A dog in the manger...

This is what happens when you buy your Jack Russell a new bed and the Airedale feels left out!

 

                             It should look like this....

 

But as soon she she stepped out it looked like this...

Really Arthur! 

From Best in Show to the Doghouse in a day...

See this guy...

He had his proud moment at the Thorpe Hall fun day, winning best in show! He stood to attention, paraded and trotted up and down like a good un and was rewarded for his gorgeousness. We couldn't be prouder....

Until 4 o clock this morning when the street was woken by a wailing that could wake the dead. We ran down stairs in panic expecting to find a dying dog but instead found Arthur and his sidekick Pearl   , our Jack Russell, in the middle of a stand off. He was limping and she had a nip on the top of her head. Thankfully no serious damage, but what had caused this tiff in the middle of the night we'll never know. But for now they're both looking pretty sorry for themselves...

 They've both been put to bed in different rooms tonight - what's the betting they're yowling to be together by 2am. 

Next time I'm putting doggy cam up to see who started it!

An explanation, a completion and a return...

Its been a long time between posts, a long, long time. To be honest i wasn't sure if Id ever get round to posting again. What started as a chronicle of our life in Yorkshire was in danger of becoming another thing on the never ending list of things to do that never got done. We started this adventure with a house to rescue, roofs to be put on and damp to be prevented whilst still trying to make sure our children enjoyed the journey with us. What we've found is that too often things get in the way, things too many to list but the following would certainly make it into the top ten,

1. Work, work and more work...I love my job but who doesn't wish all weekends were three days long.

2. Children's hobbies, parties, birthdays, gym clubs, brownies, extra curricular activities, homework - all very worthwhile but I cant remember the last time I sat down before 9pm

3. House work and laundry - One day I will have a cleaner who I will love and cherish and who will rescue me from all this washing!

4. Dogs, chickens, dogs who find their way into the chickens and eat all the chickens, dogs who then break into a neighbours and eat their chickens - don't ask, I cant elaborate, its still too traumatic, suffice to say we no longer leave the dogs with a dog walker and our two surviving chooks are seeing out the winter with the grandparents. 

5. Bad backs - to top it all just when we are getting on top of everything both of our backs have a tendency to give way in unison. What used to be cured with a paracetamol and a radox bath now needs 48 hours and a tramadol - is this the future?

6. My impending big birthday - okay so for....thirty plus ten isn't such a big deal to everyone but I just thought Id be thinner/smarter/taller/richer/have better hair by now! I'm not in full melt down yet but I've got some big goals to achieve by August!

However, we have been cracking on with the build - we finally have a 'grown up' bedroom!

At last we have a landing that doesn't scare the children - the cold creepy tunnel that it once was is now a distant memory!

 Let there be light!

The down stairs room is no longer a pile of bricks - its a real room with real furniture and everything!!!

 and even a corner for crafting and blogging (okay it still needs shelves and skirting boards but hey it didnt even exist this time last year!!!)

so all in all were getting there...still slowly... but we're definitely getting closer. 

And I finally have somewhere to sit down and blog, so I guess....I'm back!

Meet Pearl...

BH promised me that we could get another dog just as soon as I was working closer to home...well on Friday I finished my long haul commute ready to take up my new post in September, so on Saturday I kept him to his word!

Pearl is a tenacious Jack Russell pup. She's only nine weeks old but she's already showing us what shes made of. When we first introduced her to Arthur she nipped him on the nose just to let him know she's no push over!

We were worried that they might not get on, or that he might stand on her, but so far so good. He's really taken to being a big brother and he's really gentle with her. I'm not sure who's going to be leading who astray!

Introducing Arthur...

Todays blog was going to be about my lovely new garden seat - its an early birthday present from BH and my folks. I came to day to find it built and in situ - no small feat if you'd seen the weeding that took place to reveal the paving slabs! I was led up the garden for a grande reveal and tadah!!! here it was. I am undecided whether or not to grow something up it - at the moment Im just enjoying its pristine tidiness (which is not a typical state to find anything in here!)



Until now our only seating options in the garden were some borrowed patio chairs and an upturned bucket so I cant tell you how happy I am. After lots of ooh and aahing i decided that to really do it justice I should get a glass of something nice and enjoy the evening sunshine in my new seat - at least that was the plan. Only on my return I found that I had been usurped!






Meet Arthur! He is our Airdale Terrier, He's two years old, lovely and as mad as a sack of badgers. I think he was feeling a bit left out and decided to get in on the blogging opportunites! To be honest the only reason he hasnt been on the blog so far is that he rarely stands still long enough - as you can see...



He's a terror when it comes to knocking plants over and the veg patch is off limits to him at the moment as he tramples everything in site - so no wonder he's looking for sanctuary.

Heres one of the plants that I daren't plant out yet until i find an Arthur free spot. Its a 'Big Daddy' Hosta which I bought at the Chelsea Flower show. That sounds so glam until you picture me carting this across London - trust me, it earned its name well - it weighs a ton!



and these...




I have no idea what they are but they spring up from out of nowhere and put on this amazing show.

As long as there's not an Airedale on the loose!