Thank you for all the comments yesterday re Betty. Yes she does need more stimulation to make up for the fact that she's not getting lots of free-running exercise and we're trying different things. Part of the problem in trying to keep her occupied is that she's a chewer, she has massively strong jaws and chews/tears apart everything we give her to play with. Cheap toys last just minutes, literally, before she's torn them apart....even the expensive supposedly tough toys she can chew through. Not only does she chew it, she also eats it if we don't take it off her in time. I'm very careful to try and avoid her eating anything (plastic, rubber, bits of cloth) as I don't want to have to rush her to the vets because she's got some kind of intestinal blockage! We do give her the toys you stuff with treats or peanut butter/pate sometimes, she does like them and they keep her occupied for 20 mins or so, until she's got all the food out of them and then she chews the toy itself.
Hopefully, it'll only be a few more days before the farmers have ploughed the manure into the fields and seeded them, then we'll be able to take her in the fields again and let her off the lead. Husband did manage to find a field yesterday that seemed to be lying fallow, so she did get a run....however, she obviously found something to roll in (probably a dead animal or an old cow pat) as she came back dirty and stinky. It's a good job we love her!
This morning I was up early as usual and went online to my grocery order, I'd ordered it a couple of weeks ago, it's a click n collect slot for tomorrow, it was all I could get at the time. Having gone shopping last week for fresh stuff and managing to get most of what I needed, I wanted to delete some of it off my order - no point in getting more than we need. A quarter of my order was listed as out of stock anyway, and I deleted another dozen or so things, it wouldn't surprise me if even more is out of stock when we arrive to collect it tomorrow. It won't matter though, we'll manage with what we've got, I'm not going in the shop to try and replace anything.
I've got terrible backache this morning, it kept me awake a lot last night. I know why, it's because I spent a lot of time in the kitchen last week, baking (including some cakes for neighbours) and batch cooking meals and veggies for the freezer. Standing in one position, as you do when you're making cakes or bread, chopping veg or standing over the stove, has always been a killer for my back. And my hips are painful too, as I forgot to take my CBD oil last night. If ever I thought that the oil doesn't work, this proves it does - on the few occasions I've forgotten to take it, my hips are agony the next day. I've taken it now, and will try and do some gentle exercise today, and then lie on the bed with my cheapo TENS machine pads on my back....it's not brilliant but is better than nothing. I don't want to take paracetamol as we haven't got loads of them and they can't be bought for love nor money at the moment. Would rather do without meds anyway.
Mixture of sunshine and clouds this morning, there's a blooming chilly wind though, I won't be doing anything outside.
I'm sorry you had to find out in such a painful way but isn't it great that the oil helps so much. Hoping that the other things you are putting in place today will also help.
ReplyDeleteOh, Betty - you do like to keep your mum and dad busy, don't you?
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Thanks Joy, yes I'm glad I have the oil, don't know what I'd do without it. It's worth the price, that's for sure. xx
DeleteIt must be lovely to have a pet to occupy you even if smelly. I am more of a cat person but when our Siamese died we were just about to move house so did not get another one. At the moment I feel in need of a pet to stroke! I am missing hugs from my children and grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI have a supermarket order due on Thursday so I’ll check what I need and alter the list accordingly tomorrow. I’ve a few too many veggies in the drawer that need using up.
One thing I will miss is the Sunday papers this morning. It is not the same online.
It is, Catherine, she's the light of my life and entertains and makes me laugh every single day. And one of the highlights of the day is the hour in the evening when I'm sitting on the sofa with her snuggled up to me and her head on my lap. Stroking her is very calming. I'm sure you're missing your children/grandchildren hugely. xx
DeleteI have some cbd oil that Tom used to take for his cough, (he now takes codeine phosphate) and have often wondered if it would help my awful back ache. Can I ask how many drops you use and how often, I think I should give it a go.
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Briony, I have 4 or 5 drops twice a day, morning and night. It took 10 or 12 days before I noticed a difference in the pain so don't expect it to work immediately. Although it might - everyone's different! I hope it works for you. xx
DeleteWinwick Mum blog says they each take their dog out separately, so it gets 4 walks a day. Maybe you and hubby could do the same, so at least Betty gets 2 walks. Not ideal, but then these aren't ideal times. I hope the back/hip ache eases. You should be able to relax a bit now on the cooking front, as you have lots in the freezer. Have you seen the poem "And People Stayed Home" by Kathleen O'Meara? It was written after the Irish potato famine, but is so relevant today. Don't know how to put a link, but if you Google it. xx
ReplyDeleteYour description of Betty is just the way my Pit chews. The only thing that I have found that is safe and lasts is antlers.Rather than splintering they dissolve. I am in the US and I've seen them in chain pet stores around here. I found some on web sites too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog. It is interesting and informative.
I forgot to ask my daughter today, Sooze. Sorry, I’ve got a memory like a sieve! But she has a large dog who can get through the toughest toys. But as Iexie said above, antlers are brilliant, Bumble has several and they last ages. Do you have a Mole Valley Farmers near you? Pets at Home have them too, but they don’t always have the large ones (when they’re open of course) xx
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