I.am.a.coffee.addict ...

I orchestrate my mornings to the tune of coffee

... and so do the hounds.

They KNOW no morning ramble is complete without the aroma and taste of that first morning brew.  It’s like no other.  

I.am.a.Caffeine.Addict.

.... and I know it.

Gorgeous Full Moon!

Even on market mornings, caffeine is a necessity.  The willing helper knows that once he’s erected the gazebo, unpacked the car and “un-collapsed” the tables his next task is to find coffee.  

It’s as much a necessity for him as it is for me.

It makes the sun shine, even when the sky’s grey and cloudy.

That twisted log caused all sorts of unusual movements in the waves today

That humble little coffee bean has a lot to answer for.  Who would have thought that a billion dollar industry, second only to oil, was spawned by a tree that produces just 1 to 1.5 pounds of coffee beans a year.  An awful lot of tress are needed to produce the coffee that the world now consumes on a daily basis. 

Rumour has it, according to Google, that the effects of caffeine were discovered by a goatherd called Kaldi. 

I thought of Kaldi and his hyperactive goats with much fondness this weekend as we’ve run the gauntlet with the weather.  From sunshine on Friday to icy wet weather yesterday and sunshine again this morning, that caffeine fix has dealt with it all.  The weather COULDN’T have been more different but the effects of the caffeine were exactly the same .... mind enhancing!

I’m glad it didn’t rain on Friday or today.  Our rambles have been longer than usual and very necessary.  Life is just too busy and the rambles with the hound are my way of de-stressing.  Just IMAGINE how manic I’d be if I DIDN’T have that time in the waves with the hound.

.... and if I DIDN’T have my caffeine fix.

It’s been a busy week.  Not only did we help Cayl’s and Dave move on Friday but I had a one-off Art event on yesterday which started at 8am. Every spare moment this week that I haven’t been working at the shop has been filled with all sorts of creative activity.  From designing to printing to cutting to binding to packaging it has been non-stop bustle and busyness. 

Such is life and most of the time, I love it.

We’ve been hound-sitting Sam the Man today as Carol and Pete were participating in ANOTHER half-marathon in Huntley.  I’m convinced Carol’s got a screw loose or, as Pete said, her wiring’s awry.  

I think her hound’s just as demented as her.  

He’s been to the beach with us and indulged in SEVERAL hits of caffeine flavoured frothy milk.  Between the two of them they’ve emptied the ocean of water ... or was that the King tides during the night that did that .... chased rugby balls up and down Kohi AND St. Heliers beach and bullied other hounds with their strangely-shaped log. 

Together they’re a formidable team.

They catch unsuspecting beach ramblers when they stop to shake.  These nice people put out their hands to say hello to the hounds and BOTH hounds drop their ball and, BEFORE greeting the hand, SHAKE-OFF all and any excess water. 

It’s comical watching the reaction.

I think they do it on purpose.

“Weird is just a side effect of being awesome!” ~ anon.

It must have looked rather HUMOROUS ...

Dressing window dummies is not easy ... they're not pliable! They're made of hard plastic and they don't bend .... or bounce. When one falls on your foot it's a big OUCH!

Dolls are much easier.

Putting swimsuits on dummies is a mission.  Bikini tops are fine but bikini bottoms and one-pieces are nigh on impossible to do on your own .... ask me .... I've tried.

It must have looked rather humorous ... the dummy's head wedged between my legs whilst I tried to manhandle the swimsuit over the dummy's leg stumps.  I did succeed but only after having dropped it twice ... the dummy that is. Good job window dummies don't bruise easily.

Our weather today is shocking! The hound and I and oldest lemming braved the icy wind and rain at 6.30 this morning to meet Julia and Indy on the beach. I have no idea what the temp was but the wind must be blowing from the south as it's bringing the chill of the snow with it. We didn't stay on the beach long .... not just because I had work .... but because of the chill factor too.

No wonder no-one's trying on swimsuits today.

Indy was having a 'push the boundaries' day and thought it was a great game to ignore Julia's repeated calls to sit to have his lead on when it came time to leave the beach. Curiosity eventually got the better of him and he couldn't resist coming to see the lens cap I was holding out to him. He must have thought it was something edible. It got him within range where he knew he had to listen and he sat quietly whilst Julia came and fastened his lead on.

Chocolat got his treats - she didn't mind at all!!

Despite the dismal weather there's been a steady stream of browsers in the shop. I get ample opportunity to chat and am introduced to so many new people by the people I know from my daily rambles! 

The hound's a little confused by my absence from the home all day ... and by the shorter walks on Mondays and Wednesdays. I do make up for it on the other days though. She fetches more logs and chases more balls on those days ... much to the delight of Sam. He's fast learning that water and logs go together. We won't see him now until next week when Carol and Pete get back from the Gold Coast..

Rainbows have brightened my day abundantly today. Beautiful brief ribbons of colour bursting out before the rain drops fall .... and fall they have, furiously and frequently.


I just LOVE rainbows ... they bring beauty to even the darkest of daysl!

The photographer got snapped!

This is why I end up covered in sand!

The Photographer got snapped!  It doesn’t happen often ... I’m normally the one behind the lens getting everyone else, and the 4-legged furry friends and winged beasts, to pose ... but today, both Suzanne and Denise thought it high time I got snapped.


It’s all good though .... I have all these images of my buddies on the beach but few of me and I guess it’s necessary sometimes to see HOW I get so wet and sandy.

I cannot get over how absolutely magnificent our weather has been ... there just aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to do it justice. Yes ... the mornings are cooler and crisp but the days are just heavenly .... I’m loving my little piece of paradise even more than I normally do ... and so is the hound.

Her enjoyment of it could have something to do with being able to be on the beach longer and wallow in the waves and sand whilst I have my coffee with Carol. Suzanne had seen me on the beach earlier so she bought Bella down to have some fun with the hound. The two of them are quite contented to ‘do’ their own thing in the sand and the waves whilst we have a chat ... and a chuckle at the antics they get up to.

Squabbling seagulls!

My hound had found a log .... a pretzel size log ..... not her normal mammoth ones .... and was digging trenches all around the beach chasing down her log. Bella was doing something similar with the hound’s ball. Every now and then the two of them would trot off down to the waves ... have a bit of a wallow ... and then trot back up to whichever spot of sand they’d been digging in, and continue with the excavation.

I love this pic ... the outstretched wings as they settle on the water

They were like two kids .... totally engrossed in what they were doing and blissfully unaware of the amusement they were causing. I just LOVE that the summer restrictions have ended!!


Earlier in the morning I’d been feeding the gulls and taking my usual photos whilst Gareth kicked the ball for the hound ... yep, he’s been joining me on my early morning ramble with Julia. I was kneeling in the sand trying to get close-up pics of the gulls when all of a sudden a wet furry bundle tried to get in on the photo action .... the gulls gapped it .... they weren’t hanging around whilst this little fur ball chased them. I think he only wanted my treats though as the chase didn’t last very long and he was back between my legs trying to see what I was feeding the gulls. 

Suzanne and Carol

Today was Carol’s last ramble with us before she heads off to Nepal ... her and Pete are trekking to Everest base camp and then on to Kalapathar, where apparently they get the most awesome views of Mount Everest. They’ve trekked to Everest Base Camp before but not to Kalapathar. They walk for about 23 days with 1 or 2 rest days interspersed throughout the trek, and they climb to a height of 5 545m above sea level. Just to put that height in perspective, Everest’s summit is 8 848m above sea level. A week in Thailand after that should remedy any aches or pains they might have.

The hound and I will miss her ... the ‘Chocolat Express’ , as Pete has dubbed us, has become used to coming back up the hill to walk Carol down to the beach. On her return from Nepal towards the end of May, the serious business of locating a new hound for her will begin in earnest. Chocolat can’t wait for another rambling companion ... and neither can I!!

More sand ... and sand .... and sand ... and hounds!

Abi, showing how clever she is !

Wally (back view) Suzanne, Carol, Denise and Vi (with Bella the Poodle in front)