Merry christmas xx

Merry christmas.

Two tree's this year.

My sensible one and Nell's mad explosion !!!! of pinkness, in which a bluetit! as decided to spend christmas!!and why not.

We've tried to photograph her [must be a her] she's just to quick for these digital cameras ! but a living ornament who could ask for more.

Have a lovely time my wonderful friends, you've given me a lot of fun and hospitality this year, Jane it's nearly a year since you came here about 4 monthes P C [ before purple coo] Time as flown...........

I've met some lovely people in the flesh so to speak, real charactors and strong personalities all with a ready smile and an amazing capacity just to live life to the full.

Your all pretty special you know ! ! ! and guess what i'm going to meet more of you this year!

"I Can't wait".......xxxxx

A fond farewell.........

A tribute to Tye's Ball's..

I sit here feeling very sad and Tye is at my feet feeling far far sadder!! He's had a day at the vet's and as returned home minus his jew claws! and his Bollocks !!!!!!!!! And unless you've met him you won't realise how odd it seems for him not to have them...... They where always on display red and shiny and much commented on!!! usually from men "Gorrrr look at the size them" and "do you polish um missus" ... He suddenly looks girly even with his beard and were his gnarly claws were is far too smooth and delicate looking..Legs like a super model rather than a warrior.

I shouldn't have had it done and i feel bad! it was peer pressure from the first moment i saw him in the Dog pound.... The first thing that was said to me was "He'll need castrating and his jew claws removing" our vet said the same more than once and i berludy well listened!!!!! and parted with my cash.....And today feeling like i was commiting the ultimate betrayal to my faithful mate [i was] as he was dragged into the surgery Panting! eyes protruding! claws scrabbling at the floor!!! "Go they said he'll calm down when your out of sight" . hhmmm ...Well they succeded in operating but i got a phone call as soon as he awoke "can you come for him ASAP" "he won't stop howling" "and is so upset he may hurt himself" sure enough i could hear him in the background HOW HOW HOW HOWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL i couldnt help a giggle, but never have i seen a more relieved dog or nurse than when i arrived.........but now at home he won't look at me and when he does his eyes say "what have you done? WHY??

And i have no answer.....

Christmas fair..

Taken today!

Well amidst the hussel and stress of the last month, i managed just in time to be prepared for the christmas fair in the village.. it's a lovely day and one of the only days in the year when i see my neighbours and friends and isnt it always a shock how much older everyone looks for the first few minutes of meeting , and i realise it must be the same to them as well.............I'd lots of stock left from my old shop and i'd been busy doing clove oranges, and pot porri [ spelling] from the seed heads and herbs from the garden.... Nell was a waitress ! in between doing a sideline selling set's of ten pieces of folded paper and an elastic band for 10p!! the skallywag ! she did very well and i didn't hear to many complaints from people being thwaked by anonymouse wads of paper...............My brother usually has a stall but he's in Turkey this year he was missed.

I also managed to get a copy of "World without end" by Ken follet it's the sequel to " The pillars of the earth" and i've been waiting nearly 20yrs for it, but i'll wait a bit longer when i'm not stretched between two houses then i can really get to grips with it...

The medieval fayre.

The photo has nothing whatsoever to do with the blog it's me and pili on the village sports day the photo was taken by colon we hadn't noticed the sign....

It is now a Tradition with a capital T a family and friend one; The Ludlow medieval fayre! i wish i could be as eloquent as some of you at describing events but here goes.

We always wait until dark! its got to be dark ! the atmosphere in the castle ruins with its walls looming above you , the cobbles and mud either tripping you or making you slip, the woodsmoke smoke from the open fires and chestnut stalls making the air hazy and making the stallholders and organisers all in authentic costume made me feel like i'd slipped back in time and landed in the middle of an elizabeth chadwick novel ..The amazingingly blummin brilliant musicians whose old instrumants, [serpentine is the only name i remember] and gravvely voices, throb in my soul and before you know it i,m jigging about with the artists having a great time [ this is before the mulled wine] how is it possible to lose a group of 10 of us i don't know but i did...maybe they hid?

Theres a man there every year selling authentic copies of stone ware pots at very reasonable prices, so i treated myself to two mead pots and a hand washer [ a very clever device]And learned the history of all his other bits and pieces prompted by curious Nell.

Then into the tents for mulled wine Hmmmm lots of !! , cider and fruit possets .. the smell of the clove oranges was delicious immedietly the christmas feeling is upon me and and i shop until the the knight , whose hauberk i threatened undo escorted us out...and the evening continued in that theme i'm afraid !!! I think it was when the franciscan monk told me to go and dance!! he'd look after my bag!!! "Just cos your wearing a Habit" "doesnt mean i have to trust you" i said "i've watched Robin hood you know"........

What i did yesterday.

In between hospital visits, i got on with some work doing mobiles this is the first 12 of the 44 ordered, so back i go to my Drill and vice........

The Dog's!

MOORNS STYLE

I never write much about all the dogs, you all hear of tye's adventures and Ben the unrepentant drunk..............But the greyhounds [ Gayhounds as j calls them] very rarely get a mention or a photo shoot mainly because they are so good and far to fast to catch on digital unless they are asleep.... Well i finally got a picture of moo playing shes such a shy girl and stays close to my heel all the time then suddenly she'll have a burst of happiness and play for about 30 seconds, really lovely to see and this was a very lucky shot.....We've had her for about 14monthes shes 7 years old and an ex hurdler she'd done nearly 200 races in her time and won her owners a lot of money...Luckily for her, her owners cared enough to rehomed her..... She'd never had a litter... she's very plain and doesnt have many teeth, i would have overlooked her if there'd been a choice, but there wasn't and i'm so lucky!!! She's a love!

The other dog in the photo the brown one is SACHA, i got her at the same time as tye from a sanctuary just outside manchester............It's heartbreaking and i should know better than to visit...
It's professionaly run, and you pay 50p to go in, and all these poor dogs are on display with notes printed above of their history and their price, usually£75 upwards... there is no home visit you fill in a form pay and if it doesnt work out you can return the dog and get a credit note, it sounds bizarre but it works...............
I just shouldnt go i never learn! Sacha was in one of these cages With the note ! 6yrs old elderly owner passed away!! she was enormous 8st and only the size of a small lab, She'd become flat footed with being so fat, and her claws were really long because they didn't touch the floor, she'd caught a bug and was making enough snot [won't go into that] but it was truly gross..But boy did she have a wonderful expressive face and smiling eyes even in that state.......You must remember i'd gone looking for a greyhound type,,,,, i went further along and spotted an elegant brindle and white thing sat leaning with his back to the gate, head down he wouldnt look around just slumped body language said it all, his history read " Tyeson, 18mth old lurcher, owners have a new baby! !.....
"Oh no!! Nell what do we do" she shrugged get them both!! I need no pushing! "if they get on" i told the kennel girl ! "i'll have them both!! sh.t what'll colon say!! And guess what they " got on" ......£150 later and some help lifting Fatso into the car they where ours.....
And arriving home an hour and a half later in a Snot smeared car HEAVE!!!!!!!!!!
Col was in the yard when we pulled in and unfazed as usual! helped get them out make a fuss of them and introduce them to the others!!! And we havent regretted it for a minute they are both extremely faithful and the clowns of the bunch...........
You must understand i'm not "dog mad" They have there place, the house is out of bounds except for the 2 gayhounds and old man Ben .. Gosh! thats still 3 dogs sleeping inside! it doesnt seem many when you have 8...But they are out all day unless it's raining or windy or sunny Yikes maybe i am getting dog mad! or just plain soft !!

Grandpa, and drunken dog.

I'm writing this blog with a sigh of relief, Grandad [pictured above during one of our courses]As been in for major surgery today, one of the awful operations in which survival is unlikely at the age of 40 never mind 81. He had an embalizm?? in the main artery in his groin. there was program on about it about a month ago urggh grusome, well the old bugger's survived the op and is comfortable ..And what a relief, He's brilliant and is very much loved by us all, think grandpa off the Waltons thats him..

And BEN the Jack russell is -issed When unloading the shopping col dropped a bottle of bailys in the yard! cleared the glass , and of course the dogs licked it up between 8 thats not much but unnoticed to us most had trickled under the car where only BEN can fit.!. Well i thought he was dying, he'd disgraced himself ! emptied the bin ! and couldn't care less!! Talk about a bad drunk!! he attempted to fight with tye and missed!! They are all just watching him fascinated and we are ! his tail is going up and down? and his heads on a spring its Very funny but at his age he should know better 91 in our years!! Tomorrow he'll pay.

Well no visiting until tomorrow for Fil as he's still sedated . Fingers crossed everyone That he pulls through xx