Author Archives: Scullybooks

100 Years of Little Eaton Carnival.

Saturday dawned quite cloudy but very warm, so perfect conditions for Carnival Day in the village. At least we would not have any people with sunburn!! It was also quite blowy. My little visitor arrived at 8.30am and they went off to help, DH having left at 5.00am. Coco and Gordon were a little manic together so as I was on my own I decided to let them out of their crates one at a time and then over lunch they were both in their crates having had their lunchtime treats. They were very good and went to sleep for a couple of hours.

The Floats were judged by Sir Richard Ranulph FitzHerbert, 9th Baronet of Tissington Hall, Ashbourne. He is also currently High Sheriff of Derbyshire and came dressed in his regalia.

We were also lucky to have several previous Carnival Queens who arrived in style on this lovely antique bus.

We also had another celebrity driving the tractor for the Carnival Queen, Attendants & Crown Bearer, one Harriet Cowan

You will probably not know her name unless you follow “Clarkson’s Farm” on Amazon when she went to help Jeremy Clarkson on the Diddly Squat Farm in Oxford to ensure that he did not make a complete mess while his Farm Manager, Kaleb Cooper, was on a speaking tour. Harriet’s family are farmers in Derbyshire where she helps out and knows Simon who farms in our village. Here she is in the above and below pictures with the very large Deutz-Fahr tractor

Our Carnival Queen, Ada, on the float with the Crown Bearer

The Gallopping Horses were on the Park and below The Barlow Red Barrows Display Team. One of the Owners of one of the companies we work with used to be in the display team!

The sun had managed to come out by mid afternoon and the sky had cleared a bit which was good for the fly past.

We managed to get a fly past by this magnificent piece of history from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. It is the Hawker Hurricane of which there are only 12 operational ones left in the world. One of them is the last one to enter service with the RAF and the other one they have is the last Hurricane built. It flew over the Carnival and our home three times before heading home to RAF Coningsby in Lincoln, not far from us in Derbyshire.

These two pictures are from past village Carnivals

All the pictures are courtesy of Little Eaton Carnival Instagram account © to that account & All the photographers.

The Carnival itself finished at 5.00pm but then Youngest & DH had to pack up all the equipment and get it home which took quite a while. Yesterday we all went out for dinner at one of the local pubs for Sunday Lunch and we had a lovely few hours together after a very busy week. Tonight is the last two events; The Dog Show & Junior Football as it was far too warm last Monday to hold the events. There are a few other events taking place in September and October to then conclude the 100 Years of Carnival.

Busy week this week with work and then The Boys are all off to Goodwood on Friday and The Girls are having a girly weekend!!! Have a wonderful week.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Happy 4th of July!

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Happy 4th Of July

To all of my American Friends & Followers, wishing you a very Happy 4th of July!

It is sunny and warm here today and much nicer than the extreme heat we have had this week, it is a true British summers day today.

Wimbledon has gotten a little better since my moan and I have seen some good matches, in between working of course. Managed to get my home jobs done early and just now have a basket of ironing to do and I am up to date with my jobs before the weekend when I am babysitting Gordon!

I have also got the two baby quilts completed and just about to wash them and then I will be able to show you them. Still doing the bed quilt which is taking longer than expected but hoping to get quite a bit done on Sunday after our lunch. I think I may also sneak a day this week to get it done, but don’t tell DH!!!!!!

Coco is really enjoying the weather and is out most of the time lying on the patio or in the garden. This was last week just before her Airecut!!!

I will try and get some pictures of the weekend for you and whatever you are up to this weekend I hope you have a wonderful time.

Hugs & Love, Susie, DH, Coco & Crew xxx

#TBT.

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Well here in the UK we have made it to Thursday without falling with heat stroke, we are just not used to it!!! It is a lot cooler today and very welcome and is supposed to be like this for the rest of the week. Tonight for Carnival it is Wild, Wet & Wacky for the teenagers where they play silly games with water and foam! Of course they would probably prefer it to be like Monday when it was very warm. The two years The Boys competed they came home completely wet and frozen! They were also dirty! I made them both strip outside and I had a towl for them and made them both go straight up and have a hot shower!!!

Last night they were both helping DH at The Duck Race:

DH on the Bank commentating and Eldest in the brook.

Youngest at the finish Boom waiting to collect the ducks.

Waiting for the ducks to round the bend and almost lost his footing whilst collecting them!

Waiting to get in the brook and then sorting things out before the start.

My Boys – I love them to bits.

And for #TBT here they are twenty one years ago on holiday in Scotland! Eldest was 8 and Youngest was 4!

I did not get my home jobs done today so that will be for tomorrow now. Carnival tomorrow is getting everything ready for Saturday but in the evening there is a Cake competition and Bike Race. Saturday will be an early start for DH and I am dog sitting Gordon whilst they are busy helping out. Sunday we are out for lunch which will be lovely.

Happy Thursday you lovely lot. Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Wimbledon!

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Well for those of you who have followed me for a while know I love tennis and in particular Wimbledon. I have been very lucky to have attended The Championships three times, once when I was at school, once when Eldest was three and the third time for my 40th Birthday. That day we did not see any tennis at all as it rained all day but we had a lovely day with lunch in The Wingfield Restaurant and sat watching the World go by.

The Championships began on Monday this week and for the first time in its 148 years they no longer have line judges. This means that all calls are being done via the computerised sensors in the ground and there are no challenges to any of the calls. I suppose the idea is to make the games quicker so they are not stopping and waiting for calls to be assessed or arguments over a call. I have watched three matches so far and I can honestly say the games seem soulless.

I am also not up to speed with a lot of the players in both the women and men’s draws now after several of the players, who have been on the tour for years retired. Again I think this is making it very flat.

Finally the woman who has taken over from the great Sue Barker who now helms the show for the BBC is dreadful. For many reasons she as a person ticks a lot of the woke boxes that the BBC like, so she gets all these jobs. However she has no idea about tennis and whenever she speaks about tennis or interviews anyone her comments are inane and she loves the sound of her own voice, thus very irritating! She originally started her career commentating on horse racing.

I will continue to watch a few of the matches but it is such a shame as it really is a highlight of the summer for me.

I have been at Eldest’s today working but got kicked out earlier than normal as he and Youngest are helping DH tonight at the Duck Race! Although we are not sure how the Ducks are going to manage to float as the water is quite low due to the heat! I think they are going to need to be encouraged!

Today has been cooler than the last two, which is a relief for everyone and it is about the same for the rest of the week, especially when I have home jobs to do tomorrow and a few extra jobs to do on Friday. Saturday I will be at home dog sitting and there may be some rain during the day which is typical. Sunday we are out to lunch with Youngest & Fiancé. Next week will be busy with work and that weekend The Boys are away for their weekend away and us Girls are going to have a girly weekend. Hopefully the weather will be good for them.

I hope you are having a good Wednesday, middle of the week.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

HOT!

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Well all of us in the UK have roasted today! Where I am in Derbyshire it was 31°C but other places it has been up to 34°C which I know is not hot to some of you but it really is for us. We as a Nation do not have air conditioning in our homes, so are reliant on fans which the more modern ones do quite a good job, although nothing like air conditioning. DH has been at one of the companies we work with today and then in his truck, both of which are air conditioned. Sometimes I think it is worse because you are loving the cool but then have to come out in it and of course eventually home!

Coco has been out for most of the morning when it was cool but I brought her in just before lunch at 11.45am and closed the back door to keep the heat out and hopefully the cool in, it wasn’t too bad. Although she was sick this evening a little bit and I am sure that was the heat, she is fine in herself.

I have been at my desk all day with my tower fan going and it was okay and I did get all my work and some extra things done which I had been putting off. Tomorrow is still hot but not as bad as today. I have a few home jobs to do tomorrow so I think I will get those done early.

I am very thankful that Little Miss Coco had her Spa Day on Friday so she has the least amount of fluff in all this heat. In fact she has not been panting at all but that is because of less coat and she is able to go in and out of the garden when she wants to.

Carnival has begun in the village. This is all of DH’s PA equipment for the next week where various combinations will be used for the different events.

Above was the first event of the week the Fun Run and then Crowning of the Carnival Queen and Attendants and Crown Bearer in the afternoon with the Picnic on the Park. Last night the Dog Show and Junior Football were cancelled due to the heat and they will take place next Monday now.

Tonight is the Treasure Hunt and Senior Football and it is a little cooler as it has not been sunny at all today but it is muggy.

Coco went to visit Eldest at work after her Spa Day and of course she had to get involved with work! She is far more strict as a Supervisor!!!!

Little Man has had a busy few days. He went to his sisters’ Sports Day at school and he and Mummy had a picnic under the trees. The above picture is him busy sorting out his pasta shapes for lunch!

In true little boy form if there any cars nearby he has to have a look.

This was Saturday dinner after visiting us and his Uncle & Auntie for the day, they got home and had pizza for dinner.

The rest of the week will be busy with Carnival, tomorrow is the Duck Race in the local brook, Thursday is Wild, Wet & Wacky the silly games for the even sillier teenagers, Friday is the cake competition and bike race and finally Saturday the day itself, although at the moment they are forecasting rain for the morning! I will not be going to any of the events but will be here, dog sitting and food providing!

I hope you lovely lot are having a great week.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Susie’s Friday Book Club.

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I have been reading Jayne’s & My Book Club Books as well but I read this between two of our books. This is the first Colleen Hoover book I have read and it was well written. The story is contracted into a few weeks and you are kept guessing as to who is responsible.

Verity is a famous author who has had success with her novels. However she was involved in a bad accident which has left her unable to do anything and is basically in a living coma. Lowen is also an author but not so successful and is, in fact, really struggling financially until Jeremy Crawford, Verity’s husband, proposes that Lowen finishes the last three novels in Verity’s series. Lowen is not sure if she can do this but Jeremy persuades her to come to the family home and go through Verity’s notes and then decide.

Lowen gets there to find Verity’s office in a mess and she needs to go through everything before even being able to write an outline for the first of the three books. What she does find is an autobiography by Verity and as she starts to read it, family secrets come out including the death of Verity’s two daughters. How can Lowen write the books now knowing what she does?

I did sort of enjoy the book although some of it I did skip due to it being repetitive with some of the chapters. At the end there is a twist and I don’t know whether I agree with how it ended! I don’t want to give the ending away but on this basis and what I have heard about her other novel, which is now a controversial film, I don’t think I will be reading any other of her novels. I gave it four stars in the end.

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I have managed to find a great App for my phone called BootBeat. You get a trial period of 20 hours of listening or reading, after which it is £6.99 per month and you can cancel at any time. There is a Standard package for £10.99 a month and the final Premium package which is £17.99 a month, this is for 100 hours a month which is the one I went for after my trial period. The range of books is amazing, especially in the Crime & Thriller section, which is the one I use most. I have managed to find some new authors, some are successful and some not so much. I tend to listen to them when I am at Eldest’s working or when I am doing my home jobs.

This was really good and of course is available in paperback as well as audio. The narration is very good.

Jess Pendle is sat in A&E with her partner on New Year’s Eve. She has a black eye and her arm is hurting and she has to tell the Doctor and Nurses that she fell down the stairs because if she doesn’t Liam will hurt her even more when they get home. A kind Doctor asks Jess if she needs help and after all the months of abuse she says she does. She reports the assault to the Police who take notes but Jess does not feel that they are taking much notice of her. The Doctor also gives her information of a support group and she goes and meets other women who are in the same situation. As she gets to know some of these women she is told about the underground group, who are more pro-active than just talking!

I really liked this audiobook and I gave it four stars because of the ending which left you a bit high and dry. I have since found out that there is a Book 2 coming out next year to carry on the story which now makes sense! I will be getting it either in book form or on audio!

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To show you that the audiobooks are not all old this book was published in March this year. It is really good and it was my first Five star audiobook!

Verity has been married to Linden Lockwood for five years and they have a perfect marriage. Albeit Verity is the one earning the money in the family, Linden is an author but has not written anything for a while. When Verity returns from a business trip she finds Linden in their home murdered in a robbery! Her world tips and she feels that she is unable to move on from this terrible event. Whilst clearing out Linden’s things she finds a set of letters from a woman and it is obvious he was having an affair but who with? Verity sets off to find out who it is but then is attacked herself. Will she be the next victim?

There is a very good twist at the end of this book which you do not see coming!

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This is my second Five star audiobook.

One in three marriages end in divorce but this one ends in murder! Andrew Page was married to Louise but left her, and their two children, for Caroline just one month after his son was born. He marries Caroline and they go on to have their own son but the past five years have been difficult co-parenting Louise’s children. The more contact the two women have, the more they begin to fight and then they begin to run each other down to Andrew. As each wife comes up with a ploy to make the other one seem useless Andrew is firmly in the middle of all the fighting. Then to add fuel to the fire Louise’s parents invite Andrew to their 50th Wedding Anniversary party along with Caroline and their son. Louise is mad, Caroline does not want to go but Andrew is loving every minute of it. In the weeks before the party lies are told and found out and the arguments increase. It all comes to a head when Andrew is murdered on the evening before the party but who did it?

The narration was very good and there was a twist right at the end that you will not see coming! A very good book.

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Hopefully you will find something you like in these books. I will be doing a new page of Jayne’s and my Book Club Books so that you will be able to see what we have been reading. They have been very varied.

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope that whatever you are up to you find time to read.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Book Fiend Coco 🙂 xx

Which Week Are We In?

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Well we keep saying it but where are the weeks going to? I find that no sooner have we started a new week on Monday it seems to be Sunday evening again and I honestly don’t know where that week has gone to!

Work has been really busy which I am greatful for, especially with all the uncertainty about at the moment with the political situation. As you know I do not watch the news and am trying to avoid it at the moment as I think it really can make you very depressed.

We have had a few days where the temperatures were getting into the 90’s and that means that nothing gets done. DH is lucky that if he is in the truck or the offices they are generally air conditioned, Coco and I just have to cope at home and our den where I work is at the back of our home where it gets the sun all day! I do try and get things done early in the morning and then stop around lunch. I did that today as it was Home jobs day so I got the cleaning done really early before it go too hot. Coco has spent the day mostly outside or lying on the mat in the back door looking out at the garden.

Over the last few days I have been feeling a little off. I cannot decide if it is a bug, or the result of some tablets I am having to take at the moment! I have felt a little better this afternoon. I did manage to get all the home jobs done and tomorrow Miss Coco is having her Spa Day! DH has a swimming event in the evening and then Saturday we are hoping to get some jobs done in the garden, because Sunday is the start of Carnival Week. 100 Years of Carnival so not only is the normal events on but a few extra ones too. At the moment the week looks good weather wise. DH is out most evenings and will be there all day from early a week on Saturday and then Sunday we are having a chill day!

On my nice to do list I have managed to get the baby quilts made, quilted and am now sewing the binding down. I still have the bed quilt to quilt but I will be tackling that over the next few weeks. I have been keeping up with my reading aims this year and not only reading but also listening to audiobooks whilst working. Some of the audiobooks have been successful and some not so much. I will be reviewing a few tomorrow for Book Club Friday, which I know I am late with! The Fridays fly past too!

During Carnival Week I am also determined to get my decluttering finished! I have quite a lot of boxes in our garage to get through but by the time they are done, we just have the attic to do and then we will be decluttered!

I had a wonderful Birthday with all the family last Friday and we had a takeaway. we even managed to sit outside for dinner which was lovely. Little Man had a great time going up and down the garden and The Girls also enjoyed playing outside. I had some lovely gifts :

These are a selection of the Hermes fragrance lines. They are very light and definitely for summer.

DH bought me this lovely pouch which you can use when travelling for all sorts of things.

DH bought me some of my most favourite perfume, lotion and a new compact.

Also had a new mug from Eldest & Partner and some new oven gloves from Fortnum & Mason.

Youngest & Fiancé bought me this Porta Puzzle where you can put your puzzles in, but then zip them up when not in use.

I hope you lovely lot are having a good week and a terrific weekend to come.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco

Coco’s Corner.

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Well it is very warm here at the moment! It really takes it out of us doggies. Me and My Gang have spent the last few days snoozing in our crates, although I did sneak onto Mom and Dad’s bed for a quick snooze too.

One of the benefits of our tiled floor is how cool it is when it is really hot! Here I am stretched out cooling down.

I will be going to The Spa at the end of the month as I am getting a little woolly but you can bet it will not be warm by the time I come back, it usually goes very cold when I do!

Mom says she will keep an eye on me all week as it gets even warmer, so I do not get over- heated! I hope you lovely lot are going to have a wonderful Summer Woofy Week.

Coco x

What A Weekend!

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Happy Father’s Day!

To DH and Eldest, Happy Father’s Day to the best Daddies in the World!

We all had a lovely day but it was a little overshaddowed by Partner’s Big Birthday!!!!

This was nineteen years ago at Easter in Scotland on the boat cruising Loch Ness! Eldest was ten and Youngest was six! I just love this picture.

Now here is Eldest with Little Man!

Saturday we celebrated the Birthday and no I did not set the table outside as the weather forecast was all over the place! It was going to rain, it wasn’t going to rain then it was really windy, so I gave up and just set the dining room up.

Our Dining Table, above & Below, set with the flowers, candles etc. The Cake.

Suzie had a lovely day, they came early and spent the day with us and we had dinner early evening. It was a warm day so we were outside when we could be and Little Man loved being in the garden. I made the cake last year but ran out of time this, but this was bought and it was really nice.

Eldest & Little Man in our garden. He loved the steps going up them on his own and then being “jumped” down them by Daddy! Daddy’s back just about survived!

It was a lovely family weekend. Next Friday they are all here again for mine, but we will be having a Take Away in the evening.

Today was a bit hectic with unplanned jobs to do but I still managed to get my work done as well. Tomorrow should hopefully be a little less hectic and I should be able to get work done and the home jobs as well. I am due to be at Eldest’s on Wednesday and then get the rest of our home jobs done on Thursday as well as grocery shopping. Friday DH is taking me out for lunch before they all arrive in the evening. DH has a swimming competition on Sunday so Saturday will be getting a few little jobs done and then he will be setting up for Sunday. I will be in my sewing room trying to get quilts finished!

We looked after Gordon on Sunday whilst Youngest & Fiancé were out for the day and he and Coco spent most of it running around the garden like a pair of lunatics! DH cleared up for me after the dinner and I cleaned the kitchen and got everything put back. We then sat outside for lunch with the two Terrors (Terriers!!!) This week our weather is going to be very warm, the first heatwave of the year, with temperatures into the mid 80’s and sunshine wall to wall. I have a few jobs I need to do where I need it to be very warm and sunny, so they will be done in the next few days too! I will try and get pictures.

I hope you lovely lot had a wonderful weekend and a great week to come.

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx

Friday Is Here!

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Here is Blaze to be your Lucky Black Cat for Friday June 13th!

Well we have made it to the end of the week and as usual I don’t think my feet touched the ground!!! I am still checking the weather forecast every few hours and they are still saying some rain for tomorrow but I really hope not!

I forgot to show you Jayne’s Birthday gift bag. I managed to find it, of course, on Amazon but really liked it! She loved her gifts!

DH & I belong to 41 Club and Tangent, these are the Clubs you move into at certain ages from Round Table and Ladies Circle! I must admit with work, home things, swimming and everything else happening we have not been to any of the meetings for a while. However each year I do the Directory for Tangent with names and details in, the Programme for the year, Past Chairmen etc. It is not a big job as most of the details do not change and then it is just adding a few things and setting the programme out. It only takes me about half an hour to do and it is my contribution to the Club as I have not had chance to go to any of the meetings. Anyway I got these lovely flowers from the ladies for doing them this year. They have been on my desk now for over a week and I just love them. I especially love the Hydrangea but we cannot grow them in our garden as they do not like our soil at all.

I will remember to get some pictures of the table and things of tomorrow’s dinner and everyone of course. Sunday will be clear up day and again get some jobs done around our home and in the garden, so that we are on top of everything. The week after my Birthday it is the start of Carnival in the village and there have already been two events early in the months as it is 100 years of Carnival in the Village. As I say I will be getting on with the decluttering whilst DH is out at events and especially on Carnival Day. The week after the main Carnival Day DH, Eldest & Youngest are heading off South for the Goodwood “Festival of Speed” and again we are keeping everything crossed that they will have a lovely dry day. Fiancé, Partner, Little Man and myself are all getting together on Saturday to have a Girly day and Fiancé is coming to stay with me with Gordon & Blaze. Coco will have her friends here for the weekend. Again I will try and get pictures.

DH has one swimming event on the calendar on the Sunday after my Birthday but I can get some more quilting done. In a change to our usual format for the Swimming Club our Club Championships have had to move due to Country and Regional Events being put on in October and November when we would normally host them. So this year they are going to be on July 19th & 20th! This is going to seem really strange! On the Saturday evening they are also going to have a Club BBQ for all the swimmers and their parents etc but I will not be going to that. Then the weekend after that we go away and I cannot wait! So looking forward to being away and I don’t care what the weather does!