Happiness is....

....a whole ten days off work. Bliss. I feel a bit of a skive considering we are so close to Christmas when I get another ten days off but I need the time to get my Christmas shopping done. Not that that is going entirely to plan. Despite a trip to Manchester and another to Chester, I have so far failed to find half the things I was looking to buy. I think I will have to revert to plan B if this afternoon's shopping trip is equally unsuccessful... the internet.
Failed shopping trips aside, my week off has been most pleasant, it's been good to relax. Voley came to stay at the weekend which was great- I'm hoping he returned home without any Barney inflicted injuries after being bulldozed by six stone of rather excitable puppy! We went to see Harry Potter on Saturday which didn't disappoint. It was dark and atmospheric but with moments of humour and I can't wait for the final part next year, it should be excellent. Could have done without the group of giggling teenage girls who went into raptures when Harry Potter stripped to his boxers though!
Sunday lunch was at my brother's pub and then we had a drive round the country lanes of Staffordshire before a short stroll around Bateswood Nature reserve.

Ducks in the gloom

Muscovy duck

I've been able to do a bit more walking whilst I've been off work. It's been a little nippy walking across the fields with Barney, the wind yesterday afternoon was like needles on my cheeks, but I love it. There's nothing better than being able to go out and not meet a single person..appeals to the hermit within!

It's been a long time

Well, this blogging lark isn't going so well, it's nearly 3 months since I last posted anything...must try harder. In my defence, I have been busy and don't seem to find the time to spend in front of the old computer screen...and my internet connection has been playing up. OK, enough of the excuses, I'm just rubbish. I shall make an effort to start writing again, but for the meantime I shall leave you with a couple of photos from bonfire night.

The bonfire was a little warm

Do you like my wellies?!

Simples!

I've been for a drive out to Snugburys this afternoon to see their straw meerkat sculpture. Of course, I had to sample an ice-cream whilst there....honeycomb, yum.

They also had some rather cute Kune Kune piglets.....delicious with apple sauce.

Nothing's safe

It would appear that the local Homewatch scheme isn't really working, there was a large sign between the two posts!

A few more Barney photos

Three months old and growing rapidly!

Barney loves collecting sticks

In a bit of a tangle

Preparing for take-off!

"Where have all those pansies gone?"

"They have to be here somewhere"

A spot of pond dipping

Hiding

The post with no name

How has your weekend been. Mine's been fairly relaxing, apart from having to do the housework and chase Barney round the garden a few hundred times (and fish him out of the pond a couple of times too).

I had my friends over on Saturday. It all started so civilised, I had even baked cakes for the occasion...then Barney decided to make an entrance. Within the space of 30 seconds he had caused absolute chaos, weeing on my friend's foot (fortunately he saw the funny side!) and then tipping over a vase of lilies that were on my hearth- it took me quite a while to remove the orange pollen stains from my pale coloured carpet. Fortunately, Barney redeemed himself the next day, after his disgraceful(!) behaviour, by being impecably well-behaved on his first walk. I'm sure it won't last!

Today, I've been for a walk and nearly got stampeded by a flock of sheep. I decided against walking through the field of cows.

Just before their friends decided to stampede

Safely on the other side of the fence

I have a busy week at work ahead. Last week I took a group of 30 disabled children and young people to Camelot Theme Park, trained a group of volunteers, learned how to change a colostomy and urostomy bag (not my own I hasten to add), and got asked out by a lecherous coach-driver...let's see if this week can be any more bizarre.

Holiday's over

It's been back to the grindstone for me today and after sitting at my desk for five minutes with around a foot of post and messages to sift through before I could even think about getting any other work done, I almost wished I had not had any time off. So, my day has not been quite as chilled and relaxed as the last few, the last two of which were spent in the very pleasant company of Voley. Yesterday we spent a leisurely afternoon ambling around Biddulph Grange Garden, another one of those places very close to home that I have never visited but ought to have done, followed by the consumption of unhealthily large slices (=wedges) of cake for afternoon tea. Here are a few photos taken (mostly by Voley with my camera) of the Garden. One of these days I will get round to uploading photos to flickr, but for now just a few will have to do.

Barney's getting bigger...and cheekier!

I can't believe we've had Barney for four weeks already, the time has flown by. He's grown so much in a month and he's starting to get very adventurous (= wayward). His favourite pastimes are getting wet and muddy, squashing and eating the plants in the garden, and getting himself stuck in places he shouldn't go. He is very cute though. He's had his first visit to the vet for his vaccinations and his second one to look forward to this coming week...then, the real fun begins, training him on his lead! He's been for a few walks on it round the drive and has done fairly well, though his tendency to lie down every few yards is probably not such a good idea once he is out in the lane! Here are a few more photos of him.

He loves his plant pot....

...and rolling on the grass (though mud is even better!)

"Ooh, I spy the pot of pansies...can I get there before they stop me?"

"Ner ner, got there first!"

Butter wouldn't melt

Barney loves Gladys the elephant....

...but not quite as much as he loves digging...

...and eventually, he runs out of steam!

In the garden....

...I found...

...one great-spotted woodpecker hanging on the nuts...

.....one baby frog sitting on a lily pad....

....one toad lazing in the pond.....

....a lily flower....

....and a giant caterpillar crawling on the drive.

I just wish I'd had my camera with me when the thrush was smashing snails and feeding them to her young.

Rain rain, go away

I know we badly needed rain, and I'm much happier now that the weather has cooled considerably, but did we really need to have the wettest week in some time whilst I am on annual leave? I had planned to go fruit picking so that I could make jam (there's nothing better than homemade strawberry jam spread on freshly home-baked bread, mmm), but the rain has not let up long enough to pick the fruit, and even if it did, all the strawberries have probably now turned to mush. Very annoying. So instead I am baking cakes...or trying to as, thwarted again, I don't appear to have all the necessary ingredients. I've made a lemon sponge and some almond slices, but the rest of my bake-a-thon will have to wait until tomorrow when I've done a spot of shopping!


I'm so enjoying not being at work this week though. It's been a hectic couple of months and my batteries needed recharging. My week so far has in general been fairly relaxed and I've been able to spend lots of time with Barney who is growing rapidly- I'll post some photos later- I really miss him when I'm at work. Retail therapy in Manchester went well; I came back with a number of successful purchases, without parting with much money (thanks to the gift cards courtesy of my Dad's American Express points!), which is my kind of shopping! Not much planned for the next couple of days, but Sunday and Monday will be spent in the company of my favouritest (yes, I know that isn't a word) friend, so I'm looking forward to that. Will have to wait until September then before I have any more time off- it's a hard life!!