A crazy weekend, and Monday

What a weekend it has been. I'm going to get right into it as this is going to take some time I think.

Can you spot the frog?

It went right inside

First of all however while watering I spotted an interloper in one of our watering cans; this little frog was sat right on top looking at me however as I moved to get a picture it dropped down inside to hide. As of today however it has moved out.

Hitting the road in Thomas

The amphitheatre is looking run down and dangerous

Beautiful view across the valley

The fallen down building is still standing, just

A stunning autumn display

Down the dirt track towards The House..

... which is no longer there!

Rosie with her sausage and chips.. kinda

Sliding fun

Dutch with his new toy

Asleep after playing

Saturday was an epic day. Once we got ourselves all together I jumped in Thomas with Rosie and we headed out for a drive. We were aiming for The House (very long term readers may remember this as a place I've tried to buy a few times but always failed) via a mountain pass with some interesting sights on the way. We stopped at the old amphitheater but sadly it wasn't possible to get inside any more. Next up was another property we have tried to find the owners for in the past but failed; it was a glorious day and the view from there was enough to make me think about trying again. From there we drove onwards, up the windy narrow road and down the super bumpy dirt track before arriving at the turning circle by "The House" to find that it has been knocked down and the whole plot recently fenced in with some fruit trees planted all over it! Oh no! After this visit we headed back to the local town for some lunch, which was ok but not great, then spent an enjoyable time in a park with a bucket swing, some slides and other cool apparatus. Then it was back on the road heading home, via a stop at a garden centre for a load of compost for the raised beds. We got back in time to have a lovely play with Dutch, and gave him his new toy. Then he fell fast asleep on the step.

The first long raised bed is completely full

More plants for Rosie

Sunday was when things got interesting this weekend. Angela was out and planting lots of seedlings in the raised beds, including new ones in Rosie's little area and we are already almost out of space in all the raised beds so I'll be needing to assemble and fill yet another one soon. I popped out into town briefly (or so I thought) before lunch only for the gear stick to break in Betty as I was trying to leave the carpark of the hardware store. I couldn't select reverse and forward gear was only 3rd. A friendly local pushed me out of the space (I was nose in) and then I limped over to the mechanic who was able to arrive just after Angela got there to collect me. He took her in and we went home. Drama over? Oh no. Later on Angela noticed that Thelma was dropping blood and she very sensibly did a lot of research and found that this could be a very serious issue. We rang the vet and arranged an appointment for 6pm for her to be seen and potentially have an operation.

In our ring side seats before the show started

Rosie with her bag of popcorn

Right up in the rafters on some cloth!

Rosie doing her "tightrope" walk

Another short ride on a pony

New noisy toy

Swinging from a ring only by her feet

We then had a rest and had decided to not go to the circus with Rosie as Rosie was feeling a little unwell however she woke from her nap so cheerful that I said I'd take her on my own, while Angela took Thelma to the vet. This is what we did, the circus was not the same one as last two times and wasn't quite as good I didn't think but we did enjoy it and the two younger members were amazing - the girl did some high wire and rope tricks that were astounding, and the young guy did juggling and other tricks that were also great. At one point Rosie went out into the arena to walk the "tightrope" which was fun, and at the half way break she again got to ride a pony around the arena and get a picture. In the second half I got my chance in the limelight as I was called up with three other men, had to dance around the edge of the arena (yes... dance!) and then they did a trick where we all sat on stools, laid back and braced ourselves, and they removed every stool from under us! My legs hurt for hours afterwards. Rosie got a new sword that lit up and played sounds and we got home just after Angela. Thelma, it turned out, did have the potentially life threatening illness and the vet had kept her in to do emergency surgery and we were to collect her in the morning.

Taken the canula (??) out

Thelma getting cuddles

We both took Rosie to school this morning, stopped off for breakfast (which we have missed for the last couple of weeks) and then headed to the vet for Thelma. She was so happy to see us (having spent the night in a cage near cats, which she hates!) but is so weak it's really sad to see. She's now got sole use of the fenced area by the fire so she has space to recover as she has stitches in and they won't be taken out until Thursday. Poor little thing, it's so unusual to see her so lethargic.

Getting set to with more shelving

A new leg was required

Super long screws to hold it secure

Everything is now level

Drilling to secure the work top

The men today worked more in the workshop, though less got done than I expected. They did fit the rest of the shelves around the table saw, which involved lots of measuring and trimming and sanding, and once that was done they got onto the shelf for the mitre saw. They had to put another steel leg in place, which also slowed them down of course, and did make a couple of miscalculations for the height of the saw, but by the end of the day this is almost done. I'm really hoping tomorrow is the final day for working on this.

They are inseperable

I'll leave you with this picture and a couple of videos to show how well Dutch is settling in. He very nearly got renamed today to Bilbo but Rosie changed her mind and now that's set in stone. Honest.

There it is. Thanks for reading this epic update. Back tomorrow.

We went to the circus

The men haven't been back since the last update however last night we all went to the circus so I thought I'd do an update just of the trip to the circus, with lots and lots of videos I took. Enjoy

Queueing up before the show

In our seats waiting for the show to start

A flying unicorn horse

Horse and pony show

Rosie on the pony going for a ride

Performing cats

Stroking the bunny rabbit from the magic show

A face full of feathers

An old fox

Performing horse saying hi to the kids

Rosie touches the four meter long python

First up a batch of photographs, then the videos below. We got to the ticket office about half an hour before it was due to start and managed to snag one of the last tickets for the little booths by the side of the arena which was a relief; it was cold enough in the tent however they put a blower on which took the chill off at least a little. I obviously could only take photos or videos so none of these is particularly in any order as such. I do know that the first thing to come out was the girl riding a horse dressed up to look like a flying unicorn. Rosie was entranced from the beginning. The horses put on another appearance as well and then it was the half time break and Rosie got to ride the pony around the arena like last time. After that there were performing cats, which were great, and a load more awesomeness that you can see in the videos below before the animal parade including a rabbit (which was part of the magic show) a peacock (which slapped Rosie across the face with its tail feather) an 18 year old fox and a performing and dancing horse. Rosie was most impressed with the four meter long python and she definitely got a good stroke of it as it went past.

And now for all the videos :) Enjoy!

I told you there were a lot. Thanks for reading, hopefully back to regular updates soon.

Long break, and then the men return

It has been a very long break indeed since the last update and, of course, there are hundreds of pictures that have been taken in the intervening time. I'm not going to do my usual full update, however, as there's just way too much to go over.

Rosie plants her lovely little daffodil bulb

The dryer collapsed on Angela

Bekir fixed it up though

Rosie flying her kite

Angela mowing the top bank

Rosie sat on the bus stop bench

Dug out ready for spuds

Building an epic sand castle

Exploring the top corner

To briefly sweep over a large chunk of time, however, here are nine pictures bringing some highlights out. Rosie helped plant a daffodil which has since bloomed with many lovely flowers and has now died back. Angela had the newest dryer land on her head as it fell out of the ceiling and Bekir came past for a very quick repair job to get it re-situated. Rosie and I went onto the back bank to fly the kite and got so annoyed with the thorn bushes tangling the string (though she did very well with it as you can see) that the next day Angela to Mo the Mower up and cut it all back. Mo is amazing, I used him again today to cut the entire front garden and was done in less than an hour. Anyway, Rosie and I have been for lovely walks, I've dug out an area in the fenced garden for spuds (which are now sprouting very nicely) and Rosie has made lots of sandcastles in the sand pile over the weeks. I also got to take her for an explore around our land to the corners we don't get to much and she had a lovely time doing that.

Very excited before the circus

An awesome performing racoon

Very large snake

Rosie helping with the spinning plates

Acrobatics time

A kangaroo or a wallaby

Angela and Rosie head off

Before Angela and Rosie headed off for their holiday to visit with Angela's parents we went to the circus that came to our town and what a wonderful decision that was. We had a truly superb time, Rosie loved it and she got so involved and excited at every animal and performance. She even got into the ring to help with the spinning plates trick! How proud were we! At the break she got to ride on the little Shetland pony as well and frankly it was just the best decision ever. A truly marvellous time. Too soon, however, they were packed up and in the car and heading to the airport to go for their trip, leaving me on my own with the puppies.

Meet Maisie the Mercedes

New shelves up, and tidying in progress

Christmas present finally hung

So many thistles

So much water!

While they were away I bought a really nice new car that is very lovely to drive, I spent a fair while tidying the workshop and putting new shelves up and also hung some pictures including this awesome Christmas present. I got out to the front lawn and dug two wheelbarrows full of thistles out which was very tiring but very satisfying and also we had a huge storm come through that caused more flooding which was stressful. I was also a bit unwell most of the time they were away and I was very happy when they came home again last week.

Angela and Rosie meet Maisie

Bubble lawn mower in action

Mowing the back bank

Out for a drive with Rosie

An awesome village sink

Rosie on the climbing frame

Finally they did return and were very excited to meet Maisie (the new car). Rosie helped me mowing the lawn, with her bubble mower, and I got the back bank done which I can't do with Mo the ride-on as it's too steep. This past weekend we had a lovely time as I took Rosie for a drive and we found a lovely park with and awesome water fountain and then yesterday we went to our favourite restaurant and had a lovely time in that park also.

And so we're caught up. And that was me being quick.

Bekir and Halil are back and working

Digging out foundations for our new sink

Pouring cement into the foundations

Planning the next day

Lots of sandcastles and evidence of much fun

Rosie with some daisies

Today the workmen were back and the first task they have this year is to replace the rickety standpipe (fitted so many years ago now when I first ever arrived here to stay) with a full sink and multiple tap arrangement, plus a proper inspection door to allow access to the water meter and other stop valves rather than the damp and horrible pit we currently have. They have done a fair bit today and tomorrow should start with the actual plumbing and building the walls with blocks. It is good to have them back and get these tasks outside begun. After school (and after I did another quick mow of the lawn on Mo) I played with Rosie in the sandpit for the final time before another load of sand is dumped tomorrow. Rosie was most excited by all the daisies that are growing up by there and it was a lovely after school time.

And there it is; I'll be back to regular daily updates tomorrow that will be much shorter. Thank you for reading!