ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

I love Sundays, love all the days, but especially 'SUNDAY'. Why???? Mmmm let me think. For most folks, it can be a day of rest, or having me time. A chance to visit friends and family.

Today we visited our friends, who we had an evening meal with on Friday. She has two horses, and I wanted to see them. Its several years since Math and I had to sell our three. This was a heart wrenching decision, but there appeared no option, due to work commitments and health issues. Having had horses for the most part of my life, I miss them not being in it. So it was an invite I couldn't miss.
Firstly I met Honey, a Irish Draught, 16.2 hands. A liver chestnut with a white blaze on her forehead. Very sociable, and appeared a well mannered (although I was told she could be a bit skitty) mare. Well what can I say, I was in seventh heaven. I would so love to have my own horse again, but I have to be sensible and realise that it would be very impracticable, at the moment anyway (who knows in a few months time). Next I was introduced to Hurricane a 2yr old unbroken filly, who took exception to my 'chic' aubergine coloured cap, and promptly removed it from my head (who was it that said never work with children and animals?).
Have to bring in my February LOVE theme now,' blah, blah all creatures great and small, love them all'. We have to do it, no matter how big or ugly, even if its only for this month try to love

them (come on, you know it makes sense).
After this, Math and I called at a shopping mall, to purchase a pair of walking shoes for him. It was buzzing, so passed on this and returned home. He then cooked a delicious lunch for us both. The rest of the day we just lazed about, reading the Sunday newspaper, having time together.
Guess you now know why I 'LOVE' Sundays.....

LOVE LOVE LOVE

What a wonderful night, good food, good company, too much wine!!!!!
Took me a while to get going this morning, I do find that it takes me longer to recover since the big 4 appeared in my life.
February is the month for lovers, I think love is such a small word for the many emotions that it can create. Just four letters from the alphabet,can be responsible for life long relationships, casual acquaintances, broken hearts, the list can go on and on. Everyone unique to the individual experiencing there own sensation.
So I've made a decision 'LOVE' is my February theme for my posts for the rest of the month. There is not a single thing on this planet that can have too much love, or so says the late and great 'walrus of love' Mr Barry White. So lets get it on........

Free Hugs for Valentines Day!

Free hugs to all of you for valentines day........enjoy!!!!

(Remember to press 'stop' on the audi player in the side bar, to listen to this great song).

EARLY ONE MORNING

Awake early this morning, the Tramadol didn't hit the spot last night. Thank goodness I have discovered blogging. Looking at some of the posts, passed away the early hours of the morning. Also reading them fills me with inspiration. I noted a verse by the novelist Barbara Kingsolver, on "Courage my Love" site (visit this blog to get that warm feeling, someone has hugged you).

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for.
And the most you can do is live inside that hope.
Not admire it from a distance but live right in it under its roof"

This verse is very significant to me at the moment. I must mention my very dear friend (soul sister). Unlike me, who is waiting for a date for my hip surgery, she is going into hospital for a knee replacement next week. We sound like a couple of old crocks, but believe me we are not. In the past we have shaken our booties on the dance floor, like there was no tomorrow. We met 17yrs ago whilst on holiday in Turkey. I knew from that first moment there was a special bond between us, and although we live some miles apart, we are always there for each other. No matter what life decides to throw at us. Friendship is a valuable gift, and needs to be treasured. I hope she will always know that I love and treasure hers. She must be terrified of the forth coming weeks, as I know I will be when I get my dates. We speak once a week on the phone, but she is constantly in my thoughts. I hope along with me, anyone who sees this post, will wish, pray do whatever you do, for a quick and speedy recovery for her.

I am going with m.a.t.h. to his business partners home tonight for a meal. They live in a beautiful old farm house, not to far away from us. They are modernising it bit by bit, but not losing any of its original style. How I would love to be let loose on it with an open budget. Luckily they have exquisite taste and style, and when completed, I'm sure it will be a credit to them.
I had better give myself plenty of time to get ready tonight, as 4am starts do nothing to enhance my looks. To be honest I look a wreck, piggie eyes, explosion gone off in my hair. Never mind I have my M.A.C products and YSL, Touhe Eclat, and hopefully candlelight.!!!!

WHITE STUFF

I'm so excited, received a reply to my first my comment today, it may sound sad but it makes my blog feel real. I was so nervous sending my first comment, have I done it right, hope it ends up at the right place. After all my worrying, I did it, thank you My Marrakech for your prompt reply, its made my day.

I first started exploring this colourful site before I had started my own blog. It became addictive to me , like chocolate, I just needed more and more.
This year I had decided I would do my part in helping this wonderful planet we call earth, by cutting down on my carbon-emissions. I would only visit my holiday home here in the UK. Alas I have to see Marrakech for myself, see with my own eyes the colourful sights, experience the delightful tastes and hear all the stories about its superstitions and history. Again thank you My Marrakech for sharing it with me.

Watched" Somethings Gotta Give" last night, with Jack Nicholson Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves. Really enjoyed it. Sat there with this daft grin on my face the whole way through, what the heck was she doing dumping Keanu Reeves for Jack Nicholson I'll never know ( sorry if you've not seen it, guess I've just ruined the end for you ). Never mind that, I loved the interior design of the beach house. I want it, want it. Failing that its given me some great ideas for some pieces of drift wood I've collected of the beach.

Well the weather folks promised us snow and sure enough, when I opened my curtains this morning, white every where. The garden and parkland looked all clean and untouched, funny how this white stuff brings out the child in me. I wanted to run bare foot over it, and be the first person to make my mark. Sense prevailed ( remember your waiting to go in hospital for hip surgery, you idiot),so I contented myself with a cup of Earl Gray, and looked at the crisp clean whiteness from my window. Later in the day I will see the snow used to its full potential, watching the children sledge and pelt each other with snowballs.

My son has just phoned to tell me that his girlfriends nan has died. She came out of hospital at the weekend after having heart surgery.
He's driving over to his girlfriends as she was really close to her nan, and is in bits. I have warned him to drive carefully ( its a 2hr drive to her home from his work place ) as they have given warnings of freezing ice on the roads.
What is it about the UK, the first signs of any adverse weather conditions we go to pot??? M.A.T.H always carries a spade, wellington boots and a ball of string in his car boot ( a tradition passed down from his grandad). Now I get the spade, understand the welhogs but why the ball of string?????

Sorry to digress but I've had my first comment, not a reply to one of mine but my very first comment. So I must sign off now to answer, also to tell la bellina mammina I'm trying her pear pudding at the weekend , it looks really yummy. Just the thing to lift your spirits on a cold winters day Brrrr .

FATE

In a previous post I mentioned my buddy Milo, he's absolutely gorgeous. Wherever I sit or lounge, he cuddles up to me, and gazes at me with his big brown eyes. He never leaves my side and whilst I have been unable to work has been my constant companion. Even now as I sit in the study writing my post, he is laid on the bed- sofa watching my every move, with such love and attention, I feel compelled to give him a stroke.
I feel at this point I must identify Milo, he is my 2yr old Prince Charles Cavalier Spaniel. He has lived with me since New Years Day 2006. He was brought for an elderly lady by her son for company (a specialty of this breed, original lap dog). Unfortunately she became unable to care for herself and had to move to a nursing home. Milo was taken to a Social Services kennels to be re-homed. This must have been an horrendous time for him, as he is such a people dog and thrives on human attention.
His plight had been brought to my attention, and on New Years Day I drove over to Leicestershire to the kennels (this was a considerable distance, so somewhere fate was taking a part in this). We had been to a party the night before, my M.A.T.H was driving so hadn't consumed any alcohol thus making this journey possible (again fate).
I had always been the owner of German Shepherd's previous to this, and in the back of my mind wasn't sure how I would gel with P.C.C.S. Also 2 yrs had past since I had lost Tess my G.S of 15yrs. Within that 15yrs Tess had been my bestest friend ever, never sharing any of my secrets I had told her. Loyal and true to the end, I broke my heart when she died and wondered if I could ever become close to another dog.

Back to our hero, we arrived at the kennels and was greeted by the owner, who informed us that a man had been on his way to look at Milo, but his car had broken down on the motorway and he wouldn't be able to pay for Milo( a fee of £170 was to be payed by any new owner for his kennel costs) because of the charges to repair his car. Again fate! as the kennel owner made it quite clear to the gentleman, no money no dog.
We were also told that a few days earlier a family had been to see Milo, but didn't think that they could put up with his constant yapping.
I am so pleased that their ignorance had given me the chance to meet Milo. Its not rocket science that a dog of a few months old had been at the centre of one woman's existence, then suddenly up heaved from this to a lonely kennel with little human contact, wouldn't they get excited when once again being fussed by the race he had grown to love and trust.
Anyway I digress, she let him out of his kennel whilst we stood outside, next minute a white and tan whirlwind blasted by us, doing at least 50 M.P.M (and yes he was yapping ).
The owner called him over to us, he was so excited his tail was wagging, his body was shaking, and he was still yapping. I knelt down to him, he was jumping on my knee, licking my ear, he was in such a state, off my knee, then jumping up M.A.T.H s legs ,(Tess would have thought his behaviour so naughty) all of a thing he was.
But you know that feeling, when you go into a house and know that you could live there, it was just like that with Milo. We payed our dues and demands and with the words of the kennel owner "I know a little doggy that's going to be very spoilt" ringing in my ears we left, Milo now sat very firmly on my knee.

Yes he is spoilt, but returns every kindness shown him with buckets full of love. My mother often comments (she is in the habit of repeating herself, but God knows what I will be doing at 76) "I never thought I'd see M.A.T.H fuss over a little dog like that". Milo has won the hearts of all my friends and family, there is a waiting list to have him should I go away. This is only if I go abroad, as every where I go Milo is sure to be there too, he enjoys nothing more than when we are at the holiday home to blast down the beach at 100 M.P.H, after the seagulls, A trait he is now so famous for, my son has brought him a red T-shirt with LIFEGUARD printed on it.

So to end the story, as you can see by his photo, he is as cute as cute can be. Even the vet thinks he's still a puppy (lets not talk about vet fees!!!). I have grown to love him, and feel sure that Tess wouldn't mind too much if that makes me happy, cos she was that sort of dog. No dog could ever replace her, but Milo has taken a new space in my heart and I love him because he's Milo.

LONG DAYS

Didn't do a post yesterday as not a great deal happened over the weekend. Saturday evening I called to see my mother, and then onto the local club to see my younger sister her husband and my niece. I have not been to the club for a long time, too long to mention, its not really my sort of thing . Nevertheless its good to see these sort of community establishments continuing, even after the closing down of the collieries and textile factory's. These were the main form of employment for a large part of the community.
Whilst there I noticed a man starring at me, it came about that he was the elder brother of one of my close school chums. He said I hadn't changed one bit (what a sweet sweet man), which was rather nice as it must be 31yrs at least since I had seen his sister, and I do know that time has taken its toll upon me.

Sunday was just a chill out day, don't know why I say just, my M.AT.H (man about the house) and I have so few of these together, that they are quite simply the best days.

Today I have been bored stupid (nothing new there then), one can only dust for so long. It would be a different story if I could drive further (my hip injury makes it painful to drive to far), I would be everywhere. I suppose I shouldn't moan. But the days are long when your on your own, and I don't count my dog as you can attract strange looks from folks if you discuss the daily news with him (I sure the postman thinks I have a strange man in the house or just that I'm strange, maybe I am!).