HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE

Laura and I made a jacuzzi cake this year for Pete, with cats floating in rings and flowers, tortoises, ladybirds, butterflies and dogs sitting at the base! I don't think he knows what to expect next really, but lovely cake, we didn't have a birthday do as such this year but took Pete to see an outdoor theatre group at Trelissick gardens, it was really good, we took a picnic and blankets etc, worth seeing. Back to work now , no rest for the wicked eh!

AT THE MO

Just organising things for the mill to start. We have ordered the wood for the base of the summer house, we had prices in for building it, but really cant afford it so, team Pete and Michelle are building it, we will be digging the rest of the base this weekend hopefully if it stops raining!...Actually when has that ever stopped us!!! Andy & Ant are booked in to move the stables beginning of Sept and Jamie is on stand by to disconnect the electrics first week in October so we don't kill ourselves when we take the internal block walls out!!Oh and Richard to disconnect the water supply, then its down to us to take all the furniture out and gut it, that's going to take quite some time, as we will be building the car port and garage at the same time oh and summerhouse...oh and working to pay for it!!!! We have a lot of things to source and organise its a big project and we are working on it on the computer every waking hour away from work. daylight will be a distant memory soon!... I thought I would just update things as I am sat here waiting for the ruddy gas man who never comes at the time he says, plus its raining and Shadow is trying to get in the office, but through the glass window so must dash eh!!!

HELP!

On a wobbly day, some days are ok and some just need to be forgotten, I had one of those days yesterday!!  maybe when I slow down a bit and it catches up with me, mmmm have to rethink my speed!! Pete reckons if we go any faster we will be done before we start!!! Now theres a thought!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KITTENS

Our last lot of kittens of which we kept these two, squeaker and squiggly were 1 year old this week, it doesnt seem like yesterday that they were born and subsequently hanging from the new curtains and learning to bring in presents and basically take over the house. They even bring in friends to play!! Nope not a minute passes that I dont think about what life would be without them....dear of 'em!!!! Squeaker seems to sleep all day and muck about all night!! Happy Birthday girls!!!

PRE BIRTHDAY TREAT

Pete and I dont often have any time at all. But I thought I would surprise him with a day out for his birthday at the end of the week. I wanted to make the most of the day to have as much time as possible, so we were up anyway to see Steve off with the Cornwall squad at 5.30 so after he went and the animals were sorted we left for the day....7.20am to be precise!! bags on the bike and off we cycled to the train station...ahhh I know how to make his day relaxing don't I!!! I figure you only live once so make the most of it before someone thinks you aren't enjoying it enough it and whips it away!! SO caught the train to Exeter and picked up a cycle link to Teignmouth 18 miles there and 18 back. Lovely cycle, some bits were really hard but mostly all ok, I never know how I am going to be, just hope!!....We had a pic nic at double locks, past the stags and deer near powderham castle and then on to lunch in a seafood place in Teignmouth, its really pretty along there, I have never thought of visiting that area before, but will definitely go back some time. We looked at all the sculpture along the front, had another pic nic coffee and cake and cycled back to the train at 8.20pm which we found out when we got there had broken down so we were stranded in Exeter!!! All sorted eventually and got home, very tired!! Oh Steve won his match for Cornwall though!....The only thing about having any time at all away from here is that you have to work twice as hard and longer when you get back!!!

OH HOW COULD I FORGET!!!

Molly Dolly was a new arrival for the family, a cousin for Lucky, Gem and Shadow. Auntie Louise finally got a puppy, I wont go into the preamble we'll be here all day, but up shot is...yippee she got one!! She is really cute shih tzu, I don't know if I have spelt that right but hopefully I have!!!! So welcome Molly, even though you fell asleep after a manic half hour....out for the count in this picture.

HUNGRY!

We were lucky enough to have several families move in this year to bring up their children, I think they think its a great place to bring them up!....One family obviously had a bit more funds as they moved in with the jacuzzi!!!!! She reared 5 in the end, one didn't make it but the others did and weren't that keen to move out either! Fancy feeding this lot, they shouted for food every half hour or so!!!!! And I think 3 times a day is bad...and thats just Pete!!!(hes always hungry!)

NEW HOMES FOR CHICKENS!

We had awful trouble with something eating our chickens when they were allowed to roam anywhere. We always locked them in but the badgers and foxes were a pain. So we made a new house and bought a plot of land from the goats in the lunge ring and boy did they make us pay!! We were like a German timber frame company had it all done and dusted by the afternoon, chickens in making a cuppa!! After some initial argy bargy, they seem to get on well as neighbours, they even have a new mountain of granite boulders thanks to Mark and his digger!

CARNOUSTIE

Just trying to think of things that happened between now and last March...the sort of void which was a whirl wind really. Oh I know, Steve got through into the Scottish U16 competition with competitors from all over the world, he has a good practice round and then the heavens opened, it was a really bad flood and the first day had to be cancelled due to all the greens and roads being under water, we were confined to our lodge! The second day was ok they had managed to work on it all night to get the competition back on. We had a final day spare so thought it would be nice to try to get Steve in at Carnoustie championship course......And we did he played with some very well known American business men and played really well 5 birdies!! played to 2 handicap so he was chuffed....Great experience, got to grab it while you can. Thanks to Laura and Aaron who kindly looked after the house and animals whilst we were away.

HOOORRRAAAYYYY!!

The final piece of the jigsaw came through this week, We applied for a carport and garage with a 32 panel system of Pv's on it in the parking area where the cycle and boot store is now. And cant believe our luck with all the restrictions that come with living in lovely places....We were granted permission....how cool is that!!! So we will be starting the removal of the cycle boot store/stable in September with the plans to start the new build there in October, before we tackle the Mill, We have to get that area right first as we will be open for letting so that area is priority....how and where we live will have to just be what it will be ! mmm tent???