Happy Valentines Day

Good morning friends and family Happy Valentines Day. Guess what ??? It is still mind numingly hot down here and despite one or two nights of soft rain it is way to dry for comfort with fires flaring up on a daily basis, thankfully for us, not in BB or currently in any of our immediate Villages. Well we had quite a week with one thing or another, on Tuesday evening whilst we were watching TV, Jasper jumped over the board and straight back in again almost immediately but, he had one of the baby doves in his mouth, we reacted so quickly and within seconds had retrieved the little guy but sadly it was too late and the bigger of our two babies was dead. Now, I know it's natural and part of their nature etc but ..... how dare he! I was truly upset with Jasper and felt so bad for the remaining baby and the mom who had no clue what happened to her little one. Needless to say we watched the second chick like the proverbial hawks and kept Jasper away from the deck as much as possible and I relieved a sigh of relief when happily she flew off into the big world with her parents on Friday afternoon. All we can think is the first one perhaps tried to fly or fell off the beam and my huge, black tuxedo cat was just waiting grrrrr. I am so used to looking up at the nest that now every time I see it empty it looks odd. Last week I mentioned how Princess is volunteering with a Dog Rescue and Adoption Group, I am sure this will come as no surprise but after her second shift last Sunday she found 'her' doggy and they took him home the same day. Humphrey a.k.a. Humph is a St Golden which is a cross St Bernard / Golden Retriever of about four years old and, like Charlie has come from a background of rejection and walking on the streeets. He is big and the most gentle soul in the world (until it's time for walks LOL, then he is hard to hold back), gets on well with both of the cats and from the first night decided that Princesses' bed is where he belongs. He adores going with them in the car and sits like a gentle giant in the back of the car. Already in just the short space of a week he has made himself right at home physically and in their hearts and lea Ning how to walk on a leash. I do believe he is going to need a ramp to get into the car as I cannot imagine the girls having to lift him in forever. On Saturday we took Charlie with and went into town to see the girls while Princess was working her shift (we didn't see much of her naturally) but introduced the two dogs and happily they were fine with each other. I felt it was important to introduce them on completely neutral ground and we spent the morning at a restaurant where they both behaved like absolute angels, even to sharing Humph's water bowl. It was also the furthest Charlie has travelled with us in the car and due to a new homeopathic anti nausea medicine I was recommended, for the first time he was not sick on either journey 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 , such a relief to have found something that works for him. He was a little pinker than usual ( he and Sasha were both groomed on Tuesday) and we all got a tad sunburnt, but so well behaved that I was ready to burst with pride. I'm looking forward to him joining us now on many more outings in future. Sasha is not a dog who likes the car and crowds / noises scare her to a trembling bundle so I am not going to try and take her with us unless it's to the beach. Today is / should be my last fill thank goodness, I cannot explain how happy I am about that. Last week's actual fill went well after having the Nerve Block the previous Friday but, oh my goodness it was the most painful Fill to date. I slept on the couch the entire week as that is the only place where I have been able to get comfortable but it is such a mission dragging everything through at night so, on Friday I asked Hubby if we could bring in our 'old' mattress which is much softer than the current one we have. Hmmm quite a task but between the three of us we got it in position although I definitely should not have helped carry it, as I am still very sore. I valiantly tried to sleep there Friday evening but ended up on the couch, again. Saturday evening I tried again and had one of the best sleeps I've had in ages. Part of the problem is having to sleep on my back partly 'propped' up - ugh, I am a side sleeper. Anyway it looks as if this is working and I am now on the hunt for a Mattress Topper that will give me the softness but still give Hubby the support of our hard mattress, such fun😬 Zeepha absolutely loves the new arrangement as the 'newer' mattress is propped up in the bedroom and being the little adventurer she is, it is her new play gym and resting place so I have had to cover it with a quilt 🙄😹 Hubby has got my car going almost like new, yippee and the little car is 98% ready, even his car is much closer to being back on the road. As far as I understand it is now just a case of fitting everything back into place. I know he cannot wait to into it and be gliding aroundin comfort haha. He really is very blessed to be able to do so many varied things and do them well, if we had to have all three cars repaired by a garage would have cost us an arm and a leg. He is also installing a Solar Inverter to take over when we have power outages and hopefully supplement our electricity supply for a couple of hours a day. Most of the components have arrived and once he has bought all the necessary wiring he will do the installation. This will be such a boon, especially to Jelly Bean whose work comes to a complete standstill every time the power goes off, sometimes she loses up to five hours a day. We bought a generator years ago but the rate at which it gobbles petrol and the noise it makes means we very seldom get it going. Miss Muffet and family flew to Germany on Friday for a skiing holiday which has been in the planning for quite awhile. Both the boys have been taking lessons since last year on a simulated course, so they will be in their element. Thankfully CoVid did not interfere with their plans and the photos we have been sent are absolutely exquisite. It looks like a dream world. Enjoy yourselves guys, especially the cold, lovely snow. Wishing each of you a good week, may you be blessed in all you do and safe wherever you go. Ciao Ciao 

PS.  As I posted this another dove took up residence in the nest haha

Introducing Humph very happy thank you 😊 

Charlie & Sasha very interested in Jelly Bean's food.