You may hear the screams from wherever you are.

OH is putting together a chest of drawers I bought in IKEA this afternoon.

I'm running for cover and not coming out until it's all finished.

The Party!

I was chastised by my friend Ali last Saturday for being so quiet of late but it's been a bit manic to say the least so my apologies for the lack of bloggedness.

Last Friday was OH's 50th Birthday. Despite his best efforts and his certainty from an early age that he would not get to the age of 50 (due to a mis-spent youth), he did manage to reach this milestone pretty much intact. OK, the teeth have almost gone, the lungs are probably shot to pieces and the body won't necessarily do what he wants it to without bits of it hurting but, all in all, he's in pretty good shape.

We didn't do too much celebrating on Friday as we were rushing around trying to get the cottage straight for the deluge of visitors we were expecting. So I cooked him a nice steak dinner and we had a relaxing evening instead.

Saturday morning and my parents arrived with Millie the Whippet and they were swiftly followed by my friend Niki, my aunt and my cousin and a couple of other friends, Mike and Ginny.

I'm going to digress here a bit. My aunt and cousin were staying in a local hotel. A very expensive local hotel. In fact, the poshest and most expensive hotel in the area. They were sharing a twin room and, on arrival, checked in under my aunt's name, Jones. It appeared that the staff akinned that to them checking in under the name "Smith", something they both found to be hugely amusing and didn't dispel because it was such a hoot!!

I served up a big chilli for a late lunch and then mad dash for us all to get into our glad rags for the party. I was nervous that no-one would turn up, worried about whether there would be enough food and whether anyone would dance to the disco. I needn't have. 85 people turned up, the food was delicious and plentiful and everyone boogied on down until the early hours! It was, if I say so myself, a complete and utter success and OH had the time of his life!

Some piccies

Him and me!



















Me and Him with the birthday cake, wot was made by OH's brother and, although you can't see it properly, had icing models of The Lurchers on it and it was brilliant (thank you Jim)!



















My Mum and Him - I have no idea why he was looking at her like that!



















Him and my cousin Rich, who got very drunk and talked to everyone, regardless of whether he knew them or not and, in his words "whether they wanted me to talk to them or not!". Rich was a one man riot and everyone loved him!
























At one point in the evening, Rich insisted that, as my shoes were killing me, I should try wearing his instead. And then, for reasons best known to herself, my aunt wanted a picture of my shoes! Hey, that's family for you!
























Our good mate Mr Howell boogying on down! He took the "Black Tie" dress code literally and looked like he was going to a funeral, but assured us that he had always wanted to look like something from "Men in Black". I worry about you Mr Howell, I really do!!
























OH dancing with his sister (excuse crap photo quality)
























Twas a fine night and one we shall remember for some time to come!

In memory of Steven

Steven is an old friend of ours that we haven't seen for a year or so. I had invited him to OH's birthday party but he was really sorry he couldn't come as he had plans to be away with friends that weekend. Unfortuantely, his plans didn't come off.

Steven had lung cancer and last Thursday he was taken into the Princess Alice Hospice for care. He rallied and on Friday evening was found to be sitting up in bed drinking his customary G&T and a glass of red wine with his dinner. During the night he fell unconscious and remained unconscious until he passed away at 4.30 this morning.

Steven was, well, unique! Camp as they come and self-confessed "queen", he would have us in fits at his comments about any good-looking men that walked into the pub and his ascerbic put-downs, said in a way that only a gay old queen can say, and get away with! He always drank bitter, which had to be in a glass with a handle, and his G&T before dinner. He loved steam trains and he once took me on an outing to Winchester on one. We had a complete hoot...travelling first class with smoked salmon for breakfast and full silver-service dinner on the way home. I don't think I have ever spent a day laughing so much. Oh and his books! How he loved to go to book fairs and tell us about his first edition finds.

He always wanted to move to the country and we'd all spend hours in the pub poring over house details with him but he never went. I think perhaps he would have missed his friends and cronies too much.

Thank you for the memories you have left us with, memories filled with fun, and sometimes tears, and for everything you did for us. Without your cunning intervention, Gerry and I would possibly have never got together.

We love you Steven and you take a piece of our hearts with you. Sleep well my friend.

Comic Relief?

I can't say I'm seeing the comic side of it at the moment.

Comic Relief are offering, on e-bay, a night at the greyhound races with a race named after the winner. The greyhound rescue world is not impressed.

The people working in rescue bust their guts every single day and Greyhound Gap, like most of the others, work on a shoestring budget that is infinitesimal compared to the sort of money that Comic Relief raises. These people work every hour in the day to make sure the dogs that are no longer any use to their owners, because they can't race anymore, are made safe and offered the chance of a decent life rather than being put to sleep or dumped and abandoned...or worse, killed in appalling circumstances. And believe me, it happens.

I have contacted Comic Relief expressing the dismay that they are showing what I feel is a complete lack of respect for their fellow charities and the work they do and that they are callously using whatever means possible to raise funds with a complete disregard to the associated issues.

I have received a standard reply stating that many organisations donate valuable gifts with they try to use in the most appropriate way possible and this gift was donated by the British Greyhound Racing Board. I have pointed out to Comic Relief that, given the recent publicity about the plight of racing greyounds is it not possible that the British Greyhound Racing Board are using this as a means of gaining "good" publicity rather than donating the item in a spirit of generosity?? Call me cynical if you will but my regular readers will know this is a subject close to my heart and something I feel very strongly about.

I will not be donating to Comic Relief this year and will donate more directly as I feel appropriate.

The Lurchers

In a recent blog, Andre asked if I had a dog and, if so, where were the pictures. I do have a dog Andre, in fact, I have two! And what better excuse does a girl need to show off her hounds!? So here they are in all their glory!

Lurcher No. 1



















Lurcher No 2

Exhausted and broke. But happy! And then not.

Back from Crufts, exhausted after the best part of two days walking round; broke after buying too much stuff that I probably didn't need; and happy for seeing lots of friends I don't get to see often enough. Even if one of them did threaten to de-bag me in the restaurant to see if I was wearing the Playboy knickers! (I wasn't!)

Crufts is very tiring, there's no two ways about it and the crowds on Saturday just got the better of me. By lunchtime I had to get out and escape the madness. Fortunately we got most of the shopping out of the way on Friday (faux fur throw for my bed, two new dog-beds for the Lurchers and a boxful of new toys for them too).

Today started off badly when I found that Lola the Hamster had passed away in her sleep last night. They might only be little but they do find their way into your heart.

A day off!

I'm actually taking a day off work tomorrow and heading off with a bunch of girlfriends for a couple of days. Any guesses where I'm going!?

Here's a clue: Woof!

*goes all warm and gooey at the thought of all those hounds to snog and the shopping to be done!*

Bleugh

Keep your distance. Unclean! Unclean!

I have the lurgy.

Oh, and happy St David's Day!