Well it’s been an interesting few weeks! I thought I’d seen a lot of snow at the beginning of the year – well that was nothing compared to what we had this time!

I’d say we had slightly more than last time, but it stuck around for ages. We had a vague semblance of a “White Christmas” – that is to say it didn’t snow, but the ground was still very much covered in the white stuff!

It stayed away for the 11th and we made it to the NEC for LKA. I spent too much money buying Christmas presents! And Elton got a respectable 4th in a large class which had 18 entered. When we all went round together at the beginning of the class I had a glimpse of what he could be like when he eventually settles (in years to come, the rate he’s going!) and…wow.

By the 19th we were well and truly snowed in, and as they (rather misguidedly in my opinion) decided to go ahead with the show I’d entered, we missed it. I did feel for our judge – we had a breed specialist who’d struggled all the way from the other side of the country, she had an entry of 16 Paps and not one turned up! Which I suppose backs up that I feel it really ought to have been either cancelled or rescheduled. Our Obedience Club Christmas Party was also victim to the weather 🙁 They’re planned to reschedule it but not sure when.

My new chair was finally redelivered  in November, and although I can’t use it for prolonged periods (seating needs to be reassessed – appt on 7th Jan) it was an absolute godsend in the snow. I still can’t believe how well it coped!

On the subject of new things a couple of weeks ago I bought myself a new laptop….my old one is very old and hasn’t worked properly since it crashed, so it was well overdue! I wanted to replace it before VAT went up, and this deal came up so I went for it. I don’t like it as much as my VAIO, but I can’t deny it works better! I expect I’ll get used to it.

Christmas was ok…a bit strange, the day its self was nice, but Boxing Day was hard – always the way it was going to be really. Grandad always went to my uncle’s for Christmas Day, so we didn’t notice it so much…but Boxing Day they always came here, and there was definitely a void. The dogs were thoroughly spoilt! Lots of new toys and treats, Fish4Dogs Salmon Mousse for breakfast and Christmas Dinner a top of their normal biscuit for tea! For the first time I put together hampers for my parents this year which I had a lot of fun doing, they went down well.

On Wednesday we did our usual post-Christmas show at the Bath & West Showground. It’s always been a two day show but in the days of increased cost and falling entries I wish they’d go to one day, there would be room and it would save them hundreds. Nothing is ever simple – when I arrived and looked in the catalogue I wasn’t entered! Luckily I always get proof of posting whenever I post an entry, which they have to accept in lieu. I’d never had to use it until this year and now that’s three entries that have gone AWOL (one breed club champ (April), one open I actually sorted out before the show because I rang the secretary to query something and discovered the entry hadn’t arrived (October), and this show). I would say the post has been thoroughly disrupted because of the snow (we had no post for two weeks) but that obviously didn’t affect the April or October one and this was posted in November so should’ve got there in plenty of time! When we eventually got in the ring Elton wasn’t on his best behaviour, but not too bad. Got a 3rd.

In other news I’m feeling very sorry for myself cos I’ve got an infection in my face 😆 So, so painful and it’s stopping me sleeping which then makes everything worse. A new year tomorrow…..onwards and upwards?