Guess who's two today!

About 2 1/2 years ago now, we lost the light of our lives . . . our Jess.  Todd and I couldn't have children of our own . . . us both having been way past it . . . so we had Jess.  She was our baby, and we completely doted on her . . .



Soft as butter, she was, gentle and obedient, always eager to please.  We were completely devastated when she passed away.  We were totally unprepared for her to go . . . and we thought we would never be able to love a fur baby like that again . . . we weren't even sure we wanted to open our hearts up to that kind of pain ever again.  We still miss her . . . and I shed a tear whenever I think about how we lost her.  I know to many people she may have just been a dog . . . but to us, she was our world.

And then . . . a chance encounter whilst picking up Betterware Catalogues pricked my heart and started me into longing for another fur baby to love.  One of our customers didn't have their order quite ready and so she invited me in to wait while she did it up.  She had two lovely  Cocker Spaniels and I fell in love with them.  They were so sweet and gentle.  When one of them reached up to pull my face down for a sniff . . . my heart melted.

I could hardly wait to get back to the car to tell Todd all about these lovely dogs . . . well, you can guess what happened next can't you, and any of you long time readers know exactly what happened next!



Our hearts could not stay empty and aching for long . . . and we went looking for a Cocker Spaniel puppy and Mitzie came into our lives.  She arrived in our home on my Birthday in August, 2010, and our lives have not been the same since!  She was only 8 weeks old, but already her personality was showing it's form . . .



 It didn't take her long to take over the garden . . .  every inch was sniffed, and tasted . . . and explored . . .



It wasn't long before it, too, fell under her spell . . .



She was ever so brave on that first day . . . not long from the warmth of her mom and siblings . . . she never cried or wobbled . . . she took to us right away . . .



Jess had never been allowed on the furniture . . . but, as you can see . . . Mitzie was, and is . . . it wasn't long before she took over the house too . . . but in a very nice way, and we were quite happy to let her do so . . .



It was very hard to resist her amazing charm.  Little by little . . . tail wag by tail wag . . . snuffle by snuffle . . .  she grabbed hold of our hearts, and they have been her domain ever since.



Oh how we have enjoyed these past two years . . . watching her grow . . . watching her play . . . rejoicing in every new skill learnt . . . and challenge conquered . . .



 All the baths . . . all the cuddles . . . all the accidents . . . there hasn't been a moment when we have ever regretted opening our hearts to her . . .



All the mischief . . . the uh oh's . . . the shoulda put aways . . .



That little white tail and the way it wags . . . wags . . . wags . . .



The total way she abandoned herself to the world around her and embraced it . . .



It's been so much fun exploring and seeing the world through her eyes . . . watching her enjoy and explore and embrace everything around her . . .




I've never seen anything quite like this, have you???





This is how she sits and watches the telly with us . . . it looks quite uncomfortable . . . but that's her . . . very unconventional!   I think she thinks she's a people too . . .



She's grown into such a beautiful girl . . . with a heart as big as those beautiful brown eyes . . . and a soft personality to match . . .



She tolerates my whims . . . and believe me, there are many . . . she's ever such a good sport . . .



Our hearts are completely hers . . . and they were from the moment we first saw her . . . it was love at first glance . . .



That does happen you know . . . it's not just a myth.  Our  hearts that we thought could never love again in quite the same way . . . were completely bowled over and are now so very entangled and lost in this special little lady, that they are lost forever and quite happily so . . .



We never thought it possible . . . but it was, and it is . . . we are hers . . . and she is ours . . . and we are a family . . .  once more complete.



And it's hard to believe, but she's already two!  Today's her birthday!



And sometimes she's a pain, and I know we are boring . . . but neither of us would change even the tiniest thing about each other.  We were quite simply meant to be . . .

 

Happy Birthday to our special little girl.  You changed our lives in unimaginable ways and we could not imagine a time when it wasn't so . . .

♥♥♥ We love you. ♥♥♥

Your steak's in the fridge . . . ready and waiting to be cooked to your specifications.  ☺

Thank you for indulging me here this morning.



Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Salade Composé

Guess what???  I finally finished it!  My newest cookbooklet, The Great British Picnic!



 With the warmer weather and the arrival shortly of "Summer" I have created a whole new Cookbooklet, entitled "The Great British Picnic." I think it's every bit as delightful as the Tea Party one.  Filled with over 36 new recipes, including several types of flavoured mayonnaises, flavoured butters, beautiful sandwiches, delicious spreads and dips, a tasty assortment of salads, a variety of cool soups, refreshing beverages, picky bits, cakes and general scrumminess, all perfect for celebrating the summer season in a very British Picnic Way. (We are great picnickers over here!) There's something here for everyone!

 

 Included are "Top Tips for Picnic Success" and "Chic Ideas" for creating a "Very Stylish Moveable Feast!" Interspersed between all this scrumminess, there are witty quotes and my own delightful water colour illustrations!

Once again it is available  for a limited time only as a downloadable PDF, delivered securely and safely to your e-mail box for the low cost of £5.  You can find more details on how this can be yours and a button to purchase in the upper right hand column of The English Kitchen.  I am very proud of this and I thank you for indulging me here this morning.  

I wish for each of you a beautiful day.

"Great tranquility of heart is his who cares for neither praise nor blame."
~Thomas A Kempis