It's Sweepie's birthday today! She's two years old. Yep, two years ago I was a sane person who thought Pugs were just weird looking half-dogs. I couldn't understand why my mother had wanted to get one and didn't have a clue how much that dog's puppies were going to change my life.

Sweepie was the biggest, the loudest, the brashest of the pack. She made me laugh all the time. She quickly grew into a little princess. It took until she was about six months old for us to become inseperable, and moving here this year has made that closeness even worse (better). I never thought I'd have a tiny little, needy dog like Sweepie. But it's true what my mother said two years ago when I kept asking her why she'd ever want such a pathetic creature: she's like the baby I can't have.

This year I bought her a collar. If you don't know, Pug's necks are quite big and they're not really meant to wear collars. Well, they can wear them but you can't then pop a lead onto them and walk them, cos you can damage their necks. For walks Sweepie always wears her harness. But since moving here I've been worried about what would happen if she got out one day and someone found her but didn't think to get her scanned (she has a microchip, you see). I might never see her again. So I wanted a disk for her. Which meant she had to have a collar to hang it off. I spent about an hour in Pets At Home deciding on which was the right one (I'm so sorry, Ray; you know you love me for my indecisivness).

The little madam wasn't that keen on it to start with but now I think she's growing to like it.





Isn't she smug in her new clothes? She thinks she's a big dog now, like Auntie Martha.

So, there you go. I am now a crazy Pug lady. I love you, baby: Happy Birthday!

Labels: birthday, mammy, martha, photos, presents, puppies, ray, shopping, sweepie

by Ys | COMMENTS? 4 | permalink |

I had a visit from Poopy-Wednesday yesterday. She was exhausting. She's hit a very naughty stage. When she was quiet it was great but when she started running round again I suddenly remembered why I like to see the puppies go to new homes when they hit this age ;) Here's some photos from the day, if you want to see some dog-only pictures :)

Last night I found a bargain chair! You know how I said I wanted my room to have a blue colour-scheme? Well, I don't have a chair for my desk, cos the one I used to use at home was part of a set that belonged to Mammy and Daddy. So since we've moved in I've not been able to sit at my desk. So when I found a blue chair for only eight-pounds I just knew I had to get it! It's this one - but blue. Look at how happy my desk looks now:



It's really comfortable, too. I thought it would be quite nasty, what with the cheap price, but it's very nice, and it encourages me to sit correctly cos it has a proper straight back to it. Usually I just slump in chairs and get a really bad back. So it's cheap, comfortable, kind to my back, and blue! Perfect!

I used it today for the first time. Because today I started back writing, after an absence of... four months. I always knew I'd be taking about two months off to look after the pups, but then we moved as well and it's taken this long to settle and actually find the time and adjust my routine. I can't tell you how good it was to get back to it. I feel complete again. I'm working on the fourth volume of Soul Mates, which is my baby. "Soul Mates" is what got me writing good, got me writing regularly and just made me realise that writing is what I want to do. So I'm also calling the new blue chair a good luck charm been as it all went so well :)

Labels: daddy, dogs, house stuff, life, mammy, photos, puppies, soul mates, writing

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |

I got bored of the layout of my bedroom.

It's a funny shaped room - it's completely square. Considering I have a lovely big double bed it does make positioning the furniture a little tricky. 'Cause obviously the bed takes up most of the room. When lying in bed at night I hated staring across the room and seeing the blank, plain, beige-coloured wall staring back at me. So yesterday afternoon I measured everything, divided all those figures by 20 and set them out on a piece of paper. (When I make plans they have to be to scale.) After dinner, I got Ray to lift the heavy stuff around the room while I ummed and ahhed about whether or not it was in the right place. After asking him to move my desk about five times, he eventually sighed, "Fine, but if this breaks don't blame me." That's as bout as arsey as Ray gets with me ;)

In the end I got it all sorted. I now have my writing desk next to the bed, which opens up a whole lot of floor space between the bed and the door, which I love. And the tall wardrobe is opposite the bed, therefore filling that awful beige wall. I then put my Sirus poster in the remaining space. Bingo: no more depressing plain, featurless wall.

When I first moved in I loved all the beige walls. It made the place feel airy and light, and it also showed that the landlord knew what he was doing and how to make the property suitable for tennents. Only it's been about two months now and I'm missing colour. When we get some money together we are going to get some nice pale-blue colours in our room. Pale-blue is going to be our bedroom colour - 'cause it's both feminine and masculine.

We haven't got round to discussing the rest of the house yet. I just keep bugging Ray about the awful kitchen handles. I want new ones. As a typically money-conscience landlord, he installed a pretty cheap-looking kitchen. The worktops are amazing but the cupboard doors and handles are not good. So, been as Ray is a kitchen-fitter, I figure some nagging will get my wishes fulfilled ;)

The only problem I have now is that I know I'm already getting bored of the layout downstairs. It's one thing to keep moving stuff around in my own room (I've always done that) but it's quite another to move stuff about in the communal rooms. I just wish I didn't get so bored of things so quick.

Labels: harry potter, house stuff, ray

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |

I'm ill again. I swear I am normally a healthy person. I blame Ray entirely. He brought some bug home and passed it onto me. As he said, the fun we had passing it on does probably make it worth it. It is only a little cold. And I think this time this one is only a small cold. Ray seemed a lot worse with his than I am with my version. I'm hoping to pass it onto Jemma cos it's just polite to share these things, isn't it? ;) Hehe, only kidding Jem.

My test at the doctors was fine. I think it helps when you have a really nice and friendly nurse. She talked me through everything and tried to help me relax. Boy, that sounds dodgy; I don't mean she physically helped me; she just tried to put me at ease. This thing does not make you feel very relaxed hehe. We call it a duck in my house. I kept telling Ray how I was going out for my date with the duck. Well, you've got to make a joke out of it, haven't you? But the whole thing wasn't too bad at all. A little uncomfortable but nothing to get upset about.

While I was there I found out I have to move doctors surgeries cos I'm out of their catchment area. I guess that's not too bad but it's just so much hassle. I'm not claiming my doctors are great, cos they're certainly not, but you get to know them over the years. It's going to be weird seeing someone else. I've got to find a place in town who have room on their books for me yet. Knowing my luck I'll be doctor-less now! Which will be no good considering my immune system has decided to pack up.

I forgot to say how I had a great Friday - everyone came over to see us! My younger sister came over first. It was so good seeing her cos I haven't seen her in ages. Then my mother came to pick her up. Then after that Ray's gran and mother came over. I love visits from people now. Usually I'm quite anti-social and much prefer having my house to myself but playing host is actually quite a fun job. I have to be in the right mood for it, though. I can still be anti-social a lot of the time ;) Mammy's coming over this afternoon to check on Sweepie. As far as I can tell she's pretty much back to her usual self. I just want Mammy to check the wound now cos it makes me go funny when I have to look at it.

I'm off to sneeze and cough my way through Halo 2 then...

Labels: amber, doctors, family, house stuff, illness, jem, mammy, ray, sweepie

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |

This is what Ray got me for Valentines Day. I call her Victoria, simply because that's what it said her name was on the box:



I had to re-arrange my room to give her pride and place, of course ;) The date we went on was great. It feels like it's been months and months since we last went out alone together - other than to B&Q to get him stuff for work. The chips were great, the harbour was quiet, and we just put the radio on and lay together quietly. It was perfect. The naughty stuff came later, in between checking on my sickly Pug. We continued those celebrations through the weekend actually ;) I think I spent most of Sunday just watching him while he painted a cabinet and cooked food, falling in love again and again.

Sweepie is doing heaps better now. She's got an icky scar, which makes me go funny, but the stitches should be out later this week. She had some bleeding after the op', which continued through for another twenty-four hours so I had to keep a very close eye on her. She's bouncing around trying to play with Martha all the time now so I think it's safe to say she's on the mend.

I get to have my first Smear Test today. I can't say I'm looking forward to it. Why do us women have to be put through these ordeals? I just hope it doesn't hurt. Once that's done I was hoping to buy myself a cake as a reward for being brave but Ray had an accident with a cupboard in work so we have to pay out £150 so money is a bit tight. Maybe I can find a cheap cake somewhere...

Labels: doctors, photos, ray, sweepie, valentines day, vets

by Ys | COMMENTS? 3 | permalink |

The weather has still been really nice and warm... until today. Typical that it waits 'til Valentines Day to drop so cold, especially considering Ray has planned for us to eat chips on the beach tonight - we're skint so it's like our version of a meal out ;) We haven't exchanged presents yet. Partly because I was half-unconscious this morning (how he gets up at 7 every morning I'll never know; I got up at 7 yesterday, too, cos Wednesday came over for the day so I am exhausted now), and partly because the presents I've ordered for him haven't turned up yet - even though I ordered them over a week ago! I'm not impressed at all cos now he's got to have late Valentines presents and then there'll be no point, will there? Grr.

I have no idea what he's got me. I have a feeling he'll upstage me cos he's really surprising me with stuff today. Firstly, the card this morning had an adorable message in it, which just made me want to cry - really made my message look like the pits hehe, not quite but almost ;) And then I got a big surprise:



I've never had flowers delivered to my door before. It was very exciting actually. And I always love getting flowers. I really hadn't been expecting any cos, well, flowers are pretty expensive at this time of year, aren't they? So that was just lovely. He's obviously going to upstage me tonight cos he actually has presents for me whereas mine aren't even here ;)

Want to see my new bookcase? Isn't it lovely?



It was a gift from Mammy :) And then we also got two steamers (one electric, one not) from Ray's gran and mother, and some bed sheets too, which are so, so pretty. I feel very, very spoilt this week.

Today has had its downside, though. Sweepie went to be spayed today. That was very stressful indeed. But Mammy rang about half an hour ago and assured me she's fine - grumpy but absolutely fine. She'll be coming home the same time I will be after my chips - Ray and I wanted to make sure we were both back home by the time she was getting back cos she's going to need a lot of TLC. Martha has had some bad news today. They found out she has a heart murmur and a crumbling spine (sorry can't find a link for what that exactly is). Mammy assures us it's not as bad as it sounds and it's actually a good thing we know cos now she can have medication and could quite possibly revert back to her usual hyperactive self. But we're all hoping her calm mood is more from maturity and not illness so she'll remain calm.

They'll be both home again tonight so we can nurse them better. It's been horrible here without them both. Way too quiet. We went shopping and came home to no accusing glances and sniffs as to where we'd been and why we'd think to go out without them.

I'll end with some photos from the sunny weekend that just passed: I Can't Wait 'Til Summer.

EDIT: so blogger wouldn't let me update - I tried for ages. To update on the news: my Valentines Day chips in the car date was so, so good. It was like we fell into a time void. We got home to meet Sweepie and she was very poorly and sad. I had to check on her all night and although there was some bleeding the next day she's absolutely fine now :) Ray bought me a really pretty jewellry-holder-thing (I'll get pictures), and he says I have another present on it's way as well, which is very intriguing.

... Have a new layout as well ;)

Labels: illness, love, mammy, martha, photos, presents, ray, sweepie, valentines day

by Ys | COMMENTS? 1 | permalink |

Sorry for not posting earlier. I was feeling really ill last week and by the time Thursday rolled by I just kind of gave up and moped on the sofa playing Halo. I'm on the mend now, though, and am hoping I will fully recover very soon. I should really have worked on the new layout but I have so many ideas that I just don't know where to start yet. I'll hopefully get one up within the week but don't hold me to that deadline cos I find I'm on the computer a lot less since I've moved. It's the sudden warm weather's fault. I've spent the entire weekend sitting out the back, enjoying the sun, pretending it's summer. It's been amazingly lovely and warm this weekend here in Wales. I love the sun.

This is the poster for the new Narnia film:



It looks very pretty. I have no idea who the boy is, though. Anyone know what's meant to happen in this one? It says it's not out 'til May so that leaves plenty of time to save up. Hehehe. I'm not kidding, though. We have to save for everything now. Because we went out to the gig and the pub last week we weren't able to go out this week. Then it's Valentines Day this week so we won't be able to afford to go out again. Hehehe. It's all totally worth it, though. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I'd gladly never go out pubbing again if it meant I got to keep this house and this wonderful new lifestyle I have here. I really can't wait 'til summer: it's going to be beautiful here.

This has been a bit of a pointless entry, hasn't it? Nothing has happened cos I've just been ill and moping. This week will be better. I hope ;)

Labels: blogging, films, halo, house stuff, illness, layout, life, money, narnia, photos

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |

Squee. It's a funny word. I had to try and explain what it meant once. I found it difficult. I suppose different people take it to mean different things. For me squee is an exclamation, a word uttered usually while clasping your hands together in front of your chest as you try not to let the cutest thing in the world cripple you with... well, squee.

I don't use the word to describe people I fancy. If a guy or girl makes me go squee (yes, the word squee to me is a verb) then you can pretty much assume I have no sexual feelings for them. But then for me I then enter a muddy kind of place that has no real words to describe it. I can squee over someone and not want to do anything sexual with them, but because of the squee emotion I will probably want to hold them close to me.

There's a young boy who I've known for a few years. He's a dopey thing. Everyone who meets him thinks he's a dope. But in me he brings out this squee emotion. Because we've moved, I end up seeing him about once a week now, in a public place where I have to pretend to him that my squee muscles aren't screaming inside me. How do you explain to a boy of about eighteen that you want to wrap your arms around them, hold them against your chest and end that ache in your heart you get sometimes when your maternal instincts go nuts? Well, you just can't, can you? So I smile politely, he serves me what I need, we might say hello, then I go on my way. But for the next few hours all I can think is how I want to bring him home with me. There's absolutely nothing sexual in this want. I would curl and up die if anyone even suggested that was my motive. But it's some weird place in the middle of wanting to mother someone and wanting to sleep with them. I've discussed this with my mother before now and she understands the emotion. I've tried explaining it to Jemma but she doesn't get it. Different folks, different strokes and all that.

There's another guy who brings out this emotion strongly in me. (Yes, they are mostly guys who make me squee, I think purely because I've always been closer with guys than girls, so the need to protect them is probably stronger than my need to protect girls.) This guy is no longer a boy, he's a man. But I still can't get past the idea in my head that he's still a kid. I'd still love to get him away from his new hectic lifestyle, hold him close against my chest, feed him too much food, and see he gets a good night's rest. The problem with this guy is Jem fancies the pants off him. We spent a hilarious walk yesterday morning trying to decipher the differences in our feelings towards this boy/man.

There is no reason for this post, no great revelation at the end. I just find squee a very strange emotion. And I find my mothering/fancying combined emotion is a really strange one to explain. I think if you're in no way maternal then you will never understand what I mean. I like the emotion anyway. But it does make me end the post by asking: Ray, can we adopt these two young boys now?

Labels: adoption, boys, life, love, mammy, maternal, squee

by Ys | COMMENTS? 5 | permalink |

Although this weekend has been rough for pretty much everyone living with me - dogs included - thanks to some pesky hormone changes due to my week off my pill for the lovely monthly bleeding episode - the rush in hormones did have one good outcome.

I found my perving activities raised to their highest in a long time. Probably due to some rather lovely fertile young men sporting gorgeous tight, red jerseys, rolling around in mud together, hugging and celebrating a much-unexpected win. I, of course, refer to the Wales V England rugby match.



The game was pants in the first half but really great in the second. And because of the win, the new, young team of boys hopped about embracing for a good ten minutes after the game finished.

I have a growing crush on Ryan Jones. It started a while ago when I saw him off the pitch due to injury. There was something so handsome about his clumsy ways. Then I saw him on the pitch and it was all about the thighs. Wow. He is a pretty boy and can string a sentence together. The thighs are just a bonus. I swear.



And I was actually able to afford to go to a real life pub and have drinks and everything to watch that match. Do you know when I last went to a pub? I don't remember, either. Some time around about Christmas, I think. Having a house sure does cut into your social life, doesn't it?

And remind me to thank Ray for teaching Sweepie the game of Chase Me If Any Part Of My Body Is Beneath A Blanket. She just ran upstairs, saw my feet were under a blanket and decided to bounce around on top of them, trying to free them!

Labels: homo-erotic, life, photos, ray, rugby, ryan jones, sweepie, wales

by Ys | COMMENTS? 2 | permalink |

I haven't posted since Tuesday! Which means it's February already. I've been so slack with blogging this month. Moving out for the first time is so time-consuming. I just seem to have stuff to do all the time. Like, yesterday, I had Wednesday over to stay for the day so we spent the day playing puppy games, and then she snoozed while I got reaquainted with Halo 1.

The gig completely killed me Wednesday night - hehe, I'm so unfit. Fightstar were great as always; and we had some proper moshers behind us who really picked up the crowd and got everyone going. I'm a little in love with their new single Flood. It's very surreal when you get goosebumps in the middle of a boiling hot, sweaty venue. By the time Coheed & Cambria came on I was feeling a bit queasy. The venue just didn't seem to have any cooling system at all so the air was really hot and sticky. I don't cope well in that kind of atmosphere so I left Ray at the front and went to stand to the side where I could breathe a little better, although not much it has to be said. Surprisingly, by the time Coheed came on the venue was full of a much older crowd who were really nice and friendly. Thankfully the screaming (yes, screaming) kids (yes, children) seemed to have gone home to bed. Don't even get me started on a rant about the random kids who have invaded all of my favourite hang-outs. Goddamn whoever it was that made guitar music cool to the kids. I mean, who the hell are Madina Lake? And why did they make the girls all round me scream and start clutching one another? And what is that crap the singer spouts? We're not about the image, just the music - yeah, right, so why is it you all have the classic Emo Style hairdo's - and the dye jobs? Grr!

Anyway, I spent the Coheed set pretending I was at the gig alone. Sizzle had said she's been to a few on her own and I always wondered if I could do it. It's in fact a lot of fun. You can just stand there and appreciate the music however you see fit. And, like I said, everyone was really friendly. I even got a kiss off a drunk woman I caught. Coheed were really good - totally professional and not a curse word in sight! I'm not a huge fan of theirs but I was a little obsessed with their third album (it's amazing: buy it!). Mostly they played the new stuff so I found myself watching Ray, who was completely lost to the music. I got a little sappy and just spent the entire time smiling over at him, falling in love with him all over again.

Thursday was a killer cos it was food shopping day. I didn't think my aching muscles could carry me (I started the day limping badly on my right leg thanks to an enlarged calf muscle - yum) but I somehow got through it all. Luckily Ray had had an early finish so we could drive instead of having to walk hehe.

Today is the Wales V England Six Nations match. We've decided to pop home to our old local to watch it there with Daddy. I don't suppose it'll be a late one, though. We're already £30 down due to Little Red popping a tyre Tuesday night! Thank heavens for Ray's tips ;)

Labels: coheed and cambria, fightstar, gigs, house stuff, love, music, ray, rugby, wales

by Ys | COMMENTS? 1 | permalink |