LAST SEPTEMBER SUNDAY

 

So it's almost the end of the month and for September the weather's been a nightmare! Rain rain rain at least there was some sun between but so much fell when it was raining we've had in our area five times more rain than normal! And it's due to rain tomorrow !

Unfortunately some houses that back onto a river in the town, were flooded in the week due to the amount of rain that fell. The road is still flooded due to how sodden the ground is.

A view of the sky on a none raining day!

Mabel decided that her perfect place to sleep now is in the middle of the back doors ! She sleeps there all day and night just wandering around for food etc. But always returning back to that spot. So we decided to treat her to a new bed, that would protect her from cold or sun.

She seems to like it and has been using it ever since it arrived. Now we will get rid of the cardboard box she was sleeping in for a month or so!  Normally when we buy her a new bed , she goes in it once and that's it! Then after a while it gets donated to a charity shop.

A post with photos of the above appeared on an Fb thread , Andy Pandy and Ted, I loved these when I was a very young child, there was also Looby loo a rag doll. Those were the days!

I gathered all my little dolls up and brought them in to go in the new cabinet. Naturally a couple decided to be too big for the top shelf so they have squeezed onto the other shelves.

I do like to have a few smaller dolls.

Today's headliner is Arabella, who has changed into something warmer now it's been all rain and cold winds. She's wearing her Frances Trickett outfit which she tells all her sisters, that only she can wear ! 

At present her sisters are not bothered by her instruction but there could come a time when feathers will fly! 

On the doll front nit a lots happened, although there has been one in and one out! Both none Sasha, the one in is a smallish doll who I'd seen last year and didn't buy but then caved and bought her this year! Almost have buyers regret when she arrived but since removing her from the box and loosening her hair , I'm now pleased I bought her.

I'd like to say apart from that I'd been good ... but carried on down the slope and bought some lovely clothes for the Sasha's.

So a new week and time to start getting the dolls changed into their warmer clothing, since it's October on Tuesday !    Remember doll photo day on the fifth.

Have a great week ahead 

Dee

IT'S TUESDAY !

 

So last week was busy and also quite nice to start off with weatherwise.

There is still lots of colour in the flower garden, which is a bonus.

However the weather has turned to storms and heavy rain! Normally we will get passed by, with just the odd down pour now and then. But not this time, we had thunder rumbling around with flashes of lightening. Rufus being a gundog does not give a hoot if thunder claps and lightening flashes however Casper hates it! He can feel it coming and will start barking, in warning, once it arrives and wants to be as close to someone as possible and if that can be at your feet under a small side table with a cloth over to hide any flashing, all the better! 

Luckily the storms didn't rumble into the night although the rains did. Our local town had flooding in places that are usually fine.

 But since we are almost on the top of hill , we are fine. However the heavy rain did bring down a section of our side guttering.

This is our own fault, because we knew that gutter needed cleaning out, but we kept forgetting to do it! You can see from the roof that we get a lot of moss growing on the tiles, which can get swept into the gutters. We can use a ladder to clean all of them apart from the side one due to the carport roof being below and not sturdy enough to place any sort of ladder on. However now half is down, Paul was able to get up onto the extension roof today and using a drainage rod, push the rubbish out of the piece of side gutter that is still up, onto the carport roof. So at least when this next heavy rain storm they have said is coming on Thursday, that section of the gutter should now stay in place. 

Hopefully we won't have any more problems from these storms. 

No Tuesday my new doll display cupboard arrived and Paul put it together for me on Wednesday.

I needed it to fit this slim piece of wall by the window, so that the sun does not shine on the glass door. It was available in either white or green. I went with the green, hoping it would work with the wallpaper , which I am happy to say it does.

It can have lighting added inside but I'm not going to bother as I can see the dolls well enough. In the photo above the sun is shining in the back windows but the dolls are safe. I'm very happy with it, as now the sideboard in the living room is no longer full of Roche and Pongratz dolls and all the Sasha's that were standing on the dresser are now in this cupboard where I can see and use them. There are more Sasha's up in my bedroom.

Today's head liner is Saffy or Saffron to give her her full name. She is wearing one of my favourite outfits, Vintage Sasha dungaree's by Sarah W and Rosie Bloom shoes. I really should be changing them for the coming winter but I think for now I will just find her a cardigan. 

The boys are all still waiting to go camping but that may have to wait until next year unless we get some nice balmy days in October, which is possible! Although after this rain that we are expecting, they are saying some cold weathers following on! I may have to redress the girls if I can reach their clothes, at least I will have some time if it's going to be chucking it down Thursday!

So have a happy healthy doll filled week 

Dee

A SUNNY SUNDAY IN SEPTEMBER

 

Yes, It's already mid September and the sun is shinning but there is also cloud about too. Where have I been I hear you asking , well COVID stopped play! Paul came down with Covid last Thursday and promptly passed it on to myself and Lindsey! 

So not a lot happened in the last week! Naturally life ticked along around us as we stayed away from people, so as not to pass it on, unlike whoever gave it to Paul! But we are now all clear of it and can venture outside once again. 

Yesterday we managed to get some work done in the front garden, which has become slightly overgrown and in need of some shrubs being reduced or removed. Along with the dreaded brambles which always appear and fight their way through the bushes to snag you when you are not paying attention!. We intend to replace our front side fence over the autumn winter, the existing one has been there for a good 15 years plus and is starting to rot in places plus when we put it up the area was open, so the fence panels were fancy ones with gaps been the slats. Now however the shrubs have grown and hide most of the panels and our next door neighbour, on that side, decided a few years back to stop cutting his grass.( He also complains when our shrubs grow over the fencing! )So that now grows to about three foot high and we now have to pull loads of grass out of our gravel path. So a nice solid fence will hopefully reduce some of his grass seed getting into our gravel.

But first we need to tidy it all up. Honestly a gardeners work is never done! 

September is spider month, they start appearing everywhere! They have been about anyway but in September they like you to see them sitting on their webs

Ragnor and Robin are todays headliners, although all they ask at present is 'are we going camping or  what? ' I do keep saying they are, but it needs to happen soon before the really cold wet weather arrives! We had a mini taste of winter this last week, with the temperature dropping down very low overnight and some heavy showery days. So those knees will need covering up soon !

On the doll front due to the Covid not much as happened , although I did sell a doll before it hit. Also a few props arrived... I know I know.. there is really very little hope for me!

But pretty much nothing else happened. 

A busy week ahead for us here, with various appointments and the delivery of my new indoor doll display cupboard.

So I will wish you all a happy healthy week ahead 

Dee

 

IT'S THE FIFTH OF SEPTEMBER

 SO DOLL PHOTO DAY!

First up is Adelheid on Griselda at RoRoPo where she is smelling the beautiful yellow flowers called "Madchenauge" girls eyes, of course!

Look at this wonderful horse! So majestic ! The children here in the Sasha village, love Griselda and keep asking when they can have such a fine steed! I keep telling them they had best start looking after their horses Major and General first before asking for another one!

Over the pond at Gregoropolis the Caleb's and Cora's decided that it was time they stood together long enough for Daddy Steve to get that elusive photo! 

From the left, Blake, James and Valerie, all looking lovely in their summer clothes.

Meanwhile Kaveh and Rhoda are busy getting their gear together for the first day back at school.

Daddy Steve is concerned that Rhoda may throw the football about in the classroom and he won't even get to the end of the first week before he gets called in ! Kaveh is trying to convince her to take something else instead but Rhoda's having none of it! Best stay near that phone Steve...

Here in the village Saffy is wanting to know what's going on? Dolls coming and going , space made, space lost ? When will mum get her act together ! Or do we dolls need to start running the place?....

Thank you to everyone sending in photos, still space for more

Dee

A NEW PLACE IN THE VILLAGE

 

A new place to eat and drink has opened up in the village! And the children are loving it!

Magda decided to treat Sassy to a drink since Arabella was being a pain ! 

Suzannah Roche is helping out , having got a Saturday job at the new place.

One of the perks of the job is a free cup of hot chocolate !

"Oh how lovely to have a hot chocolate shop in the village ! " exclaims Sassy " I love chocolate "

" It is, it only opened yesterday and I noticed it on my way to collect you from the station " Magda answers " Which is lucky for us as the others don't know it's here or the place would be buzzing! "

 

" I thought it was a bit quiet in here " Sassy says looking around " I'd be in here all the time !"

" It will be great to pop in on the way back from school in the winter " agrees Magda " I hope mum can set up an account so we can just come in when we want"

"Hi ! Wow I didn't know you were here!" exclaims Perry " Can I have a BIG hot chocolate with all the trimmings please "

Suddenly the noise level goes up 

"Wow Chocolate!"  

" I need some chocolate !"

" Oh I didn't bring my purse !" " Don't worry I've got mine !" Thanks"

" I wonder if they do Lemonade ? "  " Why!" "It's refreshing "

" I knew it was too good to be true !" Magda says raising her voice hoping Sassy can hear her 

At least Suzannah is happy , it the shops busy, she gets to keep her job ! 

"Come on drink up " says Magda loudly " we cannot hear ourselves think with this racket!"

" It will go quiet once they have their drinks " Sassy shouts back " Hopefully "   Magda's not so sure knowing her siblings. But she slips her drink slowly.

SUNNY START TO SEPTEMBER

 Goodness it's hot out there! Today's the first of a new month, September, and she's come in with a burst of hot sunny weather, wonderful. I love September, yes it's the start of the year moving towards autumn and cooler weather but you still have sunny days just cooler nights, which is a bonus! Much easier to sleep if the night is cool.

Well after all our busy ness, we have fallen back into the thinking not actually doing lull. We are sort of doing things but it's more a bit here and there rather than a get it all done and finished. I did finally start on the carver wooden old dinning chair I bought to refurbish. The previous owner had used loads of tacks to attach the fabric, in the totally wrong place , over and round to the underneath and not across the top as it's meant to go.

But now all the tacks are out, the section where the old original tacks had been was full of holes along with a section that had split, so that's all been glued back and filled. Then it was a case of planning how we would replace the seat trying to do it the way it's meant to happen and all the parts ordered to do so. Hopefully I may be able to share the finished item next week. Once that one's finished we will move straight on to the four arts and craft dinning chairs or it will be another six months before that happens! 

Being us we have also wandered off piste and ordered the insulation board and mdf for the internal outside walls in our bedroom. Now I know you are thinking what? they still have the chairs to do etc etc but there is a good reason. We need to move the radiator in the bedroom from under the window at the back of the house to under the window at the front of the house but we first need to insulate and board the wall. The boarding is because we are intending to panel each of the window walls along with half panel one side maybe! Plans plans plans which are always open to chopping and changing especially once we actually start on the room. I'm still trying to decide if we have to remove the ceiling in that room, but the thought of all the mess that would cause is stopping me committing to doing so.

But getting the boarding up and the radiator moved will at least be a start and won't take Paul more than a couple of days, she says...

We have also done some work in the garden removing some branches and cutting back some shrubs to let in light and clear around other ones.

Saskia is todays head liner, the above photo is not mine but her previous owners, she is settling in well even if at present Arabella is giving her a wide berth. But she's noticed that Arabella appears to be around where ever she is but so far she's not defrosted yet! But Sassy is sure she cannot hold out much longer!

On the doll / prop front, things have been happening! However I'm not sure it's quite what I intended ! Because the August bank holiday weekend turned out to coincide with one of my buying spells! Yes I know I know, less is more and all that! However I did spring for a few props with stories in mind and some fabric, like I don't have more than enough, plus wool and a couple of items from Ginny's site but you always need new clothes for the girls and boys! Oh and a couple more from Michelle!

If that wasn't more than enough I also bought a new cabinet for the dolls! Yes another one! I had been searching for an old one that would go on the wall to store mainly my Roche dolls in but I could just not find what I was looking for. I did consider if I could move one of the two in my studio back into the house but I needed one that if it could not go on the wall, could fit against a piece of narrow wall at the side of one of the back doors, in order that it would not get hit by the hot sun that fills that side of the room, Being beside the door and not to the side of it, the sun won't damage the dolls or their clothing. Unfortunately the two I already have are too wide for the space. So finally I sourced one and it should arrive in a few weeks.

On the other side of the doll front, I did sell two dolls, one a non Sasha and one a Sasha. Unfortunately I will probably land up selling a group of the new Sasha arrivals ( not Saskia ) as I have a doll I'm intending to buy at Christmas time and need to gather the money in. I should really have sat on my hands and not been spending on more Sashas but alas I did not,  so now they are almost turning round and heading out again! 

So that's what's going on here at present, still not booked a few days away but hope to get that sorted next week .. maybe

Have a lovely happy healthy week ahead, remember it's doll photo day on the fifth which we be here in a second!

Dee