Come and meet my beautiful new friend...Jenny!

Good morning blogworld, as some of you may know we had to have our beautiful Cavalier Megan to dog heaven some weeks ago and yes we said that we would give ourselves 6 months to see if we wanted another pet.....erm! life has a way of changing things. You see hubby and I felt such an empty place in our hearts and where her basket used to be that last week I tentatively started looking at Cavis again, but something was not right and clicking. You see we'd had two Blenheim cavs over the years and I had the feeling nothing would meet our expectations with another. So we decided to start looking at Spring Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels, the Springers didn't do it for us they seemed a tad too big for us. We then looked at english cocker spaniels, still nearly there but not right. Then

whilst browsing pictures of cocker spaniels I happened upon a picture clicked on it and said to hubby "if we had another dog thats what I'd want her to look like"....hubby turned to be and said the caption read "American cocker spaniel"...what!!!! in my ignorance I had never heard of an American one, so a lot of research and googling was done. Well we started to fall in love with them...so next step look at breeders, ok not a lot of them in the U.K....AND waiting lists.

Then, Wednesday night I happened on a website for breeders and people selling dogs clicked on ACS and there was an advert this lady was selling her 5 month old silver buff ACS....well emailed her and waited a couple of hours no reply, so rang.....had a lovely long conversation....went to see her yesterday Thursday pm...lots of questions on both sides. It turns out that this lady had a Cavi whom had died 8 months previous and she was going to get another until someone talked her into a ACS....BUT!......sadly for this lady but not for us.....she couldn't connect with her and felt it not fair for her to stay with her......so an hour later we left with this gorgeous little girl in my arms.....meet.

OUR JENNY....................

Hello everybody...nice to greet you x

Yes I know I'm pretty.




and my new Mummy just had to get me a stripy shocking pink basket....and a pink lead and colour.....good job my new Daddy doesn't mind.

It was so lovely coming down to breakfast and being greeted by such happiness...and that empty place in the kitchen now filled again.

Into crochet?

Are you into crochet? Have you heard of the Japanese Flower Shawl....well I fell in love with this pattern. It was one of those patterns that you could tinker along at your own pace inbetween other projects. I used wonderful Debbie Bliss Andes which has 50% silk and gives a fantastic drape......3 colours 3 purple/2 apple green/1 beige. The yarn is so soft but does have a tendency to slip and separate at times...but nonetheless gorgeous. I will wear this with my burgundy coat in winter. It would also look nice draped around shoulders for evening out.
I made mine 9 flowers long by 3 wide...but it can get as big as you want, even a throw, but maybe I would use a lot cheaper yarn.




Ok...so me and hubby have been out and about for odd trips away in our m/h.
If anybody had told me how much we would fall in love with this type of travel.
To me nothing seems better and more lovely than our own bolthole to go home to at the end of the day.....and as for the bed....the feeling of snuggly down at the end of a busy day. Oh and the best bit of being inside the m/h is when its pouring down with rain and even better a thunderstorm. I know I know!....but that feeling of being in such a small place....I said to my hubby " that if anyone a few years ago had told me I could be so happy in basically a room on wheels that measures 23' by 9'6" I would have laughed by socks off...but it has everything one could want...and you find yourself planning your next trip away.
We spent a few days in Bath last month, just wandering around and have earmarked lots of places to visit next time, one being Jane Austens house, the American Museum with all the folklore stuff in it. We strolled up and down the lovely alleyways in fact you could really be anywhere in Europe....Italy France...only thing that gives it away is the english signs. (Sorry couldn't get piccy turned around).


ONE AMAZING SUNSET ONE EVENING....BLISS!

Hello, it has been months since my last posting but my blog hadn't called to me until the last few days. Well I have been busying myself with all sorts of things.






But firstly there was one very very sad moment when had to have my beloved Megan put to sleep. She developed a huge lump in her neck that was full of poison and when I say huge I mean the size of a satsuma it was interferring with her breathing. We went to vets and she was put on a course of antibiotics....it then went down slowly to the size of a walnut, she was very poorly over this time, just laying asleep for most of it. Anyways went back to the vet which my this time she had developed a cough, the vet said that the poison etc had gone to her lungs and was backing up to her heart, she said that to give her some heart tablets to make her comfy for 3 weeks and then well "the kindest thing". It was an agonizing decision that hubby and I made that lunchtime, either to delay the inevitable or? Well we made the decision that hubby took her back that afternoon, whereby we rang the vet etc. I couldn't go this time, with my other Cavi she was 13 and soooo elderly but Megan just coming up to 10 but very puppyish. She did start to rally for a few hours beforehand almost as if she knew. I know its so silly but I was beside myself with grief for the loss of her, hubby came back and I watched him get out of the car with just her lead and the blanket, I couldn't go downstairs even. He came in and I just asked him to just put all that had been Megans into a bag as I didn't want to see it. Ho hum!!!. pets eh? Miss her so so much she was such a poppet of a dog. Oh and try explaining it to 3 and a half year old Grandchildren that their little friend has gone to doggy heaven. They're still asking now.



My Megs aged 8.




But enough of sad things onto my latest project which I must admist has taken me 3 months......18 balls of yarn....I used basic acrylic and it has cost me roughly £25.00......the pattern is from a lovely lady called Lucy at "Attic 24"...go check ber blog, very inspiring.......Its been made for the bed on our recently acquired motorhome....which more of at another time!


Hope you enjoy the piccys.










Oh and the blog photo is of "Fingle Bridge" Dartmoor..a most picturesque beautiful serene place. It was raining on the day we visited but we sat outside the pub/restaurant pulled the sun umbrella down and ordered the most tasty bowl of their soup and humungous roll and chips. The wind whipped round our legs but everything was "Oh so perfect".

Christmas memories and darling Mum.

Yesterday I was chatting to my daughter and she was saying about memories of her childhood Christmas's and all the things I did as Mum to make it magical for the children.....she is now doing the very same thing with her children....she thanked me for making her childhood memories of Christmas so magical and speaking to my little twin Grandbubs they are both very excited...at 3 years old they are just starting to understand. Mind you my little Grandson asked "why does Santa come down the chimney...and how does he doe it"? Daughter talked of all the magic, when bless him he turned round and said...."But Mummy, theres a front door why doesn't he come through that". Daughter said about his sleigh and reindeer etc......he stood there taking it all in, then walked away.....he then turned around after obviously having thought about it and said..........."but he's taking a short cut"...........did make me chuckle.
It bought back my memories of my own darling Mum, I only lost her June this year. She used to make Christmas so memorable for me and my brothers.....so magical. We used to live in a terraced Victorian house with no central heating etc...it was very cold in winter but so so full of love......so the memories and traditions that my darling Mum made for me I then carried on with my own children and now find that my daughter is doing so much of the same. It gladdens my heart. She is making me smile with all her tales of her Christmas shopping and instead of turkey...she is having goose...Oh my goodness, she did so much research in the best way to cook it. All the things that I used to do, I love listening to all her exploits. Its a case of been there, done that....but its her turn now. As for my darling Mummy, wherever your are sweetheart.....I love you.......I miss you so terribly.....you will be in my thoughts as always but more so Christmas....and I know you will be near us all. God Bless Mum.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL XXXX

That Christmas feeling.....

My Christmas window in daylight......it looks lovely at night, especially from outside.....

This gorgeous pup was on one of my Chrissy cards.......

another favourite card....just loving these sort of scenes.........

Hey Rudolph...............

whose your friend?

LOOK, I'VE TOLD YOU....NO PAPARAZZI TODAY....

I'M NOT IN THE MOOD OK!

MY LOVELY SLIGHTY DOTTY 9 YEAR OLD MEGAN......

OR MEGALS AS GRANDCHILDREN CALL HER.

My back lounge, fireplace decorated for Christmas
just simple decs this year.

and my lovely new front lounge/dining room fireplace now all

dressed up.
I decided to make a pretty scene of pretend boxed pressies for a scene in my curved window area........like it?
Night time look, shame lights don't show up enough on pics.

Enjoy your run up to Christmas this week, don't overdo it......x

Before and after

Morning, sorry about the fuzzy picture, but -4 outside and my tiny digits were freezing. Couldn't believe it when passing my raspberry patch, there shivering under some leaves were four tiny ones, now it is December isn't it....hey who needs a freezer?

My darling hubby sure is a sweeheart, the wallpaper we have in our front lounge has some beautiful red/gold wallpaper on one wall as an accent. Not to everybodies taste I know, but we love it. I have tried in the past to do the pastel colours and I do love them but somehow they just never seem to work for me. So we have a gas stove (and yes would love a woodburner) but as no chimneys in our house, it would mean taking pipes up outside the side of the house and don't really think neighbours would take kindly to that. So back to story, we kept on looking at the stove standing there on the flagstone hearth, we have had it standing alone like this for two years and it has been fine until about a month ago. You know you go through these changes in your house. Hubby pondered and ummed and ahhe'd and bless him, turned to me and said "I'll build brickwork around it and make a fire surround. He worked all last weekend, he is so thorough and keeps mess to a minimal.

Ta da.................... he's done a great job, chose chailey

bricks which have a old worlde look about them.

He had to keep the brick pillars within the frame

of the mantel and the hearth. I was a tad worried

that it would look weird. We think it looks great

and has made the room seem so cosy now. What do you think?

So this weekend it will be decorating with

all things Christmas.......have a good weekend...

don't get snowed in. x

I love red!

Hello, long time no post. Just been busy with all sorts at the moment, lots of babysitting twin Grandchildren....3 years old honestly I look sooooooooooooooooooo ragged after a day with them, the house looks a shambles afterwards....so ok we start playing in the lounge. Snap playing cards, then bricks, then stringing cotton reels together. Then its upstairs to play in their room, and of course the trail of toys/books etc slowly creeps down the stairs. Then Nanny (me) gets her knitting out whilst watching them play. Over they trot..."can we help"......so in turn they both put the yarn around the needle, well they do about 5 times each then boredom sets in....but I praise "well done your so clever"...the beaming smiles I receive make my heart sing.....and then theres the gorgeous hugs and squeezes I get. The sudden kisses on the cheeks, both sides at both times, the I love you Nanny. Whatever is going on in my world, these two just bring a beautiful ray of sunshine into my life, my heart sings, I smile and the world is such a better place. If only one could bottle it.

But anyways in the meantime, I decided by bed needed a bit of a Christmas fix......and whilst browsning around The Range....came across this beautiful set I think £14 for kingsize, Ok its a polyester mix, but thats Ok as I cotton sheet and fitted underneath. Also managed to grab hold of last two sweet Nordic type cushions (the small ones)....so loving my Christmassy bed, with huge red throw on the bottom and also fur one for snuggles.