Hi everyone, just wanted to let you all know I'm settling in well here & adjusting to married life (we went to the courthouse), travelling on the wrong side of the road, dollars & degrees Fahrenheit.

It's a lovely place here with plenty nice areas to walk around & the local people are very friendly. I’m going to be volunteering teaching Tai Chi classes at a local seniors residential complex starting next month, I'm not able to work until I have my permit.

I've not been feeling homesick but I really do miss being at the kennels & having time with the dogs. My husband's (not used to saying that yet lol) cats are very affectionate-please don't tell Duke I said that, how is he doing? Please give him hugs from me & tell him I said he's a 'Special Pumpkin'.

I think of my doggy pals often, I've been loving seeing so many dogs finding homes, being able to follow along on The Lucky Ones page is fabulous.

I feel very fortunate to have had my time with you all there & I hope you are all doing well.

Sending much love & best energy to Celia, Jimmy, all the staff, volunteers, &, of course, all the wonderful hounds :heart:

Angie x

How lovely to hear from you Angie and glad that you are settling in, also belated congratulations on your marriage and I hope your husband is well again now under his new wife's TLC. I won't tell Duke about the cats as he couldn't bear that infidelity but we are all missing you very much.
Lots of dogs have come and gone since you left and wee Star has come to live with my partner Mike and me. She's a delight and has got over her amputation wonderfully. Our other dogs have been great with her but find her exhausting as she dashes about and skips up and down stairs, only stopping to give them kisses on the way. Mike takes her home with him for some R&R in between times and she sleeps like a log, as she is still mending. Happy days.
Please keep in touch and best wishes to you both for a very long and happy married life together.
Marion

Hi Angie.
Congratulations on your marriage. We can honestly say that the first 53 years are the worst part. :laughing:
It's great that you and your husband are settling in and we wish you a long and happy marriage.
Biggie the dog will be rehomed on Saturday to FRANCE. GRF international !!!!
Duke has been duly given you cuddles and kisses. However he only asks when are you coming to play with the ball.
The weather here has suddenly turned into an early summer which is nice.
Remember, if you have any ice hockey players over there looking for a team send them over !!!!
Our very best wishes.
Celia and Jimmy.

Hi Angie. So lovely to hear your wonderful news - congratulations on your marriage! Glad that you are easing so seamlessly into life across the pond. Missing you at the kennels on Mondays and we shall all give Duke extra ear rubs from you! Wonder if you'll encounter many US sighthounds (or even better sighthound rescues), please let us know and do keep in touch. Very best wishes for the future to you and your husband. Linda x

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well I'm sorry I haven't been much for updates here....it's been a tough time really.
I'm afraid my amazing husband lost his fight against cancer on Tuesday, he'd fought so hard & so bravely through it all, we'd been in hospital(then hospice) for about the last 8 weeks. I know if it had of been possible he would have beat it because he pushed himself beyond the limits in order to have some time with me. Testament to this was, on his last day, him getting out of bed & standing up to hold me & comfort me-the doctor & hubbie's sister(experienced physiotherapist) were in the room & said it wasn't physically possible for him to be standing-he was doing it by will power alone, simply because he wanted to hold & comfort his wife.

I was there holding his hand & telling him how much I love him a few short hours later as he moved on from this world.

I am intending on staying here(will depend on the government), in our home with our memories about me. We may not have had much time, but we had a wonderful depth of pure love.

Please(always) give Duke all my hugs & love & tell him if I was there I'd only weep all over him right now.

Love to you all, & to all the dogs too,
Angie x

Oh Angie, what to say? I know a little of how you must be feeling as I lost my husband Clive to lung cancer back in 2002. He was such a baby over things like the 'flu but so brave about his cancer and seemed to make it his mission in life to keep me and the doctors and nurses smiling. It does get better, I promise, but it will take its own time. There is no need to tell Angie to be brave, you already have that in spades, but try to be kind to yourself.
I'm just home from GRF and picked this up but I'll sit down and have a chat to Dukie next Monday. He'll understand because he already knew you were a very special lady.
Love to you (and the cats),
Marion

Angie, that is devastating news. I am so sorry for your loss. Such things put into perspective life's silly irritations. Please look after yourself and cherish those precious memories of your husband. I do hope you are able to remain in the US. Duke will most definitely be getting ear rubs and kisses on your behalf on this and every Monday. Stay strong. With sadness. Linda x

Aw Gee Angie.
I'm just out of a wee spell in hospital ( OK now ) and didn't know.
We cannot tell you how sorry we were to read your news.
We knew your husband was very ill but we didn't know just how bad it really was. That is the most rotten blow you'll ever have in your life.
It was great that you had a wonderful ( but much too short ) a time together.
It is a pain that will never ever disappear but thankfully it will lessen somewhat as time heals.
Who knows what the future holds ? However we hope that happiness will once again return, as it surely will.
We wish everything for you that you would want to raise your spirits.
You are a great competitor, that must help.
Our very best wishes,
Celia, Jimmy, Duke and all at GRF.

Oh Angie, I am so very sorry to hear about your husband. It is very difficult to know what to say at a time like this but I’m glad that you both had your time together and the love and memories which will stay with you. I send you my very best wishes and know you will get through this difficult time to feel the sunshine again.
Sending you love and hugs and healing vibes
Ailsa

Hiya Folks, me again.

Thanks so much for your kind thoughts.It's rough but I'm doing my best(as I promised my husband I would) to work on healing.

I just wanted to let you know the authorities have decided I can stay & I am to receive my green card. I am considering going to college here perhaps to study massage therapy but before I do anything I think(after all the stress of the past few months) I might take myself off somewhere where there's some warm sunshine & beaches for a week or two to attempt to recharge my batteries a little.

I hope everyone at the kennels is doing fine, I have been following the facebook updates, Lucky Ones pages & photos of the dogs, it does me good to be able to see so many dogs finding their homes.
I especially enjoyed the recent photos of Duke, he's such a handsome lad <3

Much love to you all

Hi Angie,
Lovely to hear from you way across the Pond. I hope you are now/soon spoiling yourself by relaxing in some healing hot sun (but remember the factor 50!).
GRF walkies alternate between wet and cold to dry and frosty but no seriously bad weather just yet. Duke is in good form. He will never be a "conformer" but his status is established and he is loved by many. I'm sure he still misses you and sends his love, as do we all.

Lovely to hear your update, Angie and it is wonderful news that you will be able to remain stateside, take stock and resume your life with some certainty after a period of such sadness. I was thinking of you while walking Duke today, who was (in the main!) on best behaviour. Lots of sitting and paw giving in exchange for gravy bones, copious praise and ear rubs along the way. Such a smart cookie, a super boy! I hope by the time you see this message that you are sunning yourself somewhere, a distant cry from the dreich days we are experiencing here. Keep in touch, Angie, we all appreciate hearing your news.