Quote from: muddy on August 16, 2026, 10:58:59 AMAndy Burnham has asked for ' a moment of reflection ' as he issues a statement on Jason Arday .
I wonder why he didn't ask for one for Anne Widdecombe  whose funeral was a few days ago .
Or maybe he should reflect on the grief of Andrew Harpers mother and family upon who his government  is about to inflict more pain as they see his smirking killers walk free.

Hardly surprising, Arday ticked a lot of boxes in the woke agenda.

I started out in the late 70s being one of the people you COULD talk to, I took reports of gas leaks, requests for repairs and servicing.  A great way to learn about the business.

Ta Scrumpy!

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Quote from: muddy on August 16, 2026, 08:26:21 PMYes I am counting the days until they return .
They will have a very sad decision to make .
As it is he is eating well but sleeps a lot and when awake he has severe separation anxiety and follows me everywhere .
He has pain medication poor old chap .
He still loves treats so he gets them too .😢

Yes,  we all have to make that decision in the end,  and no matter how many times you've done it,  it never, ever gets any easier.

It sounds like he is coping well enough at the moment though,  Muddy,  its only natural he will miss them.
At least he knows you, Mr. M, and Mungo,  so it can't be as bad as being stuck in kennels like many poor mutts have done to them.  I always think that must be like being slung in a prison,  and they don't even know why.

If the pain meds are doing their job, and he is eating well and sleeping peacefully,   I would try not to think too far ahead.
Just enjoy him while he's still here.
Give him a little gentle cuddle from me please. 

August 16, 2026, 09:31:18 PM

Quote from: GrannyMac on August 16, 2026, 04:52:05 PMI worked for British Gas for 18 years, great employer IMO. That was when we used to be considered the best for customer service, like M&S. I took redundancy after working in three locations.  OH was ill, and I didn't fancy the long commutes.  And the company had changed massively through privatisation.

You must have learned a good deal in that length of time, Granny,  so its heartening to see you chose Octopus to be with now,  same as me.     

I remember one thing that used to annoy me with BG,  and that was it was almost impossible to get to actually speak to someone on the telephone.  I vaguely remember they kept making errors on my account too,  and I could never get hold of them to tell them.

I find Octopus keep you in touch with things,  and are easy to communicate with, too. Always been helpful if I had needed to ring them.
I have let them know today to keep me on their new fixed tariff too,  so its all done now.

Quote from: muddy on August 16, 2026, 08:20:15 PMMups have they prescribed prednisone yet ?
This will stop the itching for a while
Unfortunately its long time side effects are not good .
Some people believe it's a food allergy .
I give mungo liver once a week and lambs hearts if there are any .
I try and give him eat least some good quality food goodness knows what goes into cans and kibble .

The vet did not suggest Prednisone Muddy,  but probably because it is not safe with her Vetoryl  (Cushings meds).
I did look it up, and her Vetoryl stops her producing too much cortisone,  but Prednisone would put the cortisone back again,   so not good for her.
Thanks anyway.

I will pop out and buy her some fresh chicken tomorrow,  and put it in my slow cooker overnight.  She'll enjoy that.

Quote from: Scrumpy on August 13, 2026, 10:38:00 AMAww! Muddy.. He sounds a lovely old thing..
I couldn't bear to hear him crying downstairs all alone..
 Just give him lots of love and nice treats.. He has earned them..
And just hope.. it's not 'on your watch'..

Yes I am counting the days until they return .
They will have a very sad decision to make .
As it is he is eating well but sleeps a lot and when awake he has severe separation anxiety and follows me everywhere .
He has pain medication poor old chap . 
He still loves treats so he gets them too .😢

Quote from: Mups on August 15, 2026, 10:00:00 PMI managed to get an appointment for Liffey this morning.   
The young vet did a flea check first - nothing there.
She thinks it is an allergy of some sort.

I showed her all the places that she had made sore,  especially her tummy,  and the vet was surprised at just had bad it was.   
She has given me some tablets for here,  plus a skin spray I have never seen before.  When you press the nozzle, a foam comes out.   
I have to rub rub this into her skin and watch she doesn't lick it until it is dry.  She said I can also still give her the Piriton,  but I haven't decided about that yet, I'll see how it goes first.

Lif is very quiet today,  and sleeping most of the time,  but there seems a slight improvement,  so that is encouraging at least,  but unless I know what she is allergic to,  I don't know what to keep her away from!
Just parted with another £90-something pounds.

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Scrumps, Alex and Muddy. 

Mups have they prescribed prednisone yet ? 
This will stop the itching for a while 
Unfortunately its long time side effects are not good .
Some people believe it's a food allergy .
I give mungo liver once a week and lambs hearts if there are any .
I try and give him eat least some good quality food goodness knows what goes into cans and kibble .

I think he needs to be reminded of the seriousness of the crime .
That poor young man was dragged behind the car at 42 mph for a mile .
First responders did not at first recognise his body they thought it was a deer carcass.
Can you imagine how his mother must feel the horror of his death is something his family will carry to their graves .
A life sentence .

Quote from: klondike on August 16, 2026, 10:22:00 AMCould be he can't act. Lots of government power has been passed over to quangos, and courts, Those courts rule by our human rights act which incorporates European human rights law various international treaties and probably loads more stuff that wants weeding out. I'm pretty sure that he'll be saying that it is all out of his hands and that may even be true. The whole rotten ediface needs a huge chopper and the politicians just don't seem to have the balls to take it in hand 

Acts of Parliament are passed, surprisingly, by Parliament (presumably due to a majority of the Labour government).  Consequently, perhaps the 'human rights act' could then be changed, perhaps by ignoring the European human rights law, even if it requires our leaving the ECHR.

This government will not, of course, bother with such matters which don't directly interest them.
"Out of my hands" could be translated to "I just can't be bothered"!