Lapworth (Buddy’s blog)

Back on board on Monday evening – we have two neighbours now

Thursday

Neil’s having a lay in so we must be back at the B&B in Yorkshire; he doesn’t get breakfast until 8.30.  I love these breakfasts as the landlady says that I can have whatever Neil doesn’t eat.  It’s so funny watching him force down all that fruit then a proper full English followed by toast and jam.  He doesn’t need to do it as I would eat anything he leaves.  Neil is always telling the landlady off as she keeps giving me treats when she thinks he isn’t looking.

At least I get to play and tear around with all the village dogs up here as there are three big greens rather than a narrow little towpath where people worry I might roll their dogs into the water.

On the bottom green surrounded by three friends just before three of my Labrador friends turned up

On the top green a lurcher started chasing me.  He was really fast and running around in large circles.  I showed Neil that I could run just as fast by running circles of a smaller radius inside his.

On the way to the hospital to see Grandma, we popped into a fire shop.  Grandma and Grandad are unable to bend down to turn on their gas fire so we ordered a new one with remote control.  What with remote controls for the stairlift and TV etc. and also several phone handsets I hope they don’t get confused and turn on the gas fire when they are trying to go upstairs or something ☹

Neil took me out in the car in the evening – as usual I had no idea how long a journey it was going to be.  Fortunately, it wasn’t far and we soon stopped and went into the station at Skipton.  I thought great we’re off on a train but we stayed on the platform and to my surprise, Karen appeared – she had caught the train up from Leamington.

On the way back to the B&B we stopped at a pub but they weren’t happy with the beer or food so we soon left and we spent the rest of the evening in the room.

Friday

GOOD NEWS DAY! We all went into the hospital and found out that Grandma can come home next Tuesday.  She has also been told to stop using her zimmer frame and to only use her sticks.  She is being really positive but also feels a bit apprehensive as five weeks is a long time in hospital and she is probably worried about what state the house will be in.  Steve, Neil’s middle son, came up as well so that was nice for Grandma to see someone different as well.

After a walk along the Leeds & Liverpool canal we set off in the car again.  It was obviously going to be a long journey as they had made sandwiches so hopefully we were going back to the boat.   But no, we arrived in a place called Edinburgh.  I didn’t mind too much as I get lots of different walks when we are up there.  Karen’s youngest, Jo, also came and joined us for the weekend in the AirBnB we had rented.

Weekend

Neil and Karen were worried about me on Saturday morning as I kept licking a wound on my leg – I had caught it on a sharp stick.  They took me to the vets who gave me some antibiotic tablets and this stupid plant pot to wear.

You would think they would put the television on for me to watch

They took the plant pot off when we went for walks as they knew I couldn’t lick my wounds when I was on the lead.  We had some great walks over the weekend and also popped over to another part of Edinburgh to see Neil’s nephew and family – they had a new baby called Casper last Monday.  Judith and Nigel were there too to see their new grandson so it was a good family get together.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend walks:

Arthur’s seat from the top of Blackford Hill

Neil, Karen and Jo pretending to be at the summit of Ben Nevis

Steve and me watching Neil and Jo playing the wooden xylophone in Craiglockhart Woods

Walking through Merchants of Edinburgh golf course

The three Forth bridges

This was Steve’s first visit to Scotland and he was really taken with Edinburgh and could understand why Jo liked living there

Monday

Up early, packing and flat cleaning so we must be going back to the boat again.  After four hours driving we stopped but we were in Yorkshire again.  Another visit to the hospital and doing some jobs for Grandad then we were off again.  We had a good run home and found we had two neighbours when we got back.  Even though it was really mild, Neil lit a fire as it felt colder in the boat than it was outside.  At least it was nice and cosy for me all night as I sleep next to the stove.  I don’t understand why Neil and Karen sleep in their bedroom with the door closed and portholes open – they must get frozen!