Good choice….

We chose today to take the boat out for a little run after the latest engine service, and to see whether the engineer at Debdale has managed to fix the dreadful diesel leak that we have had since the last service at Norbury Wharf.  And what a gorgeous day to choose.  The sun shone all day, and it felt like May, not the middle of March!  We didn’t go far, just up to Foxton and down the Harborough arm to the first winding hole and back again.  We moored at Foxton on the way back, (Foxton was heaving with gongoozlers by the time we returned), planning to have a quiet cup of coffee and some lunch before returning to the marina.  We had hardly got tied up when a chap with a boat at Debdale recognised Windsong and stopped for a chat, and we were soon joined by another couple with a boat moored at Debdale.  An hour later they were still there!  In the end I had to be rude and go and get our sandwiches out, we were starving by then!  We set off again after having eaten, and returned to Debdale.  It felt good to be boating again after what proved to be a long winter!

Touch wood, there seems to be no diesel below the engine after our little trip, and the engine sounds better than it has in a long while, so hopefully it’s fixed.

I forgot my camera, and had to take the photos on our little basic Nokia phone, but I’m dead impressed with the quality.

Calling all dog owners….

This is a copy of an email I received today from a friend.  I can’t testify as to how true it is, but I thought I’d share it anyway – better to be safe than sorry:

‘Just a warning, the new sugar substitute Xylitol is poisonous to dogs. One teaspoon will kill a GSD (I think this means a German Shepherd dog). This advice has come from UK vets. It is also in some processed foods/candies and sweets so please be aware, it acts like giving a dog insulin and there is no antidote. So if you have 2 teaspoons in your tea/coffee and the dog drinks it you have a serious problem on your hands. Please share this information as widely as possible.’

Wow, that was quick….

Having decided that we would like to go east this year and ‘do’ the Fens, we filled in a form for a BW/EA Gold Licence for 2012, and sent it to BW, along with last year’s BW Standard Licence which wasn’t due to expire until the end of May this year.  BW assured us that we would get a pro-rata refund for the unused 5 months worth.  We posted it off last Friday, and were surprised to receive the new Gold Licence in the post today, just 3 working days later – now that’s what I call service.  Well done BW!

Bye-bye nb Caxton…

It was a sad day today when I read the last blog update from nb Caxton.  Several months ahead of nb Windsong in build, we followed her build faithfully, feeling a special affinity as she is Barnowl’s No 9 Boat, and we are Beacon’s No 9 boat.  As we got to know Lesley and Joe better, Lesley and I found that a lot of our idea’s of what we wanted from a narrowboat coincided.  However, Lesley and Joe fairly soon discovered that they wanted something different, and nb Yarwood was born.

So farewell nb Caxton – if and when we see her again she will have a different name – nb Manley Ferry. We hope her new owners enjoy her – we will give you a wave when we see you out on the cut.  We will enjoy following, and hopefully sharing in some of nb Yarwood’s adventures.  See you on the Fens Lesley and Joe!

nb Caxton – photo courtesy of the nb Caxton blog

Just a little Cassie update…

Further to Cassie’s specialist appointment in November, and the blood test results, a new drug called Keppra has been added to her regime.  As this drug is expensive, our vet suggested that she give us a private Vet prescription which would enable us to buy the drug at the local chemist – it turns out that it is between 50% and 100% cheaper that way.  Pet Plan have approved the addition, so we are buying the drug (£103 per month) and claiming it back.  The only thing that sticks in my craw is that this new vet charges for filling in the Pet Plan claim form!  We have used numerous vets around the country over the years, first with our old retriever Rosie and now with Cassie, both insured with Pet Plan, and never before have we been charged to have the form filled in.  I understand the theory behind it, as it does take up the vet’s time, but if it’s that time-consuming, why don’t more vets charge?  I spoke to the Practice Manager (an accountant, what a surprise!) and his explanation as to why they charge when most vets don’t told me nothing, peppered as it was with many ‘with respect’ phrases.  However he did say that they were currently re-working the charges, so perhaps they have lost customers  through this already.  Anyway, we need to stick with it until this 6 month prescription has expired then we might look around for another vet who doesn’t charge to fill in the form.

Anyhow, back to Cassie.  She had gone six weeks without a seizure, and we were just beginning to relax and to believe that this drug might actually be working, when she had a fit early last Tuesday morning.  She wasn’t right all day, and threatened another fit on Tuesday evening which never happened, then had another at 5 am on Wednesday morning!  She seemed back to normal by Wednesday lunchtime.  So now we just wait to see how long it is until her next one.  Not sure which is preferable - 2 or 3 fits in a ‘cluster’ every 6 weeks, or one single fit every 2 to 3 weeks!

A trying day…

Having been treated to the full range of reproachful looks  from Cassie because she wasn’t allowed any breakfast, we arrived at the Animal Health Trust just outside Newmarket far too early for her appointment yesterday, as we were worried about traffic on the A14. It was a horrible morning, weather wise, thick mist and then rain, but we only got held up once, and arrived almost an hour before her appointment. We did paperwork then went for a coffee to kill some time. The setup at the Animal Heath Trust is very good, with a Visitor Centre and coffee shop.

During her appointment she was given a very through physical examination and we answered loads of questions – the neurologist was Spanish, and a little difficult to understand sometimes, but very good none the less. It was decided than she should have a brain scan and a spinal tap to make sure there were no underlying causes of her seizures, a tumour or infection, and some blood tests to determine the level of medication in her bloodstream. Her scan was not to be until 2 pm, so they took her away to wait – we were told to come back at 4.30. How come that killing four and a half hours is easy when you are doing something that you enjoy, but endless when your are forced to wait?  Also, although we didn’t really verbalise it at the time, we were both worried about what they might find.

We went to Bury St Edmunds, looked round the shops, had some lunch, went to B & Q and still only managed to kill a couple of hours! By this time it was raining so we went back to the AHT, sat in the car and listened to the radio, had a walk, went for a cuppa, and then sat in the reception for half an hour in the hope that we might be seen early – huh, fat chance!!   We had a damp journey home again in the dark, the A14 is horrible at the best of times, but even worse in the dark, but again, not too many holdups.

Anyway, the upshot is that there are no underlying causes of her seizures, so it is definitely Idiopathic Epilepsy. It’s a relief to know that she hasn’t got a brain tumour, but in a way, we wish they had found something that could be treated! We are just waiting now for the results of the blood tests and then it will be decided whether to increase her current meds or to add another one. I hope it’s another because all the increases in her current medication (phenobarbital and sodium bromide) she’s had over the last two years haven’t had much effect.   All this yesterday cost between £1500 and £2000  and the new drug, if she is put on it will be expensive – roughly £100 a month extra.  Thank goodness for Pet Plan!  We have to be prepared for the fact that anything they prescribe for her might not make a lot of difference, 30% of dogs with epilepsy never have their fits controlled to an acceptable degree (which, in the eyes of the veterinary profession, is one fit no more than every 6-8 weeks)

Poor Cassie looks very odd now – she has a large bald patch at the back of her head where they shaved her for the spinal tap – a bit like a monk’s tonsure!  She was a very unhappy dog yesterday evening – still wobbly from the general anaesthetic, and I suspect, in a little bit of pain from the spinal tap, it can cause a headache.  She grumbled and groaned, and we were treated to the full range of reproachful looks yet again for putting her through so much indignity!  She’s much better today, but still a little sleepy.

Hope her coat grows back quickly – she looks very odd at the moment!

Cassie…

For anyone who has been interested in the course of Cassie, our Golden Retriever’s epilepsy, this is just a quick update.  All year her fits have been getting closer together, she now has one about every two to three weeks, sometimes more often, despite increases in her medication.  Our new vet here in Corby decided that it was time for her to see a specialist, so she has been referred to the Animal Heath Trust at Newmarket, so see a Neurologist.  Her appointment is on Tuesday morning, so wish us luck.  I will keep you updated as to their findings and opinions.