Hi All,

I thought I should let you all know some worrying news.  Over the last year or so Rebel has had problems eating.  We have noticed a decline in his health and he is now losing weight rapidly, to an extent that he lost a kilo in 9 days. Blindpew and I are both at our wits end, we tried everything you could possibly imagine to entice him to eat. 

Friday just gone, we took him to the vets to be weighed, which is when we found out about the weight loss, bloods have been taken, but so far the results are negative, so guide dogs are coming Monday morning to take him away for further tests and observation, at first we thought he might just go into a boarder to get his weight up, but we are noticing muscle loss on his back legs, we also found where blood was taken has now become infected, we now think he will go straight to guide dogs centre in Bolton, which has a hospital, for how long we do not know.  It a very worrying time, which is why we have  been so quiet, also Blindpew has started work and trying to come to grips with police data bases, which he will have to work with.  We will keep you updated as we find out more information.  Please can you pass this on to anyone on livejournal who knows Blindpew and is not on my list of friends, i.e. Tim and Marcia. 

We are still living in my flat, which is very small and cramped, but we’re coping “just”, I have only tried to kill him once, and Libby is still beating me with about 3 times under her belt.  When we do move we will have a party and of course you will be invited individually. 

Hope all is well with you all, and will post again soon.

Elrica & Blindpew.

It’s Saturday night, and I am sitting here trying to put into words what LX has meant to me so far, and it’s very hard to describe the feelings.  On Thursday morning I was at home very excited about attending, as this is my first (and I hope not my last) full convention. 

We arrived Thursday afternoon, with little fuss or worries, and settled into the hotel and made all the necessary arrangements for the black things (AKA Libby & Rebel), by which time early evening had arrived. 

We spent Thursday night and Friday morning greeting and catching up with people I knew and finding our way around the convention area.  I knew at this point it was going to be fun. 

You looked at the way in a few hours of the empty hotel lobby filled, and the convention had really started.  I have to be honest and say at first I was overwhelmed, so many people like me, everyone having a common bond and for the first time in a long time I felt accepted, normal and for once not the outsider.  (The couple trying to plan there marriage and the man in the business suite having breakfast next day took this role on). 

I have attended a few programme items and due to having a good time missed few, but what made the first few days special is spending it talking to people and having debates about a subject close to all our hearts (and I am not talking about beer!!!!).

I can only hope that the rest of the weekend is as enjoyable, I am already looking to booking my next trip away.

Note from Libby:

Please, please no more tonight, I am knackered, my little legs cannot take anymore. I love the fuss that I am getting, and had a few extra snacks (thanks Kids) but I can sleep for a week and so I am looking forward to mum goes back to work. But I want to return with mummy, so I can see all my new friends that I have made to date.

I had booked some time off work, to chill out, so Blindpew and I looked at different options as for a day out in Cheshire, and we settled on Delemare forest. 

We took the dogs via Crewe (to do a bit of shopping), and Chester train station to Delemare forest.  On arrival we had a coffee in the cafe, and took in our surrounds.  As we were eating Libby was watching the food, and Rebel was watching other dogs).  We looked at the map, (we were unable to locate a handheld map and so took a risk and use the colored posts as our guide {mistake number 1}).  Looking at the various walks, we decided to walk around the lake.  Not long after starting the walk we saw Rebel standing about 10 metres away from us, back a long the trail staring back the way we had come.  As if to say "Aren’t we going back now"?  The look of horror on his face as we said "come on” was noticeable.  We took a break about 30 minutes into the walk, to give the dogs a drink and to let the old boy (and I am not talking about Blindpew a rest), Libby on the other hand was weighing up which bird was for lunch and which would be for her tea, and so with a decision nearly being made, we moved off again.

We walked along arm in arm (ah how sweet your thinking, not really, this was ensure that if one of us went down the other would follow), we felt the chill in the air and the sound of the raucous gulls screaming at each other, it almost felt romantic, but with Blindpew’s sense of humor, a joke was surely to follow.    

We carried on around the lake; stopping for something to eat about half way round, and of course, it then decided to rain on us (come on it is Britain we’re talking about).  However, it was only a shower and it passed quickly. We ate under the trees (ok Blindpew is now throwing up in the corner of the room, stating that this is getting to be a story only worthy of Mills and Boom), but I am a sucker for a romance, hence why I am writing this entry. 

After lunch, we walked along side the lake discovering that we had been following about 3 different walks and decided that we liked our “lets wing it” attitude, so we carried on just plodding, and not really caring which direction we were heading (come on how hard is it for two blind people to get lost???).  On our journey we met a number of people with their dogs, our two went into stealth mode, this is like stalking only moving when the other dogs look away, when up close Libby would always rush towards the other dogs, and of course they would greet each other.

Now not having a map of the footpaths did cause one minor problem, as we carried on, what we thought was the correct path, suddenly turned out not to be and we found ourselves besides the B-road (re mistake number 1) and realized that we had missed our turning and were about to restart the walk, as this was the same B-road we has past at the beginning of the walk, and therefore, we had to walk back a quarter of a mile or so to find our way back to the cafe and visitors centre.

WE MADE IT BACK AND DIDN’T GET TOO LOST MUCH!!!  (I beat my father, who when I was a child had got us lost for 6hrs in Delemare Forest, as he couldn’t remember where he had parked the car).

We walked quietly back to the station, with the dogs in tow, (well Rebel in tow, Libby was pulling and wanting to go and run in the fields next to the road). We had a straight run through on all three trains and arrived back in Nantwich for 5.30ish.  As we are not wanting to leave the house for the next year (ok maybe a year is a little excessive, but certainly not for 24hrs), we then popped into Morrison’s for any last minute items that we may require, (notably I went to the Veg aisle, and Blindpew went for the Beer!!!). 

After leaving Morrison’s we had the dogs on harness, Rebel literally refused to work, and had to have his harness taken off, whereupon he plodded just behind Blindpew as if to say "oh my god not another foot, can I lie down here and die please".  We arrived home and Rebel immediately headed for bed, whereupon he collapsed and only moved deigned when food became available. 

This morning, when the dogs realized that we had woken up there was a brief bout of energy from them until we fed them, now both dogs are comatose on the bed.  Do you think we tired them out????

Walked Miles

Elrica & Blindpew                5 miles aprox

Rebel                                     7 miles aprox

Libby                                      15 miles plus

If you could hear the noises in the flat this morning, it’s a mix of snoring from the bed room (not us but the two balls of back fur), and the moans and groan’s of Blindpew and myself.  Now I have run a marathon, and walked many miles, but even I am stiff and sore in places today. 

We are going back on a regular basis to the forest.  It was a lovely day out, and for a few short hours I felt I like I was in heaven.  I look forward to the next time we take our two little munchkins out for a run.  But this time we’re going to have a map.  (Blindpew was able to buy one as we were leaving!!!).

Now I am going to sit somewhere and collapse, and let my poor little feet have a rest, before we take the little darlings to the park tomorrow.

Ok, so my last entry was about me breaking a tooth on Friday. Well guess what happened Saturday; I broke the other half of the same tooth, while eating BREAD.  How does anyone break a tooth on bread, well you’re lucky enough to know someone who can achieve this. 

I was watching the Wales Vs Ireland rugby match, and eating homemade bread that my father had made, when I heard a cracking and crunching sound, and would you believe it, another bit of tooth.

Now I hate dentists, (not the person, but their job), so another trip to the dentist chair, and always another drama. 

So Monday morning, 8.55, I leave work and attend my local clinic, (I should point out now, that due to my extreme fear of dentists, I attend a special clinic for people like myself with prolific fears, and also disabled persons, these ladies and gents, have special training in dealing with people with learning and physical disabilities and fears, so are used to extreme reactions).  I have Dr Olar, who is very nice, but I struggle to understand her accent, so I’m not keen on her and she forgets to tell me what she is doing.  My normal dentist is Dr Hope, who is brill; she talks me through everything she is doing, so that I don’t jump when she comes in from the side with the instruments.  Now to get an appointment with her, you have to wait 4 months at least.

Maybe I am being a little unfair on Dr Olar, she is very nice, and said that she likes to see me smile, and thinks I am a very brave person.  What she didn’t see that I had cried so much when she was working on my teeth, that my ears had got a soaking , it strange when you cry, most people get wet cheeks, but not me it was my ears.   

I did well and behaved myself today, I sat in the chair, (now that was brave of me), and I even let her lower the chair backwards, but she was pushing it, when she wanted to tip the headrest back further, and she carried on anyway, which I did react to.  Ok screaming was an over reaction, but I hate dentist so what did I care.  Then to top it off, she asked if this hurt, and proceeded to bash the remaining piece of tooth quite hard, which of course bloody hurt.  So that was it, I was out the chair, quicker than you can say “oh dear that did hurt then”.  So after 10 minutes of stressing and tears I finally agreed to get back in the chair, but at this point I was so exhausted, I just gave up and let her do whatever she wanted.       

The good news is, that its now been filled, but the long prognosis is that I am going to be a gappy, but I hope that won’t be for a while yet. 

Now of course, I have two more appointments, but this is not until May and June, so I have plenty of time to find a plausible excuse.  Let’s see if I can break another one in April, it does seem to be once a month let the saga continue.

Hello,

So I have not posted in a long time, and so much as happened.  I don't think I can remember everything, but I think these should be the highlights

Meeting my Partners Mum
I have my Blindpew's mum, and she is lovely, in fact it was not long until we were off chatting away and leaving poor Blindpew out.  I think what made this weekend for me, was that we both agreed on the same thing, which was that Blindpew needed to wipe the kitchen side more. (Blindpew disagrees).  

Week after meeting Blindpew's mum
Well I went home early on the Monday Morning (in fact I didn't go home, I went straight to work, which was a 5.30 wake up call and train at 6.48).  I felt ill.  I felt like someone has beating the ****** out of me and more to the point was continuing to do so.  By Tuesday I was worse and left work at lunch time.  I went home called Blindpew and asked for help, (which shows how ill I was); he came to my rescue (not just once in this week of hell).  Sadly for Mr B, I gave him the virus, and so he ended up ill as well (my thoughts were if we both were suffering it wouldn't feel so bad).  I took the rest of the week off work.  Poor dogs, they didn't know what to do.  I then became worse on Thursday night and Mr B called out the doctor, only to find that I was having a bad reaction to the tablets the doctor had put me on.  We knew it was really bad, when I fainted and then was extremely spaced out and crying, God knows what would have happened if I didn't have Mr B there to keep me awake and focused.  It was a 50/50 whether or not I should be sent to hospital; the doc knew that the waiting times were bad. So I stayed at home being cared for.  Needless to say by Monday I was fit and well to return to work. But Mr B was still quite ill.

Garden
While all this was going on, I had a note though my door from my neighbour, asking if I can do my garden as the weeds were coming through her fence (although I have been told the fence is mine,) and she could do it herself, as she was old.  I didn't want to be rude (which the mood I was in, I would have been), but I did politely point out that I am registered blind, and I was unable to do my garden, but I was looking for a gardener, however this has now resulted in her not speaking to me at all.  I have now found a gardener who is willing and able to come out next week and fix this problem.  Let’s hope that keeps the old trout happy.

Oh Shocks
On the last bank holiday, I decided in a moment pure boredom, that I would surprise Mr B, which it did.  I opened the front door, to a barking dog, and shocked young man, his first thoughts was who has keys to my house.  (Which reminds me of the song wasn’t me by shaggy, which one line states I had forgotten I had given her a key).  The weekend was great for me as I didn't do any cooking, and I totally chilled out.  Let’s just say I slept like a baby..

Libby
People may be wondering how my little one is doing. (The dog by the way, although it is considered that guide dogs are like 3 year old children who never grow up).  We are doing well it has been 11 weeks Monday just gone.  We did our first museum trip out to Liverpool a couple of weekend ago and that was good, she seemed really bored. But then I was too, it was the worst museum I have been to in years.  She has gotten into a little bit of trouble, it’s a power thing, she thinks she's the boss and I know I am.  So we have been having frank discussions on this matter.  She's also been getting at the computer and at the bottom of the emails I send writing little ad ons, for example Mum, mum look at what horrible thing I can do my tongue. Or it’s not my fault I fart in my sleep; I am a dog you know. She has been banned from typing for me again; I guess I have to do it from now on.  I should point out now that she picked this up from Mr B's dog Rebel, so I totally blame him!! LOL.

Ironing
if anyone likes doing it, your nuts. I have been putting it off for nearly 3 months and so I have a backlog, it sitting is there tauting me.  If anyone feels the urge to come and help for free, I provide a bed and beer!! More could you want?

Well I had better go. I have sat here so long that my legs are stiff (it’s also because I have been to the gym tonight for the first time in 4 months, so a hot bath and sleep, will now take over my evening.

Bye Bye 
Wendy

Message from me Libby
Mum lies, I don't do the typing anymore because my spelling was worse than hers, also because no one liked my idea of having edible mouse instead of a computer one (oh never mind a girl can dream).  And it is totally Rebel's fault I was a good girl until I met him.  But I hope my loveable, cheek and wisdom rubs of on him, he's lovely, I like him, wonder if he likes me......... I have to ask him the next time my slave takes us there.

Bye bye from Libby (who likes plastic, not to spend on but to chew).  

Ok, I am sitting at home, and up stairs are playing music, its not load enough that I can hear it clearly, so I text up and asked if they could turn it up,  so that all could hear it.

Am I getting old?  I mean they are having fun (ok they are older than I), I think I sound like an old woman.

Does anyone have any ear plugs?

This week has been a life shattering experience for me.

I started the week qualifying with my pooch, I then 3 days later, meet a group of people, whom are funny, witty and like me.  

I never thought that their was a group that I fitted in with so well, ok, I only met a they few people, and saw many others that I would like to speak and get to know (cos they looked  interesting people), but it was nice to be able to chat with young and older people who shared my love of SF.

Can anyone help, I am looking to expand my reading range, I currently have a small collection of star trek books, but I would like to start reading different types of SF,  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I have recently finished Lord of the Rings, so I am not frightened of thick books, I would like to start on something a little easier than LofD, so any advice would be gratefully recieved.

Is it me, or is the world seem quieter and smaller than usual?  Ok that just could be me!!!!!