Training...

Good evening everyone!

Back again after a blog break.  To be fair, after the last entry which was far too personal, I feared I may lose some of my loyal readers.  Is honestly a good thing?  Hmm, will think about that one as still debating the 'delete' button for that entry.  Seeing as I am the number 2 hit on Google when you type in 'Christian's blog', it can't be all bad.  New year and work, (well a bit of work, don't like to over do it), got in the way of Blogland, then snow (yippee) but am off for a week, so time to write.
(You will be pleased to hear that the results came back negative, so Thank you for that valuable life experience Doctor!  Something I do not wish to repeat).

One of the last things I made before Christmas festivities hit, was a double batch of pistachio fudge.  A friend ordered 5 bags, so I got my trusty Nigella book out and made a mountain of the stuff.  2 hours later and waking up dribbling on the kitchen floor from a sugar induced coma, it was bagged up ready for collection.

The big news (well to me anyway; not much happens in my village) is my new bathroom windows.  I still hate the bathroom, with it's corner bath, bidet (I mean really, why?) and awful tiles, but the wooden aqua-marine-blue wooden windows are now gone.  Replaced with UPVC (as it is the new part of the house) and they have made a huge difference to the temperature of my bathroom.  Water no longer turns to ice on my nipples as I step out of the shower - see, done it again!  Personal stuff!!

Milo has now chosen to sleep downstairs at night.  Not sure if my snoring keeps him up, but, surprisingly, I am missing his mini barks and whimpers when he dreams.  Every so often he will come upstairs when I go to bed, which then involves me coming down again to get his big basket.  He has a bed at the top of the stairs, but that is for 'power naps', not proper sleep apparently.  (He didn't tell me that, I am just surmising)!

He does like to wake me up every morning.  Now, if you have never been woken by a terrier tongue licking your armpit, you aren't missing much.  However, that is preferable to opening your eyes and having a furry face millimetres from your face.  Just staring.  I have actually screamed on several occasions.  

He was at Mum and Dad's for a week as I had a busy roster and I missed the daily walks, as did my body.  After a week of driving to the airport every day, living on crappy food and no exercise, plus the stress of my annual check, my work waistcoat was noticeably, erm, more snug.  

There is no improvement to his recall. I wouldn't say it is worse, but no better. I know he will come back, but it is becoming a game of 'where's Milo'? This is the wood where I like to walk him.  Can you spot him in the distance?  No?  Me either.  That is because when I finished taking pictures, he was sat behind me. He is like a stealth canine.  

When the snow hit on Friday, I couldn't wait to get out and walk him.  I took a Thermos of tea with me just in case I twisted my ankle and had to wait for help.  Sad, but you never know, it is quite remote where I walk him and my organisation and planning skills do well when the country heads for meltdown mode.  Not quite sure how my Elmo flask would have helped, but the thought was there. 

This picture was taken in the same place as the one above.  It was so magical walking around the woods. I almost expected to bump into Mr Tumnus...

We walked for nearly 2 hours and then decided to head back.  For some reason I came home a different way, then realised the road was flooded.  It was a small stream that had burst it's banks and was flowing quite quickly across the road.  It was at this point I discovered a hole in my welly. 

And a hydrophobic dog.  

Cue me, wading through the stream, holding a wiggling mutt with a welly rapidly filling with ice cold water.  Then another mile and a half walk home.  

Once home a quick towel dry and he was happy again.  I lit the fire and thawed my frozen foot out.  Milo got a marrow bone (with a tea towel to save the rug) and was very content.  I love this picture of him.  

 

The hens aren't too chuffed with the snow.  I did put up extra shades to try and stop the snow getting in the run, which seemed to work out well.  The snow was around 6-7" deep when it finally stopped, (I used a tape measure, so no comments about men please) so the roof of the run was completely covered and dark.  They didn't come out of the coop until 10 on Friday morning!  Still no eggs, but moulting is over and they seem ok.  The run needs a thorough-backbreaking clean out this week and then the countdown for eggs in February I hope! 

I bought an electric cigarette a few weeks ago.  Seems pretty good and was helping me cut down, until I threw it out of the window on the M3.  Yes, I actually did that, much to the hilarity of my Facebook friends.  Have since ordered a new one online and loving it!

I planned for an early night tonight, but the lure of a good film, fire roaring, freezing cold bedroom and a box of dark chocolate Lindor has kept me up.  I'm a sucker for Lindor.  In fairness, any cocoa based confectionary will do.  *Ignore previous comment about waistcoat* 

Time for bed, but will leave you with a picture of Furface with one of his favourite treats, a carrot.  He has now developed OCD and will head straight for the tea towel on the rug. I've trained him well....

C x x x