19 June 2012

Yesterday was a big day in the house.  Samson and Delilah turned 2 years old!  They have made amazing strides over the past 6 months, but the most marked changes have occurred in the past 2 months.

Samson has outgrown almost all of his naughtiness, and now his mischievousness nature is contained to games which he plays with us.  One of his favorite 'I'm bored' activities is to pull my socks off.  I make that more challenging by moving my foot about and making him have to work to 'catch' it.  Often he tries to give it back to me so we can play again.  He walked the back fields for over a mile off lead today, and he only scared me twice.  He disappeared around a tree to splash in a muddy creek and jumped off the side of the dam into swift running water luckily only up to his knees.  (So, very low..hehe..)

Delilah is having a false pregnancy, as you can see here, any puppy-like soft substitute will do.

Delilah with her Ty Beanie puppies.

I have become officially British.  In the sense that I managed to go out to a National Trust garden in the rain and walk about getting drenched with a dozen children and three other moms during half term.  We had a great day out though, most of the kids enjoyed the rain, and it was a lot easier to stomach with the Scone and Coffee I had at the cafe before we took to the pathway.

Nyman's Gardens soaking Walkabout

They had an activity at Nyman's garden where children could pay £2 to participate in a garden hunt and win a large Galaxy chocolate bar.  Well, it was raining so hard that the paper got stuck to the clipboard and the pencils wouldn't write, but the lovely activity coordinators gave the children chocolate anyway--probably for thier stoic British-ness in the face of the weather!

Samson and Delilah hoping Mike shares his Galaxy chocolate with them!

This past Saturday was very windy, and Leo tends to get very spirited in the wind, so Alex decided we best go out for a nice hack instead of an arena lesson.  Ever happy with my coffee in hand, we set off and it seems all three of us notice when a photo is being taken.  Neil struggled to get any of us looking natural!

Mike doing 'Scissors'--he has to use his arms to swing his body around the saddle and sit back down.

After 2 long years of Basset hounds, we have finally managed to get out with the  South East Basset Hound Club for one of their monthly walks.  Both Samson and Delilah were a little put off by all the dogs when we pulled up and took them out of the car at Gills Lap, Ashdown Forest (can you say Winnie the Pooh?).  Delilah proceeded to try and get to know every dog intimately thereafter, and Samson remained unbothered by the whole affair. We were hoping to take them off lead and let them run with 'the pack'.  However, when we did take them off, the first time Delilah just ran away and the 2nd time a jogger went by and they just ran off with him!  Both of these events culminated in one of us having to run, so we kept them on the leash thereafter.

Meeting the pack at Gills Lap in Ashdown Forest

Playing!

A pack of children!

Neil and Samson resting

Delilah making friends

A very long incline we had just scaled.

Too much gorgeousness for words!

 On Sunday, we were all set to have a fabulous Father's Day.  It may not seem like a lot, but we bought Neil a Terry's Chocolate Orange to celebrate.  This was because we have been very good with our diets, and we planned to have Father's day be a 'free day'.  It seemed only fitting then, that I get him something he could enjoy on this one day only!  He didn't look so pleased with it though, and later told me that he had bought one for himself the night before in anticipation of 'free day'.  It's good to know I got him EXACTLY what he wanted!  The three of us worked through them both, and they were delicious!

We had a big day ahead of us, as the WIGGLES were in Brighton, and Grandma D'yu D'yu had bought Michael tickets ("D'yu want some Wiggles tickets?" D'yu D'yu asked Michael)

Michael wanted to take his friend Noah to see the Wiggles--plus, 3 of the Wiggles were retiring and this is their last concert in the UK.

Two excited boys

Waiting for the show

Not only that, Greg Wiggle, the 'yellow skivvy' was retired for 5 years and only JUST returned, so Michael really wanted to see him.  Greg retired due to sickness, and unfortunately, he did so the evening before the concert that Mike and I had front row seats for in Charlottesville, Virginia 5 years ago.  Mike was not happy to see 'Sam' take his place, and never really let go of that disappointment.

Greg is BACK!!!!

Boys watch as Greg is introduced

 During the show, the Wiggles walk around and collect gifts for Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog.  Michael approached Anthony Wiggle and had a whole conversation with him.  He told him his name, that he had always been a fan, and asked if Anthony remembered falling on stage and me asking if he was alright.  He also shook his hand.  Then Greg walked by, and Mike again raced to approach him.  He told him he was a fan since he was a baby and was glad he was back.  This was the best experience he could have hoped for and he enjoyed his final Wiggle show.

Noah stared intently at the show, and after the first four songs he turned to me and earnestly stated "I would like to meet the Wiggles again".  I smiled and suggested that we take his sisters next time.  He agreed that they would love it.

We left the concert all smiles and walked a few blocks to the American Diner where we had lunch, and ice creams, and watched Tom and Jerry cartoons.

Mint and banana milkshakes, respectively

 Til next time...