Well we had the predicted snow - although definitely not snowmageddon! Has been deeper in this blogs existence!
Thought it would be a bit of a washout as although bitterly, vilely cold and snowing heavily on Monday morning, it had stopped by time I got bus to Eltham and melted by time I finished at opticians.
Tuesday I hacked V and it was fine, but by the time I was hacking G it was snowing and settling. Got some cute photos of him with snow in his ears and I had a fine layer on me!
Of course by the time I got home, it wasn't about - just 6 miles between us!
Woke up Wednesday to about 5cm or so. Dug out an old plastic planter and headed up to Oxleas for sledging fun! Don't care how old I am, couldn't resist! Had lots of fun.
Thursday and novelty is starting to go, I tried to build a snow castle with snow bricks I made from an old tupperware pot and it worked relatively well until I got too carried away and tried to dye it orange and then it fell down!

Poor birds though, I couldn't get anything to stay up to give them shelter and it was so bitterly cold! Thursday I think was the worst day with windchill of -10 although really only -2.

Started to pick up and although it snowed steadily Friday afternoon, preventing me from riding, it was nearly all gone Saturday and is only currently still remaining in the sheltered places.

It was nice to have the snow although frustrating as it stops you going out and about and I felt like I missed out again on the joy of having a week off of work!

Still not long until I get a few days off on top of the Easter Bank Holidays and I used the time wisely cleaning the house. Brat even wanted to socialise with me and we played a couple of games of monopoly, which is the first time in a couple of years we've hung out since the random invites to the pub ocasionally to play pool.

I feel very tired today strangely and indeed did so yesterday.

Back to the routine tomorrow, sad times but as I said, not long until I have a few days off again, planning a day trip to the New Forest and hopefully will get to see CL as well.

Another standard week here. I booked my hotel for the Hampshire flyball comps, and the outward flight to Grotty out of the insurance money which is pleasing.
Had to get two new front tyres and new jods and trainers which ate into my wages and have an opticians appointment tomorrow.

Snowmaggedon is apparently on the way. Think i'll believe it when I see it although it is bitterly, bitterly cold!

Week off starting tomorrow which is exciting, although I think I'll be hibernating if it does get horrid!!!

Too tired Sunday, no excuses for not doing it yesterday.

Had my appraisal at work. I made a throwaway remark to my boss about being deaf. I do genuinely think there's something in it, I struggle to hear sometimes, sometimes there's a popping or a buzzing in my ear. I think I have tinnitus from a night in a club in San Adrian.
Anyway, she's taking it seriously and putting me down as having a disability! As if the glasses wasn't bad enough! I really should go to the doctors again. Welshy made me go a few years back and although they gave me the all clear there's definitely something there.

I'm off next week. I don't want a hearing aid. I should go, and not put it off.

Was at a competition with the dog on Sunday hence the being too tired to blog, was a good day - our team won and we picked up another first place and two seconds.

I ended up looking after One Night Stand's dog all day. She's as good as gold really - puts mine to shame! He also talked me into taking her back to his.

Been a bit of banter between us the last few days. Anyway Sunday night he told me he was horny and invited me back. I didn't go. I was already at home in my pjs by then and the thought of driving the 20-30 minutes to his place for a quick fuck and then driving back didn't appeal.

Nothing to read into it though - i'm so tempted to take him up on the offer if not for the fear of something getting complicated between us and also - yeah its a lot of hassle for not much reward! Now if dinner was included then I might be even more inclined to join in.

The crazy family are self-imploding again. Uncle I is taking M to court. D is trying to distance himself from it, I and J are saying that M is in cahoots with Mother about the money. That M is trying to cover something up. I dunno. Tempted to go see the whole grotty thing unfold next week, we'll see. Probably more aggro than its worth!!!

Sitting here trying to think of things to tell you about this week.
Insurance finally came though. Of course it came two days after I ran out of money and took out a payday loan. So that's where that is going!

I took the receptionist at work and her daughter to the yard to meet V and have a sit. Perfectly behaved for them. half hour later we're cantering on the spot and bouncing to get away from a wood chipper. Daft mare.

I booked to get new tyres put on the car. My boss and I had to go to Sidcup and she asked me to take my car so "she didn't have to leave her parking spot" I was still on the verge of poverty then and decided to "pretend" that I had forgotten as I really didn't want to waste the petrol, especially after driving to Gatwick and back!
She only made me go home and get my car and then we were late to the meeting! Hahaha!

Dog training today. She is frustrating. Running properly with netting, running out the minute it is removed. I think maybe we have to keep the netting in there and hope she forgets? Although you can't have netting in competitions....

We're at Maidstone next week and I'm dog sitting One Night Stand's Dog - No mince pie incidents there hopefully!

Been a bitter cold week, with a disappointing lack of snow.

Obviously dog not cured as ran out lots today. Sigh.

Insurance is dealing with my claim now so that's something. Fingers crossed it comes back soon. A lovely, lovely lady in the field where I walk Dog gave me £50 for her plight. I felt awful. I hadn't told her my tale of financial woe for that but at same time overwhelmed that she did so.

Mothership and TMWMITW came back Friday night and then flew away Saturday to LA. Its possible that his money/copyright case will be dealt with by time he comes back.
Joked that he could buy me a horse and pay for its upkeep each month. Took it all rather seriously and busted my bubble. Not that I was serious, I'd struggle with time if I had one of my own anyways.

Nothing else really to report back here. its bitter, bitter cold and the forecast is for snow but I bet its a huge disappointment again.

Not too much to report on. Dog got all clear from blood tests. Nearly cried in despair however when she found a raisiny cinnamon roll yesterday and took a bite. How can you take her to the vets for the same thing in not even a week? I self medicated with wine and scraped out the last of the activated charcoal and fed her that.

Sent insurance forms off so now to sit and wait for them.

Day off tomorrow and i'm looking forward to it. I have lots of plans, the dog and I are going for a long walk, I have to take flowers to Nanny and Granddad's grave and pick up mum's travel insurance. I had planned to get a new car tyre but yeah.... stupid dog put paid to that one this month!

She ran really well at training today, very pleased and hoping that she has got over the worry of having another dog run at her, but we'll see how she gets on next week. Too much to hope that she is cured right away but luckily there is two more training sessions before next comp.

Horse is lame but I wasn't really in the mood for a long ride today after training so that suited me to have a short potter around the woods.

Welshy's birthday today and i'm busy overthinking a comment from Lolly. Urgh. Tired of this nonsense.

What a disaster the weekend turned out to be!!!

As mentioned i'd been booked into a hotel for this party. So dog in tow we rock up at the hotel. No record of me, under my name or under the ladies name. Tried to ring her but of course she's already at the party so doesn't hear me calling.

Drive to the venue in the hope that she can speak to them over the phone and get it sorted. Took nearly an hour to find somewhere to park and i'm on the verge of going home out of sheer frustration when I bump into someone I know and they help me get a spot! Go in and find her and she calls the hotel

Turns out she's actually booked it for SEPTEMBER! 

Old people should not be allowed near the internet!! Anyway she and I went back to the hotel and I'm there watching them pay for a new room - 90 quid!! 

Whatever. I vow to buy them some flowers to make up for it.

Party good fun, got to leave Dog in hotel room and I dance and generally have a jolly time. 

Get up next morning and go to the comp in Maidstone with the lady and her dog. We do our morning racing. Win first race, second went a bit astray. It's ok, there's still the afternoon to go and we're in a good position still.

About 12 she goes and takes both dogs for a walk and then about 1 goes to get something out of her bag, turns out she left a packet of mince pies in her car. Turns out Dog likes mince Pies. Turns out mince pies can cause irrepairable kidney damage in dogs.

So she gets rushed into vets, put on a drip, given medicine. I beg money from the Mothership as payday is today and I had 30 quid to my name. So now mum's out of pocket by 241 quid - well 200, paid her some today.

Dog is ok now, but awaiting blood tests to see if there has been any kidney damage. So that's another 100 quid gone. I had a fair few loans being paid off this month so I knew it was going to be tight but fuck me I now have 65 quid until I get paid again.

At least. I know I've filled the car with petrol, I have food for the month, just be replacing things like bread etc.

I can claim insurance back for Dog so that's my next port of call but I wanted to get a new car tyre after the mini explosion a couple of weeks ago so that's a bugger!!!

Trying not to be annoyed as she's genuinely upset about it and it was just one of those things but I really, really could have done without this!!!

Naughty Charbs.
Already one week behind.

In my defence last weekend I spent in Cambridge at a dog show and drove back sunday, rode two horses and was then zonked and had to get ready for work still!

It was an ok weekend. dogs ran mostly well. Had a nice meal with One Night Stand and then hung out watching the scouse FA cup game.

This weekend was a party for one of the people in my dog training team. Cake didn't go to plan twice as I fucked up reading instructions, but all worked out well and they seemed to love it.
Danced a lot, drank a bit and had a great time. One Night Stand was also there, a mutual friend asked when we were gonna do something about the sexual tension between us. I was drunk enough to want to tell her, sober enough to realise that was a no no and there was an internal struggle momentarily before sober Charbs won! Haha. I do love having that as a secret but it'd be nice to share with someone. 100% he's got another girl on the go though, he was getting texts I noticed from someone with emoji hearts in their name and that def won't be a guy! Not fussed. Would have been nice for more, was never on the cards and I've gained a new friend out of it so win win really!!
Hopefully not another 18 month dry spell before I sleep with someone else though

I met up with Flash from early blogging days as well Wednesday just gone which was great!
And of course we have the usual Awful January milestones. I was a bit shocked this year that I was getting the dates muddled in my head. I guess cos they are so close together. 6th 12 years since he died. 9th his birthday.
Last Thursday as well was 4 years since that awful night when Granddad died and convieniently would have been Welshy and I's anniversary. All I have left to get through now is Welshy's birthday and the breaking up day.

Life moves on. I move on. As I told him in my drunken, ranty email, he has no say over my happiness any more. I am mostly happy, just occasionally lonely.

Next weekend I might not get a chance to blog as again I am at a dog show.
Odd night before - I have been adopted by a lovely old couple as a surrogate grandchild - they tell people I need mothering! Anyway, for some reason I got invited to their son (who I've never met!)'s 50th birthday. There's a few other people I know going so its all ok. I was going to drive, not drink obvs and then go home and take the wife to the comp next day.
Except they booked and paid for me to stay in a hotel close by - really lovely of them but wish they hadn't! Its only saving me 20 mins in the morning and now I need to faff about taking dog with me, taking her to the party, leaving the poor sod in the car as I can't leave her in the hotel over night alone!

Haha! It'll be alright I guess!! Maybe....

Rode THREE different horses today, There's no way i'd be able to cope if by some miracle I got more than one horse!
Already in PJ's and Dog snuggled on my lap. Not been invited out anywhere, so why the hell not?

I wrote to him a couple of days ago, a long as is my style overly dramatic email.

I've developed a dry hacking cough. I went to see Lolly in his new home at Blackheath Rehab and had the traditional Xmas drinks with Babbs and L. I went to a dinner party at YO's house with some of the other liveries and played cards against humanity (I won)

So now its time for the end of year review.
My goal was to post at least weekly in this and I mostly did so. 45 posts out of 52 weeks. 2016 wasn't the hardest year I've ever had to deal with but it was the first rough year I dealt with on my own and for that reason I struggled greatly. 2017 has been better, although having looked back I've only managed one of my resolutions

"

1 - I will sit the DELE A2 exam finally. February or April.
2 - I will blog - if not every day, at least once a week.
3 - I will go on at least one foreign holiday by myself.
4 - I will write that story, and see what happens with it."

I did some crazy shit this year, stuff I never thought I'd do. Trying weed for the first and last time, my random adventures with One Night Stand Guy. My epic holiday to Greece.

Yes I've lost Welshy, one of my longest, best, closest friends. TP remains cancer-stricken, having finished chemo she now awaits a date for her lumpectomy. Lolly is learning to walk again and my hopes for both of them is that they get a clean bill of health for 2018.

Flyball went well, lots of new adventures there, plus Muddy Dog, plus the halloween party and summer BBQ, the Xmas meal and bowling. Looking forward to our attempt at entering the championships in the summer and hopefully she'll get her award for 5000, (10k would be nice but perhaps a bit too much to aim for!) We have two comps in Jan and two parties to look forward too as well.

Riding too, more hacking would be nice, we're rapidly regaining the hacking brave pants, although I've kinda lost my mojo with V i'm hoping its just this time of year. It was fun playing with others today.

Hopefully work will sort itself out, I'm still hoping that I might get that new role if the funding comes through and i'm worried about this Quality Control Mark - although that's for 2018 Charby to worry about tomorrow!

Resolutions for next year?

Well I'd like to rack up a new country, I don't think realistically it'll happen though, TP and TJ want to go to Mull, the flyball champs will be expensive and of course there's Mum's wedding, all in July and August....

Speaking of money I'd like to pay off one credit card and make a sizeable dent in the other. I have one loan due to finish December next year and if possible I'd like to pay that off a bit sooner but again we'll see, the credit cards are the main goal really.

I can end 2018 200 pounds a month better off than I am now, although the above may hinder it a bit....

and finally I'd like to end 2018, not on my own. I feel this is the hardest one to achieve. Not sure how to go about it, not even sure what people do in relationships anymore. 

We'll see. So time to say FUCK off to 2017 and a big HELLO to 2018.

So time for my usual morose Xmas post.

Christmas is firmly what you make it, In the words of Elsa from Frozen "Yes I'm alone but I'm alone and Free!"

I don't mind it too much, its just another day really, its when people try to force it upon you that I start to feel miserable about the day. I realised as nice as it is for people to invite me (and i'm genuinely touched that people do) I can't help but feel its not because they want to, but out of pity - out of a sense that no one should be alone at Christmas.
The other thing I realised is that its painful for me to be around happy families. Pain that physically hurts the pit of my stomach. I had that once, I don't have it any more. I don't want it rubbed into my face.
I like my own company.

I've struggled today however. Welshy - fuck it, let's call him by his real name for the first and last time - Ed messaged me last night and I read it first thing this morning.
He's found someone new. He's been with Someone New for over a year now. He thinks its time to
finally say goodbye.

I was talking to a friend about this a couple of weeks back, about how its like another bereavement, except this time I know the person's alive and well.

It hurt. I've fought back tears all day. I wish I could have been the first to move on - can I call the two quick fucks I had with One Night Stand Guy a rebound? Wish I could still call Ed a friend. It's been on the cards all year. Less and less contact from him, suspicion when I saw a post from his mam when she visited.
I mucked out my social media, (he had already deleted me from Facebook), I deleted him from instagram, deleted his phone number, deleted him from twitter, removed his friends and family.


I was as grown up as I could be about it, wished him well, told him i'd always be there if he needed me, but he's finally gone now and it hurts so goddam much but I need to move on with my life.
2016 was hard, hardest year in a while, this has been a better year. I gotta keep on focussing on that. 2018 will be the year of Charby.
My next post will be my year review.

Snow! A mild covering on the ground although the stupid rain has knocked a fair bit out. Expecting it to ice up overnight.
Hoping for more overnight as then we might not be able to open, if it ices really badly, my boss might not make it in from Gatwick and that will be pleasing.
We did our work AGM so two late nights and yesterday was our craft fair and panto, they were really busy and hoping we broke even at least from it.

Yeah I got given a written warning. They said that my workload should be manageable, that I was exagerrating my bosses erraticness and almost bullying behaviour. Whatever. I tried to bring it to their attention. It's been dismissed and they made it quite clear they don't want me there.
The obvious thing would be to move on. I'm sick of job hunting. We've been doing it for the whole of this blog's existance.
I like the benefits of working close to home, I like the decent leave they give us and 90% of the time I like the job.
But what can I do? Keep my mouth shut and put up with it? I think I will get through the project thing and then update my cv and have casual looks every now and then. I'm still hopeful that the big funding bid will work out and I can go for that and make it my own but we'll see.

Other news. I found out a while back that Mum and TMWMITW (def need a better pseudonym than that) are getting married. She told me about it during her visit. His court case again Big World Famous Singer is going ahead. He's expected to make at least 1 mill from it. Of course nothing is going to come my way as I can't show that I can afford to live alone.
BUT!!! By March at the latest, hopefully January - definitely February - I will have paid off one of the Big Loans. I also next month get a decent pay rise cos London Living has gone up - i'm hoping an extra £50 a month but we'll see...
So come March i'll have close to another 200 a month in my pay. Of course I need to pay off two credit cards, an overdraft and another loan still but to have 200 a month to put towards this.... well i'm hoping that i'll have paid off the other loan and at least one of the credit cards come this time next year. So that's good.

Money  though.... I dropped my phone out at the weekend. It got run over. It's going to cost me 170 to get fixed. I currently have 12 pounds until payday on the 22nd. (fingers crossed they do an earlier payrun cos of xmas...)

So annoyed with myself but it was a great night and I reinforced my thoughts that One Night Stand guy has clearly moved on, bit of a shame but to be honest it's a good thing. I'm not really designed for that kinda life and it did feel a bit seedy, although i'm not ashamed of it at all.

Anyhoo I suppose I'd better sort my shit out for next week's fun at work.....

Lol. Looked at my stats again and I'm still getting people visiting me from a post I made at least 13 years ago referring to Tobey Maguire's fishhook scar.
 Hi guys!!!

Looking at stats lately a lot of page visits come from Russia. Instantly my thoughts go to Welshy. It's now two years since I woke up and he suggested we should split up.
I miss him terribly. I miss the friendship and I miss having someone who has my back. I wish I had someone to talk to at home, to vent to, to share my glee at Dog running well, at a good ride. I miss physical contact, holding hands, leaning into someone, hugs.
I know it had reached a natural end but there's still that bit of sorrow that someone who was so important to me for so long has now become a stranger to me and its like another bereavement.

Been a rough week. Faced a disciplinary Friday, Stupid Charbs has spent too long at work using the internet for things other than work and they're trying to twist it and say its why a certain project is behind schedule.
While I hold my hands up and admit to being a bit cheeky about doing things online that really I should do at home, I refuse to take the blame for this project.
Apparently my boss knew the importance of having completed the project by this winter three years ago. I only got sent on the intro course Feb this year, only got the paperwork May, only got online to do it July.
I had three weeks off sick, two weeks holiday. If she knew the importance of this course why didn't she get the log in details when I was off?
I only found out end of October that it needs to be done by end of year and there was such shock I genuinely don't think its not that I've forgotten it, but that I didn't know.
My boss is alright but has moment when she's not approachable, I'd been told various other projects had priority and nothing I do is quick and easy.
I work through my lunch break and the 15 minutes throughout the day (total) that I judged I spent online balanced it out.
I can see why it looks damming, but bloody hell.
They threatened me with the sack, I'm being thrown to the wolves for my boss dropping the ball and not telling me how important it was. Just gotta sit and wait. I'll take whatever punishment they deal out for me being online but I refuse to take the blame for this particular project being behind schedule.

No blog last week. Naughty Charbs.

In my Defence I was at a dog comp on Sunday and by time I got home I just wanted to watch a spot of Blue Planet 2 and go to bed.

was at a comp yesterday too. Plan was to go up Friday and have a decent sleep so I didn't have to drive to cambridge for 7.30. Yeah. Me and One Night Stand drank wine until 3am. I was ruined.

Kinda sad as I wouldn't have minded messing about a bit but it was never suggested. Think that little adventure is over anyway now.

Anyway, was up with 3 hours sleep and struggled manly through the day. It was a really long day, I think i'd have been tired even without the drinking - Morning races didn't stop until 3pm! (all the threes Saturday... very odd!) Anyhoo it was 9.40 by the time I got home and really driving was a bit fraught as I was so tired. 

I think I'll book to stay saturday night when we go up again in Jan, even if there's no late night the day before it was a bit worrying like I said driving back.

No blog last week - went to a halloween party in Whitstable. Really good night. Slaved for ages making a lovely cake.

This week has been full on - I ended up being investigated for too much internet use. My boss is trying to use this as a reason to blame me for not doing this quality award mark thing I'm supposed to be aiming for, but thing is. She knew about needing this award for funding for three years, I got sent on an introduction afternoon in February. It was June when I got the book, a lot of it I don't really understand as she deemed the three day course to learn how to do it properly unnecessary.
A lot of what I need is confidential and she doesn't want me to have access to it which is fair enough.
Anyway. I'd cracked on and then put it down mid July to plan Fun Day 2017.
Problem is I then had three weeks off cos of busted leg. She then was away the first week I was back and then spent the next two weeks stressing about a buisness plan.
I was off two weeks in Greece and suddenly its now the start of November and I'm told that if we're not qualified by year end we lose 18k's worth of funding.

Gee thanks.

So bit of a panic trying to get it done.

Been riding, been to see Lolly. Oh I'm so proud of him and he's doing so well. Last week he had no voluntary movement of his leg. This week he showed us that he can bring his knee to his chest and was quietly pleased to announce he had been walking.

Still no arm movement and he's not entirely sure where the portion of his skull that they removed is (could be in his stomach, could be at Kings College, could be in Edinburgh) and he's not sure how they will treat his tumour but he is doing so, so well and I'm in awe.

TP is cracking on well with her cancer treatment - one more to go! She still has no idea where the flowers are from and is waiting to hear what her next steps are. It's all positive for her too :)

Greece was lovely, all my fears about travelling alone unfounded. Given huge confidence boost about doing it again.
Met usual amount of oddballs and got into odd situations - how many people can get locked into a bank, meet people who firmly believe in David Icke and watch "The Voice" with Greek Grandparents who don't speak any English?
Athens was fairly rough looking everywhere I went, not like Rome where you're just falling over old shit, there it seemed to be more located in one part of it.
Andros - arrived too late in the end to do anything - apart watch telly with the grandparents!
Mykonos, pretty and fun loving.
Santorini - drop dead beautiful at sunset. It had been a plan of Welshy and mine's to go for ages and i'm glad I went.

Now to live carefully a few months and resort out the finances.

Going to a party in Whitstable this weekend, and do have another dog show in wood green to sort out.

My lollypopkin is still very poorly in hospital. I mentioned last post that they were doing tests to investigate his stomach pain. I'm told they found a tumour and removed part of his bowel along with the growth. Fucking Cancer. Will go see him tomorrow.


Suddenly remembered TP and her own cancer battle and diverted to the flower website. I've been sending her secret flowers every month, she doesn't know they're from me! But I hope its giving her something cheery to think about and it makes me feel better as I can't be there as much as I'd like to help her out.

Reeling.

Am meant to fly out to Greece in a few hours. Not organised at all. Gonna run out of funds before its over.

My Lolly had a stroke last Saturday. One of my old NMM friends, the guy I went to Rome with earlier this year. I had a message on Wednesday from G another mutual friend, he had a message from an unknown number saying that Lolly was in the hospital in intensive care.
Tried to text Lolly, no answer, suddenly remembered that he'd not contacted me after I wished him happy birthday which is most unlike him.
Messaged a few friends, just casual. "hey have you seen Lolly, he's ignoring me!"
Found out in intensive care after a suspected stroke. Not expected to make it. No one knew where he was and no one had run around to find out.
I rang the QE, tried QM and then remembered that they don't have A and E, told another friend that it was a suspected stroke. He suggested the Kings College as they have specialist care there for stroke victims.
Rang through, such a drama as I couldn't remember his birthday or address but we got there. I rang back after work to check permission had been given to visit.

He was awful. Huge swollen closed eye, half his head shaved, other half hair sticky with sweat, hooked up to all the beepy machines and drips you see in movies. I was prepared for bad but that was awful. G held it together until we left before he broke down. I rang around everyone I could think of. No he doesn't want visitors to see him like this. Yes he was talking ok, but drowsy.
We went back the next day. Pretty similar. We didn't stay long as he's clearly very tired.

Went back up Saturday as paragliding was cancelled yet again. Moved out of critical care ward. Met his Mum for the first time! He's short and quiet, we were probably overwhelming him, mocking the hospital food that he was trying to eat.
He cannot yet move one side of his body but his eye was open and he looked less swollen. I'm still not sure of timeframe, but the latest one is that he was ill Friday (his birthday) got out of bed, fell. possibly had a stroke as he fell. They thought anaemia first of all. Went to one hospital, then another. Then ended up in Kings. Had another seizure/stroke there Saturday night.
The pressure on his skull was growing. They operated Tuesday to remove part of his skull to help combat this.

Now he's dry heaving constantly, vomiting. They're doing  CAT scans and endoscopies to see what the cause is.

Heartbroken for him. He's like a brother to me as they all are. Just holding on to all the improvements I saw in 4 days and hoping that in 2 weeks he will be alright.

In the end it went right down to Monday Morning for the Physio to give me the all clear.
I was under strict instructions not to run ANY of it, to use common sense about what obstacles to tackle and what ones to avoid and be tactical and rest at each stop.

Mrs Spaniel also was instructed not to pull me over (she ignored this - twice). and to take it easy as she has lost a bit of fitness as we've not been able to go out and about as normal.

It was incredibly muddy!! Some of the challenges the mud was up to my waist and dogs were given to the volunteers for their own safety.

My cunning plan of putting my contacts in, failed when I reached the venue and realised that - yes I did still have my glasses on. I weighed up the options of losing them/breaking them/adding blindness to my list of injuries and blindness won out.

This had the the added problem of not really being able to see where was safe to put my feet. My team mates were awesome and kept pace with me and another friend who suffers from back problems all the way around.

Mrs Spaniel (now that I have recovered from the pulling me over incidents) has been getting a lot of praise today - and allowed to sleep on the bed last night! She was an absolute star!
She did get a bit of separation anxiety when left with the stewards and fretted (noisily) about my safety as I attempted challenges.

Two challenges she was clearly quite frightened of. 
This tunnel was quite long, dark and pretty deep for a Spaniel (it wasn't that bad all the way through, just at the exit!) I asked her if she wanted to come, she considered it and then decided it was too much for her. She hovered at the end of the tunnel whining at me as I started to crawl through and I said to the steward to let her go as she would follow my teammates and their dogs. 
I'm told that she started to do this, then hesitated again, headed back to the tunnel start. Took a deep breath and tentatively followed me.

For the other again she was offered the opportunity to come into the large inflatable pool and go over the trampolines, into the water and back out again but once she saw the water she changed her mind. Again I handed her to the steward and started to scramble over.
I'm guessing she must have fretted, pulled and then the steward at the other end who was helping me out asked if that was my dog.

She'd got herself so far and then courage let her down and she was unable to get down and out the other end - naturally I carried her over and out and another big cuddle and lots of praise. 

Lots of love for my little dog. She had a whale of a time with her dog friends, getting lots of pats and cuddles from the stewards and a long exciting walk. Tail wagging all the way around. She's not the bravest dog in the world so to see her attempt everything, even if she just didnt want to be separated from me is really touching!

She's been absolutely shattered since. I've still got mud on me, I'm bruised, mystery scrapes all over my boobs, nettle stings up my arms and feeling very stiff and sore today but I'm so glad we did it. Very well organised with lots of water for dogs and people to support us all the way through with poo bag handovers, looking after dogs and taking photos. 

Now one week to go until my holiday that I cant really afford!

My week back at work has gone ok. The first day back - God it hurt! I did wonder if i'd been back a bit early but the rest of the week has been ok.

Physio again tomorrow and i'm hoping they tell me i'm ok for the muddy dog challenge and the holiday.

I did try to ride today. I can only manage a short burst as I can feel it pulling on my hamstring but good news! I did have a little movement in my ankle and knee to do things.

Its been a full on weekend for myu poor leg in all fairness. I attempted the 4 miles of Lullingstone which we normally do in an hour and a half at our slowest. This took us over two hours and I was pretty ruined by the end but at least we got around which is all good news for the sponsered walk!

Training with the dog as well as riding and I was so knackered! out of the house from 8.30-2.30.

Made some cakes and really just spent the day mooching. It was nice to get ourselves back to something like our normal routine at last.

Now i've just booked the hotel for my stay in Santorini and the ferries I need. All that's left is to book the hotel back in Athens and the ferry back there but I'm losing the will to live looking for hotels so we'll try that tomorrow.

Felt a bit lonely this weekend. I kinda wonder how it'd be if I was the one to make the move on One Night Stand guy. Would that make my loneliness worse driving back from Gravesend after that quick fuck? Probably. The whole casual sex thing I can do and that's fine but what I really want is what most people want really and that's companionship.