29/7/12 Nails

I have decided to paint my nails today as am feeling quite summery. (Although in typical British summer fashion, the minute I decided to get my toes out it rained!)

Having given myself a DIY manicure including an absolutely foul smelling hand mask, fiddled about with the cuticles a bit and done some filing I was ready. Now decisions, decisions, what colour?

My preferred choices were: candy floss pink, turquoise, a darker sea green or steely grey.

I opted for the turquoise as it always stands out bright and fresh.

Bubbles couldn't give a monkey's what colour my nails are. She just enjoyed supervising my manicure efforts from her vantage point on the top of the bannister!

28/7/12 Pruning

Today, my aching muscles suffered once again, as this time I tackled the front garden, where three bushes seemed to have morphed into one! I quickly set to work pruning the shrubbery with a pair of sharp secateurs.

I was quickly reminded of why I would fail abismally at hairdressing. Every customer would enter asking for a "trim" or "tidy up" and leave completely bald!

Having completed the backbreaking task of pruning the garden shrubbery, I stepped back to survey my work. Not bad really as I have managed to create two rectangular shaped shrubs and one tree shaped one (not the image above - my efforts were slightly less symmetrical!).

Bubbles spent the entire time supervising my efforts through the front window. I'm sure she wanted to come outside to help and was most put out to be confined indoors.

I was rather relieved not to find a resident hedgehog among the shrubbery, as we do have a friendly little fellow who seems to frequent our front garden, sniffing around and racing along at a tremendous pace for such little legs!

I can already see the weeds starting to peep through the paving slabs again in the back garden so no doubt will soon be slaving away at them again.

When did I ever find time to study?

27/7/12 Olympic Games London 2012

Tonight was the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games and what a spectacle indeed it was.

I particularly liked the way the honour of lighting the Olympic Cauldron was passed onto the next generation of young, aspiring Olympic athletes; which really epitomises the way England and Great Britain have been working to inspire young people to take part in sport through schools and many other activities and the importance of and achievements reached as part of this.

Bubbles sat on my knee for the final part of the ceremony, patriotically sporting a Union Jack headscarf but probably wishing she was, instead, partaking in the "Cat Olympics" sport of cat napping, treat eating or mouse chasing!

26/7/12 Happy Birthday Bubbles!

"Happy Birthday" Bubbles, who is six today!

Here she is, waiting for some birthday fuss whilst sunbathing on her birthday!

She has received a very exciting ball with a feather tail and a catnip mouse for her birthday (the carrier bag containing presents had to be quickly smuggled in and concealed in the wardrobe before she got a whiff of any catnip!) However, she did eye me and the bag suspiciously when it was brought in yesterday afternoon.

Today, I think Bubbles intends to spend most of her birthday sunbathing, sleeping, relaxing and eating.

I think I might join her....

25/7/12 Peeking

                                                      

I'm not the only one who has been doing the gardening this week. So has my cousin Francesca, whose cat Pierre was also kept indoors during the proceedings.

Pierre, however, found a most unusual way of spying on his owner; peeking through the letter box, which Bubbles found highly amusing!

24/7/12 A Run

With my aching muscles threatening to seize up even more, I decided some serious action needed to be taken; in the form of going for a run.

The temperature today has risen to a glorious 26 degrees, so I think my run today could probably be classed as more of a jog / walk / jog / walk. Still, I give myself ten out of ten for effort, as I pounded the pavement, slurping away at my water, with sweat dripping down my face!

On arriving home I collapsed in the garden to cool off much to Bubbles' delight as she enjoyed a lovely, relaxing lie down in the shade; whilst I puffed and panted on the grass next to her (hogging most of the shade I must admit) while trying to get my breath back and trying to feel human again!

23/7/12 Ouch Agony!

Ouch! Today I can barely move thanks to my gardening efforts on Saturday having caught up with me. Sitting down is somewhat painful on the hamstrings and when I crouch down to check Bubbles' litter tray, I can hardly stand up again! I definitely cannot straighten out my legs and my hands feel as though they are going to drop off!

Well, five and a half hours worth of gardening certainly made me discover muscles I never knew I had! So an easy day today with a lot of TV watching and some gentle cuddles from Bubbles, who seems to sense I am in pain and has not divebombed me at all!