Map-reading

Been on walkabouts. About 8 miles and we are pooped!

Junior helped with the map-reading and I think she's got to grips with it and I'm really chuffed with her. Some of the public pathways are proper dodgy, though. Sort of ....creepy, eerie..WAY too quiet for two girlies to walk on....so we went the long way around. Sat and had lunch looking at the motorway, as one does.

Walking along the country roads when the public footpaths run out is quite dangerous. Try doing it with a youngster and two frightened pooches. Still, managed it this time without being flattened. But people DO drive way to fast. It's just plain daft.

Some piccies

Where there's lovely countryside, there always seems to be one of these!! It was SOOOOOO noisy!


Junior posing, clutching map


Some lovely new friends we made on our walk. Sweet:O)


Pirates of the Caribbean tonight. Bet Junior conks out before the film finishes:O) However. she reckons it'll be me in the land of nod first. Doubt it, 'cos I've been bitten by a mosquito and it's driving me mad!!! Anyway, we shall see.

Yes, Junior conked out at 8.30pm. I've had Johnny Depp and co all to myself:O) Lucky me.

Orbiting Fairy Cakes

Junior has been listening to Harry Potter. We got the cds ages ago off ebay and have only just opened the box. She's also into 100 things you should know about Earth. We're at the sun and orbiting stage. We also went food shopping and are enjoying going to Aldi at the mo. Nice clean shop. Junior also did some crocheting. She's impatient and wants to be able to make granny squares before she can do chains....so I'm having to get her to chill and take it slowly....which is no good to her at all!! Her chainwork is actually very neat, so there's hope.

Yesterday, she insisted on making fairy cakes..for Syd..a sort of little ceremony that she had to do for him. Anyway, they were jolly nice, as Syd was:O)

Mmmmm....lovely....only a few left:O))


Then, she got the munchies and decided to make cookies..peanut butter. She sourced the recipe off the web and they were jolly nice, too!!

These are moreish!


Tonight, we made gnocchi and it didn't turn out like gloop this time. Yay!! Served with a lovely tom, onion and basil sauce. God, I love vegan food!!:O)))



My posts are boring at the mo. Don't feel well...too tired and not sleeping well - have a bit of a broken heart 'cos of Syd and knock back of recent events I suspect, too much to think about plus everyone I know seems to be in bad health, which does nothing for morale. Son no 2 is having a run of bad luck now. Even when your kids leave home you still worry about them. Once a parent, always a parent. The home ed related poverty gets to me too, especially being a singleton. I just hate that, the lack of funds I mean. Am sure I'll snap out of it soon once I find my mojo...but bugger me...can't remember where I put it!! I've become more forgetful than usual and put two loads of washing in and forgot to sit and watch it!!..as in put my foot on the door to prevent water from seeping. I was expecting a flooded kitchen when I eventually cottoned on to what I hadn't done..but it seems that if I put the washer on a certain programme, the leakage ain't that bad. Yipee. Saves me from being a captive audience.

Anyway, tomorrow we're going on walkabout, armed with our new ordnance survey maps, provisions and dogs to pull us up hill and dale:O) Hope the weather holds up.

End of an Era

This house will never be the same again. Our mate Syd has passed away:O(

I'm going to miss having all my pots and plants dug up, stuff chewed and all the other mischievous antics he got up to. He's no doubt digging up pots galore and chewing expensive sofas and telephone wires in bunny heaven:O) Hope he's found a girlfriend there.

We buried him at the bottom of the garden next to George rabbit, by our wishing well.

Our Syd

Funnies

Guess who had a REALLY, REALLY bad day and can't sleep? Best thing about today was that our free ordnance survey maps arrived...and very good they are, too.

Found these on my web wanderings. Junior will appreciate a couple of them...she's comatose at the mo. Well, it is nearly 1.am!!

Organised or What?

Went to local supermarket yesterday for yet another sackload of catlitter and would you believe it, smack, bang as soon as you walk in there are.........chocolate advent calenders for sale!!!! Tescos have got some of their Christmas stuff up already!!! Arghhhhhhh!!!!

Anyway, she says smugly....I beat ' em to it....'cos I've already started my Christmas shopping and have three pressies safetly tucked away. Organised or what? This is GOOD for me....Ms Chaos-Scatterbrain:O)

No doubt I will forget where I've put them and have to buy replacements, but at least the thought was there..at the time:O)

Our feet are on fire!!

We've been on walkabouts today. Walked along one of the local trails. Junior made and packed sarnies, Ritz crackers and juice.

We have such beautiful countryside on our doorstep, literally two minutes away. Lots of farm and wild animals. We saw dragon flies galore. Old sure shot here was too slow to get any decent shots, but I was ok on the stuff that doesn't move:O) Next time, we're going to try and identify the plants and trees with our little countryside companion book which has such stuff in. Meanwhile, it's up with the feet for a little relax (minus our trainers) - ensuring that they're downwind from any noses!!

It's hard work thinking up titles

Ancient Egypt was the reading for today. Junior's choice. We have instructions on how to make a death mask and a "The eye of Horus" charm. It's been quite good reading this together and I'm sure it'll be fun making Egyptian stuff, too.

Olive has been back to the vet's today for a checkup. Her broken palate, jaw and teeth are still a little loose, so she's on anti-bios for another ten days. Vet had to check her mouth to see how she has healed and she miaowed in pain for a little while...poor little thing. Infection is the big risk still, so she's still lording it in my bedroom. Vet said that you can't stop her doing kitten stuff (tell me something I don't know), so she's still whizzing about on occasion and being totally normal. Night time partying still going on!! It was quite sad while at the vets, 'cos a little dog had been put to sleep:O( The owner..an older lady, was understandably upset...carried her canine companian out... wrapped in a blanket to take home. She had a mate with her for support..and she was boo hooing, too. There were a couple of us in at that time and we were all in tears for the lady and her loss.

Bobby dog, the new Essex boy, is not too well, either. Son no 1 phoned today, while we were parked up in Morrison's car park (on the way back from vets - needed up-market kitten food for Madam) munching on sarnis and cream soda. He's only eaten one meal since going down south to live with son no 1 and has developed a limp, so he's been to the vets down there. Son no 1 has parted with £100 so far.. on anti bios, examinations, etc for the dog. Bobby is homesick and pining for us up here, so who knows what'll happen. He is actually a nice, animal friendly dog..just has a huge, deafening bark.

Bob and Junior


This wasn't meant to be such a miserable post. Anyway, things'll liven up here soon 'cos it's nearly kitten party time!!!!!...sigh....matchsticks for eyes required.....or do I sedate the little tinkers with sherry? (joke, by the way:O)