Monthly Archives: July 2022

Quilting Plans.

I am busy sorting out things to take away and as you know I take my sewing machine and quilting. I have a few things which I need to get finished and as I did not get anything done last weekend I need to start my Christmas projects, so that will be going with me. I have Eldest’s quilt to finish and another project for Youngest and when I told Eldest about it his respons was “I want one of those”!!!!!

They want me to make them each a wing cover, which as you can see covers the paintwork whilst they are leaning over to work on the engines. I have found some excellent material for it so this will be another project I want to get done for their Christmas stockings!!!

I never managed to use this last year so this will be my Christmas projects.

I also have a very large clip box full of scraps which I intend to cut and size so I can make a quilt for us!! Eventually!

What I have to be careful of is taking too much of course!! Especially as Coco is coming with us, with all her stuff!

Today I have been working and trying to get things sorted and tomorrow is home job day and grocery shopping and also a few baskets of ironing to get done so that the weekend we can got those other home jobs sorted! The weather is due to be warm but raining so that will be handy doing jobs although we may have to work around the showers getting the garden sorted!

I hope you lovely lot are having a Thrilling Thursday!

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco.

As it is Thursday so #TBT picture is our Boys from 2011 on vacation aged 11 and 15.

Spinning!

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I honestly don’t know where the days and weeks are going to! One minute it is Friday night and before I know it it’s Wednesday! The weekend flew by with DH at the new 50m swimming pool in Derby for a two day event to test all the new facilities. The sound system was not good enough for the event so DH had to use our sound system. I spent the weekend working, catching up on business work which was not what I had planned!

Monday I was finishing up work and looking after Youngest after his back op. It looks very clean and tidy and is now itching which I told him is good because that means it is healing. He will have the stitches out next Monday.Jayne and I were Ladies who lunched yesterday which was a very nice change of pace after being frantic! We were due to go last week when it was ridiculously hot so we decided to cancel and re-arrange for yesterday, the only downside was that the children finished for the summer last Friday so the restaurant was full of families and quite noisy! It was a lovely few hours though.

So here we are at Wednesday, half way through the week and I don’t feel as if I have managed to get anything done!! Trying to keep on top of things as we are just two weeks away from our vacation and I don’t want to get to the Friday before we go away with a million and one jobs to do and pack and sort the Boys out who are staying at home!

Are you sure we are taking my crate Mom?

Just to add another level of sorting out, Coco is coming with DH and I on holiday! Treacle did come on holiday a couple of times but she also went into Kennels and later years the Boys looked after her very well but Coco is too young to be left whilst the Boys are at work and the Kennels are full so she is coming with us. The flip side is that we will have two weeks of constant training with her, so she will be so well behaved when she comes home – HOPEFULLY!!!!!! We are taking with us lots and lots of new toys to keep her entertained and we have bought a long (10m) lead as well as her extender walking lead for walks and her her crate and bed, so she should be all set. Good job DH has a pickup truck with a top where we can fit loads in, although you should have seen what we used to take away when the Boys were small; toys, books, a few clothes (!) outside toys, bicycles, a boat (!), paddling pool, DVDs’ and a million other things.

After being busy for the last few weekends, jobs have been left to slide including our garden! So before we go away we are trying to get that tidy and sorted. We find that usually when we are away it is nice weather and the garden is like “yeah” and goes into manic overgrowth!!! So at least if it is tidy before we go away it won’t take too long to get it sorted when we are back! Well that’s the plan!

Also still have a few jobs inside to get sorted too! My aim is to get this all done this weekend and then concentrate next week on keeping on top of work and getting things sorted to pack! You know it’s a plan!!!!

Anyway I hope you lovely lot are having a good week and your summer weather is good and not too hot. They are forecasting that we are going to have some high temps during August again but we all know that the weather people are not always correct!!! Have a good rest of the week.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Living in an Oven!

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It topped out at 104°F yesterday and it was just dreadful! I did the least amount I could and Coco just lay on the cool tiles all day! As I say I know there are places which are far hotter but in the UK we are not geared up for it. We had fans going and all it seemed to do was move the hot air around!!

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Coco’s Corner

Yesterday was so hot I just was asleep most of the day with Mom!!!

The other day Mom said I was looking a bit scuffy mut so she brushed me!!! I am not very happy with the brush but Mom still keeps brushing me anyway. She took these pictures because she knew that within five minutes I would look a scruffy mut again!!!

Mom also keeps mentioning this spa day I will be going to eventually and that she wishes good luck to the ladies, it is so nice of her! I am sure I will be really good when I go!!!!!

I have not been on any walks since the heat hit and just been in the garden but Mom won’t let me stay out either because it is too warm! I also got ice cubes in my water bowl but they did not last very long in the heat!!!

Today is a little cooler but still warm but it is going to cool down over the next few days!

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I have abandoned getting jobs done because of the heat and just doing the minimum, it is going to be cooler next week so will get things done then. Tomorrow is home jobs and shopping and then Friday I am out running errands and I am going with DH in the evening as he sets things up for the weekend to have a look at the new pool. Over the weekend I am going to be doing some quilting; Christmas in July!!!! Even though it is hot I will be dreaming of snow and hot chocolate!!!

Stay Cool in this weather. Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

That Was The Week That Was!

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Last week passed in a blur of work and trying to get things sorted. Nothing major going on just lots of jobs!!! “That Was The Week That Was” was an old TV show in the UK during the 1960’s, I just thought the phrase was appropriate for last week!

DH and I were out on Thursday for work and also managed to catch up with a work colleague who had retired and he and his wife have not long moved to a new home and we called to see them. Their new home is actually built into the hillside and looks a little like a Hobbit home. It really is amazing and although very modern which I don’t usually like, it is really designed well. We then called to see our Boys Godparents and had a lovely catch up with them too.

The weekend passed in a blur of getting jobs done and Youngest was at the Hospital yesterday to have his mole removed, so he will be at home with me for the next two weeks. The removal went well although it was quite large and situated on his spine. They are testing to make sure it is okay but the Consultant did not think it would be a problem, it is just the healing process now and also because of his job they do not want him bending, hence the two weeks off.

Now I know that there are lots of places in the World hotter than this but for us in the UK this is REALLY HOT! Above is today’s top temperatures this afternoon and tomorrow below:

As you can see even hotter! We in the UK are just not geared up for this heat unlike hotter countries, certainly in our homes as we do not have air conditioning. All we have are fans doing battle with the heat! Of course it is only due to last today and tomorrow and by Wednesday it will be back to 70° so we will be wearing jumpers by then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is this morning’s job before it gets too hot and I also have some business work I need to do before again it gets bad. Jayne and I were due to go out for lunch tomorrow but have moved it to next week now as businesses are talking about closing so we thought it best and also to not be out in a car during the worst of the heat!

It is always the same though in the UK we get a few days of some extreme weather and the Government and Media become Chicken Licken running around shouting the sky is falling!!!! As I say by Wednesday it will be back to our normal summer temps and raining of course!!!

After finishing the two quilts I am now sorting out my quilting and trying to put aside what I want to take with me on holiday. I like this process of sorting out things and getting things tidy again even if it is all tucked away at the moment! I am hoping this coming weekend to do a bit more quilting and am aiming for a “Christmas in July” quity weekend, well that’s the plan. DH is out all weekend at the new 50m swimming pool in Derby which has just opened. The event is to see how things go and if anything needs to be sorted out before hosting a major competition there, so that should be fun. I am going on Friday evening to have a look see!

Coco went with Eldest to his business on Saturday and he got out to open the gates and this was the face looking at him, as if to say “and where do you think you are going without me!”!!!!!!!!! She had a great day and came home around 4.00pm exhausted!!!

Still got lots of jobs to get done which I am trying to sort out this week, especially as it is going to be so warm!!! I hope you lovely lot have a great week and stay cool if you are having top temperatures too.

Hugs & Love, Susie xx

A Little Bit of Quilting and a Lot of !!!!!!

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I was asked by DH’s cousin if I would make two Memory Quilts for her grandchildren and I, of course, agreed. I have seen lots of them around in Quilt Land but never done one so asked for help from my very good friend, Susan, who is an expert quilter as to what I needed to do. She very kindly told me and off I set. Well I know I have only been quilting a short time but I always enjoy what I have done, even the King size quilt I have made for Eldest. However these two quilts were just the most taxing things! I picked them up and put them down so many times but in the end over the last two months I have got them all done and was ready to take them to the Christening yesterday.

We had our swimming Open on Saturday and it was a very, very long and very, very HOT day! So much so that we just had something to eat when we got in and went straight to bed. We did not get up early yesterday which meant we ended up rushing out of our home to get to the Christening on time and you guessed it; I forgot the quilts!!!!!!!! Anyway I did tell them that they are done and Mom is going to save them until Christmas anyway but I will be taking them over soon.

They don’t read my blog so I am able to show you them now they are done.

This is for her Grandson (above and below). I loved the backing which has little yachts on!

This is for her Granddaughter and the backing has very pale delicate flowers on.

I decided to just do a diamond pattern as the quilting, so it did not hide any of the main front pieces which all came from their baby grows and early clothes they had worn.

I think the thing I found most hard was getting the block sizes the same, especially when some of the pictures/words etc were large so they ended up being bigger than the block size I chose which was 6″ x 6″ which is why in particular the boy’s quilt is a bit higgledy piggledy!! I am sure the children won’t mind just hope Mom and Grandma like them!!!!

Today is even hotter so Coco and I have the tower fan going full blast in the Den and she is actually asleep on her back in her crate, so she must feel comfortable with the fan on her! I am off to run a couple of errands and then I think it will be dinner and bed, don’t want to do too much in this heat! It is due to be even hotter tomorrow so I will be up early getting my jobs done before it gets too warm!!! Have a wonderful week all.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xxx

Susie’s Friday Book Club.

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Having finished the previous Clive Cussler book I looked on my To Read shelf and found this one and decided I wanted to read another adventure book. I go through patches where I will read different types of books and then want to read the same style of book I have just finished!

This is from The Oregon Files, Juan Cabrillo and his exciting team of ex military personnel on their tramp steamer Oregon, the ship which looks dreadful on the outside but hides an up to date vessel inside. The Oregon is on another mission when they answer a distress call and find that the crew is paralised unable to speak. A second attack occurs with even more victims so the Crew of the Oregon set out to find out what sort of toxin it is and who is doing this. It leads them back in history 2000 years to the Romans and the present day enemy who wants to take down nations with the toxin. Can Juan and the Crew find an antidote to the toxin and stop them before they can attack?

I am half way through and as always it is a great read moving along very fast and a real page turner.

I think my next book may be a summer read, light and airy!!! I am also setting aside the books I am going to take on vacation with us and will show you when they are sorted!!!

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It is sunny and warm here today and Coco has a new PetPool to play in! Airedales are not very keen on water like some other breeds but she was happy in it yesterday, only lifting her paw out of the water occasionally! It is going to be even hotter next week so I thought it would be nice for her to have some water to cool down in. I will try and get some pictures for you.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend. DH and I are at the swimming club Open all day tomorrow and of course it will be really hot as it is due to be sunny and warm tomorrow too! Sunday we have a family Christening and then that will be the weekend done!

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xxxxx

Nicknames.

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Do you have a nickname? Or a shortened version of your name that you are known by? My “Sunday” name, as we always call it, is Susan, when I was at school everyone called me Sue but at home my family always called me Susie. To my Dad I was “Ooney”! This was because I could not say Susan when I was little and used to say “Oosan” which Dad shortened to “Ooney”.

When I married DH I went from having one of the longest maiden names, 13 letters none of which were repeated, to a very short surname, Parr. Then some wag said Sue Parr and then laughed and said “oh Supar”!!!! Needless to say I now introduce myself as Susan Parr!!!

Treacle was always Treacle but I used to call her “Treaks” and “Teak teaks”. Our Boys names are called by the shortened versions of their names as is DH. Coco we didn’t think would be shortened but I have lengthened it by calling her “Coco Pops” after a breakfast cereal in the UK, I have also found myself calling her “Cocolokes” (your guess is as good as mine!!!!!!!) and I cannot get out of my head the song “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys!!! particularly “down in Kokomo”!!!!!

Our neighbours and friends said they were determined when their daughters were born to give them names that could not be shortened, so they had Holly and Poppy. Sure enough they call them “Holls” and “Pops”!!!!!Names are such a funny thing. All our friends children have what I call normal names but as Grandchildren are now being born the parents are choosing quite unusual names especially what I would call quite old fashioned names. We know a Stanley and a Florence, there was a Sylvia and at the swimming club there is an Edith. Quite a few of the older names have come back into fashion and sound okay but I do think some of them really should stay in the past. We did have an Hermione which I think is lovely obviously named from the Harry Potter series. Our Boys have normal names, both with a strong Scottish influence, as my Dad’s heritage is Scottish and DH and I both liked the names and had not gone to school with anyone of those names we hated!!!!!

I hope you are having a lovely Wednesday, two days to go before the weekend and it is going to be a busy one for us!!

Hugs & Love Susie & Cocomo!!!!!!!!!!!!! xx

Coco’s Corner.

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I was four months old yesterday and Mom says I am growing too fast but I am not sure what she means! I do know that I am able to reach things I was not able to when I first arrived home which I seem to get into trouble for!!!

Mom has put together a little show and tell of me:

Six Weeks Old.

Two Months Old

Three Months Old.

Four Months Old.

Mom says I look like a very grown up AirePuppy now!!!

This is our Park in our village and there is so much to look at and investigate!

What is that in the tree? A bird?

What is over there, is it another dog to make friends with?

I am not too sure with big dogs at the moment but I am happy to play with little dogs which Mom says is the complete opposite of my Sissy, Treacle. She loved dogs her size and bigger but did not like little dogs!

I hope you are having a lovely Woofy Puppy Tuesday.

Coco xx

Here Again.

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Well June passed by in a blur of work, social things, family and Birthdays. In fact it flew by! July looks like it is going to be the same, especially in the run up to our vacation in August which I am so looking forward to.

To All my American Friends & Follows Happy 4th of July.

Last week flew by in a blur as it was Carnival week and I hardly saw DH & The Boys with work and the events. Saturday was the main day and it started for them at 5.00am and they got home around 9.00pm. Yesterday was a sort out day and bed early as we were all shattered. I have been quilting and I will show you the two quilts when they are finished. Just have to do the bindings now!

It is the second week of Wimbledon Fortnight and we have had some great Tennis already with a few quick exits of some top names. The weather has been up and down with quite a few showers but with the two roofs now the matches are being completed. Unfortunately we are busy this weekend so I will have to watch the finals when we get back!

I woke up this morning not feeling stellar for a Monday but I think it is just because of being up early and then up late too!!! Hopefully by the weekend I will be feeling more normal.

Tomorrow for Coco’s Corner we will have a little show and tell but this was taken yesterday evening when Youngest took her for her walk. She is looking very grown up.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and a good week to come.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx