New lifestyle - Feeling good - Moving on

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  • image St Erme Dancing Shoes and St Erme Bullfinch were my two show dogs .. 'Shoes and Finch' .. I was kindly mentored by the one and only great Mirrie St Erme Cardew .. I went to see her to look at her West African Basenji's (chosen for being medium sized, short coats, low maintenance, good with kids, a rare breed at that time with only 47 in the country, they don't bark but yodel and are simply the cutest dogs with pointy ears, forehead wrinkles and a curled tail .. and we had just come back from a 1 year stay in Liberia, West Africa) .. she fell in love with my two toddlers and I fell in love with her Basenji's .. she took us down to her basement where over 100 dogs were housed .. just imagine the scene .. two kiddies under 3 years old .. me totally awed by Mirrie who was a larger than life persona .. then she yelled a one word command .. DOGS ... a stream of live fur hurtled towards us .. 100 dogs in all shapes, colours and sizes .. I expected to be eaten alive .. my kids swept away on the tide of fur .. then just feet away from utter disaster Mirrie spoke one more word .. SIT .. and blow me down if the whole pack didn't just sit immediately .. I was even more awed by her after that .. and we became good acquaintances for the next two years .. image

    There are some nice pics of Basenji's on this dog web site http://www.breederretriever.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/556

    Crufts was the most amazing show I went to .. but most weekends I had to get my two Basenji's ready for a show, bathed, oiled, toe nails buffed and trimmed to perfection, teeth and ears cleaned .. I also had to get my two boys prepared for a long day out, toys, change of clothes etc etc .. Crufts is BIG, noisy and full of important people .. networking was 'all' important .. my proudest moment was when my boys took the dogs in to the junior handlers class .. the dogs performed perfectly for them .. I'd dressed the boys in the loose African batik print top and trousers they wore while we were in Liberia .. they stole the show and were awarded a rare joint 1st place .. image

    image blimey .. I am very lucky .. I have packed a lot into my life .. hmm .. what else have I done .. have I mentioned racing motorcycles ?? image

  • Just had a really 'odd' thing happen .. glad it didn't happen yesterday when I got my days muddled up .. and missed my laundry time slot and a coffee evening .. or I would have been well and truly confuddled .. image

    The Citroen dealer just pulled up to take my Motability car for it's service and MOT ... image .. BUT .. it's booked in for March 25th I stammered .. not February 25th ... ohh lorrs I thought .. I've messed up again .. I rang the dealer and luckily spoke with the same chap as had booked my car in a couple of weeks ago ... I explained the situation and he suddenly went very quiet and said ... oops .. you are right I've written it in the wrong month ..  image

    So I told him no worries I'd probably been waffling on and bored him to death and he'd just forgotten to turn the work diary page over before writing in the appointment .. so .. they'll be back next month ... I laughed, he laughed .. we laughed together  .. image

  • Wooohooo!! Patootie's revenge----YOU WERE RIGHT, and THEY WERE WRONG!!! (It shows my mean nature, but I do love it when this kind of thing happens image)))))))))) I bet that garage will be more careful of you next time image)))))))

    And I loved your description of the dawgies. Especially the sight of all of them racing toward you and then SITTING on the word of command. Blimey, I can't do that with my kids! And what an experience Crufts must have been. The attention to detail is fantastic, I know, but buffind a dog's toenails?!? Bet you were proud when your boys won their class, too! I can just see them in my minds' eye, with the perfect pooches and their African outfits (that's the boys, not the dogs--I did understand that!!). What wonderful memories, Patootie.

    But, er, no, you haven't mentioned the motorcycle racing yet, and knowing you, I'm almost afraid to ask! You aren't the women's world champion motorcycle driver or something, are you????

    Compared to you, my life is grey and dull. The last two days I've worked, walked Rossie, been for a couple of short runs, cooked the odd meal, and that's about it. Mr C and C3 were in England for a couple of days: C3 liked Cardiff OK, but would much rather go to Exeter, especially as it has the German Law and English Law course he really liked, so please keep your fingers crossed for him. It's very competitive, as there are few if any equivalent courses in the country, so we don't want to count any chickens at this point.

  • Heehehhhehh .. of course you have to buff and polish the toe nails .. perfection is all .. mostly their nails would be nice and short due to all the miles I walked/trotted them weekly .. you have to put the roadwork in with the dogs to give them good muscle tone and definition ... it's just like people and running .. and horses and horse racing !!

    The shorter the dogs toe nails are the nicer they stand .. if the toenails are too long they can look a little flat footed (just look at a puppy and an old dog and you will see puppy is up on it's toes and an older dog is flat footed, it makes a lot of difference to leg definition and shoulder placement) .. so short trimmed nails to be on tippy toes when they walk .. then I buffed and oiled the toe nails so the looked nice and healthy and well groomed .. after all we do this with our own nails don't we .. dry flaky nails aren't nice and can be a sign of illness of poor diet .. so it's just the same with dogs .. image

    Motorcycles ... my ex and his brother had a 'kneeler sidecar racing outfit' back in the early 70's .. we used to race at club level (we were at club level at the same time that Barry Sheene was starting out on his professional career, his dad once helped us when we had a breakdown and I rode one of Barry's race bikes) ...  well, sometimes at the last minute my ex's brother couldn't make the race so I used to be the 'stand in' passenger .. I had my club racing passengers licence .. there is something quite unique about hanging on to the sidecar outfit going over 100 miles an hour round a corner with a pack of other sidecars roaring around with you .. image

    It's not that you are scared .. well not until you get off then your legs go to jelly .. it's exciting .. thrilling .. your bum just inches from the tarmac .. other bikes whizzing just feet from you ..

    http://www.superside.com/images/31.jpg

  • BB ✭✭✭

    Hello again you two! Wow Patootie you really are full of surprisesimage How exciting to have shown at Crufts and won a prize! And then motorcycle racing too! I know you enjoy F1, do you watch any of the motorcycle racing on tv? We do, and the World Superbike season starts this weekend - how quickly it has come around again.

    I love this time of year, the yellow crocuses are out outside our window and the daffodils are pushing their way up too - spring is springingimage 

    I hope the cortisone injection resolves your thumb issues Patootie, avoiding surgery sounds like the best way to go if you can.

    Mmmm your life does sound such an exciting and eventful one in comparison to mine! Still I am doing something I have never tried before - I have given up chocolate for Lent. When I was a child I would give up something I didn't want anyway, but I thought it would be good for me to do this, I eat far too much of it, and I am sure I will enjoy my Easter egg all the more for it...so 2 days down ...

  • image I am in full 'head on' panic mode .. just this minute had the 'new kitchens' works boss come round .. my new kitchen is beautiful maple work units that will 'wrap around' the end walls .. kitchen shape is a long is rectangle .. wall cupboards on the right hand side .. dark, slate grey work tops .. and a light grey flooring .. loads of cupboard space .. roughly 15 feet of work top space (minus the sink and drainer space) . fantastic .. only thing is .. they are coming on WEDNESDAY at 8am .. image

    I have to be out all day tomorrow .. image .. Monday I should be on the training course .. but I think I will plead to delay that as I won't concentrate knowing I have to have all the cupboards emptied and all kitchen equipment moved out of the kitchen by 8am on Wednesday .. image

    Still .. by this time next week I will have a beautiful all singing, all dancing new kitchen .. GULP !!!

  • Wednesday morning at 8am .. they are coming to rip out the whole of the old kitchen .. it will be down to the bare floor boards and bare walls .. nothing is being saved .. so they need a clear kitchen so they can start to rip out .. the only thing I don't have to move is the fridge freezer .. thank goodness .. !!

    I'm still working out where to put my kitchen equipment so that I can continue to eat and make coffee .. hehehehe ... the power will be off for the minimum of time as they can isolate the kitchen area in the fuse box .. I'm just setting up a small table to be my hot drinks space .. far enough away from all the kitchen work to be safe and away from me too so that I don't knock the kettle over or anything silly ...  !

    I'm going to do a quick bit of 'main meal' cooking on Sunday so that I can still eat (reheated) hot meals without faffing around while they do the kitchen .. then everything else is going into crates in the bedroom .. just organising the crates now so that heavy stuff will be at the bottom of the pile and lighter stuff at the top .. less lugging around that way .. image

  • Phew .. got a lot of things sorted in the kitchen .. all the drawers are now empty .. got the crates out ready to fill up ... made space for the crates in the bedroom .. made a list of items I need to keep out for use during the renovation .. got a safe place readied for the kettle and mugs for coffees etc .. moved things around in the lounge to make space for the fridge freezer, butchers trolley etc etc ..

    That's it for today I'm afraid ... got to drive tomorrow so daredn't do any lifting or bending down or I may not be able to drive ..  image

  • BB ✭✭✭
    new kitchen sounds wonderful Patootie - don't overdo it thoughimage
  • Been trying to think of some of the quirkiest or weirdest things I've done in my life .. have I said about when I trod on a black mamba snake ??
    http://www.freefever.com/animatedgifs/animated/snake5.gif

  • OK .. this is it .. just going to drive over to my old home and meet with a lovely couple who are my prospective buyers .. fingers crossed .. beautiful day so they will see the fantastic view .. and if that doesn't sell it for me I don't know what will .. image
  • Fingers are crossed for you Patootie   image

    A home with a fabulous view - what I'd give for one of those.  Plans are soon to put in motion for  a permanent move down to the west country  and that is def. going to be top of list when deciding on our new home.

    Spring is nearly properly here isn't  it?  Garden still looking a bit sorry for itself so will spend a little time outiside, our neighbours is a stunning show of spring colour.

    Take Care

  • YES YES YES  ... my lovely prospective buyers spent 3 hours looking round .. chatting .. asking questions .. they absolutely loved the place .. said it was in perfect condition .. were totally stunned by the view .. we have agreed a price .. just need them to finalise everything now .. ohhh puhlease keep your fingers crossed for me .. image
  • WOOOHOOOOO!!! Great news, Patootie! If they liked the house and the view and the condition, it's sounding good. Keeping EVERYTHING crossed for you!! It would be brilliant to get this part of it done and dusted so really hoping it goes through quickly for you (and for them, since they love the place so much)!!!

    Friends in England say their daffs are out already, but we're a bit behind here, not being in gulf stream, so we have a grand display of snowdrops, and you can see the crocuses but they haven't unfolded yet; the daffs are still only 8 inch green shoots. But the birds are becoming more active and vocal by the day, and when I took Rossie for a quick walk about 7 tonight I realised it was only just getting dark then; a month ago it was pitch black by 6. So spring must be on the way!

  • image omg .. runs round in circles .. hides head under pillow .. just been asked if they can start 8am TOMORROW .. YIKES .. got to wash up .. move clock .. clear last cupboard .. move toaster etc etc etc ... 

     image aaaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh image
  • Oh Patootie, what an uncivilised hour to have to be up and ready to go!!! Try not to go absolutely nuts tonight getting everything ready. Deep breaths, a few long exhalations on 'oooooooommmmmm' and you'll be fine.

    How long will it take them to do it all?

  • Phewee .. just finishing the last few bits now .. image missed a cupboard .. was just checking all was done and found I'd missed a cupboard .. image ,, hmmm .. so that's where that dish went to .. ohh look and more storage plastic boxes ,.. just what I wanted hehehe !!!

     I am told the old kitchen will be ripped out .. and the new one put in in 2-3 days tops .. so not too bad .. then of course there is the even more mammoth task of puting everything back again .. and having to try and remember where everything is .. I'd only just got used to where things were from the move last June .. hehehe

    So I've got three very stressful days of noise, chaos and disruption .. so that will send the old fibro into overdrive .. but then I'll have a beautiful new kitchen .. and let's not forget .. I'd never have coped with all this chaos and rushing around a year ago .. image

    image And my prospective buyers have backed out .. drat them .. no reason given .. just the place was perfect .. !! So why aren't they buying it I wonder ?? Hey ho .. c'est la vie !!

  • So .. back to the black mamba snake .. image

    I was wandering across the gardens between myself and my neighbours .. in the foothills of the Bong mountains in Liberia, West Africa .. just a simple stroll of about a quarter of a mile .. as usual I was ignoring all the good advice about keeping to the roadways and staying away from the verges .. striding out across the scrubby grass in my clogs and admiring the myriad  of insects and flowers .. and I was not paying attention to where I was walking .. getting to a small storm drain run off area .. I stepped over it .. and when I put my foot down on the other side I near fell flat on my face .. I was windmilling my arms wildly to keep upright and desperately trying to stand still at the same time ..

    .. because what I had seen under my foot struck terror into my very soul .. a 5-6ft long greeny brown, and extremely cross at being trompled on, snake was writhing around under my clog .. I knew it was a black mamba .. flippin' norah we had been warned enough about them and shown photographs so we could recognise them .. they are the fastest land snake in the world, extremely aggressive and very venomous and have a lunging upwards strike .. I was about to die if I took my foot off it and it lunged for me .. they kill humans in minutes ..  yet I had to move or it would just writhe even more and free itself ..

    .. desperately I looked all round .. no one about .. so with a mighty yell at the snake I leaped away and made a run for it .. I swear I did 100 metres in less than 10 seconds  .. wet myself .. cried .. was sick .. and shook uncontrollably .. I finally stumbled onto my neighbours verandah sobbing incoherently about mamba, there, big, stepped on ..

     ... a search party was instantly sent out .. the snake had to be found and destroyed .. we had small children, houseboys and pets all within a short distance from where I'd stepped on the mamba .. men with guns and machetes went to out into the bush .. a shout .. bang .. bang .. a loud cheer ..

    ... thank goodness I lived to tell this tale .. because black mambas are just soooo dangerous .. I was incredibly lucky .. had the snake been full grown at 8-10 feet I doubt I'd have got away .. I had probably scared the young snake as much as it had scared me .. it went one way and I'd gone the other .. yikes .. what an adventure .. image

  • Electricians here .. wooohooo . . the new kitchen starts here .. !!
  • New extractor fan .. new light strip .. new light switches .. a handful of double sockets .. love it already .. image

    Sigh .. and dust over absolutely everything image

  • Whoa!!!! That's an awful lot going on at once, Patootie! But it's great that it's already shaping up to be what you want. And don't worry too much about the dust. That stuff always looks worse than it is. Just close your eyes and ignore it til they're finished, then one go and you'll be set. Having a kitchen done is the most disruptive thing I know (we had it done in our house in Surrey about 12 years ago---within 4 days even the kids were sick of takeaway pizza!) but it looks great. (Every time we have a chance to look, when we're back in England and the house is between lets, I think how much I'd like to have a kitchen like that image)

    That story about the mamba was really terrifying. I can't really imagine being that close to a venomous snake and not literally fainting with fright. But--I have to say this---only you, Patootie, could have an experience like that AND be able to describe it so vividly! Have you ever thought about writing a book about your life? (hat is not a joke question. I really mean it. You have a superb way with words, and a gift for seeing interest and significance in so many things.

    Although as a special favour you are allowed to put off commencing your magnum opus until you have a working kitchen again image))

  • Oh I meant to ask, what kind of kitchen are you having put in? I mean, are you having wooden cupboard doors (if so, what kind of wood?) or nice clean modern plastic in some form (I can't remember the posh name for that lovely smooth plastic stuff that looks so fresh)? Trad or trendy? Colours? Countertops?

    I need a luscious, envy-inducing description of all this!!!

  • Maple units .. that's the modern vinyl coated impact board type stuff, sadly not real wood .. 27 kitchens being done here in the next 3 weeks and real wood would have blown the housing associations refurb budget for the next 10 years !!

    So, start again .. maple units .. dark slate grey worktops .. and light grey non slip vinyl flooring .. going from left to right around the kitchen we have .. uninterrupted work top .. 4 feet long .. full length cupboard underneath .. then the long wall is 10 feet long .. all worktop except stainless steel sink and drainer unit .. cupboards underneath ... then right hand wall 4 feet of work top  .. full length cupboard underneath .. over the top of this side are the top wall units .. the other side of the kitchen space will be fridge freezer and my butchers block trolley .. giving another 3 feet of work space .. image

    Left hand side will be where I do all my cooking .. extractor over the top of this area .. right hand side will be where the kettle, coffee maker and hot drinks bits and pieces will go .. sink on right of long wall .. then 6 feet or so of preparation worktop space .. image

    I think we've fitted in the maximum amount of worktop space .. given myself clearly defined areas of work .. keeping the cooking area as far away from the normal 'high traffic' area as possible for safety .. and the food work areas will 'flow' nicely .. going from right to left .. wash - step left, prep - step left, cook half turn -step-left, dish up on trolley - half turn and place dirty items straight into sink .. so I shall work in an anti clockwise circular motion .. and that works perfectly for me .. image

    Plenty of cupboard space to store all my gadgets .. ample worktop space .. plenty of food storage space .. and it should look pretty good I reckon .. nice and streamlined .. image

    Ok .. that's all a bit jumbled .. but I am whacked out .. off to bed in a few minutes .. need to get up early again tomorrow .. image

  • Oh, I think those units are PERFECT, Patootie. Real wood sounds seductive, but it can warp and it marks easily and all that. One of my friends had an all-wood kitchen and didn't like it, so I think you're spot on.

    However---now, don't go into this now! Wait til the dust has settled (literally!) but I'm confused. The mental picture I'm getting of your kitchen is of a U shape with two 'arms' about 4 feet long and a 'long wall' of about 10 feeet wall that sounds like it's the cross-stroke of the U. But I'm finding it hard really to imagine because I don't know the location of a) the door and b) the cooker. And I don't really understand where the sink. And is there a window anywhere? Or is it a sort of galley affair? And where's the fridge? I can understand a butcher's block being in the middle of the floor, but I don't quite see how a fridge can be. A pity the RW forums don't extend to some kind of drawing programme, cos I'm sure this is all very straightforward once I get oriented.

    Anyway, with plenty of cupboards, worktops, and food storage, and a sensible order of movement, it sounds to me like a dream kitchen! (Our kitchen in Surrey, though it looked lovely when it had been done, was actually very inconvenient. There were doors in all four walls (one to the central heating cupboard, the back door to the outside, the door into the hall and the door into the dining area) so there was NO area that traffic did NOT flow through.

    Hope today isn't too traumatic, luckily they ought to be finished by the end of the week so you will have the weekend to tidy up and get yourself organised. A new kitchen, just for you---what (well deserved!) luxury!!! Just stay clear of the dust and keep the stress as low as you can so the fibro is kept as low as possible. xx

  • Ok .. will have another go at describing my kitchen  .. running a water filtration air cleaner at the moment .. forgot to set it up yesterday .. DOH!! .. that'll sort some of the airborne dust out .. image

    Now, think bottom half of an 'H' ,, rather than a 'U' .. image .. and 'galley' might well describe it .. only it's the  long side .. the lounge side that's open rather than an end .. which is why the butchers trolley and fridge freezer are there to 'make up' the fourth wall .. small window will be over the new sink drainer .. looks out across the building corridor then through the corridor window to the church graveyard .. roller blind for privacy .. hmm .. is that any clearer or have I muddle it even more .. image 

    Blow ... do it again when it's all done image

  • Getting lost with what I am putting in here and in  grast_girl's 'give me a kick up the backside' thread .. so I'll put it here too .. image

    .. "New electrics sorted .. single sockets changed to doubles .. and wangled a couple of extra sockets too .. so I have gone from being able to plug in 4 items at once to 10 things image

    Walls drilled out .. cables laid .. walls refilled .. really nice electrician .. very empathetic to my disabilities .. always told me when he was about to drill .. found me a set of ear defenders (new ones too!) to use .. and when he first turned on the old strip light (it used to flash several times) .. he noticed me quickly shut my eyes and asked me if I was sensitive to flashing lights etc .. from then on he announced .. 'lights going on' ... the new strip light is super .. a softer but brighter light .. and NO flashing at the start ..  image .. and bless him before he left my flat he swept the floor carefully (he'd noted I don't wear shoes indoors) .. and even wiped down the sink .. made me laugh as it's being ripped out today .. but he said .. "you'll want some water for the kettle and to wash up a few bits and pieces" .. so he left it ready for me to use .. good workmen like that are few and far between !!! image

    'Wreckers' coming in shortly .. what's left of the kitchen will get pulled out .. old radiator capped off (never used it anyway) .. water pipes and drainage sorted .. old tiles removed .. all ready for my new units to go in .. when they get here that is .."  image

  • Wow, it's all happening at once at the moment isn't it? 

    Deep breaths Toots! image

  • Just had a really good cry .. image

    The 'lads' have pretty much finished now .. just some titivating to do tomorrow .. image .. and once they'd gone I stood in my new kitchen .. I mean, I knew what it was going to be, I'd sat and thought how it would look, but nothing prepares you for how it will really look.. it's simply BEAUTIFUL .. the maple was definitely the right choice .. it looks sooooo expensive, so posh, so 'Beautiful Homes' ... image

    I am very impressed with how they have all worked .. basically we've had a good laugh .. and played a few tricks on each other .. but at the end of they day that's made an arduous task (for me) .. so easy .. when you are having a laugh you can put up with all the mess, the dust, the upset, the lack of cooking facilities etc .. so .. standing in my new kitchen hot tears of happiness coursed unbidden down my cheeks .. it's truly wonderful image
  • Oh Patootie, that's wonderful---wonderful that the workmen were so nice, wonderful that they were so efficient and understanding, and best of all that you are happy with the result! A new kitchen is so, SO posh, I don't know anything that makes you feel more special! (I've only had one in my life, but it made me feel special ,anyway!).

    Can you take a photo with your mobile and put it on here?? (I couldn't do this, but some of my friends can, so if you have that level of skill, do share this beautiful kitchen with the rest of us!)

    Most of all, Patootie, you pat yourself on the back, and sit back and look at you gawjuss kitchen, and turn on the bright but not flickering light, and fill the kettle at the dark grey worktop, and make yourself a lovely cup of tea, and remind yourself that you earned it with all your courage and determination and energy over the last year! And enjoy every square inch of it!!!

    (((((((((((((Patootie)))))))))))))

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