Flying solo

*Robin*

Dear Diary and MSE Friends, :hello:

..It's been a long time. Again.

Am losing so many hours to brain-fog atm; [STRIKE]days[/STRIKE] weeks pass, just punctuated by the change in TV programmes at the weekend.
Apparently can only manage one 'thinking' contact on most days - so by the time Accountant, Solicitor, Tenants or family have received a response to their latest email / call / letter then that's it, over to household or garden tasks before horizontality becomes irresistible.

Chev I didn't even see your post until last night - :grouphug: - do hope you're feeling better than when you wrote it; am so sorry wasn't around..

Sparky, just like the UK we've had some fearsome weather! I've concocted wind-breaks for the most vulnerable little trees (using panels off the old dog-run covered with a sort of 'temporary greenhouse' fabric from the local campo shop, acquired a while ago).
:think: Employed a couple of local lads to reinforce the Nest's roof with breeze-blocks - during the first storm some of the panels on the North-side were lifting! ..Seemed a good idea to weigh it down.
The lads also rebuilt the other collapsing wall for me - in four hours they completed about the same amount of work which took me almost a month on the first one!

Sun.A - thanks! Am certainly less stressed since Accountant intervened with THEM.
..THEY had sold on THEIR erroneous bill to some kind of debt-collecting outfit - was horrified by the aggressive techniques used to try and force payment - very intimidating!
Hopefully Accountant has quashed all that aggro. He wants figures for the current TR now (so Muggins may be absent from MSE - again - for some time.. <sigh> ).

Good news from the younger Divos: Four's new camera isn't the one he'd had his heart set on. Mum's patchy memory got make and series number right, but the offer which caught m' eye was actually for a newer model. Higher spec and much better lens - DS4 is "well chuffed!"

Lucky Divo Three has landed on his feet; currently improving his Arabic while staying with a Bedouin family (whose camels live in a yard outside his bedroom window :rotfl:).
He's found part-time work [teaching] to fit around his own studies, and has been offered the chance to take an extra course which will qualify him to teach EFR (safety / first responder). Another very useful addition to his CV.

Not such good news closer to the Nest: Less than a week after Consultant said he was happy with CD's progress, she lost the sight in her other eye.
Up until yesterday, I would have said she's doing amazingly well.. Thus far no-one else has noticed CD's ears and nose working overtime, or that she walks hesitantly when she knows there's a hazard ahead.
Heading out for our daily constitutional, CD miscounted the steps and turned left too early, tumbling down to the drive before I could even call out a warning! She's ok; it was only two steps from the bottom, but Clever Dog has lost her confidence.

Van is laden with lots more blocks, for making barriers around all the sheer drops at the Nest which are now a danger to CD.

Aside; over the past few weeks have been eating mostly veg soup and hedge-witch recipes for lowering cholesterol. It's proving effective at shedding weight - four kilos over the last few weeks - won't know if it's improving cholesterol levels before the New Year. Ha - doubtless any good work will be undone when the Christmas nibbles appear, but meanwhile it's nice to have a wider selection of comfortable trousers to chose from.

Spends:
Blocks - £22
Helpful lads - £90
Xmas (various*) - £350
Seasonal donations** - £250
Grocery top-up - £23

* Am almost as prepared as yours truly intends to get; just one more gift to find, and we'll need fresh stuff for the festive meal (not sure what will be on the menu yet).
** After such good news from Accountant, it would have been churlish not to pass on some of the bounty.

Sun_Addict

Hi Robin - good to see you back. Sorry to hear about CD's sight loss. Give her an extra cuddle from me, bless her. Good news on the other fronts though.

Knit_Witch

Gentle snuffles and nose licks for CD from the Witchy Cairns

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Gentle Readers, :hello:

Thanks for popping in, and your sympathy for CD, Sun.A and Knit Witch. Must admit she is not her usual perky self, particularly since access to her favourite look-out perch has been blocked off.
It's a bit of a moot point; why would a blind dog want to sit in the place that offers the best view?

Am agonising over the best course of action to help cheer up CD; have an idea but won't tell you about it yet, as am not sure it's a good 'un..

Yesterday we were surprised by three visitors: Divos One and Four, and DSD2 - not expected until today so Muggins hadn't cleared up, washed up or hoovered - oops!

DS4 has taken over the caravan, but disappeared this morning in search of coffee. Looks like he won't have to share his 'bedroom' because the two uni-lingual guests have dropped out - left it too late to book flights.

All very impressed with Four's new camera; the lens is huge and complicated but he seems to understand how it works.

Unfortunately DS4 didn't have space in his luggage for DGS' present - it came in an enormous box, so he passed it on to another child who will enjoy it.
Fine; actually a great result, because I'd completely forgotten to send anything to this young lady (usually do - serious memory fail!). Four assures me the game isn't 'too young' for her - but of course this leaves DGS without a gift from Granny..

Found something else on-line last night. It won't arrive by the 25th, although perhaps we can hope it will do so in time for "Three Kings" which is the main Spanish festival for children. Reckon the wait will be worth it as this toy will provide entertainment for years, and better yet it comes from a charity site.

DSD2 - who has a good brain - is organising everyone's tasks for the Xmas feast. Yours truly has been given responsibility for the vegetarian main, and asked to do a grocery shopping run. Wonderful; am truly grateful DSD2 is facilitating this year. :cool2:

Spends:
Supplements stock-up - £68 (on offer half price, six months' supply).
Xmas (DGS pressie) - £60

Oh, and I won a competition - the prize was a £50 donation to one of my favourite small charities. :j

Right. Washing up awaits..

Hope everyone is getting on ok; not being stressed out by Life or the season..
Suppose it's time for this:
:xmastree:

please-let-me-be-lucky

Glad you are doing ok and congratulations on the competition win.

Tickles to CD Xx

grannyx2

Yes, pleased to hear you are doing ok. Congratulations on the win. Well done to DSD2 for taking charge.

Tummy rubs to CD

Granny x

missrlr

Hey Robin lovely to hear from you! Glad Christmas plans are not your responsibility to stress over. Good news on the win. Do what do you think may help CD?

Ear tickles and belly rubs to the darling girl

Sun_Addict

Well done on the competition front Robin

Brightspark87

Hi Robin lovely catch up - I missed you! Sorry to hear about CD, but I hope that you can find a way around it. x

*Robin*

Just a quick visit to wish everyone a happy day today:
:xmastree: Merry Christmas! :xmastree: