Saturday, May 8, 2010

R.I.P

After a long period of being unwell Wooshus passed away yesterday evening. We will all miss him and I will for all our early morning walks and the wisdom and calm he brought to our home and family.

He was part of our family and spent every holiday with us and ensured that we had plenty of exercise when we were away. He brought great joy into our lives and for that we are truly grateful.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Nearly but not quite

Sorry I have not been writing of late but I was under the weather for a while and at one point thought I was going to crossover. Well I didn't and it's been sorted. As I have got older the old back legs give me problems and I was getting a lot of pain, which made me feel down. Anyway as there is no way they can treat the cause I am on a daily dose of pain killer which means I can get around just fine.

The weather in the South has been all over the place from above average temperature only a fortnight ago to now wet, cold and rain filled days with grey skies. I don't like grey skies, still at least when we get blue skies we have something to make a comparison with!

The UK government and the Opposition are embroiled in misuse of allowances and it would seem many MPs have been taking tax payers money falsely no wonder the Banks have got of lightly there are all scratching each other backs. As I have said previously now is the time to re-adjust the whole financial situation and now make changes to how MPs are able to make allowance claims.

It's always sad when someone is killed "in the line of duty" especially when that is guarding a building or museum, as in the case reported today. Any extreme belief seems to me to lead individuals to a very narrow and bigoted view, be it religious, political or anything. Rationale thinking and actions give way to radical and often violent actions that have no apparent benefit to mankind, but rather slow down progress to a more unified world.

Whilst the world is slowly recovering from recession it would seem that no new order is in place and that things will still be as they were. A more cautions approach to lending maybe the call of the day, but once the money starts to flow again will caution slowly go with the wind? Basing a persons performance on how much profit they generate for the company is a system that will always lead to distortion and corruption. If customer care is a bye word of so many companies as they claim, how come they led their customers down a path of financial ruin? When customer care is thinly disguised as profit it never works in the end. Good customer care, adding value to the customer's experience are all worthy when they are the priority, profit will follow. Any company that was giving true value to their customers will still be in business, especially if their business plan was well structured.

Well I am uncertain if a walk is on the cards today as it's looking very grey and rain looks likely. D has been taken me most days in between the rain so I may just make it. I hope so as he is away for a few days, starting Friday, I shall miss him. Well ahve a good weekend and will talk again soon.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

A mix of weather at present

May is now with us and the gardens and hedge rows are a mass of colour with flowers and budding trees and bushes. The robin has two young who feed from out of your hand. The blackbird had 5 young and they are quite bold too when trying to get food. Mason bees are busy in the ends of the bamboo blinds too.

because of the variable weather it has meant that D has been taking me out later when it's hot, because as a Boxer dog I have a very fine short coat which offers very little protection from the sun. The wild honeysuckle is every where on our walk along the boardwalk and is offering good cover for many birds and the insects they feed on. Seen the fox a couple of times over the last few days as well.

Here in the UK Monday was a bank holiday and as the weather was good we had a BBQ. I love them, everyone sits around outside and chatting and feeding me scraps. Makes a change to my diet, that's why I do it. Any how the eldest son come over and was saying how busy he is at present as his company changes from one version of Office to another and all the problems of rolling out across the EU with the many language differences.

The gardens are looking good with plenty of lawn cutting and general tidying and dead heading of the daffodils one the blooms die back. D & M's garden is maturing now and it's time to start the final planning of the various areas. The heavy snow has killed a nice bush which was dug up and now there is a need to think about a replacement. There is a flowering nutmeg and tobacco plant in the garden that also look as if the cold has either stunted their growth or they are dying; it's never ending keeping the gardens looking great.

Well the boss(he) is still sorting out his financial problems and has found that despite informing people via letters of his financial problems the credit card companies are very bullying in their approach, almost to the point of harassment. When this all started the boss(he) wrote explaining the situation and asking them for suggestions of how he could continue to pay, but not at the minimum amount. They never replied and now it's at the point we he is no longer able to pay more than a pound they are becoming very demanding. Like I have suggested in the past, if they had cut their interest rates the boss and others would have been able to continue paying but their APRs are still in double figure when the base rate is 0.5%!

What ever your current situation keep going and persist in getting through it and things will change and for the better. There are lessons to be learnt from this and I know the boss will be wiser for it in the end. Take care and speak soon.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Nearly the end of April already

How the seasons seem to march on irrespective of the happenings in the world at large. April is almost gone and Spring will shortly be giving way to Summer all in the blink of an eye.

The trees are now showing plenty of colour as the leaves begin to unfurl and the horse chestnuts are showing off their white flowers. It seems that this year every thing in the garden is racing along at a great pace. I mentioned the other day that the daffodils have been and gone. Primroses are showing in the banks and the geese are feeding in the water meadows. Last week the boss(he) heard a cuckoo calling and the blackbirds have five young now feeding as a family on the lawn.

The bosses are coming to terms with the fact that the boss(he) has got financial problems and has been talking to a debt company about it. Because of a loss of income and existing credit card debt the last straw was Am Ex doubling the monthly interest rate and the APR. At present we are hanging in there and the bosses are trying to sort it all out. If you are having any problems with debt get it sorted as soon as possible. The bosses left is later than they should have, but the company they are using , called Pay Plan, has been very helpful and the advice was free too.

Despite all the problems the boss(he) is still keeping to his "to do" lists and is now working at getting even more "little" jobs sorted; like the shed and garage. They certainly focus him on what needs to be done and the work is getting done.

D has been taking me out for walks and although the weather has changes from fine to wet and variable I am getting about. Yesterday was wet and damp and my front joint was very stiff. Today there has been a frost and the sky look quite clear so it could be a sunny day.

Where ever you are may your day be better than the last and the sun warm you with its rays. See you soon and take care.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

How time flies

It only seems like yesterday that the bosses were getting ready to go to Pembrokeshire, in South Wales. I get lots of walks and by the end of the few days we were there I was walking the whole field with ease and no stiffness in my front leg.

The weather has been fine and sunny, for the most part. On my walks with D we have spotted a fox. The robin and blackbird are still busy collecting for the offspring. The robin will take from peoples hands and is very quick. The garden is a mass of colour as Spring gets under way. The daffodils have not lasted as long as they have in the past, but have provided a blase of colour.

Despite the problems with the world economy there is a slow move to cautious spending by some sections of the population. Japan a nation more of savers than spenders will be better positioned than most to benefit in the coming years. In the UK and not doubt in the USA house prices are showing a marginal stabilisation, although considering the inflated prices 2 years ago they are now more likely to be reflective of their value.

The UK government is still pushing ahead with measures to encourage people to dispose of their old( 10 years) cars and buy new "electric" cars. I am amazed that the government is again encouraging people to get into debt and for what? The production of cars 10 years old has already had it's mark on the carbon footprint. Now we dispose of those cars and get new which will still have added to the problems of carbon emissions in production. The bosses 10 years old car still returns over 40 miles to the gallon and as it's 10 years old still needs parts which have already been produced, thus saving on new production and using up spares that would other wise need to be recycled; using both energy and increasing carbon outputs. There is also the problem of disposing of the spent energy cells from these cars in the future.

Another idea back on the front burner is to use coal fired power plants for electricity generation. The carbon emission would be captured and piped to offshore oil fields where the gas would be pumped into the void left by the oil extraction. Neat idea but what will happen to the gas in say 100 years time. Nuclear power stations are also on the agenda and many old stations are likely to be recommissioned in the future; part of the Blair legacy.

Now is the time for the people of the word to exert their feelings on those in power to bring about a change in the way we exploit our world. Their is a great deal at stake. On the one hand all those with vested interests in the trapping of the good life will encourage a return to material acquisitions whilst exploiting people from other nations in keeping production costs low and profit margins high. The exploitation of raw materials and the deforestation of the rain forests will cause problems for everyone, so why get on the wagon? Technology has and can be used, to both the natural world and humans advantage, but not if greed and monetary gain are the impetus.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

April showers bring forth May flowers

Great weather with plenty of sunny spells so I have been out on lots of walks which is helping my joints. Today it was raining this morning so I decided not to go anywhere, best to wait until the rain stops.

I am glad that we have had some rain as it will help the plants and the grass to grow which always makes everywhere look radiant after the showers and the sun shines. Spring gives us a glimpse of what is in store for the summer months. In the garden the robin and blackbird are busy collecting food for their young, soon we should see them on the lawn or in the scrubs as they venture from the nest.

Schools are on Easter break and the roads are that much less congested. Odd really when many schools have a policy that requires the child should live in walking distance of the school for admission! It's the same in the Summer, surely if parents walked with their children it would be a double win-win. Save fuel and money spent on fuel, reduce the Carbon footprint and get healthier with the exercise? I know many parents both have to work, but surely they can do something it's for their benefit and their child too.

The G2 is over and there appears to be a consensus that a new era is on it's way with respect to banking. Meanwhile, in this country the banks who also have credit cards are using an old law to take money from people accounts to pay their credit card. This is regardless of the fact that it may effect their mortgage, service bills or council tax. This clearly shows the ruthlessness of the banks who got the world in this situation in the first place. The important issue is that this is not "fair" treatment and the banks know it but are exploiting peoples ignorance to get back money they are owed, regardless of the consequence. Lets see what the Government does to get itself distanced from this as they have yet to sort out the banks and the banks freely giving credit even when it was not requested.

It's now 3 clear months since the setting of those New year resolution, so how have you done. The boss(he) is going great guns with "to do" lists and has so far exceeded his expectations. We have had rooms wallpapered, skirting's painted, lawns mown and all sorts of jobs done that would still be "getting there" if he had not had the "to do" lists. Try it and as always have short lists for things that can be done in an hour or so to long term lists that require a series of actions to bring about; like re fencing or sorting out the garage.

Have a good Easter and may the sun warm your face or back, depending on the road you take.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Feeling Blue

Not a good couple of days for me as I have been under the weather. Not to sure if I have a chill or it's just the stiffness in me front legs that's making me feel down. Despite it I have been out on some interesting walks and yesterday saw the fox for the first time, sunning on the fallen tree.

The mornings have been frosty, Monday and today and the days either sunny and bright or cloudy, but the colour in the gardens more than makes up for it. There is a collared dove nesting in the tree in D&M's garden which with the robin and blackbird looks like a good start to the season.

Boss(he) is at the hospital on Friday to have his kidney stones blasted yet again. Hopefully this time all will go well and there is some positive outcomes.

My 47% owner might be down this weekend depends on her shift pattern and if she is well enough. Seems she has been unwell these last few days, so I'm hoping she has a speedy recovery and comes and gives me lots of extra cuddles and strokes.

Michelle the veterinary blond has emailed the interview to the boss(he) but it was too big and his email provider would not let it through. I reckon he should use Google mail they seem more realistic on what people use their emails for in terms of sending and receiving information.

It looks like today should be sunny so I should get at least one walk, even if I have to take it slow. Take care and smile it makes the sun brighter.