Soaring Red Kite.....

Walking to the castle with little Tink my super cute chonzer we stopped at the lookout point where once my favourite bench was placed..sadly it has rotted and been removed. Please someone put one back for the tired and weary walkers to stop and catch their breath! Joy of joys today I saw a fabulous Red Kite soaring above the valley and over the castle, I stood enthralled for about ten minutes until the wonderful  creature flew off towards Penmaen. I walked home feeling elated and extremely blessed to have experienced such a special moment right in my own backyard!!
Youngest daughter Kaye is moving house this week and our littlest Grandson Sebastian is now crawling and getting into all sorts of mischief. He very kindly left us a message on our answerphone after finding the house phone and somehow managing to press redial.....it took me a few minutes to realise it was not some weirdo on the phone but a growling yabbering Sebby Bear. SOOOO cute. I can't wait to see them after Xmas and give him a big Nanna hug.

The super cute Sebastian

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year

THEFT ALERT

PLEASE BE AWARE THERE HAVE BEEN THIEVES ABOUT ON THE LANE.

NEW DAWN WAS BROKEN INTO AND A CAMERA AND KEYS TAKEN. IT APPEARS THERE MAY BE A LINK TO A GREEN SALOON CAR SEEN AROUND ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS CONTAINING SOME FOUL MOUTHED UNPLEASANT YOBS WHO TOLD A 7 YEAR OLD TO F**K OFF! IF YOU NOTICE IT PLEASE JOT DOWN THE DETAILS,MODEL MAKE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY REGISTRATION & RING IT IN TO THE POLICE WHO ARE INVESTIGATING.

SAD TO SAY THIS BUT LOCK EVERYTHING UP

A WORD OF WARNING TO THOSE COMMITTING THESE DESPICABLE CRIMES....YOU'LL WISH YOU'D BEEN ARRESTED IF WE CATCH YOU AT IT!!

I CALL IT KARMA & I SINCERELY HOPE YOU LOT GET YOURS SOON.

Let the bells ring out....for Christmas...

          I would like to wish you all a very 

                        Merry  Christmas 

                                 and a 

               Happy & Healthy New Year

Yeahhh...it really is beginning to feel a lot like Christmas....decorations are going up all over the lane,in our house we are nearly finished putting the decs up, just a bit more on the outside to do.Sadly gale force winds,rain and hail have hampered this, but hopefully all finished by the weekend. Our tree this year has coloured lights and is festooned with hundreds of crystals and coloured glass ornaments and is totally over the top as usual. Tink has her stocking hung up in readiness for Santa!! 

The Pretty Suns, 2011 Tree......understated chic!!

Twinkle twinkle,Pretty Suns

It has been so cold out walking little Tink, she has to have her winter coat on with the collar turned up. The waves are rough and you can hear them roaring and crashing before you can see them. The sky has been a menacing grey and of course that is reflected in the colour of the sea....a chilling and wintery sight indeed. The wind whips around us over on the golf course and along the cliffs and my lips are getting chapped from the drying,bitter wind. We get in shivering and damp and spend ages with towels and cuddles in front of the fire to thaw out!!

Cards are all sent and present shopping is pretty much done, finish the last bits on the weekend as well as doing an online food order.

Lots to do at the weekend then.

Our old ash tree that is directly behind the house has become unsafe and needs to be felled....this will now take place after Xmas when the weather permits, the lovely Lyndon and his assistant will be doing the deed and I hope to get some action shots of the shannanigans! I am however very sad about it as we have lived with the tree for over 30years, I know I will shed a few tears when it comes down. Karl is having the wood for his woodburner so it will not be wasted and I am going to keep a couple of pieces for the wonderful Mike Prankerd to make something out of to commemorate the mighty old tree. 

We are going to plant a few more trees to replace it, native varieties and more suitable for the area.

We are also now looking for a second little chonzer as a companion for little Tink and it is proving to be harder than we thought,but we don't want one until next summer really so plenty of time. 

'elf n safety comes to The Lane

I've heard some things in my 30years on Sandy Lane ,but I had to smile at this.....some well meaning folk are trying to protect us from our wild environment and are currently assessing the wild areas,hedges paths etc for potential dangers and health hazards. Trimming spikey branches and opening up the pathways to make them less treacherous "for safety reasons". Well intentioned I grant you,but frankly unnecessary, we live in a rambly, brambly rough and ready place and surely everyone is aware that there are  branches that overhang and have thorns and spikes. I personally love it that some areas are overgrown and you have to step carefully through...it's a bit magical, like stepping into another world. I walk the lane in daylight and darkness,often without a torch and in my opinion the most dangerous thing is the mess underfoot from the bloody cows...perhaps they would like to cull them ...for safety reasons of course!

Wintery weather...brrrrr

Getting up early to walk my little Tink I've noticed that there is a definite nip in the air. We go out in the dark but the sunrise catches up with us after about 30mins. The gorse bushes have some yellow blooms on and they look bright and happy in the pale morning light over on the golf course. Little Tink now wears her warm waterproof coat and her high vis jacket on top. The bracken has turned brown and crispy and bits cling to Tink's fur as we roam, cow pats are everywhere again, bloody destructive beasts, they churn everything up so badly. I have decided I need a new coat for winter as my current one is not as waterproof as I would like and I am fed up with coming home soaked to the skin and shivering with cold...only in very heavy rain but hey it's not a good feeling.
Bonus to all this walking is my continued weight loss and fitness improvement...I have been Fat fighting for a few months now and have lost 2stones 4pounds!!! Dropped 4 dress sizes,reversed my diabetes and controlled my blood pressure. What a blessing Slimming World Extra Easy has been and more especially the inspirational Alicia who runs the group in Killay. She really is a mine of information,support and also much hilarity week after week and I don't think I would have continued without her help. I feel 10years younger and have a new lease of life. Young Megan (my Granddaughter) did say quite seriously that she didn't want me to lose any more weight because she likes me squishy!! I'm going to carry on and get to my target weight sometime next year and then I will try to have the resolve to maintain it...wish me luck.

Little Halloween Spider suit for Seb!

My super cute Grandson in his Halloween suit

The Woodhouse Reunion 2011

Me with my Cousin Kelvin and his wife Vanessa

November 5th was the date of this years Woodhouse family reunion. It coincided with my lovely cousin Charmiane's 60th Birthday lunch and we all met at the fabulous Stone Manor in Stone near Kidderminster. So many family members of all generations as well as friends gathered together for a lunchtime of good food,wine and chatter. old pics were passed around and new ones taken as mementos. Some of the younger generation met for the first time and all seemed to get on famously. It was a lovely day and the highlight was a warm and funny speech by Charmie's Son Adam in tribute to his lovely Mother. So many branches of the family form my circle and it is a delight to be part of it.

Early morning walking!

Well, life is sooo hectic...wonderful but busy at the moment. Autumn is really on us now..I can feel it in the air especially when I take little Tink out early in the mornings before I go to work. It is dark and chilly, Tink wears her little coat and also her reflective jacket and LED light up collar so that I can see her on the golf links. Andy says she looks like she's off to do Community Service..he's so cruel, I think she looks so cute. The leaves are changing and falling and the trees are becoming bare. The sloes are shrivelling and turning green...too late for making Sloe Gin now! I can really hear the roar of the waves well before we get to the golf course and even though I pull my hood up when I leave the house there is something about the sound of the waves that makes me take it off and let the wind and often rain too blow through my hair. It is without doubt the most exhilarating feeling, blowing the cobwebs of sleep away and energising me for the day to come. Tink and I have watched and marvelled at many sunrises recently and at the other end of the day we sigh at the beauty of the sunsets which come on too quickly now. The smell of woodsmoke curls around us as we wander home in the gloom and I get a cosy feeling as we approach the lights of our house where I know Andy will be waiting with a dry towel for Tink and hot tea for me......bliss. I am blessed and truly grateful.

Time I said all this again as I am still of the same mind.

Warning to all those who wish to join a small community!

• Check it out properly BEFORE you buy.
• Ask yourself why you want to live there.
• Talk to long time residents.
• Get to really know the community.
• If you move in, you ARE the new kid on the block.
• Don't try to change the community,area or peoples ideals.
• If you don't like it, why stay......Move on.
• Don't stay and be miserable, you make others miserable too

Things I am sick to death of:

1. People moving in to my community who try to force their messed up urban views on me & others.
2. Interfering, litigious persons with verbal diarrhoea.
3. The let's tidy it all up and make it like everywhere else group!
4. The selfish, paranoid people who object to our community gatherings and parties.

Things I love:

1. The bumpy track that keeps the traffic slow.
2. The brambly hedges and uncut grass that keep Sandy Lane wild.
3. The dark of night without street lamps.
4. The fun that's shared with our community.
5. All the square pegs in round holes around here!

Wow...life is busy & my blog has been neglected!!

I can't believe it's so long since I updated my blog. It seems that my life has been running me for a while. Brakes on, deep breath and take control.

A quick summary... Sebastian is now sitting up on his own, my lovely daughters Kaye and Danie both had birthdays in September and we all got together for a great garden party BBQ at Danie's house in Malvern. It was great and the kids all had a fab time with their cousins.

Andy and I had two idyllic weeks in Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca in the first 2 weeks of September, we walked, swam, snorkelled,dived,ate,drank and danced and most importantly restored ourselves together. Both came home tanned and refreshed and only put on 2 1/2 lbs!!

Fat fighting is going extremely well now and we have both reached our 10% reduction targets, Andy is on his way to 2 1/2 stone loss and I am close to my 2 stone.

Little Tink had to go to kennels for the birthday weekend and although she had a great time, sadly came back with kennel cough. I sat up all one Friday night with her and was waiting on the Vet's door at 08.30am on Sat morning. The wonderful Will from Gower Veterinary Practice in Killay came out to the car and checked her over...diagnosed kennel cough, dried my tears and prescribed some medicine for her. She being a healthy little tyke recovered very quickly and 4 days later you'd never know she'd been ill. The kennels said they had had lots of cases reported and even though all dogs have to be vaccinated it's a bit like 'flu and the virus mutates!
I am back in work and feel well and in control again which is always a bonus. Still ridiculously busy but at least the time goes quickly and I do LOVE my job.
My sister princess Sharon and I spent a couple of days together and attended our Aunty Mona's 91st birthday lunch. It was hosted by our delightful cousin Briar and her husband Ken at their fabulous 22 roomed home in the midlands. Lunch was silver served for 30 people, we had gorgeous champagne, a pianist on the grand piano and lots of smiles and laughter.
Gemma has now had her baby ..a little KIWI boy to add to the family, he was quite late putting in an appearance but all is well. Georgia and Keith have set the date for June 2012 for their wedding and that too will be a joyous reunion for our lovely family.
The next occasion is the Woodhouse annual reunion that is coinciding with cousin Charmaine's 60th Birthday. We are all lunching at Stone Manor Hotel,(it used to belong to Uncle Ollie and Aunty Winnie and we played there often as kids). Really looking forward to it and this year some of the younger generation are attending for the first time.
WHEW......I'm glad things can calm down a bit now.   

Little Tink, my Chonzer playing with Yo Gabba Gabba

28 Years with my Rock God!

18th October 1984....WE DO!

Today, Tuesday 18th October 2011 Andy and I have been married for 28years!! I can honestly say that I love him more now than I did all those years ago and I never thought that was a possibility.

We have had hard times and some rough patches, as those who know us well have been privy to. I am fiesty and quick tempered (less so now, as I have mellowed with age) and he is the strong silent type...which sometimes drives me nuts!! He is the only man I have ever met who loves me just the way I am, he has never tried to change or tame me and I adore and respect him for that. What I do know is that when he takes me in his arms and kisses me, my blood still turns to fire and my knees go weak, that has never changed and I guess if it does I'll worry. He gave me a card this morning that said if he could he would beg me to marry him all over again. I asked if he really meant that and he said he had no regrets at all and felt he was the luckiest man in the world. We are going to renew our vows and we plan to do that on our 30th anniversary, not far away now.   What a lovely start to my day. 

Sadly he is off to Spain until Friday evening with work so we won't celebrate our anniversary until he gets back. Now where shall I book a table for a romantic meal out for just us two?

The wonderful Aunty 'D' is 85years young!

Any excuse for a gathering these days, but last weekend was a real event for the maternal side of the family. My truly wonderful Aunty 'D' reached the grand age of 85years old! As my mother Joyce's younger sister she is the last one standing from her generation...The Matriach of a very large family. My sister Sharon and I travelled down to Bexhill-on Sea for the celebrations. My cousin Ro's children were there (well most of them) with their families and the 'do' was arranged by cousin Janice at The Mermaid on the seafront. Bubbly, balloons, disco, karaoke, buffet and cake   what more could you ask for. The kids had a great time and we all got to meet the latest arrivals to the ever growing family circle, 13week old Max born to Julia and Anthony and 3 week old Joshua, born to Jason and Vicky. Joshua is Janice's first Grandchild and of course she is besotted! We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Gemma's first baby who will be the first KIWI in the family.

The wonderful Birthday Girl

Sharon and Janice

The wonderful Will Sullivan did a turn for us on Karoake after much poking and torment by Sharon and myself (not to mention some throat lubrication from the bar) He did an admirable rendition of Tom Jones's SEX BOMB complete with hip wiggling gesticulations. He got screams of delight and applause but sadly no underwear for his efforts. Good thing too as most of the undies worn that day were support wear and would have caused serious injury if thrown!!! His two daughters Sophie and Megan watched in open mouthed amazement at their superstar Daddy....what a great thing to do, they will remember that forever.

Will...Sex Bomb ! Video to follow soon..

We sang Happy Birthday and Janice lit the candles on the cake...they were erupting jets of sparkling flame and went on for quite a while. No hope of blowing them out and it smelt like bonfire night for a little bit but what a fabulous effect.

The DJ was an interesting chap, stage name Dan The Man he was complete with fake tan, dyed hair and bright green jacket. He was a bit scary really and loved the sound of his own, often discordant voice. I know it's cruel but Sharon and I couldn't help but laugh at the spectacle...especially when he grabbed Janice to dance!! Sharon decided to torment poor Anthony and made him dance with her, his discomfort was obvious and gave me great delight to watch and I was not alone in this. The Williams girls have all been blessed with the wicked Woodhouse genes for tormenting and they all enjoyed the menfolks squirming. They are a credit to their Mum Ro and Dad John who would have been so proud of them all. They all seem to have stuck together after the dreadful loss of their parents and such courage and fortitude in the face of adversity is a rare thing nowadays. Aunty 'D' had a bit of a bop and made a very touching thank you speech, reinforcing how special the bonds of family and friends are.
We headed off to our hotel for a late supper with Ro's kids and their families and stayed up till late in the bar having a whale of a time reminiscing and laughing.
Up next morning and got together for breakfast before a few sad goodbyes to the kids and off to meet Janice for coffee. Had a look around her lovely flat in Bexhill and went to the Italian downstairs for a super latte.
We had a little time to spare so on the spur of the moment popped up to say Bye bye to Aunty D who was delighted to see us. She was looking really well surrounded by loads of cards,gifts and flowers and we sat and had a lovely chat for half an hour. She is fantastic in every way, always with a smile and never a hint of self pity, refreshing in an elderly person. She attributes her longevity to her bad habits which these days are mainly Gin and Cigarettes!!
She was telling us that when she was a teenager she envied our Mum Joyce (her elder sister) because she had auburn hair and dimples....she especially wanted dimples and would go to sleep with her fingers deeply pressed into her cheeks to try to get some! It wasn't until she started her first job when someone said how beautiful her hair was that she realised she was a real flaxen blonde...without the bottle. I always envied my cousins for their bubbly, warm and loving Mum and it's lovely to still have my special aunty around. I reminded her that she incurred my mum's displeasure when she bought me my first Bra, knickers and suspender belt (no tights invented then) I remember them well, white cotton with little pink rosebuds on and I thought I was so grown up. It's a real milestone for a girl and I have my Aunty 'D' to thank for that and for so much more throughout my life.
Hopefully we will all get together next year for her 86th birthday and the way things are looking we'll do it for many more than that, I truly hope so.To spend time with my wonderful sister is one of my life's real treasures, we are so in tune it is spooky, I don't have to explain my jokes or witty remarks and we often say the same thing at the same time! We bounce off each other and become a real double act when in company and it is just wonderful. I love her like I love no-one else, she is my beautiful, sparkling, sister and I know she loves me right back!
These are special gifts that no amount of money could buy and oh my,  I am so grateful to be so blessed.

A wedding in a seafront castle....

Wow what a weekend we have had...we sadly had to miss Sandy Lane Fete as we were invited to a family wedding. Andy's brother Gareth married his long time love, the beautiful Fran on Saturday. We drove down on Friday night and all met up for a meal and a chin wag.We unloaded the van at the best man's house as we had all the band gear and then spent a relaxing night in a very nice hotel in portsmouth. Next morning we set up the band in the marquee inside the keep of Southsea Castle. Had a bite to eat and then donned our finery for the wedding. It was truly lovely and Fran looked stunning in her white dress with black detailing...the whole theme was black and white and it looked chic and elegant.

 In the evening we danced our socks off to Joe Schmo veven 80years old Betty,Andy's Mum got up for a bit of a bop!! Gareth sang Sweet Home Alabama with his brother and fulfilled a lifelong dream! They were great together too.We had a late night and after a nice sleep we packed up next morning and headed home to Wales. Back to work on Monday for everyone(except of course the honeymooners). Great times and with every birth or union our family grows and that is indeed a blessing.

Scrumping apples!

This may be hard to believe but little Tink just loves fruit,but she especially loves apples. Recently if left to her own devices we come home to find bits of fruit, apples, peaches, banana, plums, pears etc all over the living room because she just can't resist them. We have to put them well out of her reach to stop her. She will beg and drool if I eat an apple in front of her and gets most upset if I don't share.We have a curving low branched apple tree in the garden over the steps that is laden with cooking apples....well it was! she Up until nowhasn't really eaten loads of fruit but over the last three days we have found the cooking apples all over the garden in various stages of consumption, Tink has also had a very upset tummy (not funny with a little fluffy bottom)....mmm I wonder why? After a few emergency trips to the shower, I watched her carefully yesterday from the bedroom window and to my astonishment she was taking a flying leap off the bank at the overhanging branch and snapping at the closest apples!!! She got three and was just carrying off the last prized one by the stalk in her mouth so it looked like a big green dummy, when I intervened and nicked them back. She yipped and yapped at me so much you'd have thought I had stolen her dinner. No more fruit for her...I harvested all the lowest apples and moved the fruit indoors even further out of reach. I gave her a very plain dinner,breakfast and supper tonight and I think we have solved the problem of the little scrumping Tinkerbell!!

A day for the girls...

I was off work on Tuesday and Karl asked if I could have Hannah and Megan for the day. I of course said yes as these days I don't get much time with them on my own. They popped down in the morning and we talked about what we should do with the day. By 11.00am it was getting warm but still overcast so we decided to go to Singleton Park with Tink first and then onto Blackpill if the sun came out.
We packed the bags and climbed aboard the trusty Gerty and drove to Singleton Park. We parked the car and went to the playground first, not Tink of course  she and I watched from the fence. We walked over to the boating lake and the girls were horrified that Tink did a poo and I picked it up with a poo bag. I showed them the doggy bins and explained that dog poo is not nice to tread in and can sometimes cause diseases especially for children. They nodded thoughtfully and agreed it was best to pick it up but both said they weren't going to do it!
We all decided it would be fun to paddle a dragon boat so we paid our money and climbed aboard..a photo opportunity if ever there was one. Thankfully no-one had a camera! Tink sat on my lap and Hannah and I paddled and Meg sat in the middle and steered. We paddled around in a bit of a zig zag pattern, I believe the correct term would be 'tacking' but there was nothing correct about it, we terrified a large swan boat full of an Indian family who had to take evasive action to avoid a collision. We got caught in the overhanging trees and had to stretch up and paddle backwards to disentangle ourselves. Tink wanted to chase the geese,ducks and anything else on the lake but I explained she was not related to anyone holy and it was unlikley  that she would actually be able to walk, let alone run, on water and I was going to keep a tight hold on her. She caused oohhs and aarghs from everyone who seemed to think it odd that my little dog was loving her first boat trip! We paddled on Meg screamed at a floating bit of wood....did she think it was a shark perhaps, who knows. Our ears were ringing and our legs were aching so we headed for the mooring point. Getting out was no more graceful for me than getting in but I made it without falling in.
We played a round of crazy golf, gave Tink a drink of water and then moved onto the bouncy slide and a roundabout ride. After all that we walked the perimeter of the lake and went to lunch in The Pub On The Pond and very nice it was too.

Super fast sliding!!

We packed up and headed for the Lido at Blackpill, parked Gerty in the shade and crossed the road. We found a shady spot right by the pool under the trees and the girls were straight in after slapping on lots of sun cream. I went to the shop and bought a big inflatable ring which the girls in the shop kindly inflated for me and a fresh bottle of water. The girls loved the ring and Tink loved the water!
I started to read my book but after a few minutes I noticed Tink was caught by the foot on the blanket, on closer inspection I found to my horror that she was attached by a fishing hook with 10inches of line still attached. I gently freed her from the blanket and inspected her little back foot....the hook had just nicked the skin but was totally embedded in her thick fur. I had visions of rushing to the vet but stopped panicking and went over to the shop who lent me a pair of scissors and I snipped the fur to remove the offending hook. How careless of the fisherman to leave that nasty thing lying around, thankfully no harm came to Tink thanks to her fluffy little feet but it could so easily have been a child and that would have been a different story.

Little Tink worn out after her day out!

After several hours of fun we were ready to go home and cook...the girls favourite pastime with Nanny.
We called into Mumbles and picked up some fresh strawberries and the ingredients for a nice stir fry for tea.
The girls chopped and sliced and diced and stirred and soon we were sat out on the patio eating with Gandy, Dan and Lyndsey. A nice bath and hair wash and then Gandy and I walked Tink and the girls back up Karl to put them to bed.....they both kised me goodnight and said thank you for a lovely day, Meg said I was the best Nanny in the whole world and Hannah said she thought so too. I thanked them both for being such good girls and making it such a fun day for me too.
My beautiful girls  make me very proud and I treasure our special times together...I am very blessed and I am thankful.

WATCH OUT WATCH OUT THERE'S A TEA LEAF ABOUT!

We are very lucky to live on Sandy Lane and for the most part it is a very safe place to be. Unfortunately every now and again we have a spate of thefts. I must warn you all of recent events, several thefts from cars and garden sheds have taken place on the lane recently. They even stole hoodies and fleeces from the cars, so please take your belongings inside, put a lock on your shed and be aware that there are some despicable b*****ds around who will think nothing of nicking your stuff.

As usual I have a message for these light fingered pond scum :

IF WE CATCH YOU STEALING, 

YOU'LL WISH YOU HAD BEEN ARRESTED!

The Fat is Fighting Back!!

Last night was Fat Fighters weighing night and it was Dan's first weigh after his holiday. He had been careful what he ate in Spain and it paid off with a further loss of 2lbs!! Andy also lost another 2lbs and is close to 11/2 stones loss now. I however have been a model of slimming world diligence and cooked all the meals gained 1lb!! Not fair, I am gutted, I felt so demoralised I wanted to run away and have a good cry with a bar of chocolate. I resisted the urge and this week I am going to keep a detailed food diary to see if I can pinpoint what is going wrong for me. I will not give up with it as I feel so much better already having lost 11lbs that I am determined to crack it!

Fat Fighting here I come..........

Blazing Paddles!

What a busy week we've had in our house...Kaye is here with gorgeous Sebastian who even wakes up smiling and gurgling, he's so laid back! This has entailed a bit more washing etc but baby clothes are sooo cute it's almost fun. We all got together on Wednesday night, by we I mean Andy and I, Kaye, Karl, Pip, Finn, Dan & Lyndsey. The table was full, we ate drank and chatted and it was lovely. Little Sebastian was the pass the parcel as everyone wanted a cuddle with him before he went to bed. A lovely night! On Thursday Kaye, Sebastian and I went to visit our bestest friends, Sue and Mike. Susie is now fully recovered from her carnival over indulgence and can now bend over with impunity!

Mike with the new improved access canoe!

Mike was very excited as he had launched his newest acquisition into the Neath canal that morning. The 1950's classic canoe that he recently bought and repainted with go faster stripes. Sue was there to take a pictorial record, she admitted she was waiting for it to sink but it didn't and Mike paddled around with abandon. Mike has never canoed before and had learnt his technique on the Internet. Sue was warned that she might struggle to capture the action of the paddles as they may move too quickly. I asked if he had got Sue wake boarding behind his speedy craft but he said no as Sue still has not conquered the art of swimming,even after several people have tried to teach her. After messing about in boats for a couple of hours Mike decided to get back onto Terra firma....more easily said than done! When Mike tried to vacate the canoe via the hole he had got into it through he found himself pretty much wedged. Sue had visions of cutting holes in the bottom so he could walk home wearing it, but, after much straining and maybe a bit of lubrication (don't ask) he did emerge from his tight fitting craft. Back at home we found him cutting his canoe to enlarge the hole. When asked why,  he replied, it wasn't safe in case of fire, he couldn't get out!!! I howled laughing and commented that his paddle stroke must've been quite something to worry about fire...blazing paddles came to mind and conjured up some disturbing images. We love Mike's super quirkiness and inventiveness but you never know what he's going to come up with next. Susie takes it all in her stride and smiles indulgently, most of the time anyway. Kaye and I laughed most of the way home even when we got wet with the rain, Good times!

Poop scooping!

Walking Tink around our beautiful area I always have a roll of poop bags with me to clear up after her,it's a neat little red bone shape holder that dispenses the bags from a roll and is refillable. It cost under a pound in a cheap shop in town and refills are 2 for 99p. There is also an added benefit that I have discovered these bags can be used for any kind of rubbish that I come across. Sadly I always come back home with some to dispose of. Why can't people take their cr*p home with them...I guess they are not blind to the beauty of the surroundings they find themselves in ..so why do the morons leave litter everywhere?  It's the glass I hate most due to the injuries it causes both humans and animals and it is difficult to transport home without getting a nick yourself as it slices through litter bags.
My message to these amoeba brained idiots is.. 
IF YOU BRING IT...TAKE IT HOME WITH YOU!!

I collected this within 30minutes of leaving the house!

I have also noticed that the art of bush, stone and tree decorating is growing at an exponential rate...everywhere we go we see the multi coloured little plastic bags of doggy poop festooning the surrounding foliage and landscape! What the hell is the point of picking up the poop, which although unpleasant is at least biodegradeable, wrapping it tightly in a plastic bag and then throwing it willy nilly over everything...are these people real?
In my usual forthright way I tackled a chap who was gently depositing his bright green, plastic, poop filled bag by the signpost on the golf course. I asked him who did he think would clear it up? He replied quite seriously "Oh sorry, I don't come from around here so I don't know where to take it" I politely told him where he could put it and even offered to deposit it for him if he couldn't manage...he picked up his bag and scuttled off, back under the bloody stone he crawled out from I suspect.
GRRRRR....I get very angry and each time I encounter litter dropping I AM going to say something, maybe it really is just total ignorance or maybe it's just no fear of consequences...now where did I put my Shillelagh stick?

NEW PAGE ADDED...Sandy Lane Fete 2010 Pics

Have a look at the new page on the right hand links for Sandy Lane Fete pictures 2010 courtesy of Holly. If anyone has anymore they would like to share please let me have them via email at penny@harris-john.co.uk or I can scan them in and let you have them back.......enjoy!

It's Carnival Time!

Kaye and Simon arrived on Friday night with Sebastian who is now smiling and giggling at everyone and is chubby and scrumptious. Dan & Lula are back from Spain having had a lovely relaxing week of sun and sea. Andy and I got up on Saturday and went to put the stage together and the P.A. system for the carnival on the playing fields. I entered little Tink into the dog show but although she wore her bestest Tinkerbell wings and wowed the crowd with her cuteness the judges did not give her a prize....stewards enquiry I say!

Tink with her wings on ready for the carnival

In the evening we all got together as Andy was playing the evening bash, we had a great laugh and got very hot and sticky dancing our socks off, my friend Susan got a little squiffy and was very entertaining as was Dan who amazed us all with his 'moves'..surprisingly light on his feet for a big guy, he had us in gales of laughter. The Schmo's were AWESOME, my new improved, slimline hubby was super gorgeous and in great voice, the tent was packed and the crowd were fantastic. At the end of the night Mike steered Susie homewards and we packed up and eventually rolled into bed at 03.15am.

We arose late and were joined for a late roast lunch by Mr and Mrs Po who brought their little dog Tilly with them. Mrs Po headed off home with Tilly and Simon caught the train back to London at 5.20pm, Kaye and Sebastian are staying until Friday and Mr Po is staying over to go to work in Cardiff for a couple of days. I am back in work on Monday and I am quite looking forward to seeing the girls for a catch up...it will be a nice break for me to be back in work!!

Mr Po & Sebastian

What a weekend,fast and furious and super fun with family and friends, what more can I ask for. I am blessed with a life that is full of music,laughter,fun and most of all love and I think I must be the luckiest woman in the world!