And a Friesan makes three

We will be adding another to our horsey family as my partners daughter Natalie is buying a beautiful Friesan girl Tia who will be arriving tomorrow, so expect  plenty of post and pictures. She is under weight and out of condition as she been out of work for quite a while but she has the sweetest nature which is the most important thing and everything else will come with care and time.

July on instagram

Granny's buttons

Local Horse show

 

My happy place

Just a random flower pic from one of the many dog walks

 

Sorting out the compost bins at last x

Spent the afternoon sleeping in the sun it's a perfect day not a cloud in the sky and a gentle breeze

My son Nick bought us cake from Patisserie Valerie in Selfridges so I thought I'd take a picture but unfortunately we ate it :) Yum xx

That's my mess by the way x

A grand day out x

Oh what a lovely day the sun was hot and no work was getting done today.

We all piled into the car 3 adults, 2 kids and the dogs, its a good job I have an extremely large car, and off we popped.

We had a lovely walk or in the case of the dogs charge around and I couldn't believe how much the vegetation had grown in the couple of months since I had last been to this spot, in parts I felt like I should be hacking my way through with a machete and keeping a look out for any prowling big cats or elephants. 

Shock Horror - Sid in the water!!

We went down to the river to let the dogs have a drink and a cool off and I was shocked to see Sid (the black one) paddling about, as usually he hates the water, honestly he wont even step in a puddle he skirts around the side so as not to wet his feet. Lily and Piglet were making the most of it wading for stick the boys threw for them and Lil did her usual trick of putting her head under water to get the stones.

After walking up through the grave yard, where Lewis had me reading out the names on every stone we went past, we had a short break for drinks and ice cream at the local cafe which has been there for years and is for reasons unknown (to me) called Cafe Vienna. I felt like I was on my hols. with the Coca Cola umbrellas and chalked out menu boards and I was only a couple of miles from home.

Cafe Vienna

Then into Haslam park for a while so the boys could have a go on the children's play area and then home where the dogs flopped down on their beds and didn't move again for hours.

Where'd you leave your teeth Charlie Roberts?

This is Charlie my great friend Jane's grandson who came to tea today and as you can see he has a few teeth missing but he's still a handsome chap. We had a pork dinner and then baked apples and cream but no pics of the food as we were, as usual, to keen to get stuck in, oh and I made Vodka and Cherry cordial which is a fave Sunday drink of ours.

A bit of male bonding Charlie and Al watching F1.

Jane and Charlie

No we're not going to the shop for toffees AGAIN!

A Brief Encounter - A story of lost love - Staring Cyfyng Flyer and the birdy

Another scorcher today :) and Tet's found himself a new friend

'What's that large red thing and what's it eating and more importantly will it share I wonder'

'OK what's this very small creature and what's it doing here' say's Tetley

'I wonder if he'll be my friend?'

'Oh no he's gone please come back small thing and we can be friends'

Ginger biccys

The problem with baking is the eating these days, I've always been able to eat pretty much what I liked and stay slim as ever but now I'm 50 and at an age where I spontaneously combust on a regular basis every biscuit or piece of cake I eat wants to stick around. It's a problem with no answer I think as I get plenty of exercise mucking out, riding, walking the dogs etc and generally leading an active life so I just have to accept it and carry on.

I love to bake and today it was Grantham Gingers or as they're called in this house Hollow Biscuits. I've been making these since my son was little and he's a grown man now, they're crispy on the top and puff up (hence the hollow ref) and they have a lovely chewy bottom, they're gingery and sweet and I can't stop eating them and they're especially good with a glass of milk x

How long till the tins empty I wonder?

9oz Self Raising Flour
Ginger to taste
4oz Butter
12oz Caster Sugar
1 Egg beaten

Grease 2-3 Baking sheets
Sift flour and ginger
Beat together butter and sugar till creamy
Add egg and flour and mix to form a firm dough
Roll into egg size balls and put onto baking sheets
Bake for 30 mins on gas mark 2 untill crisp and puffed up
Makes about 20

Missing the show

The Arab is my partner Al's being ridden by Lydia and the welsh cob is mine being ridden by Al

 Well it was our local show (Silverbirch) today so we had a wander down to do some classes but when we got there we'd missed all the classes we wanted to do as some classes had been cancelled so they'd got through the rest really quickly. Anyway we had bacon buttys and a coffee from the food van and the horses grazed their way across the showground so the day wasn't a total loss, I took the pics on the walk back home.

Job hunting :(

 
This could be me Legoland Manchester are looking for staff


 Oh shit Krispy Kreme have jobs going in M/C I'll be about 20 stone cause no one loves a doughnut more than me x


 Changed my mind I don't want to work there if you get scarey kids like this coming in