Friends reunited

 This is the very emotional moment that Amanda, a friend and former neighbour who moved to Suffolk about 6 years ago, met us, and most importantly Rocky for lunch.

 Amanda is the lovely lady who bred Rocky, he being one of 4 pups from a litter and we think the only one left alive (Berners are not renowned for their longevity)

 We met at the Harp, a place that used to do really nice food you could eat. This is not the result of a 4 year old playing but the antics of a mature chef who thinks Sunday roasts need messing with.

 Obviously despite the best efforts of the children Rocky was centre of attention as Amanda's cunning plan was to convince her partner Kevin that dogs are ok and they should have one.

They said they have not got a good photo of them as a couple, and if you look closely, they still haven't.

No escape

 After the usual routine plus one (feeding Johnny Rambo) we headed into town, ostensibly to get dog food but also to stock up on essentials like paintbrushes (heavy rain meant no outdoors jobs , Hurrah!) Whilst in the city RRMK2 stocked up on calories

 before astounding everyone with his dice throwing skills, this was the score from his first throw, next was 224466 and we decided not to allow another throw in case it opened the gates to Armageddon and we did not know where an exorcist could be found on the high street.

 They did, however, exchange their souls for a paintbrush and began their transformation to nerds.

 With the apprentice painting a space marine

 and RRMK2 painting something else. Both were very happy with their creations and it also brought a tear to my eye, especially when I saw the prices of the box sets to their new hobby.

Back at the ranch yours truly ignored the pleas of get on ebay to buy stuff we can paint dad (its an addiction worse than crack believe me) and knowing that I have a 300km bike ride in a few weeks went off on my trusty steed and did 7. Well its a start.

The original

Rocky was the original poster boy in the Red Kite Fostering advertising campaign so he came back to the office for another photo shoot. Looking good for an 11 and half year old Bernese!

While the sun shines....

 Freaked out by a strange glowing object in the weird blue sky we decided that today was an outdoors day for fun. So after a catch up over a coffee with a friend last seen at yours truly's wedding to my BAOSPW (12 years!) me and the boys hit the park to pick flowers for daisy chains, bless.

 Scream on swings

 and get wet on slides.

 Then we headed off to play pooh sticks

 and eat easter cup cakes

 before indulging in a bit of free rock climbing without parental consent. See the pose he strikes, already a mountaineer.

 There are two children hidden in this pic. I'm trying not to panic, if they fall, it will hurt.

 The late afternoon took on a strange twist, a chance encounter with a hiker and the news of dead things on the mountain and poor orphaned lamb led to a rescue. Which is why

 Johnny Rambo now resides at rock HQ for as long as we can keep him alive.

Bo Peep here seems happy. Glad to say he has survived 24 hours, longer than he would have left to his own devices. His brother was dead when I got there as so was his mum. Nature eh? not all Disney is it.

Brooke

 Yesterday was cheered up by these two lovely pics of Brooke from the class of 2009, she lives with a wonderful family in the south west district of the Dolyhir Clan land. She looks stunning (as they all do, Dolyhir dogs, best ever) and like Mr Bear, WooZah, HPD, Fizz and hopefully Nala, is a fab 9 years old now. The pic above she looks a lot like Spotty (RIP)

While in this beautiful pic where Brooke was a flower dog at her owners daughters wedding she lloks the spitting image of her mother Reba (RIP)
We are hoping to meet up with Brooke later in the year and see if she remembers her litter mates and Dad Rocky.

Its a wonder

 Not being the quickest off the mark yours truly genuinely had no idea what lets go to wonderland entailed and it has to be said the magnificent entrance did not raise expectations too much.

 But its for kids, and RRMK2 was thrilled by the whirling t cups

 while I was very impressed by the maze, and even more so

 when they found their way out again....ah well. It was at this point that I realised that wonderland meant the Alice type hence all the faded jam tarts on the walls and packs of cards falling over....told you, not the quickest.

 The land of the dinosaurs was truly hopeless horrific and genuine concrete with faded paint added to the spectacle.

 Back home I got to take my trusty steed out for the hour

 and made good use of the time

 surveying our bonsai mountain from a different viewpoint.

Which left me just enough time to walk the dogs before bedtime.

Birthday boy

 The weather put paid to any idea of

 a family walk to celebrate yours truly

 birthday (I know, rock and roll eh, a walk!)

 But I did get to spend the day with my favourite people and was spoilt rotten by the number of presents friends and relatives sent me so thanks everyone.

 RRMK2 spent most of the day converting the birthday cake box into something much more useful.

He is now officially a unicorn.

Just a reminder

Yours truly might have thought he was making progress on the jobs list, but while walking from one job to the next Pronto served a reminder that jobs are always being created. Cheers mate.