home again

Home again yesterday after three weeks of voluntary maid service to Big Sis following her extremely successful hip replacement operation, and this morning it was strange not to have Jasper greet me with much tail wagging. This was him before he had his coat clipped a few days after I arrived and he seems to be saying “Haircut? What haircut? No-one mentioned a haircut. Is it open to negotiation?”. It wasn’t and he was duly coiffed into a slightly neater version of what he looks like here, but his coat seems to grow so quickly there’s already talk of another trim this weekend.

Sadly, my camera repair is going to cost half as much again as the repair shop assistant suggested it was worth spending on the repair and as I’ve had it six years and camera technology has advanced a little more, I’m looking for a replacement instead. I’ll have to make do with my phone camera for the time being. I just wish I could retain all the phone techy camera stuff I learn from time to time and not have to refer to the internet for refresher lessons each time!

Painting the Roses Red didn’t get stitched at all while I was away except on the journey north, and I haven’t taken any update photos yet. I had also taken some aida fabric and crochet cottons to try blackwork which was a new technique for me. I only had a few colour options but I quite enjoyed the process and found it easier than cross-stitch but doubt that I’ll do much more blackwork in the future. I can’t see myself ever needing a bell-pull or a tray cloth or yet another needle case which were the suggestions in one book.

Jasper

Just had to share this picture of an indignant Jasper. He’s modelling a new bathrobe made by Big Sis for getting him dried off more quickly when he’s been out in the rain/playing in the mud/had a bath. Fleecey outer layer, towelling inner. She told him he wouldn’t have to wear it in public but he’s obviously not convinced.

 

Jasper update

Jasper likes nothing better than to recycle the recycling. With a paper bag clamped in his jaws he padded in from the kitchen one morning, with an “I dare you to try and take this bag from me!” gleam in his eye. I noticed that the bag was from my son’s shop Tea Ink, so I had to take a photo.

meet Jasper

I returned home on Wednesday evening after spending two weeks with Big Sis and this little guy.  Sadly, Dave the dalmation left us for the great hereafter just before I arrived but we’re sure that he must have left secret notes for Jasper as he seems to have already learned some of Dave’s old tricks! As I write this, Jasper is just over ten weeks old. He’s a scruffy labradoodle who’s very bouncy, has a fondness for furry slippers (mine), squeaks a lot, is not quite sure yet what cats and birds are for, loves to tug at labels, and is soooooo adorable that I was almost tempted to sneak him into my case and bring him home with me. He wasn’t quite ready to venture out into the big wide world so days out with Big Sis were limited but Jasper was an excellent distraction and a constant source of entertainment so I didn’t mind and I did succeed in doing lots of embroidery during our time indoors but I’ll save those photos for a future post.