In The Pink

Since we got our new TV last weekend we have been watching lots of DVD's on it as the quality is amazing. This afternoon we have been watching one of our Rush DVD's, one of my favourite bands and one I am happy to say I have seen live twice! Amazing stuff, and there are only three on them!! Mum, if you are reading this you may remember taking me to a jumble sale many moons ago when I was very small and I bought a t-shirt with this image on it, only it said Rush above it. I had that t-shirt for many years and wore it for longer than I should have! (It was quite small!) Anyway here are some of my favourite Rush songs. Enjoy! Image Credit: Simon McGlary

Well I am delighted to report that the frogs seem to have settled. We are now seeing them moving all around the garden and also sitting beside the pond, no doubt catching flies. At first they disappeared when we first moved them into the new pond and I worried however I expect they were just settling and learning to trust their new environment. We can now see them sitting on various stones around the pond throughout the day and evening. This little chap has c laimed this rock as his own! We have watched them moving around and getting in and out of the pond with no trouble. We have also noticed we have acquired a water snail who can be seen travelling across the surface munching all in its path. He must have come with one of the new plants we bought. He is too small for a photo at the moment but we will see how big he gets!

It has turned wonderfully hot here over the past few days. Our central heating is turned off and I have spent the days and evenings in shorts and t-shirts and not chilled down at all. A little unusual for me as I finish most evenings sitting with a fleece blanket over my knee! Anyway as lovely as it has been it is a little hot for the dogs. Once we get to these temperatures they cannot come out to work for the day as the air is so hot that even in the shade with a breeze they over heat. I have switched day time walks to the river side so they can have a swim and walks have become a little shorter or not involved so much play. I know all dogs suffer in the heat but these too get poorly and are sick if they over heat. Anyway the reduced running has begun to show in Buddy. He never behaves badly but you can see on walks his pent up energy and he becomes more boisterous with Roxy who, at a year older, is not really up to being bowledover! This evening a cooler breeze has picked up and it h...

The song I posted in my previous post is my latest musical obsession. It is a song I heard in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( Sleeper ) and have recently tracked down. I have not heard of Aimee Mann before and have downloaded an album to check out but this song has me hooked! In a dream this morning I was singing it over and over and learning the words! Occasionally this happens, I get a snippet of a song, track it down and then find that I don't want to listen to anything else for a few days and have to learn the words immediately. The song will play loudly and insistently in my head, demanding my attention. I expect it is a trait that can be a little annoying for Mr Dancin so I am trying to limit my plays of this song. He is cutting the lawn at the moment so I have it on full blast! Image Credit: Buffy Wikia

This is the Bing picture of the day, they are stilt fishermen in Sri Lanka. Apparently it was 38 years ago today that Ceylon changed its name to Sri Lanka and became a republic. Happy Birthday Sri Lanka, you are the same age as me! My maternal Grandmother was from Sri Lanka which makes me part Sri Lankan too, something I have always been proud of.

My internet connection has been playing up all day today...I spoke too soon, there it goes again....and its back! I think it's the heat! We have a horrible tendency in this country to complain about the weather what ever we get! And I am no exception, this is as hot as I like it but apparently its going to get warmer! I guess I would not mind if I could go swimming in the sea everyday like I used to when I stayed in Greece. It was only for a year and was ages ago now....17 years ago in fact! Now I have scared myself! But the memory of my time there is very strong and seeing Greece on the TV makes me homesick for it. My very good friend Izzy is visiting from Greece next month and I can't wait to get together with her, it's been three years since I saw her last. (Izzy, if you are reading this how can us being in Porto Heli together be 17 years ago?!?!?) I suddenly feel the urge to go look at some old photos! Anyway aside from intermittent internet connection it has been a goo...

This song makes me feel very happy and very child like. Great film too!

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This is the Hill Fort on the edge of our village. We take the dogs up there a lot. When we go up there after dark Buddy indulges himself in a really good run around and when the moon is out you can see him silhouetted against the sky as he pegs it across the top of the hill! Obviously when the cows are not there! It's amazing to stand there and think of the settlement this site used to provide hundreds of years ago. The people who sheltered within the fort and worked the adjacent land, still evident in the ridge and furrow in the surrounding fields. It is a peaceful spot I go to a lot and enjoy sitting there for a while.

Well its been another good day. Mr Dancin has the dogs with him today and I was out surveying. I have returned home first and it is very quiet in the house. (Well apart from our washing machine which is on it's last legs but hanging in there and currently making hideous noises in the kitchen!) I am used to dog noises. They are quiet but ever present in my home life and it is very odd when they are not here sighing, yawning or dreaming and making accompanying squeaks. By the way this is not my dog but I love the picture! It has been quite warm today and I am feeling a little more weary for it I think. I expect Mr Dancin and the pups will come home feeling the same although I'll wager that the pups got at least one swim in today! I on the other hand just thought about it. It is such a shame that all of the outdoor public swimming pools in this country seem to have gone, especially as we seem to get hotter summers now! I love swimming and will tolerate a pool just to get in the wa...

Actually to be honest Monday morning did not look too fine through my tired eyes as I stayed up a little too late last night however Monday evening looks fine and I am feeling good! I have had a great day out surveying and have returned home at a good time with enough energy to enjoy the other side of my life! Its all new to me! The past few years I have worked harder than I have ever had to and after a while it wore me down. I am used to returning home shattered with little mental or physical ability left to look after my man, the dogs and the house properly, as well as indulging in a few of my hobbies. Not so today! Loving this new job!

Well my weekend has started really well! Roxy made her entrance to our room at 7.00am which is quite a respectable time for her, it varies between 5.45am and 8.30am! The sound of the door opening is enough to wake me which gives me about 4 seconds to prepare myself for a lick across the face! Hiding doesn't help as her nose will seek you out! Buddy brings up the rear but is not a face licker, although he did lick the very tip of my nose for the first time the other day. My first dog Pink used to do that and I always thought it was a very sweet and delicate gesture. Roxy likes the full on swipe of the tongue! Buddy and Roxy used to live with a family with small children. I can imagine and have surmised given Roxy's love of being cuddled that she was cuddled a lot by the kids. We noticed when we got them though that in contrast to Roxy's love of a big hug Buddy did not like to be cuddled. I don't know whether the children tried to treat him in the same way and put him off...

Blimey it's the weekend! Well that marks the end of my second week in the new job which is going really well still. I have tendered for a big tree contract with an influential client which will look good on the marketing material if we get it, fingers crossed! Otherwise its great to be working at home and not having to spend up to 2 hours a day just going to and from the office. It is also saving me a fortune in fuel! I think the pups might be a little bored despite having company for the day and getting longer walks. They do enjoy coming out and about with me and being in the truck. I have received comments from people who expect that the dogs hate being in the truck and will prefer the new arrangement but I think it is the other way round. I did specifically buy a truck with the biggest back section I could get and had a grill made so I can leave the tailgate open when I park up. We always parked in a nice shady spot with a good view for them and plenty of wildlife to watch and b...

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I have made a few long early morning journeys over the past couple of weeks to attend training and an exam in Suffolk. My new company car has a great stereo but no memory stick socket and I have not had a chance to burn some cd's for it yet. As such I turned back to my old friend radio 2. The first day I was early enough to listen to Sarah Kennedy again which was wonderful. And I was even more delighted when she finished to discover that my timing could not be better and Chris Evans (the current breakfast show DJ) was on holiday! His temporary replacement has been Graham Norton. I cannot listen to Chris Evans in the morning, don't ask me why but if I do I know I will end up crashing my car! However I do like Graham Norton and more importantly my other old breakfast show favourite, Alan Dedicoat , came back too! Since Wogan left I have not really listened to the radio and I had begun to forget just how much I love it, especially in the morning. I arrived each day at my destinati...

I am in a very good mood having just sat and past the exam for my recent training course in Utility Arb. To celebrate I have treated myself to a glorious half hour of wailing to the very brilliant Showaddywaddy! They were a favourite of mine as a small child and I had a bit of a crush on Dave Bartram. (The cool one standing up at the back with the shades!) Anyway I have decided to share some of the best You Tube clips, available for my favourites songs, with you! (Lucky you!) Really though, crank it up and if you can only manage one listen to When, if you are not grinning by the end of the first verse then.....well then I guess you are not a fan! But give it a go! Image Credit: Epiclectic's Vintage Vinyl

Well I have made my decision...sort of! My current book is now on hold and I have started another one! I have loads of great books to read at the moment and am starting with one of my all time favourite stories, that to date I have only enjoyed in movie form, The Princess Bride. ' What about the ROUS's?' ' Rodents of unusual size? I don't think they exist.' I can no longer remember who first introduced me to this film although I have a suspicion it was one of my family members who I have to thank for many excellent movie and music introductions. 'Is this a kissing book?' So I am now enjoying the classic tale of true love and high adventure care of William Goldman, who as it turns out is responsible for an interesting collection of books, plays and screen plays, including surprisingly enough the screen play to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. 'Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.' Actually I don't really ...

I harvested the stems from my Rhubarb plant this weekend and got enough to make three huge crumbles. I left this central stem and what looks like a flower head (close up below) although I have never seen anything like this on my Rhubarb plant to date. If it carries on growing like this I am going to make some jam, or Rhubarb pickle maybe? I bought some pickle at a May Fayre at the weekend and it has inspired me!

I am really disappointed with my current book. It sounded good in summary and started fairly well however I am now finding it slow and a little dull. Also my mind wanders while I am reading which is not a good sign and defeats one of the objects of reading! I have been somewhat spoilt having read brilliant books in the past 18 months, none of which have been a struggle, and this one is a real let down. I have lots of good books waiting to be read, including two I picked up for pennies at a May Fayre today, but I do hate not finishing books. It does not seem right. I am already a third of the way through and as such a little effort over the next two nights should see me through it but it is a chore not a delight. I can remember the books I have started reading in my adult life and not completed and feel a sense of failure at the memory. I usually keep hold of them to revisit at a later date; thankfully there are not many. Anyway, I will plough on with this one for a little while longer....

I came across this clip a few years back while watching The Secret Policeman's Ball , a comedy show held to raise funds for Amnesty International . The Secret Policemans Ball is aimed at raising money for one of the most important charities in the world, Amnesty International. Amnesty International campaigns for human rights throughout the world and this year’s Secret Policemans Ball will boast even greater significance as it marks the stars of Amnesty’s celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In keeping with the Ball’s charitable concerns, it will highlight Amnesty’s campaigning activities and hope to raise awareness through comedy and music. Text Credit: View London - Buy Tickets Here Anyway, this chap has a talent for mime as displayed here in his performance of Torn. Enjoy!

We have been away on Bodmin Moor for a few days, its been a wonderful break but it is also good to be home. The garden grew a lot and I am delighted to say we have grass! We will see how it endures the pups paws! Here are some snaps of Bodmin and home, click on the collage to enlarge.