Lady of the Manor

Just a quick one this week! Hubby was working, so Missy and I met up with a friend at Newhailes for market day. We both went in promising to be good and not spend any money and, well, two sets of cashmere wristwarmers and a slice of cake later, I'd broken my vow. Missy got herself some goats ears and a snuffle ball and my friend got herself wristwarmers, a hat, a headband, a cake and some bread - so I think we broke even! 

Needless to say, there was some great stalls at market day. 

My friend and I had lunch together, and a nice walk before finding some deck chairs in the sun and chatting away. It was good to just catch up and hang out. Missy seemed to be a minor celeb, she conned the dog stall out of (almost) all of thier free samples as she looked similar to a dog they once had. Then a very small, very tiny little toddling baby wanted to say hi as we relaxed in the lawn. Missy (after the parents asked permission to approach) ate the proffered grass much to the babies absolute delight and allowed the child to pat her. Then we had an older group of kids (about 8/9 years) ask to say hello. The Main Girl and her two token boys quickly formed a wee circle about Missy who just lay there and enjoyed the hugs. The girl told me all about her old dog (who Missy looked just like) and then told me about her cats. The boys piped up about thier cats too and, as swiftly as they arrived, they were off again.

I'm very used to this now, but my friend still gets caught off guard now and again about the magnetic powers of a quiet, relaxed dog bedecked in Disney. (Missy was not in her token pink, for Spring I've had her in her Winnie the Pooh collar and it was the Disney dog lead I had picked up that morning).

We laughed about it and carried on solving the riddles of the universe sat on pink deck chairs, holding take away tea and Missy snoring in the sun.

Sunday was a Lead the Way walk at Murieston. Despite 5 tickets sold, only one person arrived. I handed over the goody bag and explained the usual choices of lead or no lead and was told that Gizmo, the rescue Jack Russell, was fine so long as Missy didn't really approach at him or bark or anything. 

And I knew at that that they would get along brilliantly. Gizmo, a classic Jack Russell in size and appearance, was immediately enamoured with Missy who played hard to get, passively sniffing in his direction now and again whilst he steadfastly followed her and sniffed every blade of grass Missy sniffed. 

The hour was over in no time and, with promises of more dog walks, we went our separate ways. 

I spent the rest of the day in the garden. April is a busy time where a lot of industry is done with not very much shown for it! Still, the potatoes and peas are showing thier little heads, and I have a dozen little tomatoes huddled up in the greenhouse. All is going to plan! 

There was another friend visiting that evening and board games were played. Truly, a perfect little weekend! 

That's a Wrap on Easter!

It's been a very strange week. Firstly, the in laws arrived on Monday for the theatre (the Music of Harry Potter) on the Tuesday. They stayed until Thursday which was meant to be my day to reorganise the house for our friends and thier twins to come stay.

Except on Monday we found out one parent had covid, and by Wednesday, so had the other. So our action packed weekend with the neice and nephew was cancelled. I won't lie, I'm absolutely devastated for the kids, they were so excited to come over, but after the in law visit, I was gubbed, so a long weekend to myself to get on with jobs was just what I needed. 

And of course, it wasn't all work and no play - I scheduled in several nice dog walks. Firstly was the House of the Binns. This site has been on our radar for a long time (I mean, bins? So what, is there a wheelie bin collection or something?). But it hasn't been advertised as dog friendly, until now. My friend works on thier social media team, and informed me that dogs were allowed, on lead, and they had to be good with livestock. 

Missy checks those boxes, so I met up with her on her lunch break and she got some nice photos of Missy for use in the future socials. After a short walk, I said cheerio and did the 1.5hour parkland walk. 

Absolutely worth the effort. Stunning views (who doesn't love a folly?), a good solid walk somehow new for Missy, and now I have ideas to pass onto my friend for site improvements. A very good day! 

After our solo adventure, hubby joined me on Saturday to the National Museum of Rural Life. As with Fridays adventure, dogs had to be on a short lead, good with livestock and not permitted within buildings. It finally happened, I started to feel "Eastery" (like Christmassy, but for lambs and bunnies and the start of nice weather).

I had lost my springtime zest with the cancellation of our neice and nephew (like Christmas, children really make the occasion), so was delighted to be cheered in the soul again. This site offered a working farm (yes, I triple checked the number of piglets, Missy was besotted, as always) with a historic farmhouse set up as in the late 1800s which hubby and I took turns to look about. The farm cat kept a close eye on Missy, and we joked about having her show that her pockets we're empty - no piglets or lambs had been smuggled away. 

Then at the other end of the site was a farming museum of the area, which again, we took turns around. My visit was brief in the museum, but there was lots of interesting things to see and read. My favourite was a wall mounted row of horse drawn ploughs, the further away the more modern it was.

I think all my neices and nephews would enjoy this one, so I expect we'll be back again! 

Lastly, today was Traquair House, my brothers suggestion. As above, on lead and not indoors, but with less emphasis on farmlife (although there was a pig, which Maisie did not like and barked at whilst Missy nearly took my shoulder out its socket in her earnest desire to say hello to it). My mum also came along and sat out of some of the dog walking in favour of visiting the house.

My brother was initially disappointed that all of the Easter events were for kids (I agreed, I think a grown-ups race through the maze for eggs would have been hilarious) but at the same time, didn't take it to heart.

We did get in the maze towards the end of the day, and it was definitely a highlight. Probably one of the best hedge mazes in Scotland (which dogs were allowed in, always a bonus! Maisie tried to swim in the river and took umbridge at the Easter Bunny (a very tall man in taller stilts), barking at him once his back was safely turned towards her.

And that's it, that's the week! I did get on top of the house, and the grass has had it's first cut. The greenhouse is packed with tiny pots of mud full of potential, eagerly awaiting the summertime. 

Not a bad rescue of the weekend, it I do say so myself! Although I think I'll take Easter Monday off to recover! 

Until next time! 

A Paws for Prom

Well, we did it. Two Sundays (and about 2/3 hours during the week), and the impossible happened:

Neice got *the* prom dress she always wanted. 

It's satin. It's teal (the bluest shade of teal, but it's definitely green in certain lights). It has lace up back. It has a sweetheart neckline.

Insert your favourite fan girl meme or gif, because we had it. Eldest neice is absolutely delighted. 

It was a bit too big of a sewing challenge for her, so I did do the bulk of the sewing, but neice cut the pattern and the fabric and had a good try at sewing before admitting defeat at the slippery texture of the satin. So I'm calling it a win.

With the in-laws due next week, my evenings have been spent tidying up all the odds and ends of projects I have lying about, which is the most effective form of cleaning! Missy has been well and, with the arrival of the sun, has relocated herself to permanently sunbathing. It's funny watching her magically appear, panting away before flopping on the cool carpet whilst outside is barely above 6C. I don't think it'll be long before her fur goes red again!

Wee Ben was certainly more pleased to see her than she him today. I think she's worried we'll have him for 2 weeks again (whereby she doesn't get bed privileges on the slow mornings)! He soon swayed her round and they were cuddled up sleeping on the sofa together.

Although, judging by the photo below of the fright he got from her, I'm not sure he'll be so pleased next time! 

Until then!