I'm Back!

TEIGNMOUTH

Well it has been so long since I have been on here, nearly a month! We went away for almost 3 weeks in the caravan with the dog. We picked up the caravan from storage in North Devon and towed it to a lovely site near Dawlish in South Devon. OH picked the site and it was very nice, swimming pools, kids play areas, entertainment etc etc. Only downside was that the do was not allowed in the entertainment bars so we took it in turns to go in or wait outside! We had a few nights on our own then youngest son came down for a week, and my sister and BIL joined us for 2 nights. When they left daughter and toddler came and stayed for a week. Daughter had to return home to work her notice as she is starting a new job in September in a school as a T/A so we had the toddler for her with us in the caravan. Youngest son returned after 2 days (only went home to attend a wedding) and daughter came back to join us! It was like running a B&B there lol. Unfortunately the dog (although well behaved with everyone on the site and a favourite with everyone's kids) has now taken a severe dislike to the toddler and is growling at her whenever she approaches. I can see where the dog is coming from as toddler hits and kicks her and grabs her fur every day so the dog is not having any of it anymore. We are keeping them separate atm and hoping that the toddler will learn soon how to behave. It did cause a lot of friction between me and the daughter though, which is not ideal on a holiday.

DAWLISH CARNIVAL

We went to Torquay, Dawlish, Dawlish Warren and Teignmouth on day trips out which was nice. Dawlish had a carnival on with lots of floats going round and various shows on the green. It is a pretty place with a stream running through the middle of town with various birds (ducks, geese etc) roaming around. Teignmouth was our favourite as there is everything there for kids and adults. Great entertainment on the beach with live bands, bouncy castles and fountains for the toddler, and lots of shops to look around. We found the best rump steak ever in the No 9 bistro there. It even has a Weatherspoons for the OH lol. Really would like to move there in the future as it is the first holiday place I have felt completely at home in. Also managed to spend a lovely afternoon visiting my friend who moved to Exeter a few years ago. Was great catching up for a chat and I have promised to visit and stay for a few days soon. Anyway, holiday came to an end and we towed it back to North Devon and came home to MOUNTAINS of washing. The bedding all needed washing for daughter, son, sister and BIL and ours so 5 lots of duvet covers sheets and pillowcases to start with! Finally finished it 3 days after I came home and now just have the ironing which is only a few pairs of shorts and blouses. We don't iron much in this house lol.

Back at home OH went to work on Bank Holiday Monday, daughter is catching up watching Harry Potter DVDs and I'm doing the cleaning!! The bathroom has a mould problem which OH will have to sort out as it's on the ceiling and spreading to the shower. Toddler's birthday cards are still up in the front room almost a month after her birthday and the place is a mess generally. But never mind it was worth it! Can't wait to go away again soon, and now I only have the toddler Thursday and Friday mornings until 1.30pm  so will have plenty of time!

All the best Bye for now x

Not a Great Day!

Well today did not really go well as I woke up feeling a bit dizzy again. Think it is my ears causing the problem as it has been that in the past. It's not too bad yet so hoping it will clear without seeing the GP.

He Came Through the Window

Was enjoying a nice early morning coffee when I suddenly had a feeling that something was wrong - I do get these feelings of 'doom' from time to time and quite often something not very great does happen. Well daughter came home late morning and told me her boyfriend's house where she stayed was broken into last night! (It's a shared house with 3 people living there.) Talk about coincidences, as I was reading someones blog yesterday who wrote that their village had suffered burglaries recently, and now it was happening a bit closer to home. Apparently the thief would have had to climb over garden fences to get to the property. They left the kitchen window slightly open but latched, and the thief managed to open it and reach in to steal someones car keys, wallet and car which contained a works laptop. At least they didn't enter the house while everyone was sleeping. Daughter was not in a very good mood this morning and quite short, probably very stressed. I didn't bother telling her that I had one of my 'premonitions' and it might have freaked her out even more. In fact, the only person I told was the dog, who won't tell anyone lolol. On a positive note our dog has superior hearing and would have been barking nonstop, as she was at 3 am one night when a cat went fishing in our pond! Not that she would do anything apart from bark anyway, but it is a useful alarm to have!

I am a firm believer in premonitions and ESP as my logical explanation for it is that it's part of the workings of the brain that have developed in some people but not in others. Or that some people accept these feelings and others dismiss them as daydreams, coincidences or nonsense. There is still an awful lot about the brain that we do not understand, or know about, so I think this makes sense to me. However, there is a world of difference between thinking of someone and then they contact you and so called fortune tellers - 99% of which I am sure are fakes in it for the money. Just my opinion.

Daughter went out to the park with her friend and the toddler, and they had dinner at the pub. Me and OH had a kebab from the local shop as neither of us wanted to cook. OH had a bad day at work today as he interviewed someone for a job and then the firm owner told him and the candidate that there were no vacancies atm!!! The owner is in his late 70s so I do think he may well be getting a bit senile as he knew about the vacancy, and had approved the advertising for it! He will probably change his mind again next week.

That's all for now All the best x

Nice Quiet Week So Far

Well so far this week it has been nice and quiet lol. Sunday was peaceful with just me here and OH at work. Sister and BIL visited on the evening and we had a barbecue tea in the garden.

Chinese Delivery Night

Monday daughter came home with the toddler and her boyfriend who picked her up from the airport. They all went out for a meal, so me and OH went shopping and had a Chinese takeaway from the shop Amy (my sister) is working for (as a delivery driver) 3 nights a week. Lovely food and much better than our local one. They have just opened so I hope it stays really nice as they have converted us! We also went to the vet with the dog who did a health check and then said she will refer us to a behaviourist to try and sort out the growling and snapping issues. It really is like having 2 different dogs here - she is soft and gentle and loving one minute, then changes and hides under the chair and becomes really nasty if you go near her. So strange. Really hope we can sort it out.

Tuesday was a day at home with the toddler very interested in all her toys as she has not seen them for a week. Tuesday night was a different matter when daughter went back to work. Ava was happy for her to go then about half an hour later started crying for Mummy by the door. OK with a biscuit but then it happened again, and again. I opened the door in the end and showed her daughter's car was gone and she was OK after that. First time we have had this when daughter goes to work. Probably because she has been with her mum 24/7 on holiday for a week.At least she went straight to sleep when it was bedtime. I cooked a cottage pie for tea and it was so quick to slice the carrots and chop the onion in my new food processor. Really like using it and I am going to try to make hummus next as Ava and OH love it.

My Magic Machine

Today, Wednesday, daughter and toddler went out shopping for the afternoon with her friend so it was nice and peaceful again! I decided to try and walk a bit further with the dog and managed a 1.2 mile round trip. I would have gone another half a mile but the road was closed off for roadworks so I had to turn back. As long as it is a level walk, and not a hill, I am OK walking and can go quite far, but hills are really difficult for me due to COPD. Shame really that the other way to go was up a steep hill so I just had to head home. I've decided to do this every day if I can as it will give the dog more exercise and help me to get fit. This afternoon I dropped off daughter's dress at the cleaners and took my jacket in to the dress maker to get the sleeves shortened. It was expensive, but it is a really nice white classic jacket - and it is machine washable - so ideal for a wedding or posh do. Called in to see Mel (sister) for a quick coffee on the way home. She looks a lot happier and is looking forward to having her granddaughter (7yr old) stay overnight a few times during the holidays. Kids are so much easier when they are a bit older. Daughter and toddler have gone to the boyfriend's house for the night tonight, so I'm just chilling and catching up with friends online. Nice!

Keep Fit Started Today For Me and the Dog!

Bye for now All the best x