Today's thoughts

19.06.09

Hello don't know yet if I will get the chance to get out in to the hills this weekend either. My be just do a local walk 'Roseberry Topping'. Father's Day Sunday so will have to go and see my Dad,
he has been away as well.

Niamh is feeling better now, a good rest has done her good. Wish she would eat better though.

She was ill last year serious, she had toxic poisoning . We thought she had picked something up from the river Wear at Sunderland bridge. But the trip to the vet proved other wise. She had to have blood test, her ALT were in the thousand, should be in the hundreds. (ALT:- Alanine Aminotranferase enzyme that become elevated with liver disease.)
She had more test, ultra scans, fat test, blood test.....
She wasn't eating well her shit was loose and smelly, poor thing wasn't well at all. She then turned yellow, jaundice in her gums and ear's. It was looking like we might loose her as she wasn't getting better at all. The vets were puzzled, scans showed no tumours, no inflammation of organs, nothing they could pin point was causing her illness. By chance she had to have another test the next day so had to starve her the night before. As usual I put her in the garden for a wee before bed, she went an ate some of this plant we have in the garden, comfery type plant. Well I looked this straight up on the net and found to my horror that the plant is toxic.
Hepatotoxin Pyrralizidine alkaloids (PAs). PAs are Hepatoxins and can cause irreversible Liver damage. The signs are depression,abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, yellowing gums and skin
(see Wikipedia for more info.)It's irreversible damage so the only care for the dog is palliative. OMG she's been eating this for 7 years! At the vets the next day I informed them and told them to check this out as all the sign's were pointing to this, it had to be. Sure enough I was right, they called me up to tell me to come in to have a chat. My diagnosis was right. With eating the plant for so long she had been poisoning herself all that time. And because of stress our infection the Liver couldn't cope. It was explained to me 'like a jug over flowing' she just couldn't cope any more with the toxins. She was given drugs for the jaundice and has to be on a low low fat and protein diet for the rest of her life.
All that worry we went through and the ££££ we spent for consults and test, to diagnose the dog yourself was annoying but at the same time reassuring to know she wasn't going to die. She's worth every penny.

MEMORIAL

Florence Bryson

My Nana who died this day 3 years ago. A lovey,kind hearted, funny lady. Who I miss loads.
She had Alzheimer's in the last few years, but she was still my Nana to me even if she didn't have a clue who I was. I was the last person to see her alive. She was in hospital after breaking her hip. I was so glad I went to she her, I sat with her as she slept. And soon after leaving her she died. I was the last person to see her alive and the first to see her dead as the nurses tried to save her. I don't know if this has any significance, who knows, but its special to me.
My Nana Flo sadly missed but not forgotten.


THE PASSION OF THE HILLS

It's funny when you talk to people who share your passion. My mate Richie (njl) through work,
We hadn't seen each other for a while so had some catching up to do. He'd been to the Lakes on holiday for a week, and he'd been out every day (12-14 miles)
He's got THE BUG, THE PASSION for the mountains. Its was great to hear his stories of Cat Bells,Skiddaw, Blencathra and more. He can't wait to be out there again, planning his next trip to Helvellyn. We both could'nt explain that feeling of achievement its something you feel deep down the excitement........

I do a local walk taking in part of the Weardale Way route, it's a lovely walk along part of the river and back round past the quaint cottages and the nature pound.

NO WALKING THIS WEEKEND!

June 12.06.09

No walks planned this weekend, having to decorate the bedroom, as new bed coming soon. Oh what fun. Just you watch the weather will be nice, just right for walking. I think a rest will do Niamh good,a little off colour, poor thing.

HELVELLYN WALK 06.06.09

I had planned this weeks ago to coincide with my birthday. Helvellyn the 'Wythburn' route, found a map off the 'Walking Englishman site. The easy route direct to Helvellyn, short but steep. We would do the walk early a spot of lunch at a pub and then some shopping in Ambleside with hopefully sum spendees...

So....... had the map all sussed, pack ready, check list done.. hats, gloves,waterproofs,camera etc..

Checked the weather off the Met office site 'sunny with showers freezing on the summits' not so bad, get away with that. Being the optimist that I am.. the weather will hold out until then, it can rain all it likes on Sunday. And as I'm told ever year by my Nana (bless her) 'it was scorching the day you were born' so what could go wrong.

Well Friday, rain and more rain but still being optimistic gear ready and waiting for the big birthday walk (looking forward to this loads)... best just check MET site. Now... 'heavy rain, could be light snow on summits, gales, fog at 500m should I go on. (sad so so sad).

We decided to still go to Ambleside do the shopping thing (not my favourite activity) but I did have in mind what I wanted, which does help. New trail shoe's and new pack, what could be hard about that?, with all them outdoor shops. Well it was, trying to find the right trail shoes and a pack which fits. Got the shoes but not the pack, tried loads 'OSPREY,LOWE ALPINE,NORTH FACE,GREGORY JUST COULDN'T GET THE RIGHT FIT WELL DISAPPOINTED.

WE decided on the way back to call off at Keswick, more shopping. They might have a pack.NO.

But they do have a great Pet shop http://www.podgypaws.co.uk/. With all that rain, I thought Niamh could do with a good dog coat. Found a site www.hurttacollection.com/home just the thing, but expensive. But she's worth it! Well didn't this pet shop have these coats, I was so excited, you would have thought it was for me. So we had to try it on , well Niamh had other ideas, lets just say the coat stayed on for the rest of the day, as it did rain off and on. She looked well smart!

My birthday wasn't the day I had planned but plans can always be broken, its better to be safe than sorry. Helvellyn will just have to wait until another day, its not like its going anywhere is it?.

I got some nice prezzies 'subscription to Trail mag, Bear Grylls book, trail shoes, Rab pull-on, a very nice bottle of white wine and polo shirt off big bro. So all in all I had a good birthday after all. And best of all I got Niamh her dream coat to keep her warm and dry out on the hills.

Coniston Fells

Hello Boots and Paws is going to be my diary of walks,pictures and thoughts of all things walking and dogs related.My faithfull companion is my working cocker spaniel Niamh (working stock but never worked as she is gun shy).

She's coming up to 8 years old soon but still acts like a pup at times. And she loves the great outdoors. When she see the pack she knows that means a day in the hills or long walk along the coast line.

May 30th Sat.2009

Coniston Fells 9miles (Trail Route)

Described as child friendly and a Wainwright count of 4.

Child friendly it took us from 10.00am till 9.00pm to do, we did get lost a little bit though, but that part of the fun. We ended up following the map the opposite way round. Stared off well but couldn't find the faint path to the foot of the ridge, so we crossed the beck on to the return path and head for the The Old Man of Coniston. We followed the path down to the cottages and the disused quarry/mines, there are great views. We sat and had lunch down by church beck. This is where we started to see more people all on there way to O.M.C or to Levers Water. We were asked for direction,Us we didn't really know where we where never mind give direction to others, but the true pro that I try to be I offered some advice of " yes take that path there and I'm sure you will get to Levers water", and off they went. Lunch over it was time to concur the O.M.C. first we had to get over the beck, well let just say one boot got a little wet but so dried in the lovely sunshine "hot sunshine". The path leads you up to Low water just what we needed, a little dip for Niamh and a dish of water over my head did the trick to cool me down. On wards and up wards as it get quite steep to the top, but its worth it because the views are spectacular. A little rest and refreshment (which were running out) and we were off again. The path leads to Swirl How a massive cairn and views that sweep down in to Greenburn and across the central fells. You start to descend the Prison Band, cross the saddle and start the climb to Wetherlam ( watch out for the sheep with lambs, one with horns wasn't happy about us being on it mountain ) We ran out of water at this point so I improvised with something I've pick up from wathching THE BORN SURVIVOR B.G. water running off moss, it supposed to be purified,

it tasted all right and was lovely and cold I've done it before out walking never had any ill affects.

My be it was the water that got us lost at this point but the path just disappeared. So we had to find another route down (time check 7.00pm) We could see the path that we had followed in the morning so head for that to get us back to the car before the light went out.(no torch in pack).

The path lead you past quarries and along the banks of Yewdale beck and the deep ravine. By this time my left knee had had enough and those *******steps down to the car park I could have done without. Thank God the car was still there. The beck provided a nice cool foot spa moment before the 2hrs drive back home to Durham.

For me and Niamh a great full day out in the mountains but my partner had over ideas (like killing me ) This was a route which was flexible in terms of length and difficulty and filled with high mountains which you would find it hard to find a better day out in the Lake District.