Tag Archives: Pepper

The Best Rugs

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Not much has happened today which, as you know, is how I and my back like it.  No drama, no fuss.

Everyone behaved at breakfast and that always makes life simple.  Afterwards, I spent my morning on the phone to a physiotherapist who phoned to talk about my GP referral (he never mentioned that). We had a good conversation and I felt I was understood and a plan might be made. You never know.  I am optimistic.

Then some games with Pepper, which involved me trying not to be chewed while someone tickled her tummy!

 

Pepper is (mostly) adorable and very pleased with herself because a few days back, she caught herself a mouse!  All her very own work too.

Because Pepper wanted to bring it home, I had to swap it out for one of the sheeps’ biccies to get her to give it to me to dispose of. Fair exchange is no robbery in this house.  She was a very good girl about this otherwise she would run around with the mouse in her mouth, tail hanging out like a gruesome lollipop!

The old horses and ponies are doing very well living in the centre of the summer track.  The two year old grass there is slowly being eaten down and will hopefully last a little while longer.  My plan is to keep them in their rugs (either a rain sheet or a 50 – 200g fill depending on the weather) while they live outside in bad weather 24/7.  That way, their rugs will do the job of keeping them dry and warm. I think they are happier like this and have wintered better.  They move around more too.

Anyway, that’s the plan.  It’s not a very cheap one, though.  I have learned the hard way that you get what you pay for.

The Family Photograph

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My morning’s after-breakfast job was to try and sort out OH’s ancient but much-loved (and now fully backed up, yay!) Macbook which had gone on the fritz again. I thought I had mended it a few days’ back but obviously not.  It’s the cursor – it keeps freezing on one account.

Anyway, this time I brought in the experts!

Once mended (hopefully, don’t make me go into Terminal or look for plists to delete), Monster needed to rest.  He thought he’d worked hard.

I love how the way Ted stands like a sentry nearby and you can almost hear Monster saying “I got here first and you’re not getting the bed”.

And then Pepper was wandering past so I asked her to sit as well and I would try for a family photograph.

Perfection (though I wish Pepper looked a bit more enthused).

And, so you know, I want to rename Monster “Bao” or “Baozi”, as in Chinese dumpling. I don’t know why. It just came to me.

Best Be Prepared

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I spent the morning on a Zoom meeting with a variety of visitors.

And then in the afternoon, after talking it over with OH and Daisy, I made the decision to pack an overnight hospital bag, just in case of emergencies.

My back-pain changes daily (never of course getting any better) and I am scared that I might develop Cauda Equina Syndrome.  What I am experiencing now is not dissimilar and if it is, then it will be all systems go with blues and twos to hospital.

Symptoms: Severe back pain, saddle anesthesia (numbness in buttocks, inner thighs), sciatica (often both legs), and bladder/bowel dysfunction (e.g., incontinence, loss of feeling).

However, as I don’t have the bladder/bowel dysfunction bit (I have everything else), I don’t think I am quite there yet. I will make an appointment for Monday to see the locum GP in residence just to set my mind at rest.

Anyway, Pepper helped by pushing clothes off the bed.

And there was lots of giggling which took my mind off packing my bag.

And then she sat beside my bag as if to say “if you go to hospital, I am coming too”.

I could happily tolerate hospital if Pepper was with me.  Anyway, let’s hope it doesn’t come to anything and my imagination is just playing fast and loose with me. There are plenty of other explanations – like meralgia paresthetica or something else.

Another Bed Saga

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A few days ago, there was the most God-almighty full on dog fight. It was not pretty and both dogs were equally to blame. Apparently, it was about the new dog-bed and it’s accompanying little cushion.  Pepper would not give up or let go while Ted gave as good as he got.  Luckily, there were no injuries and, once separated, I shouted at both of them until they understood that this behaviour was totally unacceptable.  I then ignored them for the remainder of the day disgusted at what had gone on.  To be fair, they did each apologise.

Anyway, this has resulted in a rather strained relationship between Pepper and Ted, while we all watch who has the bed and for any grumbling about it.

And, because Daisy is here helping, Monster needs a bed in her bedroom/study area. Of course he does. So we made him one next to his favourite place – the radiator – basically a folded up throw on an old wicker basket.  Perfect.  He spends many peaceful hours up there.

In one of her wanders around the house, Pepper found the new bed.

She was quite keen on investigating it.

So she hopped on and decided it wasn’t that great after all.

Phew, not another bed to have a fight about.

And anyway Monster always wins every battle with Pepper.  He got her on her way past just now.  So that’s us. The Bed Wars continue but are now being supervised.  We were all very shocked by that latest fight.  I think I made my feelings very clear as it has taken quite a while for Pepper and Ted to play nicely again together.

The Rain It Raineth Every Day

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I know all I do is complain about the weather but honestly, it hasn’t stopped raining for months now (or at least it feels like that).  We all live in a state of permanent mud, wet clothes/hair and are miserable.

The sheep were hanging around their field gate so I opened it early. I think they possibly never actually left to go and graze and I felt sorry for them.

So straight into their shed they went….

….along with some chickens who were also sheltering.  One even laid an egg!

Later, when I went back in the afternoon to shut up the hens and ducks for the night, Lambie followed me back to the house looking hopeful.

Obviously I let him in and sent Daisy off to find him a biccie.

Lambie knew this or at least hoped….

And I might’ve told him too (note the charming smile of happiness at the thought of the arrival of something nice and, even better, edible).

“Lambie, could you possibly manage a chocolate chip cookie?”

Oh, he thought he could (such beautiful manners too).

Sadly, I had to push Lambie back outside telling him to say nothing when he rejoined his biscuitless friends.  I think OH would have a complete hissy fit if I fed all his supply of elevenses’ biscuits to the sheep!

But I had one happy Lambie and that’s all I want.

(he has his mouth full so he can’t smile!)