It’s a Blog ! Not a Log !

Those of you who read my blog will no doubt have come across posts about our Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff) Blue, well I’m sad to say Blue’s been a little bit under the weather these past few weeks due to damage to her cruciate ligament in one of her hind legs.

She developed some lameness in her leg in May which was prescribed anti-inflammatories for and this seemed to do the trick, however at the end of June, beginning of July her symptoms came back, so after 2 visits to the vets and a set of x-rays we were told that she’d most likely torn her cruciate ligament and were referred to a Consultant Vet at North West Surgeons nr Frodsham.

So along came the appointed consultation where we were told that from what could be seen from the x-rays it appears that Blues ligament has indeed been torn, this was apparently obvious from the x-rays (not a vet myself, so have had to take his word for it), the next step we’ve been told is surgery and at present Blue is booked in to have the operation on the 13th August 2010.

We’ve been told the operation has a 96% success rate, but this all depends on how her recovery is managed, so for the first 6 weeks, Blue will be crated confined and only allowed out for her constitutionals and that’s it, then after the 6 weeks its a case of very slow, gentle exercise, which will gradually build up to a manageable 20 minute walk, and then over time hopefully build up to longer walks and fingers crossed semi-normality.

I can honestly say I am very nervous about Blue going under anethisia, as thats probably the most dangerous part of the whole operation, don’t know what we’d do if anything every happened to Blue, so fingers crossed, wood touched everything will go smoothly.

Will endeavour to keep you all updated on how our little Princess is getting on

kennys party 071, originally uploaded by BagRat.

Kenny reached the grand old age of 50 last week along with Andy reaching the 40 mark, so they had a joint party to celebrate and used the oppurtunity to get everyone back togeather again.

It was good to see all the faces from the partys togeather again having a laugh and just generally getting on, party kicked off at of all places Stretford Cricket Club, then moved onto Lisa’s flat, where drinks flowed and people talked bollox (mainly due to what they’d had).

We left fairly early on in the morning 5:00am so maybe not so early, but the party carried on after we left, ending only when John, Ben and a few others decided to place most of Lisa food stuffs in the freezer . . . oh and after Ben had emptied a full bag of flour over the sleeping Lisa’s head (not nice Ben).

Gotta say Kenny was looking good for an old man and no doubt has many years left in him, all the best Kenny and Andy

Time to put away the bunting, yes the curtain has fallen on this years Giant Bradley Day…..

I arrived home early Saturday afternoon with Mel, Liam and Gemma, after we’d got Liam and Gemma settled in there little log cabin decided to take them for a quick scoot around York to do the touristy thing, though to be honest we did’nt have long there as it was at least 3pm when we got there, had a quick beer in the Roman Baths pub and then took them around the Shambles and such like.

Liam looking all Redneck

Arrived back in Weighton about 6:00pm and then met up with them both for a few drinks round Weighton, actually expected it to be a fairly busy day, but seems that most people were saving themselves for Sunday nights as the pubs were real empty, Bradley day itself was the usual stalls and street performers, was especially impressed by the guy doing the Falconary display, really entertaining and very enjoyable, did’nt see much of the Giant though.

Entered Blue in the Dog Show again this year though she was pipped at the post by a rescue Akita, in all she won 3 Rossetes:

1st Place for Most Looks Like Owner

2nd Place for Best Legs

2nd Place for Best in Show

But hey she cant be expected to win every year, got to give all the other dogs a chance, anyway after that we hung around for a few hours and then decided to head back to Manchester with Liam and Gemma and another Bradley Day was been and gone

Picture 015, originally uploaded by BagRat.

Went and checked out Davyhulmes Millenium Nature Reserve at the weekend with Blue our Cane Corso, the whole site covers about 8 hectares of land along side about 3/4 mile of the west bank of Manchesters Ship Canal , the reserve is a mixed landscape of wetland, woods, water features & open land.

You can do everything from bird watching, walking, cycling there as well as having a traditional picnic on one of the benchs provided.

The site is owned and maintained by United Utilities and part of it is a designated Site of Biological Importance.

Is nothing sacred, it’s enough we have to watch the misery of Coro on the TV without having it on our computer screens as well.
My computer is my escape from dull evening soaps and now there’s a possibility that just as dull a game is going to be made all based on Coronation Street, what am I supposed to do if the missus decides she wants to buy it and install it on my PC, It’ll no longer be pure, it will be tainted by this thing they call a Soap.

Dear god what have us men done to deserver such punishment, how dare they consider placing such a game as this alongside my install of Half-life 2 and Call of Duty . . oh the pain . .

For alot of former residents Giant Bradley Day is like some sort of inbreed signal that turns itself on in the weeks leading up to it, its like the spawning signal in young salmon, you sort of get an urge to get on the motorway and point your car North East, the urge getting stronger the nearer the great day gets.

Last night I met some of my fellow Salmon from around the UK, who like me had been drawn home for the great day, no doubt more will follow over the coming days and there will be some faces I haven’t seen in a long long time, i now Headey’s heading back from Leeds on Sunday, so that’s one I can shoot the breeze with for a couple of hours.

So what events have the got planned for th big day you say and what should make me want to visit Market Weighton, well for a start they have both of the UK’s tallest men here, those being :

Neil Fingleton : 7ft 7.5ins
Chris Greener : 7ft 6.1/4ins

Then there’s always the 4 arena’s of entertainment the have lined up, there’s the Yorkshire Pudding Throwing world record attempt, there’s donkey rides, the craft show, a climbing wall, there’s the crowning of the Bradley Day King and Queen, there’s a display of Polo by the Vale of York Polo Club, there will no doubt be the usual group of teenage bands playing in the music arena, but the thing I’m looking forward to is the Pet Show as were intending of entering our dog Blue in and hoping she wins some sort of rosette.

So roll on Sunday and heres to another weekend of madness that is Giant Bradley Day 2008

Giant Bradley : 7ft 9ins