but he's fitting in nicely :o)
xxx
p.s. any tips on uploading a video? I tried through both YouTube and Blogger and neither seemed to work.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
our Easter
This Easter holiday we made the huge trip north to beautiful Scotland. We went on Saturday 9th and the plan was to be there for two weeks and then pick Merlin up today, Easter Sunday.
We had a fantastic ten days in Scotland, showing the children all our favourite places in the Highlands, soaking up the fresh air and stunning scenery. We took them to the island where we spent our honeymoon with Moog, twelve years ago and drew up a most impressive wildlife list, including Golden Eagle, Osprey, Red Squirrels and Otters.
On the evening of the tenth day my brother phoned me with bad news. Our dear Dad, who has fought an incredibly brave battle with a terminal brain tumour for the past five years (since first having it removed in the late 1980s) had been admitted to hospital, gravely ill with an infection.
Needless to say, the need to be with him was greater than the need to finish the last few days of our holiday. Thank goodness, we got back down south in time to be with him and spent his last hours by his side, along with my wonderful brother and his family. Dad passed peacefully away just after 10am on Good Friday.
I cannot tell you how priveleged I feel to have been with both of my parents in their final hours. It's very nearly four years since we lost Mum, also to a brain tumour and I will be eternally grateful that they both passed without pain and distress and with their dignity intact.
Due to the timing of Dad's death we were told we would be unable to make any arrangements until Tuesday - after the Easter bank holidays. So, we decided it would be best to head home.
We had planned to pick Merlin up on Easter Sunday. With a couple of extra days to spare we decided to pick him up early.
So here he is - Merlin Moog.
The fluffiest, cuddliest, funniest little wonder-dog ever.
He's settling in amazingly well and is the very best distraction we could wish for.
I'll be back soon, with more puppy pictures and maybe a few photos of those glorious Scottish mountains.
Love Moogs xxx
We had a fantastic ten days in Scotland, showing the children all our favourite places in the Highlands, soaking up the fresh air and stunning scenery. We took them to the island where we spent our honeymoon with Moog, twelve years ago and drew up a most impressive wildlife list, including Golden Eagle, Osprey, Red Squirrels and Otters.
On the evening of the tenth day my brother phoned me with bad news. Our dear Dad, who has fought an incredibly brave battle with a terminal brain tumour for the past five years (since first having it removed in the late 1980s) had been admitted to hospital, gravely ill with an infection.
Needless to say, the need to be with him was greater than the need to finish the last few days of our holiday. Thank goodness, we got back down south in time to be with him and spent his last hours by his side, along with my wonderful brother and his family. Dad passed peacefully away just after 10am on Good Friday.
I cannot tell you how priveleged I feel to have been with both of my parents in their final hours. It's very nearly four years since we lost Mum, also to a brain tumour and I will be eternally grateful that they both passed without pain and distress and with their dignity intact.
Due to the timing of Dad's death we were told we would be unable to make any arrangements until Tuesday - after the Easter bank holidays. So, we decided it would be best to head home.
We had planned to pick Merlin up on Easter Sunday. With a couple of extra days to spare we decided to pick him up early.
So here he is - Merlin Moog.
The fluffiest, cuddliest, funniest little wonder-dog ever.
He's settling in amazingly well and is the very best distraction we could wish for.
I'll be back soon, with more puppy pictures and maybe a few photos of those glorious Scottish mountains.
Love Moogs xxx
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Merlin Moog
In four (very long) week's time this gorgeous little man will be coming to live Chez Moog. His name is Merlin - and believe me he cast a spell on us all today :o) 
We've all been looking forward to today with great excitement, counting the sleeps until 'Meet the Puppies Day'.
We've all been looking forward to today with great excitement, counting the sleeps until 'Meet the Puppies Day'. 
We didn't know which of the nine beautiful pups in the litter would be ours.
It just so happens, I'd fallen for this young man several weeks back when we first saw photos of them, newly hatched.
As luck would have it, he hadn't already been promised to anyone and when we met the pups it was Merlin who made a bee-line for us.....well, okay he made a bee-line for me and I was hooked.
Louise, the breeder ( and a shepherd - how cool is that?!!), was lovely and let us spend a good long time with the pups, while they got to know us, had their tea and then ......
.....flopped exhausted in the sunshine.
We also met their mum and dad, Fly and Breac, both working sheepdogs on an organic farm in the beautiful Cotswolds.
These pups were born just 24 hours before we said goodbye to our Moog and it feels like it was meant to be. We're already counting the sleeps until we can bring him home - only another 28 or so!!
xxx
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Thank you
Yes, thank you - thank you all so much for your heartwarming comments to my previous post. We all read every comment and they were so much appreciated.
It's been a very strange few weeks, getting used to the house without Moog.
So many little parts of my day used to involve her and it seems to be the little things that we miss the most. Hearing the tip-tap of her claws as she trots up the hallway; coming in from the school run and going straight to the back door to let her out; having a reason to go for a walk; hearing her very special 'pigdog' snore as she sleeps off a busy day; seeing her curled up on her cushion under the stairs.
We decided almost straight away that we can't be without a dog. Meg was such an important part of the family and so much of our family time over the years has been spent taking her on lovely long walks to all our favourite places.
My knitting has been a welcome distraction - no surprises there then!
We are making some very exciting plans and I'm hoping that before too long I can let you in on them. Not just yet though, I don't want to jinx things!
Let's just say....once a Moog's Mum, always a Moog's Mum :o)
xxx
It's been a very strange few weeks, getting used to the house without Moog.
So many little parts of my day used to involve her and it seems to be the little things that we miss the most. Hearing the tip-tap of her claws as she trots up the hallway; coming in from the school run and going straight to the back door to let her out; having a reason to go for a walk; hearing her very special 'pigdog' snore as she sleeps off a busy day; seeing her curled up on her cushion under the stairs.
We decided almost straight away that we can't be without a dog. Meg was such an important part of the family and so much of our family time over the years has been spent taking her on lovely long walks to all our favourite places.
My knitting has been a welcome distraction - no surprises there then!
We are making some very exciting plans and I'm hoping that before too long I can let you in on them. Not just yet though, I don't want to jinx things!
Let's just say....once a Moog's Mum, always a Moog's Mum :o)
xxx
Friday, February 25, 2011
Goodbye sweet girl
Nothing can prepare you for the loss of a beloved pet and although our girl was a ripe old age, we are all reeling at the shock and sadness of having to say goodbye.
This precious, clever, funny little dog found Moogsdad and I fourteen years ago (we've had her for most of our nearly 16 years together), when she was a bedraggled, mangey little 19month old mess in a tatty rescue centre. We'd only gone to look.
She came home with us straight away and within an hour was sitting in the dirtiest bath water you ever did see.
From day one she gently trained us in the right way for Border Collie owners to behave.
She brought us a million lifetimes worth of love, fun and joy.
She had her little quirks - like barking at the full moon, hot air balloons and the birds twittering in the garden; never wanting to play with other dogs; avoiding all children apart from our own two.
After a desperately difficult few days we made the decision all pet owners dread. Seeing our dear sweet girl unable to walk, lying sad and uncomfortable brought that decision sooner than we'd hoped.
So it was, that at 9 o'clock this morning our beautiful Moog gently left us and drifted off into a sleep from which she'll never wake. We were with her to the end and leaving her broke our hearts.
Good dog, Meg - we feel lost without you but you'll be in our hearts for ever.
This precious, clever, funny little dog found Moogsdad and I fourteen years ago (we've had her for most of our nearly 16 years together), when she was a bedraggled, mangey little 19month old mess in a tatty rescue centre. We'd only gone to look.
She came home with us straight away and within an hour was sitting in the dirtiest bath water you ever did see.
From day one she gently trained us in the right way for Border Collie owners to behave.
She brought us a million lifetimes worth of love, fun and joy.
She had her little quirks - like barking at the full moon, hot air balloons and the birds twittering in the garden; never wanting to play with other dogs; avoiding all children apart from our own two.
After a desperately difficult few days we made the decision all pet owners dread. Seeing our dear sweet girl unable to walk, lying sad and uncomfortable brought that decision sooner than we'd hoped.
So it was, that at 9 o'clock this morning our beautiful Moog gently left us and drifted off into a sleep from which she'll never wake. We were with her to the end and leaving her broke our hearts.
Good dog, Meg - we feel lost without you but you'll be in our hearts for ever.
Moogsmum
xxxxxxxxx
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The first rule of sock club...
....is 'tell everyone about sock club'!
I was reading Yarn Harlot's blog recently and got hooked with her idea of a self-imposed sock club. The idea is to pair up each of those many skeins of sock yarn, lurking in the big box on top of the wardrobe, with a sock pattern. Each sock is then put into a ziplock (or Co-op carrier) bag with its pattern and then the fun begins.
Each month you pull out a bag and get knitting that sock.
That's the theory.
By the time I'd made up fifteen bags and added in the two pairs already on the needles, that gave me 17 pairs of socks!
Luckily I'm already well on my way.
January socks: On-Hold socks knitted from the toe-up.
February socks: finished last night. My beautiful, and challenging, Wednesday socks.
I'm not going to be able to wait until March to start my next pair, so I'll be casting on Pillar socks soon. Who am I kidding? They'll be on the needles before the day is out.
After all, I don't want to get bored or resort to doing the ironing, do I?
Oddly enough, there's more knitting news.
Scrap socks for Minx, finished at last - I cast these on in September, so I'm not quite the paragon of knitting virtue I portray myself as!
Knitted on 4mm needles, two strands of leftover sock yarn held together, cast on 40 stitches, did a very sloppy short-row heel. Every inch or so, I swapped one yarn for another to make the stripiness. A very quick knit......or not!
For those moments when I may be tempted to give in to the lure of feeding my family, or worse - ironing, I've got a couple of other little bits on the go.
Crazy socks for Minx.
Scrap socks for Monster's size 5s!
With Mr Moog being excused from taxi duties for a while, my services are required for swimming lessons, cubs, brownies etc which inevitably leads to waiting time for me. Last Saturday I whiled away the swimming lessons by starting a scarf.
Knitted in beautiful soft Noro Taiyo, using Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf pattern. Knitted until I ran out of yarn and then sewed the ends together to make an endless scarf/cowl that doesn't fall off when the wind blows!
I've just cast one on for Minx, to get me through today's swimming lessons!
I'll leave you with the pretties on my kitchen windowsill, to reward you for making it to the end of all that knitting!
I was reading Yarn Harlot's blog recently and got hooked with her idea of a self-imposed sock club. The idea is to pair up each of those many skeins of sock yarn, lurking in the big box on top of the wardrobe, with a sock pattern. Each sock is then put into a ziplock (or Co-op carrier) bag with its pattern and then the fun begins.
Each month you pull out a bag and get knitting that sock.
That's the theory.
By the time I'd made up fifteen bags and added in the two pairs already on the needles, that gave me 17 pairs of socks!
Luckily I'm already well on my way.
January socks: On-Hold socks knitted from the toe-up.
February socks: finished last night. My beautiful, and challenging, Wednesday socks.
I'm not going to be able to wait until March to start my next pair, so I'll be casting on Pillar socks soon. Who am I kidding? They'll be on the needles before the day is out.
After all, I don't want to get bored or resort to doing the ironing, do I?
Oddly enough, there's more knitting news.
Scrap socks for Minx, finished at last - I cast these on in September, so I'm not quite the paragon of knitting virtue I portray myself as!
Knitted on 4mm needles, two strands of leftover sock yarn held together, cast on 40 stitches, did a very sloppy short-row heel. Every inch or so, I swapped one yarn for another to make the stripiness. A very quick knit......or not!
For those moments when I may be tempted to give in to the lure of feeding my family, or worse - ironing, I've got a couple of other little bits on the go.
Crazy socks for Minx.
Scrap socks for Monster's size 5s!
With Mr Moog being excused from taxi duties for a while, my services are required for swimming lessons, cubs, brownies etc which inevitably leads to waiting time for me. Last Saturday I whiled away the swimming lessons by starting a scarf.
Knitted in beautiful soft Noro Taiyo, using Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf pattern. Knitted until I ran out of yarn and then sewed the ends together to make an endless scarf/cowl that doesn't fall off when the wind blows!
I've just cast one on for Minx, to get me through today's swimming lessons!
I'll leave you with the pretties on my kitchen windowsill, to reward you for making it to the end of all that knitting!
Now I must run. Should have been in the shower forty minutes ago!
xxx
p.s. sorry about all those Ravelry links. If you can't access them you might just have to join Ravelry ;o)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Socks - at last!
I'm not sure what's happened of late. What with all that silly Christmas mitten knitting and a sudden new obsession with tapestry I experienced a major hiatus in my endless sock knitting fest.
Naturally, I could only put off the inevitable for so long and now we're back on track. Normal service has been resumed.
This lovely green goodness is helping me tackle a truly challenging but highly enjoyable pattern - Wednesday socks (Ravelry link). Perfect knitting for those moments when nothing but absolute total concentration to the exclusion of all else is in order!
For the less quiet moments I'm knitting these On-Hold socks, from my 'Knitting Socks from The Toe-up' book. These are my current in-car knit.
A very necessary in-car knit. I've been spending hours in the car of late, as I have a quite silly number of schools booked in for work this term and a little bit of knitting between visits helps the day along nicely.
By far the best bit of knitting though is a very special one-off mitten for Mr Moog - requested by the man himself. He's always avoided my offers to knit for him but even he has admitted that a bespoke broken wrist mitt is just what the doctor ordered!
A mere 23 months after his motorcycle accident, he had the surgery to bolt his fractured wrist back together last Monday. He's going back next week to have stitches removed and a new plaster put on and then - much to his disgust - it's back to work.
Not sure how he's going to get there or what he'll be able to do with only one good hand but at least the TV will get a bit of a rest!
I've got an actual day off tomorrow. First one this year! Apart from the school run, taxi-ing Mr Moog about and taking Moog swimming, my only plans involve a sofa and my knitting needles.
I also have a bit of work news. As they're still awaiting the results of a(nother) review, our contracts have been extended until the end of September and hopefully by then we'll know one way or the other.
I may have to celebrate with a little bit of yarn shopping :o)
xxx
Naturally, I could only put off the inevitable for so long and now we're back on track. Normal service has been resumed.
This lovely green goodness is helping me tackle a truly challenging but highly enjoyable pattern - Wednesday socks (Ravelry link). Perfect knitting for those moments when nothing but absolute total concentration to the exclusion of all else is in order!
For the less quiet moments I'm knitting these On-Hold socks, from my 'Knitting Socks from The Toe-up' book. These are my current in-car knit.
A very necessary in-car knit. I've been spending hours in the car of late, as I have a quite silly number of schools booked in for work this term and a little bit of knitting between visits helps the day along nicely.
By far the best bit of knitting though is a very special one-off mitten for Mr Moog - requested by the man himself. He's always avoided my offers to knit for him but even he has admitted that a bespoke broken wrist mitt is just what the doctor ordered!
A mere 23 months after his motorcycle accident, he had the surgery to bolt his fractured wrist back together last Monday. He's going back next week to have stitches removed and a new plaster put on and then - much to his disgust - it's back to work.
Not sure how he's going to get there or what he'll be able to do with only one good hand but at least the TV will get a bit of a rest!
I've got an actual day off tomorrow. First one this year! Apart from the school run, taxi-ing Mr Moog about and taking Moog swimming, my only plans involve a sofa and my knitting needles.
I also have a bit of work news. As they're still awaiting the results of a(nother) review, our contracts have been extended until the end of September and hopefully by then we'll know one way or the other.
I may have to celebrate with a little bit of yarn shopping :o)
xxx
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