December Already 😲

So much has happened since our last post that I've not been able to keep track of the time, when we last spoke Eko was recovering well from an acute case of pancreatitis and my dad had  finally had his cataract surgery, has since made a good recovery and things were starting to settle down again

At the end of October Paleo Ridge launched Paleo Senior to the Paleo Plus range which we were excited about as they will really benefit Boris and his specific dietary requirements as a senior boy of 10 years old with chronic arthritis 

Image Descriptions - Two head and shoulders shots of Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel looking very majestic holding in his mouth the distinctive and artistic new packaging of the Paleo Senior Turkey and Lamb Dinners. Boris is looking at the camera standing amongst a small clump of trees out in the woods and is slightly damp from the wet grass he'd been running through previously 

Paleo Senior is designed to meet the distinctive needs of senior dogs by using lean high-quality meat cuts enriched with nutrient-packed green leafy vegetables, this low-fat formula is also enhanced with Reishi mushrooms to support the immune system and cell health. Reishi Mushrooms are a type of mushroom that has medicinal properties and is perfectly safe for dogs, the mushrooms from Bristol Fungarium are grown in organic soil and are added to the meals in the form of tinctures

Reishi is also known as 'the mushroom of youth' and has incredible properties which can help to protect cells from oxidative damage, as well as polysaccharides to help boost the immune system, plus Ganoderic Acid which helps to slow the release of histamines and can help with allergies and itching as well as anti-inflammatory properties to help support dogs with arthritis

Boris absolutely loves the Seior Plus and it really agrees with him, I do add some extra Spratts to raise the fat content a little for Boris as he is already very lean and doesn't have any excess weight to lose which can be a common problem with a lot of senior dogs

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On the 31st October my parents received a card from Buckingham Palace sent by  HRH King Charles to celebrate their Diamond Wedding anniversary, dad was totally made up once I explained what it was about, but sadly the significance of the occasion didn't register with mum as her vascular dementia is really starting to do a number her now

Image Descriptions - The external and internal of the card my parents received from HRH King Charles to celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary, on the front is a photo of the King standing next to the Queen Consort in a doorway, inside is a lovely printed message and the hand signed signatures of both the King and the Queen Consort

I had looked into getting a card from the Queen for my parents 50th Anniversary which was when I discovered you couldn't apply for one until their 60th anniversary, the whole thing was really easy to do online as luckily my brother had a photograph of mum and dads wedding certificate. I'm so glad he did as it would have meant me going through all of my parents personal papers to find the original, which would have then spoiled the surprise as I'd have had to explain what I was looking for

I did feel the photo of the King was disappointingly plain though which is probably what added to mums confusion about who it was from, she thought it was a photo of my dad to start with, whereas the Queen was always so brightly dressed and with such a beautiful radient smile which made her instantly recognisable to everyone, but it's the thought that counts and I'm so pleased that the palace have continued with the tradition of sending out greeting cards for special events since the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth

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Also at the end of October I finally did it, I'd lost 31lbs (that's 2 stone 3lbs to my UK friends) and was awarded my Club 10 at Slimming World for having lost 10% of my body weight and I'm really feeling the difference now,  although I do still look like a giant standing next to Pauline who's our leader and who's petite in every way

Image Description - Myself wearing a grey t-shirt and black leggings with green and red paw prints, I'm standing next to a much smaller blonde haired lady wearing a black one piece jumpsuit with small white polka dots. In my hands I'm holding a blue certificate that says Certificate of Congratulations Club 10 in white writing

My next milestone is now on the horizon as I aim to lose a further 23lbs (1 stone 9lbs) to get to the first interim target weight I've set myself, I'm doing it in small stages as there's still so much weight to lose before I will get anywhere near back to my ideal weight again, hopefully by setting myslf smaller targets I'll get there bit by bit

I've done it before and I can do it again, I just wish I'd not allowed myself to put so much weight back on again, it started creeping up over Lockdown and then mum had a stroke and my life changed so dramatically that losing weight wasn't top of my agenda

The only good thing that's come out of the past couple of years is that mums stoke has spurred me into giving up smoking, especially after seeing what it has done to her health as she also has COPD and heart failure to contend with, on December 1st it was 15 months since I last had a cigarette

As a previously heavy smoker whose tried quitting so many times, I'm amazed I've managed to give up and to lose weight at the same time this time around, life is very different for me health wise as I do feel a lot better within myself.  I just hope as more of my weight comes off my pain levels will begin to improve and I can stop relying on crutches to walk the dogs

There's still so much more to tell you about things that have happened since my last posting, but I'll save that for another day and will probably add it to our Jackanory Stories to do it the justice it deserves as posting retrospectively 

Lots of love

Dawn, Boris & Eko xxx 

This Post is linked too

Awww Mondays - Comedy Plus 

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