Its a misnomer.....

I love my dogs, I really do but Golden? Retriever?  its a total misnomer: for a start Defi doesn't 'retrieve' he steals...socks, tea towels, Izabel's toys, most of the quilt during the night and, with the exception of the quilt, he runs like the wind so you can't catch him.  He doesn't retrieve.

 

As for Golden.  What a fib.

 

I did post this picture the other day of my lanes nothing has changed other than they are actually worse now.  The rain is lashing it down as I type, the fields just can't take anymore water and so are running onto the lane and gushing down them in torrents.

 

 

 

But still my dogs want to go out!  I took this yesterday as we did have a bit of a respite from the howling wind and driving rain but as you can see Defi isn't bothered by a bit of damp!

Izabel can't resist a good puddle....

 



Neither Iz nor Defi can pass up a chance of stick fighting whilst charging through the mud....

This I have never seen before.  The water is coming down the lane in the distance, through the hard standing car park and running like a river through this track, its flows all the way down the big hill and to the river at the bottom of the next field. 

 

I was talking to another dog walker a lovely chap who has lived here all his life - when he wasn't

a Captain of a boat - he says he hasn't seen it this bad since 1963...that was before I was born!

 



 This picture shows the river bank on the opposite side to where we walk in the morning and is the very prestigious golf course, it now has its own stream.  A few days before I took this photo (Monday) the river had burst its bank and the land was flooded all the way back to the line of trees you can see in the middle distance.  We are expecting the river to peak again today and tomorrows forecast of how the River Wye is going to be is not something anyone is looking forward too.

 

 

 

 But still my dogs love it!  I took this once we got home, just before the hose came out and we had the hours fun of hosing off and rubbing dry.  Who needs a gym membership!

They look pretty clean but the camera lies, underneath they are black, see Golden?  no way!

But every cloud has a silver lining, and these beautiful snowdrops are nodding gently...although today they are nodding violently in the wind and relentless rain.

 



Someone build an ark.....

Seriously this weather is really something.  I took this snap shot on my phone camera about an hour ago.  This is the house next to the river walk entrance, its one of my neighbours, I live just up this lane turn right and I am probably 200 yards further on.  It's about 5-10 mins to walk to this point from my house, depending on how many cars go past and whether or not I have to stop, most days I see no cars others it's a rush of upto 3!!  Honestly it is a quiet place to live.

 

So back to this photo.

 

 

The kissing gate - such a lovely name for a gate - is just left of the wooden gates into Brian's house (that's who lives here) and when I went through them at about 10 this morning the lane was full of puddles and the ditches were struggling but it wasn't underwater!  It takes me around an hour, give or take meeting anyone and chatting, to walk round the fields and orchards: this morning it might have been a bit longer as walking is now more of a trudge through swampy fields, I had better have a backside to be proud of come this summer the way I am having to work my bum muscles I don't need a gym membership by the time the walk has finished I am weight lifting at least my own body weight again as my clothes are that sodden and heavy...I digress...

 

So probably an hour and a bit had passed by the time I had completed the walk with now two very muddy and wet dogs that really hadn't noticed the rain and were happily charging through the mud and diving into the enormous ponds that were masquerading as puddles in the field....my next dog is going to hate the rain and refuse to go out!....so I got back to the beginning of the walk, which is also the end,  and was amazed at the disappearance of the lane what was even more shocking was when I had taken this photo I had to step out and walk through this and it turned out to be deeper than it looks coming half way up my calf (and welly boot) and managing to find the hole in said welly boot: left leg, and filter through to my bright pink thermal welly boot socks...I love my pink socks!

 

Someone had better build this ark much more rain - and it is forecast - and we will be underwater.  The fields can't take any more water and are draining onto the lanes, the drains can't cope and the ditches have disappeared under the flooding.  The lane outside my house is slightly better than this one as it runs down hill but only just and being surrounded by fields that are over flowing into the lane, it isn't going to be long before we need to drag my son's kayak from the shed to leave the drive!

On a more cheerful note.

 

I was sorting through the beads yesterday ready to take to Kempton Race Course for the bead fair on Sunday (9th).  It will be my first bead fair of the year.  I am not doing so many this year concentrating more on internet selling and helping out with my husband as he sets up his new business.  I am happy about that really as the bead fairs are fun but a lot of work and can be expensive but I do enjoy going out and meeting other bead addicts.

 

So I will leave you with some pictures....

 



 

These ivory roses are currently on eBay just click the link and see what other beads are available there or click to visit my Etsy shop if you don't fancy the thrill of an auction.

I don't have nearly as many beads as I usually have for fairs, another reason to not do so many this year but there is still plenty of beads to see and own if you are around Kempton this coming Sunday :)

 

Right off for a cuppa and run around a bit more and dry off!

 

Laney x