Butch Boo

Woofiest Christmas!

2009-12-15T18:13:00.000Z

Our Poor Little Angel...has a halo!

2009-12-15T14:34:00.004Z

Poor little Sausage...

A couple of weeks ago we took our Gertie to hospital to have her spayed.

Just as she was getting back to her old playful self she became really unwell. Severe vomitting, runs and she was unable to get up. QR and I rushed her to hospital- they admitted her and conducted emergency surgery-( having to reopen the old wound and then explore her gut) it looked like she may have swallowed something which was causing a blockage. They found nothing and in hospital she stayed- it was touch and go. It was really distressing knowing she was in there and every time my phone rang my heart skipped a beat thinking the worse.

The vet phoned us Sunday- Gertie wasn't eating but hadn't been sick for a few days and she'd be better off at home with her moms. I am so pleased to report that once home she has been hoovering up her prescription food and meds like no business and is going from strength to strength. She did her first poo and how we cheered!! They think she had a severe case of gastrointeritus. She has a massive wound on her belly poor thing.

I have a sneaking suspicion that she might be royally spoilt this Christmas!

As for other matters- I will frankly be quite pleased to see the back of this year. It has proven to be a very stressful year. What with work and matters of the heart- that one day soon I shall write about when less raw. Things are looking brighter now though and Boo's bounce has returned (all be it a bounce with a look over the shoulder at the moment!)

Adventures with Gertie...

2009-10-11T19:38:00.005+01:00

Well...so far Gertie has certainly had an eventful life! She's had tonnes of scrapes, adventures, outings, and ofcourse...love.

The other evening QR and I were taking Gertrude for a walk along the river I live on. Gertie has dog mania at the moment and is totally obsessed by them. A pooch came our way...Gertie got over excited and ended up rolling into the river! Very frightening- there was a six foot drop and no way we could reach her. There was nothing else for it- Boo had to jump in. It was stenching, thick and black and you couldn't see into it at all. In I jumped (luckily avoiding being impaled on any discarded bits of metal that's regularly dumped in there) it was icy cold and you couldn't touch the bottom. Apparently Gertie completely disapppeared under...QR screamed... I managed to scramble under the water and grab hold of her and somehow throw her up onto the edge.

I was now stuck in the stenching water- there was no way I could get out because of the drop. I had to swim up stream and found an old chain to help pull myself up, passers by helped pull me out like an undignified seal!! (Very embarrassing as by now quite an audience had gathered!)

Gertie found the whole episode exhilerating...Boo on the other hand was like a drowned rat and stinking of rotten eggs!

Needless to say we are now keeping Gertrude firmly on a lead at all times anywhere near the river.

Lesson learnt!

Boo Stays Afloat....Bully Boss Sinks!

2009-09-14T19:19:00.009+01:00

For the past four months Boo has been on the receiving end of an endless persistant bullying campaign from my new manager in the new company I'm working for. He has been quite an expert at intimidation, harassment, making me feel inadequate, he's an excellent mind fucker. He's even involved some of his subordinates. I have felt so incredibly stressed, ill, I have completly dreaded going in to work and my confidence totally went to pot.

I decided that enough was enough and to make an official complaint. I refuse to be a victim, I decided it was time to take control. It was really difficult as I had no way of knowing who he had as his supporters. However, I'm so glad I did- it turns out that others have come forward saying they too have been bullied. He has now been suspended- they apparently have a long list of issues to deal with- fraud, corruption, theft and my evidence finally led to his suspension- and it's highly unlikely he'll be back.

This experience has really taught me some humility. I'm ashamed to admit that if I ever heard of anyone saying they were being bullied at work I'd secretly scoff and mock. Thinking they were soft and weak. Not any more I am pleased to say.

The justice of it all though...what is making me smile and chuckle to myself the most... is that they have offered me his job in the meantime! I will be managing the very people that have been his foot soldiers!

Ofcourse I will be fair and reasonable- but let me at 'em!!!

Yorkshire for Boo's Birthday

2009-08-15T22:31:00.015+01:00

Boo swapped London to spend her birthday with QR & Gertie in wonderful Yorkshire. The air was so soft and tasted so clean, and as for the fish and chips...Yum! Just what we all needed. X

Blue Skies Ahead...?

2009-08-05T17:39:00.003+01:00

" The worse loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself "

Mark Twain

I went to a friends' sisters' party this weekend in deepest Oxfordshire countryside. It turned out to be a surprise straight wedding, there were 250 guests- all of them exceedingly straight, white, middle-classed and typical country folk with typical country attitudes.

I was wearing my "Butch, Butcher, Butchest" T-shirt! I found myself gulping down the Pimms at an attempt to numb the stares and ridiculous comments and conversations emanating from the small minded middle Englanders.

I so wanted to be elsewhere- I felt awkward and uncomfortable in my own self...not good. I wasn't in a good place when I'd arrived and was feeling fairly sad- had I known it was to be a wedding I would have avoided attendance at all costs!

Anyways, I'm back and in recovery and feeling a little less sad on a daily basis. QR, Gertie and Boo are going to Yorkshire for a few days next week and I so hope we get some blue skies.

Biker Border!

2009-07-02T17:52:00.001+01:00

Baking hot in London today. So took Gertie for a spin on the bike- she's a natural biker!

The Genius Gert!

2009-06-29T12:38:00.011+01:00

I was woken suddenly this morning by a frantic phonecall from QR. "Boo I've lost Gertie, she's completely disappeared". I leapt out of bed, mistakingly putting on my "I love Birds T-shirt!" pulled my jeans on (no boxers commando style!) and bolted out of the door on a sprint to the park to find our three month old Gertie and comfort poor QR.

But as soon as I got out of the flat who do I find scratching at the door...Gertie! She had managed to cross three roads, and find her way home about a quarter of a mile away! She was very happy to see me but not half as happy as QR when I phoned her with the news. QR had gone to stand with a couple of other dog walkers and we reckon that Gertie just hadn't spotted where she was, had panicked and ran off back home.

I know most parents think it -but we both think our Gertie is somewhat of a little genius!

Phew! It could have been an awful start to QRs' birthday!

On the other hand my bike makes me smile.....

2009-06-22T15:08:00.001+01:00

I Can't STRESS it Enough!

2009-06-20T16:50:00.010+01:00

Phew....!

What a few weeks Boo's had of it! I've never thought of myself as someone who gets stressed easily... although I admit I do worry if I'm not worrying about something or other. But when it comes to real heavy stress I've recently really had my fill of it.

Stress is a killer. It's all consuming. It's like a beast that feeds on itself- a downward never ending spiral. I've been having sleepless nights, I'm fraught and over emotional, paranoid, my nails are bitten down to the quick, I'm listless and just wanna wrap myself up in my quilt and hideaway.

I keep reminding myself of my friend who I know through work, he suffered so badly with stress that he went off sick, his body went into crisis through diabetes and he ended up having his leg amputated. The last time I saw him he pleaded with me to not ever allow work to stress me out- because it is no way worth it.

Rationally ofcourse it all seems so futile and stupid to be feeling so distressed about something as meaningless as work. I tell myself constantly to stop stressing- it's only a job. I know I have to let go, give up the control I'm so used to and let the powers that be do whatever it is they want to do. It's a painful process but it's time for me to move on and do something else.

I've given myself a target of three months to find another job. That way I've got a light at the end of the tunnel and can pull back. I'm going to do as little as possible at work and enjoy the summer with the lovely QR and Gertie. QR has been my rock and has provided me with sage advice which hasn't always been easy to hear but has always been bang on.

Life really is too short. I need to focus on what is good in my life and stop wasting my energy on futile battles. Boo...pull yourself together!!

Stress.... please don't let the beast get to you!

Mega Gertz!

2009-06-09T20:00:00.016+01:00

What a few weeks! Stress city at work, poor QR's had a hard time of it, endless visits from friends... and sleepless nights full of angst. I'm totally exhausted...

BUT...it it all somehow feels so much better when I wake up to soft warm cuddles from our precious Gertie...she has her booster jabs tomorrow and I can't wait to take her out exploring!

Marriage...I do ...no I don't...

2009-05-23T10:52:00.031+01:00

Boo's very much looking forward to going to the CP (Civil Partnership) of some dear friends today who have been together for 20 years. It promises to be a lovely day full of love and sunshine- and there will be a guaranteed knees up later...the Irish don't you just love them!

I have very mixed feelings on the whole marriage/CP concept...it really isn't for me. I get annoyed at the way society seems to view relationships- and it often places more importance on the ones who are married. (Judge Judy's catchphrase seems to be "Why are you not married??") One of the first questions people would ask about QR's ex- relationship was "were they married?" I really don't see that it makes any difference either way. I am always bothered by the question on monitoring forms- single or married? ...well I'm neither!

I know that for some people making a public statement about your shared love and betrothing yourself to another and celebrating that betrothal is important. To some it's about religeon and the church. To some it's about security. To some it's about having a legally binding document to ensure your assets are safely shared and you have legal rights should anything happen to the other. To others it's a statement about equality (although we still can't officially get "married"- we are allowed a civil partnership in this country instead). To others it's about having a damn good party...and bloody good on them all. They have my absolute, complete support and love.

But to me each day I wake up and choose to be with my girlfriend is a statement of my love for her. To me the proactive everyday choice to be with her speaks more about my love then being legally bound to her. I don't want a legally binding document in my relationship, I don't want the state involved in my relationship...

Don't get me wrong- I love weddings and CPs- so I'm excedingly grateful that not everyone thinks like me! I'm off to don my suit and tie and party here I come...

Love, Peace and Happiness to all- married or not!

"WORK"- it's a four letter word!

2009-05-15T12:20:00.016+01:00

Boo's work is extremely stressful at the moment. There are a ton of politics going on combined with a load of egos which really isn't a great combination. The powers that be seem to be making judgements based on no evidence and want to severely cut our funding which will have a catastrophic effect on 100's of lives.

Over the last couple of years we've turned the service completely around - we now have an excellent outreach support service which literally helps save older vulnerable people's lives. The staff have a keen work ethic and my management team are just about the best you could ever hope to have...it's all at risk and Boo's finding coping difficult. I feel so responsible for the service I manage, for the 25 staff and for the 350 older vulnerable older people we support.

I admit that I am a total control freak (I kind of have to be)- but having very little control about the future of the service right now is almost unbearable. I tell myself- "it's only a job", and try and pull back- but one of the main reasons why we've managed to make it something so special and of such high quality is because we have put our hearts and souls into it 100%

I know my boundaries and limit my public stress and anxieties- putting on a brave face for the others but it saddens me so- I could cry. I know I have to look after myself and pull back but I'm not finding it that easy to do.

It could go either way right now- and not knowing is fairly tormenting.

Flowers are so sexual don't you think?

2009-05-05T22:22:00.009+01:00

I'll be my flower's bee when she comes over for dinner later!

Boo's Outing...

2009-05-10T21:00:00.012+01:00

Boo had a lovely day trip today- went to the coast (Seven Sisters Country Park) with a dear friend. The sun was scorching- so dipping my toes in the sea was bliss. Seeing the horizon and breathing the fresh sea and sun soaked air was delightful- Boo needed to as work has been mighty stressful and heavy of late.

Boo was very naughty and had a cream tea- for some of you who may not know; a cream tea is something that us English like to indulge in when on a country outing. It consists of a scone, strawberry jam, lashings of clotted cream and a pot of English tea- yum!

Gertie will have loads of beautiful trees to wee by!

2009-05-05T22:05:00.007+01:00

Gertie Lillian BomBom

2009-04-18T18:40:00.008+01:00

Here she is!

QR andI have taken the plunge and are now the proud parents of Gertie. We fell totally in love with her today- she's a three week old Border Terrier. At the moment she's with her mom (who's totally adorable) and her two sisters and three brothers out in the countryside. It was like being in a different world- all very Hoorah Henry. Our Gertrude is very posh and currently residing at some stables, her dad is a three times champion winner (not sure of what!)

She gets to live in the big smoke with us in a few weeks, and I can't wait!

Last Spanish Sunset...

2009-04-13T11:33:00.004+01:00

Last for Boo for a while anyway... back to work tomorrow...fully charged and ready for anything!

Q's and Boo's Great Escape!

2009-04-01T17:30:00.013+01:00

Postcards from the Edge...

No! This is not Boo & QR!

Lovely to exchange my army boots for sandals!

Love a bit of rock exploring...

Here we are in Spain- staying in my mom's apartment having made "The Great Escape". QR really needed a break- some "kicking back" and "doing nothing" time (See her blog for more details). I'm trying (very I'm told!) to stay out of her face and behave myself- we'll see!

As for Boo- well I'm heading for a very stressful time in my work. I love my job- I manage a support service for 350 vulnerable elders- I have a staff team of 30 and the contract has just been given to a different company. We'll all get taken over to the new company but you can bet that there will be massive cost saving exercises and little if no autonomy. I'm hoping that it won't affect the service but I do feel responsible for the service users and staff.

So here I am in Spain charging up my batteries ready for the many steep climbs ahead.

Onwards and Upwards! (can't wait to get the puppy mid May I hope)

BOO WHO?!

2009-03-29T21:43:00.009+01:00

Someone remarked the other day that over the years I had been given a large number of nicknames and yes indeed they were right...

* Boo (not sure where it came from but might be cos I cry so easily at all things soppy!)
*My Boo (when she's being affectionate)
*Wookie
* Fin (derived from my hair cut)
*Finbar Wookie (combination of the above)
*The Hoff (when I drive my black sports car in my biker's jacket!!- my car's called Kit!)
*Doll Nicoletta (said in an Italian accent)
*Pigeonie
* Doll Pigeonie
*Brum Brum (cos of where I'm from and cos I ride a motorbike)
*Farty-pants (afraid very true observation)
*windy-miller (as above!!)
*Pyramid Tits! (that one was quite a while back!!)
*Nipples ( kinda rhymes with my surname actually)
*Gorjus (well at least someone had good taste and excellent eye sight!)
*Fluffy Butch (spose I am)
*Pig (from children's programme Pipkins and coming from Brummie land- and perhaps slightly due to being a windy miller!)
*Dirty Girty- (yep that's me!)
*Booo Booo Boooo Booooooooooo (usually when my bird wants something!!)
*Studly from Dudley (oh yes and very proud of it!)
* The stud (OK! You got me- I call myself that!)
*Donkey cock! (long story but was approached by a woman who asked if I fancied a fuck as I looked like I had a cock the size of a donkey!!)
*Supadyke (cos I saved a woman from drowning)

I love my nicknames- some more than others! So come on tell me what some of yours are and why?!! Share please do.......

Graffiti- it's not all cocks and balls!

2009-03-28T12:28:00.012Z

I love the word GRAFFITI- originates from the Greek "graphein" meaning "to write". Graffiti (graffito) a drawing or message on a flat surface- originally referred to marks found on ancient Roman architecture, found on Hadrian's wall etc. Now found everywhere and some of it bloody brilliant!

Jaconelli's lemon top

2009-02-08T18:07:00.019Z

I loved staying at my nana and Jack's when I was a kid. They lived in Scarborough on the North Yorkshire coast. I felt so safe and looked after there in her and my granddad Jack's little house. They had a horrible yappy old Chiuaua dog called Bambi- I used to put Marmite on his tongue as revenge when it snapped at me for sitting on his chair- I resisted using the English mustard and chilli powder but was tempted many a time!

My granddad Jack would sit me on his shoulders and take me on a tour of the magic monkey trees in the local cemetry- if I touched one I'd get extra powers (think that's where I got my Supadyke strength from!) We'd go to the wishing well where I'd sneak tuppances into my pocket that someone else had thrown in! Well...they'd already had their wish!

I got friendly with the donkey man and used to walk the donkeys up and down the beach, I'd go back and feed the chimps he had in a shed in his garden. The poor things -were always doped up to the eyeballs- my favourite Jimmy used to wear a red baseball cap and a yellow T-shirt. Jimmy was very popular with the tourists who'd pay extortionate amounts to have their pictures taken with him.

I loved Jaconelli's lemon top icecream, hot waffles from the Corner Cafe covered in syrup and cream, fish and chips with extra mushy peas, my favourite shop was the joke shop. I'd save my pocket money and wishing well money and buy stink bombs and let them off in the local launderette!

Granddad Jack would bring back crabs in a pot every Friday and most Saturdays me and my brother woud have crab races in the back yard! I'd usually win cos bruv never did figure out they ran sideways!

Nana was quite eccentric- she ran a dating agency, was a spiritualist who could talk with the dead, baked cakes (badly), and had a market stall that as far as I can remember never had anything on it for sale. She kept a massive sweet tin hidden at the top of the cellar stairs and me and bruv would dare each other to go grab a sweet out of it and risk the cellar ghost!

Nana and Jack are sadly both gone from this world- but my wonderful memories live on. I love going back to Scarborough more than anything- I'm that naughty mischeivous kid all over again. Unfortunately the joke shop's now a fishing tackle shop, and thankfully the poor chimps have gone. But I still get my Jaconelli's lemon top, dip my feet in the freezing sea and remember days gone by...

Cock-a-Doodle!

2009-03-22T17:54:00.020Z

What is it with Cocks?! They're absolutely everywhere!!

Do you like the one above? Lovingly doodled outside my mom's apartment in Spain. Proving to be truly multi-national- the doodled cock- found by Boo across Europe, the States, South Africa in fact I'm sure they're displayed across all continents.

They're in library books, on blogs (mine- see above!!!), walls, houses, bus shelters, boats, planes, cars, buses, paving slabs, coach stations, airports, tins of beans, carved into trees, cacti, benches etc etc!!

They come (no pun intended!) in all shapes and sizes; with or without balls, for detail you can add hairs, a helmet, if you're really arty you can add wrinkles or veins, and for that extra touch add a dotted line coming (whoops done it again!) out of the top!

I personally prefer the cunt myself. In fact I'm going to start a cunt revolution. Yes Boo is going to start travelling the continents with the sole aim of covering the world with cunts! I'll draw small ones, big ones, hairy ones, pink & purple ones, ones with a Brazilian, ones that look like flowers, ones that look like walnuts (don't ask!!!)

Pass me that spray can...and VIVA LA CUNT!

Doggy names...

2009-03-06T11:22:00.003Z

Apologies for not being around for a while but Boo has been busy with an array of major life events...(mainly revolving around QR- QR's story to tell and sure she will) and I also haven't been able to access a PC other than my work one. But I'm back with new laptop on knee and really looking forward to getting stuck into Blogland once again.

QR and I are going to be undertaking a major commitment- we're getting a puppy. We're planning on getting a Border Terrier sometime around mid May I hope. I'm really excited!

I know we won't think of a suitable name for he or she until we meet her or him but any suggestions would be greatly welcomed!

So far I have:

Gary, Walter, Lilly, Gracie, John, Mike, Dave, Ethel, Hilda, Mildred, Egbert, Wilfred, Percy, Edna, Norman, Sid, BomBom, William, Dennis, Bertie, Trevor, Florence, Gertrude, Winnie, Wallie, Truman, Elsie, Martina, Henry...

I'll be back...a bit like my BELLY!

2009-01-24T11:27:00.005Z

Sorry Boo has not been able to do any new posts or read any of your blogs and I'm really missing Blogland. I haven't had access to a PC (work one is a no-no!) Hopefully normal service will resume once my PC is sorted on Friday by a lovely expert.

Decided to have a hool-a-hoop championship on my Wii the other day, good job there were no hidden cameras! My hips are now fucked! But it was worrying me that lately when I lie on my back on the sofa the ceiling seems to be getting lower. When I lie in bed I have a kind of high pitched tent erect around me. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I think I'm cuddling my girlfriend. It is in fact my BELLY I'm cuddling. My BELLY that's inching nearer toward the ceiling and my BELLY that is the central pole in mybed tent!

Yes- it's time to sort it out and de-bellify...anyone fancy a hool-a-hoop competition?! Good job it's a virtual hoop as not sure I'd get it over my BELLY!

(No... I'm not pregnant she's been wearing her gloves ha! ha! ha!!)