A weird old week

Daughter tested positive for covid recently, thankfully she’s asymptomatic to date. Hubs and I are also fine, and fingers crossed things stay that way for us all.

We’re all self-isolating, so hair appointments and pub visits/eating out etc are all on the back-burner for a while.

During a routine health check the vet noticed that Buddy’s teeth looked in need of a scale and polish. We took him in and were shocked when we were told that eight teeth had been extracted. He’s never showed any sign of pain and has always devoured his food without wincing. He also spends hours playing pulling games with Sam and Annie.

When we picked him up he strolled back in as though nothing had happened and carried on with business as usual despite me trying to pamper him. That dog is as tough as old boots!

We seem to have been to the vets every other day recently as Sam has had issues too. One eye is weeping and one side of his nose is running. It’s as though he has a blockage or a growth in his nose. Anyway, several vet visits later, he is now booked in for the 26th for a nasal flush, X-Ray and…..a scale and polish with a possible extraction of a large back molar which could be causing the problem.

Buddy’s vet bill was £400 and we have been quoted £650 plus for Sam. Tell you what, vets don’t come cheap.

I am beginning to wonder if our vet is a little gung-ho re pulling teeth!

We’ve had lots of rain lately which has my TWO apricots swelling beautifully. It’s been lovely listening to the howling wind and storms, although many flowers have been brow beaten.

The runner beans are surpassing themselves this year. Handfuls are gathered daily, soon I’ll be freezing them as there are only so many you can eat. The onions are ready for harvesting too as their foliage is now turning yellow.

I wish I could say the same for the tomatoes! They had such a slow start this year and haven’t really caught up. Usually I’d be harvesting now; all I have is tiny green tomatoes the size of large peas.

Still, other plants are doing well, like the kale seedlings for the autumn/winter crop, and the basil and lemongrass that I’ve now finally got around to potting on.

The chamomile is now joining the feverfew party…

and, for the first time I grew oregano acorn bank this year. I was delighted with her beautiful flowers, all I need is a hummingbird or two to feed off them.

I’m also enjoying the blue hues of this globe thistle.

More and more lilies are popping up all over the gardens, the leaves have fallen foul to the dreaded lily beetle but the blooms are fine.

The first of the dahlias, I left them in the ground over winter and surprisingly they seem to be fine.

Our most recent lamb, now named Sherbet, has stopped sitting on his mother and instead now sits in wheelbarrows or under the fire escape peeping out at everything and everybody. Such a character he is.

And Finally…

Hubs completed a fundraiser for the rescue, by taking the fastest zipline in the world and the longest in Europe over Penrhyn Slate Quarry. The weather couldn’t have been any worse. The drive to North Wales was grim, as we were driving through sheet rain and mist most of the way.

They all had a taster session by zip wiring across a lake first, then they boarded army trucks which took them up a winding and scary route to the top of the mountain for the main event.

Hubs was petrified that he’d have a heart attack but in the end he loved it given the views were stunning. He also raised £600 for the rescue. Not at all bad!

Until next time, stay safe guys. xxx

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

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31 Comments

  1. Thanks Jason, yes, maybe a second opinion will be necessary in the future. I was lucky re the red devils, they only destroyed the leaves this year.xxx

  2. Maybe time for a second opinion from another vet? Glad the beetles didn’t ruin the beautiful lily blooms!

  3. lowcarbdiabeticJan

    Always worrying to hear about Covid, hoping that you will all be ok.
    Vets bills are not cheap are they!
    That such a sweet photograph of Sherbet peeping through the stairs 🙂

    Very well done to the hubs for doing the zipwire …

    Hoping the week is going well for you.

    All the best Jan

  4. I quite sympathize with you on those vet bills. I’m not saying they’re not worth it — good vets should be appropriately compensated. But those bills can still make one faint!

    So many gorgeous things growing in your garden!! All those new tender leaves (I love new basil leaves). Feverfew is always so fresh and sweet looking.

    Kudos to your husband! But all that cold seems so incongruous with summer!

    • Indeedy, those bills certainly induce fainting fits. They are always a few hundred over the original quote too. Oh, I love basil too, I have quite the harvest this year which I’ll probably freeze in olive oil. The weather has been wildly unpredictable this year but overall we’ve had very little rain. Thanks Anne.xxxx

  5. Vets don’t come cheap. We were told to clean Ruby’s teeth which is easier said than done. We need to get to her back teeth and she just won’t open her mouth wide enough. That and the fact that she loves the chicken flavoured toothpaste and snaffles it off the brush before we can set to work doesn’t help.

    Our tomatoes are slow to ripen too. The ones on the allotment have started with blight so I’m not hopeful that we will get any from there. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t reach the garden.

    • I smiled at the teeth brushing scenario. We have these plaque-removing crunchy treats for my cats but my cat who needed it the most just swallows them.

    • Vets certainly don’t come cheap! It’s a nightmare trying to clean a dogs teeth, I just buy dental sticks, obviously they haven’t been working. You have me smiling re Ruby snaffling the toothpaste, dogs! Shame about the blight, here’s to you getting some garden tomatoes. Mine are an utter washout this year. Thanks Sue.xxx

  6. I hope you have pet insurance? OMG vets are so expensive….but glad to hear both babies are happy and well.

    The last few weeks, including today have felt like autumn to me…and with that comes a feeling of wanting to hibernate. Now that I have the HUB to go to every day for coffee and chats, I can observe the garden the growing so quickly with all the rain we have had. Lots of produce to be had from it.

    Hope your daughter is OK after covid…and the Zip ride sounds amazing. :). Enjoy your day and week ahead. xxxxx

    • I don’t have pet insurance as it ends up costing more when you have multiple pets, but as you say, having the dogs well is all that matters. I just love the sound of your Hub, what a wonderful place to be able to visit each day. All well re covid, thankfully. Thanks Janet, love and hugs.xxxx

  7. What a week! Poor Pooch, eight teeth!! Sounds a bit eager to me but what can we do, we trust our professionals implicitly. Fingers crossed re CoVid tests, scary times, but we are learning to live with it.

    • I know, I nearly fell off my chair when the vet said he needed eight teeth out. Now he has no front or bottom teeth! Thankfully all is well here re covid, yes we are learning to live with it. Thanks AnneMarie.xxx

  8. I hope that you’re all okay, and that includes the dogs.
    The garden is looking all okay, and I hope you enjoy those those apricots when you get to eat them.
    There’s no way I’d go on any zipline, but well done to hubs for going on that one and raising that amount.
    Thanks, and you too. xx

    • Thanks Flighty, thankfully people and beasties all doing well, touch wood. Those apricots were utterly delicious, I have my fingers crossed for more next year. I’m with you re the zipwire.xxx

  9. I have nothing but admiration for your hubs. There is no way on this earth that I’d go ziplining, no matter the good cause. I do believe I’d rather go to the dentist, which I have to do anyway. There’s no question it’s going to cost more than your vet-dentist, but I’ll console myself with the thought that at least I’m not having to get strapped up on a cable.

    Your ‘globe thistle’ has to belong to the same genus as our eryngos. I believe you call them ‘sea holly,’ as well. We have several native species, and as soon as I can get myself around to it, I’ll post a few photos.

    That Sherbet is a doll! Smart, too, to find a spot where he’s protected, but with a view!

    • Thanks Linda. I too would NEVER go on a zip wire! I absolutely loathe going to the dentist too, good luck with your visit, I hope it doesn’t leave too large a dent in your pocket. Yes my globe thistle is a type of eryngos, looking forward to seeing yours, I do love the blue that shines out. Sherbet sure is a one- off, always up to something he shouldn’t be. xxx

  10. Great post and images. hope health continues well. Take care.

  11. Zip lining and pulling teeth in one week is an eyebrow raiser.

    Vets can’t exactly discuss forward treatment plans with the majority of their small patients, (a Parrot might be the exception) but there is usually a responsible biped to which a vet could mumble something about the impending event and reasons why teeth should disappear. Sounds like you’ve been forewarned this time. Ever thought of stocking up on canine falsies.

    Sorry to hear about the positive Covid test. As you say, may your daughter remain asymptomatic till it passes and may the family stay well.

    Sherbert is a real character…i wonder what attracts the lamb to the inside of a wheelbarrow. Is Sherbert still taking the occasional drink from his mum, or is she completely out of the mumsy picture?

    Many congratulations on the fund raiser. Xxxxx

    • Thanks Menhir. It is odd that suddenly two dogs need teeth out, I’m dreading taking Annie in case they want to remove hers too! All good so far re covid, long may that continue. Sherbet is well and truly weaned now, he is such an odd little creature, always up to something he shouldn’t be.xxx

  12. Hoping that you will all be ok after your brush with Covid, rather worrying for you. Your vet does seem to enjoy pulling teeth out, I really hope it was all necessary. Your hubby was amazing putting himself through that experience, rather him than me!

    • Thanks Pauline, touch wood we’ve all been fine re covid, I can’t wait to see the back of it though. Hubs was petrified of the zip wire but really enjoyed it once he did it, rather him than me too! xxx

  13. A zip wire! How exciting! But I’m sorry about the miserable weather. Look at that little lamb! You must get fond of some of the animals at the rescue. And your garden – flourishing as usual. xxx

    • Thanks Gill. Yes, we all get far too attached to the animals in the rescue. Always good to see them go to good homes though. xxx

  14. Oh, I’m sorry your sweet daughter caught the virus, but I’m so glad she’s been asymptomatic.

    Please give my love to sweet Buddy and darling Sam! I’m holding them in my hearts and will be eagerly awaiting news that Sam’s issues are tended swiftly and well. You’re not kidding about vet prices. We figure we’re paying off quite a few luxuries for the vets in our local office.

    Oh, my, I’m in love with Sherbet. How precious. I hope the perfect home and humans are coming her way.

    Your garden looks amazing, really it does. Hope your tomatoes scoot along! And you have 2 more apricots than I’ve ever grown! I can’t believe you can leave dahlias in the ground! Wow!

    How wonderful that your dear one was brave enough to ride that zipline. Oh, my! How great to have earned so much for the Rescue!

    Love to all in your new week. xoxoxo

    • Thankfully we’ve all been fine re the covid, more tired than usual but nothing more. Vets prices seen to soar each year, I imagine many animals suffer due to people simply not being able to afford them. Fingers are crossed that Sherbet finds the perfect home, it’s lovely seeing how each sheep has a unique personality. I have to say that my tomatoes are the worst they’ve ever been, I’ll be lucky to get a handful. Thanks Kitty. Huge love and hugs to you all.xxxx

  15. Fingers crossed that your daughter doesn’t get any of the dreaded symptoms, I think many people have or have had covid without actually knowing about it. Awww, poor Buddy and Sam, It’s such an expense taking them to the vet, isn’t it. We’ve always had insurance for Archie but they always recoup anything we claim, and more, the premiums go up ridiculous amounts every year, so while it gives us peace of mind that it’s there if ever we need to claim back a big amount, I know there’ll only be one winner in the end. Oh, Sherbet is such a cutie. Will he stay at the rescue or will he be rehomed? Well done to your hubby, rather him than me though, and just look at that weather after all the sunshine we had just recently.

    • Thankfully we’ve all been well, maybe a little more tired than usual but nothing more sinister. Sorry to hear about your pet insurance going up each year, that’s why I don’t bother with it, they would rake it in with three dogs and a cat. Sherbet will be re-homed, but only if the home is suitable and has other other sheep, most of our sheep tend to stay at the rescue. Thanks Jo.xxx

  16. Your vet does indeed sound a little extraction happy! I hope Sam’s issues get sorted soon. All your fruit, flowers and veggies are looking fabulous. Love the dear little rescue lamb peeking through the fire escape and a huge well done to Hubs! That’s quite an achievement – I speak as someone who had to be rescued from a seaside zip wire that was about 10 feet long and 5 feet off the ground! My acrophobia kicked in and I couldn’t move! I love a good storm but it does seem a trifle unfair to have them in August! xx

    • Thanks Veggiemummy. I’m dreading the next time that Annie has to visit the vet, no doubt they’ll start extracting her teeth too! I laughed out loud at you having to be rescued from a ten foot long zip wire! To be honest yo wouldn’t even get me on one that small!xxx

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