ChunkyMonkey

On a different note

I will continue the Charlie story, I promise.

However, it is worth saying that when people you love move a very long way away. It. Really. Hurts. Sadly, time apart just seems to make the empty space in your heart a little bigger.  If it wasn't for the wonders of Skype, I would not get to talk to my wonderful, beautiful and very much loved Rebecca Rutter.  But, the down side is I miss her more every time we speak. She is so far away. It stinks.  Good job we will be in Vancouver in 27 days!!!!!!

We love ya Rutters. Get the wine in the cooler.

Now is the time

After 2 full months, I reckon it is time to blog about Charlie.

Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.  Just the sweetest most gorgeous mutt ever.  Our story began in November 1999.  We had been wanting to adopt a dog for a few months, and had visited a number of dogs homes.  We didn't want a puppy, as there are just too many unwanted dogs out there.  Auntie Linnie, Uncle Phil, Tom and a tiny baby Billy came to visit us for the weekend, and we decided to visit Chiltern Dog's Home.  We asked for a black Labrador.  The staff informed us they had no such match.  In the waiting room was a purple dog basket, with a baby's crib duvet, and a label that said 'Charlie'.  The lady said " we do have a lovely new dog.  He won't be here for long as he has no behavioural problems, and is good with children - would you like to see him?"

"OK" - we said.

Off she went. Soon she returned with a blonde, long haired some-kinda-retriever thing.  I sighed.  Davin swooned.  Davin and Charlie went off for a walk.  Never before had I witnessed love at first sight.  This observation was confounded by Uncle Phil saying " Aww, you'll never find a better dog than that".

So begins the love affair that was us and Charlie.  He came home with us that day.  He settled in immediately. The only trouble he ever caused us was much dog hair, and the occasional stealing of mint chocolates.

When Harvey was born in 2004, we were aprehenisive.  How would Charlie take a new addition?  The answer being......predicatably......Charlie accepted Harvey as a baby, and a toddler, and all of Harv' s  friends too.  He loved them.  Because they were children?  Because they left a trail of food wherever they went?

Charlie's decline into old age was thankfully slow.  He got to live with us in our beautiful new house, with the big garden over-looking fields.  The smell of fresh rabbit being rife in the air.

From the summer last year Davin and I knew in our hearts his time was limited.  He was slower than usual.  Unable to move freely.  Quality of life was there though.  What made us laugh was the new-found disregard for the previous house rules.  He started to steal food from the table - he would not have DARED before!

To be continued....

Charlie

With streaming tears, and a broken heart, I write to tell you that Charlie died very peacefully this morning, with Davin tickling his ears. I will write a proper blog dedicated that that wonderful hairy mutt, just as soon as I have the strength. He is our 'Forever dog'.

Life through the eyes of a 2-year-old girl

On Wednesday, whilst Harvey was at pre-school, Rebecca and I went to Sainsbury's.  One of the gazillion gifts Harvey received for Christmas was a kids digital camera.  Rebecca, on spotting this in the playroom, shouted "Picture!", and started to take some snaps. Then she took more. And more.  And then we went to Sainsbury's.

He she is just prior to the event

When we arrived at Sainsbury's, Rebecca shouted "I TAKE SOME PICTURES!", and the following shots tell the story of what a 2-year-old girl believes to be important in life, whilst out supermarket shopping:

Pretty flowers

Shepherd's pie

Jewelery

Cake

Tortilla chips

Pringles

Finally, a lone Brussel spout that had rolled out of someone's shopping bag, onto the bench where the sprout had come to rest. You can just see it in the bottom of the frame.

That trip was the most fun I have had food shopping in a while.  What a gal. 

 

 

It has been a long time

Just got off the phone from The Rutters, and apparently Princess Mabel requires photos of a certain little boy.  Her wish, has always been, and always will be, my command. Thousands of  miles have made no difference to how we Millers feel about Mabel. We loved her when we saw her every day, and we love her still.  In 123 days we will be in Vancouver.  May those days pass very quickly indeed.

Here is Harv on the day we put up the Christmas deccos

With Tom during a visit to see Father Christmas and his reindeer

Ruldolph? Dancer? Prancer? Blitzen?

Having just made the cake

The cake!

Making food for the reindeer on Christmas eve.  In the words of Harvey "you can't have too much glitter, can you?".  My response.....HELL NO!

The Boys in Church on Christmas Eve. This time last year Harvey and Mabel sang 'Away in a Manger' together.  The lack of Mabel was the only sadness this time around. Mabel was a detail missed by us all.

After Church and back at home....putting out the food for Father Christmas and the reindeer

First thing Christmas day

Look at my lovely Mollychicken scarf!

Cameo appearance by Charlie dog.  We fear, his last Christmas with us. He is a very, very old dog now (tears to eyes at this point)

 

And I leave you with a true love story.  'My' auntie Linnie and Harvey. What a lucky boy he is.

Happy new year to absent friends and family.  Big, BIG love to you.

Facebook fever

Oh dear. I am now addicted to Facebook. Blogging is coming a poor second.  Soz.

Loads and loads has happened. Life has gone on despite the Rutters having upped and gone. Damn them. Apparently Vancouver is great. Mabel is making new friends. Sigh.

When I am not on Facebook, we have hosted 3/4 bbqs or Sunday lunches

Helen, Donna and I went to the the Fat Duck for Donna's birthday.  I ate cauliflower and chocolate rissoto, mustard icecream and drank venison and frankincense tea.  It was an experience. So was the bill at the end. A snip at £577 for lunch for three.  Gulp.  Whimper.  We very uncooly exclaimed "JESUS!!" when the bill arrived.

What else has happened? Harvey has played in the garden - a lot. Sometimes with paints too. Do excuse the multi-coloured willy.

Harvey has also taken some mental photos

This next lot were taken without my knowledge, late one night when some friends had joined us for a BBQ, but had not managed to find their way home...

A close-up of Millie

James being cute

Ben, picking his nose

Finally, some complete cupcake pranged my beloved car

and I need a whole new bumper.  Still, the garage is coming to get it on Tuesday, and the courteousy car is a brand new Golf 2 litre sports.  Vroooooom!!!      

Hope this makes you smile.

They have gone

I can't really believe it. The Rutter's have left us and moved to Canada. There has been much crying. I left them on Sunday morning to travel down to my sisters, and spent most of the journey thinking "oh no, oh no", whilst big fat tears rolled down my cheeks.  I have arrived home today, and my first job was to dash outside into the garden to look at this:

On Friday night, after many drinks, I drew around David and Rebecca. David had on some reindeer antlers (?). The next day I drew around Mabel and Harvey.  Seeing the four of them there made me very happy.  But, today, this is the image that greeted me

the rain had washed them away. Oh no, oh no.

Cup cakes! (The Rutters and Tonki will understand)

Good grief.  No Internet access for over a month. I ask you.  We have now sacked off our old provider, and have gone all 'BT'. 

Well, sad times are ahead.  The Rutters leave for Canada very VERY soon. I don't like it AT ALL.

We have begun a long line of leaving parties, so that is good (at least).  There was the day we all went shopping in London, and then had lunch, which turned into cocktails

David came to take Rebecca home. A wise move methinks...

I love this photo of me and Rutter

Beginning to look a little 'worse for wear' here

Ahhh. What fun times we have had.

I can't really imagine life without a regular dose of the Rutters.  We have seen each other at around 3 times a week for the past 3+ years. There are a lot of happy memories.  We particularly wanted to give Mabel a happy memory to remember us by, so we took her to a kids theme park for the day, followed by tea at McDonald's and then a sleepover at our house.  Very fun.  The Tonki came to the theme park too...

This picture (below) makes me cry..... it is off-centre because Harv and Mabel were careering around at the time

Mabel has a fantastic digital kids camera. Harvey now wants one (of course). To keep him quiet, we let him take some photos, and here they are

 

   

The day at the park exhausted Mabel and Harv so much, they were asleep by 9:30, a miracle, if you remember the last time Mabel stayed over.

The next day, they were up bright and early. Pancakes were made for breakfast, and into the garden they went. Then into a bush they went

Amabella Hebe Rutter, we will miss you so much.  And Mummy and Daddy Rutter too, and certainly not forgetting Isadora Clemetine Rutter

Gotta go.  Filling up....

Copy cat

1. I was introduced to this blogging lark by my sister. And I do it mainly for Harvey's Grandparents, but also for a few loyal followers.
2. My sister had just written 2 posts that have made me both cry with laughter, and just cry at point 7.
3. Having my little boy Harvey has been one of the best things ever to happen to me.
4. Not so surprising, except one of the things I will always be thankful for is that his birth meant I met and became friends with the most wonderful group of women. These women I will be friends with for always. Even if one of them is running away to Canada. We all share good times, and bad.
5. I actually love few people in the world - maybe about 30 or so. I like lots of people, but love is not something that comes easy.
6. I do love my sister. And you can see why. That blog doesn't tell you the half of it. I am blessed.
7. I can blow spit bubbles off my tongue. I drink too much wine at weekends. I am more stupid than I look. I hate broad beans. I am turning into my mum. I wish I could still smoke cigarettes.

Hecky thump

I'll betcha thought I would never blog again. Didn't you?

Well, me too actually.  I wonder if there is some kind of "lose the will to blog" virus? If so, I have had a nasty case of it. Much has happened. We have had terrible, terrible, terrible news.  Mabel Rutter is moving to Canada. Soon. August, in fact. Daddy Rutter has been offered some awesome job or another. Me and the rest of the Mummy gang are in serious mourning. The only thing keeping me going is the thought of all of the leaving partys they will have.  What will we do without Mummy Rutter's outlook on life? How will we manage without Mummy Rutter introducing us to x-rated cocktails on ' our Mum's night out'? I will potentially lose one of my favourite friends, and how will we live without Mabel? Goddamit to hell and back again.

There are so many reasons to love Mabel. I will never understand why she needs to remove her clothes - for no apparent reason. Take this example..one minute the children are happily bouncing on the trampoline, with their clothes on.  And the next.....

naked from the waste down. All except sensible Alex. Now, I did not see how this turn of events came about, but I know, I just KNOW Mabel started it. I was impressed by them dumping their pants, socks and trousers in a neat little pile underneath the trampoline exit.

On the up side, at least I will see Rebecca again in November. Once again, we Mummy's are off to New York! And this time there are more of us! And my sister is coming! So is my niece! Ha ha ha ha!!!

Here are few of my favourite snaps from over the last 3 months or so.

Ahhhhhh

Argh!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!