for Charlie and Jack, but we didn’t see them at Easter and the biscuits are now out of date. That’s our excuse, anyway. 

The chocolate rabbits had to be consumed, too. It was a chore, I can tell you.

Conscious sedation

 

Conscious sedation

The local hospitals are playing catch-up, and some non-urgent procedures are being conducted at weekends. Thus, I received the following from Barry on Sunday afternoon.

‘I’m having conscious sedation and not general anaesthetic. Thing is, I’m not sure I’ll be able to see any difference between being normal and conscious sedation.’

There are many responses to that, most of them rude.

I thought I understood what was meant by ‘conscious sedation’ but looked it up anyway. The most concise explanation follows:  

‘Conscious sedation is a combination of medicines to help you relax (a sedative) and to block pain (an anaesthetic) during a medical or dental procedure. You will probably stay awake, but may not be able to speak.

Conscious sedation lets you recover quickly and return to your everyday activities soon after your procedure.’

The bit I highlighted in red made me smile. Barry is a talker and always has been. When he was three years old and travelling by sea to India with his mother and baby brother, he had to share a cabin with another mother and children. He chattered about everything, until the other mother said, in exasperation, ‘Can’t you keep your boy quiet?’

The answer, of course, was that she couldn’t, and he continued to jabber. The only time he was truly silenced was when he was ten years old, and his father died suddenly. Such was the shock that he withdrew completely and didn’t speak for six months.

This character trait has been reproduced in spades in our youngest grandson, Jack, who will be six years old in November. From the moment he wakes until he finally falls asleep, many hours later, Jack talks. When he’s not commenting on current events, he’s asking questions. He is very entertaining.

 

More birthdays

Marnie aged about two and a half - big blue eyes, always smiling

There are two birthdays in my family today. My eldest grandchild, Marnie, will be 30 and my youngest, Jack will be 5.

Marnie is my eldest daughter’s elder daughter and Jack is my youngest daughter’s younger son.

Jack aged about two and a half - big brown eyes. He's looking unusually serious in this photograph.

Out of curiosity, I wondered what they have in common, having been born under the same star, Scorpio. As with weather forecasts, I always choose the analysis with which I agree and wish to come to fruition, so I sifted to arrive at the best result.

The first thing I read was that they are well-known for their ruthlessness, not something to be encouraged. I disregarded it. That’s the joy of astrology – you can pick and choose what to apply! The second attribute was single-mindedness and I would agree with that in both personalities. I also liked the third characteristic, with caveats. 

It said that they don’t see limitations in their lives and won’t let anyone tell them they can’t have what they want.  I can see that could be translated as being pig-headed and maybe throwing tantrums when thwarted. Again, not something to be wished for.

I went to another site which told me that Scorpios are loyal and passionate and have an intuitive sixth sense verging on clairvoyance. They are deep and secretive, obsessive and emotional, temperamental, honest, ambitious and brave.

Discarding all that, I can say with certainty that they are both, though 25 years apart, chatty, inquisitive, single-minded and very loving. Jack talks all day, from the moment he wakes until he falls asleep. Marnie is also a talker and they both have a lovely sense of humour.

Marnie has broken her leg badly in two places so will not be gallivanting tonight, painting the town red. Jack isn’t old enough to jaunt yet!

A busy weekend

 

A busy weekend

It was Barry’s birthday on February 3^rd, a significant decade marker. He was born on the day Stalingrad fell during the Second World War, though some authorities have it as February 2^nd.

We had a gathering of the clan on Saturday and were only missing a few members. The oldest was, of course, Barry, and the youngest, Luca, four months. There were seven under elevens, eight in their twenties, eight forty to mid-fifties and two over seventy. We also had three visiting dogs to add to our two. If everyone had brought their dogs there would have been twelve in the house, rather too many and too much of a trip hazard!

Since Jellicoe is now an honorary Labrador, we had to shut him and his brother away in our bedroom, otherwise he would have wrought havoc in the dining room, where food was laid out on the table. Ariella, nearly two, and Jack, four, both love cats so had a special trip to the bedroom to see Jellicoe and Herschel. The cats were worried and wide-eyed at being shut out from proceedings.

We had opened the double doors from the sitting room into the dining room so that people could wander in and out at will, helping themselves to whatever took their fancy. Susannah took control of feeding people and Callum was in charge of drinks. Barry and I relaxed and enjoyed catching up with our extended family.

It was lovely to have such a crowd of young people in the house, and so many of them very tall!  The young adults were as amusing and entertaining as ever and the little children were each caught in their own egocentric worlds, and equally entertaining.

It is rare for us all to get together and each time we say we must do it more often, but life is busy. The next organised occasion will be Susannah and James’ wedding later this year, in November. We are all looking forward to that.

Alexa

 

Alexa

Like so many people, we have outdoor cameras to record the comings and goings of visitors. Linked to Alexa, announcements are made – ‘Motion detected at your drive’ - and that is all well and good, except at the dead of night. I’m left hoping that it’s a fox alerting Alexa and not a fly-by-night burglar availing him/herself of our drive. Any self-respecting professional burglar would not remain long within the glare of the security lights, I think.

Foxes and cats set off the lights and the declarations. Birds feasting on pyracantha berries, and even spiders, spinning their webs, will activate the lights, though fortunately not Alexa.

 ‘Motion detected at the doorbell’ and ‘Someone’s at the doorbell’ are two more of Alexa’s pronouncements. I don’t know why it is so, but Alexa uses two accents. The drive announcement is made in British English, the sort of English familiar to listeners to the BBC. The doorbell announcement uses a North American accent that you might hear in California. There is probably a setting to adjust the voices, as there is on TomTom, but we haven’t had time to research that.

Alexa is kept very busy in our house, switching lights on and off, turning on radio and television and reducing or increasing the volume. It is also used as an aide-memoire, for shopping and for reminding us of the many and varied tasks that have to be performed regularly, like cleaning filters or checking the heat pump.

It is very useful for managing pet-related matters. For example, Jellicoe is diabetic and has to be fed every four hours during the day, so Alexa prompts us at 7:30, 11:30, 3:30 and 7:30. As soon as the alarm sounds, Jellicoe starts yelling at me to hurry up and feed him. Herschel understands, too, but is less insistent.  Alexa also reminds us when it’s time to reorder Jellicoe’s insulin.

Because we use Alexa as a timer, the cats are sometimes a little confused to hear it chiming when it’s not their mealtime. However, they’re learning to tell the time and don’t react to it in the same excited way ;-)

Roxy understands the significance of the chimes, too!

When Frankie was very young and practising his Ps and Qs, he would always thank Alexa if one of his questions was answered. We had to make a concerted effort to refer to Alexa as ‘it’ rather than ‘she’ and to explain that it was not human. The first time he heard Alexa’s voice, when he was about four, it frightened him and he ran out and had to be coaxed back into the room. Now, he uses it all the time. Our youngest grandsons, Charlie and Jack, discovered Alexa one day – I can’t remember how – and now they make a beeline for the hub and proceed to ‘play’. They haven’t yet realised how the volume is controlled, so that saves our hearing!

 I must confess that I find it irritating when I give the wrong command and am reproached in a rather patronising voice with, ‘Sorry, I didn’t find that device.’ Alexa also responds to some of our orders with a rising inflection, as if asking if we’re quite sure we know what we want.

One day, machines will rule the world. Woe betide us then.

 

 

The 24th blog of Augustus Lazarus Cooke (Gus)

The 24^th blog of Augustus Lazarus Cooke, (Gus) aged 9.

Hello everybody? Anybody? Is there anyone out there?

I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone had abandoned this blog, just like Mrs H seems to have done! She thinks she’s the only one who’s got lots to do. It’s not even as if Frankie takes up a lot of time now because he’s at school. Humans! They should try being dogs. We have to be alert all the time, guarding the house and barking at the television. We like Kitty Croquettes so we clear up after the cats, too, but the Humans don’t like us doing that and pull faces and tell us to go away. That’s not a nice thing to do to loyal Labradors, or any other faithful dog, for that matter. I suppose they have their reasons.

Talking of devoted dogs (and we all are) Mrs H saw a photograph of Buddy Liver Spots on her Facelook feed the other day. What? Facelook! What’s wrong with that? Oh, Jenna’s just told me it’s FaceBOOK. Well, I didn’t know . . . Anyway, it was a lovely photo. I remember Buddy, and Dominie, but the Dalmatian I remember best is Frodo the Faller. 

(If you want to know why he was called Frodo the Faller you’ll have to read about him here and here and here and here . . . and so on.)

I loved Frodo. I really admired him and wanted to grow up to be as big and strong as him.  I didn’t grow as tall but I’m sure I’m just as strong as he was and quite broad, too.  We all missed Frodo when he travelled on but we had each other and then Roxy came to live with us and she’s a lot of fun. Well, the other day, in the Dreaded Woods, we met a Dalmatian and Bertie and Roxy and I really enjoyed playing with her. I felt as though I was a puppy again. Jenna was very friendly to the Dalmatian, too, but she’s thirteen and doesn’t charge around any more. She prefers to stay close to the Humans because they’re carrying the biscuits and she loves biscuits.

I had to go to the Vet before Christmas because I had a lump on my leg. My Humans thought it was a cyst but it was a tumour and it was benign. Well, the Vets carried out more tests and discovered that it is malignant but very slow-growing. It doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t hurt. I don’t feel as bad about going to the Vet now as I’ve been quite a lot recently. I met some nice children there the last time I went.

I had to keep going to the Vet because my bandage kept falling down. First I had a lovely, Christmassy red one, then a blue one, then a green one. I was very pleased when I didn’t have to wear a bandage any more because then I could go out for walks again. I can tell you, it’s not much fun being stuck in the house when the others go out.

It was lovely to go out again and it's always fun when Frankie comes with us.

On Christmas Day a heron visited us. The Humans think it was trying to find a way to reach the fish in the pond. It stayed for quite a while.

What else has happened? Oh, yes, there has been a new baby. He’s called Jack and he arrived on Marnie’s birthday. She’s twenty-five and he’s nought! So, Mrs Human went to stay with Bethan for a few days to help with Jack’s big brother, Charlie.

Jack, a few hours old

Brothers!

Gillian and Paul and Callum and Kat came to see us after Christmas. They didn’t bring their dogs, though, so we were a bit disappointed about that.  Roxy was ever so pleased ‘cos she really likes Callum.

I don’t think there’s anything else to report. 

Be good.

Hwyl fawr am nawr! (That’s Welsh for ‘Goodbye for now!’)