Lu's Thread
- Thread starter George J
- Start date
George J
Herefordshire member
Off topic, but I am having computer to internet trouble, and in the process found a rather nice photo of my best ever car.
image 074 by George Johnson, on Flickr
I managed to retrieve it from the cloud or where-ever it was residing [assumed long since lost], and this veritable beast was ten when I bought it in year 1999, and twenty one when I parted with it to a lady friend. She only drove it once before it was stolen, used in a ram raid and then burnt and pushed in the River Wye. Such an ignominious end for a lovely car that after two decades had absolutely no rust and ran as quiet as a Singer sewing machine. I achieved 41 mpg over a thousand plus miles going to Norway in 2000. Low speed limits help, plus a light right foot! It struck me that I look no older this week than here in about 2005.
This car crossed a number of milestones in my life. I collected my Carlton road bike in it in 2010 [rescue bike], but it also took me to my last professional bass-playing concert in December 1999.
The likes of it will never be made again.
It had the famous red-block Volvo engine in 2.3 trim with Regina Bendix fuel injection [116 bhp governed off at 4200 rpm, far short of the given red-line of 5500 rpm], not the more common and far inferior Bosch K-Jetronic system. I wish I still had this car. It would be worth a bob or two today. I never managed the ton in it, It was a a needle width shy on the speedometer. That was in Germany so no law broken.
Lu would have loved the passenger seat!
Best wishes from George
This picture shows the car some time after a Vauxhall Corsa has rear-ending me, knocking its engine off the mounts and cracking its windscreen. Volvos used to be tough. I polished the Corsa paint off the bumper! Just noticed the almost flat back tyre. It had a slow puncture, and needed air about once a month! Towards the end, I was only covering a thousand miles a year, so it hardly justified the VED at the time, though the insurance was less than £100 PA with the NFU.
image 074 by George Johnson, on FlickrI managed to retrieve it from the cloud or where-ever it was residing [assumed long since lost], and this veritable beast was ten when I bought it in year 1999, and twenty one when I parted with it to a lady friend. She only drove it once before it was stolen, used in a ram raid and then burnt and pushed in the River Wye. Such an ignominious end for a lovely car that after two decades had absolutely no rust and ran as quiet as a Singer sewing machine. I achieved 41 mpg over a thousand plus miles going to Norway in 2000. Low speed limits help, plus a light right foot! It struck me that I look no older this week than here in about 2005.
This car crossed a number of milestones in my life. I collected my Carlton road bike in it in 2010 [rescue bike], but it also took me to my last professional bass-playing concert in December 1999.
The likes of it will never be made again.
It had the famous red-block Volvo engine in 2.3 trim with Regina Bendix fuel injection [116 bhp governed off at 4200 rpm, far short of the given red-line of 5500 rpm], not the more common and far inferior Bosch K-Jetronic system. I wish I still had this car. It would be worth a bob or two today. I never managed the ton in it, It was a a needle width shy on the speedometer. That was in Germany so no law broken.
Lu would have loved the passenger seat!
Best wishes from George
This picture shows the car some time after a Vauxhall Corsa has rear-ending me, knocking its engine off the mounts and cracking its windscreen. Volvos used to be tough. I polished the Corsa paint off the bumper! Just noticed the almost flat back tyre. It had a slow puncture, and needed air about once a month! Towards the end, I was only covering a thousand miles a year, so it hardly justified the VED at the time, though the insurance was less than £100 PA with the NFU.
George J
Herefordshire member
Lu has discovered a new resting place. On the top of the back of one of my easy chairs. From there I assume she thinks she is the master of all she surveys!
IMG_1393 by George Johnson, on Flickr
Best wishes from George
PS: I had not really noticed before, but Lu has a very direct way of looking at you! Her eyes are lovely pools that seem to me lead right to her soul.
IMG_1393 by George Johnson, on FlickrBest wishes from George
PS: I had not really noticed before, but Lu has a very direct way of looking at you! Her eyes are lovely pools that seem to me lead right to her soul.
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
We've had 3 labs, all of which have been completely relaxed with fireworks. I don't know if that's innate - they are gun dogs, after all - or learned behaviour. What I do know is that, with all of them, as young puppies the first time we encountered fireworks with them we made sure to be calm, relaxed and visibly enjoy the experience. Lots of 'ooh, ahh!' and 'isn't that lovely' sort of feedback. I do wonder if some of the dogs which are afraid of fireworks, have picked up on their owners' nervousness at how the dog might react, and associated the noises and flashes with something that made their owner concerned. My experience is that if a dog sees you are unconcerned about something, they will quickly decide they don't need to bother themselves about it either.
George J
Herefordshire member
Lovely four days house sitting on Bringsty Common.
The weather smiled with almost no rain and a good deal of sun, though sometimes foggy. The chickens, ducks, geese and peafowl in lockdown because of Bird Flu, so less risk of a fox attack, and less stress for the bird sitter. Also no risk from Lu! My little dog had four days off lead on ten acres, and she was soon queen of the patch! Her former fascination with chasing the Alpacas has completely evaporated when given total freedom. The real problem is the Patron's brown Lab, who though a resident, has yet to learn to be demure when round them. Lu, unfortunately takes the Lab's example. Lab absent, problem solved.
Lu has not learned to kill, but the hunt gene is strong and she terrified the local rodents - where you have fowl, rodents follow - and took off after a fox at one point. This is good, because foxes often "case the joint" before coming back to "Chickens-R-Us," for a fresh tasty snack with some additional mayhem destroying birds or maiming them for no reason at all, beyond the joy of killing. Unfortunately though Patterdales can kill a fox, it is an even fight, which the fox can win. Obviously this is to be entirely discouraged. But the fox fled absolutely scared out of it wits by a Terrier less than half its size. Lu came in once the fox went out of range. Obviously foxes go faster than Terriers, thanks be. The danger would be if the fox went to ground, and no doubt that Lu would follow, with potentially disastrous results.
We did not see the fox scouting again.
Lu is still learning and now she knows the boundary of the ten acres. She slid next door to play with the horses there, and I was so cross with her that she is now convinced not only are the neighbours out of bounds but the bottom dingle [with scruffy pond], is also beyond limits. No bad thing really. Lessons to be learned and no harm comes of it.
She she is a most happy little dog for such a nice long weekend.
I find house sitting at this place quite stressful as I take the responsibility of keeping the birds and alpacas safe very seriously, but I enjoyed it this time, because Lu had such a riotous time!
Dogs do lift your spirits and somewhat dissipate stress.
Best wishes from George.
No photos, of course because photographing a Terrier having fun requires more photographic skill than I have!
The weather smiled with almost no rain and a good deal of sun, though sometimes foggy. The chickens, ducks, geese and peafowl in lockdown because of Bird Flu, so less risk of a fox attack, and less stress for the bird sitter. Also no risk from Lu! My little dog had four days off lead on ten acres, and she was soon queen of the patch! Her former fascination with chasing the Alpacas has completely evaporated when given total freedom. The real problem is the Patron's brown Lab, who though a resident, has yet to learn to be demure when round them. Lu, unfortunately takes the Lab's example. Lab absent, problem solved.
Lu has not learned to kill, but the hunt gene is strong and she terrified the local rodents - where you have fowl, rodents follow - and took off after a fox at one point. This is good, because foxes often "case the joint" before coming back to "Chickens-R-Us," for a fresh tasty snack with some additional mayhem destroying birds or maiming them for no reason at all, beyond the joy of killing. Unfortunately though Patterdales can kill a fox, it is an even fight, which the fox can win. Obviously this is to be entirely discouraged. But the fox fled absolutely scared out of it wits by a Terrier less than half its size. Lu came in once the fox went out of range. Obviously foxes go faster than Terriers, thanks be. The danger would be if the fox went to ground, and no doubt that Lu would follow, with potentially disastrous results.
We did not see the fox scouting again.
Lu is still learning and now she knows the boundary of the ten acres. She slid next door to play with the horses there, and I was so cross with her that she is now convinced not only are the neighbours out of bounds but the bottom dingle [with scruffy pond], is also beyond limits. No bad thing really. Lessons to be learned and no harm comes of it.
She she is a most happy little dog for such a nice long weekend.
I find house sitting at this place quite stressful as I take the responsibility of keeping the birds and alpacas safe very seriously, but I enjoyed it this time, because Lu had such a riotous time!
Dogs do lift your spirits and somewhat dissipate stress.
Best wishes from George.
No photos, of course because photographing a Terrier having fun requires more photographic skill than I have!
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George J
Herefordshire member
Lu had a bit of a treat at suppertime.
I don't do reward treats [just vocal encouragement and sometimes some TLC], but always let her have some of what I eat if its healthy for a little dog. No chocolate for example.
I was scouting round the Co-op for a pizza, but found a very nice Hereford ribeye steak reduced due to date. Beef never hurts to wait! It was delightful, and Lu went nearly ballistic on having the odd mouthful of nice meat rather than my more normal fare. I hope she does not get fussy. I only have steak once a year for my birthday in December. She will get a full price treat again then!
All the good behaviour she showed over her weekend of house sitting has stuck. So nice that I can now let her have free-rein, and she does not get the Terrier red mist madness. She is so bright and loveable. I am blest.
Best wishes from George
I don't do reward treats [just vocal encouragement and sometimes some TLC], but always let her have some of what I eat if its healthy for a little dog. No chocolate for example.
I was scouting round the Co-op for a pizza, but found a very nice Hereford ribeye steak reduced due to date. Beef never hurts to wait! It was delightful, and Lu went nearly ballistic on having the odd mouthful of nice meat rather than my more normal fare. I hope she does not get fussy. I only have steak once a year for my birthday in December. She will get a full price treat again then!
All the good behaviour she showed over her weekend of house sitting has stuck. So nice that I can now let her have free-rein, and she does not get the Terrier red mist madness. She is so bright and loveable. I am blest.
Best wishes from George
George J
Herefordshire member
Today I observed something from Lu not seen before. She would be territorial about my flat, but I have very few visitors, and none since Lu came to me in July.
As much as she has learned the boundary of the ten acres mentioned two posts up, she is now determined that no other dog should come onto the patch without a load off very serious sounding warning barks. She has adopted that patch as second home. This all natural, and part of the process of her finding her confidence again. Every day seems to bring something new with her. She also ignored the temptation to follow the Patron's brown Lab and chase the alpacas. Quite remarkable progress, and in the last week, her developing sense of propriety has been amazing and gratifying to watch. Patience pays off with Terriers. A good one is worth its weight in gold!
Just so pleased by how she behaved today with many temptations to be naughty, and treading that fine line of being good, and not being a sissy!
Best wishes from George
PS: She reminds me of my favourite Jack Russell bitch Midge, who lived a sadly short life. 1968 to 1970. She was a deadly rat catcher, and otherwise a perfect house dog. Not fussy, but would let you know when she ready for a rather limited amount of TLC!
As much as she has learned the boundary of the ten acres mentioned two posts up, she is now determined that no other dog should come onto the patch without a load off very serious sounding warning barks. She has adopted that patch as second home. This all natural, and part of the process of her finding her confidence again. Every day seems to bring something new with her. She also ignored the temptation to follow the Patron's brown Lab and chase the alpacas. Quite remarkable progress, and in the last week, her developing sense of propriety has been amazing and gratifying to watch. Patience pays off with Terriers. A good one is worth its weight in gold!
Just so pleased by how she behaved today with many temptations to be naughty, and treading that fine line of being good, and not being a sissy!
Best wishes from George
PS: She reminds me of my favourite Jack Russell bitch Midge, who lived a sadly short life. 1968 to 1970. She was a deadly rat catcher, and otherwise a perfect house dog. Not fussy, but would let you know when she ready for a rather limited amount of TLC!
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George J
Herefordshire member
Lu is a rather surprising little dog. At first she definitely preferred playing with other dogs, and it is a riot when she does, but now she is more interested in making new human friends. Last weekend I went up to Gainsborough to celebrate my birthday with my cousin Pat. Pat is older than me and not well, but she is just as much fun as she used to be when I was a kid and she was already married.
Obviously we started with a hug, even before I went in the front door, Lu on a lead for safety, watching on. The penny dropped. "This is family!" So into the kitchen for a nice cup of tea, and Lu immediately sat on Pat's feet, upside down licking her ankles! She has never made a friend so fast. She had been very calm on the four hour drive plus two pee-breaks.
So there ended up Pat, myself and Lu playing on the floor rather than drinking tea. Needless to say really, but she had perfect manners the whole time. You can't teach that. They are either good or not, and terriers can be a right royal pain in the backside when in novel situations. She did manage one hilarious bit of naughtiness. She stole a roll of kitchen paper, and did the Andrex puppy thing with it all over the front room floor! Probably because she was bored with two old people doing so much jaw-jaw! Also on the first night she was literally warning every few minutes at all the novel noises of a new house. Second night she slept like a log.
On Friday I did some emergency dog sitting and so had the ten acre patch to myself with the Patron's Lab and Spaniel. Lu has come on so far that she would rather potter about with me than go chasing squirrels with the two dogs. Though tiny in comparison she is definitely the boss. Walking them together those two are really not good at recall, but if Lu is there and I call her, they just follow her lead as she gallops back. A small dog with an outsized character, who manages to be liked by being playful and good. She has no bite in her, and that is gratifying. Terriers can be snappy, but a good one is worth its weight in gold.
One thing is that she does get worried when I am leaving her. She is fine in my car, but less sure otherwise. When Pat and I went to Tesco to get a bag of Amber Leaf, she had to stay in the car with Pat. There was a brief moment of panic, and then Pat faced her to the supermarket entrance where she just stared. When I appeared apparently she was wagging her tail and the rest of rear end as if she had not seen me for weeks, not minutes. I do wonder if she will ever really get over that. If not it does not matter.
Anyway, she is blooming into such a kindly little dog. Her enthusiasm for daily life is amazing, and infectious!
Best wishes from George
PS: Pat said that it would be a bad thing if Lu's first owner met her again. Her first owner was not up to the demands of a terrier. They need to be in the action all the time. Though she is tiny she has more energy than most terriers, and never seems to get tired, though these days when she goes to sleep it is peaceful. Pat thought that she might think I was going to give her back, and that is stress that she does not need. It might be a serious set-back for her. Also I reckon that the first owner might want her back given how sweet she is. Neither would be useful, so, as they say, let sleeping dogs lay.
Obviously we started with a hug, even before I went in the front door, Lu on a lead for safety, watching on. The penny dropped. "This is family!" So into the kitchen for a nice cup of tea, and Lu immediately sat on Pat's feet, upside down licking her ankles! She has never made a friend so fast. She had been very calm on the four hour drive plus two pee-breaks.
So there ended up Pat, myself and Lu playing on the floor rather than drinking tea. Needless to say really, but she had perfect manners the whole time. You can't teach that. They are either good or not, and terriers can be a right royal pain in the backside when in novel situations. She did manage one hilarious bit of naughtiness. She stole a roll of kitchen paper, and did the Andrex puppy thing with it all over the front room floor! Probably because she was bored with two old people doing so much jaw-jaw! Also on the first night she was literally warning every few minutes at all the novel noises of a new house. Second night she slept like a log.
On Friday I did some emergency dog sitting and so had the ten acre patch to myself with the Patron's Lab and Spaniel. Lu has come on so far that she would rather potter about with me than go chasing squirrels with the two dogs. Though tiny in comparison she is definitely the boss. Walking them together those two are really not good at recall, but if Lu is there and I call her, they just follow her lead as she gallops back. A small dog with an outsized character, who manages to be liked by being playful and good. She has no bite in her, and that is gratifying. Terriers can be snappy, but a good one is worth its weight in gold.
One thing is that she does get worried when I am leaving her. She is fine in my car, but less sure otherwise. When Pat and I went to Tesco to get a bag of Amber Leaf, she had to stay in the car with Pat. There was a brief moment of panic, and then Pat faced her to the supermarket entrance where she just stared. When I appeared apparently she was wagging her tail and the rest of rear end as if she had not seen me for weeks, not minutes. I do wonder if she will ever really get over that. If not it does not matter.
Anyway, she is blooming into such a kindly little dog. Her enthusiasm for daily life is amazing, and infectious!
Best wishes from George
PS: Pat said that it would be a bad thing if Lu's first owner met her again. Her first owner was not up to the demands of a terrier. They need to be in the action all the time. Though she is tiny she has more energy than most terriers, and never seems to get tired, though these days when she goes to sleep it is peaceful. Pat thought that she might think I was going to give her back, and that is stress that she does not need. It might be a serious set-back for her. Also I reckon that the first owner might want her back given how sweet she is. Neither would be useful, so, as they say, let sleeping dogs lay.
George J
Herefordshire member
Lu is on heat. Great timing over Christmas! Don't doubt me, it really is ... I can see why the first owner was distraught at dealing with her first [apparent] heat at just over twelve months old in May. She nearly got knotted with a large Spaniel this morning, even on the end of a lead round my neck. However viewed, there will never be Spannerdale as a fashionable cross. The Spaniel has a larger head than Lu's chest so it would be fatal. Or very expensive. Neither option appeals to me. So it was confinement in the Mini [which she loves] while I did the necessary with the ducks, chucks, geese, peacocks and hens, and alpacas.
For me it is brilliant that it gives me a great get-out for the normal social gatherings over the festive season. I am no great enthusiast for being different over Christmas than all the other days of the year. Christmas equals stress in increasing amounts the more you meet people who you would not normally socialise with otherwise.
I can deal with a Terrier on heat much better than humans competitively trying to appear nicer than they are the rest of the time!
IMG_1346 by George Johnson, on Flickr
I am being visited tomorrow afternoon by my best Polish friends, and Lu and they get on really well, so that will be nice. Might even risk a shot of Vodka!
Best wishes from George
For me it is brilliant that it gives me a great get-out for the normal social gatherings over the festive season. I am no great enthusiast for being different over Christmas than all the other days of the year. Christmas equals stress in increasing amounts the more you meet people who you would not normally socialise with otherwise.
I can deal with a Terrier on heat much better than humans competitively trying to appear nicer than they are the rest of the time!
IMG_1346 by George Johnson, on FlickrI am being visited tomorrow afternoon by my best Polish friends, and Lu and they get on really well, so that will be nice. Might even risk a shot of Vodka!
Best wishes from George
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TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
Cute as a button.
I am being visited tomorrow afternoon by my best Polish friends, and Lu and he get on really well, so that will be nice. Might even risk a shot of Vodka!
Best wishes from George
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
The spaniel evidently agrees with you.
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
He needs to be seen off. Bloody interloper.
George J
Herefordshire member
I think the Spaniel knew that I was not messing about when I shoed him away. No contact was made but if there had been it would have been painful. I would protect my little friend with any means. The flip-side of that is that she has a tremendous sense of warning when people approach. If I am friendly to them, then she relaxes. I imagine she could be quite ferocious with a real threat, even if, as a fly-weight, she probably could not do any significant damage.
I am thinking that I should get a Dangerous Dog warning on my door, and somehow incorporate a photo that somehow makes her look as big as an Ayredale rather than Patterdale. Proportions are similar, but it is hard to imagine that Lu is only just over a foot long nose to tail.
Best wishes from George
I am thinking that I should get a Dangerous Dog warning on my door, and somehow incorporate a photo that somehow makes her look as big as an Ayredale rather than Patterdale. Proportions are similar, but it is hard to imagine that Lu is only just over a foot long nose to tail.
Best wishes from George
TheDecameron
Unicorns fart glitter.
Like the idea. Photoshop a shrunk version of yourself and buildings next to her. Patterdalezilla.
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
get a door wrap printed with a massively large image of Lu filling the space!
https://www.vinylrevolution.co.uk/doorwraps
https://www.vinylrevolution.co.uk/doorwraps
George J
Herefordshire member
My best friends ... equal best friends ...
Paweł and Lu:
0 by George Johnson, on Flickr
Clearly my kindly little dog's loves my friend!
Best wishes from George
Paweł and Lu:
0 by George Johnson, on FlickrClearly my kindly little dog's loves my friend!
Best wishes from George
George J
Herefordshire member
The Polish Brigade. I was given the task of training Pawel [seen above] and his colleague Jarek T- on the Conserve plant for twelve months in 2005 or '06 at Broadheath Foods [same village Elgar was born in], and initially my new colleagues thought I was a real serious cold fish. I suppose that the reality is that I don't easily loosen up with new people, but just as with Lu, I was firm and fair, and also kind. Just not fulsome with praise.
Jarek left our orbit long ago, but Pawel became a firm friend and shall we say that we had a good deal of fun in the years after I left Broadheath and we no longer had the grim task of working together making dreadful stuff out of Hard Palm Kernel Oil! I visited Pawel's family in Jaslo in 2006 and again in 2010. We plan another visit in 2023, so I shall have to renew my Passport which lapsed in 2016.
Why I write this is that there is something in both faces seen here. A certain depth that comes from understanding life's sadness. Pawel's life was not so easy with his father and I think it is apparent even now that he is a rather serious man. Not that there is any lack of mischief and occasionally drunkenness at the appropriate moments. He was a not much more than a school leaver when he came to the UK, and I was in middle age. I became the sort of Polish Consulate in Broadheath helping not only my immediate colleagues but any of their friends with dealing with the Home Office at the time. This was pre the Mrs May era of being totally horrible to foreigners, but it was still fairly difficult and hard too understand what you had to do. To get a National Insurance number and many other things. Freedom of movement in the EU was a thing, but it was not quite so easy as it sounds.
So I made many Polish friends.
I was startled at the time by a certain underlying racism in Worcester [city] against Poles. I never understood what makes seemingly otherwise reasonable people hold racist views. Being half-Norwegian, I never got how anyone could be better than anyone else. It is all question of being human, and not doing what our government is doing. Demonising people because of origin. It is a serious point, and one that makes me sad to see, as the reason the government is making their racist policies is that it garners popular support. That means the Tories have worked out that by irrationally being racist in tone and policy they gain popular support. Perhaps this is rational politics. If it is really is rational politics then I am glad I am getting old. I simply value my friends, and keep my nose clean these days.
But seeing four serious eyes in that picture showed me how we can still have good times even if we have seen great sadness and cruelty, and it does colour us irrevocably.
Sorry to ramble. But I always find Christmas is a time for reflection before cracking on with the New Year.
Happy Christmas to everyone here. Best with from George
Jarek left our orbit long ago, but Pawel became a firm friend and shall we say that we had a good deal of fun in the years after I left Broadheath and we no longer had the grim task of working together making dreadful stuff out of Hard Palm Kernel Oil! I visited Pawel's family in Jaslo in 2006 and again in 2010. We plan another visit in 2023, so I shall have to renew my Passport which lapsed in 2016.
Why I write this is that there is something in both faces seen here. A certain depth that comes from understanding life's sadness. Pawel's life was not so easy with his father and I think it is apparent even now that he is a rather serious man. Not that there is any lack of mischief and occasionally drunkenness at the appropriate moments. He was a not much more than a school leaver when he came to the UK, and I was in middle age. I became the sort of Polish Consulate in Broadheath helping not only my immediate colleagues but any of their friends with dealing with the Home Office at the time. This was pre the Mrs May era of being totally horrible to foreigners, but it was still fairly difficult and hard too understand what you had to do. To get a National Insurance number and many other things. Freedom of movement in the EU was a thing, but it was not quite so easy as it sounds.
So I made many Polish friends.
I was startled at the time by a certain underlying racism in Worcester [city] against Poles. I never understood what makes seemingly otherwise reasonable people hold racist views. Being half-Norwegian, I never got how anyone could be better than anyone else. It is all question of being human, and not doing what our government is doing. Demonising people because of origin. It is a serious point, and one that makes me sad to see, as the reason the government is making their racist policies is that it garners popular support. That means the Tories have worked out that by irrationally being racist in tone and policy they gain popular support. Perhaps this is rational politics. If it is really is rational politics then I am glad I am getting old. I simply value my friends, and keep my nose clean these days.
But seeing four serious eyes in that picture showed me how we can still have good times even if we have seen great sadness and cruelty, and it does colour us irrevocably.
Sorry to ramble. But I always find Christmas is a time for reflection before cracking on with the New Year.
Happy Christmas to everyone here. Best with from George
George J
Herefordshire member
As the light fades on Boxing Day, I have just been phoned from Opole in Poland by Szymon P-, who is another colleague from the old days.
I have sent him a few pictures of Lu by email, and to be fair he was more interested in how the little dog was doing than me!
He observed that it was more or less inevitable that she would settle and turn out nicely if I was looking after her. He is very good at computers [which I am not], and as phoning to Poland [and from Poland] to the UK nowadays is horribly expensive, we speak rather rarely these days. But I have a fix. There is a new installation of fibre to the house here! The line is only fifty feet from my boundary wall. The system is not yet activated in our particular line, but is active within a mile, locally, so it will happen. I phoned [by co-incidence during the massive Black Friday discount day] to enquire if they could instal the system here, and they said it would be free installation, and only £19 per month on the Black Friday deal. They promised to honour the Black Friday order price. All I need is two free mains sockets for the fibre termination and modem. They will not even have to drill the two foot thick wall of sandstone, as I can rip out a satellite TV dish wire for the connection. This is helpful as I am on the second floor! Might even manage with a ladder rather than scaffolding!
So when I have unlimited ultra-fast Broadband, I can instal Voice Over Internet Protocol and speak for no additional cost to another dear Polish friend cheaper than calling in the UK on the phone. Then we can get back to speaking every fortnight or so!
Anyway Lu was on the hottest heat day [day ten] yesterday, but she is still very fertile. I have decided that [in consultation with a dear friend who has several dogs] that I'll get the little dogs spayed on her first heat after her second birthday. Next May or June. Amanda agreed that Lu would make a wonderful mother, but the main problem is actually what might happen to the pups. Even if only one had a home as hopeless as Lu's first owner that would be very sad. I agreed. Amanda speaks a lot of sense. So one more heat to go through, and then she will be safe from breeding. Also good because the Cancer risk is reduced by a very large degree. But till they have really stopped growing, it is as well for them to be entire.
I have heard two versions of this. One says it does not matter and the other says it is important that the bones are fully formed. I always thought the latter was the case, but not based on evidence so much as country wisdom.
Anyway I have a couple of days off working, and so will chill this evening.
Best wishes from George
I have sent him a few pictures of Lu by email, and to be fair he was more interested in how the little dog was doing than me!
He observed that it was more or less inevitable that she would settle and turn out nicely if I was looking after her. He is very good at computers [which I am not], and as phoning to Poland [and from Poland] to the UK nowadays is horribly expensive, we speak rather rarely these days. But I have a fix. There is a new installation of fibre to the house here! The line is only fifty feet from my boundary wall. The system is not yet activated in our particular line, but is active within a mile, locally, so it will happen. I phoned [by co-incidence during the massive Black Friday discount day] to enquire if they could instal the system here, and they said it would be free installation, and only £19 per month on the Black Friday deal. They promised to honour the Black Friday order price. All I need is two free mains sockets for the fibre termination and modem. They will not even have to drill the two foot thick wall of sandstone, as I can rip out a satellite TV dish wire for the connection. This is helpful as I am on the second floor! Might even manage with a ladder rather than scaffolding!
So when I have unlimited ultra-fast Broadband, I can instal Voice Over Internet Protocol and speak for no additional cost to another dear Polish friend cheaper than calling in the UK on the phone. Then we can get back to speaking every fortnight or so!
Anyway Lu was on the hottest heat day [day ten] yesterday, but she is still very fertile. I have decided that [in consultation with a dear friend who has several dogs] that I'll get the little dogs spayed on her first heat after her second birthday. Next May or June. Amanda agreed that Lu would make a wonderful mother, but the main problem is actually what might happen to the pups. Even if only one had a home as hopeless as Lu's first owner that would be very sad. I agreed. Amanda speaks a lot of sense. So one more heat to go through, and then she will be safe from breeding. Also good because the Cancer risk is reduced by a very large degree. But till they have really stopped growing, it is as well for them to be entire.
I have heard two versions of this. One says it does not matter and the other says it is important that the bones are fully formed. I always thought the latter was the case, but not based on evidence so much as country wisdom.
Anyway I have a couple of days off working, and so will chill this evening.
Best wishes from George