Saturday 28th November

There's not really a day that goes by that I don't say 'thank you' for something, whether it's enjoying a 'dry' dog walk, or coming into a house that has central heating (still a novelty factor after twenty years with just coal fires and a few electric radiators!) . This morning I looked outside somewhat despondently at the grey skies and the heavy drizzle, and then saw an amazing double rainbow.
A friend posted on the wall of their facebook page last week this very true saying :-

I know quite a few friends of ours are going through the 'awful' at the moment .... hold on.

Needless to say my days are fairly full, the new puppy taking up a great deal of time, but in between times I have been doing some supply work, and of course some sport.

We are continuing to feed the dogs a raw food diet, which they both love, but it has meant that I have had to invest in a new small fridge, as my family were disgusted that they had to look at pots of raw meat. Investigating into what else I can feed them, I found some tasty marrow bones, and some incredible looking 'pizzles".  I am not going to tell you what they are, look them up, and then you can imagine how I felt when I had to ask the shop owner what they were.

These pizzles are quite long, and in order to share one between the dogs I thought I could just break it in half, but it proved too tough, so I tried to have a go with the bread knife in the kitchen. By this time the family were shouting at me .....so on my daughter's suggestion I took it outside, put it into the vice in the workshop and sawed it in half...  it kept the dogs entertained and they chewed on them for ages.

 We met a man that owned three black and white springers.....

 Enough of the dog blog....

Last Saturday morning Steve and I were 'singing' at the town hall with our choir "Rising Voices", They had a charity event and we sung for an hour, a mixture of songs but some carols too. I really enjoyed it, and we are singing at the opening of the 'Nativity tableaus' in Grouville Church on the 19th December at 4pm. Open to anybody, so please rock up and join in, I'm sure there will be adverts nearer the time.

Yesterday I did start the day well with a lovely wet, muddy dog walk, and then a circuits class...but straight after lunch I had a terrible attack of stomach cramps, my whole back spasms up and the pain is terrible. I take tablets straight away, but it comes so quickly and lasts for hours. I have only had these attacks since last years surgery, and believe it's all connected with scar tissue and a sensitive bowel that sometimes 'twists'.

Nobody was home and i was just about to take the dogs out....not only did Dan come to my rescue but he looked after me, brought me a hot bottle for my back and  walked the dogs after Bex had got home, (didn't want to leave me alone). Then he made sure that Jack was free to take over nursing duties. I was extremely grateful, i felt so wretched, and still a little tender this morning, but so much better thank goodness.

It's someone's special birthday tomorrow, he didn't want any fuss so I thought I'd put a piece in the paper about him being 80....

He loves it really.....honest.

We are having a family lunch on Sunday down in Gorey, perfect, so Happy Birthday Pops, hope you have a lovely day!

Thursday 19th November

You realise that when people stop you in the street and/or text you enquiring "but are you really alright, you've not posted anything for ages?" that your blog posting is well overdue!!!

So nice to know that so many folks care about my well being, either that or you haven't had any more outrageous stories from the Luce household lately!!

Here's a question, just say you have been shopping (food, always food!) and on returning your trolley to the trolley 'park' you spy a lone port salut cheese in the next trolley. There is no-one around, nobody putting shopping in the car, it appears to have tipped out of the bag and been forgotten. What would you do? a) go into the shop and leave it behind customer info in case someone goes back for it? b) leave it where it is and walk off or c) put it in your car and take it home as it's Tom's favourite ?........!!!
I did fleetingly think of taking the cheese into the shop but reckoned if i'd discovered i'd mislaid it I wouldn't go driving back to the shop to pick it up in the vain hope I'd find it.  So, I'm very sorry if you didn't get any cheese for supper tonight, it's still intact in my fridge so please feel free to come and collect!

I've been in to work again this week, luckily only two mornings, and I've had Dan loitering around pretending to apply for jobs to 'dog sit' , and actually that's pretty much what he does, sit. (It's ok he doesn't read the blog!) Of course, it was so lovely to see my old school buddies and to be with the children again, I do love being with them, and I'm doing some work in the Nursery next week, now there's my favourite age group!!

The first half of the Netball league has finished already, but we do have a parish tournament over two nights next week, I'm trying to rest up my knee which due to my progressing years and overuse is still sore, mind you scrabbling up cliff paths hasn't helped.

Now for the picture gallery... met these two 'ramblers' out with their two dogs... no sign of Jessie in the photos she's way ahead!!

Had a BRILLIANT supper party with the 'Spice Girls' from St Martin, many thanks to JR for cooking us a delicious meal... a very early Christmas!!

 Beanie!!!

 She thinks she's a mountain goat.......

 It was VERY windy!!!!!!!!

 A little blast from the past....think this was one of our 'explore local heritage sites over half term', thought you'd appreciate it SW!!

 The art of digging holes, lessons on the beach, preferable to my garden..........

There is of course lots more that's been going on in this madhouse but that will have to wait until another time....too late tonight!!

Sunday November 8th

The first posting in November, my typing the opening sentence has coincided with the arrival of son no.3 all the way back from Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains. Fortunately all in one piece and looking a little slimmer and hairer!

Talking of slim and hairy, the smaller four legged friend is under the desk asleep at my feet, all the 'gardening' duties plus puppy playtime has totally zonked her out, well for the time being anyway.

 No more wasp sting this week, but a double dose of puppy training, Tuesday and Friday, AND we even have 'homework'!

It's been another busy week, with two lots of netball games, neither of which does my sore knee any favours (combination of old age and TMS)....... BUT i don't mind because on this day three years ago I was at Dan's graduation, first time in public without my bandana and sporting an extremely small amount of hair. I've come a long way since then, so I'm jolly pleased to be alive and able to play netball again, sore knee or not!

*TMS .... Too Much Sport



Changing the subject completely, we had a very moving Remembrance Service at St Martin's church this morning, particularly poignant is the reading out of all the names of those who lived in the Parish and lost their lives.

I know this will come as a shock to some of you but I actually have some real work to go to this week, two mornings of it actually, and the same next week. Luckily Dan is back home to take over puppy duties, which is just as well.

I still help out at the school netball on Monday lunchtimes and try and umpire their matches, they are an enthusiastic bunch of girls, and my 'coaching' skills leave alot to be desired. However I have enlisted the help of the Netball Development Officer who is lovely and will no doubt pass on her tips.

I'll leave you with a few photos from this week's activities...

Asleep on the floor of the Village Tea room!

     A friend's 40th homemade birthday cake!

 You can buy these Macmillan biscuits in M & S !!

 Tea time!!