After the Party & The Winner

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I had such a wonderful birthday week – and it featured so many lovely messages and gifts from my friends in this blogging community and on face book that I almost became speechless.   To you all, each and every one of you who so loyally read and comment and interact and join in the spirit of this blog – a huge heartfelt thank you and a great big bear hug 🙂  You all really made my week overflow with your warmth and kindness and generosity.

Here is my birthday cake – well, more of a rather lovely birthday dessert really, the recipe for which, I think [I hope I remember this correctly] came to me via the lovely Fran.  It is made with dates and nuts and bananas and coconut and cacao and surrounded with these dear tiny peanut butter chocolates which were a tiny bit fiddly to make, but unbelievably scrummy and I shall be making many more of them  🙂

birthday cake

And here is the delightful Siddy waiting for his piece

Siddy on chair 5 9 14

While the mail man was kept busy bringing interesting and unexpected packages to the door for the birthday event, there were also little packages arriving with items for the ‘Dangler of International Happiness’   I now have items from Australia and Tasmania [yes I know, but it is a different land mass], the UK and Canada.  I’m not showing anything yet as there will be a wee competition held for the unveiling – but my it is going to be so pretty!  And I wish I had taken photos of the gorgeous soaps and creams all wrapped up in lace that the lovely Wendy sent – but suffice to say that when she remembers her recipe for the face cream I shall be among the first customers – it is so soft and creamy and delightful!!

When the door bell chimed in the middle of my birthday I was stuck ungracefully beneath a furry pile of puppy and cat.  My youngest daughter said to me – you have to go get that.  By the time I had disengaged myself and opened the door there was no-one there, but a beautiful bouquet of white flowers lay in front of the screen door.  “Good God!” I exclaimed.  “I brought you flowers my child”  said a cheerful, disembodied voice.  “Thank you God!” I replied.

It wasn’t actually God who sent me a bouquet of white roses and lilies and orchids for my special day – it was the lovely Alys.  Here’s me holding the bouquet looking somewhat befuddled, over-whelmed and over-come and in need of a hair cut!

And, as Alys noted, that’s Siddy attempting his first photo bombing.

birthday flowers

Throughout the birthday week, which was spent primarily with my favourite people in the whole world – my two daughters – the puppy was pretty much the centre of attention. Then Orlando decided it was time to give up his hunger strike and join in.  He began to reclaim all his pampered cat rights and climbed down from his table of discontent and returned to sleeping on the bed, sitting on chairs and knees and generally being sociable again.  Whilst nobody ever remembered to photograph anything we were treated to some lovely moments as my birthday wish came true and my pets began to spend companionable time together.

They now share a bed, a chair, my knee.  I snapped this early this morning surreptitiously so as not to disturb the early morning bathing ritual.

Caught6 5 9 14

And now for your viewing pleasure here is Siddy, his aunt YD and me as filmed by the lovely ED who was experimenting with slo-mo on her iphone camera

One of my birthday gifts was a kick start for my vegetable garden.  It included a large bag of organic compost, salady and herby seedlings and yesterday I made a big mess in the tiny courtyard and got started

Garden3 sept 14

We are going up folks – I have no idea how it will turn out, but I discovered some most handy contraptions at Bunnings which have the advantage of being both flexible and affordable.  They can be used as a trellis or a tripod and will be most handy for the likes of tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and maybe even some sweet peas just because I love them.  I’m also hoping to get some hanging baskets in but not sure what might grow best in them – any suggestions?

Today the mail man brought me my gold card – I am now an official OAP – rolling on the floor, holding my sides, roaring with laughter!  I can ride the buses for free and go half price to the movies.  Whoo-hoo!!

And now here [rather belatedly, for which I am not sorry as it is due to the extortionate amount of partying that has been going on round here] is the announcement you really came by for – the winner of an assortment of postcard size prints of my mixed media paintings.

Twenty-five names written on cut up strips of paper

Draw1 6 9 14

Placed in my favourite coffee mug

Draw2 6 9 14

Vigorously shaken, stirred and tipped over

Draw3 6 9 14

And the winner is ta – daaaaaaaa

The lovely Lady Gallivanta from the shaken but not stirred City of Christchurch.

Gallivanta, will you go to the ‘Contact Me’ page below the lovely Orlando’s photo at the top of the blog and send me your address please and then I shall mail off to you as speedily as possible a small assortment of postcards.

To the rest of you, my lovely ethersphere friends, thank you for coming by today, I love that you did  🙂

100 thoughts on “After the Party & The Winner”

  2. Pingback: A Toast with Thanks | silkannthreades

  3. I nominated you for something called The “Premio Dardos” award! It is a really nice one that I got honored by being nominated by a friend on her blog called “Soul n Spirit.” Hope you will check out the other ones I nominated and congratulations! You may do as you wish with the gift of this award! smiles,Robin

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    • Robin – I have only just seen this message which you posted almost a month ago. My apologies for this late response with a hearty thank you for thinking of me. I don’t accept awards, but do accept the compliment 🙂 xoxo

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  4. A belated Happy Birthday! The cake looks scrumptious, Orlando & Siddy are so cute, and I’m glad Frank’s party this weekend brought us together. I look forward to getting to know you better. 🙂

    P.S. If this is a repeat, my apologies. I’m having trouble with comments on WordPress this evening. It’s as if they just…disappear…poof! And they’re gone.

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    • No repeat, and thank you for coming by. I am a poor blogger at the moment and am really happy if people still come by and visit for a bit 🙂 I am looking forward to getting to know you better too – Frank did good! 🙂

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  5. Belated happy birthday. Your cake looked yummy – I would have been waiting for a piece with your dog 🙂
    (Headed over from Frank’s to do a little blog visiting)

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    • Thank you Colline – and it was a very tasty cake indeed – you noticed I said ‘was’? How lovely that you came by for a visit – I shall return to Frank’s party soon and seek you out!

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  6. How on earth did I miss this gorgeous, joyful post! I’m so sorry. Your birthday (including the cake) sounds as though it was pretty much perfect. And Siddy and Orlando FRIENDS?? I’m gobsmacked. Meanwhile your courtyard garden will I’m sure soon be colourful and gorgeous. I’ll enjoy watching its progress with spring colour as my own garden dies down for winter.

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    • You didn’t look up from your busy hands long enough to catch it? You have been up very HIGH of late, perhaps it flew by when you were grasping hold of the top of the cherry picker with your eyes closed 🙂

      Glad you found us – we had such a wonderful two weeks and it is still tending to totter on with the arrival of the new car today 🙂

      Yes, Siddy and Orlando are friends! Not what you might call bosom buddies, but a gentle and infrequent [on Orlando’s side] allowal of head butting, shared seating, and teasing. On Siddy’s side he is all for constant rough and tumble, licking, toy tossing and rambunctious boxing matches whenever required. Just like twins really 🙂

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  7. I read this on my phone with glee, thought I had replied, but apparently only did so in my head. Anyhoo…I digress.

    What a fabulous birthday celebration you’ve had, Pauline. I’m delighted that you had time with your daughters, the start of a garden, and what fun to watch that video and see your gorgeous Siddy in action. It’s hard not to grin at the happy energy of a pup. I’m equally delighted at the camaraderie developing between the Prince of All Things and Siddy himself. That brought me such cheer. You’re hard work and caring ways have paid off.

    Your local florist gathered a lovely bouquet, most fitting for this milestone birthday. You look radiant, and I must agree with Boomdee, look much younger that your years. You’ll have to produce that gold card to prove your age so that you can take advantage of all those discounts.

    Congratulations to the lovely Lady G.

    I’ve enjoyed all the comments that precede mine and feel like I’ve just left a wonderful party, full of that wonderful glow.

    You inspire everyone. xoxox

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    • The flowers are just beginning to fade Alys, after 12 lovely days. They have been such a joy! 🙂 The orchids will keep gong a bit longer though. I had a wonderful celebration – I think it was the loveliest yet! And today my retirement savings have been released so its off to buy a car we go 😀 It just keeps getting better! The garden still needs more work and more containers too – I have more room than I thought. I am so happy with Orlando’s thaw – he has returned to himself and teases puppy all the time. We all bundle into bed together at night now, and while I read a chapter of my book they kind of companionably work out the sleeping quarters. Happy days!

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      • Wow…12 days is a good long time. I’m so happy they hung in there. They didn’t want to miss a moment of the celebratory fun.

        Hurray for savings and a new car on the horizon. You are having a wonderful month.

        What great news that you’ve got more gardening space then you thought. That is an unexpected and welcome surprise.

        I’m just tickled with Orlando’s thaw as you put it and can’t imagine a better gift on your birthday. The three of you snuggled together is priceless. Happy days indeed. xoxoxo

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        • I still have two white roses and two orchid flowers left 🙂 I think we will make it to three weeks of flower beauty!! What a great gift xoxo

          Still car hunting – there are soooo many out there ….

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            • I’m looking for a big little car 🙂 I found a Mitsubishi Colt that I quite like – do you know them? But it has a rattle and as a Japanese import the GPI is set for Japan and a rather urgent woman was yelling at us in Japanese as the map showed we were heading out to sea, when we were winding our way through actual green countryside 🙂 The dealer is fixing the rattle and looking at the cost of replacing the complex backing and gpi system for a simple stereo system. If it comes in under budget I shall probably buy it. If not, I’m still looking!

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            • Everything got fixed and I purchased the car – I am really happy with it. Yesterday I went for a long drive and had a wonderful time. Siddy went to the sea at Doctor’s Point where he had a good romp and then we did a big loop up and over the hills taking in all the glorious views on a gorgeous spring day. Not a whiff of a rattle to be heard and no irate Japanese lady demanding I stop before driving into the ocean…..:-)

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  8. Oooh Yaaay!!! What a clever Orlando – to keep you in suspense so HE could be the one to deliver you the best birthday pressie ever – happy families at last!! And that slo-mo video of Siddy is just the cutest! : ))xox

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    • Orlando, it turns out, has been a secret admirer of Siddy for some time. I watch them play in the sun every morning now – it was the best birthday present ever 🙂 When Siddy runs I am reminded of Monty – the sheer joy and exuberance is just a wonderful gift! xoxo

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  11. Oh Pauline, I am so happy, you had a wonderful birthday. My internet has been down for a few days + I missed this lovely post. Congrats on a wonderful day!!!! You deserve everything you get, you are SOOOO special. You are gem! You are so blessed with so many people that adore you. To get special soaps from Wendy( I agree…ordering her first batch of wrinkle free-lol), cake recipe from Fran( amazing cook- I droll when I see what she makes), and beautiful flowers..wow…you are so loved…it must of been so special.Turning 65 was the best birthday for you:-)
    I watched the film with your adorbale siddy and he is “movie star” potential..he reminds me of the dogs you see on the Walt Disney channel(USA)..what personality.
    To capture the two ( sid and ornalando) sitting in chair together, well you have a family now! It amazes me how my dog, Chance and our cats have developed a love over the years. They share nose time and do enjoy sleeping together in the sun:-)
    Happy Birthday…and you are so blessed with all your wonderful + beautiful gifts from all that adore you:-)…again, you are a gem!!!! one in a million! love, Robbie….+ your garden space looks like it is perfect for growing! I look forward to see how your garden grows!

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    • Oh Robbie 🙂 The spoiling just goes on and on. Thank you so much for those kind and generous remarks – I do feel really fortunate!

      Little Siddy has got it all going on that’s for sure – he is just so darn happy!!! I do have a family now, you are right. No grand-kidlets coming my way so I made my own 🙂 I love watching them sort things out and playing together .

      The seedlings are all planted and I am just waiting for the heirloom tomatoes beans, cucumbers and anything else I can get to go up to be available. I need some more tubs and hanging baskets. 🙂

      Hope all is well with your internet and you are enjoying the early days of Autumn. xoxo

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  12. Pauline, I can see that you are having a great birthday month! I will look at the video later. The photos – you and your roses, Sid and Orlando, your favorite coffee mug, the scrumptious birthday dessert😄
    When I get to be 65, I want to look as beautiful as you. I want to have the energy and passion for life as you do. Enjoy your free bus rides and half off movie tickets😄
    Have a great week!

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  14. Pauline, a belated happy birthday! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this lovely review. It started my day on such a cheerful note and made me smile from ear to ear! So happy for you and your online and in-person communities, pouring out affection in so many delightful ways. All the best to you for your happiest year ever. Love, J
    P.S. My, how Siddy has grown!

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    • Hi Julia, thank you for this lovely comment! I have been almost dumb-struck by the wonderful responses from around the world – I consider myself among the most fortunate of people!!

      Hasn’t Siddy grown – and he is still doing so. I am wondering if I won’t need to get a new car, I could just ride him around 😀

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  15. I just loved the slow motion video of Siddy running. All that fur moving around like a Breck commercial. I can’t believe the technology on our phones. Sounds like the leap to retirement was painless and prosperous. Beautiful flowers from dear Alys, he kindness knows no bounds, cakes, parties, 1/2 price movies and such. It’s all a pretty good gig by the sounds of it. The big bonus is you’re a healthy looking 45 year old at the most and still get this allowance every month. What’s not to like? Siddy sure has grown up and I bet it’s just gorgeous to watch him and O be pals in one chair. Did you ever imagine? You’ve got the magic touch my dear. Here and there, especially with your two munchkins 😀 xoxoxo Cheers to another year

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  16. Glad you had a nice birthday week 🙂 Love the photo of Siddy and Orlando snuggled up on the chair and the video, he is soooo cute!!
    I had seen a photo of your dangly things but didn’t quite realise what is was till Fran told me, have some beads here for you. Am pleased you liked the face cream, I have made more today but changed it a bit, hopefully it’s still nice.
    Congrats to Gallivanta 🙂 Enjoy your gardening and the flowers are beautiful. It sounds like you just had a most lovely week….and to think you are now old enough to ride the busses for free, how exciting 🙂

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    • Oooooh beads 🙂 Yes please 🙂 It’s not just me is it who thinks Siddy is the cutest pup ever – he is just totally happy every minute of the day! He loved having lots of people round last week and is constantly expecting them all to come back again……… poor Orlando is his only play mate now. I’m pleased to hear you have made some more cream. Let me know when you have it for sale. xoxo

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  17. So much to love about this post! Happy Pets! Happy Birthday! Happy Retirement!
    I can’t believe how big Siddy is! And how wonderful that Orlando has come back (down) to the family. Lovely!
    How wonderful that you were showered with love and so glad we were able to read of your joy.

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    • I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the sharing – I feared it might get a tad boring for everyone and I have nothing much else to report on at the moment except pets and birthdays 🙂 Must get back into the art room!

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  18. You sure do know how to celebrate a birthday/retirement! It looks like the most splendid day imaginable–and fully deserved. The idea that Siddy and Orlando are now sleeping together and so happy is mind boggling–and testament to your patience! And congrats to Gallivanta!

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  20. Yeah, that cake was my fault 😉 By the way…did you know that if you hold the Alt key down and you type (0145) ‘ or (0146) ’ you get curly apostrophes? And if you hold Alt and (0147) “ or (0148) ” you get curly quotation marks? If you are OCD like me this is a BIG discovery 🙂

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  21. Yu dun gud agin suddi an orl wiv them shord arzd legz ov yorz. Fodow boming? I dew thad alla tym. Godda ged in alla pikchas alla tym sew thay done forgid ya. Eysee yu ar sordin owd thad cad. Ee duznt now thad yu ar takin ova duz ee? … that’s enough of that Early boy…back to bed! Ok, me here now…great vid of Siddy, what a fluff ball he is! Looks like one of those shi-shi temple dogs with that little rolled up coil of a tail :). Garden futures are the BEST kind of futures and I can hear mum in my ear “plant sweet peas Pen (she wanted to call me Penny but lost out so she called me Penny for the rest of my life anyway…stubborn?!)” and I never have…you know what? I think some sweet peas might just be going to grace Sanctuary this year. I just planted out (in Stevie-boy dug holes) 4 citrus trees and my spring mojo is starting to rise up like the phoenix…better get a wriggle on with the last of my studies so that I can take full advantage of that mojo risin’ eh? 😉

    Whatever you plant in hanging baskets be pragmatic and think “must like dry conditions” as you are inevitably going to forget them for a bit and they will dry out…hanging succulents, herbs like oregano and anything else that grows in Greece or Italy that thrives in rocks and not much else.

    I tried to roll over a teensy bit of superannuation that I must have accrued at one of the jobs where they were too tight to pay me casual wages and after being told that I needed to prove that I was “Me” by providing them with a birth certificate, a marriage certificate, and a divorce certificate I think I might put it in the too hard basket and just hand it over to my caged accountant son… I did learn that after they have finished helping themselves to as much of the remaining super as they possibly can in the name of “office fees”, I will be eligable to claim the rest (all 42c) when I turn 59. I might be able to put it towards another packet of seeds…

    Don’t sniff at free buses Ms Pauline…get on them and ride them to uppercumbuckance. You might find some awesome farmers markets, shops, interesting things and all for that free ride 🙂

    Congratulations Lady Gallivanta 🙂 (I didn’t even know you were running a competition and STILL my name got entered! 😉 ). Hugs to Siddy (suddi ewe sulli wimun…) “BACK TO BED EARL!”…sigh…and pats to Mr fluffy himself 🙂

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    • Siddy just sat up and looked at me with a definite leer when I started reading this post – I’m really getting rather worried that Earl HAS mastered the art of esp and is sending him secret messages! He is ‘one of those shi-shi temple dogs’ he is in fact a mix of both the Chinese version [Shih-Tzu] and the Tibetan version [Lhasa Apso]. It appears he looks like, and has the temperament of, the Chinese one, but will be the size of the Tibetan one. But he will NEVER have a long combed coat to the ground or a top knot on his head! Though he does now sport a fetching blue collar with just a little bling on the buckle as he had outgrown his puppy one and mumma went ‘sqeeeeee’ when she saw the blingy one in the shop 🙂

      I think the moral to the story about superannuation is keep it in a sock under the bed! I don’t do insurances and such [except for car insurance] for the same reason. I’m not here to make insurance companies and brokers wealthy! Nor do I want my money supporting gun runners, bomb makers and other sundry unsavoury corporations and individuals.

      I think we should all grow sweet peas – they are guaranteed to make you happy, just by their random colours and scents and prolific growing habits. And the fact that the more you pick ’em, the more they flower – it’s a win-win kind of a summer treat!

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      • Well you just sold me on the sweet peas, with you on the insurance and Earl is laying on the kitchen floor looking at the treat cupboard…he says that we are obviously intellectually challenged as we haven’t noticed him pointing his beak at the treat cupboard for the last hour…he is now sighing (at having to live with such STUPID humans) and he is probably contacting Siddy telepathically as I type this… “hay suddi yu gut thad cad yut? I don ged maiy cadz az thay wone led mi ov th dek. aye im stug ere ona dek. Workin owd ow tu ged owd iz ard. Wen aye du aye cum vizit yoo hokai? Wee gow tu pargs and pi un triiz n chayz burdz. Firz aye goda ged ov thiz dek

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        • Please don’t let Earl off the deck – he will swim here and then my little Siddy will be lost forever to the dark side and no amount of pretty girlie blingy collars will save him………

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          • You will need to get him a MANLY collar like Earl has all covered in long studs and a good message to the rest of the world 😉 “Suddi aye sen u a rarf an ewe cum ere aye tich u gud” (Earl was just up chasing a possum down the deck and insisted on me sending that message…)

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            • Can you really see Siddy in a spiky collar? He’d be impaling himself left right and centre as he jumps for joy at every new sight and person….. Poor deluded boy is ecstatic that Earl is sending him a rarf – he has NO IDEA …………………

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              • huloo laydi aye em aye gud dorg an I av a spygd cola. I sind Suddi mi ole wun iv hi lygs. Hee carn impretz tha girlz. “EARL GO TO BED!” …sigh…

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                • der erl, yor a gud dorg forshor an i no it. mumma sed i cart wer a spygd cola cos mi negs to shord lik mi legz an i wud probly pud mi i oud an she wodn lik that. i thing the girlz is way kool an they lik me lots 😀 from yor fren siddy

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                  • gdai sudi aye em riding thus ubsidown an farz aslip inbed. may wumin iz tybing id fo mee az aye em slipping. Shee iz a gud wumin. Aye wone bide er an wull sav thad fore them cadz!

                    Sori yoo carn ave mi colla. Id iz a bewdi an thim Neuzulund chigz wood hav snivved u gud iv u wor id.

                    Godda goe nowe az eye thing mi powarz is werin ov my wumin an shi is cummin rownd frome mi telerperthee…

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                  • HAHAHAHA! Good try Ms Pauline…I fear that soon Mr E and young Sir Sidney the first will be firmly in control of this Southern Sector 😉

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                    • I’m thinking we should let them do a joint blog post called ‘The Earl and Siddy Show’ – except we would be the only readers who understood it and were rolling on the floor laughing 😀

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                    • What a great idea! (Anything to let me off the hook!). I think I might let Earl post this Wednesday as I have been down the Morlock mines and only today am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel…indeed I pulled a 15 hour day yesterday…a bit OVER studies to say the least but today…today…TODAY I AM FREE! 🙂 (just got to print out a booklet, stick it together, cut it in the right places, take a photo of me holding it and fill out about 40 forms to support my endeavors and that’s it! For now…) Yup, I recon it’s Earls blog post this week. I hope Sir Siddy the first is sitting up ready to read it or at least have it translated by his “wumin” as he is really probably only just learning to read…

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                    • Just walked Bezial in for his 6am return to bed (he gets up at 5.30 to keep me company) and Earl is still upside down snoring…I will have to get him primed and ready for his blog post 😉 Clever Siddy…plastic is great stuff for chewing on 😉

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  22. I’m still smiling and just can’t stop.:):) That Siddy is so adorable! You know how people sometimes look like their dogs? You, my beautiful friend, are just adorable, too, with your long dark bangs and twinkle. I love the picture of Siddy and Orlando together; I can feel your joy in their friendship all the way to Hawaii. Happy Birthday.:)

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    • Ha Christi!! You have just said what my girls tell me all the time – people look like their dogs 🙂 There are times when I catch a glimpse of my youngest girl when she was maybe three or four in the puppy. It’s the ever so happy, over enthusiastic, disheveled clumsiness and sanguine attention span that does it. I’ve told her that if she were dead I would think she had come back to me as a puppy! My youngest and I are very similar 🙂 xoxo

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  23. Whee! This post exudes Gold Card carrying HAPPINESS! Sounds like a FAB birthday. Loved the flowers, your cake, the fiddly chocolates, and the slo-mo of you pup.

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    • That slo-mo of the pup makes his coat look like water don’t you think? He is just adorable!! It was a wonderful week and has set me up beautifully for the coming year. Thanks for being part of it 🙂

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  24. Well it looks like you had a fantastic birthday, celebrating at length and being spoilt too. It’s lovely to see the two furries on the chair together, priceless! I love the slo mo video, how clever is that. Sulking coz I didn’t win bit congrats to the winner. Oh well, maybe next time 🙂
    What about sweet peas in your hanger? they hang and climb, very pretty x

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  25. I can’t believe I missed your birthday! ;( …. it seems you had a wonderful day on your special day, so cheers to that … and happy belated birthday! …. and I’m off to check the notification settings.

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  26. Oh, lucky Gallivanta! Delighted to see you were so wonderfully spoiled on your birthday. Best present seems to be Orlando giving up his table of discontent (love that description) to share a life with Siddy.

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  27. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Me? I am the winner?! I want to be photographed doing a slo’ mo’ happy dance. That’s absolutely lovely, Pauline. I am delighted. And so delighted that you have had a lovely lingering birthday celebration. The photo of Siddy and Orlando cuddling together is really special. No one, but no one, can resist Siddy’s charms. As for the hanging baskets. Sweet 100s or other small tomatoes work very well in hanging baskets. Perhaps strawberries?

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  28. Don’t you look gorgeous holding Alys’ beautiful flowers. What a fabulous picture to keep forever. Many Happy returns you lovely lady – if anyone deserves a “party week” for their birthday, it’s you Pauline! And, it goes without saying, how wonderfully thoughtful is Alys!!! xxx I, too, cannot get over the size of Siddy – he’s grown so much from the tiny little puppy he was. And, yes, what a lovely “pressie” to see he and Orlando snuggling up together. Such wonderful times with your two beautiful daughters, too. The love you receive from Blogland and the www is a true reflection of the kind and supportive lady you are. And, what the heck? Why party for just one week when you can party for two! The pretty and practical garden can wait! xoxoxoxoxox

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    • Hi Dani! I had just clambered out from beneath a pile of cat and puppy when that photo was taken, I was overwhelmed and tearful and – a complete mess! 🙂 Somewhere there are other photos but not on my computer yet. Siddy has grown a huge amount! I am wondering when it will stop – this is his second growth spurt where, if you sit still for long enough, I swear you can see him expanding! 🙂 I am going to enjoy seeing what grows well in the garden this year and must keep notes!! xoxo

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  29. Wow! Now that’s a birthday celebration! I’m so happy you had such a wonderful birthday which included your daughters, Siddy, Orlando and all of your blogging buddies…you deserve it, Pauline! Keep the celebration going all year! xo

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    • Hi Jill, I am a happy retiree 🙂 I can see it is going to be a great summer with loads of things to do and places to go – and if I could only get Orlando happy about car travel what fun we could have!!

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  30. That was a lovely Birthday pawty, Pauline and the cake just looks delicious…*licks her paws* We’re so happy to see Orlando and Sid.., we were astonished that he has grown sooo big..MOL…., together napping. Loved the video too! So much energy…wow..
    I’m sure your veggie garden will work out… delicious…and a great place to be. Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend 🙂 Btw congrats to the winner 🙂

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  31. I am so delighted you have joined the ranks of the retired and relaxed??? Looks like your work has just begun. I’ve often said I don’t how I ever had time to work. Your birthday bash looks wonderful and the daughters make it all that much better. Alys has outdone herself again. The roses are lovely. My favorite part…the photo of Siddy bathing Orlando and Orlando just relaxing into it. I’m so delighted for you that those two have worked things out. Makes home life much easier. Happy birthday again fellow Virgo.

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  32. What a happy, joyous post! How lovely to celebrate across the miles with all of us in blogland! Hope your seedlings produce happy healthy plants and that you get to see loads of half price movies!

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    • I shall be gallivanting around all over the place I expect Jenny – and I’m really looking forward to seeing how much I can grow in my extremely small area – I have visions of me pushing through a jungle like patio………. 🙂

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  33. Pauline, happy belated birthday. You had a lovely birthday and what a gorgeous cake! I have to find that recipe and make one for myself this year. It’s nice to see a garden starting just when mine is ending.

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