Rest in Peace Sir

Yesterday I was so focused on my vaccination that I did not see the news until quite late and was saddened to learn of the passing of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh who died just short of his 100th birthday.  I think it is fair to say that "Phil the Greek" was a colourful character and it is not until now with his death that I have been interested enough to find out more about him.  He and the Queen were third cousins and met in 1934 when Elizabeth was eight years old and he was thirteen at the marriage of Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark to Prince George Duke of Kent.  Interestingly my dad's sister, who I refer to as Aunty Joyce, must have been born in 1934 as she was named after Princess Marina as she was Marina Joyce Tregunna but when younger preferred to be called Joyce because having been called after the princess people would have been able to work out when she was born - or at least that is how I remember the story going!!!  In later life she reverted to her proper christian name of Marina but Dad and I could never quite remember and have continued to call her Joyce.   Anyway I digress.  There is to be a period of mourning and a 'simple and intimate' burial next weekend.  

I don't seem to have had an adverse reaction to my jab so far.  It has been suggested that taking paracetamol afterwards is helpful so I have done that - there is always a danger that any tweak or twinge is attributable to the vaccination so I am trying not to over analyse things.  Sadly the weather this morning was appalling so John and I could not walk even if we had wanted to.  We had planned to go for a meal in the village with Nicky and Mark but when it seemed clear that the rain was coming we had cancelled that and Nicky had kindly offered to make some lunch providing I felt ok - which I did!!!  So a big big thank you to her for providing us with a lovely lunch.  She is a non chili eater but had made a fab chili con carne with rice for Mark, John and I and she was having a chicken and leek risotto which I sampled and I don't think she would disagree when I say that it tasted far better than it looked - in fact it tasted fabulous.  

It is a great weekend for sport as The Masters is mid way through and we have been enjoying watching the ups and downs of play on the absolutely stunning Augusta course where currently Justin Rose is in the lead - this is one competition he has still to win but apparently he has never managed to win when he was been in the lead.

After a covid enforced hiatus last year today they were able to hold this year's Aintree Grand National which we watched linked to John's Mum via What'sApp and witnessed history in the making as Rachael Blackmore became the first woman to win this arduous and famous race.  John's step-father Hadge was a huge racing fan - I wonder what he would have made of a female winner!!

Having had a lovely lunch we didn't need much this evening so settled down to some simple TV snuggled down in the lounge with the gas fire as, although the weather did improve this afternoon, it was still chilly and John is desperately trying to get to the bottom of the gas bottle.

I am pleased to report that after a bit of a battle Boris has accepted his new bed and this evening he came in and got into it of his own accord.

It was good to see him settle down and look comfortable because we have been worried about him as he has been demonstrating some of the symptoms that Charlie demonstrated when he had that grass stuck in his throat.  Boris is snuffly at the best of times because we found out, after he had been in a fight, that he has a hole between his nostrils.  

He has been running to eat but then not eating, he has been gagging and retching and he has been snuffling badly.  I don't want to panic but I don't want him to be going through what Charlie went through.  John and I spent time today with some water in a syringe helping him to swallow - we shall just have to keep an eye on him.