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?