Tuesday 30 July 2013

Cavalier Shows

A few weeks ago we took the dog to a Cavalier Party.  Pippa had so much fun meeting all the other Cavs (as did I!).  They really are the best natured dogs.


Here she is settling in to the day....getting used to seeing all the other dogs - she's amazingly a wee bit shy


Look at this!  Twins.  This other tri colour is called Matilda.  Lovely dog.  She became my best friend and sat on my knee for strokes for ages.  So friendly.

And this beautiful ruby is called Saffie.  Her owner is 92 years old and has been showing dogs for years!  How amazing is that?  She also knows our breeder that we got Pippa from.
I literally fell in love with this lovely, lovely dog.  I wanted to take her home.

I really want a ruby friend for Pippa - and look, don't you think she suits it!  A ruby matches her eyebrows.  The boyfriend says when we move to a bigger house we can get another dog.
It was just the nicest day.  

We entered Pippa in the fancy dress costume with her kilt and she came fourth!  not bad.  


See the dog beside us - the other tri - it came as an actual Cavalier.  That deserved to win! It had a sword and everything.  And there was a King! Cute.  But some kids and their dogs in super hero outfits did! 


Look at her smile!  LOVE!


She just loved being on show.  So I've decided to get into showing her.  She is such a good pedigree and from such a good stock - her stud is regularly a First in shows so she's got the genes for it!

As you know we've started the obedience classes and then in a couple of weeks time we're going to start going to ringcraft classes and seeing how she gets on.  So hopefully next year we can start going to the shows.  There's the Kennel Club scotland one in August that we're going to go and spectate at and the Cavalier Show in October, which we're going to go along too as well.  Just to get a feel for it.  

We're both excited.  It will be good fun and as they say 'you always take the best dog home' and I know I definitely do!



Monday 29 July 2013

Six Mile Cake

The boyfriend is training for the Great North run in september.  I promised him that when he made it to 6 miles I would bake him his favourite cake - Hummingbird Cake.  So I broke out the kitchen aid on Saturday afternoon and here are the results...

There's a lot of ingredients in a Hummingbird cake.


Pecans, walnuts, pineapples, mango, bananas, oranages, passionfruit - before you even get down to flour and eggs

It's not hard to make tho - everything just gets whisked up together.


A orange scented cream cheese frosting and you're done!


Tip:  I'd leave the passion fruit out next time.  It just goes a bit too crunchy during the bake.  I love passion fruit taste tho so the next time I might substitute with a tablespoon of passionfruit juice instead.

He's nearly ate it all.

I'll have to think what I make for him now for when he makes it round the 13.1 mile course in September?

Next knit project

I've started a cardigan.  I love the yarn and it came from a pack I bought at a knitting show months ago. The kind that hide in the back of your stash and you keep telling yourself you must do something with that bag of yarn.  Well here we are.  I found a lovely pattern on vogue knitting for a cropped cardigan in a very vibrant green and I think it will look great in this pink.  I'm halfway up the arm holes so we'll see how far it goes.  I'm determined this one is not going to be another UFP but make it off the needles and onto my back!!!

Wish me luck...


Monday nights

Monday nights are now my new favourite night.  Mondays are traditionally so depressing - the weekend is over, back to work, a full week ahead.  I say 'blah' to all of that.  Since I've started taking Pippa to her training class on Monday night, I now look forward to them!  I manage to put dinner in the slow cooker before we leave the house - tonight veggie chilli - come home after work, quick bite to eat and then we drive up to Strathblane for her class.  The drive up there is lovely and makes me wonder what I'm doing still living in the city! (I always promised myself I wouldn't be for much longer but that's another story!).... the class is in a lovely old village hall and the other dogs are so cute and lovely and Pippa (and I!!) really enjoying meeting them.  She always comes home knackered.
Here she is doing her 'grooming' section at tonight's class.  We really had no problem there as she's so used to being groomed!

To be honest I'm pretty knackered myself now too....

Sunday 28 July 2013

Sewing Sundays

I have a crick in my neck and I have spent the whole day in the spare room over the sewing machine - but look!  I have a dress to show for it!

I tried to put the zipper in, but had to take it back out.  I'm going to go to my drop in class tomorrow night and learn how to do it properly.  I'm so pleased with how it has turned out!

Work Boat Trip!

So I had to come off the wagon eventually and what better way to do it than on a glorious scottish summer day, on a boat trip, with a free bar!  Cue iwc summer party.


First a coach ride out to the other side of the loch at Tarbet.  Look at that sun!  Can you believe it's Scotland?

 Crystal blue seas, ice cold wine and beer - it was like being abroad!



Any excuse to get his captain's hat out!  the boyfriend thinks he's master of the boat.





 A stop at Ardlui for some fish and chips.  After 3 weeks on a detox they were about the yummiest thing I've ever ate!



Again.  Can you believe it's scotland?


A bit of dancing before we disembarked.

And a very sore head the following day!

Friday 26 July 2013

Prague!


It seems like ages ago now - it really has been only 3 weeks but our little mini break to Prague was so much fun.  We arrived on the Thursday night and our hotel was really close to the Charles IV bridge.  So we took a walk into the town and found a good place for dinner and beer!  The beer was so yummy - the food was so stodgy.  The boyfriend definitely enjoyed his goulash in a bread bowl!  I had some yummy chicken, spinach dish washed down with a pint of beer!


We then just basically spent the rest of the weekend, wandering, eating, drinking, wandering, eating drinking.  But it's such a beautiful city to wander in - so many gorgeous things to look at



The famous old town square


 View off the brides, then followed by some more beer



 and some more


 and another pint

or maybe two - we were at a brewery here - you've got to try the local stuff, right?


I love the big frothy heads on their beer - it's like eating an ice cream cone!


Wipe your mouth
 And more ghoulish!  sandy will eat anything in a bread bowl


 oh and apple strudel - this was super yum!

couple of pints to wash it all down with...... starting to get the bloat a bit by this point


look at the view - this was on the walk down from the brewery
 stop for a wee two shot!



 probably a wee bit tipsy on beer by now too



the whole city was just beautiful


even the dang steps!


 a street beer when we got to the bottom, with some potato chips.  Those were about the best potato chips I've ever eaten (maybe it was the beer)

 but the boyfriend seemed to enjoy them too

 look at the castle in the background - had to pose for a quick pic



 couple more beers - look at them heads!


 Oooft... the next night it was wine for me!  but the czech wine - not good.  They might have beer nailed - but they need to take a tip from the french on the vino!


Sandy guzzles those beers right down....

 hmmmm - not sure what to do next really

 drink some more1
 Eat some more food in a bowl - this was soup.... it was very good


mmmm beer, mmmm food......
 cheers!


 this is about the healthiest thing I consumed the whole trip

 a wee trip on the tram


 another pose on the bridge!

 a two shot

 ice cream sundaes! oh and spot the cocktail in the back - it was a raspberry mojito  actually pretty good

 More tram rides - we might as well be locals now!  we've learnt the ropes.  beer, food in bowls made of bread and ride the tram!  Not forgetting to stamp your ticket!


nailed it!
 A wee trip up to the castle.







 There really is only so much culture one can consume in one day....

i think i'm being told off for taking photos in this one - sandy's giving me the girn...






This chapel really was something else - the stain glass windows were amazing.


















I think this was solid gold!  the czech's know how to do a castle.





 The clock tower!




 see how we've filled out a bit now - oooft.... bloated!










 last night - card game.  I think I won.  No i definitely did.





 meat platter!  i rarely eat meat and i gorged on this.  The sausage in prague is one of the best!




 This was our favourite beer.  Prizes if you can pronounce it!  Krusovice.



 And then home.  To a 3 week detox!  man I was bloated  couldnt even tie my coat up by the time we left!!!  But it was worth it.  What a trip.  I think the boyriend enjoyed his 30th birthday present!