Christmas fun!

Getting ready for Christmas...

First you have to get into the Spirit of the season...
Yes he did get his head stuck!

The Stockings and the Advent Calendar...



Christmas tree.. (no ...I'm afraid yet again I didn't manage to tidy before Christmas...drat)


Christmas Dinner table...


First Crackers !!!


Christmas baking....

Cookies..
Santa's Sleigh is Bk's work...


Cheesecake... (Cute Kitten's work)


Help clearing up anyone ?


It has been snowing !

So we have been playing (I have also been eating too much so I better use some energy up!)
and we even worked on Ski-jouring skills on Christmas Eve ..we were on the Coastal Multiuse trail and it was cold but beautiful..and the pup did well.

Merry Christmas

Wishing You a Very Merry Christmas! and a Joyful New Year!

We have just received over a foot of snow so blogging is on hold while we play !
Hopefully we will have photos of a Ski-Joring dog to share with you after Christmas
Wish us luck!

We have had quite a dump of wet snow so school was cancelled yesterday...a bit on the late side as my husband had already driven to work only to have to return..We have one tired out older daughter as trying to skate ski in heavy snow was hard work last night ..but this did guarantee a sound nights sleep afterwards. Younger daughter had the night off as she has her wrist strapped after an awkward fall skiing on Saturday ...badly sprained is the present diagnosis ..though we were tempted to get it x-rayed ..but as it's improving.. sofar so good.

The puppy needs more exercise
The puppy needs more exercise
The puppy needs more exercise
did I say The puppy needs more exercise ?
his destruction list continues to grow
anyone's knickers are fair game it seems
the sofa side table
the blue chair seat
the Nordic skier Newspaper (before anyone had a chance to even glance at it of course)
A blueberry muffin
Mr Bear
Mr Bear again (but this is ok as poor Mr Bear is a chosen sacrifice to puppy teeth) the list goes on and on..
Mr Kepsey the Ginger cat refuses to be part of the list and caused much yelping and crying pointing this fact out..rather vigorously
(is it wrong to cheer a cat on ?)

The pup is still careless with his teeth at times... so if he is now ... there is now a united family policy of firmly shouting 'teeth' pointing to the backdoor and escorting the sinner out side for a timeout to think about it..he comes back in a new dog.



On Saturday while the rest of the family skied I took him for a snow walk on the multi use trail and he saw a big friendly rangy dog ski jouring this is a hobby we intend for the pup as he's now at 30lbs and growing big enough to learn so we'll get a harness and bungee leash and start to teach him the commands.



Skijouring is skiing whilst being towed by your dog it can be a speedy vision of dog and skier working in unison or a hilarious or not hilarious disaster..we're aiming at the speedy vision (Ok we're just aiming to tire out the dog)

Cough Mixtures

For My Sis (and anyone else with a sore throat!)



Lemon and Honey Cough Mixture
Two Lemons (Juicier the better)
Honey 10 tbsp (5 fl oz)
Glycerine 4 tbsp

Squeeze the juice and mix with honey and glycerine.
Stir well, bottle and take by the spoonful as needed.




Cinnamon Cough Sweets
2tbsp Rosewater
Powdered Gum Arabic ('bout two teaspoons)
Cinnamon
Sugar

Warm Rosewater stir in Gum Arabic add equal quantities of Cinnamon and Sugar to make a stiff paste as it dries roll into lozenges.

Recipes form Sloe Gin and Beeswax by Jane Newdick
isbn 1-85368-973-4


Good Books to read that are Cheerful and Seasonal

Twelve Days of Christmas
by Trisha Ashley

He may look cute but......

The puppy, who is now surprisingly long and large (30 something pounds at 15 weeks) is asleep. He has a strong character and it's been taking me a while to get used to him. My husband rather sensibly, diverted my despair with him with the gentle reminder that all he is, is a rather stupid young pup with more energy than sense.
He prescribed some games and a firmer approach to day to day behaviour. So if 'leave it' doesn't work Pup has to 'sit' which fortunately he's rather good at...and if that fails it's 'out' and Pup is banished to the backyard for a cooling off period..rather literally in our climate. (Before anyone thinks we're freezing him.. he has thick fur and loves the snow..and when he's calmed down he watches the ravens in the trees and seems quite happy...and when he is let back in is a 'New dog' well at least for a few moments.
My tone now seems to vary between bored unimpressed elementary school teacher ....to my attempts at an old school Sergeant Major...it just depends on my degree of exasperation/level of energy/and whether I still have a sense of humour or am having a serious sense of humour failure. Playing games has quite a different tone, silly and singsong ...and I really hope the neigbours aren't listening.
Viewing him as a toddler helps too, as it means I now prepare distractions to keep him out of mischief and we have play times as well as walks. Fetch/chase Mr Bear is very popular although rather hard on Mr Bear. Who keeps having to have vital operations after dismemberment attempts...before
after ER (Mr Sheep is offering sympathy)


home made distraction/occupation toys help... stuffing a handful of dog kibble into a scrap of toweling and knotting it works, as does a knob of cream cheese in the middle of a cardboard tube with the ends folded over, a few pieces of breakfast cereal inside an open juice bottle takes him a while to empty..a little marg rubbed on his bone reminds him it's nicer to chew than my chair.

(He still likes a little chair as a condiment though..as if the cats stropping on it were not enough)

Items stolen and or demolished recently include...
1/3 of a grilled red salmon (that we all agreed was very tasty)" bet you didn't realize I was that tall" he was right...

training for the Salmon snatch

A tin of cat food ..."I didn't want it wasted on cats ...look how fast I can run with a tin in my mouth"
Numerous assorted gloves and mittens...."just training you to put them away"
A cup of tea ..."you thought I hadn't noticed that cup ...tea is rather yummy you know"
A towel that was still on the towel rail... "it's your own fault ..you hid treats in toweling'
A raid on the cat tray "just being helpful" that door is now shut
Numerous pens
A bright pink plastic horse with wings ...whose beauty is only appreciated by small girls and puppies
Ditto pink soft toy unicorn

Ditto pink soft toy puppy
A soft toy sheep ("well I am a sheepdog") Mr Sheep nearly took the place of Mr Bear as a favourite game toy but his owner objected strenuously....just because you have too many soft toys (In your Mother's opinion) doesn't mean you won't be heartbroken if Mr Sheep becomes a puppy toy (Have you forgotten what he did to Mr Bear????)
I know I'm a heartless parent...it's Ok Mr sheep is safe ..I may make a copy of Mr Sheep for play purposes..Mr Sheep's Cousin ....

spot the clue....


I could go on but you get the idea...and rereading this I think despite November being a record of over 32 inches of snow I better go out for a walk , buy coffee and chocolate biscuits and talk to some humans before I start to talk to Mr Sheep!

No even the weather won't let me out ..we have a freezing rain advisory so I better be sensible as when it was icy last year I broke my leg and I've only had the sling off my arm for a week ...I think I need to keep my body in one piece...so I'll have to settle for tea and perhaps I should make a cake....

It's not the destination but the journey

Ithaca

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)

source

Also found here



More on CP Cavafy here

More on Ithaca here