Happy days, Puppies Pugs,

Good evening friends, This will be a short note as I am going to have an early night. Mary and I will have to be up real early as we are leaving here at 6am. The packing is now finished. I wonder how many people like packing ? I find it quite a challenge as I have to travel as lightly as possible as everything for both Mary and I has to be able to be transported on the wheelchair...as well as me !! I have even got Mary's down to a fine art, she puts so much out we might need a transporter if left to her own packing !!

I had a lovely weekend. friends were down visiting my sister Sarah and we met them on Saturday morning. I had Dee my wee dog with me and they were delighted with him and said that they thought that they would have to have another dag...their last one having died at Easter...however they were very sure that they wanted a "pug" and they were very hard to get... as they explained that I suddenly remembered that in our local paper I had seen an advert for just that pug dogs...when I told them they got so excited. I promised to look for the paper when I got home after Mary and I had been shopping in Chippenham..this I did but by that time they had gone out and didn't return till 3.45 when I called them with the news telephone number etc. Sarah phoned down shortly afterwards to say that they had ..gone...for puppy over to Wales...it took them about 3 hours to go there and collect the wee pup 9 weeks old so were not back to Sarah's utill 10.30pm. Such excitement it caused. I was so pleased for them. I can't say that a Pug would be my choice of a dog but they sure love him...

Now I will close with a wee poem that my Brother in Law has just recently written. It was written about and for Bill who was their very elderly neighbour...I hope that you will all enjoy it ...

A LASTING MEMORY

I was in the back garden for a look at the sky
When a movement next door, upstairs, caught my eye.
The back bedroom curtain was moving about
I thought “Something is in there, I’ll give Bill a shout”
So I went to tell him and loudly I told
“I will go and investigate” – him being old.

As I entered the room, was it feathered or furred?
But there in the window, as I’d hoped, t’was a bird.
It must have come into the eaves in the gloom
Down the loft hatchway and into the room.
So gently I caught this dark bird, What a thrill!
Then carefully downstairs, to show it to Bill.

“You are honoured” he said “For that bird never lands
and now you are holding a swift in your hands”
Then I took it outside and said a goodbye
And it went like an arrow up into the sky.

John Mitchell. August 2009

It is a timely reminder that Autumn is fast approaching as the swifts have now gone to warmer places. The leaves on the trees are turning brown and by the time Mary and I return on the 15th. I have no doubt many lovely colours will be showing.

Until we return. Look after yourselves and always remeber to.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.