Seasons

The weather has been beautiful this week - it really feels like summer has arrived at last. We have been able to leave the french doors open so Pixel can trot in and out and sit in the garden in the evenings. The garden looks green and lush at the moment and everything is starting to flower too. I hope the weather continues for the Jubilee weekend!

Summer Flowers

How pretty does it look on the Downs at the moment?

Goodbye Ignatius

Ignatius has gone to join his little ratty friends today - he never recovered from the cheat infection he developed a couple of weeks ago, despite antibiotics twice a day. Iggie was quite young compared with the other boys who have died - not quite two. We only have four boys left now - Joe, Barney and The Twins.

Iggie climbing on the stairs - he loved to climb right to the top!

Hello Snoop

 

      We met Charlotte, Ian and Snoop on the Downs - the dogs had fun together!

It's a Dogs Life

Pixel is enjoying the heatwave!

Bedroom Chair

I was gifted this chair on Freecycle by a lovely guy called Nigel who even delivered it for me. It is a reproduction button back chair that has seen better days - but I am going to give it a new lease of life.

Looking a little unloved

I started by stripping off  the brass trim. This was not as time consuming as I thought it would be because instead of individual tacks it was one long piece.

Removing the trim

Then I removed all the old fabric. I did this carefully as I needed to use the old fabric as a template for cutting the new fabric out.

Fabric removed

 Once stripped, I sanded and filled the frame (which was actually basically sound). I gave it four coats of white emulsion then waxed the paint. This part was quite time consuming as each layer of paint needed to dry fully. Whilst the paint was drying I cut the fabric out.



 I chose a striped fabric from Laura Ashley which was in the sale and only£6.00 a metre. It is a canvas type fabric so should be hard wearing on the chair.

Sanded down

First coat of paint

The back was originally buttoned but I haven't re-buttoned it as I want a more modern feel to the chair. I made a paper template of the back fabric, taking out the pleats, so I could make sure it fitted before cutting the fabric.The other pieces were cut directly from the original fabric as these were the correct size.

Once I laid out the fabric on the chair I realised I had cut one piece upside down so the stripes did not match - I cut this piece out again as luckily I had enough spare fabric. I plan to use some of the left over fabric to make cushion covers for the spare bed so it won't be wasted.

Pixel helps to lay out the fabric!

Making a paper pattern for the seat back 

Fabric laid on chair - spot the mistake!

More to follow - getting to the tricky bits now!

Busy Weekend

We have had a busy weekend. I spent Saturday on a new project - re-upholstering a chair. I managed to get it all stripped down ready for painting. I will blog it as a separate post once it is finished. We bought some refillable ink for the printer too, which was much cheaper and works just as well as the branded version. Sam refilled the cartridge quickly and easily - I was not convinced at first - I thought it would make a horrible mess!
On Sunday we started with a visit to the car boot where we got a couple of bits including a little coat for Pixel for £1.50. He looks very cute in it.
Then we went to the little house to fit a new expelair for the tenant while she is on holiday. This went well, as the new fan fitted perfectly into the existing hole in the glass and Sam wired it in competently (other than a small mishap with a sharp knife and her finger)!
Inspired by this we tackled fitting a new fan into our second bathroom. This fan has not worked since we moved in and is always a bit of an issue when guests come to stay and want to shower. We were not sure if the fan was broken or if it was a problem with the switch or electric supply, however we decided to start with the easy option of fitting a new fan to see if that was the problem - and happily it was. It now works perfectly and the new one fitted into the old fixing holes too.
We finished by putting a hook on the back of the en suite door - so robes don't need to go on the floor any more!
All in all a productive and satisfying weekend!

Liver Cake

Sam made a liver cake for Pixel using the following recipe:

200g  liver,  100g s r flour, 2 eggs and 2 cloves of garlic.
Put all in the blender and mix.
Spread it out onto greaseproof paper placed on an oven tray.Cook in oven on gas mark 5, 180, for 30 mins.
 Let cool and cut up. Once cut up put it in individual sandwich bags and freeze.

Pixel loves it - which is good as we have a large quantity - Sam doubled the recipe up!

The whole cake

Cut up ready for treats!

Goodbye Little Freddy

Little Fred died last night - he was very poorly , as well as having regular fits he had developed an abscess under his chin and had lost an eye. We think he was about two and a half - which is a good age in ratty terms. We will miss him as he was a great character. Sad to have lost two of our boys in less than a week.

Sickness

Three of our boys are not well. One of the twins has a sore foot, but it is getting better. Iggy has breathing problems and is on antibiotics. Fred has a sore under his chin which appears to have been an abscess which has burst. He has lost a lot of weight and needs building up. It is odd all the sickness has come at the same time.

A Tree For Harry

I dug out a new flower bed today, which was really hard work as the ground was full of builders rubble. I had some help with the digging from Sam and Pixel.
Once the bed was ready I planted a laburnum tree and some evergreen shrubs. The shrubs will spread out and create ground cover and all year round colour. I buried Harry under the tree as I thought that would be a nice place for him to be.
Once I had finished planting I scattered some flower seeds which should flower this summer and give some summer interest. I am aching now and ready for a rest!

Sam & Pixel help out

Pixel was great at digging - not always in the right place though!

The finished bed

This is the bed I planted last year

You can see how it has filled out already!

Goodbye Harry

Last of our original old boys died this afternoon. He had a huge tumour on his side but it didn't seem to bother him. He was fine this morning - had breakfast as normal, and just slipped away quietly this afternoon after I had got home from work. We will miss those friendly little nips from our short sighted old boy!

Harry with Iggie climbing over him

Charlotte's Birthday

Today is Charlotte's Birthday and also May Day Bank Holiday Monday. Sam and I went over for lunch - and Pixel went to play with Snoop. We had a lovely jacket potato with cheese, bacon and mushrooms and a side salad. It was very tasty!
Pixel and Snoop had a great time playing together too - Snoop lay down so that they were a similar height to play. Charlotte loved her new dressing gown and the pj's we bought from Vickie and Jerry to go with it.
Later in the afternoon we went to see Mum and Dad. Mum had made some bacon and parmesan scones and a lovely chocolate cake, which we all enjoyed.
Finished the day with dog training for Pixel. 

Patience

Sam and I went to see Gill in a Putteridge Bury Gilbert & Sullivan Society performance of Patience last night. It was a great evening and we both enjoyed the performance very much. The society have some great performers and the musical was well worth going to see.
The society's next performance is Jack The Ripper and will be performed in October - we will definitely go to see this too.

Old Photo

An old neighbour posted this on Facebook - it brought back such memories. I could identify most of the children in it. My sister Jayne is the tall one in the middle. The others are as follows - Helen Sweeney, Coral Bearman, Ronny Hinkson, Nicky Bearman, Jayne Dines, Sarah Sweeney & Claire Gardner. Ronny is the only boy - and the only black face!

Exhaust Fixed

After some messing about, the exhaust on Kiwi is fixed. Sam ordered the parts and tried to take the old one off. It was a horrible wet day and Sam got soaked trying. The two bolts holding the exhaust were so rusted on that we ended up taking it to a garage. The garage said they would fit the new one for £40 but when they came to do it we had the wrong part.This was because Kiwi was made on the cusp between a change in parts.
Sam went the next day and swapped the part for the correct one and fitted it herself. Total cost £80. Cheapest quote for the whole job including parts - £160 local garage, most expensive - £240, Kwikfit. Saving of  at least £80, even including the £10 we paid the garage that took the rusted nuts off!