Rory The Racing Car

Kiwi has obviously got a problem with her exhaust as she sounds like Rory the racing car as we drive about. There is an ominous knocking noise also. If the rain ever stops Sam will investigate the cause!

Spring!

Rainbow weather

Fleeting double rainbow

So green now on Warden Hills

Beautiful cowslips

Cutty Sark

The Cutty Sark has been restored and is open to the public again. Visiting the Cutty Sark was very much part of my growing up when visiting my grandparents in Greenwich. I will have to go and see it again soon.

The fire in 2007

The Queen reopens The Cutty Sark

Looking fantastic again

Visitors

Pip and Liam came to visit today - they arrived early on the 10.00 train. We decided that a trip to Milton Keynes would be nice. Firstly we went to Costco - where the young ones stocked up on some good buys, vegan chocolate drops, calcium tablets and olives as well as a giant tub of houmous. We got some olives, bottles of drink and a box of twirls. The four of us had lunch there too as there was an option for each of us.
On to the Centre MK - and our favourite, John Lewis. Sam and I chose some new cushions for the sofa and some more of the china we bought a few weeks ago. We have found we don't have enough plates and it will be good to have spares in case of breakages. After a bit more browsing and a few more smaller purchases we came home to have a roast dinner. Whilst it was cooking the young ones and Sam played Mario Party on the WII. We took Pixel for a quick walk together before the young ones caught their train then Sam and I took him for a proper walk. It was a beautiful sunset and a lovely end to the day!

Do We Care? Or as Sam would say 'Am I Bovered?'

 

100 days till the Olympics start - Sam and I don't really care, we won't watch any of it or go to see any of the events. As far as I can see the only effects it will have for us is hours of boring TV, upsetting usual viewing and lots of inconvenience for Sam getting to and from work on the train. Mum was horrified at the mess in Greenwich when she visited a few months ago. She was unable to go into most of Greenwich Park as the equestrian events will be held there. The pier and foot tunnel were closed and there were heaps of sand everywhere ready for the horses. Hopefully it will be better now as the start date is closer - and everything will be put back to rights quickly afterwards. This huge sand castle to mark the 100 days till start was demolished within hours of completion - for Health & Safety reasons!

New Bus Link

This shows the new bus link curving round the bottom of Blows Downs. They have been working on it for several months now and looks at last as if it will become a reality. When Alan and I bought the house in Luton Rd this showed up on the searches - that was over 20 years ago now! There is more information on it here

Pretty View

It is starting to look so pretty across the fields at the top of Warden Hills - the rape is starting to colour up. It will be a mass of yellow in a few weeks time. It has been very showery today again - filling up the water butt nicely though!

Sofa

Picture of sofa at long last!

Pixel's Puppy Training

Had our first training class today. We did well with walking to heel, sit and bed. Down needs a bit of work - mainly because he is so little he is practically down anyway. My back is going to pay the price for having to hold the treat by Pixel's nose - maybe we should have got a great Dane! Anyway we have lots to practice before our next class!
Pixel has also learnt to cock his leg like a big boy - we have seen him do it a couple of times now
 ( no photo of this though lol)

Dog Walking

Top of warden Hills

Warden Hills is our regular dog walking spot. It is not too far to go from home and offers lots of choices as to different walks to take. The views from the top over Luton are lovely - and there are some great sunsets too.

We also like Blows Downs in Dunstable - however Sam likens some of the hills to scaling a sheer cliff face -

Oxygen was almost needed!

 We returned to Ashridge again today and had a picnic and walk. It was very showery - typical April weather, but Pixel enjoyed it very much. Good chewing sticks to be found here -

Playing with donkey at the end of a busy day - favourite toy at the moment

Titanic

Memorial for the Titanic in Cobh

It is 100 years today since the Titanic sank after hitting an iceberg. It only took 40 minutes for the great ship to sink. There have been lots of memorial services in Ireland - especially in Belfast, where she was built and Cobh which was the ships last port of call.
We visited the Cobh museum when we went to Ireland a few years ago and Jerry and I walked round the Titanic exhibition - it was very moving reading the story of those who set sail on the ship hoping for a better life.

Cobh - formally Queenstown

 

Memorial for the Lusitania

More Kiwi

As Sam was leaving for work she found a police note on the doormat. It said a neighbour had witnessed someone removing the rear number plate from Kiwi and had reported it. Sure enough the number plate was gone. An officer came to take a statement this afternoon and soco can to see if there were any prints - there weren't sadly. It cost £18 to replace the number plate - how annoying!

UPDATE - the police officer called to say they didn't have enough evidence to do any more. The description of the two men was too vague and they couldn't identify the car - it was a blue BMW with a foreign plate. Also they couldn't get any CCTV footage to help - but will keep the case on file.

Kiwi

Kiwi flew through her mot today. We had the front tyres replaced as we knew they were worn but nothing else needed doing - which is great!
She has been a great little first car - Sam is thinking it might be time to start thinking about getting a new one!

Easter weekend

Good Friday
Did our shopping nice and early then took pixel for a trip to his favourite store - Pet's at Home. We then went to Bedford to kit ourselves up with waterproof, breathable footwear at Go Outdoors. Realised when we came out we could have taken Pixel in too as they are dog friendly. Also got a treat pouch ready for training classes.
As we were in Bedford we decided to walk Pixel at Priory Country Park which he, and we, enjoyed very much. The weather was nice - the best day of the weekend. Pixel ended up having an impromptu swim - he slipped into the water and after bobbing down he swam to the bank where Sam fished him out. Sam and I gave our new footwear a test walk - and they were surprisingly comfortable for a first outing - especially as we walked about four miles! There was a sad end to the day - Pixel got another dip, this time in the bath!

First look at ducks!

Our new dog walking footwear

Sam adjusts her laces

Pixel gives a shake after his dip!

Home - cold and damp! And doing an ET impression

Another dip!

Easter Saturday
We start by mending our tenants front door lock then take Pixel for another walk - this time on Blows Downs. It is lovely up there - even though the day was a bit drizzly. Then we went bowling with Debbie, Jim and the children. We had two games, Jim won one and Lewis the other.I came second in both. Sam was not impressed - her feet are so small she had to have size 3 - velcro ones. She swapped her original size 4's with Jessicca! After bowling we had a visit to see Mum and Dad then Sam had dinner with Kate and Jean. I popped in to meet Harry - their new puppy! They were both suffering from sleep deprivation as Harry only sleeps for three hours at a time!

Harry

 Easter Sunday
Another walk on Blows Downs today - Pixel is very good off lead now. Easter eggs and roast dinner follow, then some relaxing tv in the evening. Weather wet and miserable most of the day! Typical Bank Holiday weekend,


Easter Monday
Today was grey and wet again - even more persistent rain! We drove into MK to go to Costco and The Centre for a couple of bits and pieces. then we went to Claire and Stu's for some coffee (and weak squash) and time for Pixel to socialize with Bailey and Dexter - two lovely Labradors. Dexter was very enthusiastic with Pixel, rolling him a couple of times. We had a nice walk across the fields near Claire's hous. The Labs had a swim - but Pixel avoided it after his dip earlier this weekend! Pixel met a lady friend - a miniature Dachshund called Lola - who he was very taken with. Sadly for him, despite not swimming, Pixel ended up with a bath when we got home as he was so muddy!
All in all a busy weekend - despite the wet weather!

New Sofa

Our new corner sofa from Laura Ashley arrived today. The delivery guys were great - putting the legs on it, unwrapping it and taking all the rubbish away.
It is very comfortable and I am sure we will enjoy sitting on it. sadly at the moment I am sitting on a dining chair watching tv on the laptop as the old sofas are blocking the tv. Lauren is going to have the old sofas temporarily then we will pass them onto Pip and Liam. They have lasted us six years and are still in good condition - I hope our much more expensive Laura Ashley one lasts as long!

 

Return To Winter

The weather has got much colder today - and there has been snow in Scotland! We got some much needed rain today - hosepipe bans are about to start in some areas. Hopefully the rain will top up the water butt as I have already used some water for the pots during the mini heatwave.
The colder weather didn't put Sam and I off our dog walk though - we all wrapped up warm, including Pixel in his coat, and went up onto Warden Hills. Had a great walk for around 45 / 50 minutes before heading back for dinner and a warm up! 

Ashridge

Sam and I took Pixel for a lovely walk at Ashridge today. We had a slightly dodgy start as the satnav wanted to take us to Ashridge in Devon - luckily I spotted this before we set off! The weather was sunny and warm - despite a poor forecast for today. After a picnic lunch we walked 5/6 miles round the woods. Pixel was generally good on and off the lead - apart from a couple of incidents with bicycles! We finished off with a 99 icecream before heading home. Everyone is feeling tired this evening after so much fresh air and exercise but Sam found enough energy to prepare a BBQ dinner to round off the day!

Picnic lunch

Off through the woods

Time for a rest

The bluebells are just coming into flower