“Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ”
―Roger Caras
If this is so, our Aidan without a doubt has made the best dog deals ever made. He is in Germany this week. His buddy is waiting patiently for his return.
Literally.
By the door.
They surprised us to say the least, those deer. Moira finished her dance competition early in the day and since we were already a couple hours from home we hoped to see something of the area before we left it. We chose the Charlecote estate, home to the Lucy family since the 12th century the brochure said.
It was late in the day by then so the manor house was closing to the public but the grounds were open. We read there were deer on the property but it can be hit and miss with brochures and sightings we have learned. Yet, there they were. Down, down the trail, across the pasture, through the gate, up the hill and there.they.were.
I was in a skirt and full of scratches from trudging through brush to get right up close. It was very cool to walk amongst the herd instead of peering through fences. That made it well worth the battle scars on my part. They were not tagged and, though cautious, did not startle easily. This was great for me since I didn't have a zoom lens along. What you see is how close we were.
The world is a beautiful place. : )
Close to the top of classic simple summer pleasures is making s'mores. This night was made even better by a friendly little wager. Their Dad off-handedly said he'd offer a reward for whomever could light the fire pit without use of fuel, match, etc. Here's a helpful tip for you, dear readers. Do not make wagers like this with homeschooled kids. You may discover that your teen daughter got a flint set from her big brother as part of her birthday package one year (along with other resourceful items like pink hair dye and a small video camera for her dog to wear around his neck.) Girlfriend sure enough DID find her flint and in short order had a nice little campfire going.
Oh yes she did.
Bam.
Oh to live each day like this.
Let's.
Summer is off to a very good start.
Sewing books have been on and off the shelves for months now but today we actually got the sewing machine set up. First time in this house. We moved in 11 mo ago so don't be too impressed. I have a copy of Absolutely A-line and thought it might be a good first dressmaking project for Moira, not to wear, but to make for the little girls. In many respects it was that, but the caveats shared on Amazon do apply.
The pattern is very simple. There are four pieces to cut out and the written instructions are straightforward. There are no illustrations showing how to lay out the pattern pieces however. (no guidance re:right side up etc) If you have sewn before you can wing it. It's a great base pattern to teach someone else to assemble a garment. For $2 used, the paper templates are cheaper than you could buy at the fabric store. I would not try it for your own first sewing project without an experienced seamstress available. And this folks, is how we keep our amazon credits nice and low around here – discourage you from purchasing lol.
The measurements given were pretty accurate. I went a size up for Tess because she has gone through a few sizes in the past year. It's pretty roomie right now but I expect it won't be by summer's end.
I worked up this first dress and made enough mistakes to feel confident helping Moira make the second one tomorrow.
Starry Sky Journal 
