Saturday 12 April 2014

Chased by horses and popcorn

This sounds like the title of a novel. It is however just a normal day in the life of my beloved dog, who is eating a bone known as a 'postman's leg'. I am reassured by A that it is not a real postman's leg. H suggested it was actually the dog's own missing leg, preserved by the vet who sawed it off and then recycled into the food chain a year or so later.

Today, the poor dog got chased by popcorn, as I was making some, in our electric popcorn maker, won in Wrap the Crap circa 2009 and much appreciated after the early Sunday morning episode with H putting golden syrup in the last one and us smelling smoke. So, the popcorn machine has a sort of chute for the popped corn to come out of, but it has a hole in the top of it so half of it pings out of the top and then chases poor Lacey and her postman's leg around the kitchen floor.

Yesterday, much worse than popcorn straying was the evil predatory attack of 5 horses. R had L on the lead and we walked over a stile, following a footpath sign and a track through a field which contained horses. After making it three quarters of the way across the field, the horses took an interest and came over, blocking our way and whenever we moved, making a counter move to prevent us going forward. H and I were out of the melee, as H had no shoes on and was slower in progressing through the mud than the other 2. A and R were so brave, as one horse repeatedly went for the dog, trying to trample her. It was like the beginning of a nightmare movie with the four horses of the apocalypse (sp?) except there were 5, but one was only a pony.  We are now thoroughly put off horses and the magazine Horse and Hound has not got any new readers in this house.

Today I have attempted to cash in some Tesco vouchers for Pizza Express vouchers, but it has been beyond my understanding how to remember /reset my password and access the account. I did win £15 of restaurant vouchers earlier this week, which the girls and I spent having lunch at ASK in Fareham. The girls had their hair cut, in adjacent salons at slightly different times, which was a challenge for me, but we did it. I had my hair cut in Wickham, and the very pleasant haircutter was leaving and heading for Winchester. Great! Wickham is so handy on my way home from work... unlike Winchester. I made the most of Wickham last week with a beauty appointment, a curry and having my tyres changed as well as a hair cut. I had my hair straightened too. But before I got to the car, in the rain, it was curly again.

Tomorrow everyone except me is doing a triathlon. Don't panic! not you! my family! Tonight, the girls were practising their transition and getting it down below 13 seconds for putting on belt, trainers and helmet. Unfortunately all the speed in the world at getting dressed might be against H as she has troubled knees, with a diagnosis from Sarah the osteopath of cruciate ligament damage, and advice to go to our GP. We don't have one, the new one who I have yet to meet Dr Qamar, is off having a baby, which is great, I hope she found the midwifery service as good as it should be. 

Somehow I have found myself taking on responsibility for menu and food procurement for the sailing club galley. The good thing about this is that I can make sure there is lots on the menu I like. The bad thing is that I have to go to Makro, which is too big and confusing for me. Some marvellously good news is that LIDL are opening a store in Thornhill, near the Range, ie within walking distance, as is our handy Costa. We now will have no reason to ever leave the estate. Apart from to go on bike rides, although I suppose we could do laps.  I did a good ride today over to Newton Soberton, Droxford and back via Dundridge, I was without my cycling pal Josh as he is in Australia, and could not be bothered to make the trip back to keep our Saturday morning expeditions alive! I found a new cycling pal last weekend too, Kate, mum of Millie, who seemed to be super fit on the bike and has previously set up an ex pats ladies cycling club in China. I feel so parochial compared to these far flung cycling heroes!

I am reading The Chimp Paradox and enjoying it a lot. I am working hard on school related stuff at the moment, enjoying it though, so doesn't feel like work. I also have had a restful few days with mum and dad and girls, with a sunny visit to Kew, and also a chilled out spa day with Ange, which was my Christmas present to her. I did gym workout, pilates class, swim and then a massage. She just did the massage!