Life's a beach

It is a very special week in our household

It is Molly's birthday today and Bruce's birthday tomorrow

We bought them some new toys and headed out to the beach for some seaside shenanigans

The pair of them absolutely love the beach and would stay there all day

Here is Molly being just a little bit canny, waiting for Bruce to do all the hard work. Bruce braves the waves, e retrieves the stick, only to be met by  a relentless Molly who snatches the stick from his mouth as he heads back for another throw

And you can see just how fearless my little labrador is, absolutely nothing will stop her, it doesn't matter how big the waves get she will frolic in the surf all day if we let her

So that was the first of many I hope. We all love our beach days, nothing like the sea air to blow away the cobwebs

Love and happy hounds

Tracey

xxx

Pupdate

We are oftentimes asked what we do to fill our time now we are retired 

In truth -  I have no idea. Ask any retiree and they will generally tell you the same - they can't fathom how they managed to fit work in !

One of our favourite ways to pass an hour or two is to explore our beautiful county and to do so with the dogs is an added treat

The world is always so interesting through the eyes and nose of a dog, we can learn a lot from their enthusiasm to explore and examine every little detail of a place

Our four legged friends find genuine pleasure in just 'being' somewhere new. They are not distracted by cell phones, time limits, protocol, what's cool and happening

Much the same as small children they can be mesmerised by the simple things in life, the ebb and flow of the tide, the peculiar sideways crawl of a crab or the enchanting twinkling of seaside treasures half buried in the sand, waiting to be released and played with, nudged with noses, padded by paws

Oh to see the unspoilt joys of the world from an innocent

Come on dad, give up with the camera, throw the ball now pleeeeeeease

Bruce has perfected the head tilted, floppy eared look of a dog begging to play, heartstrings firmly being pulled

Molly practising yoga among the seaweed, down dog - beach style

Bruce will always bring the ball back and wait patiently for the next toss, nothing will distract him, his mission is to retrieve and return

Molly on the other hand will run around randomly, ball in mouth seemingly oblivious to everyone and everything. She has been known to get more than one object in her mouth at the same time, ie not drop a ball to pick another one up, she sometimes even manages a ball and a stick !

And of course we can't forget our other little furry friend

What has Sox been up to this summer ?

Yes this cat can sleep anywhere and anyhow, utterly unbothered by the presence of two large clumsy canines. We had reservations when we first brought her home, terrified her tiny frame and placid nature would be no match for the huge personalities of the dogs

We need not have worried

Sox rules !

We also had an unexpected sleepover with this little cutie Tilly

Rob finished his shift last week to find Tilly in the beer garden, without any sign of an owner

We tried to find where she was from, but, had no success, so we brought her home for the night to keep her safe from the roads etc

She loved our dogs ( didn't quite know what to make of Sox) and was as good as gold.

 Happily she was reunited with her owner the following morning

Secretly Rob was a little sad to see her go, I think he would have quite happily kept her

xxx

Still here

Hellooooooooo

We are still here, although you would be forgiven for thinking we had fallen off the planet

FIVE months on from my last post, much has happened and not much has happened if you know what I mean

In a nutshell

*      We have been up country to visit family

*       Friends and family have been here to visit us (Mum and Dad, Tony and Carol, Kev and Jackie)

*      We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary

*      Amy and Robbie finished uni

*      All three 'children' are now working

*      Amy has had a tonsillectomy

*      Robbie is learning to drive and has his first car

Some of these events will be blogged in more detail later. I have just finished editing all the photos from the last five months, 700 photos, two hours and three coffees later I have decided there is far too much to wade through in one blog post

And in other news

We had an unexpected little windfall, so bought ourselves this fab little campervan, we have been away in it a couple of times already and are planning our first trip away with the dogs soon

The dogs have had a wonderful time in the woods, on walks and especially on the beach

We have had some gorgeous days out, exploring our stunning county, sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with friends or family and often with the dogs

I gave up trying to cover the grey and have been gradually adding more and more highlights, I am really happy with the results and my hairdresser is fantastic, Paige has the patience of a saint with my stubborn hair

We have also had some amazing days/nights out, we have enjoyed some fantastic gigs this year, local and further afield, found a couple of new festivals, added a few new bands to our playlists and generally broadened our horizons musically ( much more to come on that in future posts )

And yes, I have still been doing a little crafting, much much less than I used to. I toyed with the idea of giving it up and freeing some space by getting rid of all my craft clutter  stuff, but the feeling didn't last long. 

It may take me a little longer to actually get started, but once I have all my pretties out on the table, I remember just how therapeutic it is to have a craft and play session

This is my most recent creation, a card for my lovely friend Sue

I know this is a bit of a 'mixed bag', but you know what it is like to have so much to catch up on that it is difficult to know where to start

A very sensible person once said "just start", once you get going, the fear of the blank page disappears and the rest is much easier, how true this is. Now I have a million ideas running through my head and rather a lot of photos on my hard drive, no excuses then !

Back soon

I promise

xxx

7 on Sunday

Our week in photos

1. For the first half of the week the weather was a little damp and dreary but the second half has been fantastic, the sun has shone and warmed the days beautifully, we have enjoyed lots of trips to the beach again this week and have managed to shed a few layers, no need for coats !

2. The dogs favourite part of the day is 'seaside time' but coming home is a little less cheery, these two soggy and glum little faces peep over the backseats of the car, eyes pleading for another five minutes in the surf

3. My first Cornish pasty of the year and bloody good it was too, why on earth did I wait until March ???

4. AJ received happy mail from school this week, he achieved 97% in the first part of his mock exam and his teacher sent this note of encouragement - very proud mum moment

5. Amy's bedroom is coming along nicely, all the magnolia has now disappeared and been replaced with lovely crisp and clean white, there will a little splash of colour added in the form of her accessories, will share photos once Amy has seen it herself 

6. Today saw my first paddle of the year, been dying to dip my toes in but it has been a little too chilly up to now but today was lovely. I kept my wellies off all afternoon, I have so missed the feeling of sand between my toes

7. I stopped going to Slimming World about a month ago, Neil has had loads of appointments lately and we have had plenty going on at home too so I have decided to do it myself at home. I have put a couple of pounds back on since  I stopped going to group but am ready to reign in the snacking and go back on plan. I find it much easier if I menu plan and buy in only what I need. I have lost a total of 1 stone and 2lbs but would ideally like to lose at least one more stone ( I am not sure the Cornish pasty I devoured at the beach today would have been the healthiest choice - but you do have to live a little !)

Love and sandy toes

Tracey 

xxx

Scrapbook Saturday

It has been a very long time since I have completed a scrapbooking page, just for me, just for fun

When I had the shop I had to do one every week for the classes and after a while it become more of a task to cross of my 'to do' list rather than the hobby I used to love and the hobby that led me into all things papercrafting

It felt extremely relaxing creating this page, I didn't have a deadline or a range of papers to try and sell. I didn't have to think what I had taught in the last class and try to incorporate a new technique. I just chose a photo, spent a very enjoyable few minutes rummaging amongst my stash and then 'played' with all my supplies

Of course my first 'subject' had to be Molly, she hasn't featured yet in any of my papercrafting projects so it was only fitting she was the first scrapbook page

I used a sheet of cream cardstock for the base which I stencilled with brown ink

I then drew and cut out a sunburst style design from a sandy coloured sheet of patterned paper, cut out each alternate ray of sunshine, distressed all the edges and then used a stencil and gesso to add texture to the central part of the design before inking all the edges in dark brown and Scattered Straw distress ink over the stencilling

I then delved among my scrap boxes for some smaller pieces of patterned paper to use for the borders and matting. I am desperately trying to use up some of my older pieces before I buy any new ones

Here is a close up of the stencilling and inking I used on the two different sheets

I definitely have the scrapbooking bug back. I have a million ideas running around in my head again and often wake in the middle of the night as a new design pops into my mind

Love and scrapping

Tracey

xxx

7 On Sunday

I have been asked why we moved to Cornwall

This is why !

1. St Mawes on Tuesday

2. Bathing in the glorious sunshine

3. Our first visit to Crinnis beach which is right on our doorstep

4. Midweek the beaches are virtually deserted

5. I have never known two dogs happier than when they are playing in the surf

6. Clear blue waters, clean sand and winter sunshine

7. One very soggy but very happy Bruce

Out of the past 7 days, we have enjoyed four days at the beach

Yes I have a little ironing to catch up on and the house hasn't been dusted yet this week, but do I care ?- hell no, the cleaning will get done on a day when we are limited by the weather. We wanted to move somewhere we could enjoy the outdoors. The coast has called me for years and I know we have done the right thing when I can see Neil and the dogs on the beach, not a care in the world !

Love and blissful beach days

Tracey

xxx

St Mawes

ST Mawes is a small fishing village at the end of the Roseland Peninsula, opposite Falmouth on the South coast of Cornwall, approximately 30 minutes (by car) east of where we live

We have passed sign posts many a time as we have travelled to and from Truro and promised ourselves a little trip there once the weather picked up

Tuesday was glorious and so we packed the beach towels, dogs and a picnic into the car and off we set

St Mawes is positioned within the gulf stream and basks in mild weather all year round, during the summer it is often a Mediterranean climate, which explains why there are some stunning gardens in the area

We headed straight to the harbour so the dogs could have a run on the beach

This is the view from where you enter St Mawes

We started out on Idles Beach

It didn't take the dogs long to dive in, Bruce is already swimming ( that little dot where Molly is heading)

I wandered off down the beach to explore the rockpools, Molly was not far behind, ears flapping, tail wagging and stick in mouth ready to play

I love this photo of Bruce, checking that his little sister is not far behind, he is a very elegant and strong swimmer, hardly making any splashes when he is in the water, Molly on the other hand, starts off like she is drowning with seemingly more legs than an octopus, she eventually settles into a lovely little doggy paddle but Bruce is always mindful that she is ok.

After our playtime on the beach we explored the town and took a wander along the harbourside.

St Mawes is a beautiful little village, well maintained and very clean. There was lots of painting going on, many of the seafront properties, mostly little fisherman's cottages have been painted ice-cream colours - so pretty, and then there was this stunning thatched cottage, up for sale at a cool £750,000 - but honestly the view it had was priceless

Strolling passed the thatched cottage and continuing around the harbour we found the perfect little sun trap to settle down, take a breather and enjoy our picnic. With views out over the harbour and out to sea, the sun on our faces it was the perfect end to an absolutely beautiful day.

I just love the way Molly is catching the rays, eyes closed, sniffing the clean sea air and drying out nicely.

Love and sandy paws

Tracey

xxx

7 on Sunday

Our week in photos

1. My lovely friend at work Margaret has been knitting squares to make dog blankets for one of the local vets, we get lots of oddments of wool at the shop so I have joined in and have started making some myself, I am not as quick as Margaret but it keeps my fingers busy while I am watching the telly

2. Our poor little patch of lawn has taken a battering this winter. Before we moved in, it had been allowed to grow too long and we nearly lost it all after the first mow. Add to that, the incessant drizzle and frequent downpours plus two energetic and sometimes rather silly dogs skidding about, the lawn looked more like a quagmire. I took it in hand this week ( between showers of course), mowed it close, raked it and reseeded it, I am hoping with a little TLC we can nurse it back to some kind of health

3. We had some paint left over from decorating our hall - we adore the colour so have decided to use the rest up in our bedroom, it matches our bedding perfectly. I have been prepping the walls and have now got the first coat on, it is already looking much cosier than the magnolia

4. The long evenings have been perfect for catching up on one of my favourite TV shows. I absolutely love Dickensian. The bringing together of Dickens' best loved and iconic characters, all living together in 19th century London has been a triumph. Their lives and stories intertwined, is, in my opinion utterly genius. All the characters have been brought to life with such a talented cast and every episode has been full of drama and intrigue as well as a good dose of humour - love it

5. Our first beach day of the year, a very chilly day but nice and dry. Molly and Bruce ran and ran and ran, in and out of the surf, catching balls and sticks or in Molly's case anything that moved ( as in mouthfuls of ebbing and flowing seaweed)

6. Puppy training. I have been taking Molly to puppy training for a few weeks now and to be honest the distraction of the other dogs usually makes me wonder why I bother. Molly has no attention span at the best of times and just wants to run and play and generally mess about. But ....... we turned a corner this week and it just seemed to click. I think she is getting a little more used to the other dogs and settled down much better, we still have a long way to go and we are never going to be auditioning for Britain's Got Talent, but we are much better with some of the tasks

7. We have been enjoying making a daily smoothie, Neil and I both look out for bargains on the fruit and veg each day as we pop out for the newspaper and whizz up our finds for our daily juice.

Love and all the little things

Tracey

xxx

Pupdate - the adventures of Bruce and Molly

A gentle stroll, for about five minutes along the chalk track, beside the railway line and stream opposite our house, you will come across a sheltered little park,  nestled between our local football team's home ground and a public basketball court

It's the perfect little sun trap, safe from any roads or hazards (Molly is capable of finding the most innocuous place or item, and, turning it in seconds to a life and death situation)

This is the home to Bruce and Molly's newest adventure

The trials of the tennis ball

Bruce is smart, he knows that to be able to chase the ball (which he loves) he must bring it back

If he catches it or gets to it first he leaves Molly standing

And he brings it back, and Molly follows, and it all starts all over again

Sometimes (usually when Bruce is totally knackered), Molly gets there first (or, more aptly, Bruce lets Molly bring the ball back while he has a breather)

 Molly has a totally different variation of the game which includes escaping to the nearest filthy ditch,  whereby it is a whim that decides whether she will actually keep the ball or leave it in said filthy ditch ! Or will she run and not come back, instead, sit on the perimeter of the field waiting with a grin, whilst, in exasperation, me, Neil or Bruce ends up having to go to her, whereby she will sidestep past us ( she must have been taking note of the footballers next door ) and run hell for leather into the farthest corner at the other end of the field, or,  she will she get totally sidetracked, drop the ball mid-play  and go off to investigate the nearest wonderful and totally mesmerising stick, leaf, rock (whatever, it matters not) !

On those rare occasions whereby she does in fact bring the ball near enough to perform a grab and go technique, we can resume play, Bruce waiting patiently, as always, as his silly puppy playmate learns the part of fetch that does indeed keep the ball in play !

Love and puppy kisses

Tracey 

xxx