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2nd happy post of the day...

For about a year I've been thinking about getting a dog. I've had them as I grew up but never had one as 'my dog' and I knew it shouldn't be a case of "I want so I'll have": whereas I could get a dog, equally it would be getting a home so it had to be right on both sides. Recent circumstances meant my interest increased and after doing a lot of research I figured the best idea would be to get a rescued dog. I'd be giving it a home plus the organisations that do this would arrange all the necessary checks to ensure I, my home and circumstances would be right for a dog.

I went along to my local Dogs Trust a few times recently and whereas all the ones they had were nice we weren't able to come up with a perfect match. I then got in touch with the RSPCA and went along to one of their re-homing centres, had a chat about what I was looking for and we ended up with a shortlist of 3 dogs I liked. I told the staff that one of the reasons I wanted a dog was to come out on my runs and as I do anything up to 14 miles I needed a breed that was known for fitness and obviously would need to be fairly young too.

The RSPCA lady brought in an 18 month old Border Collie and I instantly knew he was the one we needed. He was quite nervous at first which they advised us of but she told us once he's checked you out and realised you're not a threat he gets very affectionate, and she was right. We sorted out the paperwork and we were told due to his nervousness we would need to attend 5 'socialising' visits where we get to know each other in different types of settings which also means the transition from living at the kennels to my home would be less stressful. I've had 2 already (the second being today) but within 5 minutes of the first one he was all over me - the handler even joked that I hadn't chosen him, he had chosen me.

He's extremely energetic (coming out on a run will help there) and exuberant but very 'scatty' as Collies tend to be and although he's quite obedient I will need to focus and channel his energy so it doesn't become a problem. As such the RSPCA have arranged training lessons.

Anyway we're due to collect him after Easter and I can't wait :) If you're thinking of getting a pet then going somewhere like the RSPCA or Dogs Trust is an excellent way to do some good plus you'll save money too. They also stay in touch to make sure everything is ok and give loads of advice and support if needed.

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I have decided if they lop a leg off I'm going to get a peg for my stump so I can sit and whittle it down :)

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That is brilliant good news Russ. I am a firm believer that rescue animals choose their new owners. Having, in a lot or cases been let down and experienced the worst side of human nature they seem to be able to hone into the the true character of the humans they then come into contact with.

Collies are great, I shared my child hood with a Welsh Border Collie, Very loyal with a keen intelligence and an absolute love of life I am sure this new addition to your family will repay you a million fold for the happy times you will share with him.

@ dilli. If it does come to that I am sure my John will send you a good whittling knife to use from his extensive collection. :D

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I got my collie cross from the Scottish SPCA and he is delight to have in our family home. What surprised me was how soon we gained his trust after what his previous owners put him through, still makes me angry at how cruel people can be. Well done Russ for adding a rescued dog to your home it won't be long till he is the boss if he is anything like our Keane. :)
I agree with joglynne these pets choose their new owners.

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We got our Dalmatian from the Dogs Trust - he was a challenge at the beginning (he hadn't had much affection or training), but after 18 months, he has (mostly) settled down.

It just takes time, affection, and the willingness not let the dog train you.....:D

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I must admit I'd like a dog - as a pet I mean - but not in the flat.

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Seems I am the only dog hater on CF. Oh dear.

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l am not sure Mr Grumpy would get on that well with a dog anyway.;)

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Yep we've been told about that! Collies can be quite erratic but as long as they are aware of the boundaries and who the boss is they're happy to abide by the rules.

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I'm more of a pussy man myself.

Wait, that sounds wrong. I mean pussy cats.

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It is a very shiny and substantial medal, I might need to get another to keep mine company! :D :p:

Of course if you don't win it on your first attempt you might as well give up altogether if the BBC commentary team is anything to go by.

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Yes Collies can be erratic but they will soon become your best pal, I took my dog to the local dog obedience class, which I found very good and being a Collie/Spaniel he picked things up really quickly, Collies are very clever and very keen to learn. The good thing about the class they gave me tons of advice and support.

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Just weighed myself and I have lost 2.5lb, really pleased as all I have done is just cut out the bread this week and started using the treadmill. Bread seems to be the killer if you want to lose weight as it is really high in calories.

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That's excellent news Weenie.:tu:

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Thank you :)

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Butter or no spread for me the other stuff is poison hydrogenated veg oil and oil/chemicals no ta

I can eat 6 or 8 slices of bread a day and still lose weight bread is not that high in calories really and is a good source of a complex carbohydrate which the body needs specially for brain function

1 slice of medium Warbutons is 96 calories 7 seeded hovis iirc 125 per slice to up the white to 350 cals you need to put a 5th of a pack of butter on the 2

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That is excellent :tu:

See I couldn't do that - I've not got a strong enough will ;)

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Just love it it when the sun shines, so good to have the little one's out playing rather than being stuck indoors in front of the tv whether watching or playing xbox/ps4. I think I'll take them swimming later :) then off to the swing park to feed the swans, I love sunny day's.

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:LOL:

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We are booked up to go to Prague in May, Somewhere different , have any of you been there?

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Enjoy :)
http://www.timeout.com/prague/

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Thanks for the link looks interesting. Weenie

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Your more than welcome, just wish it was me getting away but doing back/ front garden this summer with artificial grass and hopefully new kitchen at the end of the year Oh well can't have it all as the saying goes. Just hope we have a good summer where we can get a few camping trips in as the wee one loves camping and so do I after a bottle of wine. Enjoy your break in Prague, you can tell us all about it.

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The hospital are optimistic , they are making me a new shoe!

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That's excellent news.

Is it another multi coloured one Dilli?.

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That's a good thing is it not they must be pleased with your progress.

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Always a good sign... ;)

Made me chuckle. :D

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I'm just sitting here watching a beautiful robin trying to make a next in a very unsuitable location only about 3 feet from the ground in the corner of some conifer hedging. As a builder this guy must be a cowboy - he's dropped a pile of debris on the ground below and the entrance to his boudoir looks like a bomb's hit it. He keeps turning up with oversize twigs, leaves and other bits of garden detritus and most of it either gets tangled up upon entry or falls to the ground. His bolt hole is hardly inconspicuous and I'm at a loss as to why he chose it in the first place - there's plenty of equally dense and far less vulnerable hedging just feet away. :confused:

Was hoping to get a picture of 'Rob the Builder' at work but he seems to be having a break for now. Have to admire these little birds though...

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Well he came back to work but didn't seem too keen to appear on camera so I agreed to silhouette him out to save any embarrassment... :D

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Butter only in this house, as "Marg" is full of crap a chemicals to the point that if you left them outside the wildlife would eat the butter and not touch the Marg, also Marg is one molecule from being a plastic.

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:) very busy little chap ...

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Will do :)

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:)

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Only butter here too. No bread, or any other wheat products for that matter. Grains are bad. Stimulates insulin production. Insulin is the body's fat storer. Lower the insulin, improve the body's fat burning ability.

End of sermon. Sorry.

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Your lucky Heero. Not warm here but nice & dry

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Its handsome in deepest Devon today.:Sun:

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Your lucky was cold here today, but at least it was dry.

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:)

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The mother in law is on her way from south Africa :)

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Did you dare to go out in them though? ;)

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That's a 'happy thought'???... :D

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Well Rob the Builder has finished and has built what is without doubt the most obvious and vulnerable birds nest ever. I'd love to be able to keep an eye on the eggs and young ones but I'm seriously thinking of disturbing it so he chooses somewhere else before it's too late.

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Your legs or the shorts??? :D

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errmmm..... :erm:

;)

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Well that was - getting up at 4.30am to pick her up from Heathrow not so much ;)

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Heathrow's never much fun is it... lol

Hope she has a lovely stay with you and the missus mate. :tu:

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Our happy thought of the day. I took Osem Jnr#2 to the park today to play on the swings etc. with trepidation but was delighted that, when some young children wanted to join him on the zip wire, their parents didn't go into shock-horror mode and call them away. As we left the play area one of the young mums even smiled and thanked him for helping her little lads on and off the ride. It made me feel proud of my not so little lad. :)

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:) that was really nice of him to help the younger kids, I like to see that.

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Been doing some selling of stuff that I've had lying around the house for ages, and after eBay/Paypal took their cut and postage costs deducted, ended up with a clear profit over the last week of £120. Not bad.

Treated myself to a game and CD with the money, the rest is now sat in my bank account earning interest. Only until I get the urge to spend it all.

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Yes I was so pleased he didn't get all possessive about the zip wire and was happy to share. He loves to watch the kids having fun and it's so sad for us when, because of his age, people often react automatically by taking their children away when they realise he's got special needs.

It's interesting and refreshing to see how young children react to him and people like him. They're very accepting on the whole and don't seem at all fazed by his odd speech and quirky mannerisms. Sadly many of the parents we come across aren't quite so understanding and whilst I can understand it to an extent, it does hurt.

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I can imagine the hurt you feel but it is there problem and their ignorance IMHO although that does not stop the hurt. A parent at judo brings her son who has tourettes and there is no problem with club member's he is part of the team although he cannot do competitions " his mothers choice" he is a valued member. The children used to laugh at some of his out bursts they were soon made aware not to laugh or stare his mother said it was refreshing as she had tried other clubs and was made to feel awkward so she left there loss not her's he is a great guy.

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Well off with my family down here to see a steam train this dinnertime.:)

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This is the beauty we are looking to see today.

http://www.sirnigelgresley.org.uk/

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...=0-6&sp=-1&sk=

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Osem Jnr # 2 would just love all that. He's really into trains - the bigger, noisier and smellier the better. I think he enjoys a sort of sensory overload.

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He would definitely love it as the steam trains today seem just as popular with people as they were in the heyday of steam.

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Yes hopefully someday our family will get up to TRM to see the mighty Mallard as well as all the other delights housed there..

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I love a good steam train / traction engine :)

There are often traction engines in the town Centre here in Potton I always try to have a good look :)

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I even got a picture of the new show the hospital is making for me :)

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Your new shoe looks very nice dilli.

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I hope you have one to match it dilli for when you are castless. :)

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What, no patent leather and Cuban heels??. The NHS certainly isn't what it used to be... :D ;)

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Looks good.

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Another sunny day Love it. Going to Edinburgh Castle tomorrow :)
Drew loves Kramus the Wizard and the Birds of Prey where he can learn about the myths surrounding birds of prey and he can get up close with some birds of prey really good fun for all the family, well we like it.

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The RSPCA home inspector wrote me an excellent report and as such I collected my rescue dog this morning! It's only been 3 hours and although there are others around it's clear he's already chosen me as his master. Welcome to the family Harvey Austin Michaels Warrior Burt, or just Harvey for short :)

(wrestling fans will get it)

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fair play for taking on a rescue :tu:

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:D Enjoy your new pet he will give you plenty of love and affection, a rescued dog know's you know how lucky they are to have found a second chance and this time he has got a wonderful new owner who will treat him right.

Spent a lovely day at Moffat with my hubby and youngest son :) Looking forward to Edinburgh castle tomorrow, picnic already made up so we can just get up and go ;)

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I was lucky yesterday, while decorating part of the living room i knocked my 2TB WD media drive 2ft onto the floor, however even though it was switched on and the plastic case popped open, the drives data appears to be unaffected so it was a very close call! :)

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After my laptop drive failed last weekend, used the money I made selling stuff on eBay to purchase a 1TB external drive. Getting here Friday, so will be spending all next Friday night putting stuff on there.

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I just worked out how to add emoji under iOS :D

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Thanks to the missus playing Elite Dangerous (beta) - nice, very nice :)

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Please everyone keep your fingers crossed for us tomorrow, we have our first viewer for the sale of our house. :erm::)

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Good luck Tinky.

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Yup - fingers crossed you find good buyers and the home of your dreams. :tu:

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Good luck with that :)

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Have some fresh bread cooking in the oven, its was suggested in one of the house programmes.

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Another day out in cambridge tomorrow :)

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Is that at Addenbrookes dilli?.

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Yup certainly is :)

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Fresh coffee too - that way if it all goes pear shaped you at least have something nice to eat and drink. ;)

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Good luck there for tomorrow dilli.

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Cheers :)

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Whats this with 11 years left dear chap?.

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The GP told me I'd be dead before I made it to 50 so it's my current challenge ;)

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Positivity always helps us reach our goals.

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Good Luck and fingers crossed ... :)

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Fresh flowers always make the house look inviting. Good luck Tinky.

Hope you get good news for a change dilli. :)

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London tomorrow and a visit to The British Museum with my daughter.:)

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Ditto that. Good luck Dilli.

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l hope you both have a very enjoyable time there as my sister who lives in London loves going to the The British Museum.

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The viewers loved our house and have put in an offer which we have accepted yipeeeeeeeee! Keep fingers crossed the sale goes through without a hitch. :):):)

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That's excellent Tinky.

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Excellent news :tu: :)

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Fantastic news Tinky. https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2014/04/4.gifhttps://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2014/04/4.gifhttps://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2014/04/4.gif

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That's excellent news Tinky so pleased for you. :)

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Thank you everyone, the house has been on the market for one week, and they were our first viewers, what will be will be it seems. :)

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Son should be home tomorrow. Stitches and drain should come out today.
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2014/05/9.gif

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Oh you must be so relieved Angua, lovely to have him back home, let's hope this does the trick once and for all.

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l am glad to hear that he is coming home Angua.:)

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Glad to hear he is coming home and on the mend ... :)

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Revised release date is Monday as they want to monitor things to be on the safe side. At least the end is in sight.

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Yes its best to be on the safe side Angua as l have found out myself on more then one occasion.

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I know you must be disappointed, Monday is not to far away.

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500 sit ups 300 press-ups 500 jacks and 200 fast bicep curls all after a mini circuit and sparring followed by an hours Kung Fu

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Good news

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Better safe than sorry