HOME BOY.

What big feet you have!

Blending with the mulch in the garden

On the outdoor sofa with Girl Child

Please Adopt Me!!!!  :(

Snuggles with a chocolate lab "puppy

 Many of you have asked about Foster Boy. He's doing so well. Lost a few pounds and now able to walk 25 minutes at a time. He' able to do the stairs now his muscles have improved in his legs. 

He enjoys laying his head on any pillow, foot or soft blanket around, and loves to recline on the patio furniture. A snuggle with a stuffed toy is one of this boy's favorite things. He's a total snuggle boy, very well behaved, and other than the 20 slice bread sandwich he made one night, he hasn't touched anything that doesn't belong to him.

He has a wee limp this morning as when Girl Child was walking him last night she was crossing the bridge on a busy street that crosses the river and two very large coyotes came from under the bridge and came face to face with them. BIG BOY had to run like the wind. The coyotes crossed the busy road and ran off, and I had to drive to pick them up as she was afraid to go back.

Why you really should drink Tequila

If you must polish off a bottle of fine liquor this summer, make it Patron Tequila. It comes in this delightful bottle that serves beautifully as a vase or vessel for bath salts, Limoncello, fragrant olive oils etc..........with a re-usable cork...I'm finding it quite delightful.....

Fashion Item of The Week

 

Could someone please invite me to a country wedding so I can wear my cowboy boots with this cream lace dress?  

I bought this lovely lacy concoction of a dress from SWAK and would dearly love to wear it this summer to a bridal shower or garden party. Since I'm not a frou-frou girl, I would much prefer to dress it down and wear it with a chunky leather belt and worn boots than high heels and a SASH.

Fairies on the Ombre Birthday Cake

Life isn't complete without Fairies.

The Ombre Cake.

Yes, they have Champagne balloons....

 

Balloons and lantern under the Parasol

I do love to throw a party, and with Girl Child turning 25, I told her she could have a party at the house. (her 450 sq foot digs just doesn't work for large gatherings). Hopefully the weather holds and the 30 or so guests can stay outside. We decorated the yard today with lanterns, balloons and other festive items. A few weeks ago, Ky asked if I could make her an Ombre cake (dark to light).....NO PROBLEM says dear mother. This morning we baked 5 layers in layers from plum to pale pink, and iced it with the same. The thing is HUGE. A foot high and weighs about 20 lbs....lots of icing??!! Yikes, I hope it tastes OK. Tonight there's a SUPER MOON, specially ordered........

Day 6

Nice bed buddy!

It's Day 6 and moving into the weekend tomorrow. The garden is just starting to bloom with the first flowers being the flowering onions (Alium) ....which are now moved because we had some work done in the back yard. We had some large raised beds removed because of rotten wood, and then we enlarged the patio. Unfortunately the robin had nested in the worst spot...right in the midst of the construction path and also so close to the seating area which means we get crossly chirped at every time we sit down.  Girl Child is having a party here on Saturday night, so today we'll be decorating and doing some grocery shopping and getting organised. 

The Raz Man returns today from his week in Florida without me! We are taking Girl Child to Cucci tonight for dinner...a lovely local eatery...

And in Foster Dog news....this boy is like a new man....he's been 3 days on his anti-inflammatory and is so full of himself, he doesn't seem like the same dog. He can manage the wood floors now, bounds up the stairs and charges around the yard like a crazy fool. I cannot believe the change in this boy. He's gone from being an un-walked, hobbling dog that couldn't even go up the stairs to a lively fellow with get up and go. He does snore like a trooper and of course in typical Labrador style, his favorite past time is lounging, as he is doing in this photo below. One week ago, he couldn't even roll over. His changes of being adopted have greatly improved.

Enjoy you weekend...do you have plans?

Hanging....

Happy Birthday Ky

The sort of thing she does...a giraffe in Hunter boots in my living room....

On holiday with my DIL, she's on the left

She's in the middle

Today is Girl Child's birthday, and I simply must give her a shout out on the blog today. She's 25 today...so this is a big birthday for her. Her name is actually Mikyla, but we only called her that for about 5 minutes. After that she was Ky (pronounced like My with a K). She's a pint sized package (4'11") but what she lacks in height she makes up for in feisty-ness and get up and go. She started dancing at 3 and went on to do so in competitions, but we never behaved like the dance moms/daughters you see on TV. She's been a dresser-up-er since day one, and paraded around the neighborhood in my heels, scarfs and jewelry from an early age. She's a live wire, this one, loves being in the thick of a gathering......people's her thing. This past year she has completed another 2 year diploma, traveled to the Bahamas, Montreal and Florida, was a bridesmaid in her brothers wedding, moved into new digs, FLOODED OUT OF HER NEW DIGS, interned at a fashion magazine, and spent loads of time with us and extended family. She has loved being a sister in law to Tracy (and the other 2 sisters) and is a loving Grand daughter.She'a always ready to help a friend in need. I've seen so many positives this year in the life of my girl and I am so proud of her. I love her excitable nature and ability to have good old fashioned fun. This girl truly loves a celebration and so enjoys the birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings etc of those she loves. While Champagne may seem like her middle name, she lives up to her real middle name which is Grace.

LOVE YOU GIRL. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Foster Dog Update.

His new stomping grounds. Yesterday we saw 4 deer drinking from the creek..until he barked and scared them off.

Thank you for all of your comments and concerns about my new Foster Dog. I've kinda changed his name to Bubba since he doesn't seem to know his real name.

Today is May 1st. If Bubba wasn't re-homed before today, the owner was going to take him to a shelter, so thank goodness he was rescued. According to the rescue coordinator, he would have been an unlikely candidate for being kept at the shelter. Depending on the town there they are taken, the policies vary, and often dogs such as this one are euthanized  because they have too many issues to be adopted out in a reasonable period of time. She told me that the city he was from would not have kept him at the shelter. So fostering him was his only hope. He certainly came with some baggage. 

• Bubba has not been exercised in a VERY long time. He has weak muscles.
• He is a really chubby boy, needing to lose 30lbs. (him and me both). His weight makes it difficult for him to move around without being sore and out of breath.
• He's got bad legs and arthritis and a very odd gait.
• He cannot manage hardwood floors.
• He can't do stairs.
• He can only walk for 15 minutes at a slow pace.
• He eats lying down. He belly crawls around like a beached sea lion grunting.

The good news is:

• Rescue got him a HUGE bottle of Metacam, an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever
• He loves to walk. He is having a walk along the creek and a lap of the playing field 4 times a day.
• He minds his own business. No chewing, cat chasing or mischief.
• He is settling down and feeling at home
• He's a gentle and sweet dog
• The vet thinks with regular exercise and good food, he will lose the weight and be way more agile and happy, and hopefully won't need meds all his life.

Yesterday I was feeling very annoyed at his owners for putting him in this situation. Over feeding him, not walking him, general lack of care, shots not updated, nails not cut etc. Turfing him out. I was mad all day yesterday as I observed his struggles.

I took him to the spa yesterday to get fixed up. He's all shiny and sweet smelling and he's had his first dose of pain meds an hour ago, eating a low cal salmon based diet for his figure and his bones, and so he's on his way to his former glory. He must feel like he's gone to BOOT CAMP.

120 lbs of Chocolate Love

This is my new 120 lb Foster Boy. I picked him up yesterday after he was dropped off at neutral pick up/drop off zone....a vet clinic near my house. He's been the loving dog to a family for 8 years. Apparently he loved to roll around on the floor with the kids and they used him as a pillow while watching TV. He also had a best friend...a cat...with whom he lounged on the sofa. Apparently the dad got a new girl friend who had allergies, so he had to be re-homed. The whole getting rid of your dog thing makes me very sad. I can totally understand not being able to keep a dog. Financial, living, medical, work reasons come up and circumstances change. I just wish this boy couldn't have stayed at his home until they found him a new one. Plus, the girlfriend could be gone in 6 months.... Anyway he's so huge, he got stuck between the front passenger and driver's side seat while on his way here. He tried to get through to the front, despite me trying to stop him, and got properly sandwiched between the seats, causing me to have to pull over and try to push him backwards. He would't (couldn't) budge. I had to get out and pull him through to the front then bring him around to the back again. 

My last Foster Dog, Hunter made the transition very easily. Besides incidents such as eating 6 bananas from the fruit bowl, he was happy and relaxed. Not this Boy. I would have to describe yesterday as a day of mourning for him. He paced, panted, cried, barked and was generally very unhappy and upset all day. Which physically is very hard for him A) because a dog stresses leaving his home and B) because he is so overweight (35 lbs) he has exhausted himself from pacing and panting. He is having a lot of difficulty with the hardwood floors. I've had to make him stepping stones from rubber backed bathmats. He can't do stairs, although he managed to climb onto my white sofa!  I don't have to worry about the cat because she's no match for this 99 year old man. 

Despite belly rubs, lots of short walks, hand feeding him (he's too upset to eat) and a cozy bed in the office, he's still not happy today. He sleeps for 5 minutes, then grunts and groans and paces and then settles again, making little pining noises.  It's breaking my heart. 

The Perfect Guest Part 2

The perfect guest....

• Arrives with a whole flat of strawberries and makes a batch of jam
• Brings a slab of peameal bacon, large eggs and a loaf of grainy bread and cooks everyone a lovely breakfast
• Takes themselves for a long walk each day to give the host some breathing room
• Makes their bed every morning
• Gathers seashells for your collection

Never......

• Takes the morning papers first
• Brings someone along unexpectedly
• Leaves the sheets on the bed when they leave
• Takes home the leftovers that they brought with them
• Changes the plans you have made for them

Being a guest is a wonderful treat...be a Perfect Guest and you'll be invited back. What makes the perfect guest for you to host?

The Perfect Guest

As someone who has previously owned a cottage, and now a vacation home in Florida, I know how many people love to visit. I do love to entertain, and I am always much happier with a full house.  But just as you may have favorite holiday homes to be invited to, I have a favorite kind of weekend guest. One thing I can tell you is, never arrive empty handled or sit idle. People often phone and say "is there anything I can bring?" Usually the shopping's been done and meals planned, so there's nothing really "necessary" to pick up. It's also awkward for the host to suggest something to bring. Who really wants to tell a guest to bring a 40 ounce-er of Southern Comfort. So, to help you out, Every now and then, I'm going to feature "Perfect Guest Fare", so you can get some tips and get invited back.

One thing I go through a ton of is soap. Many people = Many showers and I hate having soggy messes of wilted soap. Lovely fresh bars in both the powder room and main bath are a welcoming treat. My choice would be handmade bars such as these above (look at farmers and craft markets) or organic vegetable based bars from the health food store. Buy a stack...not just one or two. Bunch them together with a ribbon, or toss them casually into a re-used wicker basket and arrive with your fragrant gift and several bottles of wine and you're sure to have made a welcome entrance.

Victoria Sponge

Whip up a Victoria Sponge cake this weekend (Recipe HERE) and layer it with a really good raspberry jam and top with whipped cream. I made this one for my neighbor whose been quite ill. Cake and cream with a strong cup of tea should make her feel a little brighter. Keeping with the English tea time theme, I presented it on my vintage Queen Elizabeth Coronation plate. 

Cupcake Decor

Cupcake mania seems to have hit North America. I found these adorable little cupcake decorations in Homesense and put them on a baker's dozen of Vanilla Buttercreams for my friend Disey in lieu of candles. Once your over 10, it's just too many!. The only Vanilla cake recipe I use is the one from The Cupcake Cafe in New York. Perfect every time. You can get the recipe HERE. And speaking of dogs, I mentioned on Saturday I was to be bringing home another Foster Dog. Unfortunately, the vet discovered she was incontinent and I couldn't take her. Once the sort her out, I am still hoping to offer her a home for a bit.