a picture post

This is a three minute photo post - they say a picture says a thousand words - so here goes

 Paul and Alpine chilling - can I hear "one man and his dog?"

Dogs chatting - they spend a lot of time hanging out together which makes me happy and at the same time wonder what they are potentially plotting... Dukie likes to chew odd things like my very expensive Laura Ashley curtains and the shower curtain.. hes a doofus. Alpine just likes to share his fur around and trail water through the house at every opportunity.

This is one of Dukes happy places. He often hangs out up on this deck even if its stinking hot and he ends up panting in the heat, its a dogs life.

 We did some artistic renos lately. These chairs were painstakingly painted by me and let me tell you its NOT a good plan to decide to paint these outdoor, full of nooks and crannies chairs with indoor paint just to "use it up". It entailed primer - headache, paint of at least two coats - more of a headache and then a varnish - major headache.. but they look pretty good. They just took up weeks of time.

 My kitchen diner - this area is crying out for a coffee bar. Pinterest is my friend.

 Our summer front room, its hot so we spend next to no time in here but its sweet and it has some awesome palm tree cushions on the couches.

This is where we spend our indoor TV watching moments, our summer family room, This room doesnt get a look in all winter but I live and die in it when its hot as it leads out to the deck and is all round relaxing.

 Lily at the beach, this child is my most precious smallest one, at age 8 shes growing up waaaay too fast for my liking.

 

My Chloe - my so very deep and cautious first baby with a strong love for horses - shes got that from her mama. We have currently lost her most weekdays to the barn where she hangs out all day and rides. More pics and updates to follow with her progress.

Shes also a bit of a beach bod too, just like her little sister. My baby!

 And this is me these days, getting older and maybe wiser, hopefully wiser. I am certainly working on it.

And this is Ace, hes new in my life. I have ridden him a few times and we get on well, watch this space as horses are well and truly back in my life. I feel so very fortunate.

summer has arrived - finally!

Summer has arrived! Finally!
In true Nova Scotia style it turned up on Jul 2nd just after my father in law returned to England.
Given that he always comes in either Fall or Spring to late Spring he has not yet experienced summer here and I am sure he thinks it doesnt actually exist.
You have to experience it to believe it, those Brits (me too once) imagine summer here to be like an English summer because hey, its Canada right?! They only get snow and freezing cold temps and a sniff of warmer weather. They must think we are nuts here to have a pool... but anyway, they cant envisage the feel of the heat and humidity here.

I love it, in a nutshell. I am sure I am about the only person around that loves humidity, welcomes it with open arms. To me it signals that summer is really here. Unless I am sweating as I get ready for work in the morning then its not summer.

And of course that morning choice of work attire at this time of the year can be tricky. What to wear on such a day when I know the office could (cant say for sure if it will) but could be freezing with an over-abundance of AC. I hate AC by the way, I am happy to be without it, I would rather be sticky hot than have AC on (unless I am stuck in a car in traffic of course - then I welcome it, but only then)

This is the time of year when the ceiling fans are on 24/7 rotating warm air around the upstairs and I am wondering around in shorts and blissful happiness.

Today is Sunday, In fact its Sunday morning, a favourite time. I am writing this, sat at our newly sanded and waxed dining table that we have figured out is about 20 years old (love love love) with the windows open, birds singing, laundry out, dogs walked and a jam jar of freshly cut lavender adorning the new waxed surface. Its all rather agreeable.

Today we have beach plans, Melmerby (my favourite NS beach) is the planned destination with some overexcited children and an overexcited me. I love it there - it has decent washrooms!

July 1st- early morning

Its July 1st - Canada Day! In memory of last Canada Day where I made a drunken spectacle of myself at a friends pool party, this year will be low key.
We are hitting the parade at 10am - its just the community one so its little and all things cute and then back home to hang out all day.

I have been sick the last couple of days, I think due to food poisoning as no one else got it (thank God!) and I have still feeling a little ugh but I am damned if I am not going to ignore it! I am tired of feeling a little off still so I continuing as normal although I still cant enjoy a coffee.