Amazon exiles discussion
Don't Kill Snails with Salt ... Creme Eggs & Toasted Teacakes ... Biscuits & Bench Stories, Life, the Universe, & Everything!
I walk every morning (very proud that I can do 6km!!) and pass a bloke with his black and tan doberman en route to a park (ball in hand). I have never seen a happier dog - he just knows what is in store for him once he gets off that lead and he loves his world!
It's the same here as well, Val, Heinz 57 Pups are very hard to find and we have spent months in ringing around all of the Animal Sanctuaries & Rescue Centres when searching for them.We got Moo and Tee from the RSPCA. The Woman that they took them from said that if they wouldn't take the 7 unwanted Pups that she had from her, there and then, she was going to just dump them somewhere - so the RSPCA had to take them in even though they were only just barely 3 weeks old at the time and they had to be bottle-fed by Hand around the clock.
At 4 weeks old they were transferred from the RSPCA in Barnsley over to the RSPCA Puppy Unit in Chesterfield - and I just happened to ring them up on the very day that they had arrived and so we were offered an Early Viewing even though they were still too young to be made available yet.
It was a round trip of 3 hours travel but it proved to be ohhh SO worth it ;o>
We had been searching for over 8 months by then to find any Pups and were down on numerous Waiting Lists. We instantly fell in love with the two that were the very tiniest and looked a lot more like each other than all of the Pups. They seemed to belong together and we just felt that we had to have both of them ;o>
This was 12 years ago now and they cost us £120 each at the time - although that did include a Voucher to get them spayed for Free when they were old enough to be able to have their Ops.
Anita wrote: "Good,luck with the pup Derek ,I hope there are several Brown and tan Dogs,I'm off to google that colour ,I've only seen Black and Tan.We got Treacle by first someone dumping her at Christmas and th..."...or possibly not. They're trained to kill at a 2 word command!
"They're trained to kill at a 2 word command!"let's hope those two words ain't 'good boy'.
Yes Val, Minnie is a Romanian rescue and I feel particularly lucky to have her. I applied for lots of other rescue mutts of various ages and actually got quite paranoid that there was some sort of age bar (one rescue site said quite clearly they would only rehome to families with children over 14 and adults under 60) and most sites just don't give any reply so I wrote a slightly snotty email to that effect to one of them ..... and got no reply. Then I applied to that site for Minnie's sister, got a reply to say she'd gone but was I interested in her sister who hadn't been put up on the website - I was round there in a flash. Most Romanian rescues are big dogs and have been roaming the streets but diminutive Minnie and her sis had been fostered as pups in a home so apart from a few puddles on the carpet she's been an easy pup to rehome. I don't think the journey over in cages on the 'happy bus' can be all that thrilling for them but Minnie's so open and friendly. I knew she was mine when, the instant I met her, she flopped on her back for a belly rub.
...'I knew she was mine when, the instant I met her, she flopped on her back for a belly rub'Sounds like a dating site!
Tech XXIII wrote: "that's 'ow oi met the woife!"and how I met the woof.
Just had a moment with the postie. Knock on the door as I'm about to disrobe for a shower so I run down and without thinking open the door. In a flash she's out there on her hind legs begging for a fuss which she gets along with the usual, "You're a cutie". I call her in almost successfully but she bombs out for fussing round 2 and the good-natured postie has to grab her and push her through the door (no shoes on and it's wet out there, so, so wet). Of course posties have much to fear from unrestrained dogs and their inattentive owners but I don't think being pestered and charmed by a little fluff like Minnie can lead to serious injury.
Lez wrote: "...'I knew she was mine when, the instant I met her, she flopped on her back for a belly rub'Sounds like a dating site!"
That's Grimsby's Freeman Street on a pre-Covid Saturday night. Not sure it's their bellies they want rubbing though.........
x ! x ! x ! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANITA ! x ! x ! x ...
Have a good one, Anita. Let there be cake! ;o)
Happy Birthday Anita, hope you have a great day!
Happy Anita Day. I hope Treacle and The Stickies behave themselves. And that you have a nice day free from looking after other people's children! 😀
More on the joy of house hunting. Yesterday, we made an offer (a bit below, but not much) on a house we liked. Today it turns out that the price shown isn't actually the price. Advertise at £xk and then tell would be buyers that they won't take less than £xk+y. So, it's still in our price range but why do that? Makes us very jumpy about how reliable they are.First time we've been gazumped by the seller before we've even got to first base ...
Is this through an Estate Agent, Isabella, or are you dealing directly with the Seller? I just showed your Post to my Mum who worked for an Estate Agents for over 30 years and I'm afraid she has said that, in her opinion, you really should walk away from this one as it sounds like it is a dishonest and an unsafe Vendor who could have you agreeing to a much higher Price and then paying out on Surveys and Solicitor Fees before very likely telling you that the Price is even higher still or that the House has been sold to someone else ;o<
She says that ... if they are doing this to you then they will surely also be using these same tactics to play off any other potentials Buyers against you - and so, the chances are, that you will be very unlikely to be the ones to get to buy this House.
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Is this through an Estate Agent, Isabella, or are you dealing directly with the Seller? I just showed your Post to my Mum who worked for an Estate Agents for over 30 years and I'm afraid she has ..."
It's through an agent, Suzy and we're probably going to walk away. I tried to explain this morning what our problem was with this messing about with the pricing and the agent didn't seem to get it - nuff said?
Yep! - Estate Agents are far too savvy and smart not to be fully understanding exactly what you are saying to them about the Price Games that they are playing with potential Buyers for this House.
Isabella, Mum says that you can actually report them for this.Perhaps you should tell them this if they ever make contact with you again. They are not allowed to do this - this is not an Auction with the Winner being the highest Bidder ;o<
Thankyou for your good wishes,yes a day full of cake ...and vodka.A large portion of the cake sent by our very generous friend on here.
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Isabella, Mum says that you can actually report them for this.Perhaps you should tell them this if they ever make contact with you again. They are not allowed to do this - this is not an Auction ..."
We have a rooted objection to the messing about. In the past, we've had dealings with the straightforward and the not so straightforward and we won't get in to bargaining. When we moved to Scotland, we were told that the system of 'offers over' could get very expensive as surveys had to be paid for before offers were made, as any offer is binding on the buyer north of the border. The seller whose house we wanted didn't like the system and just said to the agent 'The price is the price. No more, no less.' Made life so much easier ...
It's funny that people who wouldn't dream of asking for a discount in Tesco will suddenly behave as if they were in the bazaar when they buy or sell a house. ;o)
Anita wrote: "yes a day full of cake ...and vodka"And yet you still managed to be able to log into Goodreads, Anita?!! ;o>
Everyone else here is full of admiration for you! ... and full of Cake and Alcohol too as we are all still enjoying your virtual Party whilst now propped up against Walls or sat on the Floor under the Forum Table ... either giggling away to ourselves or passed out! - LOL!!! ;o>
I never get drunk (although I do sometimes get to feel pleasantly tiddly) so I guess that I'm now going to be the designated picker-upper and carrier for tonight's little do?
I'm definitely not wheel-chairing Lez and Helen all the way back to their Homes in Scotland though?!! ... they can sleep it off here tonight and I'll call them a Cyber Cab in the morning! ;o>
Stockport feels like it has been in Lock-down for forever ... and ever ... and ever these days - but nevertheless we are still hoping that we will be getting to hear some good news to still being in Tier 3 soon ;o> ...
Please don't forget to order your PPE Chips at the Bar! ...
Bad news for Chocoholics ! ... ;oO ...
Sad news of yet more Stores closing, but still, this made me laugh! ... ;o>
LOL!!! ... it's time for Carols by Can-dlelight!!! ;o> ...
Belated Birthday Wishes Anita! Afraid I'm a tad late to the party. There's a surprise eh? Hope ya had a pleasant day in any case.
We saved you some Cake and a glass of your favourite tipple, Blastro ;o>
They're beautiful. Not sure why Gordon Ramsay has to be inflicted on the population of Oz any more than is absolutely necassary though;https://www.australiansiloarttrail.co...
WoW?!! ... they are amazing, Val! ;o>I caught the end of something a couple of decades ago on the TV that shown some artwork on either a Grain Silo or a Water Tower but I think that might possibly have been in the USA?
So this is an actual 'thing' in Australia then? - a unique Art form that has set up it's own Trails? ... Ohhh, I'd definitely be signing up to get to go on one of those! ;o>
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sil...
suzysunshine7 wrote: "We saved you some Cake and a glass of your favourite tipple, Blastro ;o>"Cheers Suze. A shot of JD will do me. J gets me a bottle every Christmas but with me not being much of a drinker anymore - not for many years - half of it always ends up being guzzled by one of the Blast Juniors.
Cake? Yep I eat cake! : )
I got a Christmas Card from you yesterday, Blastro! ... thank you, Poppet ... xI've got four now! - but I've no idea when I'll be getting mine posted so I hope everyone bears with me if they don't get one until after New Year! - LOL!!! ;o>
They are all written out and sealed and ready to go but I haven't seen the Neighbour I was going to ask if they'd mind posting them for me for almost a fortnight now. She must be very busy what with Work and her young Lads so I haven't wanted to ring her to remind her she had offered.
Poor Val never gets mine until almost Easter - but I think I've managed to excel myself this year as she probably won't be getting this one until Christmas Eve of 2021 now?!! ;oO
No probs Suze. I never ever send cards but this year I thought I'd break that and show a tiny bit of thought to a few cyber friends. Just the wimmin tho I'm afraid. Sorry fellas (those of you who's addresses I have) but I wun't have thought you'd hold it against me. In fact some of ya might've found it a bit weird if you'd got a card from me. Apologies if it makes me look sexist but blokes don't send Christmas cards to each other round these parts. Usually t'other half will send a few but that's about it. Am I a tad outta touch perhaps?
I dunno? - but maybe that's probably because I'm female and I've always loved sending Cards ;o>I do think that a lot of folk don't tend to bother as much these days as they did in previous generations and years - and I find that to be incredibly sad because, although I believe in each to their own on what folk decide to do, I know just how much pleasure I get and the warmth of the gratitude that I feel from knowing someone actually still remembered me and cared enough about me to send me one ;o>
YAYYY!!! ;o> ...
... ;o> ... ! ! ! HAPPY ! - ! HAPPY ! - ! HAPPY ! ! ! ... ;o>
Blastronaut wrote: "No probs Suze. I never ever send cards but this year I thought I'd break that and show a tiny bit of thought to a few cyber friends. Just the wimmin tho I'm afraid. Sorry fellas (those of you who's..."I'm one of the lucky recipients! Bless you Blastro and family! A very Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Right back atcha Val. All the best m'dear.
This is SO true! - LOL!!! ;o> ...
Sorry folks, I know that I really should have been making much more of an effort over the last few months to still try and keep this Snail Thread going even if I do usually often end up in feeling like I am mostly talking out loud to myself when I do - LOL!!! The truth be told, it sometimes feels like I'm now resorting to keeping some sort of a personal Blog on here at times and, although no-one on the Forums might have realised this of me, I'm actually a very shy and quite private person in real life and not someone who feels all that comfortable with keeping on with doing that.
This Snail Group Thread was never intended to be mine to over-see and keep going and, to be honest, I genuinely wouldn't have set it up in the first place if I had ever thought for one minute that it might turn out to be this way.
And as you all know, or should surely know by now, I haven't exactly got much of a particularly full-filing, exciting and thrill-a-minute, or an interesting life that is worth anyone else also getting to be as bored to tears by it as I sometimes am - LOL!!! ;o>
This Thread was actually set up for a very small group of online friends that I came across while I was taking some of my last incredibly sad looks around all of our beloved Amazon Forums - but sadly they soon decided that they would rather not use it - and so I've kept on with posting and keeping it going for the few regulars that still seemed to want it to continue and in the hope that maybe even some new Forum Members might also be wanting to join in as well.
I've decided to try and give it one more go over Christmas time and New Year just to see if it has any life left in it - and, if it hasn't, then I think it might be a good time to call it a day - and to maybe ask Gordon whether it might even be for the best to delete the whole Thread rather than to just leave it here.
There are a couple of other Threads on here now to chat on so if there is no more need of this one then, as terribly sad as it is, I think it's probably time to move onwards and upwards from being a Snail on here.
There's absolutely no need to feel obliged to Post any responses at all to this Post of mine, by the way. I just thought that it was only right and fair to those who do occasionally still bob in to Post on here that I should let you know that this is what I have been thinking more and more about this particular Thread over this last incredibly strange and quite extraordinary year ... x x x
P.S. ... Just to reassure everyone ... I'm absolutely fine and I'm not having any kind of a Meltdown - I just thought that I'd let you all know what I keep on thinking whenever I come back onto this barely active Thread. It was lovely while it lasted ... but it's been one Hell of a year for so many of us, hasn't it? - and very sadly it's still not over yet - and things obviously won't ever be quite the same again or be anywhere near back to being almost how they previously were for quite a few of us for a very long time to come.
I just don't think that there are enough Forum Members coming online anymore to be able to sustain all of the Threads that we have and, if there is no interest and no future in them, then we need to be brutally honest about it and be looking around instead at other ways to keep these special kinds of friendly Forum going ... x x x
Okay, so getting back to the Thread with a Post that I've already put up on a Thread on another Forum that is also sadly barely active as well ...Christmas is coming ... and the Freezers are getting full!!! ;oO
I tried ordering a Butterflied Leg of Lamb Joint off Sainsburys the other day, as it wasn't too expensive (£11.20), and the Reviews on it are mostly excellent - so we'll hopefully be having that for our Sunday Lunch tomorrow and, if it lives up to the Reviews, I'll be buying another one in for the Freezer.
I also ordered a Turkey Leg for the Freezer as well - only £3 and I've been sent a huge Joint that will last us several Meals! At that price I really must order a couple more over the next few weeks while they still have them in stock ;o>
Iceland have just added some extra-special larger and rather interesting pre-prepared Cook from Frozen Joints to their Website as well - so I think that I'll probably be stocking up with a few of those while they are still available over Christmas time ... if I can possibly manage to squeeeeeeeeeeeeeze them into our Freezers somewhere, that is?!! - LOL!!! ;o>
I can't pretend it hasn't been a rough week. Last week my upper Brace Wire started with coming away in 3 places from the individual Mounts that are supposed to hold it in place. It's felt awful every time a Mount has given way with such a thunk noise and yanking sensation - and I'm having to be SO incredibly careful cleaning my Teeth in case I accidentally cause for any more Wire to come away! ;oOThankfully my first Orthodontic Appointment since February is booked in for next Thursday and I'll be there, no matter what, as I really can't cope with struggling with this for very much longer.
Mum has been quite ill with an ongoing bad Cold/Chest Infection so it's worked out rather well that we've both been making and eating a lot of Homemade Soups over the last few days. She seems a bit brighter today and has decided to take Mitz for a short walk while she feels much better than she did ;o>
A friend of one of our Neighbours has sent her a Box of rock hard Peanut Brittle as a Christmas Gift! ... she is 92, Diabetic, has rather loose Dentures, and everyone who knows her knows that she prefers a mostly soft and bland Diet - LOL!!! ;o>She has very kindly and generously chosen to regift them on ... to me!!!!!!! ;oO
firstly,thanks Blastro for the birthday wishes.Ive sent out most of my cards If you give Suzy permission to give me your address Id like to send one off for you,Val's is probably floating around somewhere and will hopefully arrive before January.Suzy as you know I don't manage to get on here that often what with the beasties etc,I do read The snail thread ,hopefully you will continue it I'm glad your mum is on the mend ,it's nasty at their age when they have a bad chest.I have a delivery coming on Thursday ,as with you whether it will fit in it is debatable.
Hiyah Anita ... xI expect you will be extra busy right now with all of the many Christmassy events and things that the Beasties are involved in? I hope that Christmas won't turn out to be too weird and restrictive and far less of a treat for them this year due to the Pandemic.
Even though I don't, and won't, get to go out anywhere anymore - I'm still seriously considering buying one of these for myself ;o> ...
Hi,we are in serious Christmas craft making at the moment ,the house is very glittery.The beastie's had the usual Christmas dinner ,party just in their bubble,but no play or nativity.I think Thomas is doing a nativity and they're filming it,sad not to go to watch it.I love the mask,I have a llama one and a Christmas dachshunds in coats one.
Amazon exiles
Books mentioned in this topic
Ten Poems about Snow (other topics)And So This is Christmas: 51 Seasonally Adjusted Poems (other topics)
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (other topics)
The Quangle Wangle's Hat (other topics)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Christina Rossetti (other topics)John Keats (other topics)
Joan Aiken (other topics)
We always ask if there are any small to medium little hairy woofer pups, go to take a look, and then see which ones we just feel..."
I agree with you in that Heinz 57 are often much healthier and smarter than pedigrees but these days they are quite hard to find (in Oz anyway). There has been so much emphasis on neutering, microchipping and stamping out backyard breeders (all good things!) that "mistakes" only occur rarely. Designer mixes are very popular, especially among allergy sufferers, but they can cost as much as a pedigree. Even adopting a dog from the RSPCA or similar will set you back about £200-£250 in adoption fees and often, you actually go on a waiting list for the dog you like. Plus, many of the dogs in animal shelters are there because they have been a problem for their previous owners, so you may have to put in a lot of time to retrain them. We have family in the UK who have adopted 2 dogs from Romania (like Brass??) so maybe folk there have access to a bigger pool that we do here.
My daughter adopted a mother and son from a charity that rescues dogs in poor situations. They are the weirdest cross (corgi??? x Rhodesian Ridgeback???). They weren't cheap and they had to put their names down for them - so having set their heart on them, they could have potentially lost out to someone else. They are very quiet and easy dogs but have various health issues and are timid to the point of blind panic in many situations (a plastic bag rustling!). We look after them when needed but I wouldn't honestly like to have them as pets myself.