Doggy tails (or is it tales?)

Faithful Hound has been known to enjoy the odd bit of human food.  When I say a bit,  I actually mean rather a lot.  He has been known to steal whole slabs of butter; entire baguettes and even the decorator's ham and pickle sandwiches.  His favourite culinary delight however, is cheese.  Any type of cheese will do - he's not fussy, but he does have a partiality to cheddar - the strong, level 6 type, preferably left at room temperature on the table within easy reach.

A television report the other day informed us that like some humans in this country, dogs are becoming obese.  And the major reason for this is (apparently) too much cheese.  Humans are giving their dogs the wrong food - cheese is just not good for our four legged friends.  But what can you do when the hairy member of your family (and no - that's not absent husband before he has shaved) develops a taste for all things cheesy?  How can you control his desire for parmesan, edam, brie and cheddar?  His love of Philadelphia cheese (licked out of the container)?  Will he be demanding crackers, grapes and port next?

And as for pubs!  Just because we sometimes take him to our local (after a long walk of course), Faithul Hound seems to think he has to go into a pub everytime we walk past one.  It's as if he looks up at the sign swinging in the wind, spots the beer garden and thinks he should be there.  But when it comes to coffee shops - he won't be having any of it.  He will dig his paws firmly into the ground at the sight of a Costa or Starbucks - anywhere where he can't go in and participate in human food activities is just not for him.

Perhaps we should stick to walking him in the woods or across the fields - that way we won't come across any pubs or coffee shops - just some sheep and cows to chase.  Maybe then he will realise he is just a dog and not a human.

Disco Divas, Single Friends and Disobedient Sat Navs

Well.  I survived a car load of teenage girls on their way to a school disco.  Amongst the wall to wall Hollister, Jack Wills and Gill Hicks attire, I drove silently, trying hard to ignore the fact they were practising their mobile phone numbers over and over again in case a boy asked them for their number.  The car was a pleasant mix of just dried nail polish, perfume, hairspray and Katie Perry music blaring from various phones and ipods.  A massive change from the usual sport eau de cologne usually favoured by the male species after a match. 

On arrival at the disco, I doffed my cap and tried to throw them out.  However, twas not to be.  We were ONTIME and they wanted to be FASHIONABLY LATE.  I write this in capitals because that was how it was spoken to me by Only Daughter as she applied some more lip gloss in the dimness of the car.  So, being a good chauffeur and an even better mother, I waited until FASHIONABLY LATE arrived and they all tipped out.  Needless to say I played Bruce Springsteen "Born to Run" all the way home.  At full volume.

Saturday night was, in a way, an extension of Friday's disco run.  Only this time it was with a thirty something single friend/colleague of Absent Husband who was over from Canada on business and managed to escape in her Louboutin shoes to the Cotwolds for a couple of days.  We met her for dinner in her hotel in Lower Slaughter.  She was glamorous, I was Mumsy and Andrew admired the wine list.  It is so nice to meet young single people again, if only to live in hope that when they get married you may be invited to a wedding.  It's been so long since I went to one.  Now I only go to 50ths and 25th wedding anniversaries.    Her tales of singledom, boyfriends (all ice hockey players it would seem) and living in the Ritz in Toronto filled me with downright envy.  And yet I know I have a lovely family and that my skin isn't too flabby.  And besides, I wouldn't be able to walk in those Louboutins - even if I tried.

Today Absent Husband (who by the way isn't that absent these days) and I took ourselves off to RHS Wisley (see what I mean about being old).  Because he was driving, it meant that we took the SATNAV.  I have been to Wisley so many times but no - he doesn't trust me to get him there.  He has to use the SATNAV.  Well - she was wrong - so horribly wrong that I  have to laugh at the memory.  She took us down roads never even used by sheep.  She took us all around the houses and back again.  Did I say a word?  Of course not.  I have known about his love for the SATNAV ever since she came into our life two years ago.  I accept it and turn the other eye.  But maybe one day he'll forget to take her and will realise just how good my map use is.

Exams, birthdays and everything else that gets in the way...

It's been a while since I last posted.  I would like to say that I have written thousands of words and completed many chapters.  But no - it has just been life getting in the way.  I lost my working space for a while - Eldest Son was revising for mock AS exams and took over my table in the dining room.  I have managed to get it back now but I am not quite sure where last week went. 

Younger Son had his 15th birthday on Sunday.  Gosh - I can't quite believe he is 15. It is funny really.  You spend so long when they are very small wishing they were bigger (mainly so that you can get some sleep), and then when they get to be moody teenagers full of raging hormones, you suddenly wish they were cute 8 year olds again.  Oh well.  At least they can make you a cup of tea.  Even if it is only half a cup and too milky.

Still, the synopsis is nearly there and I have promised myself that any day now I will be submitting my romance novel for consideration. Promise.

Here's a pic of the birthday boy.