Christmas is coming

You can tell it's nearly Christmas, it's very muddy out and there's a load of sprouts for sale in the shops.

I'm hoping my morning run was twice as good for me, as my feet were caked in mud for most of my circuit. I am certainly contemplating some waterproof trainers, or maybe gaiters, or those  giant wellie trouser things fisher people wear, now that would be a good look.

After my run, it was off to watch Maisie horse riding - as it's on the highest peak of Sheffield, suffice to say, it was blinking cold and windy, nice and sunny though. Then onwards to pick Dad up for a Sunday outing. Today's choice was a garden centre - not just any old garden centre mind, but the Chatsworth one of course. What a treat, they had assorts of goodies to tempt the wallet. I jet bough essentials, some wooden heart christmas decorations and an solar powered bird light thing, oh yes, and some actual cabbage flower plant things, well I felt I had to as we were at a garden centre after all. At one point there was a loud announcement "Santa has now entered the building" I was a bit sad that none of our party were interested.

A quick stop at the grocery store with sprouts sprouting up everywhere you looked.

SkegVegas or Bust

After our trip to Hull, we were inspired to explore the East coast further.Where to start? Skegness of course. So off we go with my Dad, Maisie, Alex, the dog AND the kittens! Yes - we took the kittens, who doesn't take their kittens on holiday? The truth was - we had failed to enlist the help of a neighbour to feed them and, as it was bonfire weekend, there was a level of anxiety regarding their wellbeing. 

Our accommodation allowed for one small pet. Personally, I think one bloody great dog, and two kittens with a passion for climbing up curtains fell into that category. We stayed in a lovely village around 10 miles out of Skeggy which was lovely, room to accommodate our family and other animals - oops we forgot the hamster! 

Saturday  - into Skegness for a run around on the beach, get some rock and look at the seal rescue centre. We were treated to watery November sunshine and the company of other dogs on the beach. There was a small contra-temps between Chess and a pug called Dude, but apart from that it was lovely. The seal sanctuary rescue place amused the whole party - except the kittens, we left them in the accommodation to enjoy the curtains.

Little did we know it wasn't the kittens we needed to worry about for damage danger. Who's for a lovely cooked breakfast? Mmmm lincolnshire sausages in Lincolnshire (yes please) mushroom cooked in butter and garlic (need you ask), bacon with bits of melted plastic from a chopping board left on the top of the grill? No thanks!

I don't usually make cooked breakfast - I'm not good at the timing, but this particular morning, all was going well. SO when I noticed the stream of bright red melted plastic flowing from the top of the grill onto the lovely organic bacon we had bought I was more than a little disappointed. After a mad panic, burns were avoided, some bacon salvaged, some bacon with only a hint of plastic eaten by the lucky dog, and confession to the property manager, a breakfast was enjoyed by all before heading off too Lincoln cathedral on the way home. We left behind a very clean oven, one less chopping board and only a few cat hairs on the table cloth.

Boo

Sunday night was all about Fright Night in Sheffield, an annual Halloween carnival.

I had the bright idea of putting plastic spiders in my hair for an easy halloween themed look. Only one thing to do before heading out, take the dog round the block for a quick pee. I’d actually forgotten about the spiders, and was happily greeting the neighbors also out with peeing dogs. Needless to say, a few strange looks were received. Unfortunately I bumped into the guests from the B&B two doors up, not sure they will be visiting our sleepy little village again. 

Sheffield was packed out with people dressed in similar attire so spiders felt at home. We cruised around looking at the street entertainers and massive queues for all the fairground rides. We saw a giant hippo, Granny Tourismo (grannies on motorised shopping trollies), Dr. Who’s Tardis, the best of all were the zombies.