Back in Bristol....

 

     ......for a couple of days to see.....

    We were left to baby-sit for a couple of hours while mummy and daddy went out for the first time alone.  Baby extracted sweet revenge on them by squealing and refusing to sleep for the whole night, you can't imagine how rough the 3 of them looked this morning.

One cold and frosty morning....

.....I was all set to go for a walk, and despite shouting there was no dog.  Walked into the living room and found this....

         ......caught in the act of hiding under his cushions and sheepskin.....

          ....clearly a walk in the cold is NOT on his to-do-list today.
 
     So I took myself off to Ikea instead, for a bit of a look round, and Meat-balls and chips.  The store was so chris-massey and pretty, it almost made up for the meatballs not been as good as they used to be.  All I bought was 2 silver candles, and when I got home he was flat out, snoring under his blankets.
    That stupid bit of hair growing across the end of his nose, there is no way on this planet he will let me touch it, let alone get near with my scissors.

Baby Olive.....

     .....was born today at mid-day (ish) weighing 7lb.

It's that time of year again.....

        .....sat in my play-room surrounded by glitter ink and mess, listening to my old CDs cos its rubbish Saturday night radio.  Freezing cold outside, the car and garage roof sparkling with heavy frost.    The heater is on by my feet, and Joe is having a little moan cos there's no room for him to lie down in front of it.  He is still wearing his coat, even though it is hours since we went for our walk, just as darkness was falling.  I thought we might go out again before bed, but he refused and shot past me back into the warmth, and I get his message, a canine "no thank you".  

     Thinking about a message from Sara a short while ago, about Stefs mum being attacked and robbed, how badly she was hurt and how frightened she must have been, both at the time and now thinking about been alone again in her home. 

      I wonder about the coming week, the trip to Bristol, the arrival of baby on Thursday, hoping that all goes well for Selina and her little daughter, wondering if she realises just how big a life change they are in for.  If they have half as much pleasure as I did being a parent they are in for a wonderful time, once she is safely in their arms.

    There is some indignant sneezing behind me and a cold nosed dog is licking my ankle, I get the message and move away from the heat for him to squeeze in.  He lays down, for a mere few seconds, before he heaves himself up and resumes his vigil on the top stair.  He is on guard, waiting for Darsh to come home, something to that will not happen for hours yet.

       .......but he stands there and waits patiently, for hours if his doggy brain thinks that it's necessary.

Presents to wrap.....

 

       ....hiding under my scarf on the bed.

He gets a new coat....

     .....and I get....

      

       ......a bowl of windfall apples to peel, cook and stash in the freezer, 2 boxes of peas to soak and cook, also for the freezer and a pot of my favourite lemon curd, which will definitely NOT make it as far as the freezer.  In fact it is half empty already.  I went to Brownhills this morning, for a bit of a wander and a few odds and ends.  I came back with that dogs coat, two warm winter tops for me, a few pressies for someone's birthday tomorrow and my favourite curd.  I always love a jar of lemon or lime curd of this particular brand.  It never lasts for long and I'm looking forward to my breakfast already.

Somebody has got a new coat.....

     .....it must be winter.  Bet none of you girls have worn your Christmas jumpers yet.  Joey you're a trend setter.

      He seems to like it, he trotted round the block very happily.  A neighbour called "I like your new jumper to him as we walked.  He has got such thin fur nowadays that he seems to really feel the cold and soon starts shivering and refusing to walk.  So we try and take more care of him as he gets older and more delicate.  

    

Going for a walk nowadays.....

      .....means walking by myself

    Joe has decided he is much too old for going to the park now.

     I've tried, several times, but he stands there looking so anxious and lost.  He clearly no longer enjoys it.  So I go by myself, telling myself that Joe is the last little dog I will have.
     And then on Sunday morning I sat by the tea stall watching all the dozens of dogs chasing around me, making a fuss of everyone there and generally having a wonderful time.  I came home with paw prints on my jeans, a scalded leg, where one enthusiastic hound knocked my tea over me, very wet feet and thought that maybe, just maybe, I would miss all that doggy fun just a bit too much.

    And Joe was still fast asleep in his bed when I got home.

It's in the bag.....

     

       .......my first Christmas present is bought.

    Also a copy of my favourite-and free-magazine, and a new Cadbury chocolate bar-also free-and delicous. 

            And a ride home on an empty double-decker bus, managed without eating my free chocolate.

Now enjoying a quiet cuppa whilst that poor starving dog shovels his dinner down.

          And having a play with my new make-up, not free this time, but half price in a very crowded KIKO shop in the Bull-Ring. 

Then.....

     

     .......then you know who appears, looking for his pudding.

         "Not chance dog, not a chance.  Get your lead on and we'll go for a quick round the block before it gets too dark."

Found in the loft.....

     .....a tiny pair of pink socks.

They should fit for about 5 days.

Stay on for around 5 minutes.

And maybe needed in about 5 weeks?

Sat mending Sara's gloves......

           .....the ones she threw away the last time she was here for Mother's Day. 

                 

          .....I am using darning wool from mum's old sewing basket......

       I have got several cards, they come in different colours to match your mending and they are all "Made in Great Britain"  If you come across any on your travels I could do with some "colour 436" or "Black" as we would say today.

       .....Oh, and don't pay anymore than mum did - 3 1/2d- that's less than 2p in today's money!

       There are so many ancient bits and pieces stashed in there, I love pulling them out and poring over them all then stuffing them all back for another few years.....

A nice, new to me sewing box....

   

             .......we went to a very small vintage fair on Saturday, and I came back with two treasures.... MINE, not yours Charlotte......(though I now wish I bought the other jelly mould for you, cos you did say you wanted a large home-made candle in a glass dish)
         .......Some of the screws have come loose so Darsh tightened them up for me before I put anything in my new box...

       ....and a glass jelly mould.....

                 ....after shopping in London's Maltby Street area with Charlotte the other weekend, my treasures were cheap, definitely not London prices.

        ..... a bright red jelly is setting as I write....I've even been out and bought myself some cream.  So it's jelly and cream for pudding tonight.  (And coffee with fresh cream tomorrow)
I actually wanted to have go at making blancmange properly, not from a packet, and this little beauty takes away all excuses.
      I remember mum had a mould-rabbit shaped-and we always ate "earless" rabbit shaped jelly, cos the ears always got stuck in the mould.


It's also this time of year again, so there I sat, in the conservatory wrapped in a blanket....

               ....and saw 3 wood pigeons, 2 Jackdaws and 1 Magpie, not even a single robin and there is always a nosy Robin in the garden.  As soon as my hour was up and I sent in my totally pathetic observations....there was 2 robins fighting in the apple tree.

Yeah, we have internet, and a telephone....

     .....but only for a short while, cos the damage to our, and a good few others in our street, cables is somewhere under the road, so it has to be dug up at some point.

      However we are making the most of these late January days.  Sunday was so mild we took the camper van and the dog for a drive to Leamington Spa.  A town smaller than, but not too unlike Bath, with wide laid out streets, beautiful old houses and a rich history.  There are a lot of different, small independent shops and eateries, so we just wandered and enjoyed the smaller back-street areas.  eventually ending up in a little individual coffee shop for a coffee and lemon-cake.
    Even old Joe enjoyed a good walk, admiring lamposts and hedges while we looked homes and gardens!

     
         Took myself to the pictures yesterday, so pleased Darsh didn't go with me, it was the sort of film he hates, a simple story, no special effects, no violence and no blood, he would have snored for two full hours.
      "Brooklyn" a film I had heard nothing about, but just liked the sound of.  The car park was full, so I had to park some way out and run back expecting to miss the start of the film.  The cinema, like the car park was full, and I had difficulty finding a seat.  The start of the film was delayed as there was so many people trying to get in!  It just shows how popular these early morning showings are....and the cheap seat prices no doubt help.

         Afterwards, on my way back to the car, I found 20....20....ink pads all in different colours, for £3.  Usually they are couple of pounds each, I also found a pad of pretty papers for £3, and a new to me book for £1.  So my day was well and truly made!

        This morning the sun was out!!!!! so I have been in the garden, sweeping, snipping and tidying.  But as soon as the sun went in I was back inside pretty quick.  At least I went outside, the dog just stood on the warm side of the glass and wagged his tail at me, as soon as I opened the door he raced off back into his bed.

        This afternoon has been spent playing in my room, a bit of sewing and a bit of shuffling my pretty fabrics around "tidying".

yippee....

    ......my veg box has just arrived... the highlight of my day...Good Grief....what has life come to!!!

Joe has finally decided....

     ......that walks are no longer for him, he is happy to go to the gates of the playing field and that is IT.  No further!  So what do I do for my daily exercise?  Gardening is definitely out of the question for a good few weeks yet.....join the gym....walk on my own?   So this morning I've taken a walk and a wander down into Streetly village, a place of beauty parlours, silly priced dress shops and a couple of restaurants.  The best part was walking through, and admiring all the smart houses and just how many of them are having extensions and major alterations done.  Round here it it definitely preferable to improve rather than move, in fact I don't think I walked past a single house with a "For Sale" board up.
       By the time I got home, well after 11am, Joe was still in his bed and hadn't noticed I had gone, and Darsh was tearing his hair out cos BT have been in the phone box and we had lost phone and wifi connection.  Now the wifi is back (obviously) but the phone line is not, for around the 3rd time this year!
      So now I am making soup for lunch, and planning to a bit of sewing later on, and maybe another little look at the gym as well....maybe...maybe not...

             NOT a picture from today, but all the other blogs I read have pictures of snow ice or frost....
....not mine!

The best thing about this time of year......

         ......is the arrival of all the spring flowers in the shops....

 

       ......Mimosa, my mums favourite, I can smell these as soon as I walk into the room.  Bought them at a street stall in London at the weekend.  I've never really seen them for sale round here before.

       Even my old old Orchid is making an effort, look at his chewed leaf though.  The snails in the greenhouse got him when I put him out there for his summer holidays.  I thought my orchids would have been safe out there with having such thick tough leaves.  Obviously not.

 

      There's always one isn't there....

 

        ......despite watering it for the last 3 weeks there is still no sign of life in my pot.  Wondering if Selina, or Penny's is doing any better?

Winter Treats.....

......Hot chicken soup with sourdough bread....

  

             ........shiny red berries.....winter's jewels(at least till the birds see them)....

                .....the first Witch Hazel I have seen in flower this year.....

                 .... The bright blue skies and brilliant sunshine that means a frosty night is on it's way......

      We went to London to enjoy my Christmas Present from Sara and John......
      Tickets to see Matthew Bourne's "Sleeping Beauty" at Sadlers Wells Theatre.  It was just so good, dark, loud and incredibly mesmerising.  It finishes on Saturday, I think, and then it moves to.....Birmingham!!!!!
     Oh well...I am quite happy to go and see it again.....and this time I might even get Mr "Simply can't put this phone Down" to come with me....

The three of us....me, him and his phone.... spent the day wandering round and enjoying the sights of London.  At least I did, he would have only seen what was on the screen attached to his nose.....