Monthly Archives: September 2024

Dame Maggie Smith.

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It is always sad when anyone passes but some hit more than others.  Yesterday Dame Maggie Smith passed away at the age of 89.  She was known for many, many roles alot of which were on stage but to the younger generations she will always be known as Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House.  This role was one in a liftime and she will live on through it.  To the older generation she will be known as The Dowager Countess of Grantham from Downton Abbey and its creator, Julian Fellowes, gave Maggie Smith some absolutely wonderful dialogue and lines.  If you have not seen the Harry Potter films or Downton Abbey do, they are wonderful films & programmes.

Dame Maggie Smith

1934 – 2024

RIP

Susie xxx

Things That Make You Feel Old.

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Every day as you are busy and getting on with work and jobs and all the other stuff you generally have to do in a week, your brain doesn’t really register things, especially time passing.  It is only when someone says “oh so and so is 40 this year” or about their child “they are 18 this year” you realise how many years have gone past.

Well this was released on December 1st 1989 in the UK which is 35 years ago this year! OMG where did 35 years go?  I love this film, if I am not well or feel down I put this film on and feel instantly better.  I love the characters, the writing and the story.  My only wish was that Nora Ephron had followed the film up with a book continuing Harry & Sally’s story.

I went to see the film at the cinema and was twenty five, been married to DH for one year and we had our first home and both working.  So I guess I related to Sally, living in New York and going out to dinner with friends. 

This of course was long before we had the Boys and one of our things was to go out on a Friday evening after work for dinner before the weekend which was always busy.  At the time DH’s father was still alive and my Grandmother so we spent Saturdays visiting them and doing jobs or shopping for them and usually we had a disco to do on Saturday evening (DH has always done DJ work, although it is now more announcing).  Sunday was Church and then getting things sorted for the week ahead.  Fridays and Friday night have always been my favourite day of the week.

I think I will put this film on over the weekend and reminisce!!!  DH is out all day Saturday again with announcing and I am determined to get some quilting done this weekend.  Sunday we are supposed to do some gardening but it looks like it is going to rain for most of the day so we shall have to see. Youngest & Girlfriend will be home on Saturday after their week’s holiday.

Happy Thursday you lovely lot.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xxx

Partners in Crime, not sure what they are planning but is definitely something!!!!

New Week.

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Having not been well last week, I spent the weekend getting my jobs done as I had got behind with them.  I took it very slowly as whatever I have had has managed to knock me a little sideways! I have been working at my desk on Monday and yesterday I was with Eldest at his business.

I think Mother Nature has decided we in the UK have had enough of summer and it has been today like the above picture all day!  On Saturday we had thunderstorms which lasted for about two hours.  Fortunately Coco and Blaze were not bothered by the storm, Coco just barked at the thunder and Blaze was asleep on a chair all the while it was happening.  I had managed to get dinner cooked just in case the power went out, which it does sometimes when we have a storm, but fortunately the power stayed on.  DH had two busy days with the swimming event and didn’t get home until 8.30pm last night but it went well as always.

This week is a quiet week with work and home things and Youngest & Girlfriend are away for the week on holiday so it is just DH, the animals and I, which will be nice.  I have lots of plans of things I need to get done, but am taking things each day at a time as I am quite tired after being not well.  I do have another Doctor’s appointment next week for a check up, so will see what they say then.

The trees are starting to turn quickly now.

Next weekend DH has the last swimming event for Area on Saturday and Sunday we can get some garden jobs done if the weather is okay.  You will not believe how many leaves have come down this weekend.  We managed to get the outside umbrella put away but need to get the outdoor furniture cleaned and put away and tidy the pots up and I also want to get some Spring bulbs planted too. 

Next week is Goose Fair in Nottingham, where DH and I had our first date 38 years ago, now that sounds a long time ago!!!  I wrote about the History of Goose Fair in this post in 2023 if you would like to read about it.

Half way through the week! 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

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Having had the virus in August whilst we were away, DH started with a cold last week and I told him he could keep it as I did not want it!  But in keeping with the marriage vows, he gave me the cold anyway!  I started on Saturday with it and by Sunday I felt very ill.  I spoke to our GP and they said it sounded like I had covid as I had the cold part but other symptoms which DH did not have!  I had Monday off but then was back at work the rest of the week.  Obviously it is just Coco and I in our office and she seems okay! 

Having worked at home for over thirty two years now which I love, I think it could also be a problem as not being with other people everyday in an office, liked I used to do, my immune system is lower so I seem to catch things!!!!  I am hoping that tomorrow I will feel better as I have a lot to do over the weekend!

I have a huge basket of ironing to do which I am aiming to get done tomorrow morning and Home jobs to do as well, as I did not feel up to it yesterday or today!!  I am still aiming to get some quilting done too and if necessary I will pinch an odd day here and there to get things sorted. 

©The Grand Tour/Amazon

Having been an only child and a girl it did not stop my Dad from doing what was traditionaly known when I was born “boy” things with him and me!  including helping when he was fixing our car and all other things engineering wise (his occupation was an aircraft engineer).  So I have always liked cars and he used to watch Formula 1 Racing and so did I, so a TV programme in the UK called Top Gear, a motoring news programme was always a must watch.  Especially with these three chaps, Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond presented it.  During the Series Run they were on they started to do Specials where they were challenged to take cars built for roads and do increadibly crazy journeys with them.  Their presenting style, camaraderie and general school boy  behaviour made them great fun to watch and also great to see the places they visited.

After a number of years with the BBC Top Gear the trio moved to Amazon to do The Grand Tour and they did some amazing trips, eventually finishing the main motoring part and only doing the specials.  Sadly last Friday that came to an end with the last trip through Zimbabwe after twenty two years together and again a great trip.  The three presenters have lots of other things going on and these trips as you can imagine take a lot of planning and time but we will miss them. 

My favourites of all of them was the trip they did through Myanmar in trucks, the Africa Special where they had estate cars looking for the source of the Nile, The Beach Buggies and finally where they were airlifted parts of a car, had to put it together and get to a point in Mongolia.  I am pleased that you can still find them on the streaming services so we are able to watch them again.  If you are interested in watching them the Top Gear episodes are on BBC iPlayer and The Grand Tour is on Prime. 

The Beach Buggies above and the Home Made Car in Mongolia below.

Speaking of vehicles Youngest over the last two weeks has been doing his HGV training.  This is so he is able to drive a bigger recovery vehicle for their business.  It has been quite intense but obviously he can drive, just having to upgrade to a very large truck and trailer.  Anyway He did it, passed the test this morning. 

Congratulations Youngest, very proud of you.

Have a wonderful weekend you lovely lot, whatever you are up to.  Keep everything crossed that I will have got rid of whatever it is I have got by next week. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Susie’s Friday Book Club.

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Here is Blaze for our Friday October 13th Lucky Black Cat picture!

I have never had a problem with Friday 13th’s and I even liked the horror movies but I do know of some people who hide away on the day because of all the superstitions.  Anyway onto Book Club for today and as it is also getting towards the Witching Season I thought I would show you some of the spooky books I have on my TBR shelf.

There are a series of these books, I have the Spring and Winter ones, and this one for Autumn.  A collection of Agatha Christie’s short stories not all have ghosts in them but there is plenty of murder to go around.

This has been on my shelf for a while now as I do like short stories but if I can read a whole book I tend to choose that.  Although because they are short stories you can dip in and out which is how I may read this.  I am not a big fan of poems and there are quite a lot in here so I may skip those but the stories I have heard about written by Poe I am sure I will love.  I will let you know when I get to it.

Who doesn’t love a country weekend gathering especially when someone is murdered and then the rest have to discover who did it when they all assemble in the Library towards the end of the book.  It is a tried and tested formula over the years and this one begins with a New Year’s Eve Murder Mystery Party with a 1920’s twist.  The evening has only just begun when one of the guests is found murdered and so someone at the party has their own agenda and old rivalries will come to the for.  Again this is on my shelf and I will get around to it eventually! 

The weather in the UK has turned cold over the last two days and we have had the heating on but over the weekend it is back to being warm and sunny which is good as we have garden jobs to get done.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend whatever you are up to and I will see you back here on Monday. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Coco snuggling as it is cold.  She has been on our bed both nights as it has been a lot colder than previous nights. 

A New Week.

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Although it is the second week of September we are still having some nice sunshine but Autumn is starting to make itself known because most mornings we are waking up to misty mornings.  Last night when I went to bed I also heard the Owls hooting which again is normally at this time of year.

The trees are also starting to turn, a little earlier this year than previous years.

The leaves in our garden are starting to turn as well and some are coming down.  I will soon be getting our gadget out to get them up.  We are hoping that this weekend is going to be nice as we have some garden maintenance to do, a couple of the posts on our fence need replacing so DH and Youngest are going to get them done and I am going to be putting our outdoor furniture away for winter, giving it a good clean beforehand.  DH is busy most weekends from now until October, so this will be the weekend to get things done otherwise I know the weather will be bad by then.

The Fur Babies have worn themselves out today playing.  This is Coco in her basket next to my desk and Blaze is asleep in DH’s chair, in the sunshine of course!

Busy week with work and I have to go and get a blood test on Wednesday but tomorrow Jayne and I are going to lunch which will be a lovely few hours.  Have a wonderful week you lovely lot.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

 

Susie’s Friday Book Club & National Read A Book Day.

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National Read A Book Day – September 6th

I know we Book Lovers do not need an excuse to read a book during the day but today is National Read A Book Day! I actually missed the last Book Day which was on August 9th (whilst we were away) National Book Lovers Day.  Of course I was busy reading as we were away on holiday! Next week is my Friday Book Club but I thought I would show you the book I am reading at the moment, in fact I have just started it.  This has been on my TBR shelf for a while and I have picked it up a couple of times to read and then put it back.  I have to be in the mood to read books and this one, up to now, had not talked to me. 

A party is being thrown by Evelyn’s parents, Lord Peter & Lady Helena Hardcastle, where she will be killed again!  She has been murdered before and in fact murdered hundreds of times, think Groundhog Day!  Aiden Bishop wants to save her but is too late each day, the only way to break the cycle is identify the killer.  Aiden begins each new day in the body of a different guest and he hopes that this will lead him to the Killer but someone is desperate to stop him from ever doing that and escaping Blackheath House (The Hardcastle seat),

It looks good and I am hoping that it will keep my attention.  I have been finding that with books and authors I have never read before if it does not grab my attention immediately my mind starts to wander!

One of the things I have always wanted in our home is a book nook. When we first did our bedroom I had a large comfy chair which I used to read in but had to get rid of it.  I now have a chair in the sewing room which I can use to do hand sewing in or reading of course.

I have seen these Book Nooks on Pinterest and have saved about hundred of them just in case we ever re-do any parts of our home where I could fit one of these into!

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and great weekend to come and get chance to do some reading, or quilting. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

#TBT.

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The children here in Derbyshire went back to school today, no doubt much to the relief of their parents.  Although I used to hate our Boys going back to school as I loved having them at home on holiday and especially as all the out of school activities also started again; Piano lessons, Scouts, Swimming etc.  Anyway I thought, as it is Throwback Thursday, I would show you my Boys when Youngest first went to Primary school in Reception Class at five years old (almost six) and Eldest was ten and in Year Six in 2005.

Yesterday was a busy day as I was at Eldest’s garage all day and didn’t get back until after 6.00pm.  Today I had to go and have a blood test done at 7.10am and then when I got back have been working all day and tomorrow will be home jobs day and get the ironing done so on Saturday I can get on with my quilting.  I know don’t faint some quilting done for a quilting blog (!) although I will not be able to show any of it to you as it is for Christmas!!!!!

Coco didn’t want to miss out on #TBT so here is a puppy picture of her from 2022 when she was four months old.

It is, of course, the time of year where the machines are very busy in the fields getting the harvests in and one of the nice things about this time of year is after the harvests they, where we live, have ploughing matches on the newly havested fields.  DH and I, if we have a spare weekend, try and go.  These pictures were from 2018 and our home County of Nottinghamshire.  They also have produce and livestock shows as well. 

Also other competitions take place like carriage driving (a favourite sport of the late Prince Philip)

Happy Thursday you lovely lot. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Coco’s Corner.

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I had the busiest of weekends helping The Boys and Daddy with jobs in the garden, I mean I was in charge really directing operations and then I was helping Mummy in the kitchen with dinner.

The Girls and Little Man were also here too so I spent a lot of time running around with The Girls and I managed to get some kissess in with Little Man.

Mom says I need a good brush as I would not hold still when she tried to brush me on her own!  I also have a few tangles and a few seeds in my furs at the moment!

This was this morning.  I don’t think I have caught up on my sleep since the weekend and Mom was busy working at her desk.  Blaze has been around and about today as well and we have been playing but eventually I gave up and came and had a sleep!!!

At the weekend Daddy is out all weekend so it will be just Mom and I and I know she is going to be in the sewing room getting things done, so I will be with her helping and directing operations there!

Have a wonderfully Woofy Week. Coco xxx