Assorted pictures of friends, both furry and smooth

In memory of my darling Livvy, who left for the bridge on Easter Monday 2006



Livvy came into my life in 2000 when she chose me at the local rescue centre. She always quacked rather than mewed, hence her nickname of duck puss.



Livvy was a quiet girl, and not a lap cat, but she had her special fleecey place next to me on the sofa, and herded me to bed if she thought I was staying up too late.



Her favourite sleeping place was on the kitchen work surface, where she could keep an eye on me and any new food source.



In summer there was nothing she liked better than chilling out in the sun, quacking at me as I worked in the garden.



This Christmas past she was thrilled to be an honourary  Greyhound Gap hound and loved her secret santa parcel.



Now my darling girl has gone, after a sudden fatal illness. Sweetheart, I love you so much , and the house is empty without you. Run free and safe at the bridge, and wait for me when my time comes.

In April 2005, I started helping out at the RGT Walthamstow kennels, up past Waltham Abbey. I turn up early on Saturday to help Sylvie and Jill paddock the dogs and clean out the kennels. Then Margaret arrives, and she and I take the dogs out to the wood for a walk. Then it's lunchtime, the dogs have a snooze and more walkies. 

I've fallen in love with all of them, but my particular favourites are...(pics by Richard from the RGT site)

Freckles - lovely brindle boy who has bare patches on his bottom. He's very placid and sweet.

Patch - very big brindle and white lad who's always pleased to see you. He has a special trick when you try to get him in from the paddock: he chases round in a circle. Although he's strong, he's very good on the lead.

And this is Spicy - my favourite dog. He was a successful racer, but I think he's been waiting for a home for some time. He has a cute grey muzzle and sniffs his way round his walks. He's not very forthcoming, but is so sweet, and always lets me give him a hug through his kennel door.

December 2004: I received some lovely pics from Jenny, my cousin who lives in the Yukon near White Horse. It's been quite a winter there...Jenny reports, 

Jenny with dog and snow like you wouldn't believe

Canada's finest moose

Jenny's cabin and woodshed

John fighting the snow

The view across the lake

View of the bay

Livvy, my lovely girl. Her full name is Livia, because when I first saw her, she was sitting on a box in an animal shelter, looking like a Roman empress. Livvy is now five years old. She loves her food, sleeps all day, chases ping pong balls and quacks rather than mews. This is her favourite place at the top of the stairs. 

In March 04, I got a BiOrb and when the tank had cycled, my fish began to arrive. First came Goldie, who has huge white eyes. He's named after my fish guru Goldy, on fishkeeping.co.uk. Then came Scales, and a couple of weeks later, Serpy. They're all telescopic fantailed goldfish, and eat like pigs. Their favourite food is glassworms: I try to get them live feed twice a week. Scales is a calico, and Serpy is solid gold. They've grown quite a bit since I got them, so I'll get a larger tank soon. I got my fish at the excellent Aquatic Design Centre in Great Portland Street, London, and pop in once a week to get glassworms and snoop round at the new stock.

Serpy and Scales

Scales swimming backwards

This is the mighty Boll, who lives with Ian. Bollinger is now five, and she has appeared in several of Ian's radio programmes, to great acclaim.  Here you see her hard at work, digesting a script.

Respect for Beattie, Malcolm's fine tortie feline. Beattie lives in Worcestershire and is another fine radio cat. Malcolm carries a pic of her on his mobile phone. Now that's dedication.

Oz, one of Sheila's superhunde. Oz lives with...

...Shani, who is a little bit smaller than Oz. They caused a sensation at Hahn airport when Sheila drove us there after the Mannheim marathon. Oz, Shani and Sheila are brilliant at obedience work. Oz and Shani love tripe: Sheila doesn't. You can see more pictures of them all on my Mannheim marathon report.

Okay, now some humans...

Uncle Bob, my dad and Barn, my brother, in Nant Ffrancon

Barn by the stream

Me, my dad and Uncle Bob

Dad at home in Newborough