Chris and I have just come back from holiday. We rented a cottage at Boynton near Bridlington in East Riding, Yorkshire for a week. The countryside is beautiful, and quite different from home. To start with the farms are mostly arable, growing beans, peas, barley and wheat, and what is more, the fields were gigantic, 30 acres plus! But there were plenty of footpaths and bridleways to walk the dogs - and NO SHEEP!- that we were spoilt for choice.
We had one very hot day, so we packed up some water and goodies to eat in a rucksack and headed off to a deserted medieval village called Wharram Percy. English Heritage look after the site, so you can have a look yourselves. This was a really relaxing place to be in an the dogs enjoyed the fresh water in the mill pond burn.
We also visited Castle Howard. Our timing was perfect for the rose garden, the perfume was amazing. I took note of a few roses that I liked, and maybe in the autumn, I'll order a couple for my garden. I didn't really like the inside of the house. I'm not awfully keen in the mausoleum look and the feel of the place was not very homely. The house itself is suitably vulgar but dose sit in harmony with it's surroundings. The Four Winds Pavilion was strangely impressive and charming, and the decoration inside and out was tasteless but brilliant. The views were lovely - very English.
Whilst I was away on holiday, the man came and layed the concrete for my kennels, and on Monday the kennels were built! That's it, the kennel saga is over and there they are looking great. The dogs are not that impressed though. I still have to build steps up to the area, as I didn't fancy dragging the dogs up a muddy bank in the pouring rain in the middle of winter. I thought I could have a fight on my hands, trying to persuade the dogs to go into their runs for the day - and the mud would just cheese me off too. I also have to widen the path at the side. I actually thought there would be a door to the side of the first run not at the end of it. Never mind, I'm always happy to be digging another hole in the ground!
Off to Border Union show next Friday with Bazil. I will scratch Ruthie as she is still down in Devon. I have arranged for a chap called Steve Thompson to help me teach Bazil to load into the horsebox, as he and I have had a few disagreements, so it was time to get professional help before I do any lasting damage. I'll let you know how we get on, or even if we make it as far as Kelso ....
