Benthespaniel - Before I get too old

I got a message from one of the families that I helped to bring to the UK after the war broke out  I'm still in contact with them  Today marks 1,000 days of war in Ukraine. 1,000 of the longest days…   Thank you Grant for being with me all these days! It brought a lump to my throat  Things seem to be getting even worse there Remember that when you're sitting comfortably at home over the Christmas season  These people are being bombed out of their homes by a nuclear superpower  Slava Ukraini 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦

Good morning  I thought that I would do a few words of update.  This week was the 2nd Anniversary of my trip to Poland.  Lots has happened since then.  I'm still in contact with my Ukrainian families - albeit infrequently.  I still feel an connection to 'my' Ukrainian families and want to do whatever I can to help them. The Dancer now wants to be a fashion designer, is about to finish her first year at high school and turned 12 a few days ago. Her dad is now with the family having undergone major eye surgery.  He had it done in Ukraine as the NHS waiting time was long. Mum works hard. They are trying to improve their English.  The Dancer is fluent and has the usual teenage circle of friends.  The Dancer's mother went back to Ukraine to see family - elderly parents - and get a dental appointment. Crazy that it's part of the reason for taking the risk of going back to a warzone.  This appears to be a problem that Ukrainian families have. Surely...

Well 2023 has been a pretty big year I got blessed with my granddaughters, changed jobs and did my wee bit of volunteering in Poland If you ever wonder how we manage to survive as a human race - here's a wee clue The Dancer - when she got into my minibus she didn't speak any English at all - she was 10 This is her after 7 months living in England Glorious - it made my heart sing I've been asked to go to Ukraine - not sure if I'm brave enough tbh I've also been asked to go back to do a bit of bus driving from Poland and I'm in negotiations with work and looking at timings My hope for 2023 - we all keep going, things are very difficult for some - I'm very fortunate Hopefully the situation in Ukraine will sort itself out - far too many lives being wasted on both sides for no obvious reason other than a superpower bombing folk out of their houses.  One Ukrainian family I helped with a bit of English tuition have gone home - they decided that being apart from fam...

Lech Walesa is back home - as you will perhaps remember, we had a stowaway on the bus to Calais.  The Dancer forgot him at the airport. He came to Scotland for a bit of a holiday and then he went home - taking some Scottish sweet treats with him. He's now reunited with the Dancer in Oxfordshire. Got asked to go back to Poland on another expedition today but I'm on holiday in Turkey #Bugger Maybe next time GJL

So after depositing the ladies we made our way back to the Eurotunnel - a first for me. Waited in the queue and boarded - an uneventful crossing and a bit of blog stuff done. Out the other end and off to my hotel at Ashford - said goodbye to my compadre David - one of the nicest blokes you could hope to meet - bearing in mind that this is coming from a retired Scottish cop and he's both English and a Social Worker - this is praise indeed. Checked in to the hotel and crashed out. My train to London wasn't until 1238 but ever fearful of delays and missing connections - I got up earlier than I needed to, showered and made best value use of the buffet breakfast.  The only thing better than a hotel breakfast buffet is 2 breakfast buffets in my book. Collected tickets and went to the platform Putting a post on Facebook - my eyes filled with tears - anyone who's Scottish and away from home will be able to relate -  This will make you greet Great journey to St Pancras and once I...

Pets need to have a few things to get in to the UK Arnold and Lou had them all - just not in the right order Pet Passport  Microchip Rabies vaccination - and test 30 days later to confirm immunity Tapeworm treatment These animals were very well loved and cared for Sadly, there was no link between the microchip and the rabies vaccination  - the vaccination is common in Ukraine - microchips less so so in the eyes of APHA without the veterinary link between the chip and the vaccine - there was effectively no vaccine The rabies test wasn't 30 days old but the animal can be held in UK quarantine until that time has lapsed to have the test. That's what's happening to them now. I don't really like cats - I'm allergic to their fur so Arnold was okay - he's a hairless cat - a Sphynx I believe I'm not desperately keen on wee dugs either - but I missed my boys when I was away so walking Lou around the car park in Calais was quite therapeutic and certainly better for th...