Our weekend - Jackson news

How comes the weekends always go by so fast?  Saturday I was at the dog rescue form 10.30am until 5.30pm.  I am not usually there that long.  Simon went off in the morning to collect yet more stuff from his barn.  He was back at lunch time.  We had Jenson in the office when he got back and that dog was so pleased to see Simon.  He had a waggy tail and clearly recognised him.

The morning was fairly busy and 2 dogs were officially signed over to their new people which is always lovely.  There were several people come to look round but to be honest none of them seemed promising and I am not sure they will be back.

we had a phone call from a woman who wanted us to take her 2 dogs which are Kerry Blues crossed with Lakeland terriers.  She claimed to be moving and couldn't take them with her.  Those stories always make me so angry.  I mean, did she only just discover that she was moving today?  Of course not. What effort had she made to re-home her dogs elsewhere?  Probably none.  Why can't they go with her?  You know the one thing that I have realised since I have been volunteering is that no matter what story they spin you, the bottom line is they don't want the dog.   There are odd exceptions of course but mostly that is the story.

I don't understand it.  Whatever may happen to us in our life our dogs are part of it.  I would never leave my dogs behind.  I know some people are in rented accommodation and I know that sometimes homes are lost and that it can be hard to find somewhere that will take pets.  I know all that.  But, we would live in a tent if we had to rather than lose our dogs.  I hate that people lie too.  Why not have the guts to actually say, I don't love it and I don't care about it and I don't want it?  Cowards.  Horrid nasty, cowardly people.  We can only hope that we are able to find better homes where a dog is truly loved and cherished.

Bit of a rant there!  Anyway the reason we ended up being at the kennels so long was that Simon and I were the ones who were waiting for these 2 dogs to come in.  We were going to collect them but then the people said they would come in.  Gyll and Jim had to go to the vet with Monday the Lurcher so we agreed to stay.   Guess what?  They didn't come!  We waited until Gyll got back and she finally got them on the phone.  The woman said that her uncle was going to take the dogs and see how they get on. Could she not have rung up and said that?  We waited nearly 3 hours for her.  We were going to go home but we were concerned that if she turned up and nobody was there would she just let the dogs loose? You never know.  Gyll thinks that they will still end up in the rescue.  We will see.  I'll let you know if they do.  So that was Saturday.  Quite a long and tiring day.

Sunday we went to Cambridge to visit little Jackson.  We were really excited about this as we got to have our first cuddles.  My sister had taken my Dad on Friday so I was dead jealous that they got cuddles before Nanny!  He is doing really well and now weighs 3lb 9oz.  Verity is doing well and coping well.

Monday was Simon's day off and we ran errands.  A visit to the post office to post the sponsor dog newsletters and a cushion cover that I had sold.   Then Simon had his hair cut while I went in the craft shop for some wadding and then in a printers to have some photos printed.  Our printer is playing up so can't do them at home.  I think it is time to get a new one actually.  Must research which has cheapest running costs.  Once Simon was done we went and did the weeks shopping in Tesco.  After that there was just time to go home and have a late lunch before going to collect Miss Ellie from school.  She was coming to have dinner with us.

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It was just after we collected Ellie that we received the phone call that we didn't want.....  Little Jackson is back in intensive care.  He is quite poorly and they are not yet sure what the problem is.  It may be an infection, we are waiting the results of tests.  To have him back in the NICU when he had been doing so well is a real blow. He is a little fighter though so I am sure that he will be OK. I got myself in a bit of a state last night  and consequently today I have a dreadful headache.   Upset and worry tend to do that to me.  As long as it doesn't turn into a migraine I shall be fine.  I took tablets first thing this morning and I have been taking it very easy so far. It is a bit easier now but I shall not be doing much today as I need to get rid of this.  Experience has taught me that I have to just give in and do nothing, move slowly, be quiet, no stress, no bright lights.  I may have a sleep in a while.

I will keep you updated with news of Jackson as we get it.

Friday

Goodness, where did the week go to?  For that matter where did January go to?  Can't quite get to grips with it already being February.  That means 1 more month of winter and then it will be spring again..........when it's spring again,  I'll bring again, tulips from Amsterdam, la, la, la.....where the heck did that come from? I can't wait for spring, it heralds summer and I love summer.  No guarantee of good weather though.

So,  who would have ever guessed that by the end of January we would already have our new little grandson?  He is two and a half weeks old now and doing well.   He was moved out of intensive care on to the special care unit and has already progressed to an open top incubator.  He is breathing well on his own and gaining weight.  Verity and Steve are both fine.  

Coralie visited them on Wednesday and got to hold him, My sister and brother in law are taking my Dad today so they will get to hold him too.  I am jealous!  We haven't been this week so have not had a cuddle yet. 

Looking back I am not sure where this week has gone and what I have done with it.  Let me think, Monday was the normal round of housework, catching up after the weekend with a bit of sewing thrown in too. Erm, come to think of it Wednesday and Thursday were pretty much the same. 

Tuesday was a busy day as we had 2 visits to the kennels.  We went in the morning so that we could give Jenson some attention.  Simon got him out and we had him in the office for over an hour.  He is so different when he is out of the kennel and is really responding.   He loves Simon.  We zipped home for some lunch and to see our own doggies before going back to accompany Jenson to the vets. 

He was to have gone in our car but for some odd reason the boot will not open.  We first noticed this when it was very cold a week back and thought it had frozen, but it seems that it must be something else.  the rest of the central locking is working fine.  The car is going to the garage next week for new tyres so Paul will look at the boot then.  A  boot is a trunk for you Merikans!   We also need to have the windscreen washer bottle drained.  Right before the cold spell Simon realised that it was empty so filled it with water to drive home from school.  Of course the bad weather came and it froze over night and still won't defrost so we can't get the anti freeze stuff in!  

Back to Jenson.  He must have thought he was a VIP as 4 of us ended up accompanying him!   The vet was actually really pleased with him.  She thought he may have a strain in one of his back legs so gave him so anti-inflammatories  It was decided not to neuter him as he is still very underweight.  He was a very good boy at the Vet and in the car.  I am so thrilled at how he is turning out.

So that was my week.  I am looking forward to the weekend and to seeing baby Jackson.

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Jenson

It has been another full on day for us today.  This weekend is turning out to be really good.  We had our lovely visit to Cambridge yesterday and the good news about Jackson.

Today we went to the dog rescue kennels.  I wanted to go over the sponsorship stuff with Gyll and Simon was going to go in and sit with Jensen.  He is the cruelty case Dalmatian.  When we arrived there were some  people there who had come to see Marlo a lurcher with a view to adoption.  That went quite well.  

Once they had gone Jim told us the good news that he had decided that morning to get Jenson out of his kennel.  We were so thrilled.  After some discussion it was decided that we would get him out again and have him in the office for a while.  He obviously recognised Simon who has been working with him the last few weeks.  We had him out for around 2 hours in total and he was very good.  Very relaxed and showing signs of trust and confidence.

It was the best news and we were both so thrilled to see this progress in him.  They are trying to arrange a vets appointment for Tuesday which is Simon's day off next week.  He needs checking over as he seemed to be holding his left back leg up quite a lot and we also observed quite a pronounced curve in his spine.  If all goes well on Tuesday they may neuter him at the same time which at least would get all the unpleasant vet stuff out of the way in one go,.

I can't tell you how thrilled Simon and I were to see him out if his kennel and making progress.  This is the good part of the volunteer work that we do.  That said he still has a long road ahead of him.

Once home we had a quick bite of lunch and then Simon went to the barn with Sam to bring yet more stuff home. I spent a few hours making some felt brooches which I have listed already in my Fabrilushus shop and EBAY.   When Simon got back he had Sam and Ellie with him so I had an hour or so chatting to Ellie.  She is the most gorgeous girlie and very clever with it.  Can you tell that I am proud?  She was telling me all about her latest cousin.  Her Mummy's sister just had a baby boy yesterday called Riley.  Ellie is actually quite disappointed that it is another boy!  She now has 4 cousins and they are all boys,  Evan, Flynn, Jackson and now Riley.  All boys!

Since they left I have had a nice relaxing bath with a glass of the red stuff.  Always a good end to the weekend!  I didn't even have to cook as Simon did that. He did a bacon gougere which was lovely.  it is a dish we used to do a long time ago when the children were younger.  Haven't had it in ages.     It was as good as it looks.

We are now sitting in front of the fire so we are nice and warm and cosy.  I have another glass of the red stuff and Simon  has a cider.  The dogs are curled up next to us and we are just generally relaxing.  All in a all we have enjoyed a great weekend and for that I am truly thankful.