Home Sweet Home

Well I'm back, not quite into the old routein yet. We needed a meal out last night. I'm very badly jet lagged today. I slept most of the afternoon but was still tired when I managed to pull myself back into the land of the living. I just hope I'm not up roaming the house again at three o'clock in the morning again.

It was bright sunshine when I arrived back in Heathrow, but this morning, Oh dear, grey skies and pouring rain. There's been quite a bit of rain recently as well as very cold temperatures. The pond is almost brimming over but the fish were up and swimming this morning , not skulking away at the bottom as they do when the weathers cold. The temperature this morning was about 6 degrees but it felt colder to me.

The warm snuggly coat I bought in Vancouver to cope with all the weeks of snow and below freezing temperatures (which the Canadians insist they never have on the lower mainland of Vancouver!) wasn't coping keeping me so warm for some reason this morning in the horrible cold rain.

Well I got my wish of a white Christmas. We had snow from December 12th and there were still heaps of unmelted snow lying when I left yesterday, or was it the day before! Apparently Nancy woke up to another sprinkling of the white stuff yesterday. That would be when I was in the air flying home.

Dave took me grocery shopping across at Hampton this morning. Needs must. The fridge was bare as I found out at 3am when I was starving hungry. A mug of horlick had to suffice.

My orchids are flowering their little socks off! The green cymbidium has three flower spikes with three more coming. The red one has three flowering spikes. There are snowdrops and crocus out in the garden. The daffodils are shooting up as well and the lenten roses are flowering away. Springs definitely on the way.
One thing I missed when I was in Canada were the little garden birds and their singing. The blue tits, great tits gold finches and green finches were all at the feeding stations this morning twittering away. Even the cheeky squirrel put in an appearance.

The wet weather has played havoc with our house roof. We've small damp patches on our bedroom ceiling where rain has penetrated. Dave hadn't noticed it as it's across my side of the bedroom. We've a Roofer coming tomorrow morning to look at the damage. Hope it's not too bad, but I've also notices long hair line cracks in the ceiling that were not there when we went away in early December. I suppose houses have to show their age as well!

One year of Bloging

Today is the first anniversary of my blog I started it exactly one year ago today. Soon we will be saying Bonn Voyage to 'Blighty' again for a couple of month When we fly off back to Vancouver for yet another extended vacation.

Last year after I came home from Canada they had several snowfalls. I'm hoping well get some when we're over there this Christmas. That would just make it for me a White Christmas. I think in 44 years of marriage we've had about 3 White Christmases. One of them was the first year we married. Perfect.

Kobe

Alot of people have asked me what sort of dog I have when I buy large sacks of dog food. None I reply . It's my son's dog. He's a Neapolitan Mastiff. A what.............?

Well 6 years ago No. 2 son, Darrin, needed a dog. We suggested a rescue dog. No....no way. It had to be a large dog. He wanted a Neapolitan Mastiff! So several weeks later after an intensive internet search we drew up at an isolated farm house in deepest Essex. As soon as we emerged from the car this large six week old puppy bounded up and Darrin was hooked.

Bon-e-part his pedigree Kennel club name was the most boisterous of the litter. His father weighed in at 18 stone. Nothing disturbed us, the puppies were all so cute. We all were doggie novices although Darrin had some experience with a girl friends dog and he had 'jenned' up on the breed and dog care.

So Bon-e-Part now renamed Kobe, (after the Japanese City) came home with us. He cried, he was car sick and he (sorry) farted all the way home! Kobe (the city) had suffered a massive earthquake a few years before. Kobe (the dog) grew to cause earthquakes. Never never never buy the alpha dog in a litter!!!!

At 6 weeks old he looked so cuddly and soon settled in Darrin's large flat. Carpets were out of the question.

At 3 years, and still not fully grown he had to be banned from our sofa when he came to visit.
Now at 6 years old he's now a fully grown mature dog with teenage attitude problems. He's so soppy and friendly and likes allot of fuss but he's smelly, slobbery and constantly moults. He's had a few spell when he's had to come and live with us. Nightmare! I'm sure dog slobber could be collected and sold for glue! Once it's on the walls or window it's a really, really tough job to get off. On the last visit he was banned from the house but was quite happy in my studio with the patio door open so he could roam outside when he wanted.

He loves the walks around here and sniffs the base of every single tree so its a gentle walk until he realises we're on the way home then there's no stopping him. He gallops home dragging poor me behind him!

In the garden he drinks from the old washing up bowl. He slurps and splashes the water so much it has to be outside.

Oh and despite being car sick he really loves my car. Its an estate car but he will not stay in the back though. Oh no, he jumps in the rear door then, over onto the back seat and and sits there breathing in my ear as I'm driving. Just what you need, smelly breath and slobber in your neck when your driving.

Winter Flowers

Our orchids will soon need to be repotted. They're bursting out of the plastic pots they are confined in. They do like their roots confined but when they crack their pots it's time to upgrade. They've been sitting outside all summer, shaded from the little sun we had and exposed to all the rain. It must have done them good as the flower spikes are shooting up and the buds already opening.

This red orchid refused to flower last year but is making up for it this year. It was Dave's birthday present about four years ago.

Dave loves these waxy flowers but I must admit I'm not so taken.

Out in the garden the deep purple leaves of the Cotinus or 'smoke bush' have turned pinky red and orange. Soon the branches will be bare but I can enjoy these brilliant colours for a few more days yet.

This little pink ground cover rose has always lived in this pot so doesn't always flower as prolifically as it ought to but despite the cold and frosts its still flowering it's socks off.

The buds of the Christmas roses or Lenten roses are poking through the ground and will soon be out in full flower. I have several clumps of these plants dotted around the garden, most self seeded, and they make a cheerful display in the bare winter garden. I usually have a table arrangement of these lovely winter flowers on the Christmas table. This year I'm going to miss the best of their display. I wonder could I pot some and smuggle them with me to Canada. Perhapse not. I tried to find some plants over in Canada a couple of years ago when I was doing some planting in Nancy's garden.

Springfields

Yesterday (Saturday) we had to collect Miss 'Freckles' from her home in Bourne, so with her Dad we made a trip over to Spalding, our 'Home' town. After picking up our usual large order of 'Browning's' Sausages for the freezer we skipped the town centre and headed for Springfields retail outlet for a little retail therapy. Miss Freckles announced it was her most 'fav' shopping place.

We didn't go planning to buy much but we needed a Christmas wreath for Ma & Pa in Laws memorial stone in Spalding Cemetery.
After a disappointing mediocre lunch in the restaurant attached to the Festival Garden Centre we all split up. We headed into the plant area only to find a dearth of wreaths. We are too early for them apparently. After wandering around debating our options we plumped on a pretty flowering pot plant hoping it would fit into the well of the stones metal flower vase. (It didn't, but I made it!)
A couple of books and a half priced expensive expanding suitcase later we all met up at Costas for more coffee. It was so cold (the weather not the coffee) we all decided enough was enough and headed back for the car and home.

On the way home Miss Freckles decided she wanted to take a photo on her camera phone of the rather splendid sunset .

But she certainly didn't want advice on how to from Dad!
Dad doesn't know he should open his eyes when being photographed!

First Snow of Winter

Sunday Morning
It's freezing and gray
Not nice

But this is a perfect antidote



for this!

Plus the Sunday papers and a hot coffee of course.

Preparing for the Festive Season Part 2

As we are jetting off to spend Christmas in Canada this year my thought are whizzing around my head making virtual 'to do' lists. The family Christmas presents need to be thought about bought and wrapped early. None of the previous years last minute gift wrapping late on Christmas eve!

This week I turned my attention to Christmas cards. Over the last few years I made my own. Not from penny pinching but from the sheer enjoyment and relaxation of creating them. I originally thought that this year I would just go out and buy them but, rooting about in my art cupboard I dragged out the card making materials and started messing about with ideas. Soon the cards started to stack up once more.

They get easier, quicker and maybe a little more professional to create year. It's really an absorbing relaxing pastime. Very satisfactory. Even addressing the envelopes, something I've always hated doing is easier now days with my list of addresses all computerised I just press a few keys and the envelopes spews out, all addressed and ready to send.