Zoom - you are a star.

This weekend was a very special day for my daughter. She sent this short email to us, celebrating a special agility competition.
Hey Mum,
Zoomy was a star on Saturday night. She got 2 more agility qualis with a win and a second against some top notch dogs. I was very proud of her. It was also the last leg needed for her MAAD and her AAC.
Here's the one run that we got on the new video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neJHRv9jPRA

What is special about this is that Zoom, the youngest of her three agility dogs, has been suffering from many varied diseases, some genetic, and others caused by medication prescribed to treat the first - thyroid problems, Addisons disease and others. So to deal with these illnesses, manipulate medication to achieve an acceptable balance, and then to compete so well is an achievement for Zoom, and of course Tracey and Glenn.

Credits: Sultry Summer by Julie ItIs (JSouthern) at Plain Digital Wrapper

Sep 2007 Snow 98 years old

Sep 2007
We wondered about whether Snow would be well enough to celebrate his 98th birthday in September. In the weeks before his birthday, his health had been of concern - a tumble resulted in black eye, head gash and numerous bruises. He wasn't able to get around unaided- and refused a walking stick or walker.
Luckily on his birthday he was relatively clear in mind and fit in body, so we drove him to Clem's home for a gathering of all his children . Snow dozed most of the day, but was alert for the cake cutting- a red Kombie van just like the one he drove in the 1960s.
Jayne and Mark, Rob and I are still busy looking after the gardens and clearing the house and Snow's tool collection. Some surprise finds include about 100 drill bits in only 2 sizes, about 500 sheets of sandpaper and emery paper, and millions of rusty bits and bobs.

Rob and I still visit Snow every fortnight and Jean, CLem's wife, visits on Friday afternoons. Many days Snow is not very aware of our presence, and now wants to doze off a lot, often only awake for 10 minutes at a time.
Some days he talks about the past- travelling in the sulky, the old life in Gayndah and Monto, the hard times in Southern Cross and at Richmond, about the jobs he has had - building a church at Jambin, painting the Richmond Station, Biloela hospital, his sign writing and glass painting.

Sadly Snow departed this life 4 weeks after his 98th birthday. Unusually, Rob saw the need to visit with Snow on a Friday, instead of our usual Sunday. Snow was lucid and in very good spirits and Rob had a most enjoyable visit. Snow died about 36 hours later- just did not wake up one morning.

(Layout Credits: Watch element by Tina Williams)

Aug 2007 Sad Times

August 2007 Sad times.
No blogs for quite some time. In late May we sadly and swiftly lost Joyce, my mother-in-law aged 84, to a virulent, aggressive cancer. She lasted only 40 days from diagnosis to death, and we are so relieved to know she is at peace. An avid gardener, Joyce will love to share her garden with you.

Snow, my father-in-law celebrates his 98th birthday in a few weeks. He is frail in mind with limited mobility, but continues to fire along. Recently we found a new photo of him in his late teens. I have overlaid this with the last one of him (with a moustache- his first ever) to create an animated gif of him aging before our eyes.

Jan 2007 Birthday girl

Jan 25 2007
Our darling daughter has a birthday today (somewhere between 30 and 40- we don't say how many).
Her dad and I just want her to know how loved and precious she is, and what light she brings to our lives. She is the most caring and considerate person - helpful, trustworthy, industrious, lively and a great friend.
Dad and I created a simple audio podcast for her .
So, our darling daughter, happy birthday to you.
Mum and Dad
The Birthday card was a scraplift copied from a template Quickpage freebie by Dreamweaver (couldn't make the template work for me).