Sunday, 23 September 2018
Long overdue for an update sorry!
There's been zero updates to the blog for way too long sorry.
For those that don't know Karen was diagnosed late 2013 with breast cancer.
For those that don't know Karen was diagnosed late 2013 with breast cancer.
She had an op followed by
months of Chemo and then Radiotherapy through 2014.
I am glad to say by early 2015 all the 'nasty' treatment had ended and she now just has regular checkups.
We decided to take a well-earned
holiday during Easter 2015.
We had a fantastic cruise around the Med however perhaps visiting Rome & especially the Vatican on good Friday was not the best idea!
We had a fantastic cruise around the Med however perhaps visiting Rome & especially the Vatican on good Friday was not the best idea!
Unfortunately within a few days of our return I
discovered HP had decided to select me for compulsory redundancy! They then changed their minds
and withdrew "the offer" the day before I was due to leave in April.
I was not impressed, fast forward 3 months and I
decided not to play their, will they, won't they game anymore and took
voluntary redundancy in the July.
The pay-out was enough to live
on for 3 years if necessary.
I spent the next 3 months
pondering what I wanted to do, I fancied a complete change but realised my skill
set as an IT PM and CV full of prestigious companies had value.
I have always wanted/planned to retire by 60 if
poss. so we decided to set up a Ltd Company and I now provide a range of
services to select clients as an IT Consultant - the business has done very
well. So well in fact we have paid off our mortgage & I have been able to significantly increase my personal pension pot.
I now plan to 'retire' at the end of 2018.
I need a bit of a rest and obviously Karen having retired in 1996 when Peter was born is well ahead of me in that respect............Ouch........
The Kids:
I now plan to 'retire' at the end of 2018.
I need a bit of a rest and obviously Karen having retired in 1996 when Peter was born is well ahead of me in that respect............Ouch........
The Kids:
Peter left home in June 2015,
initially he went to stay with friends in York but latterly has moved in with
another friend in Mid Wales, not the best place to hope to find work though!
Late last summer he went to stay with 'Nan' in Sittingbourne and over the Xmas break we discussed his plans for the future, he has developed an interest in woodwork and with fairly rudimentary tools has made several very convincing replicas of medieval weapons.
We decided to fund a carpentry course and Peter is now back home with us and attending Wrexham college.
David finished 6th form in 2016 and his A level results secured him his preferred place at Salford University studying TV & Radio Production. He is currently doing his final year with plans to do a Masters afterwards, he lives in local accommodation and is working part time for various production companies.
Late last summer he went to stay with 'Nan' in Sittingbourne and over the Xmas break we discussed his plans for the future, he has developed an interest in woodwork and with fairly rudimentary tools has made several very convincing replicas of medieval weapons.
We decided to fund a carpentry course and Peter is now back home with us and attending Wrexham college.
David finished 6th form in 2016 and his A level results secured him his preferred place at Salford University studying TV & Radio Production. He is currently doing his final year with plans to do a Masters afterwards, he lives in local accommodation and is working part time for various production companies.
Alden selected his final options at Secondary School & recently applied to join the Navy he hope to gain entry to Welbeck - The Defence Sixth Form College. and train as a weapons officer.
We have had a change of cars I
bought a BMW 5 series automatic diesel estate just before diesel started to
become the subject of much political debate!
The MG V8 was sold :(
I bought s BMW R1200ST :)
The MG V8 was sold :(
I bought s BMW R1200ST :)
We have also gone very green
and we bought a Kia Soul Electric Car for Karen she loves it and I often prefer
it myself instead of the BMW!
Next year is going to be very different I have loads of jobs around the house to catch up on & we are giving serious consideration to buying or more likely building a camper Van.
We have taken inspiration from several people on YouTube
The 'Morgans' and 'Wandering Bird' respectively have inspired us to consider getting our own Motorhome.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWQrwFwbaOEC_rJMKK7szNg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL6tX_LLjrrOy9tk6OwVsfQ
and
Greg Virgoe is doing a masterclass on his diy Sprinter van Conversion:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Ewv0kp0Npz2JWtIdhdryw
With North Wales virtually on our door step and our familiarity with Scotland it seems a very sensible way to travel and we can take the dogs!
Next year is going to be very different I have loads of jobs around the house to catch up on & we are giving serious consideration to buying or more likely building a camper Van.
We have taken inspiration from several people on YouTube
The 'Morgans' and 'Wandering Bird' respectively have inspired us to consider getting our own Motorhome.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWQrwFwbaOEC_rJMKK7szNg
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL6tX_LLjrrOy9tk6OwVsfQ
and
Greg Virgoe is doing a masterclass on his diy Sprinter van Conversion:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1Ewv0kp0Npz2JWtIdhdryw
With North Wales virtually on our door step and our familiarity with Scotland it seems a very sensible way to travel and we can take the dogs!
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Meet Sam, Molly and Suzie
We decided on a Beagle... and some Corgis, Or put another way a proper dog for Alden and I and a couple of ankle bitters for Karen, she had wanted another Corgi for years and when we went to choose one of these two well... she could not decide so we had them both!
If you consider I could be nearing 70 by the time these three go we decided if we were going to have more than one dog again this was the right time.
We bought Sam via an ad on preloved, his previous owners were very diligent and brought him here themselves in order to check us out, Alden had the opportunity to play with him and decide if a Beagle fits the bill he decided yes quite quickly.
Sam is a lovely chap 16 months old relatively well behaved and his only vice is he does not understand the word 'Down' yet! He has very good 'doggy' manners and meets and greets other dogs without any drama a refreshing change to Teaser as she was always nervous and barked constantly.
He loves his walks and displays typical hound traits of exploring and clearing off into the distance given any opportunity. He has taken very well to the Corgis which, as we had expected is in part due to his relative young age he is really good with them only getting a bit over excited when their little needle like puppy teeth find a soft spot!
Where's that wabbit:
Someone mention wabbit?
Here we have Suzie on the left and Molly on the right, they both had rather dicky tummies on arrival but since sorting that out they have been clean over night which is very good for relatively young puppies. We are waiting to give them their second vaccination shots then a couple of weeks later Karen can start to walk them, meanwhile they jealously watch Sam go for his walks!
Sam spend his days on the landing keeping an eye on me as my office is on the left!
We have dug out one of the baby gates to keep the Corgis down stairs as so far they can get up the stairs ok but not down!
If you consider I could be nearing 70 by the time these three go we decided if we were going to have more than one dog again this was the right time.
We bought Sam via an ad on preloved, his previous owners were very diligent and brought him here themselves in order to check us out, Alden had the opportunity to play with him and decide if a Beagle fits the bill he decided yes quite quickly.
Sam is a lovely chap 16 months old relatively well behaved and his only vice is he does not understand the word 'Down' yet! He has very good 'doggy' manners and meets and greets other dogs without any drama a refreshing change to Teaser as she was always nervous and barked constantly.
He loves his walks and displays typical hound traits of exploring and clearing off into the distance given any opportunity. He has taken very well to the Corgis which, as we had expected is in part due to his relative young age he is really good with them only getting a bit over excited when their little needle like puppy teeth find a soft spot!
Where's that wabbit:
Someone mention wabbit?
Here we have Suzie on the left and Molly on the right, they both had rather dicky tummies on arrival but since sorting that out they have been clean over night which is very good for relatively young puppies. We are waiting to give them their second vaccination shots then a couple of weeks later Karen can start to walk them, meanwhile they jealously watch Sam go for his walks!
Sam spend his days on the landing keeping an eye on me as my office is on the left!
We have dug out one of the baby gates to keep the Corgis down stairs as so far they can get up the stairs ok but not down!
Sunday, 21 September 2014
Teaser 2000 - 2014
On Friday we sadly had to have Teaser pts. She had been suffering from arthritis for the last 18 months and had been on an anti-inflammatory drug called Metacam for most of this year. In the last few weeks she was clearly beginning to suffer pain and was finding it harder to stand on her own often needing us to carry her outside. So we had to make the difficult but inevitable decision and she is now buried in the Garden.
We will keep the fond memories of her and she sits within our families (dog) history as a real character.
So now what next maybe another Corgi or Dalmatian, perhaps a Beagle as I have memories of the one I had many years ago, I personally would love another Springer Spaniel but with the large Pond in the field I know we would have a permanently wet dog!
As both Peter and David will (should) have left home by the time the next dog we get reaches into old age we are going to let Alden have a say in the next one as it will most likely become his long term companion over the next few years, and Alden will take on Peters role of chief dog walker at the weekends
Teaser 2000(ish) - 19/09/2014
We will keep the fond memories of her and she sits within our families (dog) history as a real character.
So now what next maybe another Corgi or Dalmatian, perhaps a Beagle as I have memories of the one I had many years ago, I personally would love another Springer Spaniel but with the large Pond in the field I know we would have a permanently wet dog!
As both Peter and David will (should) have left home by the time the next dog we get reaches into old age we are going to let Alden have a say in the next one as it will most likely become his long term companion over the next few years, and Alden will take on Peters role of chief dog walker at the weekends
Teaser 2000(ish) - 19/09/2014
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Goslings
The Geese decided to sit on their first clutch of eggs.
It was chaos :)
Both sat on a kind of stereo nest in the Dog Kennel.
Both pinched each others eggs.
Several were infertile.
Several breakages from big Goose feet, Geese seem a bit clumsy.
Then one little Gosling appeared. A day later I fould another crushed and dead as it was hatching.
the following day I heard another pipping I kept a close eye and found its egg also crushed but it was still alive. I decided it needed some help and put it in the incubator, where it hatched and after 24 hours to dry off I placed the gosling under mother Gooses wing with her brother or sister.
We had several more eggs, one went bang as I examined it and the smell of rotten goose egg is not nice.
One that was fertile but was about a week late, it hatched but the gosling did not seem properly developed and I culled it.
So we have two and we now have a productive breeding trio of Geese.
Meet Lucky (or Lucy) and Squash
It was chaos :)
Both sat on a kind of stereo nest in the Dog Kennel.
Both pinched each others eggs.
Several were infertile.
Several breakages from big Goose feet, Geese seem a bit clumsy.
Then one little Gosling appeared. A day later I fould another crushed and dead as it was hatching.
the following day I heard another pipping I kept a close eye and found its egg also crushed but it was still alive. I decided it needed some help and put it in the incubator, where it hatched and after 24 hours to dry off I placed the gosling under mother Gooses wing with her brother or sister.
We had several more eggs, one went bang as I examined it and the smell of rotten goose egg is not nice.
One that was fertile but was about a week late, it hatched but the gosling did not seem properly developed and I culled it.
So we have two and we now have a productive breeding trio of Geese.
Meet Lucky (or Lucy) and Squash
Monday, 24 February 2014
Wheely bin to the rescue and titchies!
Last week Alden noticed one of the Appenzellars going into some bushes beside the Bungalow and emerging a bit later going La La La La La La La La La.
On investigation he found a pile of Eggs 23 of them!
We have three or four regular escapees that spend their days in the Garden rather than the field
Clearly one or more birds had been laying there for days.
It was not a good place to be laying eggs and once they had been disturbed it was abandoned in preference to the Dog Kennel I have in the garage which we use to house poorly birds.
The garage is normally locked so this morning today I found two hens A Scot Grey and one of the four Appenzellars under the car port clearly looking desperate
I steered them back into the run where all the proper nest boxes are but nope so were soon over the fence again.
So then I thought about our broken Wheely Bin
We were using it for hay bales as they are a perfect fit so I took out most of the hay and laid it on its side.
In not time at all two eggs appeared so it looks like we have yet another communal nest box.
A long time ago (in Alden terms) well about 18 months ago to be precise Alden saw some Yellow Partridge Bantams and has been going on about them ever since. well this weekend he bought some from a local breeder with his pocket money. They are tiny as in Blackbird size so the eggs will be extremely tiny as well yet will he dare try a tiny omelette or boiled egg.......... no!
They look just like these
On investigation he found a pile of Eggs 23 of them!
We have three or four regular escapees that spend their days in the Garden rather than the field
Clearly one or more birds had been laying there for days.
It was not a good place to be laying eggs and once they had been disturbed it was abandoned in preference to the Dog Kennel I have in the garage which we use to house poorly birds.
The garage is normally locked so this morning today I found two hens A Scot Grey and one of the four Appenzellars under the car port clearly looking desperate
I steered them back into the run where all the proper nest boxes are but nope so were soon over the fence again.
So then I thought about our broken Wheely Bin
We were using it for hay bales as they are a perfect fit so I took out most of the hay and laid it on its side.
In not time at all two eggs appeared so it looks like we have yet another communal nest box.
A long time ago (in Alden terms) well about 18 months ago to be precise Alden saw some Yellow Partridge Bantams and has been going on about them ever since. well this weekend he bought some from a local breeder with his pocket money. They are tiny as in Blackbird size so the eggs will be extremely tiny as well yet will he dare try a tiny omelette or boiled egg.......... no!
They look just like these
Wednesday, 29 January 2014
Good News, sort of
Well I survived the Cull (not the Chicken kind) and still have a job for now.
Hard to say for how long though as the company I work for seems hell bent on demoralising and offloading most of the UK staff.
Karen and I am off for her second dose of Chemo on Friday morning. So far she has not had too many side effects and I really hope it stays that way
The Chickens are coping amazingly well with this dreadful wet 12 eggs yesterday that's pretty good for this time of year!
Lets rewind to warmer weather when flowers could hide lurking monsters
And baby Chicks could Sunbathe
Hard to say for how long though as the company I work for seems hell bent on demoralising and offloading most of the UK staff.
Karen and I am off for her second dose of Chemo on Friday morning. So far she has not had too many side effects and I really hope it stays that way
The Chickens are coping amazingly well with this dreadful wet 12 eggs yesterday that's pretty good for this time of year!
Lets rewind to warmer weather when flowers could hide lurking monsters
And baby Chicks could Sunbathe
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