....and I promise you she was sleeping, this was not any form of the usual 'point a camera at me or invite visitors in and I'll clean my nether regions' activity.
Wednesday, 30 November 2005
Is it any wonder.......
....that Tilly has had problems with her legs when she chooses to adopt this position to sleep for over two hours! Ok, so it was her front legs that were troubling her, now thankfully they seem to be completely recovered but still, at best it can't be particularly comfortable!
....and I promise you she was sleeping, this was not any form of the usual 'point a camera at me or invite visitors in and I'll clean my nether regions' activity.
....and I promise you she was sleeping, this was not any form of the usual 'point a camera at me or invite visitors in and I'll clean my nether regions' activity.
Miniature earth
Interesting, depressing, amazing or strange? ......however THIS strikes you it is certainly food for thought!
Tuesday, 29 November 2005
Small foot firmly in big mouth!
I am not and never have been renowned for my ability to speak tactfully at all times, I have a nasty habit of finding myself with my size 3 in my gob when I least expect it and really, honestly, without any intention of causing offence. I just seem to have an uncanny ability to be a little too forthright at times despite attempts at being otherwise. Sunday at work was one of those occasions.
You have to understand that I am a city girl at heart and transplanted as I have been into a field, with very few inhabitants by comparison, I struggle to get used to the lack of anonymity here. There is very little I dislike about my little patch of Scotland but I really do struggle sometimes with the 'everyone knows everyone else' thing......and I forget that by virtue of that, I really ought to be much more careful what I say and to whom!
And so Sunday I was making conversation with a customer who then proceeded to offer me a tidbit of local gossip regarding the landlady of a local pub/guest house. This is an establishment I have experience of, my parents had the misfortune to stay there when they visited a year or two ago.....and 'guest house' I would consider to be a description way and above what it deserves. The place was barely worthy of any title other than maybe 'yuk' but certainly not 'guest house'. So Mr customer is chattering away about this lady and her establishment, in a none to flattering way and at some point he referred to it as a 'hotel'. I chirped in, mind apparently blank to the risks, with a giggle and some degree of derogatory comment regarding my opinion on it's more honest status....that of a tumble-down heap!
The guy went quiet, looked me in the eye and said "I built that hotel, ran it for years and sold it recently"!
Oh crap! Oopsss....foot firmly in big mouth again gemmak.
You have to understand that I am a city girl at heart and transplanted as I have been into a field, with very few inhabitants by comparison, I struggle to get used to the lack of anonymity here. There is very little I dislike about my little patch of Scotland but I really do struggle sometimes with the 'everyone knows everyone else' thing......and I forget that by virtue of that, I really ought to be much more careful what I say and to whom!
And so Sunday I was making conversation with a customer who then proceeded to offer me a tidbit of local gossip regarding the landlady of a local pub/guest house. This is an establishment I have experience of, my parents had the misfortune to stay there when they visited a year or two ago.....and 'guest house' I would consider to be a description way and above what it deserves. The place was barely worthy of any title other than maybe 'yuk' but certainly not 'guest house'. So Mr customer is chattering away about this lady and her establishment, in a none to flattering way and at some point he referred to it as a 'hotel'. I chirped in, mind apparently blank to the risks, with a giggle and some degree of derogatory comment regarding my opinion on it's more honest status....that of a tumble-down heap!
The guy went quiet, looked me in the eye and said "I built that hotel, ran it for years and sold it recently"!
Oh crap! Oopsss....foot firmly in big mouth again gemmak.
Monday, 28 November 2005
On the mend
Thankfully this morning Tilly seems to be back to her usual 'bag of frogs' state of physical health and behaviour. There have been one or two very minor limping episodes but nothing on the scale of the last two days and it ain't holding her back none!
As ever with me I'm not quite counting my chickens yet, pride always seems to pre-empt a fall in gemmak's-ville and I don't wish to tempt it, this time yesterday all seemed well but by evening things had gone pear shaped again.....but fingers crossed that this time her poorliness is gone for good.
We still don't know exactly what ailed her but as ever my good blog friend Magz came through in her inimitable amazing style and suggested a number of options that had previously not been considered, offered some solutions and treatment and hey presto, within a few hours Tilly was on the mend. Now I know there are skeptics out there, I am usually one of them but this lady really knows her stuff, she has a very special ability with all kinds of animals and never fails in my case to solve a cat health problem. Her approach may not always be main stream veterinary medicine, though she strongly advocates that as a first line of treatment but wrong she never is......I will always be amazed by her intuitive abilities with Poppy who she 'diagnosed' and helped keep happy for many months.
A big thank you to you Magz, from we two..... and one very small and currently extremely active kitten!
As ever with me I'm not quite counting my chickens yet, pride always seems to pre-empt a fall in gemmak's-ville and I don't wish to tempt it, this time yesterday all seemed well but by evening things had gone pear shaped again.....but fingers crossed that this time her poorliness is gone for good.
We still don't know exactly what ailed her but as ever my good blog friend Magz came through in her inimitable amazing style and suggested a number of options that had previously not been considered, offered some solutions and treatment and hey presto, within a few hours Tilly was on the mend. Now I know there are skeptics out there, I am usually one of them but this lady really knows her stuff, she has a very special ability with all kinds of animals and never fails in my case to solve a cat health problem. Her approach may not always be main stream veterinary medicine, though she strongly advocates that as a first line of treatment but wrong she never is......I will always be amazed by her intuitive abilities with Poppy who she 'diagnosed' and helped keep happy for many months.
A big thank you to you Magz, from we two..... and one very small and currently extremely active kitten!
Sunday, 27 November 2005
Something strange is ailing Tilly
We are thoroughly confused and a little worried and when I say'we are confused' I include in that statement the vet.
Something peculiar has happened to Tilly. It didn't begin as peculiar it began as what appeared to be a straighforward minor injury. I arrived home from work yesterday evening to find one small kitten quite subdued and limping badly on her left foreleg. We monitored her for a while and it worsened, so we called the out of hours cat doctor service. By luck we got the same wonderful guy who treated Poppy in her last hours and having asked many questions and had me carry out some careful 'prodding' of the sore leg he was happy that she had only suffered a soft tissue injury and it would heal quickly. His opinion was that Ditto had maybe been a little over enthusiastic in her playing and had inadvertently bruised or pulled one of Tilly's little muscles.
Just as he had anticipated things improved and by this morning she appeared back to her normal little self and off we went to work. So what you may ask is so strange about that? Well nothing so far...... but things were not as they seemed.
When PG arrived home from work he found her limping badly again........but this time on the opposite front leg! I promise you, we have not got confused, she is without doubt presenting identical symptoms, the only difference is the leg it is affecting! Very odd.
I called the vet again, he too is confused and admits he has no real idea what is causing this strange ailment. An injury affecting both legs would be rare without any other injury being apparent and would anyway have presented in both legs at once. A neurological problem would not have healed overnight on her left side and she has no symptoms of any infection, her colour is good, her temperature seems fine, she is eating and she is still playing on and off, providing of course the game can be played without her left leg yesterday and her right leg today, requiring much use. No amount of gentle prodding can isolate where exactly in her leg or paw it hurts her and she sits constantly holding it up so it obviously does!
All we can do at this stage is 'wait and see'. The vet is honest, he thinks even if he saw her now, out of hours, he would still be unable to make a diagnosis, he thinks this leg too, will likely heal quickly and that will be that. We have a short list of worsening symptoms to look out for and nothing more can be done for now. We just have to see how she progresses overnight.
Poor little soul, she is battling on bravely with only three fully functioning legs but she looks confused when she topples over and cries little cries now and then when she forgets it hurts and uses it. :o(
Something peculiar has happened to Tilly. It didn't begin as peculiar it began as what appeared to be a straighforward minor injury. I arrived home from work yesterday evening to find one small kitten quite subdued and limping badly on her left foreleg. We monitored her for a while and it worsened, so we called the out of hours cat doctor service. By luck we got the same wonderful guy who treated Poppy in her last hours and having asked many questions and had me carry out some careful 'prodding' of the sore leg he was happy that she had only suffered a soft tissue injury and it would heal quickly. His opinion was that Ditto had maybe been a little over enthusiastic in her playing and had inadvertently bruised or pulled one of Tilly's little muscles.
Just as he had anticipated things improved and by this morning she appeared back to her normal little self and off we went to work. So what you may ask is so strange about that? Well nothing so far...... but things were not as they seemed.
When PG arrived home from work he found her limping badly again........but this time on the opposite front leg! I promise you, we have not got confused, she is without doubt presenting identical symptoms, the only difference is the leg it is affecting! Very odd.
I called the vet again, he too is confused and admits he has no real idea what is causing this strange ailment. An injury affecting both legs would be rare without any other injury being apparent and would anyway have presented in both legs at once. A neurological problem would not have healed overnight on her left side and she has no symptoms of any infection, her colour is good, her temperature seems fine, she is eating and she is still playing on and off, providing of course the game can be played without her left leg yesterday and her right leg today, requiring much use. No amount of gentle prodding can isolate where exactly in her leg or paw it hurts her and she sits constantly holding it up so it obviously does!
All we can do at this stage is 'wait and see'. The vet is honest, he thinks even if he saw her now, out of hours, he would still be unable to make a diagnosis, he thinks this leg too, will likely heal quickly and that will be that. We have a short list of worsening symptoms to look out for and nothing more can be done for now. We just have to see how she progresses overnight.
Poor little soul, she is battling on bravely with only three fully functioning legs but she looks confused when she topples over and cries little cries now and then when she forgets it hurts and uses it. :o(
Hmmm.....
....and pigs might fly! I don't think I'll be breaking out the snow chains and shovel based on recent performance.
Saturday, 26 November 2005
Saturday silliness Tilliness
Getting stuck on top of the microwave, which is on top of the fridge freezer and hence high......... and taking a precarious route to safety via a biscuit barrel, a pen pot and a letter rack, until ultimately requiring a 'rescue party' to be involved!
....and for a little extra Saturday silliness, go HERE.
....and for a little extra Saturday silliness, go HERE.
Friday, 25 November 2005
Snow........
....what snow would that be then? We have no snow, what we do have is the infernal wind and rain....rain.... what good is rain? There seems to be snow all around us, but here, nope, not a single flake to be seen! Ack! :o(
Now those 'in the know' are predicting another large snowfall here for early next week....ppffbbttt, methinks they are making it up as they go along!
Now those 'in the know' are predicting another large snowfall here for early next week....ppffbbttt, methinks they are making it up as they go along!
George Best dies
George Best has died. Despite his difficulties, or perhaps because of them, I can't help but feel terribly sad for him and his family. I am not, and never have been interested in football but even to me he transcended the usual disinterest in his sport.
Thursday, 24 November 2005
Small person, big wind!
Thus far my 'promised' snow has been conspicuous in it's absence, if I am entirely honest I did see maybe three flakes as I left work this evening but three was an absolute maximum in my estimation and nothing further has been evident. We do however have a different weather extreme to contend with and that is wind. I have mentioned before that this little patch of Scotland seems to present winds like I have never encountered before and today was one such encounter.
I don't know the maximum gust speeds but this wind is a vicious, biting, bone chilling wind when coupled with the low temperatures and it has caused me more than a moment or two of embarrasing difficulty.
One has to understand first the layout of the property in which we reside. The building is a row of four ancient stone cottages, parked in a field and now converted into eight flats. Gemmak's-ville is situated on the first floor, access to which is gained via pathways around the side and along the back of the building and which culminates a winding metal stairway. This property, whilst it is approx. 12 miles from the sea has nothing of geographical significance between it and the North Sea and consequently, when the wind blows it really blows, add to that somehow the specifics of the building's positioning means that the wind 'tunnels' along the back of it.
And so, with that in mind you can imagine on this bitterly cold and very windy evening that when I arrived home, in the dark and carrying seven bags of grocery shopping, I had a little 'difficulty'. I have a bad habit of attempting to carry way too much in one hit, laziness dictates that a second trip is to be avoided at all costs and so attempt a Charles Atlas impression. Picture if you will, my small self, struggling already under the weight of shopping, arms feeling as tough they could well be an extra inch or two in length at the finish of this, cold fingers feeling shredded by plastic bag handles and shivering with cold as I navigated the corner into the 'wind tunnel' and suddenly finding myself bought to an abrupt halt. I just couldn't move against the strength of the strongest gusts, in fact it was all I could do to keep hold of the bags as they blew in the wind, despite their weight, at right angles to my body! I was completely stuck to the spot, in the pitch black (there is no light, remember this is a field), bags pulling my arms from their sockets and no one in sight to offer assistance.
There was nothing else for it, I ditched the bags on the ground deciding I would have to make repeated journeys, I staggered up the stairway fighting against the wind with the first two bags, took an age to manipulate the key into the lock with frozen hands and fell very ungracefully through the door to be greeted by a surprised looking Tilly and Ditto rushing past me to escape outside. She stopped briefly on the landing to consider if venturing out in such conditions was wise and then accompanied me back down the stairs to the remaining five bags.....that were by now having their contents scattered all over! I set about gathering up a lettuce, some mushrooms, toilet rolls, a packet of biscuits and other assorted paraphernalia whilst Ditto sniffed 'helpfully' at my battered shopping and then walked off, herself struggling a little on the corner where the wind is always at it's most powerful.
Three trips I had to make, each time literally fighting to propel myself forward in the stronger gusts and with the bags flailing all around, hitting the railings and tearing, scattering more of their already suffering contents at my feet!
I am only glad that there was no one watching this ridiculous spectacle, ok, so little I may be but only once before in my life have I been almost blown away! I can't help but laugh at just how silly it must have all looked. If I had been watching me instead of being me I couldn't have helped out for laughing!
All that and still no damn snow!
I don't know the maximum gust speeds but this wind is a vicious, biting, bone chilling wind when coupled with the low temperatures and it has caused me more than a moment or two of embarrasing difficulty.
One has to understand first the layout of the property in which we reside. The building is a row of four ancient stone cottages, parked in a field and now converted into eight flats. Gemmak's-ville is situated on the first floor, access to which is gained via pathways around the side and along the back of the building and which culminates a winding metal stairway. This property, whilst it is approx. 12 miles from the sea has nothing of geographical significance between it and the North Sea and consequently, when the wind blows it really blows, add to that somehow the specifics of the building's positioning means that the wind 'tunnels' along the back of it.
And so, with that in mind you can imagine on this bitterly cold and very windy evening that when I arrived home, in the dark and carrying seven bags of grocery shopping, I had a little 'difficulty'. I have a bad habit of attempting to carry way too much in one hit, laziness dictates that a second trip is to be avoided at all costs and so attempt a Charles Atlas impression. Picture if you will, my small self, struggling already under the weight of shopping, arms feeling as tough they could well be an extra inch or two in length at the finish of this, cold fingers feeling shredded by plastic bag handles and shivering with cold as I navigated the corner into the 'wind tunnel' and suddenly finding myself bought to an abrupt halt. I just couldn't move against the strength of the strongest gusts, in fact it was all I could do to keep hold of the bags as they blew in the wind, despite their weight, at right angles to my body! I was completely stuck to the spot, in the pitch black (there is no light, remember this is a field), bags pulling my arms from their sockets and no one in sight to offer assistance.
There was nothing else for it, I ditched the bags on the ground deciding I would have to make repeated journeys, I staggered up the stairway fighting against the wind with the first two bags, took an age to manipulate the key into the lock with frozen hands and fell very ungracefully through the door to be greeted by a surprised looking Tilly and Ditto rushing past me to escape outside. She stopped briefly on the landing to consider if venturing out in such conditions was wise and then accompanied me back down the stairs to the remaining five bags.....that were by now having their contents scattered all over! I set about gathering up a lettuce, some mushrooms, toilet rolls, a packet of biscuits and other assorted paraphernalia whilst Ditto sniffed 'helpfully' at my battered shopping and then walked off, herself struggling a little on the corner where the wind is always at it's most powerful.
Three trips I had to make, each time literally fighting to propel myself forward in the stronger gusts and with the bags flailing all around, hitting the railings and tearing, scattering more of their already suffering contents at my feet!
I am only glad that there was no one watching this ridiculous spectacle, ok, so little I may be but only once before in my life have I been almost blown away! I can't help but laugh at just how silly it must have all looked. If I had been watching me instead of being me I couldn't have helped out for laughing!
All that and still no damn snow!
Wednesday, 23 November 2005
The Ikea conspiracy
There is definitely a conspiracy afoot, it's the 'man will avoid Ikea at all costs' conspiracy, really, believe me, this is not paranoia on my part, it is fact!
This afternoon PG and I had managed to plan a rare few hours where he was not required at the golf club, on the golf course, to mend someone's computer or to earn a living and I have kinda caught up a little.....the plan was to venture Edinburgh-ward and visit Ikea, the purpose, to replace a chair that has succumbed to the attentions of an adolescent Tilly's toes.
Now to be fair I have not entered even one foot inside an Ikea for months and months, I kid you not, this is not a case of female selective memory, just a distinct lack of opportunity and motivation ........ I don't have the opportunity too often and PG definitely doesn't have the motivation.
And so today, finally, it was planned, all systems go, until that is a few minutes ago, when PG called to reiterate that he considers ( I ignored his gentle protestations at 7 am as he left for work) it 'unwise' to venture on a 120 mile round trip with a minus 8 temperature and it's incumbent freezing fog and ice forecast. Add to that he rationalised, Tilly will doubtless destroy the new chair, best we wait until she grows up a little he suggests!
Unwise? How convenient.....what does he mean unwise? Has this man lost his sense of adventure? Does he not know it is always wise to visit Ikea?........... is it not?!
This afternoon PG and I had managed to plan a rare few hours where he was not required at the golf club, on the golf course, to mend someone's computer or to earn a living and I have kinda caught up a little.....the plan was to venture Edinburgh-ward and visit Ikea, the purpose, to replace a chair that has succumbed to the attentions of an adolescent Tilly's toes.
Now to be fair I have not entered even one foot inside an Ikea for months and months, I kid you not, this is not a case of female selective memory, just a distinct lack of opportunity and motivation ........ I don't have the opportunity too often and PG definitely doesn't have the motivation.
And so today, finally, it was planned, all systems go, until that is a few minutes ago, when PG called to reiterate that he considers ( I ignored his gentle protestations at 7 am as he left for work) it 'unwise' to venture on a 120 mile round trip with a minus 8 temperature and it's incumbent freezing fog and ice forecast. Add to that he rationalised, Tilly will doubtless destroy the new chair, best we wait until she grows up a little he suggests!
Unwise? How convenient.....what does he mean unwise? Has this man lost his sense of adventure? Does he not know it is always wise to visit Ikea?........... is it not?!
More frost!
Having been chivvied by someone to brave the sub zero's again this morning who am I to refuse! Damn.......it's even colder today....happy now 'someone'? ;o)
(Clickable)
......and someone else decided a little 'help' was in order!
(Clickable)
......and someone else decided a little 'help' was in order!
Fingers and toes........
.....are firmly crossed in gemmak's-ville in the hope that the promised snowfall will this time materialize!
It's looking good, red if for 'high risk' and the text below is an extract from the forecast for Thursday and Friday :o)
Surely given the evidence above just for once they can't be wrong.....ok, I know, that's asking a little too much!
It's looking good, red if for 'high risk' and the text below is an extract from the forecast for Thursday and Friday :o)
"Frequent and often heavy showers will turn increasingly to snow by the end of the day on Thursday across many parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northeast England. North Wales and Southwest England may also be at risk. Settling snowfall is expected especially over higher ground and with winds gusting up to gale force and locally severe gale force over Scotland blizzard conditions are expected even at relatively low levels for a time".
Surely given the evidence above just for once they can't be wrong.....ok, I know, that's asking a little too much!
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