Tuesday 14 May 2013
Posted with Blogsy
Sun, Sand, And The Wetlands.
What a busy week it has been for me, for us all really. Last weekend the weather was pretty good and we spent a few days on the beach. Not sunbathing beachy stuff, but dog walking and playing in the sand weather. The puppy loves the beach too which is just as we'll considering we live a two minute walk from the sand.
Sadly on the way back from the beach last Monday Sol had a bit of an accident. We were almost home, maybe 30 yards from the house when she walked into a wall and hit her mouth. She badly broke one of her front teeth and hurt her mouth considerably that she couldn't stop crying for quite some time. Lucky for us the emergency dentist was on hand and we were able to get seen within about half an hour of the accident happening. They repaired Sol's tooth with white resin like material and she went back the following day for x-rays. It is left with this repair on it, which actually looks pretty good, and we have to watch for discolouration incase the tooth dies. Sol is fine about it now, but I am still a bit upset at the damage.
Yesterday we went to the wetlands, we've been before and it's not really advanced much since it was created three or four years ago. Still the wildlife must like it as we saw a few birds and came across a frog. The frog was just sitting in the water, we picked it up but didn't realise it was spawning till we got it out the water. Amazing though.
You will see in the photos that Sol is wearing a patch on her eye. The patching has been ongoing due to various eye problems that she has had since birth. She patches three hours a day now and it's an essential part of her treatment even though it isn't nice to look at. Sol is having surgery at the end of the month to help the cosmesis of her eyes, is going to be milestone for her and probably a traumatic time for me. It's taken many many years to get to this stage in her treatment.
Tuesday 23 April 2013
New Addition To Our Family
We had been looking for one for a while. A dog that is. We had come across a particular dog lat year called Tasha, she was a four year old boxador and needed a home. She loved the kids and the kids loved her. Sadly is wasn't to be and some other family took her. This, however, whetted our appetites and we had been looking ever since.
I told the family that there would be no puppies. Puppies poo and pee everywhere. Puppies chew. Puppies whine in the night. Definitely not a boy puppy as boy dogs lift their legs everywhere.
Anyway that's what I said.
We saw several dogs over the months, none created that spark, none filled that gap in our lives. Until Easter Monday when we happened to stumble across a chocolate labrador with 11 puppies.
This dog had been given in to the local rescue centre, and they initially thought she was fat. They took her to the vet to get spayed. The vet had her under anaesthesia and realised she was pregnant! Long story short, the vet was concerned that the puppies would be reabsorbed or stillborn so took her home herself to look after this chocolate momma. A few weeks later this tubby chocolate labrador gave birth to 11 perfect, healthy black puppies. So after seeing the momma dog on Facebook we arrived at the animal shelter for doors opening on Easter Tuesday and was almost first in the queue to ask about the puppies. We arranged to go to the vets house to see them, which we did that very day. As I sat on the ground this little female pup came and put her paws on my knee. She then chased the children round in circles until she collapsed in a heap through happiness exhaustion. We had her microchipped to us on the spot, and a week or so later we brought her home.
A puppy! We called her Olivia. She's a beaut and she doesn't chew the furniture, nor does she pee and poop everywhere. I am training her, I have to if I want a good clean house, as I can't get anyone else to do the job right.
I told the family that there would be no puppies. Puppies poo and pee everywhere. Puppies chew. Puppies whine in the night. Definitely not a boy puppy as boy dogs lift their legs everywhere.
Anyway that's what I said.
We saw several dogs over the months, none created that spark, none filled that gap in our lives. Until Easter Monday when we happened to stumble across a chocolate labrador with 11 puppies.
This dog had been given in to the local rescue centre, and they initially thought she was fat. They took her to the vet to get spayed. The vet had her under anaesthesia and realised she was pregnant! Long story short, the vet was concerned that the puppies would be reabsorbed or stillborn so took her home herself to look after this chocolate momma. A few weeks later this tubby chocolate labrador gave birth to 11 perfect, healthy black puppies. So after seeing the momma dog on Facebook we arrived at the animal shelter for doors opening on Easter Tuesday and was almost first in the queue to ask about the puppies. We arranged to go to the vets house to see them, which we did that very day. As I sat on the ground this little female pup came and put her paws on my knee. She then chased the children round in circles until she collapsed in a heap through happiness exhaustion. We had her microchipped to us on the spot, and a week or so later we brought her home.
A puppy! We called her Olivia. She's a beaut and she doesn't chew the furniture, nor does she pee and poop everywhere. I am training her, I have to if I want a good clean house, as I can't get anyone else to do the job right.
Tuesday 5 February 2013
Snow Day
A couple of weeks ago we had snow. I regretted so much that I didn't get any photographs I actually wished for more snow. You see, where we live the last time we had snow was two years ago, the time before that was ten years ago. So when I missed the opportunity to take photos of the children building snowmen and playing I really kicked myself.
Seems this morning my wish for more snow came true. At sunrise I was out taking photos, the fields and sky glowed red, it was beautiful.
The children were quick to get dressed to go out to play. By nine o'clock everyone was outside busying themselves in the garden with shovels and tools for scooping snow. Who cares about lessons on a day like this. This snow bunny appeared in no time at all, with forecast showing rain at lunchtime everyone knew the urgency.
This is our park, not 'our' park but the village park. The one where usually you sit and look out at the sea soaking up the view, while the children play. Today was different, the only sitting involved was sitting on a sledge.
Down the hill towards the park at quite a speed, screaming the whole way!
If you steer just right you can sledge your way down and under the climbing frame, its important you duck otherwise you will get a sore head.
The toys get a go on the sledge too.
It gets to a point where everyone is cold and wet and its time to go home.
Seems this morning my wish for more snow came true. At sunrise I was out taking photos, the fields and sky glowed red, it was beautiful.
Down the hill towards the park at quite a speed, screaming the whole way!
If you steer just right you can sledge your way down and under the climbing frame, its important you duck otherwise you will get a sore head.
The toys get a go on the sledge too.
It gets to a point where everyone is cold and wet and its time to go home.
Friday 25 January 2013
January Round Up
I need to take stock!
I have spent a fair amount of time sick in the last 12 months. There's been ups and downs, a few hospital trips and a lot of soul searching. I have neglected my friends, online and real life. I've not gone to my groups or meetings, avoided social situations too. It's been tough. I have been trying to get better I think I am almost there now, I think. Physically I still have a few issues, like but I'm feeling a lot better emotionally.
Since my last post on my blog there's heaps that's happened, oh and I forgot to mention we have a holiday abroad a few months ago too. I need to share photos, it was pretty good, I guess better late than never.
We had a heap of work done on our house too. My house is 100 years old and constructed with solid walls. Of course nice as that is the walls were cold and attracted condensation. This lead to dampness which was not fun to live with. We had the whole house dry walled! This is like an extra wall and cavity added to take away the cold walls. I have to say its made an amazing difference already, we turned the thermostat down too and I am looking forward to lower fuel bills. We swapped the kids bedrooms around while we had the rooms empty, I think we've made better use of the rooms.
Another big thing that happened is that Sol was ill. She was admitted to hospital with bleeding from her bowels. She had three weeks of being under the weather and suffering from tummy bug symptoms. Her diagnosis - camplyobacter! Where she got it from we have no idea, all we know she was sick and lucky for us we didn't catch it so I could stay with her.
Christmas was okay, we'll actually it was painfully ordinary and boring. The kids all got bicycles so they had a lot of fun, other than that nothing happened.
Okay I shall catch up with everything else when I can.
I have spent a fair amount of time sick in the last 12 months. There's been ups and downs, a few hospital trips and a lot of soul searching. I have neglected my friends, online and real life. I've not gone to my groups or meetings, avoided social situations too. It's been tough. I have been trying to get better I think I am almost there now, I think. Physically I still have a few issues, like but I'm feeling a lot better emotionally.
Since my last post on my blog there's heaps that's happened, oh and I forgot to mention we have a holiday abroad a few months ago too. I need to share photos, it was pretty good, I guess better late than never.
We had a heap of work done on our house too. My house is 100 years old and constructed with solid walls. Of course nice as that is the walls were cold and attracted condensation. This lead to dampness which was not fun to live with. We had the whole house dry walled! This is like an extra wall and cavity added to take away the cold walls. I have to say its made an amazing difference already, we turned the thermostat down too and I am looking forward to lower fuel bills. We swapped the kids bedrooms around while we had the rooms empty, I think we've made better use of the rooms.
Another big thing that happened is that Sol was ill. She was admitted to hospital with bleeding from her bowels. She had three weeks of being under the weather and suffering from tummy bug symptoms. Her diagnosis - camplyobacter! Where she got it from we have no idea, all we know she was sick and lucky for us we didn't catch it so I could stay with her.
Christmas was okay, we'll actually it was painfully ordinary and boring. The kids all got bicycles so they had a lot of fun, other than that nothing happened.
Okay I shall catch up with everything else when I can.
Tuesday 16 October 2012
Missing Cake
Seb's birthday turned out good.
Looking back on my blog all the recent posts have been about birthdays. From July to October we have a birthday every three weeks, its a very busy time of year for us. Other half kicks it off on the 19th July then there is no rest till all six of us have celebrated our special days (or not as in my case).
I was cruel to Seb. I didn't bake him a cake or cupcakes, I bought a cake instead but refrained from letting him know.
I waited until the Friday night and I told him that I was so sorry that I didn't have time to bake. He said that was okay and not to worry about it and that he would be just fine. All day Saturday, which was his actual birthday I dropped in now and again that we didn't have his cake or cupcakes done. Each time Seb was really grown up and gracious about it. He was given some chocolate from a friend so he even agreed that I would use the chocolate bar and put a candle in it to sing Happy Birthday to him. We had a nice meal and afterwards I disappeared off to 'prepare the chocolate'. Everyone was in on the secret.
When I walked back into the room with his cake this is what his face was like ...
You could not have faked that look for a million pounds. He was thrilled with his cake and not one bit cross that I had tricked him.
We got him a kindle as his main gift, which he was delighted with. He also got plenty of books, chocolate and a few other bits.
This year we didn't really plan any birthday parties. Money was a bit tight for a while and to be fair I thought the children could have a choice of what to do now they are getting older. Each child opted for a day out or a shopping trip. Seb chose to go to the transport museum, despite visiting the museum on a previous birthday he still loved it.
Looking back on my blog all the recent posts have been about birthdays. From July to October we have a birthday every three weeks, its a very busy time of year for us. Other half kicks it off on the 19th July then there is no rest till all six of us have celebrated our special days (or not as in my case).
I was cruel to Seb. I didn't bake him a cake or cupcakes, I bought a cake instead but refrained from letting him know.
When I walked back into the room with his cake this is what his face was like ...
We got him a kindle as his main gift, which he was delighted with. He also got plenty of books, chocolate and a few other bits.
This year we didn't really plan any birthday parties. Money was a bit tight for a while and to be fair I thought the children could have a choice of what to do now they are getting older. Each child opted for a day out or a shopping trip. Seb chose to go to the transport museum, despite visiting the museum on a previous birthday he still loved it.
Monday 1 October 2012
Tree Today Gone Tomorrow
I love our front garden. Its not very big, certainly very small in comparison to the back garden. However the little garden is pretty and has a cosy feel to it, if you could describe a garden in that way. When we moved in to our house there were two little trees in one of the borders, they were fine and didn't cause any trouble at all. Over the years the trees have gotten larger and have at times been in the way. They block the light and I cant see the children playing from the dining room window. They had to go.
Our neighbour who is a keen chainsaw-er very kindly offered to do the deed for us. So on Saturday we decided that while the rain stayed away we would go ahead with the job. Sol got very upset at the prospect of losing her trees. She hid from the sound of the chainsaw and wanted to make a tree grave for our two trees. She came round however at the promise that I plant something new and pretty, something that will attract butterflies in the summer.
The rest of the week was uneventful. We had another day up in the city of Belfast shopping. Seb needed new shoes for his Boy's Brigade club so we made that an excuse to go shopping again. He did well him and his sisters got chatting to the shop assistants in the Geox shop and ended up with three Geox watches to go along with Seb's new shoes.
Later on in the Castle Court Centre Seb was watching the Pretzel makers at Auntie Annes pretzel stall, he watched intently how they stretched and rolled the dough. After a few minutes the pretzel guys came over and gave him this huge pretzel for free. Seb was delighted of course and they were more than happy to give him further demonstrations in pretzel making. I thought that was really nice.
Our neighbour who is a keen chainsaw-er very kindly offered to do the deed for us. So on Saturday we decided that while the rain stayed away we would go ahead with the job. Sol got very upset at the prospect of losing her trees. She hid from the sound of the chainsaw and wanted to make a tree grave for our two trees. She came round however at the promise that I plant something new and pretty, something that will attract butterflies in the summer.
The rest of the week was uneventful. We had another day up in the city of Belfast shopping. Seb needed new shoes for his Boy's Brigade club so we made that an excuse to go shopping again. He did well him and his sisters got chatting to the shop assistants in the Geox shop and ended up with three Geox watches to go along with Seb's new shoes.
Later on in the Castle Court Centre Seb was watching the Pretzel makers at Auntie Annes pretzel stall, he watched intently how they stretched and rolled the dough. After a few minutes the pretzel guys came over and gave him this huge pretzel for free. Seb was delighted of course and they were more than happy to give him further demonstrations in pretzel making. I thought that was really nice.
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