So we just had record breaking heat in this country, fires in this country caused by the heat, and terrible fires all over Europe. Temperatures of 50 degrees in India. Etcetera.
Anyone who doesn’t believe now that Climate Change is happening, and that it is an utter and complete catastrophe for everything living, is both a knave and a fool.
Anyone who doesn’t assess the way they live their lives is endangering themselves and the rest of us. This is happening faster and more terrifyingly than even I expected.
There is no place for Climate Change Denial.
Repeat. There is no place for Climate Change Denial.
PIPER
My dear little dog, Piper, has been attacked by fleas and doesn’t look nearly as pretty as usual. I am told by both our local pet shop staff and our vet that this another result of the very hot weather – I’m reliably informed by all three that the flea problem is rampant this year. She’s had two spot-on treatments, a pill from the pet shop and a much stronger pill from the vet. Plus endless baths and combings. She’s on anti itch tablets and is still chewing away at herself, though less so now. I hope the application of Sudocrem is putting her off as much as anything.
Worse still, as I write, she’s having a lump removed and I shall be fetching her home this evening. Yes, it’s cancer, I’m afraid. My poor little girl. So no picture of her this time.
Instead, here’s a cheering picture of the amazing birthday cake which was presented to me on the stage of the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, at the end of the show. A gift from Team Fascinating Aïda for my 70th birthday.
Shit You Don't Need 
Saw Fascinating Aida for the first time this year in Truro and was bowled over so followed your blog as a result. Poor Piper and also my cat has incessant fleas this year, interesting a result of the warm weather. What are simple things we can do to change, would you say? I became a vegetarian, massively recycle, drive less…anything else you do?
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All that is good. I’ve become an obsessive train traveller. Try to drive locally only. And plastic free eating… I’ll write about that next time.
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I love train journeys and would use them more if they weren’t so darned expensive….when will the train companies realise that if the tickets were cheaper more people would use them…🤷♀️🤷♀️
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Hi Dillie, I’m so happy to see you have another blog even though you have been super busy and still continue to be.
I wish everyone thought like us and seen climate change as a huge issue. (I messaged via Facebook after seeing you in a show to say you are making an impact cos you have changed how I do things and think after reading your blog)
And I’m terribly sorry to hear Piper has not been doing to well but I hope Piper turns for the better soon and the flees have buggered off and that the lump removal went well and hoping cancer hasn’t spread. My heart is breaking for you.
Sending lots of support and love x
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Thanks Mel, what a lovely encouraging message. Piper will be home in a few hours, I hope.
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Thank you for writing. All the best wishes for Piper, bless her little cotton socks. (Or if she’s like my dog, then bless her set of Walker boots). Keep safe, keep well, and keep smiling :)Dena
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Thanks Dena.
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Can’t believe way too many people still deny climate change but they do – and with such misguided, venomous “logic” ??
So sorry to hear about Piper – very much hope flea problem clears quickly but, more importantly, that he makes a quick & full recovery from the lump removal.
Very sadly had to say goodbye to Maisie a month ago (not Cancer). She was the sweetest, most gentle Lhasa & I was so lucky to have her for almost 15 years.
I was at the Cliffs on your birthday – great show & great cake!
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Ahh, that was a lovely show. So sorry to hear about your Lhasa. My lovely pal in Sydney, Suzi, has always had Lhasas and they are a joyous breed of dog.
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So very sorry to hear of poor Piper’s ails. My dog too has been under flea attack for weeks now, and we have followed the same trial of treatment after treatment. I find the old nit comb we used on our son when he was smaller (now 26 and would absolutely not allow me anywhere near him with the thing), is the best thing, we have been able to keep him clear for the last week or so. Yet this does indeed seem small fry compared to the global issues we are facing/ will face. Its hard not to be gloomy, however, more holidays in Scotland has to be an upside, unless we all rush up there and tip the Island up into the sea??
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I’m not actually gloomy by nature, just worried about my dog. She hates the nit comb and it’s difficult to use around the legs. And of course I won’t be able to use the nit comb now until her stitches heal. Hopefully, her last pill will have done the trick, and I have a flea collar which I can put on in about 3 and a half weeks time. She would certainly like more holidays in Scotland, by the way.
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Happy belated birthday, Dillie!
You bring so much joy, to so many people, and have done so for so many years.
Many thanks for every single belly laugh.
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Hurrah! thank you very much. xx
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I’m so sorry for all the unhappy experiences (not to mention the incipient end of civilization), but if it’s not too incongruous, this American fan wishes you a very happy birthday and thanks you for untold hours of enjoyment. — Andrew Gordon
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Oh that is so nice of you! Thank you. I feel better already.
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Happy Birthday Dillie and keep up your great work flagging up all the things we need to know xx
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Belated birthdsy wishes Dillie. Hoping piper is flealess and has recovered from her op. I have started using Ecosia instead of Google thanks to you. Thanks to fascinating aida for all the laughs over the years and looking forward to many more.
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I confess to reverting to Google now and again when I need to search for something hard to find. But Ecosia is great, isn’t it!
Thanks for the birthday wishes. Just waiting now for the call from the vet, but I do know she’s up and awake and has been for a little walk. So that’s encouraging. Thanks for the nice message.
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Hi Dillie , I use Vectra Felis Spot On (monthly) as a flea preventative/killer, for my cats one of whom is diabetic and rather sensitive . This was recommended by my vet .Hardly anyone seems to use it and I wonder why not because it works really well . I did a Google and there is a dog version called Vectra 3D . The formula is slightly different to the cat version but it might be worthwhile asking your vet about it . Hope that helps .
Much Love. Vicki
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Thanks Vicki, I shall note that for the future. I’ve got a serestros collar for her which she can start wearing from about 18th August so she’ll be all right for about 8 months after that, the vet thought that was a good idea. But it’s worth asking about the Vectra products.
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So sorry to hear about dearest Piper.
They are more family than family. It must be hard for you 💔
But that cake it a triumph and I hope you had a great Birthday 🥳
Huge love to you
Shirl 🥰
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Love right back, Shirl. Love all your bits of good news. xxx
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So sorry about Pippa, it’s so hard when a much loved friend is ill.
I too cannot believe climate change deniers. It also irritates the hell out of me when people say ‘oh, but I won’t be around then’…! They might not be, but the poor generations that follow us will bear the brunt of our mis handling of this crisis!
On a much lighter note, I had a fab time at your show in Carlisle, I took a friend, who also loved it, we were laughing all the time. Thank you!
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Thanks Susan. That was a really lovely gig in Carlisle, the last night on tour. Glad you liked it.
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So sorry to hear about Piper, hope she makes a good recovery and that all her uninvited guests leave soon! It is beyond belief that anyone could still deny climate change. Congratulations, your a year ahead of mee – love the cake! Xx
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Yes, it was some cake!
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Good luck little Piper, and happy birthday Dillie, love all that you do xx
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Thanks Clare!
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Sorry to hear that Piper is poorly and has had a flea problem, I hope she makes a speedy recovery. Our cats have been similarly infested despite numerous treatments.
I was in the audience at Southend when you received the fabulous birthday cake. A fitting end to a wonderful evening!
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Thanks Tina! Wasn’t it the most splendiferous cake of all time!
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Do hope Piper is ok and that you are all well and happy …. Xxx🍒
Sent from my iPad
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Ah, lovely to hear from you Cherry. She was very woebegone yesterday but she is a little better today and moving a bit easier. Still needs to be lifted onto the sofa and a horrid scar…
Lots of love to you, hope you’re well, fondest regards to Sue too.
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Couldn’t agree more with your comment Dillie. Unfortunately, the Hobson’s choice we have been handed for our next PM, the Ukraine war and a host of other things look like they will conspire to unravel many of the commitments made in Glasgow last year. The pandemic also has had a role to play in this. Climate change denial has been conflated into the control agenda spouted by conspiracy theorists and freedumb fighters who follow toe rags like Piers Corbyn and believe the torrent of disinformation that has proliferated on the internet and social media over the last 2 years.
I’m fortunate to work for a company that is committed to reducing its carbon footprint to below net zero and is doing all it can to ensure that its suppliers match its own green credentials. Even though having a home charging point is an impossibility, I am still seriously considering getting an electric car through the company because the scheme they encourage us to join is so cost-effective.
Sorry to hear about Piper. One of Peanuts’s dogs had a breast tumour removed a couple of weeks ago and Muggs passed away at the beginning of the year. I’ve manged to avoid the flea onslaught so far, despite living on a livestock farm. Then again, with the parasite treatments my two get costing over £400 a year, I’d be asking my vet some serious questions if they didn’t work!
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Nice to hear from you Jonathan. I looked into the possibility of getting an electric car myself but it’s not suitable for someone with as irregular a life as mine, there simply aren’t enough charging points around the country. I think I’m going to go for a HEV. Meanwhile, I try to make the pub a little greener… an uphill struggle some of the time.
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Yes, it is pretty terrifying.
Over the last couple of years my partner and I have been trying to have children. We finally accepted that will not happen. We are still grieving (I’m not sure that’s appropriate to grieve for a life that never began) but one of the things I feel worst about is admitting a sense of relief. What sort of world are these children inheriting?
We have the government obsessed with immigration. What is going to happen with immigration when large parts of the world are uninhabitable?
But that’s enough of troubling things. Happy birthday!
And get well soon, Piper! I enjoy seeing a photo of her. She looks like mischief, which is one of the best qualities of a litle dog. My very best wishes for her speedy recovery. I include a photo of Max who had his first ever shave because of the heatwave. It’s definitely helped him feel more comfortable and it’s reduced his fleas this year.
http://betterbitter.co.uk/Max%20got%20a%20haircut/
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Thank you for such an honest post. That’s hard for you. I really wanted children too – well, I wanted a family – and when I realised it wasn’t going to happen, I was sad for a while. But your mixed feelings are quite understandable. Apart from the point you make about wondering what kind of world you’d be bringing a child into, there are too many people in the world and a human being makes a huge carbon footprint. And at the age of 70, I find myself relieved that I have had – and continue to have – so much freedom. I look at new babies now with sadness and fear, and I think that feeling would be unbearably intensified as a parent. So I wish you well getting through the pain and loss, I believe it will end and you will be able to feel lighthearted again. And I’ve salved my own loss by taking an interest in the next generation(s) (I’m so old now it’s generations, not just one generation). A big hug to both of you.
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OH, and Piper sends a rather weedy woof to Max. Lovely pic. She had a shorter haircut and hates a shave, but I think next year it will have to be a shave. She is actually a good little girl and much loved by everyone. But she is devoted to meeeeeeee and we are the best of pals.
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Hi Dillie, I would get veterinary advice before having Piper shaved. When my little dog went for his last clip, the groomer shaved his underneath and where his bits and pieces used to be. His itchiness came back with a vengeance and his skin became very red and swollen. He looked as if he still had his testicles, it was so bad. My vet was able to sort him out with a magic injection but at the cost of about £60 which is unsustainable for us long term. Next time, we are going to try Clorphenamine tablets which worked well with our beautiful Golden Retriever who sadly is no longer with us. 🐾🐾
Best wishes,
Anne
xxx
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When I say “shave” I mean a very short haircut. There’s a very good dog groomer who does that short cut, I’m lucky to living in the country where animals are top priority and the word gets around rapidly when someone is good and trustworthy – and conversely when they’re not good.
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Yes, I think I meant very short haircut too! I think some poor dogs are more prone to itchy skin than others. My vet said she thinks Herbie has summer pasture allergies. Does Piper get scurfy skin? Herbie does. 🙁
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Happy Birthday Dillie and speedy recovery for Piper.
You may have already tried this but regarding the fleas I find with my cats and dogs that if I spray the house twice a year with indorex it stops the cycle and I only have to do the animals a couple of times in the spring or summer.
Much nicer for them than harsh stuff on their skin which they all hate!
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Ah, good idea. I have indorexed the house pretty heavily now having been recommended it in the pet shop. I hadn’t heard of it before. I’ll be doing it again shortly just to be sure.
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I wonder if it would be a good idea to ration the amount of electricity people use in their houses. We use more and more electric things to help us around the house, then there is TV, I phones, I pads, housephones, lights and, for some, cars. On a positive side, I was very sad not to be able to still use clingfilm (so useful) and I have found Willow’s Choice Eco Cling Film made from Sugar Cane Bagasse. It is EXCELLENT!!
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I think it would be perfectly possible for an actuarial study to be made on what is a reasonable amount of electricity for the average lifestyle – shower every day, tv, electrical equipment, cooker etc etc… and for there to be a sliding scale of cost – the more you use, the more you pay. Obviously there would have to be allowances for people with special requirements etc but people living in great big houses should surely pay more per therm than people living frugally and taking care of their electric usage. Lights left on in office buildings too… and shops… and I would fine shops very heavily for leaving their doors open in summer when their aircon is on, and in winter when they’re blasting out heat to the street. I’ve taking to marching in and asking why the doors are open. Oh, and we need supermarkets to put doors on their chiller fridges. So much to do. Meanwhile, thanks for the Willow’s choice recommendation!!! (Nice to chat to you just now as well!)
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Rationing electricity doesn’t really help I’m afraid. Electricity is one of the lowest carbon forms of energy that we have, especially if we use nuclear and other zero carbon sources. What helps is rationing internal combustion engine miles (get an electric car), getting rid of gas/oil fired central heating and anything that reduces fossil fuel consumption.
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Well… it depends on how you look at it. Firstly, electricity storage is a moot point… secondly, we use it to heat and light our homes and businesses and the terrible insulation in this country means we lose a lot of heat and the heat contributes to global warming. Go past a parade of shops in winter – doors open, heat blasting out. Go past the same parade of shops in hot weather – cold air blasting out of, yes, open doors again. Thirdly, we light far too much at night. Birds can’t sleep, we lose bird populations. Etc. Limiting use of electricity through price ranges – not rationing – might make people think harder about usage. And whilst I am absolutely in agreement that we have to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, that does mean that there will be more demand for electricity and whether we will have capacity or not is questionable. Then you really might have to have rationing.
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Well, it’s probably not worth arguing about but what you are talking about is energy rationing, which is not just electricity. And domestic energy use is a tiny fraction of total energy use. Yes, we should be reducing domestic energy use, but with LED light bulbs (which I’m sure you are using) savings by switching lights off are really marginal. A/C is a huge eater of energy, as you so rightly say but the savings we can make domestically are really rather small. Every little helps but what we really need is a coordinated energy generation policy: low carbon energy like nuclear and renewables is a possible goal, but renewables on their own just don’t cut it in the UK.
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Hi Dillie,
I do so agree with you about climate change and really don’t understand how some people can deny that it’s happening. Maybe fear is the reason, I don’t know but what I do know is that we all need to be more aware and change our lifestyles before it’s too late. I’ve just come home from a lovely week in Rye with friends. We visited beautiful Camber Sands where the sand dunes were scorching underfoot and the sun burned down on us. I think the temperature must have been pushing 40 degrees. We of course had the choice to leave after about an hour when the heat became unbearable, unlike the poor dogs who had been brought to the beach by their owners who quite frankly must need their brains testing. After all the publicity from vets about heat stroke, you would have thought they should know better…
I am so sorry to hear about Piper and her lump. I do hope your vet has managed to remove it all successfully and that she will recover very soon. I understand from experience that our animals are more than ‘just pets’ and as part of the family, are very dear to us, so when a frightening diagnosis such as the Big C is made, it’s a very sad and worrying time.
On a happier note, I thought your birthday cake was magnificent! I saw the video of the presentation on Fascinating Aida’s Facebook Page. I trust that you and Adele celebrated your 70th birthdays in style. I’m sure you both did! Hoping to see FA touring again next year with your 30th Jubilee Concert. That will be quite something. 😊
Best Wishes,
Anne
xxx
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What a lovely long post. Thanks so much. I was supposed to have Adele up here for her birthday but my old man was poorly so it didn’t work out. I’ll find out what she got up to when we reconvene this week! For myself, I had a party for all the family that could be mustered, it was lovely. And – er – it’s our 40th Jubilee next year, not 30th!
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Oops yes, of course it’s your 40th Jubilee, not 30th. It’s either the heat that got to me or a senior moment! Glad you had a great family party. Hope Adele had good time, whatever she got up to for her birthday. 😊
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Happy Birthday Dillie! So sorry to hear of Piper’s challenge. Enjoy your time together. She is one loved dog!
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Ah, thanks Miss Buttery! She is one loved dog but I feel AWFUL as I have to leave her on Friday to go to Edinburgh. Aargh!
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Sending hugs and gentle flea bashing to Piper with a big dollop of wishes for speedy full recovery.
Buster also sends his love from under his wet tea towel where he spends hot days.
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Hi Dillie,
Thanks for your latest “shit” which I always enjoy reading.
A few ex Round Tablers and good friends ( Stuart, Jeremy Lear, Peter Madden etc) meet each month. We call ourselves the Gatcombe House Polo Club after Stuart’s office where we held our first meeting.
Each December we invite the wives to join us which means a group of about 28. This year it is on the 7 November lunchtime. The date can be changed.
Having bored you with that info, the purpose is to ask if your busy diary would allow you to join us and be our speaker? It would be wonderful if you can. We can change the date if necessary.
I hope you are keeping well. We have just been to Ireland for Daniel Waring’s wedding at Celbridge. A short visit but the sun shone on the day which was a bonus.
All the best
David
Sent from my iPad
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Hi – Nice to hear from you. I’ve sent a test email to an old email address I have for you …
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