What a week.

One of those that if any thing could fuckup, it did. From household disasters and stress to personal stuff. This week has felt like lurching from one disaster to another and all in 48 hours. But this isn't a whine-a-lot post this is a post about affirmation. Because through all that has occurred one thing remains constant, and that is the love and I get from a little a red dog.

She doesn't mind if I get upset or grumpy or go all silent because I am too drained to talk. She is a constant source of joy, happiness and living her life to the full. She can make me smile at my lowest ebb.

She also shows me, that I have to smile through it, move on and get over it. Clever wee beastie she is.

Went away, back now.

M and I went off for a few days, down to Dartmoor and the above is the view from our window. We stayed in a fab pub on the edge of moor called The Tradesman's Arms. Good ales, great rooms, warm welcome and good food too. They are dog friendly too.

We met up with lots of friends and M climbed the old lighthouse in Plymouth. I am sitting on one of the benches below waiting for him.

We went on the moor and found a lamb at Hound Tor. We explored and laughed and came home feeling much better for a break.

And when we got home we celebrated J's 16th birthday. Had a fabulous day. Am so proud of him. He has grown into a loving, funny, clever and articulate young man. Must have being doing something right. We all went to see Despicable Me 2 - on Friday (in 3D) - so funny - worth going to see.

Last bit  - cameo by Lottie Bo-Bo - she got a pressie from a friend we met up with on holiday. A Kong squeaky tennis ball - apt for Wimbledon - she loves it and has yet to let it out of her sight. The Boggart gave his a hair cut, desqueaked it and now ignores it.

This weekend....

 I had a baking morning on Saturday. Above are cheese, paprika and oregano scones and below is a chocolate mocha layer cake. J had a cold and (he is never normally ill) and was down in the dumps so I thought some lovely home baked goodness would help....I  think it did....there was nothing left by yesterday evening.

 I finished my 'Hermione hearts Ron' (pattern on Rav). I modified the rib and the depth to suit how I like to wear hats. I used a hand spun alpaca silk blend in natural cream. It is still drying out from its wash because it is a dense knit.

I managed to complete three hats in my week of hat knitting - quite pleased with that.

Finally M and I stripped Lottie - who now looks all cute and puppimified. Took most of Sunday afternoon  but it was worth it....just need to tidy her paws and claws. Next week it will be time to wrangle the Scottie!

Poor neglected little blog

Time is flying by and I've been uber busy. To catch up. I finally finished this pair of socks that have been on the needles since April (details are on my Ravelry page). The pattern 'Show Off Stranded Socks' is designed to 'show off' hand dyed/variegated yarn and  on the legs it works but on both feet there was some serious pooling. I don't mind this and the socks are for me so it doesn't matter anyway....but I do kind of wished it hadn't.

Jubilee tiara for Lottie - she was unimpressed to say the least especially as the day before she got her first taste of live prey....she cornered and snapped at a mouse that Conkers had bought home to play with (3 mice in two days). She didn't hurt it, M rescued and released it, but she's been a bit hyper and trembley ever since.

 M cleaned out the spiders which enabled us to have a good close look at Tiny and by the looks of it (without shooting myself in the foot here) I'd say Tiny is a girl!

Working on some new own designs - quite happy with this - it's working name is 'The Orange Sock of Happiness'. Oh and I have gone all a bundle on bright orange and green. Bizarre how my colour tastes have changed a couple of years back I hated orange and always was drawn to pinks etc.

My never ending Pi shawl - this had to have some serious ripping back this week as I dropped two stitches (whilst moving between circs) right in the middle of a load of yarn overs and it could not be recovered in a 'tidy enough' way. Bit pissed off with it right now so have ignored it over the weekend and got on with some secret knitting instead.

Still reading for the 52 book challenge, even though I've passed book 52 already. Getting ready for our family holiday this month and M's and mine trip away - am excited.

That's all the blog worthy stuff for now.

Lady Grr Grr is not amused!

Now this just takes the Bo-Bo biscuit - as if it isn't bad enough that the o'rrible smelly Boggart gets in my bean bag now Conkers McBonkers aka Killer is trying to muscle in and squish me out. This is beyond BT tolerance! I am going to write to my member of Pawliament because these cats just do not stay within reasonable boundaries! I can feel his nasty little green gimlets burning into my back willing me to move, but I was here first and this beanbag smells of dog so it is mine. This Lady Grr Grr (aka Mrs Grunty) is NOT for moving!

Beanbag budger

Every time I get comfy in the little beanbag I get squished out of it by the beanbag budger aka Fergus McNortybeard. It is so not fair. He sits above me and huffs and wriggles and budges until I have no space left. If he could read I'd a letter of complaint!

Sunday Zzzzzzz's from Mrs G

We was a bit tired from helping to paint the fence in the back garden, the Scottie idiot now has fence paint in his lugole - only he could manage that. So when we came indoors we both wanted the same sunny spot on the monkey fings bed. Old Haggisbrain has such a big snoz he has to rest it on somefing, todays somefing was me, I was less than impressed but was not going to give up pole position so allowed him this little favour of using me as a snoz rest.....don't worry he will return that favour with interest!

We snoozled for ages to recuperate our strengths which was a good fing as then it was time to go back out and do some raking....I loves me that rake.....I loves it so much I wants to kiss it all the time with my teggies!

We is tired again now but is waiting for the monkey fings to settle down so we can snoozle on them!

Bought to you by the letter 'B'

 'B'irthday socks for Ma off the needles and

onto the 'B'lockers. So happy to have finished them - in plenty of time for her birthday and because although I love the pattern with the skinny yarn and needles they seemed never ending.

'B'order in the bed.

 'B'ogey on the bed looking very 'B'lack and 'B'ushy.

'B'oth 'B'uggers on our 'B'ed.

T'evils

I has em. Give me more Bo-bo bikkies....you must obey me and my laser eyes....you will feed me NOW!

The ballad of Ferlock Bones and Mrs Grunty

(cos Tash asked me to)

Now this is a tail within a tale
about the demonic biscuit tin.
It made a noise and spun about and
it didn't have biscuits in!

Ferlock Bones was quite perplexed
and furrowed his noble brow,
whilst Mrs Grunty pranced about and
menaced it with her growl.

Ferlock shot an artful glance towards the evil tin,
"What's the point of it all?" he asked "It has no biscuits in."
Mrs Grunty's head shot up -"Biskits did you say? Where did they go? Who ate them all?
Or did they run away?"

"The tin ate its own contents," Ferlock Bones replied
"and that's why it makes a din. It's middle is all empty and it needs
more biscuits in!"

"Well it can sod off" said Mrs G "all them Bo-bo bikkies are mine.
You'll have to find  another way
to stop it moaning all the time."

Ferlock said "Be still a mo and let me have a think. "
Said Mrs Grunty "Well move over there - because you really stink."

Ferlock then had a brilliant thought
that would solve this mystery,
"If I cock my leg against the tin,
I can rust it with my wee"

"Ewww!" said Mrs Grunty
"Isn't there another way?" Said Ferlock "Well can you think of any?
All you do is grrrrr and play!"

"Ok"growled Mrs Grunty " I suppose that I agree
and if it gives us peace and quiet- then HUZZAH for Scottie pee!"

The mystery of the demonic musical biscuit tin

 "So" said Ferlock Bones "it's not the lonely little biscuits inside the tin screaming to be eaten as they have all disappeared, I wonder where they went?" (J looks a little guilty and wanders off).

 Mrs Grunty decides the only way to deal with the demonic music is to shake her Kong at it until her ears flap "That might help...." says Ferlock doubtfully.

Ferlock ponders as Mrs Grunty creeps closer...."it's gone all quiet now" says Ferlock "oh well must be time for a snooze, you stay on watch Mrs Grunty just to make sure it doesn't start again." Cunning Ferlock knows this will give him a head start on reaching the best kipping spot first.

Another day, another year

New Years Eve came and went. Fergus slept through most of it.

 Conkers just stayed superior to all the fuss (Fergus was growling at him when M took this - looks like he cares?)

Pooper Grunty disgraced herself by refusing to go out and do-do - she came in and did the deed in Grandma's bedroom....she is sleeping off her disgrace!

M, J and I celebrated a special birthday for M - had a lovely meal with one of his sisters and her husband on Friday which was awesome and on the day went for a totally fabby meal with some jolly good chums which resulted in much merriment and jollifications all round. Pretty good birthday for the ole boy (lol).

Now we are into 2012 - no resolutions here - waste of brain juice.

But I have cast on for my first pair of socks for 2012 and started the first book in 52 books in year challenge - apart from that life as normal really.

A mixed bag or sack as it's Christmas

 Christmas 2009 and a cake for M from his sister Tina.

 Christmas 2010 reindeer from the Percy's crackers.

 Christmas 2011 - amazing clouds and

Mrs Grunty who had just seriously assaulted last years wind up reindeer.

This week has flown by without any blogging. But lots of other stuff has been achieved and in amongst it all there has been patchwork, spinning, a wee bit of knitting and some crochet. Also there has been shopping, wrapping, cleaning, socialising, fun and frolics and disturbed sleep.

If you do the Christmas thing - then I hope your day is full of joy and if you don't then have a good Sunday.

See you on the other side.

p.s Am gearing for the 2012 52 books in a year challenge.....can't wait.

How to disarm a gruntying pig.........

by Mrs Grunty. Actually that should be how to 'ungrunt' the gruntying pig - but either works.

 The bestest way to do this delicate operashun is to pull its gruntyer out of its mouth and then nibble holes into the gruntying system so it cannot grunt even if a Monkey Fing replaces apawmentioned gruntying system.

Simples!



Next week Mrs Grunty brings you how to decapitate a puppy Kong or two small Kongs for the price of one medium one or two Kongs= double the peanut butter= winner!

Lottie is a funny little dog!

She has her own little routine, that she sticks to. After brekkie she likes a long play in the garden,chasing Kongs etc (Fergus does a garden border control...there might still be a hidden toad etc) then she has a biscuit followed by an emptying of her toy box and then an indoor play of fetch, tug and jab the human with a blue fing.......then if she is really lucky.......her favourite 'kill the fairy'.

This only occurs (in the morning) if it is sunny and I decide to do the ironing. She growls at the ironing board, selects a toy to shake and then waits for the iron plate to make reflections as I iron....these are 'fairies' (they do occur at other times...name tag reflections from Fergus's collar, reflections from watches etc) but ironing 'fairies' are the bestest in the world, ever! She digs the floor, shakes her toy, growls and generally bounces all around the room chasing them. The game ends when the ironing board is put away again - after a severe growly telling off from Mrs Grunty.

Then she normally settles down for a doze until walkie time. She cracks me up,every day - she really is the funniest little dog.

Mrs Grunty gets a 'do'

I has been defluffed. I'm not too sure about the defluffing business. I gets a Nippy-Moo-Bag. The Pink Monkey Fings say my beard still needs a bit of a tidy and paws and claws are left to do.....I think not. They try that and there could be tears before bedtime.....theirs!

Puppy Boggart

fergus 003
Originally uploaded by loobles2002
Well as Mrs G had a puppy post the other day, I thought I had to play fair and post a puppy piccie of Fergus McNortybeard.

He was probably the easiest pup I've ever known, he was quiet, playful and gentle.....then it all went down hill. Now he's grumpy, shouty, stubborn and determined. Oh and he is also an attention seeker, he loves to be fussed and nudges you with his hooter until you do, the second you stop he nudges you again and again and again.

For all that he's a grumpy little bugger I do love him.

Mrs Grunty - the puppy years.

ab3 009
Originally uploaded by loobles2002
As Lottie is fast approaching her 4th birthday, I thought I'd post a puppy picture of her. I've had dogs all my life but she was the nortiest puppy I've ever, ever encountered.

She wasn't destructive, other than her own toys and her first bed, she wasn't a chewer, what she was, was a monster. A biting, snappy, scrabbly little beastie who wasn't affectionate unless she was sleepy and sleepy was always rather brief.

If I am honest there were times when I despaired of her ever becoming a well behaved and loving pet. She still has a lot of funny, quirky little ways but she has become more than I ever dreamed she would be. She is loving, gentle and sweet and she is a wonderful companion.

She does still get the evils now and then and Pigbat-Monkeydog still gets taken out of the box if she feels the occasion merits it. She still shakes her bluefing or her bing-bong-kong and grrrs at stuff and she still chases fairies (reflected light) - but I wouldn't change her for the world.

Mrs Grunty does gardening.

Yesterday I helps Daddy with pawsome ten-nes ball do some gardening. We tooks a video of just how helpful I am.

The Boggart helped as well - but nowhere near as much as I did - he was just looking for squidgels and frogs!

 I help so much that it gave me serious beard malfunction!

Which I had to sleep off.

Too warm for Mrs Grunty

Quick reportage this time.

This week I have been mostly in da garden killin the hose - which results in the above all night, every night.

Expawsting stuff all this water play.

p.s - They gave Boggart a quick short back and whack with the clippers cos he was too hot.....he looks very funny!!!