I should know better

Well, I made it through the NHS system, and after two operations and a lot of worry I am promised no more. A huge relief, and a mixed experience, although on the whole the care was very prompt and very good.

There was a nightmare hiatus when I had one of the wounds checked at my local Health Centre and the nurse said she would like a doctor to look at it. Well, OK - but the doctor was very young and inexperienced, and took one look and panicked and said it had to be seen by a surgeon. Cue a seven hour wait to see one at the local hospital, during which ordeal I was signed in to a surgical ward 3 times by 3 different educationally challenged nurses, before being told that all I needed was an antibiotic "which we don`t have". A search round the wards didn`t turn up any either. Another journey the next day to get it.

It was obvious that if I had to go in for another bigger operation the dogs would have to be farmed out to poor unsuspecting people who didn`t deserve it. I arranged it, and the Great Wash began. The old ladies were in an advanced state of shock. They wandered about warily, looking at each other.

"You look different. You smell different. Did she get you too?"

Alas, at their age, an unexpected bath usually means a visit to the vet, with the promise of needles, and thermometers stuck where no glass tube should ever go. They were an unhappy clean bunch.

I had Tamara literally poised over the hot soapy water when the phone rang, and I was told that no further op would be necessary. As an act of celebration I let her off. She ran out and the others glared at her. How had she escaped?

Meanwhile Angel puppy has achieved her aim - she has seen off her brothers, who have gone to their new homes. She is very satisfied and smug. And at training class she does everything really well, with a great bias towards cute overload. and a huge appetite for chicken.....

If only she would not insist on throwing up all the chicken on the way home, it would all be perfect....