Still no snow just freezing temperatures and fog! It looks very pretty as all the tress and bushes are white! So for Throwback Thursday here are some pictures from 2010 when we had the last heavy snowfall when we all had a snow day! Eldest was 15, Youngest 11 and of course Treacle.
You can see how much snow we had then! Treacle was in her element!!!!
Happy Thursday everyone.
Hugs, Susie xx
It is a slow Wednesday Wag today. We didn’t get any snow at all so I am sulking!
Mom is busy with work and then she is busy clearing out boxes and things!!! I am keeping an eye on her so she doesn’t start clearing out my toy box!
It is supposed to be snowing tomorrow night and all day Friday so Mom is getting out early tomorrow to get her errands run just in case it does snow! Dad has been far to the North of Derbyshire today and it was snowing heavily there and there were a few roads closed but he got there and back okay!
I hope you are having a Happy Woofy Wednesday and those under the Polar Vortex are staying warm and safe.
Woof, Treacle x
They keep forecasting snow and some parts of the country have had some and we are supposed to get snow over night and the next few days, but Treacle and I are not holding our breath!!!! I do know that today has been cold and it has not got light all day!
I have been at my desk all day today and Treacle has been in her basket keeping me company!!!
It was so cold that I made one of these this afternoon. Treacle had a couple of the marshmallows!!!
I usually use these winter months to get on with some projects that wouldn’t normally get done if the weather is better!!! One of them was to collect all my recipes that I use regularly and ones that I have collected from magazines etc and write them out onto proper recipe cards for my box the Boys bought for me a couple of years ago.
It has been great to do as I have found a couple of recipes I haven’t made for a while!!! There is even a tab for biscuits for Treacle!!! I have not made her any biscuits for a while so that will be something to do if the weather carries on being bad! DH has to be at a swimming meeting on Saturday night but the rest of the weekend is free so again getting some jobs done that don’t normally get done!!!
Treacle is not wasting much energy at the moment!!!!
I hope you are having a Thrilling Tuesday.
Hugs, Susie xx
“My Heart’s In The Highlands
Farewell to the Highlands, farewell to the North,
The birth-place of Valour, the country of Worth;
Wherever I wander, wherever I rove,
The hills of the Highlands for ever I love.
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the deer;
Chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands, wherever I go.
Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,
Farewell to the straths and green vallies below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
My heart’s in the Highlands, &c.”
―
Last night was Burn’s Night and last year I did a post all about him here .
As my Dad and family were Scottish and we spend a lot of our holidays in Scotland I do make a traditional Burn’s Night supper with Haggis, DH and The Boys are not fans though!!!! It was lovely!
Today DH and I are visiting a firm who make hand-made beds! Our current bed base we have had for over twenty years and it is now showing its age so are on the look out for a new one!!! Also a few house jobs to do.
I hope you lovely lot have a wonderful weekend whatever you are up to.
Hugs, Susie xx
DH and I are back from our business trip to Edinburgh and oh boy was it cold and snowy!!!!! It was -5°c which I know is not that cold in comparison to some other countries but it was cold to us!!! Here are some pictures of our trip.
This is snow on the trees although it looks like a hard frost.
Snow on the mountains, below.
Snow on the fields too and the sheep were busy trying to find the grass beneath.
The pictures below were on the way back yesterday and at a lower level so no snow but very cold.
The freezing fog hanging over the top of the mountains
As we got into the valley the fog was quite heavy and very cold.
We got home by 7.00pm and Treacle was pleased to see us. Youngest had been home fed and sorted her out but she still tried to con DH and I when we got in to say she had not been fed!!!! We knew she had as her bowl was on the floor!!!!
Today DH has been in London all day at an exhibition but went on the train this time so was able to work on the way down. I dropped him off at the train station at 5.00am and I will go and collect him at 9.30pm tonight! I got caught up on the work of the last two days whilst we were away and also got house jobs done too and five parcels off in the mail! It is amazing what you can get done when you are up so early! Treacle was in her basket when I got back having had breakfast at 4.30am, which I think she thought was far too early!
Tomorrow I have some errands to run and I have to go over to Nottingham as well. We have another quiet weekend this weekend again which is great because every weekend in February is taken up with swimming events!!! Although that means I will get some quilting done.
Tomorrow is also Burns Night, so it will be Haggis for dinner!
Happy Thursday everyone.
Hugs, Susie xx
Jack Frost is doing overtime this week with ice covering everything! I think I would sooner have snow than ice!!!! Treacle is only venturing out to do what is necessary and runs straight back in, even with her fur coat on!!!! She is getting to a point of needing a visit to the Spa but I don’t think so at the moment!!!
DH and I are off to Edinburgh again tomorrow and over night for work so Youngest and Treacle will be keeping each other company tomorrow evening!
So long as she is warm, Treacle doesn’t mind!!!!!
I was busy over the weekend getting Treacle’s quilt top done and just now need to sandwich and quilt it and she can have her nice new quilt to lie on!!!
I hope your Monday is going well. I will be back on Thursday.
Hugs, Susie xx
Well there are fourteen days left of the first month of the year and how are you doing? The first sixteen days have seemed to fly by but with not that much happening. DH was busy, as were The Boys, and Treacle and I were just home doing all the every week things that one does!
I suppose after the busy last few months of last year, which I always think of being like Friday and Saturday in a week, January can always feel a little slow, however it is a good time to re-charge the batteries! We had a little snow last night and it was very icy this morning but that was it. It wasn’t even enough for Treacle to be interested in it!
This weekend, would you believe, we do not have anything on for the Swimming Club! I know, amazing!!! Then of course the age-old question of what do we do? We have a few things to do on Saturday morning, errands etc, and then the rest of the day, evening and all day Sunday is free!!!!! Do you ever have this happen to you and you end up talking about what you want to do and then waste the whole day as you couldn’t decide? Well it has happened to us so I now know to just pick something and do it!!!!
If the weather is going to be okay we were going to take Treacle for an extra long walk at the weekend! She will be okay when we first start but then half way round will decide enough is enough and want to come home!!! I will let you know how we get on!!!
I don’t know if you have seen the #10 years ago challenge well I won’t show you me from ten years ago but I will show you The Boys from 2009! Eldest is playing Guitar Hero and Youngest is waiting for his turn!!!! This was whilst we were away in Scotland in the summer, Eldest was 13 and Youngest was 9!
I hope you are having a Thrilling Thursday and your January is going well!
Hugs, Susie xx
I am very much enjoying this horrible wet weather as I don’t stay out very long!!!!! The heating is on and I am very comfortable in my basket next to Mom’s desk.
When Mom and Dad were in London they discovered a company called “Mungo & Maud” which is a shop just for dogs and cats! They have a special set of wipes just for dogs for our eyes, ears and paws. I have a couple of little bobbles on my eye lids which my doctor said were not harmful but could not be removed because of where they are. Anyway they do make my eyes water so Mom wipes my eyes but now she has found these wet wipes it is so much easier for me to have it done with them. They bought some in London and tried them out and they have been so successful that Mom has ordered some more. So I got a parcel in the post yesterday.
This is the box when it arrived.
Mom says the wrappings are very pretty.
Here are the wipes and of course Mom could not let it pass to order me some organic treats!
Here are the wipes.
And here are the treats.
They are not very big Mom! But they do look yummy.
Let me at them!
Thank you Mom they are definitely yummy!
They are forecasting snow for parts of the country this week and I think we may get some next week but not sure yet, probably won’t get any!!! Mom and Dad have to go to Edinburgh again next week so Youngest and I will be home alone again! I love it spending time just with Youngest.
I hope you have a wonderful Woofy Wednesday.
Treacle.
Monday was a very busy day with work and I also snuck an hour to go and have my hair trimmed!!!! Today I can show you some of the things I got from my wonderful family for Christmas! I also got some toiletries and my perfume but books were a large part!
I saw this on the Waterstone’s website and it is about all our Christmas traditions and where they actually started.
Eldest and Fiancé gave me this Snoopy calendar and you all know how I love Snoopy.
Youngest bought me this book about the film, which we have still not seen yet!!! We are all big fans of Queen but trying to get all five of us around at the same time just impossible at the moment. I think we will have to get the DVD when it comes out and have a movie night at home, which I love anyway!!!
DH bought me the above Cook Book by Tom Parker Bowles and Fortnum and Mason. Mr Parker Bowles is the Duchess of Cornwall’s son and is a food critic in the UK. I will let you know when I have cooked anything from it.
DH also bought me the Agatha Christie book below. I love her books and although I read this years ago thought I would read it again.
I also had book tokens from DH’s Cousin’s daughter for whom I made Joe’s Baby quilt, below, which was absolutely wonderful.
So after Christmas DH and I went to Nottingham to return a few things (!) and I got to spend a happy couple of hours in the big Waterstones shop in Nottingham.
Here are the books I bought. A.A. Milne is known for the “Winnie The Pooh” books but he did write this mystery book so I thought I would read it and also Michael Bond writer of the “Paddington Bear” books also wrote a mystery book so again I thought I would give it a read. I then chose a couple of books of authors I already know, Chris Carter and Jessica Fellows and two books which look very good.
DH bought me some lovely gifts but this was my favourite as a reminder of our Wedding Anniversary trip to London. The small basket is from Fortnum and Mason similar to the one I bought DH and the sheep is to remind me of the hotel where we stayed, The Goring. I love it and it now sits on my desk.
I also had a huge surprise from our good friends Sue and Molly in the US. They kindly sent me some absolutely wonderful Christmas gifts and we were blown away by their generosity.
A parcel from the US. Our Postman was quite excited about it!
Treacle of course was extremely interested in the gifts especially as I am sure she could smell they came from Molly. Sue and Molly sent me this wonderful Wooly Airedale sitting on her Snow Sled. I have seen these on Sue & Molly’s blog and have loved them and now we have one.
As it is from Molly we are calling her Molly and she now sits on my desk too.
Molly also sent Treacle her favourite Cheese N’ Bacon flavour filled bone which Treacle also loves although we are going to save it until she can go outside with it as, unlike Molly, she makes the most horrendous mess with them!!!!
Sue & Molly also sent us the most delicious smelling soap which you could almost eat!!! It is now residing in my travel bag for when we go away.
In early December Sue and Molly shared a post about her Mom’s wonderful creativity with her pen and ink ornaments which she made and which Sue has now here. Well Sue and Molly sent us some of them for our Christmas Tree and I am so honoured that she did. Here they are on my desk and I have carefully wrapped them in acid free tissue paper ready for our tree later this year.
One of them is Snoopy, how wonderful is that?
Sue & Molly also enclosed a lovely hand-made by Sue Wooly Mat which my Snoopy desk calendar is now sat on.
I have already sent a big Thank You to Sue and Molly but wanted to show you all my wonderful gifts.
New Year is always a time of reflecting on the year just passed and the year to come and I can honestly say that 2018 was the best year for our family in a long time. I hope that 2019 is going to be the same as last year but of course you won’t know that until you get to December 31st! I suppose it is a good job we can’t see into the future otherwise you might not get out of bed!!!!!
I, again, have not made any Resolutions because I only end up forgetting about them half way through January, which of course we now are !!!! However my aim for the year is Hopeful & Happy again and I am going to try to go through the year like I did last year with less stress and being organised which definitely helped me last year and I think went a long way to making it a good year. We have things planned to do this year in our home and social things too as well as being with Eldest, Finacé, Youngest, DH & Treacle.
Quilting wise I have a few things planned and some Christmas things I didn’t get done for last Christmas but will mean I am ahead for this Christmas to come!!!! I will show you the projects as I do them. I started on Sunday with Treacle’s new quilt, the material above. I wanted a bit of chain piecing to do and have cut her quilt out and started to plan it so that will be my first project for 2019!
I did forget to tell you that I got a trophy at the Swimming Club’s Presentation Night! No I haven’t taken up competitive swimming again (especially as that was probably a contributing factor of having my hip replaced last year, all the years as a child I swam competitively!!!!!) I got it for most voluntary contribution to the Club! So I get to keep this trophy for a year and my name is engraved on it!!!!
Sorry this was a long, picture heavy post! If I didn’t show you today I would forget!!!!
I hope you are having a thrilling Tuesday.
Hugs, Susie xx
I read this over Christmas and Matthew Reilly is one of my most favourite authors. Matthew is Australian and began writing when he was twenty-two with his first novel “Contest” which he self published before being noticed by Pan Mcmillan. “Contest” was based in the New York State Library so I was instantly hooked, I mean a book about a library?!!!!! He has now written seventeen novels and a handful of short stories.
Matthew Reilly
He has created two heroes “Scarecrow” and “Jack West Jnr” and this book is one of the Jack West novels. It does sort of follow on from the others but you can read it as a stand alone.
Jack West is visiting a top-secret base near his farm in Australia, the next thing he knows he wakes up in a cell with the door opening and an Ape of a man attacking him. He realises that he is not in Australia and is now part of a contest from the Middle Ages and everyone else around him knows what is happening and how to compete and he doesn’t. How will he get by? If you don’t win or come high up then you are executed along with several hostages that mean everything to you, including Jack’s daughter!
It is a page turner and I finished the book in two days (which is what Christmases are for?) If you like action and adventure that this book certainly has it. I read his second book, “Ice Station” first and then bought “Contest”. I loved Ice Station so much I gave it to Eldest to read (it is just up his street) and he then went on to read all of Matthew’s books!
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One thing I did want to discuss here is when Authors who have had very successful careers but as they get older don’t want to be on the treadmill of producing one or two books a year, decide to then release books with a co-author. I have found at least three of my favourite authors who have started to do this and the books are terrible!
The first Author who I found did this was James Patterson. His early books were great but then I read this book with a co-author and you could tell that Mr Patterson had written every other chapter and the co-author the others and it was so disjointed and in fact poorly written.
Very much to my disappointment Stephen King has also started doing this and I do sometimes wonder whether the co-author writes the whole book and then the known author just adds his name. Well I read the book written by Stephen King and his son Owen King and really did not like it at all. It made me realise how much I longed for the early Stephen King books which were just amazing and off the wall.
The final author who has now started doing this is Wilbur Smith. I am a huge fan of his work, I own all his books until his latest which has a co-author and so far everyone who has read it has said the same thing, not to Mr Smith’s standard at all.
Saying all this the only author who has had co-authors for a while is Clive Cussler and he seems to have gotten it right with the co-authors who he has worked with. I have read several of his later books and they are still as great as his early books.
I understand the reasons why the writers do it but on the other hand I do think they need to find the right people, like Mr Cussler, so that their body of work does not suffer. So far the Authors I have mentioned above I have not bought another of their books which are co-authored and don’t see me doing so because the ones I did read really were a disappointment.
I hope you lovely lot have a wonderful weekend, I am off to my sewing space over the weekend but will fit my reading in around it.
Happy Friday!
Hugs, Susie xx
Matthew Reilly’s book based in a Library!!!!