T on HeaTwave Tuesday

Iced water for the dogs on T for Tuesday, that big beverage party at Elizabeth and Bleubeard's place. It's a heatwave here in the UK temperatures of 32 celsius and even 34 celsius, and I can't function in that sort of heat. So I haven't done a lot since it started on Saturday, first thing open the doors and windows when it is cool, then close the windows, blinds, curtains and put the fans on as the temperature soars. We have no air conditioning, it is unusual in the UK in domestic houses, well most of them.

Once again I haven't gone round and commented, and I only got part way the week before, but this weather has stopped me doing so much. I just sleep all day, then go out late with the dogs when it is cool, then by the time I get their dinners for tomorrow, sort out bins, open windows, get my hot chocolate it is time for bed. Hard to sleep in this heat then they want to get up at 7am when I could just sleep!

Sooty and Bertie keeping cool, they gave me a fright last week as Bertie got out of the front door, I don't think he would have gone anywhere but Luna burst out and carried on playing and chased him all down the road and across a busy main road - I ran down our road, didn't think I could. Saw cars slowing, and when I got there they were just waiting the other side thankfully unharmed. Since then they are shut in the living room before the front door is opened! Luna had got good about not going out, but the arrival of her new playmate changed all of that!

Bertie thinks it is never too hot for a cuddle!

I found my new top, which only needed the ends sewn in, on the floor chewed!

I decided that I would try and repair it, or there would be a lot of frogging (unpicking) and rework to do. First I worked out two rows were affected and pulled them back either side to give a long end to sew or braid in. I used stitch markers to hold vital parts, these stitch markers are no good for crochet and I am going to give them to Mum for her knitting.

This is the repair, I missed a loop one end and the other marker is on the last stitch. I think I got away with it, unless you knew it was there you wouldn't really notice it - well I hope not anyway.

I'm not taking a photo of me wearing it, it's a little snug and you have to wear a vest underneath. I saw what I looked like - maybe next year. Too hot to wear it at the moment anyway.

Sooty sunbathing.

Dinner today, a recipe that was posted on Facebook for one pan garlic herb chicken and asparagus, didn't have any asparagus today so I used what I had. The first time I made this someone came to the door and Luna stole my chicken off the plate! At least I felt like eating, the heat has put me off then I get back at 10pm with the dogs and it's too late to cook.

I won't use slug pellets, so the two boxes of marigolds I planted in the garden all got munched or maybe trampled, so I decided to plant some in tubs with copper tape round them. These wooden planters were bought for some tree ferns I bought last year, overwintered them in the greenhouse and they died. They were in special compost so it was a big waste of money but the tubs are pretty and not heavy.

All the dogs together but I could only get Bertie to look at me!

Playing tug!

Just playing.

Bertie trying to get Luna to play but it's too hot and she doesn't want to!

This is the clematis that I bought to replace the wisteria I dug up when Luna started chewing it, there is a honeysuckle there too which isn't doing so well.

Here is my hot raw cacao in progress, I have now run out of ground vanilla and can't get more. So it has cinnamon and nutmeg only. 

T on Tuesday and my big secret revealed, or the dog's out of the sack!

This is Bertie, the photo I fell in love with. He's adopted from Cyprus and I didn't tell my family a thing! My son met him last night so I can tell the world now!

I drove an hour to a service station near Swindon, where at 12:30 pm I waited with a few other people until 1:30am when the Woofers van arrived with our precious pooches. Got some funny looks from the man staffing the service station though.

I asked the Woofers person to please put the car harness on and adjust it, as well as the slip lead. Driving along the motorway the noises from the back seat were distracting enough, then a little head appeared by my shoulder. I drove trying to push him back with my arm, then wiggle wiggle and he was in the passenger seat! So I spent the rest of the motorway journey driving with one hand on his collar, good job it's an automatic car, he kept trying to get on my lap!

Got to Chippenham and stopped in another service station and refitted the harness, a strap had come right out. It didn't take him long to wiggle out of it again and I realised (hope) it was due to the hair as you will see later. Boy did he stink, due to a misunderstanding he wasn't groomed at all in Cyprus.

I bought some new beds, buy one get one half price. They are made from recycled bottles. Sooty seems to like them.

Luna tried it out too, I was worried that medium wasn't that big but she managed to get in and curl up and I thought I had a photo of that but can't find it now.
When Bertie arrived one of the first things he did was pee on the new bed so good job it is machine washable! Due to the smell and the peeing I put him in the kitchen which has a waterproof bed in it, and tried to get some sleep at around 4am. I woke at 6:30 and couldn't stay in bed, had a job to do!

This was Bertie's first meal as soon as I got him home, after letting them out in the garden. It was rice and chicken that I cooked. Afterwards he peed on the bowl!

He loved his new toy, and settled down in the kitchen. I had the bucket and mop on standby!

Later that morning (6:30am remember) Bertie exploring the garden.

Luna had been the most worried when I brought Bertie to the door, had to do it as no car harness by then. She was trembling and drooling as she does in the car, I think she thought this is it - I'm being replaced. Sooty didn't seem too worried then.

Got to work after breakfast, really the hair was so matted and dirty it all had to come off. Got a whole bag full. Then I had to clean up and shampoo the carpets, the floor was already washed at least twice.

Bertie seemed quite chilled about being groomed.

Bertie with Luna afterwards, he also had a bath and it must feel so much better!

Luna was so unsure about him until she realised he would play with her and they haven't stopped since!

Bertie chilling on the memory foam dog bed.

Exploring the garden with Luna.

Shaking that octopus!

More exploring.

Out with Sooty. Sooty seems to be more wary now the other two are playing but apart from them cannoning into him and making him scream one time, after which the two boys nearly had a punch up, they play and leave him in peace.

Wrestling with Luna, unfortunately some of the videos I took end in doggy porn, Bertie doesn't seem to realise he is neutered yet, and Luna has been encouraging him like a hussy!

It was a game of chase like this that ended up with Sooty getting hurt!

Bertie loves all the toys, old and new and is constantly playing. Everyone agrees he had Schnauzer in him, among other things.


Bedtime last night.

Second night, I wanted to leave Bertie downstairs again at least until I got his skin checked out by the vets, but Bertie had other ideas. He woke at 5:30 the next morning and wanted to play! It would be 7:30 in Cyprus. This morning it was 6:16, so better but I went back to bed to try and get a little more sleep then didn't get up until nearly 10am! I was in the bathroom when the window cleaner rang the bell, he was followed by two delivery people then I was trying to shower and dress before the window cleaner wanting paying and the phone went! The vet ruled out ringworm, thinks the hair loss could be a reaction to being clipped and the lesion from a bite. So Bertie will have twice weekly baths for a couple of weeks and see how it goes.

Anyway he is very brave and not worried about anything much, not like Luna, so he probably lived in  a home at some point. He squares up to other dogs too no matter the size, and he wants to cuddle up close to me and follows me around. They all do at the moment, trying to establish who owns me I guess!

So after all the excitement this morning breakfast was at midday, is that brunch or lunch? 

I made fruit pancakes and fruit infusion to go with them.

Of course it is time for T on Tuesday at Elizabeth and Bleubeard's place, and I did get started on going round commenting, sorry I didn't manage everyone.

T (or water) on Tuesday, it's a dogs life!

Tuesday again, and time for T for Tuesday at Elizabeth and Bleubeard's place. Once again I have failed to go round and comment, I really meant to but my time gets eaten up every day.
So this is the drinking fountain for the dogs (this is instead of a cup of tea), which filters the water as it works. Sooty has to drink filtered water anyway, doesn't drink enough and with a normal bowl and his beard that collects muck the water needs changing several times a day so this one makes a lot of sense and he likes it.

Here's a video of it in action.

I did some gardening, mainly weeding and Luna helped along with two friendly robins. I want to get this Acer out of the pot but I fear it will take a hammer to do it, and I dug a hole but I don't think it is going to work as it is hardcore underneath as it is under our whole garden.

Luna inspecting the pile of soil.

Luna helping dig the hole a bit deeper!

I forgot to show this little guy last week, I found him on the lawn and he is a young goldfinch. I picked him up and put him on the empty bird bath thinking he would be safer there, but no parents around and he didn't move. Then I tried putting him in the hedge, but he just clung on with his head against the wire and his eyes closed. So I put him in a box and gave him a drink, seemed thirsty. Still not able to fly, so I rang three numbers before the RSPCA said they would come and collect him, which they did later on the Sunday evening that I found him. I realised afterward he was hurt, and his beak was bleeding.

This Jackdaw is one of the reasons that I am getting through 2kg of dried mealworms in less than a month, despite rationing them to half a feeder a day - which is emptied in a couple of hours! I'm right out now though, and the price has gone up twice.

Starlings love meal worms and arrive with the whole family to gobble them up. 

The robin got a look in, the jackdaw and magpies go off with beaks full of them to eat on next door's chimney.

Trapped by rain in the greenhouse Luna decided to sample the bamboo.

I've been trying out some new dog food, the dogs love it. I think it will be quite expensive but if it sorts out Sooty's problems it will be worth it, another bladderstone operation would be awful for him.

It's blurry, I keep forgetting Luna can reach!

I make up the next day's food the night before, these two think they should have it right away!

I bought a new gadget from Groupon, to chop, chip, slice and dice without cutting more chunks off my fingers. First thing I did was cut myself on it! I used to to chop onion, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes for my breakfast omelette, but this is the extra washing up from it!

Everything beautifully sliced, diced and chopped.

The Omelette.

This is the top I have been working on, all ready to sew together and crochet edgings now. The pattern is from Two Brothers and is called Sadie's Shells. I had some balls of King Cole Giza cotton to use, still have some in other colours. This took about 3 and a half balls.

Finally, not the right blog, I won some flowers made by Samaflora which are so pretty and come with a lavender bag. 

In case you are interested the review comparing knitting/crochet organiser bags is in the post before this one, as well as a then and now photo of me in that cardigan!