Rusty Comes Home

Back in the 1960’s my dad (a scientist at RAE Farnborough) worked with an Alsatian in a project to use them to find black boxes at air crash sites. The old recorders were very susceptible to getting wiped by people searching crash sites with metal detectors, so alternate methods needed to be found.

Pathé News clip can be found HERE:  Black-Box-Retriever

My dad loved the dog that was trained at RAE Farnborough for this task.

The dog was called Rusty.

As many people will no doubt know, we love our animals, be they hens, crows, cats or horses, but we have wanted a dog for some time. So, in memory of my dad, and his Rusty work mate, we looked for a dog to fill our homes dog shaped hole. It had to be a GSD (German Shepherd Dog) with a good temperament and fine with children and other animals. Chris did a lot of research and found a breeder in Ireland called Alsace Royale German Shepherds, who had exactly the style of GSD we wanted, and raised from a pup with children and animals around it. Chris did her homework, asked around and decided that these were the ones for us.

These dogs were originally called German Shepherd dogs until the war, at which point having something ‘German’ became unsavoury. As such, they were renamed ‘Alsastian Wolf Hounds‘, and then shortened to ‘Alsatian‘. Much campaigning took place, and in 1977 the original breed name was given the okay to register under again. In 2010 the ‘Alsation‘ tag was officially dropped.

We also knew who we wanted as the parents of our pup, so were going to wait until next year when they would breed the pair again… but in the meantime I went behind Chris’s back and talked to the breeder. I wanted to see if I could get a head start and somehow get a puppy ahead of the time Chris and Alex thought we’d be getting one, and then it would be a great surprise for them both.

Alex has been using pocket money and treats to buy dog toys, ready for when we got a dog, even though he knew we weren’t getting one for a long time. Even when asked what he wanted Santa to get him for Christmas, he replied “Dog toys please“. When asked why he didn’t ask for a puppy, he said “That’s not going to happen for a long time, so I’m not even asking”.

I asked what could daddy get you to make daddy better than Santa (expecting “a puppy!!!”) and he said… “A hug…”

Yeah, that knocked me back a bit too.

Well, that really made me want to surprise him. What a lovely, selfless answer. He didn’t want toys for himself, he wanted things for a dog that we wouldn’t be getting for a very long time, and the one thing he did want cost nothing.

Then Jackie from Alsace Royale called me just over a week ago. She had some news. One of the previous litters from the parents we wanted, had to be returned to the breeders because the new owners had some news after 8 weeks of ownership that meant they would not be able to keep a dog. A 15 week old female short hair GSD was available. Okay, she wasn’t a 10 week old GSD next summer… but what’s six weeks older, just to see the looks on Christine and Alex’s faces?

How could you not love me?

Here she is as a few weeks old, from the Alsace Royale web site (she’s the one who sniffs the camera):

After some careful planning, lots of calls with Jackie and a traffic jam encountered by Lenny, the Alsace Royale specialist dog courier, Alsace Royale Rusty showed up at our meeting place. I had intended to keep this all secret from Chris, and then turn up at Alex’s school that afternoon and wait at the gates as they left… but in the end, I took Chris with me, and some excellent friends picked Alex up after school – telling him that mum and dad had broken down in the car, and would be around later to pick him up.

Rusty meets Chris

Well, it goes without saying that Chris and Alex were really surprised and incredible happy. Rusty absolutely loves Alex, and her temperament is perfect. She gets on with our hens and cats, and is a really well behaved around strangers and other dogs.

Alex and Rusty – “Santa didn’t stand a chance daddy…”

She’s already become close friends with Ytsur, the mirror dog…

… and she’s discovered the lake, where she doesn’t care less about the swans and ducks…

So yup, she’s a happy new addition to the family.

Click link below for more pictures

Lots more photos HERE

Guess the Gift…

Every year I get asked by my ever loving (and suffering) wife, Chris, to guess what my presents are…

The other day I got in from work to see my son (5 3/4yrs old) looking really excited at some presents beneath the tree.

“Guess what you’ve got daddy!!!” he asked.

I picked up a box and hefted it from hand to hand. I drink enough hot drinks, and wash up enough to know that this was a mug.

I told Alex that I wanted to leave it as a surprise for Christmas… but he was too excited…

“Here’s a clue! You can drink from it!!!!”

I told him that I didn’t want to know, that it would ruin the surprise and fun, so he agreed to keep quiet.

Later  in the evening Alex was sat next to me on the couch, with Chris the other side of him.

“I bet you can’t guess this years presents!” Chris smirked…

I looked at the bottom of the tree… “Hmm, is one of them a mug?” I said straight-faced.

“No!” she exclaimed.

“IT’S GOT LAND ROVERS ON!!!” Shouted Alex in excitement!

“Oh great! There goes the surprise….” she said as Alex took away any doubt at all.

Later still when Alex had gone to bed, we were sat watching some TV when Chris said at least I still had a couple more gifts left as a surprise.

“Oh….” I said “The ones in the DVD sized packages?”

“Damn you…. at least you don’t know what they are!” she said…. confirming that they were indeed DVD’s.

“Well, one of them must be ‘Senna’.” I replied – as this was one I had asked for.

She defiantly said “NO! It’s not…. I bet you can’t guess what the other one is…“

“So one is ‘Senna’ then…” I smiled….

“Damn you…..“

It’s not that I want to know, It’s just that I can’t say no to a challenge…..

I still won’t open them until Christmas day though. Patience is a virtue.

 

 

Michael Jackson Kid Grind

A while back I was watching a Christmas TV ‘top tunes’ type show, and they showed this video of the Jackson Five doing what they do best.

I was happily listening and enjoying it…. and then this happens.

It was ages before any rumours, scares, scandals and the like… but because of what happened in later years I just can’t get the fact that this clip is slightly wrong out of my mind….

A brief pause… and ZOMBIES!

Christmas came and went. New Year landed.

Lots of fun time was had with Chris and Alex as we spent quality time together. Thank you to those who sent greetings and/or gifts, they were greatly appreciated. Alex has had a wonderful time and is really getting into the Christmas thing.

Tesco, Earlier today.

Anyway… ZOMBIES!!!

At the supermarket  earlier I was surprised to see so many vacant eyed mouth breathers wandering around masticating on gum with their mouths open. Some even doing it as a family…

I wondered what was happening… and then it clicked… 2 days into the New Year and these were the New Year ‘resolutionary’ non-smokers.

I give them a week at best.

You see, the way I see it is; if you have to wait until New Year to set a resolution, then you probably don’t have what it takes to make it happen anyway.

If you really want to do/quit something that much, then why would you wait? Just do it.

You don’t believe me?  Tell this to someone who just set a resolution and watch them break sweat and reach for a cream cake and a cigarette as they realise that it is absolutely correct. See the realisation creep into their eyes as they understand how weak they really are, and how the resolution was never going to work….

I gave up smoking many, many years ago. At my worst I used to smoke 20/40 a day…. I simply decided enough was enough and stopped. No gum, no patch, no hypnotherapy. I used that long lost tool humankind seems to have let wither and almost die…. “Will Power” and “Getting the Hell on with it“.

You can do it – gum, patches, self help books, plastic cigarettes – these things may help a few people, but mostly they are there to make money off of you by convincing you that YOU ARE WEAK AND CAN’T QUIT WITHOUT THESE PRODUCTS….. they just want your money… You ARE strong enough… all you have to do is dust off that back bone and get on with it – and it’s in this area that hypnotherapy can really help. Yes… use it to unleash that will power – You don’t need drugs or patches or other gizmos…you already have it in you.

Fairytale of New York

Okay, X-Factor was knocked to the number 2 UK chart position for the Christmas number 1 single… beaten by a social networking pushed project – Rage Against The Machine took the number 1 spot as people stood up to the Cowell lead X-Factor machine.

The thing is it needed to be done – but no-one will argue that RATM’s song isn’t exactly “Christmassy”….

As such, just before Christmas I decided to push for a Christmas number 1 that is Christmassy…. and what could be better than “Fairytale of New York”….

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK XMAS No.1 2010 and @FairytaleNY2010

Fairytale of New York has never been number 1 in the UK, yet is often voted as the best Christmas song out – so I figured it was about time we got it to number 1…

Added to this, it is the 10th anniversary of the sad and tragic death of Kirtsy MacColl, when she was hit by a speed boat in dive restricted waters whilst on holiday. This tragedy has never been properly resolved – and after 9 years of fighting for justice the case has finally run out of anywhere to go as the authorities have closed the door on it.

The day people will need to buy Fairytale of New York to make it count for a Christmas chart release is the day after the 10th anniversary of this untimely passing of Kirsty – so getting Fairytale of New York to number 1 will be a tribute, a return to a Christmassy song for Christmas, and another kick in the teeth to those that set up TV shows to force a manufactured number one.

Fairytale of New York is not a manufactured number one – Sure we will be pushing to get it there, but for over a decade it has been in the Christmas charts and it is a well loved song. It hasn’t just been made up to grab money for Simon Cowell…

This project is still in the initial stages, but much like RATM, we will be making sure Fairytale of New York does good. As such there will be a charity donation system set up. This will all be sorted as the project progresses.

I have contacted various people within The Pogues camp, and also to Kirsty MacColl’s mother. I would like them to be involved as this would be very important to the project.

There is a Facebook page set up : FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK XMAS No.1 2010

I won’t be able to do this on my own, so FTONY isn’t an “I” thing… it is a “WE” project – and I am currently being ably assisted by Phil Karn (met thanks to Twitter). There may be more people called in to help – and we’ll be grateful for any help!

I have started this group early as I want to build up the numbers of followers throughout the year. For most of the year the group will be a little quiet – just general chat and news – I don’t want people to burn out too soon!

As the time to buy draws near come November/December 2010 I shall then kick the group into action with group emails to ramp up the drive to get that number one spot.

You can also follow via Twitter with @FairytaleNY2010

If you want to get involved, you can email me at fairytale@sometimespace.com

Please spread the word!

Let’s get a Christmas song to Christmas number one – a song that has not been there before… and we can all remember Kirsty MacColl at the same time!

Thank you!

Unbelievable!!!

Not last Christmas, but the Christmas before….

I just can’t believe the changes that Alex has gone through in this time. He was a chubby little crawler back then, and now he is a hypersonic little lad who is into everything! I guess as an adult there aren’t many changes over 3 Christmases – but for a little lad in his early years the changes are amazing.

2006

The 2006 Christmas Blog entry HERE

….one year later….

2007

The 2007 Christmas Blog entry HERE

….and another year passes….

2008

The 2008 Blog entry HERE

Next year is going to be amazing! He’s really getting into the idea that Christmas is a celebration and special – so next year I think he’ll start getting much more excited before the 25th arrives!

Dodgy Bottom?

Alex has figured out his Christmas work bench already. He’s a dab hand with the power screwdrivers, sockets and various screwdriver sets. He can strip and rebuild his race car in minutes  – He’s quite amazing to watch!

He’s also really loving that drum kit… Yup – no sign of him even starting to get bored of it – in fact he is pretty good with it and even counts himself in now! “1,2,3, Bang crash bang!”

New Years Eve is going to be a quiet one for us. Funds don’t really allow for much, so we’ll probably watch a movie or something to see the back end of 2008 out – and then count the days to 2010 to get as much space between us and the poor year that 2008 ended up as.

As the Queen said of 1992, 2008 rates the same for me – most definitely my “annus horribilis” (and no, it has nothing to do with bottoms).

Christmas Phoenix smiles

Saved by a little lads smiles!

Generally we leave Christmas shopping until November/December, but during our various shopping trips through the year we had spotted items in sales or discounted for whatever reasons that Alex would love (things weren’t bought just because they were discounted, they were bought because Alex would love them AND they were a great deal).

Seeing some of Alex’s favourite things at such good prices throughout the year made it worth snapping them up and putting to one side for Christmas – which was lucky considering the particular position we have found ourselves in.

Chris and I were unable to buy each other anything, let alone any one else, so we were thankful for our early buys for Alex – we couldn’t have him miss out.

We chose correctly it appears, as Alex was so happy with all his little gifts. Over the months we had built up two stockings full of small toy cars.

Chris had wrapped each car individually so Alex would have to unwrap them all. He is into unwrapping at the moment, so he thoroughly enjoyed ripping into these toys.

Next up was his big present – and by that I mean largest. It was a work bench with tools and a car engine he can strip and build. He was straight onto the tools as soon as he saw them – he’s seen me use my tools, so he knew just what to do. In no time the car that came with this work bench was stripped and in pieces…and then back together again!

The box this came in was perfect for all the wrapping paper and paper waste to go into (although the wrapping paper still managed to litter the floor – but it is Christmas, so who cares!).

More car toys followed as Alex opened up a couple of small Hot-Wheels (and similar) kits. He also had a Hot-Wheels battery operated race track (cars are launched around a track by rubber wheels). Once more, discounted items due to box damage! A slight tear in the packaging and it was half price!!! As soon as the paper came off it the box was ripped to shreds anyway – so a great bargain… and greatly appreciated by Alex!

His Police Station set has trap doors and ramps all over it – which Alex soon discovered to his happy surprise!

Later in the afternoon Granny and Granddad came over. Alex loves seeing them, as you can see (as do Chris and me of course!)!

They had bought over some more gifts for Alex, from them and some more of the family. Play-doh, water whistles, more cars, toy fishing sets, DVD and…. oh dear Lord…..an electronic drum set…. Really! What have we done to deserve that?!!!

Anything that can make a noise or has wheels and you can gaurantee that Alex will love it – and be occupied by it for a long time… but a drum set…. ha ha!!!! I guess we’ve bought noisy toys for people before, so it is payback time!

After Granny and Granddad had left, Alex carried on playing and running around – right up until he started getting heavy eye lids…. but he didn’t want to quit.

It all ended in tears as the excitement and tiredness collided!!! What didn’t help was his habit of wanting to wash all his cars in the bath when he first gets them! This time there were far too many cars to be carried – so he ended up dropping and fumbling the cars – which just upset him even more (poor lad!). Once he was in the bath though he was a lot happier – after all, he had his water flutes and modelling foam soap!!! By the time he got to bed he was dead on his feet – bless him!

Chris had put on snacks during the day and then did a great Christmas dinner in the evening. Unfortunately by the time we thought about dinner, Alex had burnt out and had gone to bed… so we’ll have to have another Christmas lunch today (ah boo!).

Many thanks to everyone for the well wishing and presents for Alex – he had a great day, and his laughter and big grin gave Chris and myself the greatest present we could have hoped for – a very happy son.

...Alex discovers the mic! CAT CAT PFFFFF CHRISTMAS Ha Ha!!!

Not wanting to miss out, one of the cats gave us a present, at 01:34am…

I was awake (still suffering from the bad back and lack of sleep) and noticed a certain “burning rubbery” aroma in the room. My sense of smell isn’t great, so I asked Chris if she could smell anything…. The next 10 minutes had us looking around the house for the gift… which turned up under the couch in Alex’s bedroom…. Very quietly and carefully, and by the soft light of the iPhone, the “present poop” was cleaned up, whilst a foot away from us was a sleeping Alex!

iPhone Poop Assist….. is there anything it can’t do?

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

Well, considering what has happened, I am still looking forward to Christmas.  We already had presents ready for Alex before the recent problems, so it will be a joy in itself to see him tear into his gifts and hear him laugh and squeak in delight!

As for you, be you a regular reader of my blog, an irregular one (they can do wonders with cosmetic surgery you know) – a friend, family member or total stranger – I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year…. yes… definitely a wish to all for a prosperous New Year!

As a Christmas experiment I am mentioning AlphaInventions. This is a blog focused idea set up to increase blog coverage and, well – if it works it could do all sorts of things… although I’m not sure how it works – so participating may yield some answers….

Big difference, but nothing changes…

One tired lad after a day of playing with his beloved cars!!!! He just runs his batteries down and sleeps where he stops…

Some things never change: 2 Years ago today….

One chubby little lad on some last minute shopping on the 22nd December 2006….

Too much, originally uploaded by L.B.

“The clatter of trolleys and the symphony of checkouts, screaming kids, screaming adults, breaking jars, the whole general rumble and “music” of a very busy, last minute shopper filled Hypermarket.

Little Al takes it all in his stride…then falls asleep with all that going on!

I have to hand it to him – When it comes to his sleep, he is very dedicated to the cause.”