There has been endless evidence that sleeping with dogs is good for your health, and our very own television Royalty Debbie Arnold is walking proof.
‘I didn’t intend to have 4 dogs, in fact if you said to me what breed of was my least favorite, I would have said a chihuahua or a Labrador… how the Gods must’ve laughed! – Its no wonder when you are friends with doggie royalty Paul O’Grady
Debbie and the gang
So how did this happen…. I’ve always been owned by dogs. First of all there was Ricky who was a poodle. I met him when I was 7 and he was my friend/brother growing up. Then came Lover. He was the first dog I chose for myself.
I was starring in a play in the West End, was newly divorced and had decided that a dog was far better than a man. Lover, true to his name, adored taking my underwear and I’m sure my neighbours at the time were quite shocked to hear me screaming ‘Lover drop my knickers NOW’ – God knows what they thought went on on my house.!
Then came Legend, a beautiful Tibetan Terrier rescue. Our first dog as a family. He was diagnosed with diabetes aged 5 and we had to give him injections him twice a day. Due to our vet’s incredible groundbreaking treatment he changed the way diabetes was treated in dogs – so the name Legend was perfect. He lived till he was 13 -a gorgeous, brave and wonderful dog.
When we lost Legend I decided I wouldn’t get another dog, especially not a Tibetan. But 3 weeks later I was at the rescue home again and came back with his doppelgänger…the vets were so shocked when they saw him as he was his exact twin. We named him Disney, and he was my beautiful ‘crackers’ boy!
After looking after a very sick dog for so long, it was fun to have a lunatic around. He was 2 years old, had never been housetrained, and had never been inside a house, so when he saw me go upstairs he followed in trepidation. Then when I went back down, he looked at me from the top of the stairs and threw himself doing a double somersault down the stairs, and landed by the front door. He never really mastered the art of climbing stairs!
Adventures with Disney were hilarious. One day when I was trying to housetrain him, I let him out on the large balcony outside my bedroom for a wee. It was around 5am and I didn’t want to go downstairs – I went back to bed, fell briefly asleep, and then went to open the door to let him in. He’d disappeared. It was the summer and it was quite light. I looked in the garden thinking he may have jumped down, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Something made me look up and there he was standing on the roof! I have no idea to this day how he got there, but there he was. I woke my husband up screaming ‘Disney is stuck on the roof’. He went into the garden, and climbed up a ladder onto the roof to rescue him. I was yelling ‘Dont Jump Dis stay where you are’! Another challenge for the long suffering neighbours! On another occasion Disney climbed down the wisteria after he locked himself in another bedroom. He certainly had adventures!
Disney’s life totally changed when my eldest daughter brought home Beanie the chihuahua. This 12 week old puppy just melted his heart and he adored her – he was 10 when she arrived and he was running around like a maniac. My daughter went on tour and Beanie stayed with me. We were a lovely canine family of 2 for six years when my youngest daughter had a breakup with her boyfriend. So we all felt that a good way to recover from heartbreak was for her to get a dog of her own.
This is how Lady arrived. She was a young Springador puppy – needing loads of exercise. Disney was 16 by now and pretty grumpy so greeted this new puppy with great hostility. He was an old man after all. Meanwhile, Beanie was fine as always – a very amicable little soul.
But when Lady was 5 months old Disney died and our hearts were broken. He really had been the best boy who’d brought us so much pleasure. He had a fantastic good long life and a very happy one, but he was sadly missed.
Both daughters are performers and were away from home a great deal, and so there I was caring for 2 dogs that technically were not mine.
Then 2 years ago Lady fell in love with my son-in-laws’ lab and they had 8 puppies. As an avid dog lover, I in turn fell in love with two of the puppies, and the rest is history. I am now the proud owner of four dogs.
Smile for the camera
Finally, and you have probably guessed what I am about to tell you, all four dogs now sleep with me. Is sleeping with dogs good for your health? It’s a resounding yes from me, and in fact I would thoroughly recommend it.
Whilst we wait for the day we can travel abroad again and taste all the flavours the world has to offer, you can image you are in the Land of Smiles, with this quick and easy recipe for Tom Yum Kai (Hot & Sour Chicken Soup), which will transport you to the wonderful land of Thailand with its authentic flavours and taste of Asia. Delicious on its own or served with rice or noodles for a more filling meal
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6 people
680ml chicken stock (from Cube or fresh)
1 tablespoon tom yum paste
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 stalks lemon grass, cut into 1” pieces
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 chicken breast fillets (skinless) – cut into thin strips
110g fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 medium sized tomatoes (cut into 8ths)
2 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons Palm Sugar (or use brown sugar)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh green chilli
1 small handful fresh coriander, chopped
1 small bunch fresh basil, chopped
Method
In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil.
Stir in the tom yum paste and garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes.
Stir in the lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves. Place the chicken in the saucepan, and cook 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
Mix in the mushrooms and Tomatoes. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and green chilli.
Continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, and serve hot with the coriander and basil sprinkled on top.
Serve and enjoy.
Substitute the chicken for prawns for Tom Yum Goon
Mix in cooked rice noodles for a more filling meal
“Just when I thought I’d heard it all, Judith Owen comes along and breathes yet another level of life into a little song I did one night while my wife was sleeping on the sofa.” – Eric Brazilian
Judith Owen
(What If God Was) One Of us
Available to download from 2nd April
Pianist, Singer-Songwriter and Comedienne Judith Owen Releases a Brand-New Single for Easter.
ISRC: US4BS2100001 / Cat No: TWR00197 (9) / Composer: Eric Brazilian / Publisher: Warner Chappell Music Inc
Pianist, singer-songwriter entertainer Judith Owen is famous for her diverse and genre-bending covers over the years. This time around, and seemingly poignantly timely… Joan Osborne’s Grammy-nominated record and song of the year ’90s hit single “(What If God Was) One Of Us” – written by Eric Bazilian of the Hooters.
The elegance of vocal, piano, cello and percussion dramatically migrate the modern standard into the story re-told.
“Recording this track with long-time collaborator John Fischbach (Stevie Wonder, Cassandra Wilson) was made more special by meeting and garnering the love of its writer Eric Bazilian, for what I’d done with his unique vision. Recording it in a converted chapel (NOLA’s Esplanade Studio) definitely added to the “heavenly” sound, having taken the song to a pure place musically, with my “ever-turning” classical piano, cello, and timpani arrangement, that underscored and highlighted the lyrics, the timelessness of this story, and the wonder and beauty to be found even in the smallest, most inconsequential thing.”
Produced by Judith Owen and Grammy Award-winning John Fischbach, the track features Pedro Segundo on percussion and Helen Gillet on cello.
The upcoming 2021 album “Both Things Are True” features Judith originals “I Still Dream of America,” “Second Hand Sexbot” with “Hold My Hand” (a Jess Glynne cover), and the 2020 release of “September’ (Earth Wind & Fire.)
“(What If God Was) One Of Us’ – reimagined – a compelling story retold, re-sung, and redone in the words and wise of the fabulous Judith Owen.
Judith Owen
A performer whose stylistic range spans rock, pop, classical, jazz, blues, and musical theatre, Owen is also a comedic actress and master storyteller.
Pre lockdown, she had wrapped up a tour of Europe and the U.K. to adoring fans, during which time she joined Richard Thompson as a featured guest (along with a cavalcade of British rock and folk royalty) at his 70th birthday celebration at London’s Royal Albert Hall. She then joined another legend… bassist Derek Smalls (“formerly of the band formerly known as Spinal Tap”), for a series of concerts in the U.S. followed by a handful of intimate shows in Australia with percussionist Pedro Segundo. Judith Owen is co-creator and co-host of the annual “Christmas Without Tears” charity variety show that has featured guests including Steven Merchant, Tim Minchin, Catherine O’Hara, and many others.
Her latest album redisCOVERed (2018) – an album of carefully selected covers – has been met with global praise. On it, she pays loving homage to one of her biggest influences Joni Mitchell, recording a pair of the Laurel Canyon legend’s compositions: ‘Cherokee Louise’ and ‘Ladies Man’ as well as Soundgarden’s ‘Black Hole Sun,’ and Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ and more.
Judith Owen’s FFS!
The twice-weekly online show each Sunday and Wednesday began in April 2020 as the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic took hold.
“A thank you to all my FFS! Friends and fans who inspired me to write and perform these songs about what we’re seeing and experiencing right now,” said Owen. A fan video of “Karen” surfaced, highlighting mental anxiety issues due to the pandemic.
????? Review – The Times (UK) “The singer-pianist shuffled the jukebox in a set of daring cover versions in which she revealed unexpected depths…a stunning evening.”
“Sassy and intelligent…Judith Owen is the female Randy Newman.” – Jamie Cullum
“Judith is a master class on how a show should be done” – Jackson Browne
“Judith Owen is one of the great talents of her generation, blessed with an expressive and distinctive voice, a fine talent for writing and a masterful style of accompaniment…unique in a crowded profession.”- Richard Thompson
October 12, 2026 1860 Elmer Sperry 1872 Ralph Vaughan Williams 1929 Magnus Magnusson 1935 Luciano Pavarotti 1942 Melvin Franklin 1944 Angela Rippon 1948 Richard Parfitt 1954 Les Dennis 1967 Susan Tully
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