Hi, I'm Bert. Here's my story ...

Hi,you may know me as Bertie but my real name is Menela Petal. I was born in Ireland in 2009 and had a brother and two sisters. Only my brother and I 'made the grade' and after a short spell of racing in Ireland we were both sold and shipped over to England to start a new life. I am a very shy boy and didn't enjoy racing (although I was good at it) and was relieved to have my brother by my side in the kennels. One day a lady started to come to the kennels, she had just lost her two beloved Greyhounds to illness and once a week she would walk me and my other friends. I lurved her and got (surprisingly for me) over excited when she put my lead on.  I showed her how much I loved her by skipping along by her side and rubbing my nose along the side of her leg to give her a cuddle. She called me "my boy" and although she said she would never take home a boy and always preferred girls I secretly hoped that one day she would take me home. My lucky day came when out of the blue, whilst loading my fellow Greyhounds up to go off racing, my owner and the lady came over to my kennel, I jumped off my bed and heard my owner say "I thought you only had bitches but he loves you. Go on take him, he'll be happier in a home, before I change my mind". 

That was the day I went home.

I was taken home in September 2011 and although very scared I knew I was safe and that my new family had already grown to love me.

On the 20th January 2012 whilst out for a walk I got scared, slipped my collar, ran way and was hit by a vehicle. I suffered multiple serious injuries including:

A fractured sternum.

Bruised Lung.

Blood loss.

All of my nails had been pulled out.

Most of my pads had been torn off.

I had the part of two stakes remaining in both back legs.

I had severe damage to my foreleg and my tendon was exposed.

I was covered in cuts, some very deep some not so.

When I was found nearly two miles from home I was hours away from death.

I remained on a drip and had several blood transfusions for several days, things looked very bleek for me.

My new family had a very tearful discussion with Sue the vet and all three very quickly decided to try for me.

Only one week later my family got a new addition. I heard them deciding if it was a good idea due to my illness but they couldn't disappoint their children who had been counting down the weeks then days.  She's called Bessie and doesn't look like a dog at all to me, I mean do you call those legs? Still, I am now happy to call myself her brother from another mother. At first I wasn't so sure though...

I mean, as if life wasn't hard with a fractured sternum, bruised lung, stitches in both back feet, having no pads or nails, having to be carried down the garden night and day, standing in snow with four umbrella cases on each foot to protect my bandages, wounds and stitches when having a wee and being off my head on Tramadol  .... to then have a 12 week old puppy follow me everywhere, jump on me, nibble me and more annoying than anything swing from my snout and tail.

But I grew to love her...

and she became my new best friend.

When some of my injuries worsened and the pain was unbearable she was always by my side.

WARNING ... icky photo next.

And at times worsen they did and I was hit by infection after infection.

and even going out for a wee was a challenge!

There were weeks when I couldn't move or stand, I was visiting the vets every day, 7 days a week and every time I was picked up I would wince in pain due to by broken sternum and damaged lung.

I watched my new Mum and Dad cry over me and wonder if they were doing the right thing by me. I could also see the love and admiration they had and when the days were long and never ending they kissed me, slept with me and cuddled me, tended to my wounds, and medicated me both day and night and I learnt to love them back and trust them as I know I was safe.

Over the months I slowing began to heel, mend and repair.

The long awaited day came the end of September when it was confirmed I was 100% better.

 My Mum and Dad agonised over ensuring I was not left with a limp as they didn't want that to effect me in older age and I'm pleased to say I only have a very slight limp due to my knuckles being broken on one foot.

I'm starting to go for short walks and feel back to my old self again. My Mum keeps telling me how much of a 'stunning boy' I look.

Most of all ... I know my family love me sooooooo very much that they will go through hell and back, eat baked beans on toast for months and give me unconditional care night and day in order to keep me well and alive.

I can't wait to be fit enough to run again, go for holidays in the Caravan with my family but most of all enjoy my days of racing freedom lazing in the garden and all over my Mums soft furnishing knowing I am finally in my forever home, safe, warm, happy and loved by all.

Love Bertie x

We can not thank Sue and her staff at Cornyard Vets enough along with Kathryn Kirby. X

♫ Very big house in the country ♫ ...

Country House Car Boot Sales are all the rage around our neck of the woods.

Yep, and sadly I jumped on this very posh band waggon too late.

Numbers seam to have risen in the Country House/Estate fund raising car boot sales this year and sadly I only realised when they were all almost over~ grrr.  However, I have managed to attend two and both were jolly nice to walk around.

Lords, Ladies and gentry folk were selling their wares and, although a tad over priced for me, it was nice to see a 'different' calibre of items for sale.

I did take my camera to snap away and put pics up for your delight but sadly every time I thought about taking a pic my mind was distracted by "oh, look whats that over there" or "oh, party frocks, hold on a mo".  Most of the photos I did take were blurred as I was concentrating on looking somewhere else and not down the lens at the time. Sadly, this is all I have to share with you:

This was taken at Lodge Park, Sherborne Estate  who were raising funds for NSPCC.

They even had a band for our entertainment as we wandered around it's stately grounds.

Now this pile of clothes may look un-appealing to most but ... ladies this is the holy grail. These are ALL top designer makes inc Versace, Max Mara, etc and in amongst this lot were 4 brand new Ugg handbags ~ I know like OMG! The likes of Boden, Whistles and Toast were in a separate pile so as to apparently not to be confused with 'the real thing'!!!

Ooops - controversial one this but very apt for the setting we

were in.

 

A great spot to perch and enjoy a break and a cuppa half way around.

 

Ladies, the sign speaks for itself (oh what joy).

This lil lot was being sold for a song by an interior designer.

So there you have it, a very small insight into a car boot sale of an all together different kind.
Tally ho!!!

Being a slave to perfection ...

Being a slave to perfection: when I recently bought this clutch bag, try as I might, I couldn't live with the sun faded patches it had all over (hence the 50p price tag). My guess is it had been sat in a shop window for a while and, although you can't see the damage in this photo, it was covered in shades of orange (and not in a nice way.)

After thinking of a way to disguise the two tone effect I remembered that, whilst having a cleaning fest on the caravan, I had accidentally bleached my brand new leggings with mould and mildew remover.

 

Ping, I'd had an idea! I used this to spray both sides of my bag and the bleach took an immediate and desired effect. Once again, this photo does not do the look justice. The thing is, I know what I used to get this look and in the back of my mind I keep thinking my bag looks like its covered in mould? Grrr, I'm sure if I bought it like this I wouldn't think anything of it.  I think the final straw came when I decided to Google the make of the bag as it still had the tag and packaging inside ~ it's none other than an expensive Lispeth Dahl designer clutch ~ that I have covered in mould and mildew remover ... ooops.

 

I've put the bag away in the hope that when I next look at it I'll see it with fresh eyes and lurve it ~ heres hoping?

Shake, rattle and roll ...

Hermie set off on his maiden voyage 'around the block' last weekend.

My father-in-law and master in all things caravan like came over and imparted years of advice to get us and Hermie on the road.

 

There was a lot of studying, fiddling and wiggling .

Deep breaths and tight squeezes.

 

Then he was all set and ready to go. The kids and I stood on the grass verge waving them off on their 3 mile round trip like loons!?!?

 

And as they set off down the road all I could hear was retro Pyrex plates, tea-spoons in enamel pots, tealight votives, hand cream, wooden handled loofahs, toaster, and soft furnishing rattling and clanging with every slight bump in the road making heads turn at all the noise.

"Make way for Hermie and his entrage of soft furnishings, coming through, coming through"

If I were a squirrel I'd be titivating my nuts ....

Typing this whilst curled up on my snugly sofa under the warm glow of lamps while it tips down with rain outside making the day very dull, dark and dreary makes me want to hibernate.

The seasons are on the change and the light, wispy, delicate haze of summer is being taken over by the crisp, cold muted haze of Autumn.

I have always liked the idea that some people have two sets of soft furnishing for summer and winter. When Spring is in the air they take down curtains, remove throws, cushions and lamp shades then give their reception room a top to bottom spring clean. Then the heavy, rich furnishings are put away and are replaced with light, bright summery fabrics/patterns and vases filled with spring blooms to welcome the arrival of the English summer.

Sadly, I am far too tight or sensible to spend lavish amounts of money on two sets of soft furnishings so improvisation is the way forward.

In the warm summer months when the sun streams through the patio doors into our living room our soft furnishing consist of this ... 

(Photo is not so good as taken on a dull wet day)

Then when the need to hibernate among vast amounts of plump, rich cushions and throws takes hold two things are added to oblige ...

 The view as I type ...

A shawl is added which has rich, dark winter colours.

 Then a vintage eiderdown is put (shiny side down) to create a feathery cosy, snugly feel. The eiderdown was from a car boot sale costing £4.00.

This shawl was picked up for £2.00 at a car boot sale.

A cuppa tea whilst curled up on the sofa listening to the rain fall is the only way to see in hibernation season.

So near yet so far ...

Those of you who have read my previous ramblings will know how much I adore Cabbages and Roses fabric (previous ramblings on the subject can be found here)and how my dream of all dreams is that one day I'll find an off cut for pence and skip off happily whilst planning what delights I can make.

Well, imagine my delight when poking out of a bag of bit and bobs at a car boot sale last weekend was a piece of this very fabric. My well trained eye honed in and spotted it from one hell of a distance and (like slow motion in an action film) I wadded through crowds, all varieties of dogs on all varieties of leads and the odd buggy and toddler, until finally it was within reaching distance and I swooped down and grabbed my dream. 

Only to find it was this ...

 

What can I make with this?

Any Cabbages and Roses print has been cut in half *wail*!!!

Forlorn I bought the piece for £1.00 and trudged with sloping shoulders trying to remind myself to be grateful and that patchwork is always an option!!!

Still looking up ...

I just can't get enough of the stunning views above, here's more of looking up ...

The 6.30am drive to work can have some advantages, a stunning sunrise being one of them ...

and once the sun is high in the sky, bring on the clouds ...

x

The bestest bouquet ever ...

The prettiest bouquet you ever did see ...

I think this is one of the nicest bouquet of flowers my husband has ever, ever given me. I only hope I manage to dry them keeping  the same rich colours.

What a love he is ♥

Remembering to take the time to look up ...

Remembering to take the time to stand still & look up in awe ...

 

 

Were I a cloud I'd gather

My skirts up in the air,

And fly well know whither,

And rest I well know where.

~Robert Seymour Bridges