Snow!

Yes we had some snow this morning, started as the kids were going to school, got to about an inch thick but then by half past one most of it had melted away ... hopefully there will be a little bit more this weekend, so the kids can play in it.

Dunwich Beach and Heath Video

berry bokeh*

Took Laila for a little walk into the fields this morning. The weather is changing, as evidenced by the fruit of the hedgerows but it's still warm and muggy, even when there is no bright sun about (like today).    Andrew only got to his destination mid-morning (UK time) and I believe he's now resting in his hotel (it's afternoon there as I type and midday here).   Glad he got there safe and sound.

 Hayzel and Allyson have gone to the Reload 80's concert (Kevin won them the tickets at his work's raffle) ...

• Kool & The Gang
• Soul II Soul
• Rick Astley
• ABC
• Go WEST
• Hot Chocolate
• Imagination
• Odyssey
• From The Jam

Can't help but smile hey?


Kevin took the kids out to the Hobbyking Festival of Flight show at Elmssett Airfield.


We heard yesterday that Eric had a bit of a nasty turn whilst out driving with Ingrid and that he was in hospital for observation (I think).  Hope he's feeling much better now and that everyone has a lovely weekend. xxxx

*Japanese term used by photographers to denote a blurry background in a photo 

Lylie-loo-loo's home

She doesn't seem to know what's going on ... was very quiet in the car and is running around looking for Faye - she sniffed the entrance hall carpet like crazy when we first walked in the door.  Kevin is going to fetch the kids at 4pm, so it's going to be pandemonium in our house when she meets Faye again. Hold onto yourselves.
Oh and she doesn't stink too bad - just like wet dog, which is bearable.  The guy at the kennels didn't want me to take her home {he told me on the phone, 'she's a big dog in a small dog's body').  His daughter (who basically runs the kennels) also has fallen completely in love with Laila.   

Owls, the Llanfair Singers and Laila

My Auntie Jean sent me a cd today of the Carol music that she had recorded with the Llanfair Singers at the Church of St. Cuthbert in Clungunford, Shropshire a few months ago.  The site of this church dates back to Saxon times and the current building is over 600 years old.    

Jean was not very well on the day of the recording, she had a terrible sore throat and chest cold and you can hear it in her voice.  This doesn't detract, though, from the work that she did and in fact just adds to the charm.   The cd is really lovely and well recorded, some of the Carols - like Jingle Bells and Ding, Dong, Merrily on High, as well as Have yourself a Merry little Christmas are recorded in the traditional version but there are other Carols on the cd that are done in an entirely different style and some are really beautiful - so of course, I had a little weep because I know my mum would have loved to hear it ... well maybe she did through me, hey? The Llanfair Singers are going to be singing in St. Paul's Cathedral. London in 2015, which is no mean achievement!  

I've only extracted a piece from the song that Jean sang solo on - 'The Lord at first had Adam made'

I took most of the pictures from the cd liner notes and also grabbed some off ye Olde Interweb.  In most of these pictures, Jean is at the front. 

Jean also sent a lovely Owl mobile for Ewan and an enamel and gold Owl necklace for Faye ...  the little video I did is too big for Blogger to handle, so here's the YouTube linkie

Lucky kids, hey?

Hayzel and Kevin took the kids out this morning to get stuff for Laila, so that Hayzel could give her a bit of a 'groom' - i .e. bath, blow dry, hair trim, bum shave, hair tied up all pwitty.  Of course, Faye had to get her a pretty pink ballerina tutu with a velvet/glittery bodice. So now Laila is the belle of the ball ... and she knows it.

3rd Place in the Wacton Dog Show Puppy Category - Well done Faye and Laila

 Wacton Fete 2013

The next village down from Long Stratton had a fete yesterday on their village green. Now back in South Africa this would be part of the same town because they are so close to each other (you could actually spit out our front door and almost hit Wacton), but it seems our adoptive country people love having a village every few yards from each other...

Well done to Faye and Laila for coming 3rd in their first dog show! Well Done my girls! Laila was entered into the puppy category. Even without being bathed and blow dried she managed to get third place, imagine if she has been prepared properly for the show.

Click the link right below to watch the video. I seem to have forgotten to press record when Faye and Laila did their walk around the arena, oh well you still get the picture...

Click here for puppy show in hi-def

These were dogs that came first and second, second place was a good contender and a very cute labrador that would have given Laila a run for her money any day. But first place? It looks like a mutt!

1st place Winner

2nd place, a cute lab

And 3rd place to the cutest two at the show

All this dog showing is very hard work and soon they were snoring away...

Then the breekers came and breekered the party...

There was another couple at the show that had something like 6 Lhaso Apso hounds

And finally the kids played on the jumping castle and took part in the trolley race posting up some really good times...

A walk in the woods

I spoke to a local woman on Friday at Ewan's Nursery school and asked her if there were any forests or woods nearby that we could go to with the kids.  She told me about Tyrrel's Wood, which is basically about 1 mile from our house.   We went this afternoon, with puppy and had a lovely walk around in the sunshine.    Here are some photos - again, click on image for the larger version.  One of the photos was taken using the 3D mode but as I don't have 3D glasses, I can't check if it actually worked or not!

Arriving - no fee, no hawkers, no vagrants, no rubbish.

We gave Laila a bath this morning, which was a bit of a waste of time, after she'd wandered through as much mud as possible. She made friends with a couple of local dogs who were also out for their constitutionals and of course, found a stick.

Walks in the wood are all part of the Boudicca Way network of footpaths in this area.

The Boudicca Way is named after the legendary warrior Queen of the Iceni, whose tribes once inhabited the area, and passes through the beautiful, unspoilt rural countryside of South Norfolk and the Waveney Valley where visitors will find sites where unusual wildlife and flora are present.

The Boudicca Way is a long distance footpath which runs for approximately 36 miles between Diss and Norwich. Running roughly parallel with the old Roman ‘Pye’ Road, now known as the A140, the route follows public rights of way and quiet country roads, stopping off in picturesque villages such as Pulham Market, Saxlingham Nethergate and Shotesham along the way.

Kevin pointing out the Unicorn tracks and Goblin houses

It's easy to get lost even in a regular sized wood like this one ...

The light was stunning filtering through the trees

Here be Goblins and Fairies

The bark on these trees is almost a peach colour

A new shoot on the forest floor, glowing neon yellow green in the sunlight.

A little boy and a puppy

Lots of different types of trees, very interesting and we all thought better than Thetfore Forest Park - plus totally free to get in!

Every shade of green hey?

Hayzel cut her finger this morning doing the dishes on a broken glass in the sink - she slit it quite deeply in the webbing between her fingers, so she's not been a very happy camper today.  She should have had stitches ... we'll see how it is tomorrow.

GET WELL SOON!
Oma is in hospital after having an emergency hip operation, following her fall.   I hope that she is feeling a bit better and that the pain is bearable.  We are all thinking about you!   Get well soon.