As we in Great Britain are mourning the passing of Queen Elizabeth we also Remember all those who lost their lives twenty one years ago in New York.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all the families who lost loved ones
Susie x
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II It is with great sadness that Her Majesty has passed away at her favourite home of Balmoral, Scotland this afternoon with her family at her side.
DH, Eldest, Youngest & Myself were all born in her reign and will forever be Elizabethans.
Our Country has truly lost someone very special.
Rest in Peace with your beloved Husband Your Majesty
I honestly don’t know where the days and weeks go. No sooner is it Monday morning and I turn round and we are at Thursday already! Little Coco is doing well although quite frustrated at her manditory crate rest. She had a bath last night and smells so much better much to her annoyance!
I Forgot to show you her Five Month old Portrait; BA (before accident)!
We are all concerned today to hear that Her Majesty The Queen is not well and The Royal Family are flying to Balmoral, Scotland to see her. We hope that Her Majesty recovers quickly.
I am going to show you the Quilt show but for some unknown reason the photographs have decided to not download properly so I will sit down, hopefully tomorrow, to sort them out!!!
I have been car-less today as it has been in for its annual service and MOT and it has passed thank goodness. With all the rising prices of food, clothing, fuel and heating costs I did not really want to pay for any repairs!!! I will say that I am quite fed up with all the media reports on the current situation. I am sure the media stir up far more trouble with all their reporting instead of just telling us the situation and then shutting up about it!
DH has a swimming event on this Saturday which he forgot to tell me about and I had arranged to go out for dinner with some friends so we have now had to re-arrang that. He has also agreed to stay on for one final year as Chairman of the swimming club! He was supposed to finish in November but then for various reasons I won’t bore you with he has been asked to stay for one more year. However it will hopefully be a good year as the swimming club will be fifty years old next year so it will be nice for him to see the club through that!!! I have suggested that he will need to cut down on some of the other stuff though otherwise I will never see him!!
Anyone else getting bombarded with Christmas things already? If I have had one email, I have had twenty about buying now to save the rush before Christmas!! I will admit I have bought a few Christmas presents already mainly because I have seen something and thought it would be a great gift for….! DH and I are going down to London this year at the end of November and that will be when we get the rest of the Christmas gifts and to see the lights and the stores all dressed for Christmas. We are also going to see “A Christmas Carol” at The Old Vic when we are there.
Good news is that Nottingham’s Goose Fair will be on this year, after being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. Hopefully the weather will be kind and it will not be raining. DH and I are planning on going as this was where we had our first date thirty six years ago!!!!!!
I wanted to show you this picture that my very good friend, Susan, sent me. Taken about two miles from her Farm in Washington State (USA) by a friend of hers. I just think it is absolutely stunning and just shows you what you can see when you don’t have light polution. We would never get this sort of photograph here in Derbyshire even though we now have less lights than before. Thank you Susan for sending it do me.
Anyway I had better dash as I have dinner to get for hungry mouths coming in from work.
Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xxxxx
We have been back for two weeks and it has been very, very busy! We had a lovely vacation for the first week, the weather was great, very sunny but cooler than at home as we are of course further north.
The view from the cottage and the blue sky!
Coco did really well on the drive up. We did not go on the motorway as there are only the Services to stop at. The road we used we could just pull in to places to let her out but she was fine and in fact slept most of the way (above).
The cottage at night on one of DH’s trips round the garden with Coco!
We did not do a lot except take Coco out as we both just need to chill. Although the garden is fenced it is not fenced enough for a five month old puppy so she went out on her lead every day. I bought a long lead which DH used once as Coco and he managed to get it wrapped around things and when the wind blew it was all over the place!!!!!
Coco did have a good time running around though on her usual extender lead!
She loved every minute of it. We did decide one day to take her to the beach. This was the one that we used to take the Boys to when they were young and it was always quiet with just a few locals. Well we got there to find that someone had put about 250 static caravans next to it and you could not see the beach for people so we decided it was not a good idea. However to save driving the long way round via the road, there is a summer ferry between the two points called The Nigg Ferry so we went on this. Now when I say ferry it has room for two cars or one truck and people. Coco thought it was very interesting being on the sea.
The ferry goes across the Cromarty Firth which then opens up to the deep port of Invergordon which is where they service the gas/oil platforms.
The day was very warm and sunny.
I got quite a lot of reading done which was great and managed to finish five books, as well as doing some quilting.
We had taken a lot of new toys for Coco to play with and keep her entertained, one of them was a toy giraffe with tennis ball feet and she loved it. However she started to pull the covering off the feet so DH picked it up to take it in the kitchen to remove the feet and Coco was not happy about this. Up to now she has not really jumped much but this particular evening, the Monday of the second week, she launched herself from the floor up to DH’s arm to try and grab the toy. Unfortunately she did not land on her back feet but with her left rear leg under her and squeaked holding her leg up! We felt her over and nothing was dislocated so we thought she had perhaps pulled a muscle. By this time it was 10.30pm.
The next day she was still hopping on three legs so we took her to the vets our friends use. She had to stay in and have an x-ray and they found that she had an evulsion fracture on her “knee” and she would need an operation to pin it but this had to be done by an orthopedic vet. DH and I thought we were going to have to drive home overnight and go to our vet and get a referral from them but fortunately there was an orthopedic vet in Inverness and he was able to do the operation the next day, Wednesday. We took her in for 8.30am and she was there all day and now has a pin and wire in her knee. The worst bit of all this is she is on crate rest for six weeks as she is not to jump, run or stretch the knee in case it pulls out again. Trying to keep a five month old puppy still is like asking water not to run!!!!!!!!
First day of crate rest, you can see her shaved leg. Don’t worry only six more weeks to go!
The other problem is that of course Coco thinks she is fine! She had her stitches out this week and then she will need an x-ray at four weeks and eight weeks after the op and we have to make sure that as she is growing her back legs are growing at the same rate, if not then she may have to have the pin and wire removed which will be by the vet who put them in, in Inverness! Needless to say the final two days of the vacation we stayed in at the cottage!
She is being very good although we have to really keep an eye on her to make sure she does not do anything she shouldn’t and she is taken out on her lead on the patio several times a day. We have also bought her quite a few interactive toys to keep her busy and to add insult to injury we have had to cut her food down because of course she is not doing anything! I don’t know who is going to be more mad by the end of six weeks her or I!
I did say to DH whether it is a good idea for us to go on vacation!!! Here are a few more pictures.
One of the day we woke to find mist over the mountains which cleared when the sun broke through.
The heather was coming out which we think was because it had been so dry.
We had lots of fluffy white clouds
On the road from the cottage to the main road there is an area which reminds me very much of The Game of Thrones sets that were used especially The North! Below are some pictures I took.
The Highland cows were in the field, last year’s baby!
One of this year’s babies!
A tiny Christmas tree. Needs to grow a bit before it can be dressed!
I went to The Festival of Quilts on the Sunday after we got back on the Saturday and I will show you those pictures tomorrow. Sorry this has been a picture heavy post but hope you have enjoyed our vacation to The Highlands!
Have a great Friday. Hugs & Love, Susie, DH & Coco xxx
August 9th National Book Lovers DayWhat can be more perfect than having National Book Lovers Day in the summer? It is generally when I read more than other times of the year when I am away on vacation. I have chosen quite a few to take away with us and looking forward to spending a few hours each day reading, so I thought I would show you what I have with me:
These are all from my “To Read” shelf! I also have some book tokens from my Birthday to spend too! Of course over the next week I may add some more books to this collection to take away with us!!!!!
The Book Lovers Book is one of those books I would probably not normally choose but it is summer so I wanted something frothy to read. The Ali Smith book is a fiction/fact book based around libraries, also Ali was born in Inverness! The Silence of the Library – I love these books, I have read quite a few and there are very similar books with Quilting in. They really are an easy read but good fun.
The Marlow Murder Club is another departure for me as it is modern based but in the style of Miss Marple/Agatha Christie. I will let you know how it goes! Edward Marston I have read a few of his Railway Detective books and loved them so I know I will love this. She Be Damned is another departure as it is set in 1863 and written around the Jack The Ripper story. Again I will let you know how I get on!
Three Authors who are my favourites so I know that these books will be good. Wildacre is also set in the eighteenth century so another historical novel which I love to get lost in.
Of course Clive Cussler has to be in there! The Isaac Bell adventures are again set in the early 1900’s and a departure from his usual up to date books but really good. The Oregon Files is about the spy ship and Juan Cabrillo and of course Dirk Pitt is in there. These are the books which I have not read and have now got all of Mr Cussler’s books!
As I say this may not been the final lot that goes, I may just sneak in a few more!!!!
I hope that you are all having a wonderful summer and finding time to relax and read.
Hugs & Love, Susie & DH xx
DH, Coco & I are On Vacation for the next two weeks!
HAPPY SUMMER EVERYONE!
Well July flew through with hardly a blink and now it is August!!
We have been watching the swimming at the Commonwealth Games on TV being held in Birmingham this year. Three swimmers from our Club have been competing and doing well. It is great to see these events.
This week I am busy trying to keep up to date with all jobs so that by the time Friday arrives we can pack and leave early on Saturday morning. Well it’s a plan 🙂 I have already put aside the books I want to take and have sorted out my quilting, so plan on doing a few things each day.
Of course I have to sort out Madams things as she is coming with us and there will probably be more of her things than ours!!!
DH and I spent a bit of time in the garden over the weekend trying to get things sorted and Coco was kept out until DH had finished mowing the lawn. This was the little face watching until she was allowed up!!!
In fact she spent so much time outside that she was absolutely shattered! This is the bench we have outside the back door and it is left out all year. She got on it and went to sleep!!! Last night she was so tired and still is today!! It is a lot of work being almost five months old!
I know this week will fly by and tonight I have a basket of ironing to do, again I am going to try and keep on top of that too!! Have a great week you lovely lot.
Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx
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.
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
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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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