UK_Widowmaker

What a roller coaster of a day. My dearest Friend, Max...my 11 year old Border Collie, had to go to the Vets today, for an ECG and an X-Ray. His breathing has been quite laboured, and it was discovered that one of the Valves in his heart is mis-shapen.(a common condition in older Collies)...resulting in some water in his Lungs, and toughened Heart Muscle, due to it having to work harder, to pump Blood around his body. When I took him in, and had to leave him there...I really thought it was going to be the last time I saw him. Now, many people who have never owned a Dog, might say (and I cant blame them) that he's Just a damn Dog. But, he's my most loyal, and trusted friend...he's been there with me, at my side...faithful and true...when Human friends have deserted me in my hour of need!....I know, that Max would give up his life in an instant, to save mine.....there's not many people I could say that about...He loves me with all his heart...and I love him too Anyway... It would appear, that Max has decided that he should not leave my side...just yet...He knows that I need him still. £500 later...and tablets for the rest of his life, is a small price indeed for such a Dog as him. The Condition is incurable...but it is controllable...He is happy, and not in pain...I would have him put to sleep, if I thought he was suffering in any way...but he's still fit...and will continue to enjoy his time on earth, until it's time for him to go....He will know when that time comes...and he will let me know, I'm sure. I needed to express this in words...I'm sorry if it's Soppy...but you guys are great for talking to...and it's been a stressful day, for him, me..and all my family. But, it's also been a Joyous day too...He is back at my feet...where he so often is, when I type on the forum...Watching out for me... As he has done for many years. Thank you Max, for allowing me more time to spend with you!..... And thank you to the Vet...for looking after my Buddy for me. And thank YOU guys, for listening to the ramblings, of a Man who loves his Dog

Indeed Hasse...Cats merely use us for their own enjoyment and comfort!

Dej...you never fail to amaze me with your talents m8...and you asked ME to do you a skin?..are you kidding me??? I look at that picture, and wonder just how drunk I would need to be, to get in and fly that in combat for real!...answer...dead drunk!

Thanks Rugbyfan...I too love Cats (I love pretty much all Animals really)..We have an old Tomcat here..just celebrated his 17th Birthday!...he's scraggy, battle scared, skinny and a little old whinge bucket!..he lives by his Radiator...moves only to eat, drink..relieve himself...and thwack our other Collie round the Chops...with his (still remarkably) vicious claws!!!...Max learned long ago..to give him a wide berth!...But Sophie has still got her youthful inexperience!.....but OLD Jack the Cat is a veteran of many nights on the tiles...with females he has outlived...and has many young pretenders to his crown, that bear a strikingly similar look to him!..hmmm And as all Cat owners know...there is only one..Monarch in the House!..and it ain't us..or them smelly old Dogs!!

Thank you

Likewise

There are plenty of places to stay, and friends to meet Lou...you are always MOST welcome my friend

It's wonderful how Nature can take back what was destroyed...and cover up the Horror and sadness of a hell on earth...and make it beautiful again

You're only as old, as the woman you feel!...Woof Woof

Hi Pawgy, Any man with the Balls to apologise is always welcome!....Like Lou..I didn't read the Comments of which you mention...But, I bet worse things have been said! Pull up a Chair..crack open a Beer...we're all Friends here!!

Inspirational Stories guys.... Lou...It will be my first loss of a Dog when it comes..and is a day I fear...but I'm a little more prepared now than I was just yesterday. Parky..Hypertrophic Cardiac Myopia is exactly what the vet said it was...damn faulty Genes!...Nature is a fantastic thing..but like everything...it's not perfect...nothing is...Love your Cats, beautiful...Silent..and sleek!...One of Nature's finest!! Wodin...there are Tortoise breeders around on the Net...Our son got one last year...sounds daft, but they can be sent via Royal Mail!!....Our little fella arrived in a box, none the worse for his experience!... Prop...Snoozer sounds like he was a real Charmer!...and if he was the Childhood pet of your 82 yr old Dad....that kinda proves it doesn't it? JFM...17 is a fantastic age...she waits for you at Rainbow Bridge!...you will walk with her once more! I love this photo of Max...it shows his personality so well.....My Strong, Wise Guardian...with a subtle, cheeky twinkle in his eye! ...and as anyone who has ever kept an animal of any sort will know...they are each unique individuals, as indeed we all are!

http://www.break.com/index/people-are-lucky-1964685

Thank you all so much for your kind words of encouragement!...I am sure, if Max could Speak, and Type...he would be straight on here to thank you all himself!!!...but, I will have to do that for him Special thanks to Ali....whose very first post on the forum, is to lend support, for someone he's never spoken to!...You sound like exactly the sort of guy, that makes this forum, the most special place on the Web!!!! Everyone's kind words have been passed onto my Wife and Son...who have also had a hard time of it today...and I extend my thanks to you, from them! As for Max?...well, This quote I found yesterday, just about sums it up I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. They fight for honor at the first challenge, make love with no moral restraint, and they do not for all their marvelous instincts appear to know about death. Being such wonderfully uncomplicated beings, they need us to do their worrying. ~George Bird Evans,

Yeah..It's happened a few times now...An Eastern European guy was nicked recently for doing the same thing to an Airliner in the UK. What is the major malfunction of these people?

"After all, it is ultimately your emotions that are most important to us. We want to transport you back in time and into the cockpit during WWI, have you face certain death and hopeless situations just like the real pilots did" I believe that's where a campaign would have been useful?

Will do Olham...I suspect, if it runs on 7 it should run on Vista?...but I'll let you know how it goes my friend

CFS2 was class!...I wonder if it works under Win7 64?...Think I might just fire it up and see...I have loadsa mods/aircraft/scenery for it

Wayfarer has just reminded me of something..that goes back way beyond PC's, Consoles or even the BBC or ZX. I used to travel with a friend up to Heathrow Airport every weekend Plane spotting...I would have been 13-14 yrs old (35 yrs ago)...and there was an arcade game called Red Baron....you were in possesion of two machine guns...and the aircraft you were shooting down were projected onto a screen...movie like....it was stunning!...and I'm convinced, even with todays hardware...I would still play it!

Yes, that happens to me too...often, windows downloads an icon out of the blue..and assigns it.

People Power!...damn the greedy motherf*ckers who have kept us down!

I never realised the Maple Leaf flag was only introduced in the 60's Perhaps a Kind Canadian would post a picture of the one used before that? Thanks

Hi Wombat..welcome to the forum. Although OFF is a graphical delight on full everything...I am sure that with sensible tweaking, you should have no trouble. If you can get the results you need from ETO...I can see no reason why OFF would be a problem. But there are some great Techie's on here...so hold out for their opinions too

Coming from a long line of WW1 aerial games (I moved over to PC from Amiga to play the original Red Baron)...I had purchased CFS3...and having been utterly disappointed by it's lack of anything good...I uninstalled it! A long time passed, and I decided to have a look if some Mods were available, and after a telephone conversation with my now friend, Dave...I was pointed at P1 of OFF The rest is history

Nicely put Capt!...and echoed by all who love this sim

Classic!!