U is for Unicorn!

I never finished my 'Alphabet for August' challenge, and it went on most of the year, so now I'm going to finish it, continuing with.... 

U is for Unicorns! Why, you ask? Well, I was struggling with U and thought unicorns were definitely the nicest things I could think of. They are magical, mythical beasts, and wouldn't we all like to find one in a forest clearing somewhere? Plus it came to me on the spur of the moment, it is probably not the most likely thing for me to say, and occasionally I like to surprise myself!

V is for Vet - who we and the well-known pet insurers we shall not name have spent a disgusting amount on over the last few years. We have felt in the past that Ruby was getting treatment she didn't really need (as well as being overpriced) and it was actually making her ill! This was all done because she was going to have a dental, and had nothing else wrong with her. They did a blood test and found that her platelet count was low - very low - 32, I think. They said something like 250 was normal! Obviously we were scared. Now greyhounds have completely different blood compositions, heart and lung sizes etc, but this isn't always taken into account. They put her on steroids for months, which had little effect on her count, but changed her beyond belief,. She went off her food, did puddles all over the house, didn't want to go for walks and was literally hangdog all the time! Now they were earmarking her for leukemia treatment, when she had been a happy normal dog before the drugs kicked in. We were due to go on holiday with her, so we told the vet we had decided to stop the steroids and see what difference it made. In the first week she perked up and stopped having 'accidents' in the house, and she just went back to being our sweet Ruby. We aren't in any way saying dogs shouldn't be given steroids, or advising anyone to go against their vet's advice, but remember, Ruby wasn't ill to start with. Some months later, she had a blood test again and it was 500, and the next time, just before the dental she never had was re-planned it was about 55. They had once said that some dogs have counts that go up and down all the time, but I'm so glad we took her off the treatment when we did.

We changed vets when when they told us how much it would be to extract one tooth and clean the rest, and I thought it was a stupid amount, so checked locally and on the internet. Everyone was charging half the price or less than our vet. So we upped sticks and left. You can always change your vet, so shop around. The one we took her to in the end deals with greyhounds and lurchers all the time, so we know she's got the best one now.

If you want to see the earlier alphabet entries, please browse my earlier posts.

My poor blog ...

... has been neglected for the best part of a year, so I thought I should jump back in the saddle, so to speak!

I have been in a state of confusion and indecision for most of that time, as has George, trying to decide whether to move to France or the south of England. We had a very wet and gloomy holiday in Normandy and Brittany in June, made worse by the fact that my elder daughter Emma was rushed to hospital with meningitis. By the time we got back, Emma was recovering at home. We decided we preferred Normandy and returned in September for a drier but still partly grey holiday.

Grey Day!

Autumn Sunshine and Beautiful Percherons at the National Stud 

Anyway, to cut a long story short, although we love France, we have decided to stay in England, for many, many reasons, not least our family but also my up and down health. I think we both feel better for making what we really feel is the right decision for us. We still want to head for drier and warmer climes, so we plan to head south, top listers being the South Hams in Devon and the Isle of Wight, though nothing is set in stone.

To this end, well partly, as we wanted to go there anyway, we've booked a fortnight in Kingswear, Devon in this lovely place called QuerQuay Bolthole (how could you not love that name!) Perfect for a bit of romance!


QuerQuay Bolthole Garden View

What we've been up to....

Since I sadly had to close my grooming salon because of my health, I thought I'd try and sell some knitted items, as I have recently taken up knitting again. I was thrilled the other day, when I made my first sale on Folksy, from my shop, Dancing with Wools. It was a cuddly heart design hottie cover, in a lush and lovely 50% alpaca and 50% merino wool and it's so soft. I made one for my daughter as a Christmas present too and she says she uses it every night. There's only one item on there now, a make-up bag, but there are a few things in my Etsy shop too. I must get clicking those needles!

George has been busy in the kitchen while I've been ill. He has made two large pans of curry to freeze - Lemon and Coriander Chicken and Mughlai Lamb with Turnips, both from 'Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery', except we swapped the turnips for butternut squash and I think the turnips would have been better. Her recipes are all fab, and he made naan breads too this weekend from the same book. It's become our curry bible. I think I'll start a favourite recipes page, with links to the sources of course, but it may just fill up with Madhur's yummy curries!

Next, George made two batches of Seville orange marmalade - yes, he bravely soldiered on, cutting the rind into nice little - fairies! Yes, I  know, you're saying 'WHAT!!!' I was brought up by a mother who strangely called the shredded peel in marmalade fairies and so I do and I think my children may still! Just a little quirky, maybe! Anyway, Here's his fabulous marmalade - it's a tastebud sensation!

I had decided to make a load of sausage rolls for the freezer, as we love them for lunch, and homemade are much nicer and cheaper to make. I'm very fussy about sausage and sausagemeat, and buy mine from an award winning butcher, as everything can be trusted to be top notch, yet not overly expensive. I thought they would be lovely with a bit of orange marmalade added on top of the sausagemeat and George agreed, so I made them and they taste fab! I always use homemade shortcrust pastry, as I don't like flaky and hate the way flakes constantly fall off. These came out of the oven with sticky jamminess oozing out of the edges and we had to be very good to put any in the freezer. Now I want one!!

George's most recent make was a spelt loaf he kneaded in the breadmaker, but shaped and baked in the oven for a change. The reason is that the top is always left pale and soft in the breadmaker, and though we now put it in the oven for a few minutes, it's not as good as the 'real' stuff. Also, we sometimes have a failure as spelt is not as easy to rise and prove as wheat flour. Anyway, he made it and it looked fab. It was much more risen than we often get in the machine, but ended up a bit doughy and with a huge hole in the middle and a small lump of dough inside! Shame, but I think it probably needed longer in a cooler oven. Looking at it, you would guess it was perfect.

George is so good doing stuff around the house and fortunately enjoys cooking, mostly savoury dishes. As I prefer baking pastry, cakes and puddings, it works out really well, though not too healthy! However, I think it's back to the breadmaker for a while now.

Witchblood!

My daughter, Emma is an author! Yesterday she published Witchblood, her first novel, on Kindle. It's aimed at teens and young adults, however if you're long past your twenties, but love vampires and the supernatural, you can still read it, or buy a copy for your friends and relatives. At just 77p, it's a bargain and the next in the series is already in the pipeline. If you don't own a Kindle, you can read it on an iPad, iPhone, Smartphone or on your PC.

Emma has always loved reading, from being very small, and her interest in the supernatural began when we used to read Enid Blyton's 'Faraway Tree' books together, and later moved on to the likes of 'Twilight', but you can read all about that on her blog, www.witchbloodthenovel.com. I hope it is a sellout success, as she has always struggled to find a career she would love, and I know writing is that one, so fingers crossed, and please take a peep at "Witchblood".

My New Hobby or should I say Obsession is....

Knitting!

It must be nearly thirty years since I did any knitting worth speaking of, but I started knitting some party collars for my Doggy Dazzler customers to wear at Christmas and now I can't stop! The collars are on my website and my new Etsy shop, Lyncrafts.

So then I started to knit miniature clothes for the woolly celebrity Lurcher SOS dogs - yes, I lost the plot long ago! Myrtle and her brother, Merlin go on holiday with loopy people like me, to raise awareness and funds for Lurcher SOS.

After that, I thought it would be nice to make some human winter warmers, as it's turned rather chilly lately. My first need was for legwarmers, and I found luxurious, soft Alpaca wool in these heavenly colours. I love random wool.

I'm now hurrying to make presents for certain family members, which I can't put on here till after Christmas, for obvious reasons. Then, after Christmas, I want to start making nice things for my Etsy shop (see above).

Christmas Cake - Yum!

The Christmas cake was made a week or two ago...

Unfortunately, it got a little dark around the edges! I have fed it today, but I'm worried about the burnt bits tasting bitter. I may cut the worst bits off, before I cover it.

I always make Nigel Slater's recipe, as it is the fruitiest, most delicious Chrissy cake I have ever eaten. I found it in a magazine some years ago, and not having been thrilled with any before, I instantly fell in love with this one. It is filled with all the yummy dried fruits you can ever want and whole almonds, and now I can't wait till Christmas! The only way I differ from Nigel's recipe, is that I soak the fruit overnight in the juice and brandy.

I'll make my own almond paste and royal icing, as always, then rough ice it in crunchy little peaks with robins and snowmen added for the children. My mum always did this and I like to carry on the snowscene tradition - plus I hate fondant icing and can't smooth ice to save my life!

A Doggy Christmas Story

Please read the story below - copied from Lurcher SOS.   If it makes one more person consider taking an older dog out of a rescue this winter, and giving him/her a nice warm forever home, the anonymous author will have done a great job.

Ollie - In the care of The Oldies Club

If only all wishes came true....

Toby knew what he wanted for Christmas. The same thing everyone here wanted. A ring!

Christmas was close, he could feel it. Ribbons were hung on the walls, and there were special treats with dinner. More people came by to visit, and everybody was in a good mood. Except Emmett. When Toby shared with Emmett his Christmas wish, Emmett just shook his head.

"Toby, you and I don't get rings," he said. "Look at us, a couple of losers who were given up on. It's the youngsters that get rings."

Toby looked at his reflection in his water dish. There was gray on his muzzle and along the tips of his ears. It was true he couldn't play fetch like he used to. And his legs hurt when he walked too much. But he could still race to the front door when he heard it swing open, wagging his tail like a pup, and go on a slow walk around the block, sniffing here and there. And how he loved to curl up at the foot of the bed, keeping watch during the night.

But those were the old days. Now he was here, with Emmett instead of with ...

"See, here we go again," Emmett said, as puppies up and down the long hallway yapped and barked, a sign that people had just arrived. Emmett stretched out on the concrete next to his water dish. "Wake me when it's over."

Toby peeked through the gate and saw a little boy and girl walking slowly his way. They stopped in front of almost every kennel, and sometimes they would kneel in front of one and laugh. Toby wished them closer, his tail wagging. He knew if they saw him, then maybe . . . just maybe . . .

"Don't get your hopes up," said Emmett, his eyes still closed. "You'll only be disappointed."

Toby looked down the hall. The woman in the blue shirt who brought food every day was opening one of the gates. A brown puppy bounded out and into the arms of the girl, who squealed with delight. From her back pocket, the woman in the blue shirt brought out a ring, pale gray, just like all the rings. She slipped it over the puppy's head.

"Everyone wants cute and adorable," Emmett said as he heard the door close, knowing what surely had happened. "Years ago we were cute and adorable. No more."

But it was Christmastime, Toby thought. Things are different at Christmastime. There is happiness. There is cheer. There is hope.

Toby remembered when he had a home and a bed and a yard and a person who loved him. But one day people came and they were crying, and the next day he was here. Now all he wanted was a ring, again.

Emmett opened an eye when the barking started again but closed it as he stretched out. Toby pressed his muzzle to the gate and wished again.
"It's Christmastime," he said. "A season for miracles."

He saw the woman in the blue shirt, and she had by the elbow a man walking very slowly down the aisle. They were talking, but Toby couldn't hear them over the barking. They came closer. And closer. Almost, thought Toby. Almost. Toby squeezed his eyes shut. He wished harder than he had ever wished before.

"Hey, fella, what's your name?" Toby heard. He opened his eyes.

Toby noticed the man had gray around his muzzle and more gray around his ears. He was bent over slightly, and Toby noticed a cane holding the man up.

Toby wagged his tail and put his paw on the gate, and when he did, it opened.
The woman in the blue shirt reached behind her. There in her hand was a ring. Gray, like all the rest. But the man shook his head. Please, Toby wished. Please.

The man reached behind him and pulled out his own ring. It was red and had green and gold stones that glittered in the light. He slipped it over Toby's head. Toby was going home.

"C'mon, boy," the man said. "Cute and adorable, you are. Lots of life left in you, fella."

As Toby placed one paw outside the kennel, he stopped for just a little. Lowered his head for just a little. Glanced behind him for just a little. The man looked at Emmett, and Emmett looked at the man.

"That one, too, if it's OK," the man said. "Looks like a set I'd hate to break up. My home may be a bit small, but my heart is big enough." The woman in the blue shirt took the ring and slipped it over Emmett's head.

And that's when Toby knew Christmas miracles do happen.

Emmett wagged his tail and spun in a circle and barked. Just as if he were a puppy.

ANON

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