Wednesday 17th June

TLC for Binnie and A Bit More Flower Arranging ....

Binnie is looking much more like her normal self this morning, although much slowed down from her normal speed, and she is taking great care when moving about. Fortunately I haven't had to use the buster collar on her yet as she is showing no interest in her stitches. She has to refrain from jumping up and not dash around in her usual Jack Russell style. Below, one of her favourite places to sit, comfort being the least she expects!

For those who don't know JR's are totally tenacious and have no idea that they are small dogs. They are full of spirit, fun, devilment, curiosity, and can be the cutest things going. She has all of those qualities in abundance. She is pretty well behaved and tends only to bark when provoked, by us playing with her, when she sees a cat (and there are quite a few of those in our neighbourhood) or she hears another dog barking. Sadly she doesn't get on with our cat, Twinkle, who is about 11 (she was a rescue, so we don't know for sure) and Twinkle positively hates her! But then whenever Binnie sees her, she chases her so can you be surprised? I will fill in bits about Twinkle another day. Jamie and Binnie in a usual position, she adores Jamie and considers it her job to make sure he is OK at all times, even when he is playing in the park, she sits on the edge of the sofa and watches him out of the window. She whimpers and whines if she sees him, or thinks he has a problem, I know what he is doing just by listening to her!

I did indulge her and spent a lot of the day giving her some serious TLC on the sofa, I watched Hannibal Rising, which was OK, but nothing special, well not for me - none of the sequels, prequels have lived up to Silence of the Lambs for me. That first experience of Hannibal cannot really be beaten and the ending, "I'm having an old friend for dinner" what a shiver, but what humour!

I did manage to produce another couple of flower arrangements today, while Binnie slept. The first was in a vase, in which an oasis round fitted perfectly and I did a fairly simple line arrangement, using gerbera, at the back I used Bells of Ireland. I have wanted to get my hands on Bells of Ireland to have a go with for quite some time and had not managed to find any until Colombia Road. What I hadn't realised is they have a nasty little prickle on them and caught myself a couple of times whilst arranging them! I added carthamus and brought some bright green sisal to the front to take the lime green right through the arrangement. This one works perfectly on the shelf in the hallway!

The second arrangement, was supposed to be more of a challenge for me, but I found it came together very well and very easily. I arranged the foliage in low groups around a circular base of oasis, there is a space in the centre, which could be filled with, well whatever you want, I was putting a candle in mine. I have used a variety of foliage including ivy and conifer. The main height comes from Bells of Ireland again, I've made sure I trimmed the top leaves to give the tops of the flower a clean look. I've then grouped the other flowers around the arrangement, in 3's, 3 white roses, 3 white peony, 3 white alstro and finally 3 pink lillies. I think this one is super and will be using that design again, certainly at Christmas with some candles and lots of red and gold! And I still have tons of flowers left, so 5 arrangements thus far and counting!

Jamie got his second praise postcard at school today, well done Jamie! Here he is displaying his new postcard still covered in chocolate ice-cream around his mouth, boys! Although I do love the way he just doesn't care, his attitude is so what if I'm dirty I'm OK, I'm having fun, stop fussing mother! In that aspect he is so much like his Daddy, whose attitude is I'm clean and don't smell so what else is needed?

Well done Jamie on your praise postcard!

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52