Laxie through the Looking Glass

[Claw75]

great to hear Cassie is recovering so well

[Rod Paradise]

I gather there's not vet's version of the Hippocratic Oath then.

Ah, he's grand to be fair.  He could have stuffed us for a goodly bit more considering the treatment she's getting.  His point was...if she messes this up with another accident, it'll be a right proper mess to fix. 

I will mostly be investigating pet insurance in the very near future just to be safe.  Murphy's Law says, 'If you have it, you won't need it.'  One of the few laws that twisted fecker ever mentioned that I'm happy to work with. 

I was a bit harsh then, sorry. But I know I'd not be able to turn an animal away if I could help it whatever the financial situation. I'd also probably be unpopular for refusing to further treat  when the animal has no quality of life.

Probably as well I work with electronics

[Laxie]

I gather there's not vet's version of the Hippocratic Oath then.

Ah, he's grand to be fair.  He could have stuffed us for a goodly bit more considering the treatment she's getting.  His point was...if she messes this up with another accident, it'll be a right proper mess to fix.  

I will mostly be investigating pet insurance in the very near future just to be safe.  Murphy's Law says, 'If you have it, you won't need it.'  One of the few laws that twisted fecker ever mentioned that I'm happy to work with.  

I was a bit harsh then, sorry. But I know I'd not be able to turn an animal away if I could help it whatever the financial situation. I'd also probably be unpopular for refusing to further treat  when the animal has no quality of life.

Probably as well I work with electronics

Ahhhhhhhhhh, NOW I get what you were saying.  Takes me a while to catch up sometimes.  

No fear of him doing that anyway.  In fact, that's what had me so upset the night she was injured.  I was told if they couldn't fix it properly they were suggesting she be put down the following morning.  Sarah and I didn't stop crying the whole night at the thought of it.  Even Sinéad got teary eyed which surprised me a bit.  I think his comment was more to do with his  confidence in his abilities, but he would never treat an animal just for the sake of it if they're quality of life would be rubbish after.  Granted, he's also not a saint and won't be doing freebies.



We've a neighbour across the road.  I think she's 96, but we won't know for sure until she hits 100 and receives the big congratulations cheque in the mail.  Her real name is Margaret, but everyone (including her own family) calls her Baby.  Today Baby was sitting out on her porch so myself, Sinéad and the dogs planted ourselves in her front lawn for the old chat.  She loves when we call with the dogs.  And the dogs tend to calm a bit when they're with her.  Like they know she's not able for madness.  

All was going well.  Baby was asking how Cassie's getting on since her accident, we talked about the kids and their exams...all the usual stuff.  Next thing, Sinéad pipes up with, 'Ummm, Mom?'  'What's wrong Sinéad?'  'LOOK!'  I turn to see Cassie stood at attention and ready to tear road while Sinéad is doing all she can to hold her still.  Give a look in the direction Cassie's aiming and spot the problem.  Baby has garden decorations outside on her window sills.  One of them is a wee rabbit!  Gave Cassie the order to lie down and hid the window decoration for the rest of our visit.  Dead or alive...or even plastic, Greyhounds sure don't like rabbits.  lol

[pleno1]

im getting a italian greyhound. weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Dingdell]

BUMP

[Laxie]

 

Apologies for the lack of posts.  It's been abso MANIC in Laxieland, that much is for sure.  Man oh man there's so much to tell ye.  BUT......... 

Afraid I have to pull a 'Tikay' right now though.  About to hop in the shower before heading off to Killarney to rail the UK crew over here for the Stars UKIPT.  Here's where the 'Tikay' comes in...promise to update you on lots of happenings once the dust of this week-end settles.  Might get in a few tidbits before the week-end is out, but deffo can't promise it.  So we'll stick to the original promise for now...which is after the week-end.

Oh ok, here's a wee one for ya now.  Dogs are great, Cassie healing brilliant and Kids are half way to America as I type.  Not quite what you were hoping for, but there ya go.  Have a brilliant week-end everyone!!!  xx 

[Laxie]

I should be absolutely exhausted at this point, but instead I'm wired for sound.  Sooooooo, may as well get this thing back on track.

Kate and the DTD crew landed in Killarney on Wednesday.  I adore Kate.  She calls me Momma DD, I call her my wee pixie and we always have such a great time - drink or no drink.  There was to be no drink for me on Wednesday night when I met up with them.  I'd found a different train to Dublin for the passports in the morning, but still had to be up at 5:30am for the trip.  

After hanging about chatting at the hotel for a bit, some of us headed off to dinner.  I led the way in my car.  Meanwhile, in the other car Kate was asked if I was ok.  Apparently I was very mellow compared to my usual carry on at DTD.  Suppose the following morning's early start was on the brain, but I really do tend to chill a bit on home turf.  After a lovely meal and chat with the lot of them, I noticed the time and kinda panicked a bit.  12:30 am...it was time for me to head home if I'd any hope of waking at 5:30.

[Laxie]

Got home and it occurred to me...still hadn't printed off the US Embassy passport applications.  Sigh.  Powered up the dinosaur desktop and went about sorting it.  Or so I thought.  Their link to printing blank copies wasn't working.  I tried for ages, but no joy.  Then I noticed an option to fill them out online first before printing the completed app.  Perfect.  Go about filling in the first one for Brian.  Fifteen minutes later, click submit.  Internal error.  Marv.  We'll give it another go.  Rinse repeat complete with errors every time.  I gave up around 2:30 and set my alarm for 5:30.  It was going to be a loooooooong day.

[Laxie]

I had a bad feeling in me belly all week in the run up to 'passport day'.  Was absolutely SURE something would go wrong and I was terrified it would mean one or more of the kids couldn't make the trip to America.  How crap would that be for them?!  Sure, everyone says 'You'll love the break while they're away', but I do miss them.  And nearly a month away is a long time when you're missing someone.  That said, they were looking forward to it and I really wanted them to be able to go and enjoy.

Well, we got up on time.  That's a good start.  And we got to the train station on time.  Excellent.  Even the train was on time...and didn't break down along the way.  Too good to be true. 

Once we landed in Dublin, I bought public transport day passes for the lot of us.  Trams and buses covered, off we went.  Once in the city centre, we had a choice of 8 or 10 buses for getting out to the Embassy.  Their stops weren't all in the same place, so I just picked the first one I saw with a number we could hop on.  At that particular stop, they only had one option for us.  So we stood and waited as bus after bus landed, collected passengers and carried on.  All the wrong buses for us.  Where's ours FFS? 

Didn't think to ask the question out loud until we were on round two of the same buses calling again.  'Oh, that one only lands every couple of hours.  You'd be better off walking a couple of blocks down to the next bus stop.'  It was now 10.  We had to get their photos done at some chemist near the Embassy and report for our appointment at 11:30 and we hadn't even found the right bus stop yet.  Why does this not surprise me?

Got there in the end.  In fact we were there with 15 minutes to spare when all was said and done.  Photos and all complete.  Except for those online applications I attempted the night before.  When our name was called, I was asked for said applications.  Explained the trouble I had the night before trying to accomplish said task.  After a lecture from the nice lady behind the counter for arriving unprepared, I was sure we'd be told go away and come back when we had them.  But instead she reached out to her side and grabbed hold of 3 blank ones for me.  Sigh.  Why do some people love power so much?

The embassy splits you up when you arrive.  US citizens in one section, all the rest in some other area packed with people.  Handed in the completed forms and sat for a bit.  We were the only family on the US side, so shouldn't take too long.  An hour later we were still sat there.  My belly starts the nervous thing again when I'm called to the window.  They were going about making the passports when they realised they'd run out of certain 'stock items' required for making them.  We were told to go have lunch and come back in an hour.  My mind is quietly racing.  The delivery guy will surely get hit by that 'once every two hours' bus on his way with said items.  We're screwed.

Off to lunch we go.  Eddie Rockets.  Sarah was having great fun with the wee jukebox they have at each table and all of them enjoyed their meals.  They were discussing shopping plans once we were finished at the Embassy.  I was working out pleas in my head for when I was told they couldn't make the passports.  I'm not normally a pessimist, so when the belly acts up I take notice. 

Got back to the Embassy and left the crew outside while I went in to 'collect the passports'.  The drill for getting in and out of that place is unreal.  Getting a family of 5 through it takes ages, so they said I could leave the rest of them outside this time.  Good thing.  Would hate for the kids to see their Mom when she loses it with the power hungry lady behind the counter. 

Only this time I was greeted by some smiling Lad who was quite proud of himself for producing said passports.  To be fair, I was quite pleased with him too at the time.  He was a lucky man there was a sheet of bullet proof glass between us or I may have been forced to hug him.  Checked to be sure names, birth dates and all that were correct before heading off.  My belly had warned me all week...surely this had gone too easy.  But no...all details were correct. 

Tucked emergency passports away safely in a zipped, buttoned and strapped to me bag before heading out.  Can't be too careful.  Reached the crew and they wanted to see the fecking passports.  'But I've just put them away safe!'  'Awwwww Mom!  We just want to see them real quick.'  'Sigh.'  Handed them out for inspection by the kids as ya do. 

While they were taking the piss out of each other's photos and commenting on the new look of them, I spotted something.  Brian and Sarah's had a red line from the top of the page, stopping just at their photo.  Sinéad's didn't.  'Let me see those please.'  They'd put the hologram film on the first two right, but Sinéad's was 2/3 missing...including the section over her picture.  Take that to airport security and they won't half think you've tampered with it.   

Back in I went.  Embassy security were in agreement.  She'd never be left on a plane.  Marv.  They made her a new one, but not without a five man man conference on the mound comparing her passport to one that had been done properly.  We'd hoped to catch the 3:00 train home.  We didn't leave the Embassy until 2:30.  Just glad the belly didn't give up on me until then. 

The kids still needed to do a wee 'basics' shop before their trip to America, so we tore round Dublin city centre and still managed to get the 4:00 train home.  Once we landed safe and sound, the kids finished off their packing while I took the dogs for a walk.  Gave Brian a quick haircut and we were finally hitting the pillows around midnight.  Good thing.  We had to be up at 6:30am to get them to the airport. 

[Laxie]

Friday morning arrived and the mad rush to get bags out to the car began.  Checked for airline tickets, passports and money more times than I care to remember...even while driving to the airport.  Their bags were checked all the way to Cleveland, so no need to do the customs thing.  Excellent.  A staff member would point them in the right direction for their connecting flight in NYC.  Phew.  That's great.  And the flight was on time.  Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

They went without a hitch and landed safe and sound in Cleveland around 11:30pm Irish time.  Have talked to them since and they're having a blast as I knew they would.  Roll on end of July when they return. 

[Laxie]

So now I'm free for the bones of a month.  Stayed at the airport until I was sure they'd made it all the way to their gate (they sent me a text), then tore road home.  Took Cassie for her 'therapy' walk, then went back and collected Lily so she could ramble with us for a bit too.  Cassie really is doing great.  I'm amazed at how fast she's healing.  And she's in such a good mood too. 

Once they were sorted, I got ready for my night out with Kate and co. in Killarney.  They were playing day 2 at this stage.  Kate and Simon were still in as were a few more, but no worries...plenty of people I could hang out with until they were finished for the day.  Alex from DTD doesn't even play poker, so as long as I could catch her not working for a change, I'd kidnap her to kill time.  By the time I arrived, Kate was out.  Hugh was too.  Pretty sure Karl was as well.  Sigh.  Ah well.  Never mind...we'll just relax and have fun for the night.  And that's what we did. 

Nothing manic as such.  In fact, Rob landed at one point giving out to me.  'You come over to my club and trash the place, but I bet we have to take our shoes off when we call to yours!'  'Ah now, to be fair...I might be a bit mental, but I've never TRASHED the place.  And feel free to wear your shoes at mine.  I've timbered and tiled floors.  One rub of the mop after you're gone and it's sorted.'  Don't know.  Maybe it's the 'holiday' factor when I call over to visit you lot, but I really am mellow on my own turf. 

[Laxie]

Didn't get home until OMG am on Saturday morning.  The plan was to meet everyone at 10:30 so I could take them around the Killarney lakes and end up at Torc Waterfall.  Simon had made day 3, so we had to have him back by 1:30.  No problem.  

As it turns out, half the group had decided to go back to the UK early and were already well on their way.  The other half were still in bed, bar Simon.  Got there and was greeted by a badly wanting pot of coffee in the hotel restaurant before we headed off.  

Now I've done this walk before.  Lots of times in fact.  But usually we take the day to do it, so I've never noticed just how far it is when you're under pressure.  At one point Simon says, 'I'm starting to doubt your sense of direction.'  'My sense of direction is just fine.  It's my sense of distance that's apparently crap.'  We got there in the end, obviously.  'Told ya I knew where it was!'  

At the waterfall, we got the mad notion to walk along the rocks to get up closer to the falls.  A couple of hop/slips later, I was delighted I'd flip flops on and decided to head straight through the water to save falling.  Only I nearly fell doing that too.  By the time we got up to the last decent 'pool' before the falls, my legs were soaked.  But shorts FTW as it was a lovely day so I didn't mind.  

Some young Lads were debating a swim.  They asked me if it was cold.  'Not at all...get in there.'  Just about the time they were preparing to jump in, I turned to Simon and whispered, 'I haven't a clue how cold it is.  Lost feeling in me legs 20 minutes ago!'  Based on the roars they left out as they re-surfaced, I'm guessing it was pretty damn cold.  lol

Got a taxi back to the hotel in the end (my legs would thank me tomorrow) and Simon hurried off for day 3.  Hung out for a bit with Hugh and a few more, but as I was wrecked from the night before plus all the walking today - decided I'd make an early night of it.  Got home just in time to watch America get their backsides kicked out of the World Cup with friends in one of the local pubs.  So much for an early night.  Granted, I was one of the first to leave and found out later I'd swerved an obscenely late night.          

[Laxie]

Sunday morning I pottered around with the dogs.  They seemed a bit down like they knew I was heading out without them again, so I decided I'd take it easy and spoil them for the morning.  We played around, had the usual walks and I gave them some special treats with their food before I got ready for the rest of the day. 

Arrived in Killarney just in time for the England v Germany kick off.  Sick match.  Sigh.  Spent the rest of the afternoon hanging about then decided to head back to my own village as my legs were now in obscene pain from the walking and climbing the day before.  I seriously need to get out more.  It shouldn't hurt that much to walk a few miles.  Ok, it was more like 6 miles, but STILL!

[Laxie]

So well done to everyone who cashed in Killarney and great to see the lot of you on me home turf.  I carried the last of them back to the airport yesterday at 3 and have been trying to catch up on lack of sleep since.  Only catch being I've loads of things to sort before the kids return and my mind is racing too much to settle in for that much needed rest.  Will crack on with everything and surely fall into a coma at some stage. 

Today I have to go buy crickets for the lizard.  We've already had one disaster in that poor Rocky was walloped by a speeding car on Sunday night as he crossed the road.  There was no saving him this time.  Sigh.  Last thing I need is to lose another pet while they're away.  Can only get live crickets in Tralee and that's a 40 minute drive each way.  Have no other business there apart from the crickets.  The things we do for our kids and their pets. 

Have a good day everyone.  xx 

[Laxie]

Oh...almost forgot!  Is pasta a good thing or a bad thing if yer going on a diet?