House at cliff's edge

We think we have troubles with all that is going on around our cottage at the moment, but just a short drive away there is a house, it really is right on the beach. At least half of it is !

This little bay is a place to find sea horses believe it or not. If it had been a few years ago, I would have had my snorkel and flippers on and been swimming away in an under sea world.

This is the bay at low tide.
We often go there on Summer evenings, not to admire the beach but to look at the beautiful stretch of scenery.

Okay, I'll admit it,  we eat our fish and chips there too.
Freya, like Amie Soto Blossom only has fish. You might notice the brown paper under her bespoke place in the car. We still put brown paper under her blanket because it works. No more motion sickness. Have to admit it's not very photogenic, but it works.......

The woman who brought this house a while ago when it was auctioned had never seen this house or where it was. I'm sure she thought at the time she had brought a bargain..
The last time we were here the cliff had started to collapse.

We were a bit shocked to see exactly how much more it has come down taking the house with it. Two other houses are too close for comfort. The result of our wet weather last year.

Makes me wonder if the two houses that are now on cliffs edge have a cat.

Years go by, we often lose count of how old our pets are.

Frankie de tabby is 16 and a half. I am so thankful I was into cross stitch all those years ago.


Take one Frankie de tabby, one vet visit, one very hot day and one cat box. One ever so nice Mr Vet and a couple of jabs and cleaning a cat bite abscess.

The vet was stressed.
We could tell.
Frankie de tabby was so stressed that he panted and lay on his back with his legs in the air and his eye's started to roll.  As I said, one very stressed vet.

One of us got Frank back into his carrying box, and out to the car with all the windows down.
The vet and I had a discussion about Metacam. If given over a long period of time it won't be helpful to Frankie de tabby. We have such a good vet that he left that choice to us. We have an open prescription for Metacam if  Frank needs it. A good guy our vet.
Frank at the moment is okay, he is taking his pills in cheese. When the vet asked me if there would be a problem with taking pills. Nope, no problem...  two words came to mind. Greedy guts.
Frank also has a slight eye problem well that was to be expected after defending his territory for so many years.  We won't move the furniture.
Home along the back road, we got home quicker. Frank was out of his carry case and straight into eating.. Frank was stressed.. yeah right.
The vet told us not to bring him back for a check up unless we thought he needed it.  ah, Frankie de tabby you kidder.

Frank did lie outside in the shade for a while after all the excitement and calmed down, he lay on the other side of the LOCKED cat flap where he could hear the birds cheeping and feeding. IT BROUGHT HIM ROUND TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY..

Mr Fox is around and Mr Fox has never got the better of Frankie de tabby yet !

Our beautiful Frankie de tabby.

Little Lana

I am one of the lucky few.
I might not visit or blog for ages and ages and then suddenly out of the blue a knock comes on the door.
OR IN OUR CASE a crazy music sound. It used to be the sound of BIG BEN. Now it's the music of the Lone Ranger. If your too young to know where I first heard this music, don't worry like all good series on T.V. It will come around again. 

 Our postman, is a very special guy, he reads my postcards. I don't mind, I never let on, that I know....  There are times that I answer the door and we read the post together. That doesn't often happen but sometimes it does.
This parcel had an English stamp, because I wasn't expecting mail I really couldn't guess who or where this parcel came from BUT. WOW. WHAT ?

Fantastic :-) ME ? :-) My kids will laugh. But hey ho ...... some one thinks I am fantastic and that's good enough for me :-)

A pay it forward from a few years ago and here it is.... Time doesn't matter.

It's not just any Pay it forward, it is a very special pay it forward.. no one gives me special little bears to cherish.
Say hello to Little Lana. My very own special teddy bear, and a drawing from one very special little girl called Lana.

Special bears need special places to sit and watch who comes and goes.

Niky, you've left me speechless. I promise that doesn't happen often.  Thank you so very much for such a thoughtful pay it forward. So much has happened since you posted a pay it forward on your blog and I clicked. So much has happened to both of us in our own worlds.

I love pay it forwards..

Time is just a click away :-)

There are so many good fairies out there. Niky is one of them.

Any one want to do a pay it forward ?
Let me know !
You just have to click and tell me. 

Niky makes fantastic earrings.. I know cos I now have a pair.......... Also a beautifully hand crafted book, a book of secrets especially made for me, also such beautiful things all posted in a tin with a teddy bear on it.

Pay it forward.. you give three times. You only receive once. BUT... it's not the receiving that counts, it's the giving.. OKAY, I admit, I JUST GUSH at the moment because Niky has sent me such special things.

BUT.. WOW.. wish you all had friends like me eh ?
They are the best..Only the best on Soggibottom's blog.
All a click away.
My friend Tweedles would say, "it doesn't mean that I am not there, just cos you can't see me".. I AM AROUND.

 Soggibottom still has so much going on around her so forgive me for not visiting your blog.
Niky. your a little star, thank you.

Miss Mutt, Freya leaves her blog with... LUVS, she is over at the catflap cavalier as usual.

LUVS :-) from Soggibottom :-) x x x

Free dog coat pattern from Soggibottom. Fit for a Cavalier.

It might be mid Summer but the rain keeps falling.
Freya has outgrown her ladybird raincoat, the coat has now seen better days anyway.

Freya doesn't mind getting her ears slightly frizzled but when it comes to a long and heavy downpour of rain, she isn't happy to be out and about getting wet on her walks.

Making a dog coat isn't hard, it's easier than you think. Brought coats are great, except they are made to fit one size. One size Labrador, one size Cocker Spaniel, one size Pug, one size Cavalier. You get the idea, all dogs are different and in Freya's case she's long in her body.

Bigger and longer than Amie Soto Blossom was altogether.
Freya doesn't quite fit the normal Cavalier size of reasonably small and dainty either.
She's cute and can be dainty, but it's always hard to find a coat that will keep all of her dry. One that is long enough to cover her ( I mean cover her bum) and keep out the rain.

She's not good with hooded coats and needs a coat that allows her to wear her harness under the coat and yet still have an opening through the coat for her lead to be clipped to her harness. If I have lost you already... I KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

First you need a pattern.

The front.

The middle.

 and tail end.

 You will find if you print out all three parts they will all come together, 1,2,3. as one pattern.

You will also need two strips of material 26 inches  x 2 1/2 inches (66 cms X 7 cms ) for the tummy strap (Hi visibility for the top and fleece to line it with).

Lay out your pattern and cut one top layer and one lining layer for the coat. I've used hi visability waterproof material for the top of the coat and fleece for the bottom layer. Freya is a young dog and runs everywhere so I have only used a top layer and fleece to line it with. This is a coat to keep the rain out, but you can also add a layer of wadding between the fleece material and the rain proof top layer to keep out the wind too.

Tack and sew around the tummy strap (good sides on the inside), leave an opening so you can turn it inside out. Trim along the sides close to your sewing edge and turn the right way out. Then top sew around the edges again.

If you use a wadding center between the fleece and hi visibility material you will need bias binding to edge it all with.

I used bias binding to edge the two layers of Freya's new raincoat, but you could also put both layers good side face to face and sew around the sides, leaving an open edge to turn the whole thing inside out. If you do, you will also need to resew the edges again once you have turned the coat to the right side. Hi viability on the outside and fleece on the inside.

It's also a good idea to check that it fits as it should. Freya needed a longer coat to cover her up.

Freya had her harness put on, her new coat put over the harness, the material marked where the harness clip needed to go through the material.
You can put a button hole here as long as it will be big enough to take the harness clip.
Or sew around the marked place you want the clip to go through and then over sew the inside where you have marked. Carefully make a small slit in the material  where you have marked the harness clip. Almost as good as a button hole.
Clear as mud again ?

 Back to the tummy strap. Sew velcro on one side, soft side on the fleece. Turn the strap over..
 At the other end of the tummy strap sew the grip part of the velcro onto the side where the hi viz material is. Each end should be on opposite sides and opposite ends of the tummy strap.

Fold the whole thing in half and then fold your dog coat in half. Find the middle of each, attach the middle of the tummy strap to the middle of the dog coat. I made a five inch square of machine stitching to hold the tummy strap onto the coat.

Try the coat on your dog again and find out where you need to sew velcro to the chest of your coat.
Every dog is different. 

I have marked on the dog pattern where the velcro needed to be for Freya. But you will have to alter this to the size of your dog as to exactly where you place the velcro.

The soft side of velcro needs to be sewn on the fleece inside of the coat.
One side it will be on the opposite part of the chest of the coat and on hi Viz material.

See, clear as mud.

Freya would have been more enthusiastic except she was watching a program about ponies on T.V.

As usual any questions, let me know.
You can also alter the length of the coat where I have indicated on the pattern. Or reduce the pattern size by photocopying it, or enlarge it.  It will even fit a Chihuahua if you reduce it enough.
Freya is as usual over at CATFLAP CAVALIER.

Mid Summer June 21. 2013

Summer Solstice, which photo to use.  This one on the approach to Stonehenge yesterday. Heading back towards the South West of the country.

Or this one. I've taken better.

Or this one, taken a few miles further along the road yesterday. 

At the height of Summer it doesn't seem right to show Stonehenge behind bars and high fences.

Or to show the amount of work and man hours putting up traffic signs.
All because of the amount of people that faithfully go to see the sun rise at Midsummer who need directions.
Really! they need directions?

What about the roads that are closed just because of 21st June... er, excuse us, but we always park down this road..  Not yesterday.

Should it be mentioned the amount of rubbish that is left every year by the hardened sun rise worshippers.
People who can quite happily save the world one moment, love and peace be to all, yet throw their empty water bottles on the ground.. no, I shouldn't mention that.

Best time to go to Stonehenge around Midsummer Solstice is a day before or a day or two after.

 OR you could go and nip over to the catflap cavalier instead.

Happy Summer Solstice :-)