I mentioned in the comments that last weekend was horrendous for us here. In many ways it was on so many levels.

It started normally with no hassles, Moppets social calender was set, my online workload organised and Hubby’s horse race schedual sorted….

We have one puppy left from Bonnies’s and Buster’s record breaking litter. The runt remained with us as he was much smaller than the others and very skinny dispite attempts to feed him up.

He is now a bouncing healthy 3 month old puppy, and we have been unable to find a home for him. So he appears to be our new addition…. hmmmm 3 dogs… busy…

On Friday evening he cut the base of his ear… it bleed and bleed… and after much panic and time I stopped the bleeding got him settled and after the normal procedures he was fine. On Saturday morning he scratch it and then shook his head, long floppy ears move pretty fast, his ear swelled up like a stuffed toy, you could actually watch it grow.

I called the vet who is 3 hours away, he said his ear was bleeding internally, forming a giant blood blister. Wait until Monday or Tuesday and bring him up for surgery. We did… after placing a bucket on his head.

On Monday we took him to the vets, when we arrived the vet removed the bucket, the back of his ear had burst slightly and was a mess (nothing we could do it happened on the way up) then as they prepared him for surgery his ear burst… the blood blister… he has had a little of his ear amputated, it is pinned together front and back with multiple button things, as the skinned pulled away from the insides, his head is bandaged and bandaged again, then yesterday because his face has swollen from the trauma, he started to have breathing difficulty, the bandages tightened with the swelling and I had to cut them in places so he could breathe… I dont who had the harder job, me cutting or Hubby holding…

During all this he has not yelped, whimpered, whined, complained in any way shape or form, he has just accepted it and that is that… He is on very strong antibiotics and pain killers which he can only have every 12 hours… the hardest part is the last 2 hours as they have worn off…..

He will be fine and should be back to normal in the next 3-4 weeks… I will have new photos of him hopefully all going well today….

I find most animals are accepting of situations and what is happening far more than people, possibly because they do not understand, but trust their care givers to look after them…

What amazing things have your pets or animals in general shown you over the years?

Arvind here reflecting on a stunning image he was sent yesterday as part of a chain email.

The photo is the 1994 “Pulitzer Prize” winning photo, taken in 1993 during the Sudan famine. The picture depicts a famine stricken child crawling towards a United Nations food camp.

The vulture is waiting for the child to die so that it can eat it. This picture shocked the whole world. And though various stories have arisen about this picture, no one knows what happened to the child, including the photographer Kevin Carter who supposedly left the place as soon as the photograph was taken.

Three months later, Kevin Carter committed suicide due to depression, supposedly brought about by his various experiences as a photojournalist around South Africa and other places.

A picture paints a thousand words and 15 years after this picture was taken, parts of the world are still ravaged by famine whereas there is an abundance of food elsewhere. The chain email I received aimed to get one to stop complaining about food and wasting it.

Indeed some recent statistics in the UK showed that we waste around a quarter of all the food we buy! This has obvious huge implications for food production, distribution, carbon emissions, wasted resources, packaging etc. And I am sure for other nations such as the USA, the figure for food wastage must be around the same, if not higher.

So what does an image like this do for you? Are we doing enough for such children around the world?

And do you complain or waste food yourself? If so, when will you stop?

I am really into analyzing my dreams. At one point I used to write my dreams in the morning in a diary so I could see if there was any patterns. And as a writer it can be fun to use your dreams as the basis for a short story. I have stopped writing them down because I put way too much pressure on myself to remember every little detail. But I have noticed a recurring theme…

I am away at someone’s house and I have to pack to go home…or I am moving from my house and I have to pack…it’s always about packing. But the part that always happens everytime I have packing dreams is that I can never find a way to bring all my books with me. It happens with other things I want to pack, but I notice it the most with books.

I love my books, I have about 400 books scattered around my house waiting to be read. But I don’t have time to read them lately. I work seven days a week, fourteen hours a day and do an average of 15 posts a day. I don’t have time to sit and actually pay attention to what a book has to say.

I bet my dream has to do with me taking the time to read. Back before I started working online I would read a novel a day, yes, I read that much! In the end I guess I’m afraid that something will happen to me and I won’t get a chance to read them. I guess it sounds stupid doesn’t it…

What is something that you should make time for but don’t?

Jim here checking in from Hampton Court, London, ramping up the health section here at GO! Smell the flowers. I’m wearing a new black tourmaline crystal bought from the Crystal Planet.

Here’s what they say about tourmaline

‘The energy of tourmaline relates to each of the chakras. It acts to clear, maintain and to stimulate each of the energy centres of the body. Used to attract inspiration and to encourage self-confidence, providing a balance of the male and female energies and the mind providing alignment of the mental processes and the chakras.’

Tourmaline also protects us from constant bombardment of waves from mobile phones, T.V’s and computers. I had my first crystal healing session in London in 1997 when I lived in Hampstead and felt wonderful for it despite my initial cynicism. Here’s a taster for you:

Crystal comments welcomed here and do share your thoughts & experiences! Without them communication wouldn’t be the same - on many levels. Cheers!

This is a little post, just a short one. but all this recent talk about smoking has irritated me. Yes I know its not good, yes I know most of you think it is a foul, disgusting habit that is making you all sick and you will of cause die from some smoking related disease to which you will happily go to your grave spouting of how you wished you never spent so much time at the smoke filled pub when you where younger, or sue your work place for all that exposure before it became a smoke free environment or maybe it was those horrible smokers adorning the doorways of your entrance to work trying to stay dry whilst having that last final puff before work begins, or the 5 minute puff during a coffee break while the rest of the office are on a 15 morning tea break. Well here is little information for anyone who cares to read this list.

Everyday, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week you breathe, unless of course you are dead in which case you would not be reading this post. Each and every breathe you take draws in your standard combination oxygen and other chemicals, dust particles, disease and pathogens, yes you can get sick from breathing.

Here is list of all the lovely, friendly things in every breathe you take, if you live in the city.. get ready its going to be a bumpy ride:

A short list of the likely pathogens in car exhaust:
Carbon Monoxide
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulphur dioxide
Suspended particles including PM-10, particles less than 10 microns in size.
Benzene
Formaldehyde
Polycyclic hydrocarbons

My favourite on this list is Benzene this is the substance which replaced the lead in your fuel. You know that stuff that was making you sick and your kids dumb. This is what Benzene does to you… remember it comes out every cars exhaust into the air…. enjoy… oh btw I do know that small amount is present in cigarette smoke, but hey why not it is everywhere else, it may as well be.

Benzene The greatest possibility for high-level exposures is in the workplace… most people are exposed to benzene in tobacco smoke and automobile exhaust. Benzene has been found in at least 337 of 1177 National Priorities List hazardous waste sites. Other environmental sources of benzene include gasoline (filling) stations, vehicle exhaust fumes, tobacco smoke, underground storage tanks that leak, wastewater from industries that use benzene, chemical spills, groundwater next to landfills containing benzene, and possibly some food products that contain benzene naturally. Brief Exposure at High Levels–Death may occur in humans and animals after brief oral or inhalation exposures to high levels of benzene; however, the main effects of these types of exposures are drowsiness, dizziness, and headaches. These symptoms disappear after exposure stops.

Long-Term Exposures at Various Levels–From overwhelming human evidence and supporting animal studies, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that benzene is carcinogenic. Leukemia (cancer of the tissues that form the white blood cells) and subsequent death from cancer have occurred in some workers exposed to benzene for periods of less than 5 and up to 30 years. Long-term exposures to benzene may affect normal blood production, possibly resulting in severe anemia and internal bleeding. In addition, human and animal studies indicate that benzene is harmful to the immune system, increasing the chance for infections and perhaps lowering the body’s defense against tumors. Exposure to benzene has also been linked with genetic changes in humans and animals.
Animal studies indicate that benzene has adverse effects on unborn animals. These effects include low birth weight, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage. Some of these effects occur at benzene levels as low as 10 parts of benzene per million parts of air (ppm). Although benzene has been reported to have harmful effects on animal reproduction, the evidence for human reproductive effects, such as spontaneous abortion or miscarriage, is too limited to form a clear link with benzene.

Benzene and other less known hydrocarbons are produced in petroleum refining, and are widely used as solvents and as materials in the production of various industrial products and pesticides. Benzene also is found in gasoline and in cigarette smoke. It has been shown that exposure to benzene is related to the development of leukemia and lymphoma. Benzene has a suppressive effect on bone marrow and it impairs blood cell maturation and amplification. Benzene exposure may result in a diminished number of blood cells or total bone marrow loss. A number of metabolites appear to be involved in this process, and there may be several targets of toxicity, including stem, progenitor, and some stromal cells.

Wasnt it lovely of the world to remove lead from your petrol and replace it with such a harmless chemical, I dont know about you but I am on the bring back the lead band wagon.

In the standard air you breathe everyday is the following list of chemicals, they are standard in all air pollution, regardless, You can of course add to the list depending on what is around you, the industies in your general area, and which direction the wind is blowing…

Airborne chemicals entering the digestive system include well-known toxins such as:
pesticides
organophosphate
PCBs
dioxin
arsenic
cadmium
lead
mercury
Air pollution, both indoor and outdoor, is a significant cause of health problems worldwide. Urban and rural outdoor environments contain infections, allergens, irritants and chemical toxins that can reduce the quality of life and cause disease. Inhaled air pollution is directed at the the nose, throat and lungs. The exposed airway allows hazardous pollutants to enter the body and all tissues are ultimately exposed.

While ambient air pollution is a major concern, indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air. Building materials and furnishings are a source of volatile chemicals. A decrease in indoor air quality is the result of reduced ventilation and efficient construction practices, sealing homes and office buildings from the outdoor environment.

So there you have it.

I have listed a general list of some of the wonderful chemicals in the air you breathe A count of.. 15 added chemicals which have been grouped into their chemical families ie PCB’s (multiple), most if not all are known to be cancer causing and or have dangerous effects on your health.

Something which was mentioned was that well 30% of cancers could be stopped by not smoking… ok I’ll give them that, BUT WHAT WILL STOP THE OTHER 70%……

So before anyone starts going on about smoking is putting your health risk, or having a go at the person finishing there puff at the bus stop, have a go at the bus driver, the petrol companies, your workplace, every industry in your neighbour hood, your local furniture manufacturer, and the countless others making the air you breathe a toxic waste dump and stop harassing us…

Or perhaps we should all just hold our breathe….

Hiys folks, Jim here following Ange’s biz recent inspirational post where fellow founder Purple 13 mentioned the song ‘Happy talk by Captain sensible’ - one that took me back to the early 1980’s when it was sung in the school playground.

More recently back at home Urban Pagan popped his i-pod headphones in my ears and played me the following re-mix of the 80’s classic by Dizzie Rascal. Take a minute or 3 and check it out:

Thanks for this Purple and Urban - a great song to have in your head for a while - we’ll head over to the flowers jukebox in Forums and post it there aswell. Feel free to drop your own youtube links in there- we’ll be starting a comedy clip section aswell.

Do tell - what does ‘happy talk’ mean to you? An essential part of your day or wishful thinking AND what did you think of the tune?

To: YOU
Date: TODAY
From: THE UNIVERSE
Subject: YOURSELF
Reference: LIFE

This is The Universe. Today I will be handling ALL of your problems for you. I do NOT need your help. So, have a nice day and have some fun… okay… and remember, I love you.

P.S. And also remember…

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do NOT attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFTUTD (something for the Universe to do) box. I will get to it AT THE RIGHT TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in UNIVERSAL time, not yours.

Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic, don’t despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work, think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad, think of the person who has never known what it’s like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend, think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed her children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance, think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror, think of the cancer patient in chemotherapy who wishes she had the hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn’t live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities, remember, things could be worse. You could be one of them!

Should you decide to share this with a friend or three, Thank you. You may have touched their life in ways you will never know!

Now, you go and have a nice day… THE UNIVERSE

HUGS

Ange

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

I was going to rant and rave about the latest updates in the abode of this Blue Collar Goddess, but I shall not because I don’t feel like fielding the comments from a certain sector *cough* Urban *cough* of the garden row I inhabit at the moment.

Right.

I’m feeling weak in the knees, and my capacity to sustain the BS flying at me from all angles must be relegated to where I can make the most of whatever strength I have left.  My home. 

That being said, I tossed out my entire blah-g entry this morning in favor of a link that may or may not have been shared here in the past.   Considering our various spots on this planet, I’d like to suggest that when we all do have the chance to “get together” ( I can has passport?  CAN! ) we do the “Matt Dance” post it on the web and proclaim ourselves the next officially sponsored group of global dancers in the name of … of …

What the hell does Matt dance for?

What would you dance for?  And … hey.  Don’t forget to just, dance.

Any smokers around? Enjoy this badly planned advert one against and the other one for:

Since we’ve in the UK we’ve noticed a difference with smoking being banned in public places and we can wear the same clothes the next day that still smell of flowers.

Smoking comments welcomed! Passive and active - reasons for and against!