Quickstepping .
Well, dear readers , I think it's about time you all learned a little about me . I have been hiding behind the childhood photo on my profile for far too long . And so I thought I would tell you something about my teenage years .
Long before I was a dog groomer my first love was dancing . I trained from an early age , first in ballet and tap and then , when it became obvious that I would never be a Margot Fonteyn , I began ballroom dancing .
I loved to dance and soon became very proficient in this dicipline . My teacher was amazed by my progress and by the time I was 17 my partner Freddie and I were winning competitions the length and breadth of the country. We Tangoed and Cha-cha'd and Quickstepped our way to the top of the amateur world and won all the contests we possibly could . We needed another target . Freddie said that we should turn professional and , with help from our dear old dancing instructor we were soon booked to give demonstrations on a cruise ship .
We were so excited , we packed our costumes and shoes and headed for Southampton , with visions of fame and fortune . When we arrived at the docks , the ship looked huge and we were a little afraid , but we went aboard like lambs to the slaughter .
There was another professional couple on the bill . They were older and more experienced and were not happy to see Freddie and I . They thought we were silly little no-talent upstarts and resented our youth . The situation became even worse when the passengers aboard the ship obviously liked our fresh, energetic style .
In particular the passengers loved our Paso Doble and would clap along in time to the stirring Spanish music as we performed .
This was the final straw for Arthur and Jean , the older couple . Arthur would stand on the sidelines and taunt and curse us and Jean would give one of her pouts . They encouraged their homies to join in the teasing and Freddie became very angry because he knew how much it upset me .
It all came to a head one night when we were doing a joint demonstration . We were in the middle of a Tango when Arthur and Jean danced dangerously near and made a disgustingly suggestive comment . Well , Freddie went beserk and spun me round , plonked me onto a chair , punched Arthur in the face and hurled Jean to the floor . Of course chaos followed . Plates were broken , crystal glasses were smashed , the whole audience joined in and somehow in the melee I twisted my knee rather badly .
We were asked to leave the ship at the very next port and sadly the knee injury meant that I haven't danced professionally since .
............................................................................
The above piece of fiction was brought to you by way of my attempt at Matt Mascarenhas' Word Game and the words ;
LAMBS , CURSE , CRUISE , BOOKED , TEASING , HOMIES , POUTS , DANCE , TAUNT , TARGET , HURLED.
If you would like to try the Game details and rules can be found on Matts blog page http://miblodelcarpio.blog.co.uk/ I hope you will try it .
Monday, 31 October 2011
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Hallowe'en.
I have always disliked fireworks . It's the noise I hate . I like the sparkle and the colour and the gentle ones that 'swoosh' and make everyone say , "Ohhh !" and , " Ahhhh!", but the noisy ones , the bangs and whines that sound as though we are under aerial attack ; those I hate .
So while I was growing up Bonfire Night , or November 5th, was a trial , a day to be endured rather than enjoyed .
When I was very young the fireworks were gentle things . In fact the lighting of the blue touch-paper was probably the most exciting part . But even then there was danger . I well remember my father insisting we all stand behind the garden shed, for safety, when yet another firework had failed to light . He would creep carefully towards it , my mother clutching her coat and scarcely daring to breathe , while we peered nervously from our vantage point . Often the offending squib would suddenly spring to life and crackle and fizz and we would all cover our faces with woolly-mittened hands and hope it didn't shoot our way .
Even sparklers were much too frightening for me and as I grew older I would run indoors and hide , terrified my hair would catch fire , as little children half my age ran round waving them and laughing .
Then there were the bonfires . Red hot sparks flying up into the starry night and silly boys running round with lighted sticks . I was a 'girly ' girl and hated the soot and the smoke in my eyes and the burnt baked potatoes and the sheer brashness of it all . Everything about Bonfire Night worried me and puzzled me and it still does .
Ah, but Hallowe'en , that was more my style !! My Great Aunt visited the United States and Canada quite often and brought back exciting tales of Hallowe'en celebrations in those countries . In addition we lived much of my childhood in the North of England and many Hallowe'en traditions were still upheld . And so it was that our family celebrated All Hallows Eve many years before it became the huge commercial event of today .
About a week before, we carved Jack o' Lanterns out of turnips ......pumpkins not being widely available in 1950/60s Northern England . The younger children often carved out some larger potatoes and beets too . These were distributed all around the house with candles burning precariously inside to keep away the 'evil spirits' .
We held a party on the night itself , inviting all our friends and neighbours . This was great fun and we took part in all the traditional party games . A waterproof covering would be spread over the carpet and then we would all kneel on the floor around an old tin bath filled with water . We 'bobbed ' for apples , hands behind our backs , faces wet and shiny , plaits dangling into the water , gasping for breath and spluttering and giggling .
We ate toffee apples and cinder toffee and fruit cake . The cake traditionally had charms put in prior to baking and whoever found a ring would certainly marry within the year ! An interesting prospect when you are only 9yrs old !
Apples were peeled in one long , continuous strip . This strip was then thrown over your shoulder and supposed to land in the shape of the first letter of the name of your future spouse .
And , of course , there was the dressing up ! Those of you who know me well will know that anything that involves theatrical costumes will get my vote . I loved to dress up and still do , that was the best part !
From about the age of 8 I always sewed my own costumes , starting weeks before Hallowe'en . Scrounging bits of cloth , lace , ribbon , anything I could beg from parents and grand-parents . Old velvet cushion covers , lace table-cloths , damask curtains . All were utilised and on the night itself I would appear in my latest creation . Goodness knows what I looked like , but it was always voted 'the best ' and I would glow with pride ! Just think ' Vivienne Westwood ' and you will get the idea !
Oh, and there were indoor fireworks ! Now these , I liked . No bangs , no sudden shocks or life threatening flames , just gentle little paper things that smouldered slowly to reveal flower shapes or wriggly snakes and little Chinese pagodas . So much more lady-like .
When all the energetic games and eating was over and little Joey had been rescued from the tin bath and given the 'kiss of life' and Susie had stopped throwing up after eating almost all the cinder toffee , we all settled down around the log fire for the ghost stories . The tales of haunted houses and walking skeletons and witches on broomsticks . We were all terrified and listened , wide eyed , sometimes hugging each other for comfort during really scarey bits . An adult would creep up behind the huddled group of children and touch a shoulder or ruffle someones hair and we would all scream in terror and then disolve into giggles when the joke was revealed . Then , finally the party ended and our friends went off to their various homes , secretly glancing skyward , to catch a glimpse of a witch flying through the night . When we were safe in our little beds , each and every one of us pulled the covers over our heads ... just in case !
.....................................................................................................................
Some Hallowe'en Facts ;
In ancient times New Year was celebrated on November 1st . In 835 AD the Catholic Church declared November 1st to be All Saints Day . The festival began on All Hallows Eve , October 31st.
Hallows is an archaic word for saint .
Celts believed that evil spirits visited the living during the long dark , winter hours . They also believed that on All Hallows Eve the barriers between our world and the spirit world were at their weakest and therefore spirits were more likely to be seen .
Bonfires were lit to frighten away these spirits .
People dressed up so that ghosts would not recognise them as living , but rather mistake them for their fellow spirits and so leave them alone .
The Jack o' Lantern is thought to be named after an Irish fellow named Jack . He had been denied admittance to heaven because he was a miser . This Jack had played jokes on the Devil so he was also fobidden to enter hell . He was forced to wander the earth with his lantern until Judgement Day .
I hope you all have a Happy Hallowe'en and don't encounter any weird, scarey spirits , or 9yr old girls in hand stitched costumes ! I'm not sure which would be more frightening !!!!
..................................................................................................................................
So while I was growing up Bonfire Night , or November 5th, was a trial , a day to be endured rather than enjoyed .
When I was very young the fireworks were gentle things . In fact the lighting of the blue touch-paper was probably the most exciting part . But even then there was danger . I well remember my father insisting we all stand behind the garden shed, for safety, when yet another firework had failed to light . He would creep carefully towards it , my mother clutching her coat and scarcely daring to breathe , while we peered nervously from our vantage point . Often the offending squib would suddenly spring to life and crackle and fizz and we would all cover our faces with woolly-mittened hands and hope it didn't shoot our way .
Even sparklers were much too frightening for me and as I grew older I would run indoors and hide , terrified my hair would catch fire , as little children half my age ran round waving them and laughing .
Then there were the bonfires . Red hot sparks flying up into the starry night and silly boys running round with lighted sticks . I was a 'girly ' girl and hated the soot and the smoke in my eyes and the burnt baked potatoes and the sheer brashness of it all . Everything about Bonfire Night worried me and puzzled me and it still does .
Ah, but Hallowe'en , that was more my style !! My Great Aunt visited the United States and Canada quite often and brought back exciting tales of Hallowe'en celebrations in those countries . In addition we lived much of my childhood in the North of England and many Hallowe'en traditions were still upheld . And so it was that our family celebrated All Hallows Eve many years before it became the huge commercial event of today .
About a week before, we carved Jack o' Lanterns out of turnips ......pumpkins not being widely available in 1950/60s Northern England . The younger children often carved out some larger potatoes and beets too . These were distributed all around the house with candles burning precariously inside to keep away the 'evil spirits' .
We held a party on the night itself , inviting all our friends and neighbours . This was great fun and we took part in all the traditional party games . A waterproof covering would be spread over the carpet and then we would all kneel on the floor around an old tin bath filled with water . We 'bobbed ' for apples , hands behind our backs , faces wet and shiny , plaits dangling into the water , gasping for breath and spluttering and giggling .
We ate toffee apples and cinder toffee and fruit cake . The cake traditionally had charms put in prior to baking and whoever found a ring would certainly marry within the year ! An interesting prospect when you are only 9yrs old !
Apples were peeled in one long , continuous strip . This strip was then thrown over your shoulder and supposed to land in the shape of the first letter of the name of your future spouse .
And , of course , there was the dressing up ! Those of you who know me well will know that anything that involves theatrical costumes will get my vote . I loved to dress up and still do , that was the best part !
From about the age of 8 I always sewed my own costumes , starting weeks before Hallowe'en . Scrounging bits of cloth , lace , ribbon , anything I could beg from parents and grand-parents . Old velvet cushion covers , lace table-cloths , damask curtains . All were utilised and on the night itself I would appear in my latest creation . Goodness knows what I looked like , but it was always voted 'the best ' and I would glow with pride ! Just think ' Vivienne Westwood ' and you will get the idea !
Oh, and there were indoor fireworks ! Now these , I liked . No bangs , no sudden shocks or life threatening flames , just gentle little paper things that smouldered slowly to reveal flower shapes or wriggly snakes and little Chinese pagodas . So much more lady-like .
When all the energetic games and eating was over and little Joey had been rescued from the tin bath and given the 'kiss of life' and Susie had stopped throwing up after eating almost all the cinder toffee , we all settled down around the log fire for the ghost stories . The tales of haunted houses and walking skeletons and witches on broomsticks . We were all terrified and listened , wide eyed , sometimes hugging each other for comfort during really scarey bits . An adult would creep up behind the huddled group of children and touch a shoulder or ruffle someones hair and we would all scream in terror and then disolve into giggles when the joke was revealed . Then , finally the party ended and our friends went off to their various homes , secretly glancing skyward , to catch a glimpse of a witch flying through the night . When we were safe in our little beds , each and every one of us pulled the covers over our heads ... just in case !
.....................................................................................................................
Some Hallowe'en Facts ;
In ancient times New Year was celebrated on November 1st . In 835 AD the Catholic Church declared November 1st to be All Saints Day . The festival began on All Hallows Eve , October 31st.
Hallows is an archaic word for saint .
Celts believed that evil spirits visited the living during the long dark , winter hours . They also believed that on All Hallows Eve the barriers between our world and the spirit world were at their weakest and therefore spirits were more likely to be seen .
Bonfires were lit to frighten away these spirits .
People dressed up so that ghosts would not recognise them as living , but rather mistake them for their fellow spirits and so leave them alone .
The Jack o' Lantern is thought to be named after an Irish fellow named Jack . He had been denied admittance to heaven because he was a miser . This Jack had played jokes on the Devil so he was also fobidden to enter hell . He was forced to wander the earth with his lantern until Judgement Day .
I hope you all have a Happy Hallowe'en and don't encounter any weird, scarey spirits , or 9yr old girls in hand stitched costumes ! I'm not sure which would be more frightening !!!!
..................................................................................................................................
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Countdown Word Challenge Number 7.
Hello dear readers and thank you for joining me for another word game . This is the invention of the marvellous Matt Mascarenhas and details can be found on his blog page http://miblodelcarpio.blog.co.uk/
I'm sure you all know the rules by now so without further ado lets look at the words for todays game ;
LEOTARDS , OUTAGE , RIPOSTE , LOANER , QUAILS , GRAPES , MANNERS , TRAINED , FAILS , PLAID , DOSAGES .
Well I don't know if I was distracted or something . Maybe I was just very tired , but I just didn't 'feel' these words at all . Usually one or two in the list seem to jump out at me and I write the story around them . Today the only word that shone was 'plaid' and to a quirky fashion lover such as myself , that meant only one thing ...... Alexander Mc Queen !! Well, easy enough to write a story about fashion but the other words just didn't seem to fit . So I had to come up with something else ! Here is my meagre attempt , it more or less wrote itself .
Loves Labours
The kitchen lights suddenly failed and Maria groped about in the gloom , searching for the candles . Oh, on top of everything else , all she needed was a blooming power outage . She was already in enough trouble , this was supposed to be a special night .
" Quails and grapes in special sauce never fails to win a mans heart " , she thought to herself , as she lit the candles and placed them round the room . But her special sauce would never work if a vital ingredient was missing !
Just then the lights flickered and she sighed impatiently and rushed to stir the simmering liquid on the stove .
She had thought that she had remembered everything on her list , but had been distracted by a window display in an expensive store . Alexander McQueen plaid leotards teamed with purple tulle skirts ! Wow!!
She knew she would look fantastic in one of those . Oh , yes , she couldn't wait to show her sister Elena , they could both dress up . It would be so much better than their usual outfits . She glanced down at the long black dress that covered her body , it seemed to sparkle slightly in the candlelight . Oh, she was so bored with it !!
However , Elena had not been so enthusiastic . She had admonished her and said it was not the image they were aiming for and the glossy carrier bag had been flung into a cupboard . Maria had sighed and then they had started the preparations for tonights meal .
They had weighed out all the ingredients and looked in Elenas large recipe book to check they had everything in the correct dosages and thats when the discrepancy was noticed . They just did not have the most important ingredient !!
Elena had forgotten her manners completely and in an angry riposte had said that Maria couldn't be trusted to do anything correctly and that next time Maria wanted any help with a meal or needed to borrow a large pot she would have to go to someone else as Elena would not be the loaner anymore .
Maria had sobbed pitifully and said she was sorry . Elena gave her a hankie and told her to dry her eyes and stir the pot and then she had grabbed her wrap and flown off into the night to obtain the missing item .
An hour had passed and Maria kept her eyes trained on the door , stirred the huge pot and hoped Elena would be back before HE arrived . The table was all laid , the fire was burning brightly and the air was filled with the most delicious aromas , tonight was the night .
Oh, where on earth had Elena got to ? He would soon be here .
Suddenly , there was a swirl of wind outside , the door blew open and in flew Elena in a flurry of long wild hair , billowing cloak and Autumn leaves . She placed her broomstick in the corner and passed a package to Maria ,
" Goodness " , she said , breathlessly , " I've had the devil of a time getting this 'ear of squirrel' ...... they've all blooming well hibernated !! Now hurry up with that ' Love Potion ' , He's almost here . I've just flown over him on the forest road ! "
So there we have it . I feel certain that every one of you can do so much better . Why don't you give it a go ?
I'm sure you all know the rules by now so without further ado lets look at the words for todays game ;
LEOTARDS , OUTAGE , RIPOSTE , LOANER , QUAILS , GRAPES , MANNERS , TRAINED , FAILS , PLAID , DOSAGES .
Well I don't know if I was distracted or something . Maybe I was just very tired , but I just didn't 'feel' these words at all . Usually one or two in the list seem to jump out at me and I write the story around them . Today the only word that shone was 'plaid' and to a quirky fashion lover such as myself , that meant only one thing ...... Alexander Mc Queen !! Well, easy enough to write a story about fashion but the other words just didn't seem to fit . So I had to come up with something else ! Here is my meagre attempt , it more or less wrote itself .
Loves Labours
The kitchen lights suddenly failed and Maria groped about in the gloom , searching for the candles . Oh, on top of everything else , all she needed was a blooming power outage . She was already in enough trouble , this was supposed to be a special night .
" Quails and grapes in special sauce never fails to win a mans heart " , she thought to herself , as she lit the candles and placed them round the room . But her special sauce would never work if a vital ingredient was missing !
Just then the lights flickered and she sighed impatiently and rushed to stir the simmering liquid on the stove .
She had thought that she had remembered everything on her list , but had been distracted by a window display in an expensive store . Alexander McQueen plaid leotards teamed with purple tulle skirts ! Wow!!
She knew she would look fantastic in one of those . Oh , yes , she couldn't wait to show her sister Elena , they could both dress up . It would be so much better than their usual outfits . She glanced down at the long black dress that covered her body , it seemed to sparkle slightly in the candlelight . Oh, she was so bored with it !!
However , Elena had not been so enthusiastic . She had admonished her and said it was not the image they were aiming for and the glossy carrier bag had been flung into a cupboard . Maria had sighed and then they had started the preparations for tonights meal .
They had weighed out all the ingredients and looked in Elenas large recipe book to check they had everything in the correct dosages and thats when the discrepancy was noticed . They just did not have the most important ingredient !!
Elena had forgotten her manners completely and in an angry riposte had said that Maria couldn't be trusted to do anything correctly and that next time Maria wanted any help with a meal or needed to borrow a large pot she would have to go to someone else as Elena would not be the loaner anymore .
Maria had sobbed pitifully and said she was sorry . Elena gave her a hankie and told her to dry her eyes and stir the pot and then she had grabbed her wrap and flown off into the night to obtain the missing item .
An hour had passed and Maria kept her eyes trained on the door , stirred the huge pot and hoped Elena would be back before HE arrived . The table was all laid , the fire was burning brightly and the air was filled with the most delicious aromas , tonight was the night .
Oh, where on earth had Elena got to ? He would soon be here .
Suddenly , there was a swirl of wind outside , the door blew open and in flew Elena in a flurry of long wild hair , billowing cloak and Autumn leaves . She placed her broomstick in the corner and passed a package to Maria ,
" Goodness " , she said , breathlessly , " I've had the devil of a time getting this 'ear of squirrel' ...... they've all blooming well hibernated !! Now hurry up with that ' Love Potion ' , He's almost here . I've just flown over him on the forest road ! "
So there we have it . I feel certain that every one of you can do so much better . Why don't you give it a go ?
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Choices .
Our lives are shaped by the choices we make and can be changed on a whim ; the snap of a finger or the blink of an eye .
If only we hadn't driven 'that ' way home , we would not have had that accident ; flat tyre ; run out of petrol .
If only we had taken the train instead of the bus we wouldn't have missed the job interview . The one that could have meant a new career , a new direction .
What would have happened if we had said "Yes" instead of "No" , or vice versa ?
And if we hadn't been in a certain place at a certain time we would never have met our partners , best friends , long lost relations , whatever !
The wonderings and "What if..." s go on in a never ending list .
I often wonder if I would do things differently if I had the chance to try again . Or would I make the same decisions , choose the same path ? Of course , I am assuming I would have the chance to make these choices with the benefit of hindsight . That would be the easy way . Wouldn't we all change "something" if we could ? Or perhaps you are all so contented with your lives that you would do it all again exactly as before ?
Its enticing to imagine that we could choose another direction , but, of course, our choices have a "knock on " effect . They involve other peoples lives too . If I had done things differently I may not have my children and delightful grand children , my dogs and my friends . But would I have another , different family ? I will never know .
I am wrestling with some difficult choices now , we all do every day . Whatever I decide , it will shape my life in the future . I made choices so lightly in the past , with all the carelessness of youth . But now I am older I have come to realise how one little decision can change everything .
I would love to hear what you think . Would you change anything ? Do you have regrets ?
I have thought carefully about those questions and have decided that , in the main , there is very little I would change . Just the odd thing , here and there . Although , perhaps in the 80s , I wouldn't have had a green streak in my hair !!
If only we hadn't driven 'that ' way home , we would not have had that accident ; flat tyre ; run out of petrol .
If only we had taken the train instead of the bus we wouldn't have missed the job interview . The one that could have meant a new career , a new direction .
What would have happened if we had said "Yes" instead of "No" , or vice versa ?
And if we hadn't been in a certain place at a certain time we would never have met our partners , best friends , long lost relations , whatever !
The wonderings and "What if..." s go on in a never ending list .
I often wonder if I would do things differently if I had the chance to try again . Or would I make the same decisions , choose the same path ? Of course , I am assuming I would have the chance to make these choices with the benefit of hindsight . That would be the easy way . Wouldn't we all change "something" if we could ? Or perhaps you are all so contented with your lives that you would do it all again exactly as before ?
Its enticing to imagine that we could choose another direction , but, of course, our choices have a "knock on " effect . They involve other peoples lives too . If I had done things differently I may not have my children and delightful grand children , my dogs and my friends . But would I have another , different family ? I will never know .
I am wrestling with some difficult choices now , we all do every day . Whatever I decide , it will shape my life in the future . I made choices so lightly in the past , with all the carelessness of youth . But now I am older I have come to realise how one little decision can change everything .
I would love to hear what you think . Would you change anything ? Do you have regrets ?
I have thought carefully about those questions and have decided that , in the main , there is very little I would change . Just the odd thing , here and there . Although , perhaps in the 80s , I wouldn't have had a green streak in my hair !!
Friday, 21 October 2011
PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE ..... 17th - 21st October 2011
THANK YOU.
And so we come to the final day of the PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE . Let us look back and see what we have achieved . Well, we have raised £ £27,520 so far (total at 8am ) so a big " Thank you ", you have been marvellous !
I hope I have persuaded you to think about the plight of abandoned dogs and I hope you have enjoyed my tales of the joys of dog ownership , as we have laughed and cried together .
But , I would hate to think that once this special week is over , everything we have learned is quickly forgotten .
Lucy Greenfield on http://lucymargaretjane.blogspot.com/ has provided some very disturbing facts and figures throughout this week . These statistics do not apply for just one short week . They go on and on , day after day , in an endless stream of horror . Marvellous people work tirelessly to try and reduce the terrible suffering that man inflicts on all animals , not just our Canine friends .
So maybe , in the future , you will occasionally think of the Rescue Centres and Animal Shelters and , if you can , spare some loose change or even go and adopt a dog .
I realise many of you are not in a position to do either . Life is never easy , everyones circumstances are different and nothing is ever just 'black and white' . Perhaps then , you could help in other ways . It is just as important to spread the word , pass on everything you have read this week and involve your friends and family . Oh, and you could walk Ripley a few more times too !!!
And so , dear readers , I would like to thank you all for visiting this page this week . The response has been overwhelming . I would also like to thank Pedigree for inviting me to contribute to their Campaign and to thank them for their wonderful generousity and concern for abandoned dogs .
I leave you with some photos of some of my own dogs and some websites you may find interesting .
Some useful websites :
http://www.pedigreeadoptiondrive.com/
The Charities ;
The Mayhew Animal Home http://www.mayhewanimalhome.org/
JSPCA http://jspca.org.je/
Scottish SPCA http://www.scottishspca.org/
HULA Animal Rescue http://wwwhularescue.org/
NAWT http://nawt.org.uk/headquarters/index.asp
Manchester and Cheshire Dogs home http://dogshome.net/
Newcastle Dogs & Cats Home http://www.dogandcatshelter.com/
Thursday, 20 October 2011
PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE ..... 17th - 21st October 2011
Happy Endings
Well, maybe I have used the emotional blackmail card a little too much this week , I don't want you to have red eyes every day ! So today I thought I would share some photos of the happy endings for previously abandoned dogs .Perhaps this will persuade you to think of adopting a dog one day .
Some of you may be thinking , " Oh , a rescue dog is not for me ! It wouldn't fit in to my lifestyle . Oh , it wouldn't mix well with other dogs , it would be too nervous , too traumatised etc. etc "
I used to help with Afghan Hound rescue . It can be a heart-breaking task , seeing the frightened , abused dogs with matted coats and sores on their skin . But after a spell of care and attention and weeks of good food , the transformation is amazing . It never ceases to astound me when I see the trust return , the great capacity for loyalty and the love these poor creatures give to their new owners .
And so , here are just a few photos of Afghans I have helped . There are many, many more and they all have their happy endings .
Mia
Daniel
Cassie
Buster
Henry
Eric
Wellington
The last photo is of Wellinton , or Welly as he became to be known . When he first came into rescue he was a worried , frightened boy . Very shy and nervous . He had been kept in a shed , with no window and hardly any human contact for days on end . Not strictly 'abandoned' in the true sense , but certainly abandoned in every other way , cut off from the world .
My brother , John ,saw him and asked if he could take him and perhaps bring him out of his shell with help and advice from me .
Well , my brother was , at the time , a real outdoors type and I wondered if Welly could cope with the 'big outdoors' , the fishing trips and such . But, he didnt only cope , he positively thrived on it and joined in too !
He accompanied my brother where ever he went . One of Johns hobbies was diving , viewing ancient wreck sites off the South coast . Of course Welly could not do that but believe it or not he did join in another aquatic sport ....... wind surfing !!! He would jump onto the board and sit at Johns feet , leaning at just the right angle when required . They became quite an attraction on the South coast . Welly , the wind-surfing Afghan !!
So , why not think of adopting a dog one day ? Or , if that is totally impossible and you have no intention of ever going wind-surfing ( haha ) you can still help some unfortunate dog to have his happy ending .
Just click on Ripleys lead and take her for a virtual walk .
This will unlock £1 from Pedigree's total fund of £100,000 .
The money raised will be used to help Rescue Centres and Animal Shelters all over the UK .
Also , could you please tell all your family and friends about this Campaign and ask them to join in ?
Thank you !
Well, maybe I have used the emotional blackmail card a little too much this week , I don't want you to have red eyes every day ! So today I thought I would share some photos of the happy endings for previously abandoned dogs .Perhaps this will persuade you to think of adopting a dog one day .
Some of you may be thinking , " Oh , a rescue dog is not for me ! It wouldn't fit in to my lifestyle . Oh , it wouldn't mix well with other dogs , it would be too nervous , too traumatised etc. etc "
I used to help with Afghan Hound rescue . It can be a heart-breaking task , seeing the frightened , abused dogs with matted coats and sores on their skin . But after a spell of care and attention and weeks of good food , the transformation is amazing . It never ceases to astound me when I see the trust return , the great capacity for loyalty and the love these poor creatures give to their new owners .
And so , here are just a few photos of Afghans I have helped . There are many, many more and they all have their happy endings .
The last photo is of Wellinton , or Welly as he became to be known . When he first came into rescue he was a worried , frightened boy . Very shy and nervous . He had been kept in a shed , with no window and hardly any human contact for days on end . Not strictly 'abandoned' in the true sense , but certainly abandoned in every other way , cut off from the world .
My brother , John ,saw him and asked if he could take him and perhaps bring him out of his shell with help and advice from me .
Well , my brother was , at the time , a real outdoors type and I wondered if Welly could cope with the 'big outdoors' , the fishing trips and such . But, he didnt only cope , he positively thrived on it and joined in too !
He accompanied my brother where ever he went . One of Johns hobbies was diving , viewing ancient wreck sites off the South coast . Of course Welly could not do that but believe it or not he did join in another aquatic sport ....... wind surfing !!! He would jump onto the board and sit at Johns feet , leaning at just the right angle when required . They became quite an attraction on the South coast . Welly , the wind-surfing Afghan !!
So , why not think of adopting a dog one day ? Or , if that is totally impossible and you have no intention of ever going wind-surfing ( haha ) you can still help some unfortunate dog to have his happy ending .
Just click on Ripleys lead and take her for a virtual walk .
This will unlock £1 from Pedigree's total fund of £100,000 .
The money raised will be used to help Rescue Centres and Animal Shelters all over the UK .
Also , could you please tell all your family and friends about this Campaign and ask them to join in ?
Thank you !
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE ..... 17th - 21st October 2011
Well , dear readers , its Wednesday . The third day of the PEDIGREE ADOPTION DRIVE and you are all doing so much to help raise much needed money to help Rescue Centres and Animal Shelters all over the country . But you might have guessed that I wouldnt let you off the hook so lightly ! Oh and all you cat lovers , please don't feel excluded . I am just as anxious to help abandoned cats and have rescued many myself . I adore cats. However , back to the task in hand and my daily post . Yesterday someone told me on Twitter that I should post a 'tear in the eye ' warning ! Well you may need a tissue or two for this one !
Kindness and Devotion .
Dogs do not only enrich our lives , they care for each other too , often showing extraordinary sensitivity and understanding . I have had the great priviledge of witnessing this on many occasions .
My daughter had an American Cocker Spaniel ..... Tilly .... who sadly went blind . Tilly coped very well , as dogs do , but as she got older it became more difficult . She was becoming quite deaf too . However , my daughters Afghan Hound , Stanley , took it upon himself to be her guide . Her eyes and ears . It was heartwarming to see them together , Stanley gently steering Tilly , making sure she avoided any obstacle , looking out for any dangers . Whenever my daughter called out for them , Stanley would go and wake Tilly or fetch her from the garden and gently steer her into the kitchen , or where ever my daughter happened to be . When Tilly died , Stanley was devastated and searched for her for weeks .
Then there was dear Tarquin . The ' Terrible Tarquin ' of many of my blog entries had the kindest of hearts .
For all his naughtiness he was a true softie . When we arrived home with a new puppy .... Stripey Joe .... Tarquin rushed to his toybox , brought out all his toys and laid them at Joe's feet ! His generous nature could also be overwhelming . One day I found a tiny kitten in the garden . It had obviously been dropped by a feral cat , who must have been transporting her litter to a new location . It had lain on the frosty ground for goodness knows how long . All alone on a Scottish Winters day . I thought at first it was dead , but ,detecting a very small heartbeat , I took the tiny scrap indoors . I rubbed some life into it and wrapped it in a heated towel and placed the precious bundle in a cardboard box beside the Aga . While I was preparing some warm milky mixture for it , Tarquin came into the kitchen , poked his nose into the box and then dashed off . Thank goodness I was there , as he came racing back with his huge marrow bone and dropped it into the box for the kitten and then ran off for more toys . Luckily the kitten survived the 'marrow bone gift' and grew up to be strong and healthy and a much loved member of the family . And , of course , Tarquins special chum .
Joe and Sophie
Sometimes dogs can become so attached to one another that they are inseparable . Two of our Afghans formed this bond . Sophie , a beautiful cream Afghan , was always a bit feisty , a bit of a bully . So she obviously needed a companion who could fend for himself . Joe was that companion . Feisty and confidant , he became her kennel mate . They spent most of their time together and became just like an old married couple . Sophie would bark and grumble at him and Joe would just turn his back and sit in a corner with his eyes closed . Sophie waited patiently while Joe was away at shows and I swear he told her all about his day and just exactly what he thought of the judging , when he returned . They were wonderful together and totally devoted to each other . Sophie was a couple of years older than Joe and when she passed away the change in him was startling. This once healthy , robust dog pined away so badly that I had to force food down his throat by hand in a vain attempt to get him to eat . He became listless and lost all interest in life .
One morning ,I placed his breakfast in front of him and told him I had to go out for a short time , but I expected to see all the food finished when I returned . An hour and a half later I came home to find him lying dead beside Sophies grave . I'm sure he had deliberately waited till I went out . It was exactly two weeks since she had passed away and Joe had simply died of a broken heart.
Joe
So , if dogs can display such devotion to each other , why do people cruelly abandon them ?
Help Pedigree make a difference to the lives of so many abandoned dogs by clicking on Ripleys lead and taking her for a walk .
It only takes a few minutes , but the money raised could mean a lifetime of love for some lonely dog .
Thank You !
Kindness and Devotion .
Dogs do not only enrich our lives , they care for each other too , often showing extraordinary sensitivity and understanding . I have had the great priviledge of witnessing this on many occasions .
My daughter had an American Cocker Spaniel ..... Tilly .... who sadly went blind . Tilly coped very well , as dogs do , but as she got older it became more difficult . She was becoming quite deaf too . However , my daughters Afghan Hound , Stanley , took it upon himself to be her guide . Her eyes and ears . It was heartwarming to see them together , Stanley gently steering Tilly , making sure she avoided any obstacle , looking out for any dangers . Whenever my daughter called out for them , Stanley would go and wake Tilly or fetch her from the garden and gently steer her into the kitchen , or where ever my daughter happened to be . When Tilly died , Stanley was devastated and searched for her for weeks .
Then there was dear Tarquin . The ' Terrible Tarquin ' of many of my blog entries had the kindest of hearts .
For all his naughtiness he was a true softie . When we arrived home with a new puppy .... Stripey Joe .... Tarquin rushed to his toybox , brought out all his toys and laid them at Joe's feet ! His generous nature could also be overwhelming . One day I found a tiny kitten in the garden . It had obviously been dropped by a feral cat , who must have been transporting her litter to a new location . It had lain on the frosty ground for goodness knows how long . All alone on a Scottish Winters day . I thought at first it was dead , but ,detecting a very small heartbeat , I took the tiny scrap indoors . I rubbed some life into it and wrapped it in a heated towel and placed the precious bundle in a cardboard box beside the Aga . While I was preparing some warm milky mixture for it , Tarquin came into the kitchen , poked his nose into the box and then dashed off . Thank goodness I was there , as he came racing back with his huge marrow bone and dropped it into the box for the kitten and then ran off for more toys . Luckily the kitten survived the 'marrow bone gift' and grew up to be strong and healthy and a much loved member of the family . And , of course , Tarquins special chum .
Sometimes dogs can become so attached to one another that they are inseparable . Two of our Afghans formed this bond . Sophie , a beautiful cream Afghan , was always a bit feisty , a bit of a bully . So she obviously needed a companion who could fend for himself . Joe was that companion . Feisty and confidant , he became her kennel mate . They spent most of their time together and became just like an old married couple . Sophie would bark and grumble at him and Joe would just turn his back and sit in a corner with his eyes closed . Sophie waited patiently while Joe was away at shows and I swear he told her all about his day and just exactly what he thought of the judging , when he returned . They were wonderful together and totally devoted to each other . Sophie was a couple of years older than Joe and when she passed away the change in him was startling. This once healthy , robust dog pined away so badly that I had to force food down his throat by hand in a vain attempt to get him to eat . He became listless and lost all interest in life .
One morning ,I placed his breakfast in front of him and told him I had to go out for a short time , but I expected to see all the food finished when I returned . An hour and a half later I came home to find him lying dead beside Sophies grave . I'm sure he had deliberately waited till I went out . It was exactly two weeks since she had passed away and Joe had simply died of a broken heart.
So , if dogs can display such devotion to each other , why do people cruelly abandon them ?
Help Pedigree make a difference to the lives of so many abandoned dogs by clicking on Ripleys lead and taking her for a walk .
It only takes a few minutes , but the money raised could mean a lifetime of love for some lonely dog .
Thank You !
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