A fine weekend

It was, for once in this benighted summer, a fine week last week, so Keith and I were finally able to set off in the caravan for a long weekend in Barmouth, chosen for its long, flat cycle ride into the town from the campsite and the large expanse of beach available for dog-running-around.
Paddy has been before but it was Jake's first time, and probably his first time on a beach of any kind, as you can tell here by his obvious lack of comprehension as to what one does on a beach. In the end, he decided to be guided by Paddy and just have fun.
As you can see, they are both so fit that it only took them about two hours to recover from the exertion!
Jake is definitely built for comfort, not for speed.
Is it too much to ask that they untangle themselves by retracing their steps?
Yep!





A Mother's Story: Little boxes

A Mother's Story: Little boxes


Shed clearing day

Today is 'clearing out the shed' day.
This has probably been brought on because Keith has killed another computer and is awaiting a new power pack for it, so in the meantime, he has the one from upstairs, which means that the corner of the living room and the study are both awash with cables, leads and other detritus. In addition, he has been working on my old laptop (Did I mention that I now have a shiny new red one?) and this has led to another mess all over the dining table. 
To add insult to injury, he then announced yesterday that he wanted to get his model aeroplane and helicopter out of the shed, presumably to spread them over the small remaining tidy areas of the house. Surprisingly, when he noticed the expression on my face, he quickly thought better of it.
So, today is 'clearing out the shed' day and 'building a new workbench within' day but it has also turned out to be 'mending the shed roof' day, as the squirrels have been chewing away at the roof felt, with predictable results. It never rains but it pours - in both senses of the phrase.
I did try to help with the clearing out but soon got sent back indoors due to my extreme reactions to the horrible, massive, revolting spiders lurking on everything I went near. If you heard any screams of terror in your neighbourhood, wherever that might be, as you undoubtedly will have, it was me. 
And I make no apology for that!

Ice Cream Sandwich anyone?

For some reason, I am unable to use email or the internet on my HTC HD2 mobile phone, unless I switch it to wifi. This is all the more puzzling as, a few weeks ago, our phone provider contacted Keith and said that I had been using data but I didn't have that option in my package, although for an extra £5 a month, I could have pretty well all I wanted, so Keith paid up. Since then, even though I don't know how I was downloading data before, I certainly can't now; nor can I send or receive multi-media messages. I have spent hours poring over the laptop in search of enlightenment, giving myself a headache and becoming cross-eyed in the process, but nothing has worked, so now, Keith has bravely offered to re-flash my phone with Ice Cream Sandwich instead of Gingerbread.
Confused? Yep! Me too, but I've got my fingers crossed that it works.
Keith doesn't have a problem with his phone - he has just awarded himself a Samsung Galaxy 3...


Anyone for a gallop?

This is Younger Daughter, aka Claire on her pony, Star. Claire has been riding since she was about eleven and has been horse-mad ever since, even though it has led to her sustaining a broken collar bone in her teens and, recently, a broken finger. 
But may I draw your attention to the perfectly straight back and excellent posture - it's all in the genes, you see!
(She doesn't speak welsh though...)

Plaster board and dust

So, we're still no further forward on the British Gas smart meter front and I've given up making non-existent appointments with them...