Showing posts with label dog walks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dog walks. Show all posts

Tuesday, 17 January 2023

Taking Bob on a Biscuit walk

Bob and I have not received any payment for the post or been asked to write one. We just enjoy a Biscuit walk and wanted to share the rewards the app offers.

Bob gets walked daily and on weekends we tend to walk into town or down the retail park for a coffee or to do a bit of shopping.

With me working, our walks take place in the evening and I've rigged up some bike light clips to Bobs collar and lead.


My DIL found the Biscuit app on Facebook and sent me a link. The app rewards you for walking your dog, is free to join and it works out how many Biscuit walks a week you need to do, to earn rewards.


You receive Biscuits for completing the recommend walks and can earn biscuits without a bonus for shorter and other walks, as well as recording flea, tick and worming treatment and uploading your dogs microchip.

Having entered Bob's weight, age, sex, breed etc the app calculated we need 3 x 48 minute Biscuit walks a week. It took 5 weeks to earn a £25 Coffee Nero voucher. Biscuits can also be exchanged for National Trust vouchers, discounts on dog food and even food, cloth and DIY vouchers.


I get to enjoy a coffee, explore new places and Bob gets to have his biscuits while I earn mine.



I don't receive anything for making recommendations but if I refer you, you can get 50 Biscuits to start you off.





Monday, 5 April 2021

Week 13 - Garden visits, visitors and vets.

A tricky week for me, had blood test results back then based on the them was sent for more tests and requested by haematologist not to leave the UK until the results are back and he's worked out what stage we're at with diagnosis and what I need to have done next. 

The weather has been glorious, I've been able to set the garden furniture up outside and leave it out and it's been great hanging the washing out, but I did have to put the heating back on over the weekend.

Child 4 and 4a arrived on Friday to collect the dog so I can return to Dubai, too far to drive up and down in one day and there is also a 6 hour ferry crossing involved. We're fortunate to have a 6 bed house with 4 bathrooms allowing everyone to have their own room and personal space, I haven't had any indoor or close contact with anyone for a long time, so this I guess is a bubble. I can't go back to Dubai without their support.

86 Saturday Morning spent in bed then a walk with the dog and a door step chat with a friend. Tidied photos and files on laptop, did the ironing, blog posts, read, watched TV. The dog ate a hyacinth bulb, will have to keep a close eye on him. (dog poo'ed none stop for 3 days)


87 Sunday A social distanced walk with a friend and the dogs up the Malvern Hills followed by a picnic of tea and biscuits at the back of the car afterwards. A late roast beef dinner and afternoon spent reading the paper, watching tv, bath and early to bed.


88 Monday Garden visit with grandchild and DIL in the afternoon and then with son when he came home from work. Weather was lovely and it was really nice to be spending time with them. I took my own lunch and drank their tea and used the loo before I went home. I handed over Easter Gifts which they opened as they'd not been touched for over a week in the boot of the car. Dropped door step gifts for Easter for friends twins on the way home.


89 Tuesday Early morning food shop and got a new disc engraved for the dog with son's contact details on, then home to mow the lawns and weed the front garden, a lovely dog walk and a birthday party late afternoon for Pushkins who is now 12 and adopted us 9 years ago. The evening was spent in front of the TV.


90 Wednesday A garden visit and lunch, took the dog with me and had a walk. I was given a clear jigsaw puzzle to entertain me before I return to Dubai. At this rate I'll not be leaving the house again. I painted some rocks in the afternoon to decorate as chickens for Easter and painted some plant pots also. Dropped off some parcels to be posted with Easter gifts for child 1 and the Things.


91 Thursday A morning of cleaning and bed making and a short dog walk as Bob is on meds for calming him before the vets in the afternoon then on to return child 5's washing and ironing to him. More garden ideas going on, would love a magnolia in the front garden.


92 Friday Child 4 and 4a arrived to collect the dog, we just chilled out for the day, a dog walk and no physical contact. I did all the cooking and making drinks, which is regardless of covid anyway as I do like to spoil my kids when I can.


Nothing on the blog this week.

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Sunday, 4 April 2021

The dog is off to Northern Ireland - Adventures with Bob The Dog

 


From South Africa to Dubai with a stop over in Malvern and now off to Northern Ireland with my son and his wife so I can return to Dubai.

The plan was I was to split my time between the UK and Dubai, but due to covid, I only managed January March, September and December 2020 and January 2021 in Dubai after starting the process to relocate to the UK by getting our house back from tenants, the cat and dog transferred, then our furniture shipped. I was able to get house sitters and rely on friends to look after the cat and dog to date. However I'm returning to Dubai for 3 months so the only option was to get the dog to my sons and the neighbour has kindly offered to look after the cat for me.


Saturday, 20 March 2021

Week 11 2021 - Gardening, iron infusions and dog walks.

During the 3 lockdowns I've stuck by the rules/laws. I haven't visited anyone and I haven't driven outside my area to go for a walk or to go shopping. I've taken the lockdowns very seriously and apart from dog walking daily and on occasion with a friend, I've only gone out for essential trips such as food shopping and medical appointments. 

I'm just hanging around again, waiting for the next bit that's out of my control. Waiting for the dog to be collected so I can then book a flight back to Dubai. I can't get on with the garden as I won't be here for 2-3 months so no point planting anything and the lawn will need mowing, the house will need cleaning also, when I get back to it. Then I'll be job hunting, we'll be back to some kind of normal, yet it won't be my normal, as my normal is not normal after 10 years as an expat.

Just something else I'll have to adapt to. You all know what your normal was in the UK prior to the pandemic, I wasn't living in the UK prior to the pandemic.

72 Saturday Took Bob for a walk through the woods and collected a take out coffee at the retail park, it was absolutely packed with families shopping in the limited stores open. Walked back home over the common. Did some gardening and was struggling with my back with the digging and moving soil, so went out to local builders merchants to buy a wheelbarrow and some new garden tools. Spent some time blogging and filled in holes/dents in the plaster/walls ready for painting.

Not bad, 3 out of 5 kids remembered. 


73 Sunday A 2 hour dog walk through town, over the common and home, followed by beer and chocolate and a home cooked roast beef dinner. I watched a couple of movies and had a nice relaxing bath with my bath bombs for Mother's Day. I watched Grace, OMG my anxiety levels.


74 Monday Dog walk, gardening and off to the hospital at 5pm for the 2nd iron infusion, I took writing material with me, grabbed a coffee from the foyer on my way to the ward and picked up a McDonalds on the way home (swopped the bun for a gluten free one) and off to bed by 8pm. 


75 Tuesday After a sleep of 8 hours, I went back to sleep for a further 6 hours, then at 3pm I dressed and spent 3 hours in the garden, digging, planting, tidying. Sanded down the paintwork. Walked Bob, had a bath and evening spent in front of the TV.


76 Wednesday Awake at 2am, stayed in bed till midday with the cat for company, dressed and painted some rocks, touched up paint on woodwork and walls throughout the house, did some washing, got outside and did some more gardening, cooked for tonight and soup for tomorrow. Laminated labels for the seeds and evening spent on a video call with a friend.

My shed. Can't wait for the garden furniture to arrive as it can stay outside in all weather and I'll be able to get rid of these red chairs, taking up space.


77 Thursday Another lazy morning, looks cold outside, did some blogging and watched some TV from last night. Walked Bob down to the retail park, posting letters and getting a click and collect coffee. I started the cleaning throughout, so many cobwebs in the rooms I'm not using.


78 Friday Osteopath appointment at 8.30am, then home, walked Bob, painted rocks, cooked, did some cleaning, sorted through some accounts changing passwords and email/phone numbers. Long chat with a friend and bed.


On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love - a weekly linky to link up any blog post written during the week. My motivation has returned.

Part time gardening in the UK and Dubai.

My Sunday Photo - Travels with my sofa.


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Saturday, 13 March 2021

2021 Week 10 One Daily Positive - To do lists and organising myself.

I'm on the countdown now to return to Dubai, assuming I get permission to leave the UK and I get the export papers for the dog sorted to travel to Northern Ireland, export needed due to Brexit. So I'm back to my 'to do' list of things I've been putting off or just haven't got round to.

We brought the animals over to the UK last year with the intention of me travelling back and forth and getting house sitters lined up. The dog is really frightened of the vets and gets a bit cross with it all. So we flew him to the UK while his inoculations were still in date to save us both the stress. But thanks to everyone who voted Brexit, my dog has had to go through the whole process again, heavily medicated, at a considerable cost around £500 and extreme stress to myself and him. We had planned to travel to Northern Ireland with the dog frequently to visit child 4 and his wife, now it looks like this we will have to get a 'fit to travel' certificate, chip scan and up to date jabs for each trip as pet passports are no longer valid from Great Britain. At this point in time I have no idea how we'll get him back to the mainland in July. I just don't need this level of stress.

65 Saturday Met my friend with her dog for a socially distanced walk. bob had some time off the lead, his recall is really good these days. We walked about 4 miles mainly in mud, few people out. Home to do some more weeding, watched TV and blogging. Awake most of the night with severe cramps in my left calf and thigh.

View of the Malvern Hills.


66 Sunday Woke with a headache, but one round of meds cleared it within the hour. The cramp in my leg continued through the day. I decided to get a newspaper today, I'm really trying to avoid indoor spaces as much as possible and really keeping shop trips as essentials as much as possible. Did some gardening, dinner, bath, wine, TV then bed.

The cat and I have been enjoying the afternoon sun in the conservatory.


67 Monday Woke with a horrendous cold, just can't stop sniffing and sneezing, but no other symptoms. Leg and head now ok so I'm assuming side effects of iron infusion, snotty and sneezing all day. Read the papers, did some gardening, gave Bob a bath, walked him, washed all the bedding Had an altercation with a driver parked on the zig zag lines in front of the school, he refused to move, reported to school again and to the police online via the anti social method. Ate an Easter Egg, got mad at myself, went to bed after watching Oprah interview, found it fascinating.

These two can be such good friends.


68 Tuesday Thought it was Monday all day, due to the Oprah Interview being advertised as Sunday (in America) and ITV changing their programs around. It was only when Corrie didn't come on at 7.30pm and I checked the TV guide on the screen that I realised. So I missed my hospital appointment for 2nd iron infusion. During the day I did some gardening, washing, renewed some rotten wood in the the garden which involved a hand saw and fence paint. Wrapped up and addressed all the Easter and Birthday parcels for April, ready to be posted, video called with child 2a and grandchild, had a bath, a nap, dinner, watched TV and bed to watch Unforgotten. Had stabbing and shooting pains in left side of neck and left arm all evening.


69 Wednesday Rearranged iron infusion for Monday, headed out to do a food shop, started in Lidl and ended up in Waitrose, really struggle shopping for GF products, all stores stock things differently. I got really irate with some people, one man restored my faith in humanity by standing aside for me to enter a shop to then walk in behind me as he said he could see I was getting frustrated with the lack of social distancing. I did some touching up of paint and plaster from moving furniture around, finished weeding the front garden and planned some work in the garden.

When the cat tries to get in the pod with me, all she succeeds in doing is spinning me round.


70 Thursday Couldn't get motivated, was supposed to be in Qatar for the golf, but due to not having anyone to look after the pets I couldn't go, so I spent the morning feeling sorry for myself. Got up at midday when the door bell rang, I tidied up the garden after the wind, did some cooking, tidying and cleaning. My friend dropped off two mirrors I'm going to hang with the two I already have to get more light into the room. 

Child 4 and 4a sent flowers for Mother's Day.


71 Friday A social distanced meet up and walk with my friend and her dog again, this time up the Malvern Hills. We got coffee and sat by the Priory for a while.  Home to do some washing, pay bills, chase payments owed and get medical aid approval, sort through emails. Evening spent in front of the TV.

Post from child 2 and 2a and grandchild.


On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo -  A foggy view on the Malvern Hills.

How being an expat hasn't differed much from lockdown.

Post Comment Love - Happy Mothers Day and getting organised.

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Saturday, 6 March 2021

2021 Week 9 - One Daily Positive. Hospital and vet appointments.

Before I started this week, the only thing I had in my diary was the Osteopath on Friday, so I booked a visit to Croome with Bob, which is 12 miles by road from here. Bob is going over to Northern Ireland in April so I can return to Dubai until the end of June. However he now requires additional paperwork and treatment before he can travel there after the change in rules with Brexit, so vets booked for him and his cat for its jabs also. 

Then I got the appointment through for my iron infusion, so it's turned into a super busy week. Thankfully we are within 10 miles of Worcester City Centre and the hospital. 

58 Saturday Nothing happened all morning, then I finally kicked my arse into gear, got off the sofa around 3pm, walked Bob then finally finished tidying away the attic rooms, just need to clean them now and I now have the space to do jobs properly. Need to make a list for curtain amendments, clothing repairs and new dog bed to be sewn.


59 Sunday Had a lie in, dressed and off to Morrisons for a paper, flowers, compost, cooked chicken, some GF foods and a take home latte. Set up the garden outside, table and chairs, read the paper, ate cake and drank latte. Mowed the lawn, weeded the front, tidied up the shed, sorted through the recycling, walked the dog, cooked a roast, watched a movie, had a bath, watched TV and a late dinner.


60 Monday Off to Croome Park at 10am with Bob, needed fuel so grabbed a coffee at the same time, a lovely sun shiny walk. Home to a bacon butty and the afternoon was spent blogging and watching TV.


61 Tuesday Vets with the cat in the morning, home to tidy paperwork and back into Worcester 4-7pm followed by an iron infusion, a bath, a facebook call with a friend and bed.


62 Wednesday Cold, damp and foggy out so took Bob for a 3 hour walk up the Malvern Hills, hardly saw anyone until we walked down through the town. Only Iceland, Boots and the coffee shops open on the high street, but Bob and I walked down the road to avoid the number of couples, kids and mobility scooters. Spent the afternoon reading the Sunday papers, evening in front of the TV and bed after a couple of video calls.


63 Thursday Been sleeping in till around 8am at the moment, showered and dressed and walked Bob, then sat blogging. Vets in the afternoon for Bob, he had some calming medication last night and a few hours before the visit, he was chilled, chewed on a pigs foot treat, I then muzzled him and he had his jabs. No one bitten but he was absolutely petrified when he was held and fought hard to escape, then as chilled as anything afterwards and let the vet make a fuss of him. We had a short walk when we got home, then a chilled out evening in front of the TV and I did some blogging. Child 3's parcel arrived back from Australia, I sent it the end of September and had just made a claim earlier this week from the Post Office.


64 Friday Osteopath at 8.30am, then took Bob for a long walk, home into my pjs, rearranged a few things in the craft room and fixed the dogs bed. Bob and I almost got mown down today out walking, the vehicle flew over the roundabout and narrowly missed another car, losing control and heading straight towards us, they clipped the curb and bounced back onto the road. I called the police, they didn't even ask my name or even ask if I was OK, they weren't interested as I didn't have the plate number. It's a small town, they'll know who the vehicle belongs to, all the windows were painted out and the van had a wide and low wheel base, not road worthy with all the black smoke pouring out the back.


On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Update on the construction site in Malvern

Counting Calories - Losing the weight after stopping smoking 

Post Comment Love -  Reflections of flying during covid


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Saturday, 13 February 2021

2021 Week 6 - One Daily Positive. Finished the unpacking.

Bloody hell it's been cold this week, foggy and some snow. Heating on full time and sitting in the house wrapped in blankets. This time last year when I was in the UK I was working outside in the garden fixing the shed roof and digging up plants, shrubs and small trees so I could have a new fence. The dog really isn't impressed with cold, he's either getting grumpy in his old age (he'll be 11 on Sunday) or he just hasn't acclimatised to the cold yet. the cat still wants to go out, but she comes back straight away when called.

All the unpacking is done, all the boxes, paper etc removed from the house. I'm now rearranging rooms and putting things away. I have some more Ikea furniture to assemble and I should be done by the end of next week. Just have the sofa in the neighbours garage to deal with, lacking people to help with the carrying. 

37 Saturday Out at 7.30am with Bob the Dog with every intention to walk up the Malvern Hills, except we couldn't see them so walked around the town instead. I stopped smoking before Christmas after 33 years of around 10-15 cigarettes a day. It;'s amazing how easy it was to walk up a steep hill and be able to talk at the same time. It should help with the 6kg I've put on from eating crap all day long instead of reaching for a cigarette. I had planned to go to Worcester on Sunday with Bob to take photos of the new bridge build and food shop, but as the River Severn is flooded and with temps plummeting below zero and snow forecast I decided to go today instead, quite quiet, in and out, minimum hassle apart from a woman wearing a lanyard who said "I'm wearing a lanyard, I'm exempt from wearing a fucking mask' I just asked her to step back from me in the queue 'being exempt doesn't stop the fucking virus spreading' was my reply. I got dragged into an argument with a guy on twitter who said it never happened, I blocked him.


38 Sunday mornings are blog commenting time. Followed by a hill walk, more unpacking, sorting out attic rooms and finally everything is now on the correct floor and in the correct room and roughly in the correct place.

A friend sent me this G&T gift.


39 Monday Blood test at Doctors surgery as requested by Haematologist last week, I had emailed him to say I couldn't get the bloods taken in Dubai as I'd been working and then had to isolate on my return to the UK. He'll call back the end of next week to discuss either iron infusion or whether he feels a blood transfusion is coming sooner rather than later. He asked about bruising and B12 and I had to contact my Doctor in Dubai to get all my records sent over and uploaded onto my NHS records. I took Bob with me and we walked on down to the retail park for a take out coffee.

Walk home via the Industrial park.


40 Tuesday started the day the same way I finished yesterdays, in pjs and in bed. I've been in agony this week with my back again but I've been sitting on the floor and on the sofa, stretching and twisting. My iron levels have also dropped again and I'm struggling for breath walking up the stairs. I'm also bloody freezing. Took Bob for a walk and sent some birthday gifts and cards off to family and friends, was miserable early evening, then kicked myself up the butt and got on with stuff.

I baked bread.


41 Wednesday I'm completely disorganised in regards to a routine, shopping, order of importance to do things, so day spent getting myself sorted in regards to meal planner as I'd run out of milk, but had topped up with fresh veg, meat etc on the weekend. Ready now to get through till this time next week before I need to go near a shop again. Took Bob for a walk, ordered new walking boots, sorted and wrapped up gifts for birthdays, valentines, etc.

This cat just constantly monitors my every movement.


42 Thursday Managed to get an appointment with an osteopath approved by the medical aid. She's starting with sorting out my back then will move onto the neck issues. I received feedback from my MRI and X-rays. I have an additional rib and Brachial Neuritis Syndrome. I suffered an injury at work 25 years ago, I've also suffered with migraines since I was a toddler, I just now have a name now. It'll make no difference to my quality of life or my treatment, but it might mean I can access treatment earlier when I need a boost.

2nd walk of the day, is that allowed?


43 Friday Out early and wrapped up warm with Bob. The rest of the day was spent tidying things away, a door step collection for the last of the packing boxes, a nice hot bath, followed by a facebook call with a friend, alcohol and TV.

Local children requested some more stones today.


On the blog this week:

A woman's place is ..... where she chooses it to be.

Post Comment Love - Happy Valentines Day. A weekly linky to join in with any blog post written this week.

My Sunday Photo - New Roads in Worcestershire.


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Saturday, 7 November 2020

Week 45 - One Daily Positive. I'm waiting for my ship to come in.

I'm finding it harder to find a One Daily Positive at the moment. I was almost thrown over the edge on Tuesday when I saw the alternative John Lewis ad, his dog ran off and died and then he collapsed and died in the snow. My dog and cat are the only things keeping me going at the moment and it brought back horrendous memories of the night my father died also.

The tenant in the flat stopped paying rent after 1 month. Turns out it was an admin error (fault of agents) but it caused me immense stress for 24 hours. There was still no word from the UK agents in regards to the shipping container as the moving company in Dubai didn't pass on my UK contact details and it's due in on Saturday. I've tracked them down after the Dubai side stopped replying to me and now have the info I need, should be with me end of the month, then I can go back to Dubai.

The beta blockers seem to be doing their job. I think the chest pains were due to anxiety, I queried pneumonia because I've had it a couple of times. The last time it was walking pneumonia, it's when you don't know you've got it and I needed antibiotics.

306 Sunday Child 2, DIL and grandchild visited in the afternoon for Sunday dinner, this will be the last time I see them until the beginning of February. A planned visit prior to the lock down announcement.

Drinking my coffee outside still when I can.


307 Monday Spent the day back at my friends in the Forest of Dean part 2 of helping her clear her fathers home of 50 years after his death last week. I did runs with my car filled of things she wants to keep back to her home in the village where I used to live and first met her, back in 1994. I started cleaning my dad's antique desk I inherited, the wood was smelling, I discovered fine dust in the drawers, but no other sign of woodworm, but I'll keep a close eye on it.

The Wye Valley at Lydbrook.

308 Tuesday Took Bob for a socially distanced garden visit and walk with @mustntgrumble, we last met in 2010. We've been penpals ever since. We'd planned this prior to the lockdown announcement. Finished cleaning the desk with white vinegar and water and put it all back together.

309 Wednesday Morning spent sorting out registering the cat and dog with a vets and registering their microchips, I only found out recently this was compulsory, when we moved them to Dubai, we were given all the info we needed when they were delivered to the house. Bob and I went to Croome in the afternoon, via picking up a highchair off facebook. Hope, washing on, in pjs and ate dinner in front of the TV, not getting dressed now will tomorrow evening. 

Round 1 of the fireworks.

310 Thursday Peter is in Saudi for a couple of weeks, he has to isolate for 3 days, then have a covid test and wait 24 hours before the results come in, until then he had to install an app on his phone and he's not allowed to leave the hotel. I spent the day chasing news about the shipping container and the insurance, finished writing the pets routine up and providing a list of how things work in the house for the pet sitters arriving on the 11th. I made a bird box, painted the cold frame and did the ironing. 

Round 2 of the fireworks. By Friday they were used to the noise and it didn't bother them anymore.

311 Friday Completely forgot my #PoCoLo linky post this week until I woke up, so spent the day catching up with comments and posting links and scheduling posts for the next few weeks. Took Bob for a walk mid afternoon to break the day up. Started a list of things I need to do before the house sitters arrive on Wednesday so plenty to occupy me, just all a bit daunting with how much I have to do between now and then, most of it can't/won't be done till Tuesday though. I started some Christmas crafts, including Bob's footprint on a canvas.

312 Saturday Spent the morning on the laptop, tidied a few things away and went to the post office to send child 1's Christmas gift from my mum as I won't be able to see either of them again now until I come back from Dubai in February. Met up with a friend to walk the dogs, out for almost 3 hours, it was really muddy. Home to mow the lawns, clean the mower and strimmer and wash the garden wheelie bin as well as preparing the compost heap for winter. 


On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Batsford Arboretum Day out with my dog.


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Friday, 23 October 2020

23rd-25th October 2020 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to Post Comment Love. A weekly linky hosted by Stephanie at Lifeat139a and I. We love reading about what people have been up to each week, whether it's fashion, crafts, gardening, pets or just life in general.

It's been a mixed week weather wise, but it hasn't stopped Bob and I spending as much time as possible outdoors. 

We visited Croome on Monday,  a Pumpkin Patch Tuesday, took a walk up the hills and through the woods on Wednesday, rambled in the Forest of Dean on Thursday and today we'll be walking to the retail park for a take out coffee. We average 3-4 miles each walk, some days up to 8 miles. Most of our walks start from the front door, within 45 mins we can reach the top to the Malvern Hills, woodland, lakes and streams and open fields. Quite a lot of our walks are just around the streets, exploring alleyways and discovering shortcuts.


Stephanie and I would love to read about what you've been writing about this week.


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Saturday, 18 July 2020

One Daily Positive - Week 29

Last week I noticed my iron levels have dropped. I can walk miles with Bob, do normal things around the house, hang out washing, hoovering etc and I've even mowed the lawns and done quite a bit of gardening, but when I climb the stairs, I have to have a lie down. I get dizzy, struggle to breathe and feel really tired. Phone consultation with the Doctor on Tuesday and blood tests next week.

Had a few moments at the start of the week that life was being very unfair to me. Apparently all I had to do was just ask and several friends/family members came to my rescue with pet and house sitting end of August for 3 weeks so I can travel to Dubai to see Peter. It's much easier now you don't have to apply for permission to leave there, just to return. Peter is looking into flights for the first week in August and will be required to self isolate in the UK for 2 weeks on arrival, he'll then stay for one further week to social distance visit the family. On arrival back in Dubai he will have to have a Covid test and isolate for 48 hours until the results come back. I will have to do the same when I get to Dubai and will have to isolate on my return to the UK.

Fingers crossed with Peter at home for 2 weeks, all the final DIY jobs I've been unable to do will be completed, such as putting up curtain poles, adjusting the doors after new carpets, changing electrical sockets, repairing the shed etc. Oh and it will be great to see him again after so long apart. I've got my approval through to return to Dubai, however I'll have to reapply as it's only valid for 21 days. Peter's is more complicated, to get back into Dubai he needs a letter from HR to state he has a job/home to go back to.


To do list:
Postcards of Kindness
Sort paperwork
Write up address book
Wash dog bedding
Wash dog
Clean the windows, every one is covered in cat snot

194 Sunday Washing on the line and a 6 mile dog walk around Malvern, a stop at the coffee shop and the afternoon spent writing #postcardsofkindness, cooking a roast and finishing off my jigsaw puzzle.

195 Monday House Woken early be a neighbour who forgot to put their wheelie bin out. Spent the day having a tidy round and a clean. Walked Bob and had an Estate Agent round in the afternoon for a valuation.

196 Tuesday Off early to Monmouth to collect Mum's prescription, dropped toilet roll tubes off with the Things, a jigsaw puzzle with a friend for her parents who are shielding, spent an hour in the garden with our grandchild and called in at a friends garden on the way home. All social distanced visits and all outdoors other than the chemist.

197 Wednesday Took Bob out for an early walk, decided to stop for a coffee at an independent coffee chain. I won't be going back there for many reason, mainly social distancing and them not being interested in storing customer information in case of an outbreak. I met a woman on out walking, we chatted and she invited me round anytime for a coffee. She wasn't in today, but her husband told me she hoped I would pop in, so I'll try again tomorrow afternoon. The rest of the day nothing happened, some blogging, tv, garden watered, bath and bed at 8pm.
I went for a walk without Bob, he wasn't happy.

198 Thursday Mum did her own shopping today in Waitrose, I shopped for the rest of the stuff needed. I'm planning and cooking all meals, mum just needs to let me know each week what she wants for breakfast, lunch, snacks and quantities. Spent the rest of the day doing nothing. The woman popped round here to say she was out this afternoon, but didn't want me to think I was being ignored so we've arranged coffee Saturday morning.

199 Friday I joined the National Trust this week and visited Croome with Bob. In the afternoon I baked cakes and dog biscuits. Wine and chips in the garden with Debbie in the evening. Washed all the dog bedding.

200 Saturday Early start with Bob into town and the post office, met up with the woman I met earlier this week for tea in the garden, had a lovely couple of hours. Came home and spent the afternoon in bed watching TV, reading and blogging. My chronic pain has flared up again this week and I'm struggling with my breathing, blood tests next week will let me know what's going on.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Malvern Abbey and Charles Darwin's Daughter, Annie.
My Garden in June
Why I'm choosing to go back into isolation


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