Memories.......

Yesterday evening Beth and I drove to the ambulance station that I work at, not because I had to go to work, but because one of my crew mates was about to start his last shift, he is leaving to start a new life in Australia. The station had got up a collection for him and with the money we were able to get a really nice wallet and the rest was changed into Australian dollars to put inside it. We had all put some of our funny memories of jobs we had done with him, or things he said or did into a card on the front of which was a photograph of him with the new ambulance in which he'd had quite a bad accident, on the inside was a photo of the ambulance after the accident. Denise had made a huge chocolate cake (which we all had a slice of, it was absolutely delicious)and Steph had put up a banner wishing him luck. I think, (hope) he liked everything, we will all be sorry to see him go but know his reasons for leaving. Good Luck, (if you ever read my blog) Today after going shopping, seeing to the horses, and going to see my mum, I had to take the dog to the vets for her annual jabs and kennel cough booster. As my dog scratched at the door to be let into the vets two other dogs were clamouring to get out! She loves going, always has to say hello to the reception staff and any other people in the waiting room. After her Jabs we talked about the search and rescue and the sort of things I might need in a canine first aid kit, my vet was able to supply everything I needed for a small kit which should cover most immediate emergencies. My husband then joined us for a walk, we wandered down to the sea where I happened to bump into someone I hadn't seen for almost 30 years! he used to help run a club I attended, and almost every weekend and school holiday would see my brother and I down at his houseboat, playing with the many water vessels he owned from canoes to dinghy's to Dell Quay Dorey's, good times fond memories. The last 24 hours seems to have been all about memories.........

August (to date...)

On my way up to see the Northern Bird I had to fill my car with petrol, imagine how shocked I was to be told that my card had been declined!! I transferred £800.00 into my account out of my savings on the phone but had to wait till I got home to sort out the problem. To cut a long story very short, I have two mobile phone numbers, which means two sim cards. One card is in my phone the other I keep in a small sim box in my bag. This had been stolen unbeknown to me and the person who stole it rang up £771.50 in calls phoning Lithuania (The reason I hadn't realised is that I haven't used the card for over 18 months, I kept it to let the kids use if they ran out of credit and I needed to keep in touch with them, now we have friends and family its not needed) Vodafone said that I am liable for the charges as I didn't report it stolen till after the calls were made, my take on this (and the consumer directs take is.....) when giving a phone and or sim card the provider has a duty of care which covers noticing when drastic spending patterns occur (for instance, 13 calls to Lithuania????? you think???? Hmm, Other than that, August became a tighten your belt month, no treats for the kids even though it was the summer holidays and unfortunately no holiday, as the £800. was our holiday money. On Friday Number 4's friend called to ask if she would like to go on holiday with their family to Cornwall, after 24 hours of frantic clothes washing and drying (out on the line , in as it rained, back on the line when the sun came out again) She went yesterday at 3 pm. When I went to put her rabbit in last night I wasn't too pleased though as she hadn't shut the cage properly and the flippin thing was hiding behind the shed! a little bribery with food soon had him back in his run though. My Husband was on nights and Beth was out with her boyfriend so I was home alone, ... well me and the dog anyway.

South meets North

At the beginning of August I travelled north to spend a few days with the Northern bird, I have only ever been through Lancashire en route to Scotland, so it was all new. After a massive 6 1/2 hour journey (two big Rita's (Rita's? surely I mean RTA's on the M6) I finally arrived, early evening sort of time. That evening we went out to a carvery for dinner and spent the whole time catching up, The Northern bird had a few things she had to do the next day but we still got a chance to wander around and see different things. On the Friday we headed north to see the Angel of the North, known to the locals as a chunk of rusty steel, I thought it was brilliant, and loved it, we did the touristy thing and had our photo taken there, before finding yet another pub to have some lunch at ( there seems to be a theme here!) After which we went to the James Herriot museum, we saw some of the sets they used for filming as well as the real practice at Skeldale house. when we got home we had fish chips and mushy peas (yeah and gravy......don't ask, ..... but it was lovely!!) Saturday we went for a walk up a hill called the coppice (I think) from here I took a photo of the real Accrington Stanley football ground, it really does exist its not just a milk advert! That afternoon we went to a castle ruin before returning back to Northern Birds house for tea (not dinner! ) Sunday morning I left at about 10am for the long drive home again. I had a really good time and just hope we get to see each other again soon.

July

Well I think the most important things to happen in July have to have been Lit'lun turning 13! and me turning. . . well ok lets just say my Birthday was at the end of the month! It seems like such a short time ago Lit'lun really was a lit'lun, and in fact from here on in I will call her by a different name, as, even though she is the youngest she is as tall as me now. (number 4) she is our 4th child after all! She broke up for the summer holidays and went to stay with my mum for the first week as my Husbands and my shifts were such that she would have been home alone, and that is just not happening!
One evening during swift water training down at the harbour (with T24) I happened to mention how I would like to go out on the harbour masters launch, not realising that one of the team members was actually the deputy Harbour Master, the following Saturday saw me out for the day with the Harbour Masters team on their RIB's attending their emergencies within the harbour. It was brilliant, I had a great day even if it did start at 8 30 am and my first meal was at 4pm, just like being at work really.
I was asked if I would cover a few of the private ambulance shifts at a horse race meet which I did as its nice to have a bit of extra cash now and again.....or so I thought..... (see August!) and then The Blonde bird and Lou decided that for my Birthday we should go to ladies day at the aforementioned horse race venue, but, not just turn up.....on no, we were to be going in a Limo,.....but not just any Limo, oh no,...... A pink Limo with champagne and all. we had such a good day there was a small group of us went, and what made it extra good was the fact that everybody won some money, but best of all the horses all got to go home, none of them got injured (which is why I don't usually go to the races.)
The following day was my Birthday, My Husband took us including BOTH girls out for the day for a wander, then when we got back the two of us went out for dinner at a quiet country pub/restaurant it was a lovely end to the day and the month.

June.

It seems so long ago, the last time I posted on here was way back in June. I am sure loads has happened but only a few things stick in my mind, I will try and remember a few of the better things and endeavour to keep my blog up to speed!
As I previously mentioned the dog and I have joined T24 which is a search and rescue team, we were members of lowland search team several years ago but for one or two reasons we discontinued.
Along the south coast a short way from us every year they hold a 999 event, where all the emergency services get together to promote their latest campaigns and just so the public can see what sort of things they can do. This year the dog and I were invited to go with T24, Lit'lun who is a cadet member also came with us, it was held over a weekend so we decided to stay in the area, camping Friday and Saturday nights and coming home late on the Sunday.
The days were lovely and bright although a little too hot for the dogs who had to be paced and put into the shade (or the sea) quite frequently. Lots of people came over to our display tent to see what we did and to make a fuss of the dogs, there were 5 dogs there in total from T24, and they were all well behaved.
The nights however were a completely different ball game! The weather seemed to know when the show was over and immediately start raining! It didn't really bother us too much as the sound was quite nice on the tents, oh and did I mention the tents were all being sold at a country fair so we just used them of a night with out the trouble of putting them up and taking them down...... what joy! Thanks Ben for the loan.
I managed to bump into one of my friends down there who is a firefighter, he used to work for the same fire service that I did which is how I know him but he has since transferred to a different one further along the coast.