Don't Try This At Home!

Basil the Cat has been quite poorly since October. He keeps losing the use of his back legs, but for the time being the vet can keep him going with a slow acting steroid injection.

Basil has a fetish - yes I do believe that is the right word - for plastic bags. He either lies on top of them or if possible gets right inside them and just licks them.

Keeps him happy anyway!

Pickleisms

I would like to share some of the delightful things that Pickle comes out with....



Pickle: Mummy??
Me : Yes Pickle?
Pickle: My nose is jammed up..Listen .......(silence)
Me: Jammed up!!


Pickle eating Mini Weetabix for Breakfast.
Pickle : ATISHOOOOOOOOOO!
Pickle : EEEEW, there's sneezebits on my nightie!
Me: EEEEEEEEW!


Pickle: MUM! Picklesister hit me!
Me: I'm sure she did it by accident.
Pickle : NO, she didn't. She did it BY FAULT!



I get the feeling there could be many more of these!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PICKLESGRANDMA!

I would like to wish Picklesgrandma, my Mum
A very Happy 60th Birthday!

Thanks Mum for EVERYTHING you do for me and 'The Pickle's', we all appreciate it and love you very much.

Have a wonderful Birthday week, and send our love to Cliff when you see him at Wembly!

Enjoy the rest of the birthday cake!

Fireworks

This year our village didn't have any fireworks of their own. Usually the Primary School has a display on the school field, but this year they were unable to as they were 'inbetween' PTA commitees.
Picklesdad, being a fan of fireworks wanted to go somewhere like Long Melford, where they have a huge display, to music and would cost £20 for us to get in!
I, hating fireworks wanted to go as near to home (and my terrified animals) and as cheap as possible.
The result - ?

Beyton Firework Display, in a dark field! YEY!

Pretty cool photo from my compact camera on its 'Firework' setting though.

Can you tell what it is?

On Thursday last week, Pickle, Picklesgrandma and myself attended a 'share' activity afternoon at Pickle's school.

This is the result.

Can you tell what it is yet?
Answers on a postcard please........

Look what we have!

Not one but 2 (count them!) lovely tetra pak, recycling bins. No more will my garage be overrun with bags of tetra paks, awaiting a trip by car to Bury Recycling Centre!

Today I took about a third of the tetra paks I had waiting in my garage, I estimate there were 21, OK I admit it, I counted them in! So by the end of the week the garage should have a teeny bit more space in.

We are very lucky to have these bins as they are the first of their kind in the area, so for once..

WELL DONE MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCIL!

Fot those of you not lucky enough to have such lovely bins, go to

www.tetrapakrecycling.co.uk

To the lady serving in Sainsbury's Cafe

NO

I do not want BAKED BEANS with my cheese omelette and SALAD because that would be DISGUSTING!

Highlight of the Week

Sadly I have no footage to show you not even a photo, but my highlight of the week/month has been Pickle's Harvest Festival in the village church where the vicar performed the 'Harvest Samba' on a pair of bongo drums. Obviously it had to be seen to be believed but you will just have to trust me ...

THE REV ROCKS!

Letters from School

In Pickle's book bag today were 2 letters from the school.

Letter 1: On December 11th it is School Christmas Lunch. Fill in form and return ASAP if Pickle wants it. She does NOT. Why so early? So they can get the sprouts on the boil now I guess?

Letter 2 : On December 18th it is Christmas Party Day. Fill in form and return ASAP if Pickle wants special 'Party Packed Lunch' costing £2.70. She is not getting one at that price even if she did want one - which she doesn't. Where are they getting this lunch from - Harrods?

So I wasn't over zealous in my counting the days till Christmas post after all.

How many ???!!?!?!?

100

That's how many days until Christmas everybody!

The tagging....

Thanks again, to 21st Century Mummy who tagged me for this. Last night went relatively peacefully, although Picklessister did shout in the middle of the night that her friend was stealing her homework and later on something about changing rooms. Just a normal event in the house of a sleepwalking/talking child!

1. Where was I 10 years ago?

I was still a relatively new Mum to a 7 month old baby who was crawling all over the house. It was a whole new stage, I had only just got used to having a small person in the house when she started to move independently.We still lived in Bury itself in those days, and I was still only 26. Sigh!

2. What's on my to do list today?

Clean out the rabbit hutch, it’s that time of year again and he is moulting.

Order that Russell Brand calendar off ebay before they all go ( I’m not the only one I’m sure)

Find the missing remote control (probably involving taking the sofas to pieces, wouldn’t be the first time)

Tidy the Lego away, because no matter what anyone says they haven’t played with it in bloody ages and I am fed up standing on it. OUCH!

Prepare myself for Picklessister’s apple crumble she made at school.

Homework, Homework and more homework. Pickle (at year 1 primary school) appears to be getting more homework than her sister (Year 6 at middle school)


3. What if I was a billionaire?

I would buy my children a house each because they are never going to afford one of their own and will be living with us FOREVER if I don’t.

Ensure that my parents had enough money to retire happily to Cromer.

Set up animal homes for mistreated animals of all shapes and sizes.


4. Five places I have lived

Um....Bury, Bury, Bury and here! I know that’s only 4 but that’s it, for now!



5. Snacks I like

Those Indian snacky bits out of Bombay mix that aren’t nut, lentils, peas or whatnot.
Grapes
Skittles
The kid’s Dairylea cheesy dipper things
Crisps – any sort
Toast and Marmite

6. 3 bad habits

Sometimes still biting my nails, even though I have given up
Not shutting drawers properly, just leaving them about 1cm open
Buying too many 'bargains' on ebay but not selling enough of my own.


7. Who am I tagging?

Karan at http://mkmreno.blogspot.com/ - hope you don't mind me intruding on your blog!

Ruby at http://yorkdailyphoto.blogspot.com/ - to prove you do still exist!

Hoffy at http://www.hoffyschannelswim.blogspot.com/ - If he isn’t too busy swimming the blooming English Channel, again!

Tagged

I have been tagged by 21st Century Mummy and I will fulfill this tagging but tonight both Pickle and Picklessister feel sick, so I am off for an early night in case I get rudely awoken during the night.

I just realised this could be for real as it's not even outdoor PE tomorrow, which is usually a sure sign of Picklessister being ill. She had cross country (snigger) on Wednesday, so it can't be that.

Wish me luck.

GONE!

4 long weeks after it first became loose, Pickle has lost her first ever wobbly tooth.
Yes the tooth fairy came, £1, not bad going!

Just in time....

Last week we were lucky enough to be just in time to see some of the 'Go Elephants!' display in Norwich. It took a good half an hour to convince Pickle to even look at one of them as she has a strong fear of models/statues. Eventually she loved them and was the first to point them out.
For the last 2 months there have been 54 of these elephants hidden around the city.
They have been designed by different artists and will be auctioned off later this month. The money raised will go to the Born Free Foundation and CLIC Sargent charities.

This is just a few of the ones we found and there were many more we didn't find at all!

Back to "Orderley End"...

Yes, I know it should be 'Audley End' but it sounds lovely the way Pickle pronounces it.

We were only at Audley End a couple of weeks ago, but Picklesister especially wanted to return at the weekend as Queen Victoria was due to visit the house.

Here she is walking in the grounds with her lady in waiting.

There were lots of lovely costumes on display!!

As well as a very quick look around the house, running past 'the died, stuffed up animals' , Pickle and I went on a fairy hunt with this charming scientist fellow, who did not believe in fairies. Silly man. The contraption on his head was a scientific device to check the area for 'unnatural beings'.

We did find fairies though. See.

Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmm!!

Picklesister : Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmm???

Me : Yes?

Picklesister : There's a big, long fly in the conservatory....

Me : (Tut, Sigh, Groan) Ok... (expecting to find.....)

But I actually find this.......




That was one big, long fly!
Thanks to Picklesdad for photographing and REMOVING it.

Return to Audley End ??

Picklessister wants to go back to Audley End House as there will be a visit by Queen Victoria (hopefully not THE Queen Victoria) soon, but Pickle is worried she will have to go through the room she hated.

It was the room with the display cases FULL of stuffed birds and animals.

"Mummy?" asks Pickle

"Have all these animals been died and stuffed up again?" asks Pickle

"' Fraid so" says I.

Actually some of them were a little scary...thankfully photography is not allowed in the house, so you will have to take my word for it, or go and see the 'stuffed up' animals for yourselves!

CONGRATULATIONS

on being voted Suffolk Village of the Year 2008

Audley End House

Another visit to an English Heritage Property (thanks to Tesco Clubcard) but not a castle this time!! It is Audley End House and Gardens.

Situated just outside Saffron Walden, this stunning house was adapted from Abbey buildings between 1603 and 1614. It has been extended and adapted on many occasions since then.

A kitchen, laundry, pantry and a dairy
have all been recreated.

One of our favourite features was the 'cloud hedge' which apparently takes 1 gardener 12 days to 'carve' the patterns into the hedge, giving it this stunning 3D effect. It was originally planted to hide the service wing as the 'servants' were not to be seen.

In the kitchen gardens the Elephant Garlic has grown so tall, the tops can only be reached by ladder (probably!)

A view of the front of the house, the Urn is in memory of Polish Soldiers who fought in WW2 and trained nearby.

Pickle and Picklesister had such a good time we are going back at Bank Holiday when Queen Victoria herself is making an appearance.

Honestly!

Woolpit

Woolpit Church.

Woolpit is very exotic, it has Palm Trees.

The Queen Victoria Jubilee Memorial Water Pump, 1897 stands in the centre of the village. There are statues carved around it of other Queens such as Boudica, Elizabeth I and Queen Ann.

Needles...

Picklessister has a new hobby. Photography.
This is my arm, having blood taken today to test if I am still anaemic or whether 3 months of horrid iron tablets have worked. Fingers crossed.....

Goodbye Green Crocs....

...hello Pulse (official Crocs Name)

Yes it will come as sad news to you all (especially David) that my trusty green Crocs have worn out and have been relegated to gardening duty.
The good news is I have a brand new pair which are a red/orange colour (Pulse) and will be coming to a town (or whelk stall) near you soon!

Blog Meet

Time: 14.30 Sunday 3rd August
Location: Secret Pub in Bury St Edmunds
Reason: Bloggers Meet up to bid Farewell to Ruby

Even though many bloggers were on holiday or swimming in some strange location somewhere, a good number of bloggers, commentors and Pickles met up for a little drinky poos on Sunday afternoon.

It was good to catch up with those I had met before - Florries Mum, Bury Boy, Ruby, Cashier No.5 and to meet those I only knew from their blogs - Grumpy Old Woman (who was only 1 of those 3 descriptions!) and Four Pints (who was at least 5 pints when I left) who flew in all the way from Detroit just to be there (maybe).

For those NOT of a nervous disposition Ruby has a photo of us ALL on her blog. You have been warned.

It was a shame to have to leave the get together first but the Pickles were getting restless and Picklesdad was desperate to get home to watch the SKY+ Grand Prix, even though naughty Bury Boy did hint at some of the results!

A good time was had by all, I hope we can manage to arrange another get together one day without Ruby to organise it all for us.

A Picture says it all.....

more cat pictures

Due to popular demand (OK, just Ruby being nosy and Picklesgrandma) here are some photos from inside the new Co-Op store. They were taken on my mobile as I am too embarrassed to take my usual camera in here.

As you enter the store through 2 sets of automatic doors there are loads of trollies. I dread going in on the day they are all in use!

Looking towards the new salad bar and 'dead chickens' as Pickle puts it.

New till area has 3 tills plus......

...a till with conveyor belt.

You Tube Clip of the Week!

A 'tribute' to places in East Anglia and those who live there.

Only in Suffolk...

I read with interest today that trains were delayed this morning between Ipswich and Cambridge at 0650 due to a goat on the line!

Copyright www.freefoto.com
Not THE actual goat you understand

The driver initally thought it was a Llama!


Copyright www.copyright-free-pictures.org.uk

Makes a change from leaves I suppose!

The Most Exciting Day in the Village....

......Ever!!

Pickle and I set out early, her on scooter, me puffing along behind.

Over the newly installed ZEBRA crossing (HOW long did it take to get one of these?)
and arrive at our destination.......

THE NEW HUGE CO-OP Store!

Most of the village was in there and very nice it was too.

No, No, SO NO!

We are looking for an extra water butt for the garden.
This is NOT what I had in mind.

Amazing what you learn in a day....

Today, Banham Zoo in Norfolk was visited by 30 Reception Class children, including Pickle. I went as one of the parent helpers. I was with 2 (grown up) friends and between us we had 9 children to supervise.

The above photo of the giraffe is the only one I found time to take, but we did see many more animals.

The tigers were a great favourite, although our group will tomorrow be telling their teacher that

'lots of tigers STINK'.

Although this was somewhat true, what we actually meant were

'many species of tigers are now sadly EXTINCT'

but they chose not to hear that version.

The other amazing fact our group picked up from the visit was that Fennec Foxes lay eggs, at least the same size as themselves, if not bigger.




Whose bright idea was it to have 4 ostrich eggs in the Fox enclosure anyway.

There are now at least 9 children in Suffolk who think these foxes hatch from eggs.

I must speak to the teacher before the children do!