Someone decided that they wanted to be a lapdog today. He’s a bit big now and rather heavy. He makes a lovely hot water bottle though.

It did make typing rather hard. His snoring was a bit distracting. My legs were feeling it too by the time he got off. He’s just so cute though I didn’t want to turf him off.

He’s usually happy to sleep under my chair while on the laptop. So it was a bit of a shock when he jumped up. He clearly decided that I needed warming up or he just wanted a cuddle. I’m not complaining either way.

I might have gotten a little bit wet today. Can you detect the sarcasm?! I got soaked to my knickers! I had a very soggy bottom where the rain had wicked up my trousers. The joys of horses huh?! Poo picking in the pissing rain.

Oh and ragworting. It’s been so mild, the bloody stuff is growing again. Fun times! To be fair, I was laughing to myself as I trotted down the road with my wheelbarrow. It was raining so hard, I couldn’t actually see where I was going. It was running in my eyes.

I didn’t want to get the seat wet in the Upgrade. Thankfully I have one or two plastic bags. Why do we end up with so many in the car?! So drove home on one. Typically by the time I got home and showered, the sun had come back out. At least I got to have lunch in the sun.

I thought Buddy was going to raise a formal complaint when for the second day running he didn’t get turned out with the others. He was easily appeased with a haynet and his first haircut of the year.

His coat seemed to have grown so much while I was away in Bath. He was getting rather sweaty. So needed to be done. Really grateful that Beki was able to squeeze him in.

Doesn’t he look handsome?! He was definitely feeling lighter judging by the way he headed across the field afterwards. Wish me luck people…?!

Buddy, Bert and I headed over to World Horse Welfare early this morning for a jumping lesson with Justine Ward.

We got off to an interesting start as Buddy was rather confused by heading straight from his stable to the lorry. I was rather confused when I got in said lorry to find my breakfast toast had disappeared! Not sure you’ll need 3 guesses to work out where that went. Thanks Bert…

To be fair, it was my fault for leaving it on the seat. It’s the first time he’s stolen food like that. He’s such a cracking little lorry dog. He loves to sit on the driver’s seat watching the comings and goings. He happily watched over proceedings while Buddy and I rode.

Buddy was on top form. Justine was complimentary and gave me some great tips. A friend popped over to watch us in action. It was the first time she’d seen us together in the flesh. She was rather impressed. In fact, she was so busy watching she forgot to video us until near the end. Lovely to get any footage though.

All in all, I’m very pleased with the Oversized Labrador and the Baby Sprocker. Oh and yes, I did have something to eat after I’d jumped. I needed it, I can tell you.

I have to say that Bert makes a pretty good hot water bottle. I needed it after getting rather cold today.

Pipping hot broccoli soup, a hot shower and the twig burner were all called into action too.

Bert was fascinated by the twig burner. I guess he was rather little the last time I lit it. He sat staring at it. And running off with bits of paper from the kindling box.

I’m not sure how comfortable this position was for him, but he was snoring. I was very appreciative of the extra warmth, that’s for sure.

Last night I was craving mash potato. It’s one of my winter go-to’s. I didn’t have any in (yes I’m very lazy and use instant) or any potatoes (shocker), so I headed to the local Co-op to get some. They didn’t have any instant either, but they did have some pre-made (no judgement). So that ticked that box.

While I was there, I noticed some reduced mushrooms and broccoli. So I snapped them up and today I made two more batches of soup. I hate food waste. Each time it’s getting better and better. Just call me the Soup Dragon.

I used to love the Clangers. It was one of my brother’s nicknames when we were growing up. But the Soup Dragon was always my favourite character.

The downside to broccoli soup is my house does smell a little funky…!

I’ve been feeling a bit low recently. I know it’s because it’s been grey and dreary. I do like Autumn but it makes me a bit sad too. My desire to hibernate is strong…

We had a doggy disaster so I have a bereft Bert too. He lost his favourite toy on our walk today. It was his own fault as he was chasing the geese and dropped it. 20 mins of searching from us both, but we couldn’t find it. It was in a rather large stubble field.

This brings me a lot of satisfaction though. My little log store is nicely full.

When I had my roof relayed, I asked if I could keep some of the old batons for kindling. I had some help over the summer cutting them up. Along with an old bed frame. But I still had lots left. So I spent a few hours sawing and stacking.

It seems winter prepping has started in ernest. The twig burner will fired up again soon. And I’m sure I can find a replacement toy for Bert.

I spotted this mini garden when I was turning Buddy back out today. I love the fact there a tiny fir tree growing in the fence post. It’s so cute. And just goes to show that you don’t need perfect conditions to grow. Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?!

Of course I wasn’t quite so appreciative of the sunshine / showers combo that we got on our ride. The sunshine was lovely. The drizzle, not so much.Thankfully it was more dry than wet. I’m sure this tiny fir appreciated the rain a lot more than I did too.

My get up and go seemed to have gone a bit AWOL when I woke up this morning. I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s been a busy few weeks. Throw into the mix the emotions of yesterday and it’s kinda understandable. It took more out of me that I imagined. Thankfully I had a low key day in the diary.

It was a drizzly morning. I didn’t take a coat on our walk, so ended up a bit damp. The rain makes the cobwebs stand out. There were loads of them. Not great for arachnophobs, but great for arty photos. Well as close as I can get…

After another busy week, I decided to have few hours in the garden. I mowed the lawn. Then instantly regretted it as it now looks even more like The Somme…

Bert’s digging activities have lessened over the weeks, but I need to do a bit of filling in so to speak. Not that my lawn is flat at the best of times. The holes did make mowing a bit more of a challenge. The mower kept getting stuck in the holes.

That and Bert was trying to help by leaving his toy for me to throw. Unfortunately it was in the way most of the time. Thankfully I didn’t go over it with the blades.

When I’d finished, I stood back and looked at my handy work. At first I was disappointed. The ‘lawn’ looks really bad. But I guess it’s all too easy to focus on the bad stuff – the holes, the pee marks etc. There’s still lots of grass too! It will grow back. And Bert will outgrow this phase too. Or that’s what I keep telling myself. It’s another job off the list. Hopefully it’s the last cut for the year too. By Spring, I might have a bit more grass (and less of the other stuff).