Life updates, Why have I been so quiet? Whats Been going on?

Hi all,

Well, I'm back after a very long time away, There has been a lot going on here in the last 6 months and I simply feel like I haven't had time to sit and write.

I have a new job
I have had Hernia Surgery
I have got hair extensions
I have a new car

I now work for the national trust in the catering team at Clumber Park. I LOVE it! I feel like I finally belong, and have found a job I love to go to and get up in a morning and look forward to it. Yes, I have taken a pay drop and had to rearrange and reassess my spending. But its well worth it for actually feeling and being truly happy. My family have all commented on how I seem genuinely settled and happy.

I around easter found a lump in my stomach that was very painful, which ended up being a "paraumbilical hernia". I was signed off work and was operated on within 3 weeks. It was a painful recovery, and now 4 months on I am still not 100% strong in my core and stomach, but it has made me concentrate on eating well, and gentler forms of exercise and the process of building back up.

My hair never grows, and if you have been here for a while I have documented this. I have tried biotin and millions of different products. So finally I have taken the plunge and got tape in extensions, (I am now on my second install). They have lasted me about 8 weeks before needing to come out and be retaped and reinstalled. I have been truly amazed at how much my hair is growing while I have them in. I think its a mixture of the extra heat on my head and the sulphate etc free shampoo I am using to maintain them. I know it is growing as I am needing my roots doing every 8 weeks, and I can usually manage 12 weeks. I think they will be installed 2 more times and then my hair should have grown to my desired length.

I had a big life change last year when my sister died, and one thing I have learnt is that life is true too short and if you want something go out and do it. Well, I have always wanted a convertible "Sunday car". And I worked hard and saved hard and thankfully I went and bought it just before the summer weather started. I have been very thankful and happy to be driving around with the top down and tunes on over the last few weeks. Whenever I have felt low this has been a sure way to very quickly pick me up.

Introducing Lucy - The CockerJack Puppy

As you may be aware I have just picked up my puppy, she is now 8.5 weeks old and is starting to show her own true little personality.

As I am writing this, today is my first day home alone with her, and so far so good she is sitting in her basket by my feet.

Our experience so far:

Day 1:

Lucy was so good in the car, we had about 45 mins travel time from her breeder to home, but she sat in the travel crate with no crying and fell asleep. Once we got home she had a good sniff around and we took her and introduced her to the house, her bed & toys.

A little later that afternoon we took lucy out for a play on the grass, where she just wanted to be close to us and cuddle, but we managed out first family selfie.

That night lucy went to bed and cried and cried, we ended up getting up with her ever 2 hours and knew we needed to do something. We had planned to crate train lucy however amazon prime did no deliver the crate on time.

Day 2:

Sadly this day we had 2 accidents in the house, however this was mummy and daddys fault. As lucy had come over to us and we thought she wanted to play, however she was cleverly letting us know she wanted to go out. After this we decided to start logging when she had been to the toilet / played/ food etc. this had helped us to ensure we take her to try every hour.

We introduced her to her collar and lead for the first time for 15 mins, and later this evening we went to the neighbours for a BBQ, lucy sat / slept  very happily beside her travel crate, on a long lead.

we borrowed a travel crate for this night to see how she settles, and cleverly lucy managed to last until 3.30 to let us know she needed the toilet, and managed until 6.30

Day 3:

Lucy went for her first visit to the vets, who did a health check and was happy wit lucy who is now 2.3kg, she had he first jab and insertion of her microchip. Lucy was yet again as chilled as ever and took it in her stride.

For the first hours when lucy got back home she was hyperactive and very boisterous and we couldn't tire her out, then at 6pm and if a light switch had gone off she was out for the count, we had to wake her up to go to the toilet before bed, and move her to the now delivered crate.

Lucy slept through from 10.30 to 5.30 (I think she would have lasted longer but this was what time Tom needed to get up for work today)

Routine:

Food - feeding 4 times a day - Pedigree wet and dry puppy food (half a packet and a few dry parts each meal) - training treats, lucy is best on the softer treats at the min, and likes bits of  hot dog sausages.

Toilet - Letting her out to try every hour, - we now know where she like to be taken for number 1 and different place for number 2

Training -

• Lucy now wears her collar full time, and is happy to go out on a short lead to the toilet (we do this due to the nature of our garden, and 2 other dogs close by in the same open garden estate)
• Fetch it and drop it - are becoming very responded too, lucy loves her plush toys, but is starting to like a lightweight ball outside.
• Name - lucy will listen and come to you when you shout her name, and always looks when she hears it
• Sit - Today I have had my first 5 minutes of sit training and so far so good,

I am looking forwards to being able to take her out for walks, and introduce her safely to the other 2 dogs.

Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/lucy_cockerjack