Bye bye Ethel!

I missed blogging yesterday so a quick catch up.

Mum came over and she took Jack on an art trail in Littlehampton whilst I took all the dogs for a surprisingly warm walk along the beach. I took a great photo of the four little ones all together but I have stupidly just deleted a load of photos off my phone! oh well.

When mum and Jack got back we took another stroll along the seafront and went and had some lunch at one of the cafes down there, we discovered they do very nice saute potatoes! Mmmm

My friend Sarah met us down there along with her kids Louis and Daisy. Jack disapeared with them to go and watch the circus tricks, volleyball and steel drums at splash point. Mum and I nipped back to the house to get the dogs to give them an extra walk and then finally got home at 6, all knackered!

Again I took some photos of all the goings on at Splash point but deleted them!

Today we said goodbye to Lily, Henry and Ethel, and said hello to Hetty (here for the day), Bonnie and Pickles, who are here for one week.

Its been a while, christmas I think, since Bonnie and Pickles last came. They are 2 lovely golden retrievers, and the pair of them shot into the house like bullets, both very excited to be back! Pickles does this great little howl of excitment!

Bonnie and Pickles

Its been a lazy sunday and apart from getting everyone out for a walk Jack and I went for a quick bike ride, apart from that
 we have been lazy watching tv. I do like days like this!

Bonnie and Hetty

Jack and Madge

Grimness!

Grim, Grim, Grim!

Theres no other words to describe the weather today!

Fed up with it, when will it stop?

We did all manage to avoid the rain this morning, thank goodness, we all had a dry walk, but this afternoon Jack, Madge, Poppy and I got drenched walking home from school!

The worst thing is I can't get my hair wet because of yesterdays treatment, so I had my rain hood tied up so tight on my head I must have looked ridiculous!

Charlie went home first thing, then after the school run I took the 4 little ones out together on two double leads, Henry and Lily together and Poppy and Ethel together, they had a fab time!

Pops and Ethel had a great play earlier so took some (fuzzy) photos and a video clip.

Poppy: "At last, someone my own size!"

New doors!





What a day, I feel I haven't stopped!

Joining Jack and I on the school run this morning was Madge, Poppy and Django. Knowing I had a busy day I wanted to get as many as poss out first thing. Once home we had a new dog arrive, his name is Charlie, I think he must be a collie cross type dog. He's here just for the night and goes home tomorrow morning.

Stuart then arrived to put up my new doors. I am really pleased with them, they look great! All the doors in this place were totally mix matched, all different and looked terrible! Its amazing how different a place can look with different doors!

I just need to sand and paint around the edge of Jacks door as Stuart had to move the frame, so its looking tatty but won't take much to fix.

Soon after Stuart arrived I left him to it (he kept the dogs company too) and I went off to have my hair done. The Brazilian blowdry!! Has it worked? not sure yet!

I have to keep the treatment on my hair now for 4 days, not get it wet, and if it gets kinked I must use the straightening irons on it straight away, only then can I wash it with special shampoo. I will then be able to tell if its worked or not. The kerotin treatment reacts to heat, so everytime you blowdry or straighten the hair it makes the hair stronger and straighter! Time will tell if it was a waste of money or not!

Henry and Madge

Django went home this afternoon and little Ethel returned for another stay!

Django & Ethel

Charlie

Lily

 

Brrrrr Chilly!

What a chilly old morning today! We really had to wrap up in all the woolies this morning on the way to school. Thankfully the sun had warmewd up by the time I went out for the second walk.

I forgot to post this lovely photo of Poppy and Dillon yesterday so here it is....

I managed to get the others out on a walk together this morning, Tilly, Poppy, Henry and Lily. All were incredibly well behaved!

Django has joined us again today, just for the night. He seems to have bonded very quickly with Henry and they haven't stopped playing since he arrived and of course Poppy is in heaven as her best mate Tilly is here for the day.

Injections and Sqeeeeezings!

I hate to go on about it all the time but whats going on with the weather this year?

My car read 7 degrees this morning! Madness

Madge is not a happy girl, she had to go to the vets for her yearly injection, the dreaded booster, but worst of all......she had to have her anal glands squeezed! Now this is something she hates to have done, as I expect do most dogs! Its sure worth it though as not only does it stink she has also started doing (what Jack calls) doggy donuts on the floor! I wont go into too much detail but basically she scratches her bum whilst swivelling around in tight circles! I suppose it reminds Jack of when people do donuts in cars!

Sulking!

Truffle went next door today to Dinky Dogs to have her hair cut and came back smelling so gorgeous, complete with little pink bow. I think her mum will be very pleased with the way she looks, and of course smells!

Before

After

Harvey the choc lab pup is with us again today, he hasn't stopped playing since he got here, Poppy will be shattered tonight! These photos of them are hilarious, just blurs!

Paddy went home earlier, I'm not even sure Poppy has noticed hes gone because shes had Harvey to keep her occupied!

But I have added a great clip of her and Paddy playing tug'o'war!

Henry and Lily still seem to be nicely settled. Lily likes to sleep on the dog bed next to me or up on the pillows behind Jack on the big bed, I must try getting a photo next time shes up there and Henry is really enjoying playing with everyone.

Lolly Pops

Paddy, Poppy, Henry, Lily and Madge all had lovely long walks this morning. The forecast wasn't great for today but it was lovely first thing but its now starting to cloud over. I'm sure the weather can't get as wet and cold as it has been over the last few weeks, I am keeping positive that it can only get better (maybe the odd day or two of grim rain)

Poppy licking Madge, so calling her Lolly Pops

Nice day, Grumpy child!

Woke up this morning in a great mood as the sun was shining! It was so lovely and warm in the garden that the washing I hung out last night was dry and I sat out too eat my breakfast. I thought I would do a little more practising with the long lens on my camera, using the dogs and plants as my subjects (again). I am really pleased with the results so posting my fave pics onto here.

Poppy

Lily

Handsome Toby went home at lunch time and Lily and Henry the cavaliers arrived for a weeks stay. Its their first time and they have both settled in well, Henry is happily playing with Poppy and Paddy, and Lily, whos a little more timid is keeping herself to herself and also enjoying sitting in the sunshine.

Henry

Jack has been a bit of a grump today! His friend Jude said he would come over and play but in the end he didn't, so he asked if we could go to the park and see if any of his other friends could meet us there, so ,like a good mother I sent a text to all his friends and we headed off to the park. I got a reply from 2 of them to say they were out and couldnt come but no text from Louis mum. Jack asked if we could call round to his house as its very close to the park. I said we could but I very much doubt he will be in. Well guess what, he wasn't in, and Jack's mood went from being great to miserable in a split second. The whole way home he moaned and moaned about having no friends, about how bored he always was, how we never do anything, about how nice a day it is but theres nothing to do!!! it was never ending, he drove me mad!!!

How gorgeous does Madge look here!

Toby

Long may it last!

Sorry about the purple stripe, but look how sunny it is!

 Amazing! The sun is shining, its even warm, lets hope this is the change in weather we have all been waiting for!

Paddy and Toby both arrived this morning. Poppy is beside herself with happiness as she now has friends to play with. Madge is getting a little boring now she is 4!

Two nice walks along the beach today, although with the tide being in we had to stay up on the promenade.

Only 3 weeks today and we will be on the flight to Florida, some sunshine here first would be nice so I really do hope this lasts, theres nothing worse than getting to a hot country looking like a milk bottle when everyone else is bronzed! (although I have plenty of St Tropez fake tan in the bathroom cabinet so I'll be fine!)

Toby

Sunshine

Today the fabulous Basset Boys, Lewis and Monty went home! Its been lovely having them back, even though it was just for a couple of days. Pops is sulking, shes not at all happy they went, she actually cried at the door wanting to follow them when they left! She will perk up tomorrow when her mate Paddy returns and also Toby the black lab, he also loves to play so she will be very happy!

The boys had a quick walk along the beach this morning before going home, in some ways it was more of a drag than a walk, Lewis isn't the most keen to go out. He will quite happily plod along for a couple of minutes then he will slam on the breaks so I end up dragging him, I'm sure it must give people a good laugh watching!



preparing to pounce on a seagull

Poppy and Madge joined Jack and I on the school run this morning, and they will again this afternoon as the sun is out.....yes, the sun is out!


 Must make the most of it, we might even go to the park for a while if it stays nice.


We met Jessica the Miniture Schnauzer in the Park, shes been to stay with us many times over the last couple of years.



Poppy meeting one of our regulars, Jessica