Oh gosh, where has summer gone to???? no sooner do I think about scaring the living daylights out of our neighbours by donning a polka dot bikini than Autumn slowly creeps into our busy lives.
I know I am joining the rank of the middle age group because I keep commenting on how quick the months are flying by, and I realize that the comment 'this time last week we were........' is now becoming a regular in my vocabulary. Our youngest grandson Jacob will be 4 this December is already at nursery school and like his Dear Daddy has the gift of the gab!! Neil says they take after me because I can talk for England but.......all who know me personally know I am but a shy retiring wall flower...... ;o)
What's been happening in our lives........well we didn't have a very productive summer as Neil had the builders in at school so he couldn't get on with the rest of the decking so I'm assuming that will be continued next year. The central heating people have been and gone not much fun for Neil as he had to take up the laminate flooring in our bedroom, good job my craft room hadn't been done or he would have had a complete wobbly! We can now think about the decorating and finishing off the flooring etc. Neil can't do it at the moment as he has again damaged the main ligament in his knee so is unable to kneel down. I'm sure he's doing it on purpose................lol
We did manage to go away for a few days at the end of August, we went to Thornton Le Dale nr Pickering in Yorkshire in a luxury B&B and for once 'luxury' is how I would describe it. The hosts, accommodation and food were excellent. I would certainly recommend it to anyone in a flash. The website is http://www.topbridge.co.uk the site needs updating but you get the general idea. We liked it so much we have booked the s/catering cottage for the late half term holiday in October when we'll have a whole week of relaxation.
Whilst there I finally managed to go to Whitby museum to view the samplers amongst other things and bought 3 reproduction sampler charts. Also Neils forages in the local secondhand book shops revealed 3 great sampler books which I did purchase of course.
Both our eldest son Paul and family and our daughter Lesley and family went away for the week together and had a great time. The children all being around the same age had a whale of a time.
September
Neil went back to the hospital in September for a check up after his nose op, he doesn't feel any benefit from and it's been several months now so it is a real disappointed at going through it for no change in his condition. The consultant checked him out and said the op has been a success but the problems he's having is an allergy, (probably to me) so has put him on another nasal spray and it does appear to be working.
We entertainined a guest for two weeks in September, he's completely crackers, goofy and a walking calamity! He is my sisters 5mth old Dogue De Bordeaux, a well muscled powerful package of dog, he isn't pretty but he's so comical and has reduced Neil and I to tears of laughter with his antics. Deeber of course was her usual snobby self but I think he's won even her heart, she has now deemed to lower herself and play with him, she is about 5cms bigger than him so is playing being the dominant dog which he's happy to let her think she is. Goodness knows what will happen when she stays with my sister next week whilst we're away as by now he will have grown considerably and make her look about as big as a Springer Spaniel!!
He and I had a running battle of wills, my opinion of furniture is sofa's = human domain, floors = animals domain, Reo thinks he is entitled to stretch out on my cream sofa or chairs. I did win this one as he quickly learnt after only a short time that getting down onto animals domain (floor) earned him a treat. He needed to learn this rather quickly because of the episode of torrential rain for several hours creating a good amount of mud in the garden for rolling in. He then managed to get to the sofa before me, needless to say the covers had an exciting time at the fair ground roundabout formally known as the washing machine. Whilst we were out shopping he 'stole' a teddy which has sat on the bed for the past yr, he's not very active. Ted was very shaken by his ordeal and had passed out on the kitchen floor, upside down in the dogs water bowl. I did resusatate him and he is now recovering slowly. Reo normally stuck to tossing his big yellow duck around but I think the duck needed a rest.
Here is a pic of the two of them in the first week, as you can see friends forever now.
We had a bit of a scare with one of our grandsons, James who had to spend time in hospital after complaining of pains in his back. Although the different consultants couldn't agree what was wrong they medicated him, he had tests plus xrays and now has to go for a scan on his stomach. Thankfully he's feeling a lot better now and is back at school and is going on holiday next week to Majorca.October
I had to go and see a skin specialist for a mole on my face which had developed lumps on it and changed colour. I'm very happy and relieved to say it was benign, he gave me the name but I can't pronounce or spell ! He sprayed a long shot of liquid nitrogen on it which was uncomfortable but only for a short time and not as painful as I'd been led to believe. I have to go back and see him in November but the size has shrunk and all that's there now is a small red circle with no lumps on it, it's not inflamed just new skin growing I think.
We have a new member in our family..............a small Shih Tzu called Paddington, Deeber was so miserable when Reo went home and really missed the play so we talked long and hard about it. The house isn't large enough for 2 large dogs permanately so we opted to go for a Shih Tzu. We adopted two from the rescue in 1992 and had many happy and comical years with them before they both passed away in 2000. I rang the same woman who as well as a vet is a breeder and shows her dogs as well as rescuing them. She did remember me and after talking for a while she said she had a special little man who had been found wandering the streets of Manchester the previous month. They knew nothing about him except he was very malnurished and very matted. They had cut his coat off to give him some comfort but it had grown about 2" so he wasn't bald. He got on well with all her dogs (26) appeared to have a lovely nature also. They thought he was approximately 3yrs old and Gold/white and would I like to give him a home..........
Lesley took me last Tuesday morning and it was love at first sight, she was able to sit on the floor so he climbed on her knee immediately. Then he and I made friends, all the while he was watching Carol the kennel maid who had been taking care of him.
He'd already been neutured so had to have his stitches out, he was vaccinated and micro chipped at which stage Lesley almost passed out at the sight of the large needle.........lol and after the chatting and stroking and getting to know his likes and dislikes we set off home.
I asked Lesley to bring him in so I could make a fuss of Deeber first so she didn't resent him, she then went straight to Lesley, sniffing around what appeared to be her next meal lol
There has been no argueing or snapping, I'd brought him a smiley faced squeaky ball which he loves, Deeber of course never played with them but now does and walks around with it in her mouth just out of jumping reach of Paddington! They don't lay snuggled up together yet but are getting closer when laying down. He has fit in as if he'd always been here, is now eating well and is loving the fact that Sam and Lesley call each day on their way home from school. He has to see the vet in 3 wks time to check his weight and to see if his muscles are now stronger. He is supposed to be Neil's dog but at the moment sticks around me but I'm at home all day and he was looked after by women at the kennels so he'll be more confident in Neil soon. I wondered where he was on Sunday and came upstairs to see Neil sitting at his desk with Paddinton sat on the desk looking through the window. He is beginning to relax quite a bit now, he knows we come back after we've left the room now and doesn't need to follow us everywhere just in case and he'll stay in the room without us for a while.
When we collected him he hadn't got a name so we quickly rung Neil to tell him to think of one and rung James to ask him and his friends to come up with some suggestions. Later that night after much deliberation Neil popped his head around the door and exclaimed 'Paddington' mmm yes a good selection but why?
The reason is that Paddington bear had been lost and was found at the Paddington station and so called, the dog had been found roaming so this is now his name and he has started to answer to it.
Whilst I'm typing this I have Deeber curled up on oneside of me and Paddington the other I can't move my chair without waking them or it will be squashed dog on the menu!! When we're in the lounge Deeber is at my feet and Paddington has claimed the beanbag puffe as his, I think he thinks he's the king of the castle. At first he'd curl up drop to sleep, start to stretch out and fall off, now he's more certain he rumages around until he's made a 'dent' to curl up in then drops of to sleep and stays on. A quick learner!! He's a typical Shih Tzu in that he'll dart around playing for a while then suddenly just flop and sleep for a while. They are small dogs with big hearts and to see how calm he is after the ordeal he's been through is a wonder to me. Deeber of course knows she's not going to be pushed out and is slowly condescending to hint at playing with him.
She will see her best buddy next week as she will go to my sisters to stay whilst we're away, Reo will have grown a lot so he'll probably want to be top dog on his own turf. She love my sister so is always happy to go for her holidays.
Paddington will stay with Lesley and her family, we can't take them with us as dogs aren't allowed. I know both dogs will be safe and loved whilst we're away. As James is going away Sam will have Paddington for company and can't wait for Friday until he goes up there. Hopefully a pic of Paddington should show up at this point if I've done it right.... ;0)
Stitching wise I have finished the Pot sampler, Simply a Little Quaker sampler the 2005 Swvd Sampler and am now stitching on the Three Little words and the Blue Ribbon samplers. I also have a Prairie Schooler exchange which I need to sew and have almost finished the M Davol sampler. I haven't taken pictures yet so can't post any.
Now I must come to a close and let you catch your breath. I'm hoping it won't be as long till I write more. Take care, enjoy your family and your stitching.
Blondieuk
