Comics and clothes and zombies. And tea! Oh, my...

The end of the half term week ended in a pleasantly busy weekend for us.

On Saturday we were back up in Glasgow at a little Comic Con. Spouse met his pal who sells movie cell artwork and watched his table while Paul ran to the loo. Again. This happened last time we met him at a show!

Chook bought some artwork (not pictured) and a new poster for her frame. Bye bye unicorns, hello Manga! Yaaaas!

I got the best part of my first shirt finished. I actually did finish it tonight but think I might dip dye it, too. What colour though...

And yesterday was Chook's 6 year anniversary of riding. It was a beautiful day but bitterly cold - they were still trying to break up the arena floor at noon when we arrived. It was solid!

And, of course, it was St Valentine's Day. We don't celebrate but had still managed to buy each other gifts over the previous week in an Un-valentine manner. A glass teapot for me for, y Chinese flowering tea. A zombie choose-your-own-adventure book for him. Who says romance is dead?!

Back to school and work with a thud today.  I was only off 2 days but it felt like way longer! And I may have bought new yarn for a wee Fairisle tank top to wear over my newly finished shirt. Busy busy as ever!  

Blogtober day 4 - bits and bobs

This doesn't happen often but that felt like a looong weekend! Friday night was spent playing the Star Wars: X-wing miniatures game at our friend's house. We hadn't played before but it was such fun! This is Vader about to vape Luke (me an' Chook were the Imperials so it's okay to applaud this *g*)

There was a fair amount of this going on, too, figuring out line of fire before our moves and stuff. There may have been laser sights and things - super duper nerfy (ha!! That's a typo but I'm leaving it in) but such a great night.

Yesterday after a lovely long lie I did a spot of shopping (we go abroad on holiday next Saturday and I'm barely prepared!) and had a visit with some friends. Where I was in receipt of a late birthday gift. Who cares how late, though, when it is this!!! And, yes, Chook has her order in already and Spouse is debating his.

Today was ponies. "What the heck is that over there?!"

And I lifted the last of my veg and planted some winter bedding plants.  Gotta love a pansy.

Temple was on trespasser cat duty.

And I've been doing a fair bit of this, too. It's supposed to be my holiday knitting but it's quite addictive and I think I might finish it before we leave! Oops.

 And tonight I have finished the muslin for my coat-along coat. I'll share tomorrow after I get photos. It's a public holiday here tomorrow but the schools are still on. Shame!! Not really. So Spouse and I have cinema/lunch/shopping plans. How nice!! I might buy yarn for a hat to take on holiday.  Wooly hat knitting by the pool - awesome!! 

Not being first is sometimes still winning

We found out last weekend that Chookie's riding school was having an informal show today at the yard and would we like to attend. Chook surprised me a bit by giving an enthusiastic "yes, please" so we drove up early this morning to give her time to help with tacking up and things. Here she is with her mount of the day, Bracken. She's a cob-like little horse and only 4 years old so very green and a complete novice at competition - much like Chook. She loves her, though, so was very happy to take her out and accepted that big prizes were NOT going to happen.

First up was the clear round* which should have been a shoo-in. The owner was worried she wouldn't have enough rosettes for everyone who had turned up. Ha! Nope. There was this one jump that at least half the horses ran out at (where they run past instead of jumping over it) and our Bracken was no exception. Oops. So Chook thought that was her one chance of a wee win - there were much more experienced showjumpers (girls and ponies) than her in the next round she was in. Never mind, eh? It's all experience.

Well she had a go at the middle height round (65cm) and did really, really well. The yellow fence that saw her come a cropper before was no trouble (tactics!) and only an unlucky trailing hoof saw a pole come down so she didn't get into the timed jump-off. A much happier (and sweatier!) girl was my companion for a barbecued roll on sausage. Bracken was desperate for a bite!

Her success bolstered her confidence so she decided on the hoof (ha!) to enter the largest height competition, too. She was the last to go from 7 girls and 5 of them were riding their own ponies. Again, it was going to be a lesson in experience. And then the other girls one by one started having nightmares of rounds with multiple refusals and runouts and there was a pretty huge chance that Chook's round was going to be a Keystone Kops style comedy.

See the green on her saddle? She came forth!! **

I took a wee bit video and you'll know how badly the others were messing up for this to be fourth place!! Bracken hasn't jumped this high or a course this size, though, and it's a long time since Chook did a full course. I think they both did splendidly.

Aaw. She's a pretty wee horse, right? But Chook's old loan pony head collar is a bit wee!

And then she went and got second in the pony games. Heh heh. 

A most successful first show. And we are both knackered! Fresh air, y'know?

*a clear round competition gives a rosette to everyone who gives a clear round - no refusals, no runouts and no fences down. The fences are often set fairly low so people who won't win a placed prize later (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) go home with a little something.

**I still think she should have been third. One girl had the jumps put down to an easier configuration for her round and got 3rd place - how's that fair?! 

Outdoorsville - take 2

*editing coz I forgot some stuff!*  

Lots of outsidey stuff going on this week at Chateau DLM! Chook had a great lesson today on her special favourite boy, Freckles. He's a fairly newly broken horse (not a pony, you'll note!) and a wee bit green but very honest. Chook loves him to bits, even his fidgeting.

Here they are having a wee jump. Excuse the sound - it was really windy! We're on track for the coldest June since the 40s here!

It was The Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh last week and Chook was there with the school. It was their "Pupils of the Year" award and only forty kids from the entire school got to go. *smug* I said to Chook to try and get a photo of her with her pals or even a selfie with something cool. Here's her offering - half a selfie and a goat.

Well Spouse was there the day after "for work" (aye, right) so I said the same to him. Here is his selfie with an animal - his manager, "who is a goat." Le sigh. He's actually going to Italy also "for work." *suspicious look*  If it's for something to do with a beer factory he is definitely at it.

Closer to home Temple has a new favourite lookout point for the pesky neighbourhood cats. 

And I worked up some new lines for them both with groovy rainbow paracord and dinky tough-but-light carabiners.

And look at my veggie patch! Heh heh, stuff is growing! 

Now if only we could get some sun and heat I can go all self-sufficient. Not really. *g* But it's good, eh? EH?

life in Chateau DLM

I have been sewing!! But I can't show you my almost-finish since it's a gift.  Boo. 

But I have been sewing a skirt, too! An Arielle from Tilly and the Buttons. I think my chambray is on the thin side (I really wanted a light denim but this is VERY light) and I'm at the fitting stage. My waist and hips are different pattern sizes so I've had to do some pattern jiggery-pokery already but I think it might be quite nice!

And Chook and I planted seeds for our veggie raised bed last Saturday. This is our cabbages, broccoli, beetroot and cucumbers yesterday. Cool, eh? I've had a tomato pop up since then, too. I am a regular Percy Thrower. (national treasure British gardener, foreign peeps)

I'm off to see Mad Max tonight with the spouse and have gardening, dinner with the outlaws and sewing on the agenda this weekend. And riding, obvs. Ooh, look at this wee chap born last week. Four days old in this photo!

D'aaaw! Have a great night whatever you are up to!

ordinary life

Whoops, almost another week and no blog? There's not been much making happening here lately - just knitting of the green shawl. Which is going slowly and swearingly but well, I think. But we've had some little things going on.

We've been trying out a new riding school. Not as a replacement for where we are but as an as-well-as. It is right out in the country and so pretty! You can just see Chook on Torrie the pony in the background.

My view to the right. The farmer was out ploughing his fields just before I took this.

And, a rather lovely thing for me, they have a wee tearoom in the farmhouse! So I had a beautiful pot of mango and passion fruit Rooibos tea and a cherry scone (fresh from the oven!) with homemade apple jelly. Nom nom!

What else? Chook continues to play her baritone horn - I bought her sheet music of her favourite song. She has also announced she would really like a ukulele for her birthday in July. Awesome!

She has an interesting inter-departmental thing this afternoon at school. The technology, home economics, music and business & computing departments have been running a "coffee shop challenge" and her team is in the final! There has been design work (including posters and loyalty cards), an advertising jingle and menu planned. They are baking, feeding and making bevereges for 16. Their shop "Kawaii Koffee" has a Japanese theme - hence the cutesy badges she made for them to wear. I'll hear all about it later, no doubt.

I got new shoes. Irregular Choice, natch. Ignore the ugly background in this photo, I'm at work! (Editing to add, I'm not wearing them TO work, they were just delivered here! I am a lab tech and walk the almost-mile most days, I wear Clarks flats!)

And the cats are doing what our cats do. Which means Temple is chasing other cats from our garden and marking his territory (and I am trying like mad to not have him spraying in the house. So good so far!) and Jones is so chilled out he is horizontal. "Hey, laydeez!"

Normal, ordinary life. Just how I like it. 

five years in the saddle

Yup, yesterday was my Chookie's fifth anniversary of her first horse riding lesson. Here she is way back then on the very chubby half Shetland, Angus! (there's a blog post here) She had a wee introductory go the week before but this is her first full lesson. And her "go away, mum" face.

And here she is now on her favourite snowflake Appaloosa, Freckles. He's a horse, not a pony - she's getting tall!

In the interests of total disclosure that above photo wasn't taken yesterday. It was 3 weeks ago but the horse and outfit is the same. This is yesterday. In the pouring rain. Yuk.

I did get a tiny bit of video, though.



Heh heh. I've said it before but it bears repeating, I'm so pleased that she has found something that she loves that is greater than friends and school. The fact that it teaches her responsibility, discipline and gives her exercise is a lovely side effect. Hopefully I'll be here in another 5 years looking back again and celebrating 10 years in the saddle - she'll be 17 by then!!

Blogtoberfest Day 20 - ponies!

With it being the school holidays last week there was much riding of the equine beasties to be had at Chook's riding school. Tuesday was a 2 hour hack. We're pretty sure that's the longest continuous ride she'd had (up to that point!) and was quite stiff while dismounting! She's at the back on her favourite guy, Marley.

Thursday was another 2 hour stint at the farm for a showjumping clinic. Not on Marley this time (he's not much of a jumper) but on the very experienced Monty. I was working so the best record we have is this snippet of her taken by Spouse. She came a cropper earlier on (a previous pony, Tigger, was a bit too bouncy! *g*) and the fall coupled with 4 hours heavy riding in 3 days gave her some really sore muscles!

And then yesterday was her usual Sunday ride. It was chucking it down here and blowing a gale - you can see how not impressed Marley is having to go back out in it!

We fluked it though and got the only dry spot of the day. The sun even came out!!

Is pretty, no? That's my Ochil hills disappearing into the low cloud in the background. But to quote the late Ned Stark, "winter is coming..."

what I know for sure

I am channeling Oprah today after a busy and unpredictable weekend. So what do I know for sure?

1. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

 Fiona was having a destash on Instagram recently and I bagged some beautiful Denyse Schmidt fat quarters and a stack of Christmas charms. A new Chrimbo quilt is in the pipeline! Since my living room is blue and both my other festive quilts are green!

2. You will never find what you are looking for in a second hand shop.

Although you may find something awesome! A look in our local recycling place for couch side tables turned up this perfect desk for my sewing room! It needs a sand and some paint but is solid pine and was £27. Bargain! No side tables though. *pout*

3. Girls are universally bitchy.

Poor Chook. And, it turns out, it is much more difficult to take someone being unkind to your child than to yourself. And you're never too old for revenge fantasies. Just sayin'.

 4. If you're a pony girl? They are a cure-all.

A cuddle, the wind on your face (if not in your hair on account of the hat!) and the smell are all strangely comforting when you're out of sorts. I have it on good authority. *g*

5. Halloween rocks.

I love Christmas. But there's something oddly satisfying about digging out the Halloween box and playing about finding just the right spot for everything. And I do love a good skull.

I also know Mondays suck, a cup of tea is a remarkable remedy and good company - even at work - is a wonderful thing. Onwards!

We're Marley and Marleeeey.....

Chook's new riding school are on very good terms with the friendly farmer next door. So for about 2 weeks every year (between harvesting and fertilising/ploughing) he lets the kids use his stubble field for a wee gallop - as long as they are respectful and don't chew up the ground. Chook got a wee go in the field last week and I had no phone or camera with me (rats! How is that even possible?!) but I had my phone this week and got a snippet of video. Yay!! Chook and Marley are on the left, Molly and Maggie on the right.

All I can think of when I watch it is this!


That and the "Marley and Marley" song from Muppet Christmas Carol!"*g*

Ryan.

Chook's been testing out a new riding school over the summer. She'd hit a bit of a glass ceiling at her old school and had stopped learning anything apart from bad habits. Her new instructor is brilliant and has really brushed up her technique and basic skills and the school is on top of a beautiful hill in a nearby county - the Kingdom of Fife (I shit you not, foreign friends, you can totally google that!)

Anyways, last week Chook's designated ride, Marley, was having a bit of a bad morning.  He's quite young, doesn't like change and needs a light hand. Well it was super windy up on that hill (which horses generally hate), there were new jumps for a show lined along one fence and the change in the arena was making him super spooky. When Chook finally came a cropper and parted company with his saddle (only a matter of time with his prancing and eye-rolling mincing) the decision was made that he was only going to get more skittish now that SHE was spooked. So they swapped him out for another ride - first time in 4 years that's happened! But they didn't put her on a pony.

This is Ryan. He's a 17hh ex- showjumper who was retired due to injury.  Chook calls him her BFG because he really IS a big, friendly giant.  Emphasis on the big - he is huge!

She absolutely loved him! He was so solid feeling that even though she was over a foot higher up than normal she felt perfectly safe with him.


He's a cutie, right?  The spots on his back have the attractively named pattern "flea bitten" but they're actually really pretty in real life. New favourite ride? I think so!

Fresh Sewing Day - May

 So. This is the entirety of my sewing last month. And that was just last week! At least it's halfway substantial, though, aye?

I should have a bit more time this month, though since as of today we are no longer pony parents. I'm surprisingly sad about it but it really was too much for my wee Chook, she was absolutely knackered all the time. We planned to keep loaning for the next few weeks (there's a big local show coming up that she wanted to attend) but circumstances have meant it's a better time to finish up now. She's changed her mind about the show, too. I did get one last lovely photo of her and Skye on our last hack on Thursday. I didn't know it was our last one when I took it!

Chookie's surprisingly upbeat about the whole thing. I think it was a bit of a relief to have someone suggest it was too much for her. And it's not the end of her riding as lessons will continue. And we can try a loan again when she's a bit older - even next year. So we have free time again, what a luxury!! And my car may stop looking (and smelling! ) like a stall. *g* Sometimes successful parenting is knowing when to say no, innit?