We Hate The Postman

Me and Dobs took a stroll into town today to get some wool. As we walked through the underpass a man in his Royal Mail uniform approached so I pulled the extendible lead in as close as it will go......but he still tried to take a chunk out of him as he passed.....my apology was met with an amused friendly smile - thank god people are so nice!!! After speaking to a dog trainer I am told "its a Chihuahua thing - live with it!!!!" Who knew????

This cat has even bigger issues - thankfully My lovely postie now leaves the post by the front door - very sensible.

Happiness

got sent some lovely photos from Mr Baxter today 

perfect for a happiness shot on the blog

Our Afternoon....

So I started my new regime of afternoons-off this week and went straight to Tanglefoot to take Tarks for a very muddy run.

She had been at home all morning with Dobbie and had kindly filled the kitchen with feathers after ripping up one of the kitchen-bed cushions......

Dobstar was (as ever) completely innocent.

After a lovely long hour-long run up hill and down muddy dale we came home and then set off again with Dobbie in-tow for a sniff round the fields.....

And She Rolled good and proper.....

these photos don't do it justice - she was DRIPPING in manure

so we did this....

now its been a long time since I showered her.....

she is 15% springer and Oh if you turn away it appears she can SPRING out of the bath and spray liquid manure EVERYWHERE - deep deep deep joy!!!!!

so we cleaned up all the bloody mess and all 3 of us (very damp) got in the car back to flat 9....

 Now Tarks has never recovered from that trip home from Wales when she was very little and we set off 5 mins after her breakfast and she salivated-for-britain and then threw up everywhere and so WILL NOT sit in the footwell EVAH again thankyou very much.
So after Dobbie getting squished for a while they finally worked out a good position.....

 and we came home for sleeps........all exhausted...but very happy

Alp D'Huez

So we left poor Dobbie behind after a night on The Moet Chandon.....

and a little bit of dressing-up....

for The Alps.....

and had the MOST marvellous week - great chalet, great food, great snow, great skiing

PERFECT it was.....

The Cats

HOW CUTE?????

Still Drownin'

So after a whole week of very little walking due to SEVERE weather conditions it was a BEAUTIFUL morning here in Wiltshire today so we charged up the i-pod with the weeks episodes of The Archers and set off for a walk out to Old Sarum.......

but the river is still flowing strong on both sides of the park and the boardwalk is completely under water.......as is the path down by the allotments......

 so at this point Dobbie said "NO....

NO FURTHER

I AM NOT DOIN" IT....."

and so we turned back and got on the sofa

 ......thats more like it Mum - walking is SO overrated......

Bedtime Feast

Dobbie had a little bedtime feast last night and am posting just for the cute-ness...

 he was enjoying it 

 despite the grimacing and tongue poking

 happy bedtime belly

Christmas and Nu Year 2013

So we took 2 weeks off this festive time to see friends and family and have a generally marvellous time.

We kicked off in Brighton the weekend before Christmas with our "urban family" for the usual dinner, drinks, more drinks and then more drinks. We had an epic party attended by The Best Santa ever.

Ho Ho Ho

We played festive games with lots of festive kisses and cuddles.....dobs loved it!!!

 ...so then it was onto Stamford for more dinner, drinks and more drinks.......

Tarka enjoyed the real fire and we all enjoyed the pastry-based goods and mini-everything. Mini yorkshires, mini prawn cocktails, mini sausages and maxi drinks - perfect it was....

 ...so then onto Nottingham for shopping, lunching at Iberico, the MOST AMAZING Bloody Mary I have ever tasted (who knew it involved sherry, cherry brandy and pepper vodka???) and meeting The Lovely-Brian at Sinatra's, some fantastic family presents and the most amazing venison pie from mother........

We shall just skim over Turkey-Gate - best forgotten - a lesson learnt that no matter how good the Salisbury Waitrose is NONE of us can tolerate ready-meals no matter how good the brochure looks............mental note that we are all too acomplished at cooking and eating to leave it to anybody else.

So then onto Sheffield.....

My God Daughters still recognise me depsite my neglect of the role the last 3 years.....I don't have any delusions that their enthusiasm to see me is anything to do with me - it was all about Dobbie. But it did make me smile that The Knitted Nativity Scene is still proudly set out in the living room....

It was really lovely to see them and my very old friend Chit.

 ...so then finally onto Bala....Bill got called away for a family crisis and then we all fell ill one by one and the walking conditions were honestly pretty rubbish. Dobbie nearly drowned in mud several times and it was all bit disappointing. 

BUT Lisa discovered knitting, we did get out for some beautiful/wet walks (there is no bad weather as long as you have the right gear and we all have the right gear), the Aga worked, we had some lovely meals, we enjoyed 10 solid hours of The Bridge and we did complete a jigsaw......

 Dobbie HATES to be left on his own so without Bill to dogsit he had to come with us despite the dreadful conditions. The doggie-papoose was well-used and my lovely new waterproof is filthy from carrying him over the treacherous bits. This is him racing down to The Lake glad to be free of mud for just a moment.

And we come home to Wiltshire to general severe hideousness........proper flooding everywhere - houses being pumped by fire engines, sand bags everywhere, being called to home visits in flooded areas just because elderly perople are so stressed out and me thinking I was was "fine" as I live in a pent house but No - my under-flat-neighbour experiencing water from my roof leaking into her bedroom!!!. 

Distressed people are everywhere in Wiltshire but there are many very happy swans - they can actually swim over to waitrose if they choose!

hello 2014 X