Sparrowmaticus And Sickly Liz Thoughts...

About 2 weeks ago, Sparrow stepped in a thorn on one of our rambles around the country park. We removed the thorn, he hobbled for a bit but then seemed to be all right. We didnt' give it any thought but then a week and a bit ago, we noticed him limping quite badly. FG examined the little paws and we found this odd kind of growth between his claws. It looked raw and inflamed. We poked and prodded and cleaned it out, thinking that a piece of the thorn had stayed behind. It didn't heal so I took him to vet - what trauma, on the train, two stops down the line and after a cursory exmamination we were given some antibiotics.

We fed him the antiobiotics for seven days, twice a day, but no luck. The little wrinkled raisin-like inflamed thinghie just sat there. So we took again on Friday afternoon and he got booked into the vet for surgery today. In fact, he is probably going through the surgery now, to remove the piece of growth/inflamed sack of stuff.

It is so weird, sitting here, at home, without the hot little breath next to me. I unlocked the door after dropping him with the vet, expecting a fuss to be made of my return, but then I remembered I just left him with a strange man with sharp tools and was racked with guilt. Poor pup.

He will have to wear a doggy shoe to prevent the bandage from getting wet and from him worrying at it. I am to ring at around half two to find out what time I can collect him from the vet. I am a bit worried about the bill too, but am relieved that the insurance does cover it and we will be paid back.

Gosh. I know it's for his own good but you just end up feeling so helpless.

What's made matters worse is that I picked up a stinker of a cold before (literally, that Saturday) Christmas. I was rotten with it on the day, and this whole week past. I've now had it for more than a week already and feel utterly drained and awful. My voice has changed, I have a smokers' racking cough and my face is constantly swollen from sinusses. I'm breathing through an open mouth but that is becoming worse because I have a raw-red and sore throat. There is no party for us tonight, purely because - as FG puts it: "You are still unclean" - and I agree. I fade in and out of conversations. Doing anything takes absolute ages. Making tea takes about ten minutes, then I forget to drink it.

So, it's been crap. Feel sorry for us - poor FG trapped in a house with sickly wife, pawly pup and crappy tv. Knowing him he'll probably celebrate by killing things online. Bring on 2008.

December thoughts

And so Christmas has come and gone in a flurry of good food, visits with friends, cool pressies and very little visits to the shops.

I am genuinely pleased it is over and am looking forward to a skinny frugal year for 2008. I know I've not overdone it, foodwise, these past few weeks, but I've not been to gym as much as I would have liked. This is due to work-commitments, icy cold weather and wotnot - but yes, these are excuses.

I am due to lose a further 2, and at a push, 3 stone this year. I am setting goals and with FG's help, both of us will be slinky. We are very keen. And we are also going to have a helluva lot on our plate next year, with both of us being focussed on work, me on my uni-course, general writing for both of us, going to gym, outdoors excercise and general frugality.

But it is a challenge and we are quite happy to do it. The only things stopping us are ourselves.

I have a nightmare of an assignment to get out for the 3rd of January. I've worked on it today at work for a bit and am convinced I am about 98% there. In fact, I've worked so hard on this thing, that I've gone past caring. I'm going to make sure my "i's" are dotted, it's formatted perfectly and that my appendices are up to scratch. Then I'm going to close my eyes and say "fuckit" and submit it. I've done it three times now. Fourth time lucky, right? Right? Here's hoping for another 75%. In all honesty - on this one - if I pass, I'll be thrilled.

Mist and Frost

Loving the new slr! See the pretty pictures!

Time Lord

Well now - utterly blown away by coincidences.

I have got four watches. All of them Swatch. I've had them for about....seven years now. And they all died. Round about exactly the same time. Bearing in mind that they have been bought separately, over a few years' time.

I would like to think I am very brand loyal...but looking at some of the things Swatch has come up with lately, I am thinking that I will maybe veer towards a Fossil when the time comes for me to buy a new watch (around my b'day time in Feb) . I am not fussed about it at the moment. I've come to realise I don't really look at my watch that much. As long as my mobile is working and my computer / deskphone is on, at work, I'm sorted. I purely used to use it as a weapon. No kidding. Big, bulky, huge - it saved my arm many times as people tend to shove and push, not expecting to connect quite so metallic and hard to be worn on an arm. Grins evilly. Especially as I am that specific height where I am the perfect target for taller people who think they can happily muck you about as they run to and from work on pavements.

I like my big bulky watch and feel pangs of jealousy when I spot someone else with one even bigger than mine. It is almost not possible, but some serious divers' watches do give mine a run for its money.

However, as a research project, I've gone to have a look at the Fossil site and this one, I think shows promise. Also, the mere fact that you can build your own watch is pretty cool.

As I said - I am not fussed about a timepiece at the moment. I'll ring up Swatch to see how much a replacement battery costs for one of my favourites. It's lasted me seven years. I am gorram sure it has another seven or so in it. In the meantime, I can look at all the other shinies.

Remember. FRUGAL year. Frugal.

Christmas Lights

I love my new camera.

Squee.

A very quick brag

I received results on Friday on my second assignment for Techinical Communication and am pleased to report a resounding distinction, a pass of the first class, with 75%. Which, in theory, doesn't look to be that much. (She says with a slightly smug look.)

However! This is the rub: no one else thus far has reported receiving higher than 60% for this on the online Blackboard forums. Which makes me squeee inside.

Ta dam, ta dam...

Some Paris Pics

Not been well since I've been back from Paris so I've stayed at home Wednesday and Thursday. Am working on my assignment at the moment but thought I'd take a quick break and post some of the pics I took over in Paris on Monday.

Contemplative

FG and I stayed awake last night to watch the Hatton/Mayweather fight and I am quite glad that we did. It was awesome to watch. We staggered to bed just before six and slept till eleven when I stumbled to the kitchen, opening windows for air and feeding the pup some breakfast.

Whilst making breakfast scones (what diet?) I contemplated how our lives have completely changed this past week, forcing us to consider a helluva lot of things about our life together. How we've made a combined decision that next year (yep, look away now, NY resolution happening long before NY) will be our frugal year. We want to save up for so many things but have to be realistic about things. Which is where the frugality comes in. I really pray to the Verse that we can pull it off.

These are my decisions relating to frugality:

1. No more books from Waterstones/Amazon (unless ridiculously cheap)

2. Visiting the library, that odd place where you are allowed to take books away...for FREE.

3. Supporting the local secondhand bookshops and charity shop, specifically the giant bookshop on Drury Lane run by one of the large charity shops, I've completely forgotten what it's called.

4. Spend more time a) studying for the DipSurv course and b) when I am not studying, working on a story I would like to have polished enough to send onto various publishers (watch out Wordweaver, I am likely to bribe with banana breads and a smattering of doggy kisses from Sparrow for help) and see what happens with that. Who knows, eh? Neither FG nor I have anything to lose.

5. Oh yes, and to lose the next 3 and a bit stone. Smiles bravely.

So that is my few ideas for next year. Have already started on them, to be exact.

Taps the table. And that's all, folks.

Tomorrow is Paris - hurrah. Tickets, passport, money, camera all in my bag...and of course the biggest question is: which book do I take with me for the day? To read on the trainjourney, that is? Apart from my moleskine to write in...goes off to examine the bookshelf.

Proudest Auntie in the World

I've not been back to SA for an absolute age and have therefore not met a few of the newest additions to our family - on both FG's and my side of the family. I got a text from my sister Elize today, she is the oldest of the VDM brood and she sent me a selection of photos of her grandaughter's birthday party this weekend past. And I have to say, my niece is one of the prettiest kids I have seen in a very long time. Just look at this! She's the one with the dark hair and eyes - not sure who the other little girl is with the crown, but the little boy is her older brother.