My ageing De Man and the St Columb Charity Steam Up

Christmas in the Solheim household is always special for two reasons. Firstly, it's Christmas and who doesn't love Chrimbo. I'm mean even the Grinch and Scrooge came round to it in the end.

The second reason, is that our old boy Harley de was born Christmas Day 2000. Meaning this year he saw his fourteenth birthday and with his greying face and shaking legs it's getting harder and harder to watch the years ticking by. 

How do you deal with the knowledge that the baby you've watched be born, grow and mature into one of the most important little critters in your life, will inadvertently no longer be there any more at some point in the probably not to distant future?

Truth is, I can't. The mere though of it makes tears rise in my eyes. 

This scruffy little urchin has been apart of my life for fourteen years now and I can't even begin to image my life with him not in it. 

Yes he's a grouch, who lives for telling the rest of us off when he deems we are misbehaving, yes he jumps in my seat the instant I exit it and yes he looks at you like you're the cruelest person in the world if you force him outside to go to the loo, but he's my grumpy little couch potatoe and I wouldn't change him for the world. 

Yet with every year that passes, with every new grey hair on his little face, my fear of how I will possibly cope when he is gone grows. 

How do I deal with the inevitable? Why has no one yet found a way to extend the life of our furry friends so that they may live as long as we do? Is there time for me to come up with a longevity or youth serum?

The reality is, even if there was time, I'm pretty sire I don't have the brains to concoct it.   

So my best hope, is that De Man is as stubborn as his father was and that he clings to life for years to come.

So how about you? Can you relate? Is there a special pet in your life who's getting on in life and coursing you to have the same concerns as I do? Or did you already lose that special friend and are learning to cope day by day? I'd love to hear all about your experiences, concerning this matter. 

A bit of a topic change now, but Saturday 3rd of January saw my family and I heading for St Columb for the St Columb Charity Steam up. Think Steam engines and the like :)

This is a yearly event to raise money for charity and his organised by Emma and David Goodwin at their yard in "Greenacre", St Columb Major.

Last year they were able to raise £1000 for The Special Care Baby Unit at Derriford hospital and were hoping to raise a similar amount this year for The Moorgate ward, Neurosurgical Unit at Derriford Hospital.

On arriving at the event we found that it was pretty busy and as a result the only available parking was a little bit to far away from the event for me to manage with my disability, so Kye and I decided to remain in car while Dan went and had a quick look around. 

It was a little disappointing but these things happen sometimes when you are disabled and you just have to go with the flow as they say. I still wanted to give it a mention; however, as it is for a good course and I hope they were able to raise lots of money for their charity of choice. 

Dan did get some pictures though and so I can still share some of them with you here. Enjoy!!

Love and hugs 

Joss xx