Good afternoon everyone. Where has the morning gone? I've done nothing much yet & here it is nearly time to take Taffy for his afternoon walk. Will probably walk up to my daughters to see if she is home for a change. I've not seen her for a few weeks - she's working all week ( teacher) & then is out catching up with shopping or taxiing the grandchildren about. I nipped out to the retail park earlier for G/sons present & crossed over to Tesco for some coffee I'd forgotten to get yesterday.
When I got home my other daughter phoned to say she had a man coming to put new gutters up but when he got up there he found the chimney was on the point of falling down and so she has to have that done as well. Just what she could have done without so near Christmas.
This workman has done work for her before so she can trust him & he is willing to wait till after Christmas to be paid but he said he wouldn't be able to sleep if he left the chimney as it was. He's only charging her abt £20 more than just doing the gutters would have cost
It's quite a nice day here today, not really cold either
Keep well all peeps & doggies. Enjoy your day whatever your getting up to.

Afternoon folks, happy birthday Lore.

I've spent a stressful day car hunting as mine is going to the great scrapheap in the sky (unless the garage that has the one I want to buy will take it as a part exchange, but that brings it's own problem of how to get it there as the MOT has now run out).

I've found exactly what I want and for the right money, but it's 70 miles away and I can't get down there until in the week, so I'm biting my nails hoping it will still be there. I offered to pay them something to keep it for me, but apparently they can only take payments in person. I am going to be gutted if someone else buys it in the meantime.

Afternoon Rose.
Well I hope you get to the bottom of the mystery of the cow pats. The scones sound delicous. Hope all goes to plan with the beret knitting.
Afternoon Chris.
Its good to hear life is back to normal almost for you. Hope you enjoyed the christmas market and got the tree up. Everyone seems to be beating me in the getting of the tree up quest.
After all the problems recently a nice calm quiet boxing day may be in order.
Afternoon DD.
Love the photos.
I hope you find the place tidier tonight too. I can't keep upwith these party animals.
Afternoon M. Hope you managed to get your cards done and the tree up today.
Afternoon Helena.
We had a lovely time earlier and the quest is done. We stopped for a cuppa at Marks the boys went off to their rooms to wrap their gifts. Mark had a productive few hours too.
Afternoon Jenny hope you managed to get some shopping done.
Afternoon Linda.
Christmas shopping again we haven't started yet.
Afternoon Harvey.
Good luck with the tree.
I am glad that snow went to Russia.

Afternoon Bev.
I hope it all went well with Kyiro and the vets. (((Hugs))) and hope the cough and chest clear up soon.

Afternoon Jen sounds like a lovely weekend ahead enjoy.

Afternoon Sal. Oh dear hope the review goes well Monday.
I hope you manage to get some chill out time.
Nooooooooooo. The Russians can keep it
Afternoon Lorraine you're welcome.
Glad you had some nice pressies and I hope you are enjoying your day.
Afternoon Malka. See you later.
Afternoon. Sorry to hear about your hamster. Enjoy you're new addition and enjoy your peace and quiet.
Afternoon Jan.
Good luck with cleaning the drawers hope it was successful.
Afternoon Mini.
I am glad to get off that camel.
Lunch sounds yummy enjoy the baby sitting.

Afternoon TM. Sorry to hear about your daughters problem with the chimney. Good to hear she has someone she can trust to do the job and who is willing to wait for the money.
I hope you had a nice walk with Taff.

Afternoon CC.
Sorry to hear about your car fingers crossed the other one you would like will still be there for you.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes

I've spent the day doing next to nothing. Currently watching The Big Bang theory and eating bacon and black pudding rolls

Quite warm here today and the forecast is for above freezing tonight. Was going to get the babies out into the puppy palace today. When I looked in however it looked as though Mabs had eaten the heat lamp, it has a grille thing over it and couldn't work it out, when I got in there proper I realised that she had found some shiny paper from somewhere, shredded it, and the red light from the lamp made it look like shattered glass, honest, these dogs, my heart skipped a beat, well several actually. Then was looking round for the little handbrush (and thank goodness I did before shifting the wood shavings) because I couldn't find it, then realised Mabs had chewed it up a while ago and had slung it. So one of my jobs today has been getting a new handbrush so to get all the dust up from the rubber matting, then the paper bedding can go down and the babies can go in. Went for lpg because had had to switch onto petrol on Thursday, well it was so empty it took £26 to fill up, which is a massive amount, it usually cost between £18 and £23, in fact last time it was only £16!! I have nearly run out of petrol as well because the light is on for that, it starts with petrol then switches automatically to gas, so will have to put £10 in there next time I am near Asda.
Came back and took Cariad for a little meander round, it was spotting when I came back and is now raining, but still warm and no frost or ice!!!
Babies are being little loves, they howled for Britain when I shut them in the crate whilst I swept and mopped, then they forgot what they were upset about and were asleep when I let them out!!!
Here is today's Fix

Have had a fancy for eggs and soldiers, so that is what I am having at the moment, mistimed the eggs so they are hardboiled, it is soooo long since I made them, but they are lovely and have hit the spot.

Eeeek - mini Cariads eating proper dindins! xxxx

Ahem, on the subject of boiling eggs, I burned too many saucepans and had too many eggsploding eggs, so I gave up and bought an electric egg boiler.

Foolproof. Well it is Malka-proof!

The electric egg boiler sounds good, must have a look for one of them
Today the babies had chicken and tripe for brekkie then they had a tray of chicken and tripe and the rest had white fish with bio yogurt on, so they weren't that sure about the fish. They are having sardines in tomato sauce tonight.

Afternoon All

Glad you got all the shopping done Lynn and enjoyed a nice cuppa in M&S with Gorden

Oh wow look at those little babies eating their dinner, they're getting huuuuuuge now aren't they but then it has been a few weeks I suppose, are we on week 4 now?? I can't wait until you get them outside and you must have the camera ready please June for their excited antics, cos let's be honest here, they haven't really done much yet have they except for sleeping and a bit of cleaning from mum!!!! Not that I'm complaining of course. Make sure you do put that £10 in next time you're near a petrol station cos you know what'll happen dontcha! Maybe write yourself a note, I swear by notes everytime I think of something I must not forget, because you will you know. I even forget what I have to do to write down by the time I find the pad and pen sometimes!!! If that were me with those boiled eggs, I'd have given them to Zena and made some more, especially when it's something you fancied, and you can't dip soldiers into solid yolk it's just not the same.

Whilst we're on the subject I will enlighten you all on the perfect boiled eggs, ready? My brother told me this and it's foolproof! Cold water in the saucepan, as soon as it starts to boil, set the clock for 4 minutes, no more no less and turn the water down so that it's above a simmer, bubbling quite a bit. When 4 mins is up, tip out the water and pour in cold water, then into your eggcups and voila, the most perfect boiled eggs you have ever tasted! That's my little tip of the day for Dogsey

Now where was I Is that bar open yet then? I see the fire's all lit, but no magic bottle and no goodies yet. Oh yes, Lorraine should be here with all her chocolate birthday pressies to share with us all later. Happy Birthday Lorraine, hope you've had a lovely day, and is it you I red on here eating bacon and black pudding sarnies????!!! Please don't bring any of those tonight will ya

Had a busy morning, went over to a little shopping industrial estate type thingy, where they have a big Tesco, a P@H, Boots, etc. so got Zena her Christmas presents another new rubber frisbee coz she's eaten the middle of hers by grabbing it, and some vitamin tablets which she won't eat. I need to get some b vitamins into her and I've run out of PetTabs so might have to get them from the vets next week. Went into Boots, tried some new perfumes which I have no intention of buying but I smelled delicious when I wafted out of there. Then I went into Wickes to buy a door for Dave, well, not literally for Dave, it's for the house really, we still don't have one into the bootroom coz he smashed the glass on the other one. I got a nice yung mannn to help me load it into the car along with a very long piece of melamine for a plinth in the bootroom, and he said it wouldn't go in It HAD to go in I said, so I went round the front and lifted it over the top of the passenger seat in my estate and he said, it was then ok, BUT, the plinth wouldn't go in So I told him he had to put that under the door now, and then shove it forward and I would take it through between the seats, so he did that, and that fitted too! Voila, one door and one very long plinth, so off I went home

Had to take Zena out when I got back for her 2nd walk cos it's not fair on her to just give her the one, so all in all, I didn't even eat until gone 2pm so late for my nanny nap and late back in here. This never happens when Dave's not here does it??? Hmmmm, might have some retraining to do on the Dave front methinks