India Day at School

Harry had an "India" day at his school today. The idea was that the children could dress up if they wanted and they made Indian decorations, played Indian music and sampled Indian food. Even the staff entered into the spirit of the occasion with their saris. We purchased Harry's outfit from the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, the young assistant was so helpful and so not only did we get a costume sorted but our money was spent on a good cause. Harry liked his turban the best which was one I used last year when I lost my hair. I used this one the most because I loved the colour red and it is well worn. I think its lovely to see it being used for something not related to ill health.


Harry did have a problem with his snack at snack time, the change in routine can be confusing and upsetting for children with autism. He was choked up and emotional when he came out of school but I spoke to his teacher and we got to the root of the problem and all is well.


I had some sad news today. My mums dog Al has been taken ill. He has liver problems and is on a drip at the vets, it is touch and go as to whether or not he pulls through. Al is an integral part of mums life, her faithful friend. As for me, he represents a wonderful part of my life with motherhood and baby/toddler trips to Erddig and Nains river. I only saw him on Monday and he was so happy, its hard to hear that my little friend is so gravely ill.


On a different note, I gained 2 1/2 lbs this week at weight watchers but I am not worried or stressed about it. Looking at the size of my fingers and the fact that I still can't get a wedding ring on I reckon that if I could stop the drugs I would lose half a stone in fluid alone! The main thing is that I am still going to weight watchers and if I hadn't been going I would be alot bigger than I am now.

Friday Shoot Out - FENCES

I am so sorry, I have had an eventful week this week and as a result, haven't been able to get shooting. However, I have rummaged through my archive!

Above is a picture taken on the mountain in Llanarmon. You can just about make out the fence and the old gate.

Taken in the summer in Erddig Estate. The fence is made of iron and much nicer than the wire ones we see so frequently these days.

The geese at the Equestrian Centre where the boys ride. Fences will be made out of anything you can find, in this case an old gate held together with baling twine.

My favourite place, Erddig Hall. This doorway leads into the formal gardens from the working courtyard.

A very nice gate and fence from Erddig Hall. This is the old entrance to the Hall.

Poppy, Pickles and Wilbur in Darland Woods just 5 minutes walk from my house. You can see the reflection of the fencing on the woodland floor.

Friday Shoot Out - Places of Worship

This is the family private chapel in Erddig Hall from the outside.

Wrexham Cenotaph, not particularly a place of worship but alot of prayers are said at this place

Again.... not a place of worship but people come from all over the world to visit Greyfriars Bobbys grave

Friday Shoot Out - Domestic Animals

I could have put hundreds of pictures on my post "Domestic Animals" because my life is my animals... always has been and always will be. The above picture is of my darling first pony Shilo. I was given him as a rescue pony and turned him from a naggy, underweight and very sad pony into a healthy, happy best friend. I do miss him.

This picture is a very old one of me aged around 10 riding a 14.2hh mare called Cindy at Erddig Hall stables.

Little Harry riding Splash who was all kitted up for the festive season.

Harry being prepared for his lesson on Splash with Lisa.

My beautiful and darling first dog Bobbi aged a few weeks old. She was the love of my life, we shared such a special bond. So sad when she died of lymphoma aged just 5, my heart broke in two that day.

One domestic animal making a fuss of another!

Poppy with her own little domestic animal. She loves these little teddy bears which belong to the boys. She specialises in stealing them and taking their eyes out then guarding them from the other dogs, treating them like her "babies".

Wilbur the terrible with Pickles in the background and the blonde guineapig is Jessica.

Not such a good picture but this is my little boys Russian Dwarf Hamster, Penny. He is called Penny because he was the size of a penny when Harry had him. He is an old man now being almost 2 years old.

This is my eldest sons hamster Blossom. She is a Syrian hamster aged about 5 months old. She had been playing in my dolls house.

Really great shoot out, I could have published more!

Friday Shoot Out - Doors and Windows

I was so excited about this project because it has given me the great opportunity to share Wrexham town with you together with my much loved Erddig Hall. So not much space for text with this shoot out. Above is Wilbur examining a fallen tree which looks rather like a doorway into another world (Erddig Hall Parklands).

NOTE: CLICK ON PHOTOS TO TAKEN A CLOSER LOOK!

This picture was taken from Argle Street, Wrexham town. During the Falklands War some graffittist changed the name to Argie Street. You can see the main High Street through the arcade and beyond, the Horse & Jockey Pub which is the only remaining thatched roof building in Wrexham town. The buildings and arcade were built as a dowry by local gentry.

The entrance of the Horse and Jockey Pub. You can tell how old the building is by the small height of the door. Mind your heads gentlemen!!!!!! It is still a very old and traditional pub. A usual "stop off" for football fans heading for the Racecourse to wath the Dragons (Wrexham FC).

This is the back entrance to Erddig Hall. Probably the "short cut" into the estate when one didn't want to use the more majestic way in. It was probably used by tradesmen and servants too. Notice the carvings on the stone. The picture was taken from Erddig Hall Parklands.

This picture was taken from Erddig Hall Parklands and this is rather an old "kissing gate" which allows entrance into the estate. Oh how it confused my poor dogs!!

Erddig Hall gardens are full of doors and windows. I was really excited to be able to share their beauty with you all. This picture was taken from the "Rose Garden" looking onto the "Formal Gardens".

This was the large gateway entrance from the "Formal Gardens" at the front of the house into the "Rose Gardens". Note the little cubby hole set in the wall which has been limed and has seats in. There are lots and lots of these dotted around the garden. I suppose it was for the owners to take breaks in their jaunts around the garden. A pleasurable experience if they were to the standards they are today.

A different aspect of the same view. You can see the cubby hole a little better and the windows on the outside buildings and those of the "Chapel" adjacent to Erddig Hall.

This is the main entrance to Erddig Hall. Look at all of those windows. Some windows to the side were bricked up when the government introduced tax on windows. If you look at the roof, you can see a small wall skirting the edge. This wall was built to hide the servants windows!

This is the entrance from the working yard of Erddig Hall into the "Formal Gardens" - so pretty.

The doorway from the Orchard and the working gardens which is now a car park. This leads you along a kitchen herb garden to the woodworking and blacksmiths yard.

View from the car park which was once the Orchard and Working Garden. This leads into the "Formal Garden" at the front of the house. I wonder if the small door in the big door is for the duck?

Wrexham Police Station taken from the Wrexham Car Park. The flat rooved building is the War Memorial Hall. Look at all those windows in that 1970's tower! I wouldn't like to clean them! It is structurally the tallest building in Wrexham but because St Giles Parish Church is built on a mound, it still stands above the Police HQ - which is right because the church was designed so that all could see it over the parish and be reminded of God.

The entrance to the Guildhall. Yes, Prince Charles and Princess Diana have stood on that balcony along with the Mayor and various other important people. I love this part of Wrexham because it takes me back to my childhood.

I remember this Butchers shop from when I was a little girl so its very old and you can tell. This is situated on Charles Street another old part of town. I always liked the Rossettes in the window.

Finally, I like the Old Registry Office; where you would register births, deaths and marriages. It has been re-homed on three occasions now. Just look at that pillared doorway and the old sash windows. The window glass is original too, you can tell by the way the sun catches it and you can see the imperfections.

I have so enjoyed this Friday Shoot Out!

Thank you all for visiting and any comments you might leave.

Tribute to Dogs Past and Present

There was a dog show in Rossett today, just a fun thing really. I would have liked to have taken one of my dogs but I am so so tired and I don't know why? Chemo is on Thursday 3rd September so this should be my "good" week. Mind you, if its anything like the Epi, I seemed to suffer from a cumulative effect of chemo. Anyway, enough of that stuff. Here is Wilbur and Pickles sitting together on the sofa. Its hard to believe that when Wilbur first joined our family almost 2 years ago, Pickles couldn't bear him to be anywhere near her.

Pickles is like a fluffy mountain goat at the moment. I only had the energy to clip Wilbur and I only did that because he was hot and bothered (he is a full action pup!). She is very much a "mother bear" dog. She tells all the children off who come to the house while staying at a safe distance from them. I think she is issuing warnings of "you must behave in my house". She is quite a character! She was and is my "3rd time lucky" dog.

Poppy belongs to my friend but she comes to my house on a daily basis while said friend is at work. She also stays some nights and weekends and is an integral part of our family. Harry decided to wrap her up in my dressing gown and she didn't mind at all. She is a characterful dog too.

It's hard to believe that this photo was taken 11 years ago in Erddig. I was pregnant with Joe in the picture and I am here with my mum, my darling first dog Bobbi and mums treasure of a dog, Suzi. I took mum to a rescue centre and she wasn't sure about having a dog again after losing our Ben and Sheba but I thought it was what she needed. It was love at first sight. Mum and Suzi had an instant connection. She was such a gentle and peaceful dog and I miss her.

Me and darling Bobbi on Red Nose Day!! What did we look like? She was my darling treasure of a dog. My little shadow. My little angel. Taken away too soon by cancer. She would have been 15 years old now. This week on 25th August 2009 was the 10th anniversary of her passing. I miss her with all my heart, she was such a special little dog.

Finally, rather ironically, my brothers/mums/brothers fiances dog Roscoe passed away this week. He had suffered a stroke and had been in decline for a few weeks. Sadly, his time came and he met a peaceful end.

I thank all of the dogs in my life for giving me their unconditional love, their support, their company: Patch, Ben, Sheba, Suzi, Bobbi, Sadie, Roscoe, Morgan and in life now; Pickles, Wilbur, Poppy, Al and Fudge. Without them, my life would have been / would be a much duller and sadder place.

Friday Shoot Out - Power

I found this subject quite a tricky one. I have intepretited it as being "things that empower you spiritually, or power used in every day living". I hope the intepritation is acceptable. The first picutre I took was of our family car on our drive way. A Renault Scenic. Great car, lovely to drive but the build quality leaves alot to be desired. However, it gives me the power of independance, the power to travel where ever I want, when ever I want. I would be lost without my car.

Jason withdrawing money from the Sainsburys Supermarket money machines. Well, what can I say? Money IS power; if I had lots of money I could have purchased the best drug options available, I could have got Harry the help and support he needed 6 years ago without having to go through all the stress that I had, I could pay for shoes to be hand made for my mothers feet or a taylor made calipre for her leg of the BEST kind. However, money doesn't buy love, health, happiness or appreciation of the little things in life....

Erddig Hall; a boiler used to power up the wood cutting machines housed in the main work yard of the Hall. The Hall was totally self sufficient and is a complete gem as it has remained in tact since its demise following the Great War of 1914.

Erddig Hall; This is the chapel wing added onto the hall. Their own private chapel which is really quaint inside. It even has a closet room (loo) for family!!! I took this picture because FAITH is what empowers me; it gives me the strength to carry on, to remain positive no matter what, to believe that there is something with meaning worth fighting for. FAITH is a huge power.

Erddig Hall; this is the wood cutting room filled with mechanics of all sorts! The machines must have generated quite alot of noise in their day!

Erddig Hall; the furnace. Blacksmiths room used not only to shoe the horses but to fashion and fix gates etc. The power of heat, fire, energy.

The next couple of pages are dedicated to an amazing design. It is a hydraulic pump, using water and machinery to pump water from the river to Erddig Hall on the above hill looking down.

Erddig Hall Hydraulic pump room. On some occasions when it is working you can feel the ground vibrate beneath your feet.

And this is the water hole that is part of the pump effect, taking water up to Erddig Hall. An amazing feat of engineering!