Bears, wolves, and a bit more sewing.

I think it must be Christmas. A giant, slightly scary bear has appeared in our local shopping centre.

November never seems to be a good month for us. This one was no different, and passed in a blur. Harvey has been diagnosed with a kind of dog dementia, presenting us with some new and unusual behaviours. We have been up at all hours of the night, Harvey wanting to do strange things at even stranger times.

It all reminded me of an elderly couple I looked after many years ago. I used to stay with them overnight, because they would try to go out shopping at 3a.m. This was long before the days of 24 hour opening. I had to keep their house keys in my shoe, knowing that if they couldn't find they keys they would eventually give up and go back to bed. They were lovely really, and it was so sad.

Anyway, with various changes of routine we've managed to get Harvey more settled. He is very well and happy in himself, and has been getting in touch with his inner wolf. This week he ate a bird in the garden, feathers and all. Whatever is going on in his brain it's clear his digestion is as robust as always.

My concentration has been dreadful, so I haven't been reading or writing much. One of the best things this year is that I've totally fallen in love with sewing again. Yesterday I went on a course at Stitch Solihull where I made this!

Sorry the photo is looking slightly grainy. My camera hasn't been quite right lately either. I think I changed the settings and now I can't get them back. Actually, if you click on the photo to see it bigger then it's a lot better. I wonder why that is. Oh well - the course was great and I sense a purse making frenzy coming on!

If I'm not back in blogland before Christmas, I hope you all have a merry one.

Margate, ghosts, mermaids

I am pleased to say that I have a story included in The Day Death Wore Boots, a collection of ghost stories from Alfie Dog Fiction. Mine was originally published in Writing Magazine in 2007, after winning the summer ghost story competition the previous year.



There is also a story from writing friend, Angela Pickering. Last month Angela and I spent a lovely weekend in Kent. Here we are, windblown in Margate.  (Thanks to Biddy for the photo and for showing us the sights.)

 

And here is the Folkestone mermaid, who has the most wonderful view, but must feel a bit chilly in the winter. However, I still rather wish I could spend every day gazing at the sea, like her. It's not a bad life, is it?

 



Harvey's sponsored bark

Arrff! Harvey here again.

Mrs Boss says she's going to put me into a sponsored bark. She's figured out how to do it. One day, not so long ago, I wandered innocently into the dining room. Lo and behold, there was a new door in there. And standing inside this door was a golden retriever, about my size, but not as handsome.

The other dog barked at me. I barked back.

The other dog's hackles rose. So did mine.

The other dog growled, and snarled, and got fiercer and fiercer. So did I!

Then Mrs Boss ran down the stairs, asking where the burglars were. Burglars? There was only me - and the mystery dog, of course.

Then Mrs Boss picked up the new door - which wasn't a door at all! She said it was a full length mirror. She'd just bought it, on account of doing more dressmaking and needing to keep her hems straight. She said the other dog was only me reflected in the mirror. I didn't believe her. I'm much better looking than that other dog. But I had to admit I couldn't find that dog anywhere in the house. Not even a sniff of him.

Mrs Boss hid the mirror down the side of the bookcase. She says if she ever wants me to bark and bark and bark, she'll get it out again. And perhaps people could sponsor me to raise money for dogs who don't have nice gardens to dig up, or plenty of windfall apples to gorge themselves silly on.

So on Tuesday I was just having a little practice bark outside. I didn't think anyone would notice over the din of Mr Boss mowing the lawn. And then... silence. Mr Boss had run over the electric cable with the mower! And he had the nerve to blame me for distracting him! He's gone to buy a new mower now. Mrs Boss is reviewing the life insurance.

Since the nights began to draw in, Mrs Boss has been knitting. I don't know what's happened to her writing. She says neither does she.

She did have a little piece published for National Flash Fiction Day in June. It's right here.

But she is optimistic about having some writing news next month. It's September, you see, which is one of her favourite months. A time for new plans, she says. And new slippers too. On Wednesday she went to the park in her old ones. Talk about embarrassing. I had to laaarrrrfffff!

Even when the road is bumpy...

Some pot holes are heart shaped!

Happy Easter

Sorry I have been away from my blog so long. For several weeks during winter everyone was ill, one after another, myself included. Writing was the last thing on my mind, and it took a while for things to settle back down.

Anyway, here I am to tell the tale. Writing again, gardening, sewing, walking the Big H, and trying to catch up with all your news. I sold a couple of stories to My Weekly, and every so often I go back to my historical 'thing' and do a bit on that.

For Christmas I decided to replace my forty year old sewing machine. My new one didn't come with a cover, and the ones you can buy aren't very pretty, so I made my own. I have a book on how to make patchwork bags, so adapted a pattern out of that. Please note the two polka dot buttons I found on the market, to finish off the handle! They were a perfect match with the red polka dot fabric, and I was so pleased with them

Then I stitched twenty-one patchwork stars and Christmas trees to make into a garland. It took me until April to make all the little shapes! Here are some of them.

To make sure all the shapes were hanging evenly on the cord, I strung it up across the beam in our lounge before stitching them on. My newish neighbour was cutting her grass at the time, and had a wonderful view of me from her garden. So now she thinks I put my Christmas decorations up for Easter. As if she needed further evidence of my oddness.

I have to confess to a senior moment last autumn, when I thoroughly embarrassed myself in front of her. Her garage is right next to ours. She had her garage doors open, because she was cleaning her car. I had just popped out to the front garden, for some reason that I now forget. And instead of walking back into my own garage - you guessed it - I walked straight into hers! After a second's confusion I realised why everything looked so different. I burst forth like Basil Fawlty, trying to find some plausible excuse for being in entirely the wrong place, but inwardly mortified. I still have to smile when I think of it. Oh well.

On another tack, I have never seen so many bats as I have this spring. Is it because we had a mild winter? They are very small and very fast. I sit on the sofa and watch them appear at twilight, zipping and swooping like swallows. Hope they are not roosting in our loft, but am too nervous to stick my head up through the hatch to investigate!

Isn't it lovely to have better weather? I've been gadding here and there, with a birthday trip to Evita, a canal walk, various lunches in various places, and lots of general pottering.

Wishing you all a happy Easter - and don't skimp on the chocolate.