Baggy is seriously upset!

Well it's 8.30pm on Thursday in the UK and Baggy has just tried to post her latest blog "Sometimes, just sometimes" on Facebook. They have blocked it/her! Needless to say Hormonal Hannah is really upset about this and is having a mini meltdown over it. Baggy is shaky and crying and getting close to a panic attack over it.

The first comment said it was blocked because it was spam.

The second that it was blocked because it was a "dangerous" link.

Now it says that the content has been reported as "abusive".

Clever Bird is going to post this then see if she can share it on FB to ascertain whether it is just one day's blog that is now blocked, or the whole blog. She supposes she's been lucky to have written it for over a year without at least one "hater" crawling out of the woodwork or wherever they live. Hopefully normal service will be resumed shortly if Creative Clara can persuade Baggy Body to put her head back above the parapet.........

Sometimes, just sometimes......

It took all Baggy's strength to drag Hormonal Hannah out of bed this morning! Baggy woke at 11.00am when her number one furry called to check that she was okay - he had been working for nine hours by that point! Tempted as she was to go straight back to sleep and avoid the day, Furry Mama insisted (chivvied along by Bracket kat), that she get up and feed everyone. The Domestic Goddess made her a cup of tea and she retired to the sofa, still in her dressing gown. Hormonal Hannah just wanted to cry. Everything seemed too much. But Furry Mama took charge, as she doesn't want a depressed German Shepherd on her hands as well, so she made Baggy get showered and dressed. Furry Mama took charge of the direction of the walk today. She decided to do the pleasant 45-minute loop around fields and over the water meadows. Minty Mutt was very happy to be out. Baggy sloped along behind him staring at the ground and feeling sorry for herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, Archaeology Annie spotted a Mesolithic "spearhead" in the wet mud. She picked it up, then she spotted a "hammer". They were very muddy, she tried to wipe them clean and got gunk all over Baggy's hands. Minty Mutt carried on without her. Annie saw a "scraper". Minty came back to find out what was going on. Furry Mama dragged Annie onward. Mint set off again. Clever Bird suggested that Annie put the flint tools into a doggy doo-doo bag so that she didn't get more dirt on Baggy's hands and clothes. Just as well as when they reached the stile, Baggy had to jet propel Mint's bottom over it.

The Domestic Goddess decided to pop into the farm shop on the way past to buy some bread. Furry Mama tied Mint up outside. Baggy walked into the shop, swinging the flint tools in the doo-doo bag in her left hand. Clever Bird wondered why a couple of women were gawping at her, mouths hanging open. She wandered over to the bread stand - there was none left. Baggy left the shop. She heard a clammering of female gossiping voices. Furry Mama calmed Minty down who thought he'd been deserted forever and was throwing himself on his back, whimpering and wagging his tail. She reconnected his lead and they set off home. It was only as Baggy put the doo-doo bag full of Annie's finds on the floor so that she could unlock the front door, that it occurred to her what Clever Bird had done wrong. Well that'll be all round the village by now...........

The black cloud looms.

Well at least Clever Bird is beginning to recognise the black cloud looming before it actually arrives over her (just). Sleeping too much, feeling overwhelmed, not wanting to leave the house, not even wanting to get dressed, in fact struggling to do anything. This morning she was still in her dressing gown at noon. Minty Mutt was looking at Furry Mama beseechingly through twitching eyebrows, but Baggy just didn't want to move from the sofa. When Clever Bird pointed out to Baggy that this was Hormonal Hannah being over attention seeking once again and that it really wasn't fair on Minty Mutt, Baggy decided to have a shower and make an effort. The moment she was dressed Minty leapt up, so Furry Mama persuaded Baggy to go out. Very early in the walk they met a four-month old British bull dog, he was absolutely adorable. A cuddle with him cheered Baggy up no end.

Furry Mama let Minty choose the route, as Baggy yacked to her number one furry on the phone. The mutt decided that they should do the walk through Assington thickets - quite a long one. But Furry Mama realised that Hormonal Hannah had made her forget to give Minty his medicine. As Baggy yacked to Calum, Mint got further and further behind her. They walked up the long track to the thickets and Baggy turned left, intending to do a loop back to the house which takes about forty-five minutes. She turned round and Minty was looking at her and not moving. "You okay Minty?"
"Not really Mum".
"Do you want to go back?"
"Yes please".
So they headed back the way they'd come. Furry Mama half expected him to turn left when they got back to the road and do their longer water meadow walk, but he chose the shortest route home. Baggy didn't mind as she didn't feel great either.

Furry Mama gave Mint his magic medicine in a cup of tea. He drank it and then fell asleep on the rug. Baggy was inclined to go back to bed herself, but Clever Bird wouldn't let her. Instead Creative Clara packed all her shop merchandise and added a few new items to her shop as it suddenly occurred to Clever Bird that if they're moving house on Saturday, her stock needs to go with her. At least keeping Baggy busy all day has vaguely kept the cloud at bay..........

Taking it easy.

Last night Baggy possibly had the longest amount of sleep without waking up and having to get up, she's had - ever. Now this is probably perfectly normal for most of you bloggees, but it's unheard of for Baggy; seven whole hours without waking up! She only woke up then because Minty Mutt was barking his head off and Furry Mama went down to check what was up with him. As it was only 5.30am she went back to bed and immediately fell asleep. Further barking woke her at 10.00am! As she's usually up every two hours, she feels miles better today. She just about had time to chivvy The Domestic Goddess into action to tidy up the house a bit, so that it didn't look too awful when Baggy's physiotherapist arrived at noon.

Baggy has had physio. on and off for four years now and until her last visit six weeks ago, had never progressed beyond the most fundamental inner core exercise, thanks to Lawrence-the-durmoid-cyst always having been in the way. But last time she was given a new exercise and as she's almost mastered it, today she got an advanced exercise. Well Creative Clara says, "advanced", but that's only an advance on the most basic exercise. She has moved to stage two, of about ten, but Baggy is thrilled! She is finally beginning to get some inner strength back! The physiotherapist was a little taken aback when she found out everything that Baggy is doing at present. She mentioned that Baggy's body was probably telling her it needed a break, especially when Clever Bird mentioned the A&E trip on her birthday. She did think it sounded like Baggy's gall bladder that caused the drama, and she also thought Clever Bird was correct and the cause was all the fat she ate that day, followed by the "monster" cake. The good news was she didn't think Baggy needed to visit the doctor about it unless it happened again. So Baggy felt good after her visit and decided to listen to Hormonal Hannah who wanted a break form all the stress of moving.

Clever Bird was going to persuade Calum to put off the move for another week or so, but actually she's now decided that they should stick with this weekend. She may change her mind again, but Baggy is quite excited. So she let Creative Clara have the rest of the day. She spent it on the internet researching more of her auction buy. She has now added to the tally of lovely things: an eighteenth-century jelly glass, a nineteenth-century rummer glass, an antique wooden Beijing opera mask, and two cute vintage vases. It's a proper little treasure trove......

Stressed again.

Creative Clara would like to apologise for not blogging yesterday, but she got so excited about her auction buy for her Etsy shop that she ran out of day. She's almost finished cataloguing and valuing everything and cannot believe what a good buy she got. Now she needs to get it all photographed and copy written for each product, then she can set it up in her shop. It's going to take a while. It's a shame she'll miss the Christmas market, but Baggy has too much else to do to get it sorted that quickly. She'll be keeping the portrait miniature for her own collection and probably the Chelsea porcelain birds of paradise, which she presumes must be fake, as if they're not, that one item is worth hundreds of pounds. Clara is not an expert in china, although she's reasonably knowledgeable about art deco, which she collects, but she's pretty sure the little piece isn't nearly three hundred years old, and surely if it was Chelsea, the auction house would have spotted it. Mind you they didn't spot the portrait miniature, so who knows? They also didn't spot the very rare crested perfume bottle from 1906 that's also worth over a hundred pounds! Baggy's biggest problem is that Hormonal Hannah has already got very attached to most of the items and doesn't really want Clara to sell them! Not the plan!

Today, Baggy was a "lady wot lunches". She met one of her closest friends for a catch-up. It was lovely to see her and give her a cuddle, as she's had a bit of a sad time recently. Baggy tried to be sensible and ordered a tomato tart tatin and salad, ignoring the fish and chips, the burger and chips and the ham, egg and chips, despite the (literally) freezing weather outside. But it was a good choice - it was absolutely delicious. Then she blew it by having chocolate brownie with warm chocolate sauce and rum and raisin ice cream. Ah well, it's nearly Christmas. Then Grotty Groom made Hormonal Hannah back off and got Baggy to take her to see the Boys.

While she was cuddling and grooming The Boy Wessles, it finally occurred to Clever Bird just how stressed Baggy is once more. Normally as soon as Grotty is with the horses, she forgets everything else. Not today. Baggy's brain would not switch off. Freda Fretter was getting her in a proper flap about moving. In theory this weekend is moving day, but now it's arrived, Hannah is not sure she's ready - literally, or mentally. Perhaps that's why The Domestic Goddess has gone from spending nearly every day packing things up, to not having packed a thing for over two weeks! But it's silly panicking when the fact is they are in the very fortunate position that they could just move back if needs be. Plus as Clever Bird keeps reminding Hannah, all they really need to "pack" now are the furries, Clara's Realuv products and more clothes. Everything else is already there! And if it isn't, they can easily come back and get it, it is after all only ninety minutes away. Grotty will be back to see the horses anyway. Baggy has various appointments and really should see the doctor. And most importantly, Creative Clara has a holiday cottage business to set up. Plus Calum will be back every week to go to work, so can easily take more bits over. All the furniture that still needs to move can move at any time, so no need to stress! Hold that thought Baggy..........

Brilliant day!!!!!

Following on from the "they shouldn't be allowed out" theme of yesterday, Baggy and Calum were let out once again today! First stop of the day: Take Billy Bob camper van back to where he came from to be pampered. He needs a couple of little things fixed - like actually having some heating that works! - and a bit of a service. Next stop: The supermarket to buy some food for the week. This is when it started to go a little pear-shaped. Calum insisted that they need a Christmas tree. They already have one, but to be fair, it is little and the new house is quite big. Seven-foot Christmas tree picked up along with the food. Sigh.

Food shoved in the car, Calum insisted that they went into the "bargain" shop next door to look at the reindeers! One snowman, two reindeers, a dancing dog, Christmas tree lights, Christmas crackers, Christmas tree flashing reindeer lights and some mad baubles later, they got back in the car.

All of these will now require transporting to the other house along with the million and one other things that still need to go. Hmmmm.

Home, furries fed lunch. Shopping unpacked. Calum and Baggy fed lunch, an over-excited Calum decided that they should go to the auction to see if they'd won anything. Baggy's back was so bad by now that she could barely move, but when Clever Bird said that Baggy needed to rest, Calum's face was a very sad little furry-look. Baggy struggled up. They went to the auction with Clever Bird muttering, "We haven't had a text so we haven't won anything". Wrong again Clever Bird.
"You've won three lots".
"Oh, which ones?"
"Dining chairs, a necklace, two boxes with pictures and advertising tins in".
"Can I ask what the ones we lost went for?" asked Clever Bird then rapidly wished she hadn't when she realised they had missed out on all three by between £2 and £10. But actually, it's as well, as knowing Calum and Baggy they'd have got into a bidding war, and in any case they got the three lots that they really needed/wanted.

A set of six dining chairs for the holiday cottage dining table. Two boxes of brilliant stuff for Creative Clara's Etsy shop. A stunning necklace that will be Baggy's Christmas present from Calum, that she adores. Baggy was sad that she didn't get the stunning picture she loved, but they met the chap who did and Hormonal Hannah was happy it was going to a loving home.

This evening Creative Clara has started to go through her boxes of bits for her shop. Clever Bird didn't really look too closely at them before she put in a high bid, quite a bit over the top estimate. That was because she knew that there were more than enough good things in there for her shop and a quick totting up of the souvenir items and advertising tins meant that she knew there was a good profit to be made.

She went through the thirty little tins first. Looked at the slightly creepy, French hand-carved wooden mask, spotted a hand-blown vase, a Wedgwood bowl, a Greek(?) lidded dish. She was about to start unwrapping all the china when she decided to list the three miniature pictures which were described first in the catalogue listing. She had dismissed these as worthless at the viewing as it was everything else that Clara was interested in, and these appeared to be repro. or nothing special. Firstly a hand-carved cork picture; quite well done, but with a damaged frame. Secondly a repro oil. Thirdly a print in a repro frame. Now bloggees, hold a thought while you read this, "Baggy has collected portrait miniatures and old hand-coloured prints for thirty years, so she is reasonably knowledgeable about them". Thought held? Right. So first Clara looks at the cork picture - it is very well executed and the frame just needs re-taping. Secondly the repro oil painting, that's stapled to a modern wooden frame. Closer inspection has her wondering if actually it is really an oil, but she's no expert, all she does know is that it's definitely not printed and it's signed and dated. The signature is illegible but it's dated 1862. More research required. The third picture, well!! Yes Baggy collects portrait miniatures, all painted on ivory in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. She doesn't have many as they are few and far between and expensive. She had glanced at the picture in the box. It is a seriously well executed painting in a repro. looking frame. The Lot estimate was £40-£60, so no way could it be an original. This evening she looked at it under a light and began to wonder. Then she got a glass on it - Baggy's heart rate shot up. It appears to be an original. "It can't be", muttered Clever Bird. She had a look at the repro. frame - it too appears to be original.

"Calum look at this". He looked. He used a glass. "The back is sealed with wax".
"Ooooo, so it is. It hasn't been opened either".
More light required. Baggy looked again. Now she will need to have a better look in daylight, but she is currently eighty-percent certain that it is an original portrait miniature painted on either ivory or possibly glass. And it is superb AND it is signed! Baggy's reference books are at the other house, so she can't do much more research at present, but it would seem that this one picture will be worth at least five times what she paid for the whole Lot! Yep, Baggy loves auctions! Back to the box to see what else is hidden in there........

Baggy should not be allowed out!

Baggy had her lovely Fat Club meeting today. She didn't go last week as she was organising Grotty Groom to take the horses away for their holiday. Freda Fretter made Baggy get on the scales this morning before she left the house, just so she didn't get too much of a shock. It was all fine. Baggy is still within her target weight in spite of giving in to the call of the pancakes for the last two nights.

When she got home Creative Clara checked out her shop. She had another order.

This cute little dragonfly brooch is now flying off to Ukraine! Baggy has a regular bloggee in Ukraine, so Clever Bird was wondering if it was the same person! Her order two days ago, for this little paper weight went to Niagra Falls! She also has a regular bloggee (actually a few bloggees) in Canada. Clara loves being international.

Clara packed up the brooch and did her "bounce test" with the parcel. When Calum got home she whisked him straight off to the Post Office in the next village. Hormonal Hannah persuaded him (without difficulty) that they should grab a coffee and a bite of lunch in the village café. Baggy decided to try to be vaguely sensible and ordered a baby goat's cheese and what looked like mushroom, quiche with salad. When she took a mouthful she realised that the mushrooms were actually red onions that appeared to be pickled. So it wasn't really a quiche at all! It was actually a pastry flan with pickled red onions in it and a tiny sliver of goat's cheese on top. Not an egg, or any other cheese in sight. Hannah was most disappointed, especially when she watched Calum tucking into a lovely ham and cheese Panini. Clever Bird was muttering to her, "It's one thing eating loads of 'syns' when you are loving it, but when you are not enjoying it at all, that's just silly!" Baggy decided Clever Bird was right and left over half of it. Apart from not tasting very nice, the tart was also playing havoc with Baggy's "Geographic tongue" (look it up bloggees - not pretty!), and the tip of her tongue was burning.

"I really wish I hadn't ordered that," said Baggy to Calum, "it serves me right for not checking what was in it. My tongue hurts. Does it look okay?" she asked as she stuck it out at Calum.
"Well, it looks like the Grand Canyon".
"What? What do you mean?"
"You have a canyon down the middle of it?"
"WTF?"
"Go to the loo and look in the mirror".
Assuming that he was joking, Baggy toddled off to the loo. She stuck her tongue out at the mirror.
"Arghhhhhhhh!"
Sure enough there was a massive canyon in the middle of her tongue; red and raw! It looked as though it was splitting down the middle. Baggy prodded it gingerly with her finger. Much to Freda Fretters relief, it didn't promptly split in half and it didn't seem to hurt too much.
Baggy went back to Calum. Calum took one look at the expression on Baggy's face and burst out laughing.
"Should I be worried?"
"No, it's just because you're poorly".
"But it looks terrible. Like my tongue is going to split".
Chuckles.
"It's not funny".
"It is".
"So I don't need to go to hospital?"
"No. It's a sign you're poorly - just dehydrated."
"You're sure?"
"Yes. It's fine".
Hissing noises.
"I am NOT a snake".
Chuckles.
"You're 100% certain it's not serious? How do you know these things?"
"I used to work as a nurse remember?"
"Okay".
Forked tongue gesturing.
Baggy decided to ignore him and order Victoria Sponge cake to cheer herself up.

On the way home they popped into the auction viewing so that Creative Clara could see whether there were any nice lots for her shop. There were a couple, so she put in commission bids for them - much safer than "live" bidding. Then they spotted some perfect chairs for the holiday cottage dining table - another bid. Then Calum fell in love with a "George and the Dragon" - another bid, bearing in mind that it was "thrown in" with a set of cutlery. By now Baggy felt quite poorly. Too much heat (and she was wearing a sheepskin coat), caffeine shakes, sugar collapse and a stomach ache from the red onions - not to mention a still "burning" tongue. Calum was still looking at things.
"Please can we go now?"
"Okay". No sign of movement. Sigh. Baggy wandered over to the jewellery section. Clara spotted a very Bohemian necklace.
"Please could I see Lot 222?" Clara put it round Baggy's neck. She wandered off and looked in the mirror. It was gorgeous and went perfectly with her outfit.
"This is the thing I hate about auctions, I just want to buy this now", said Baggy to the auctioneer - another bid.

"Right, Calum, this is getting silly, we really should leave now, and I feel pretty rubbish".
"Coming".
They headed out of the room and were just about to go downstairs when Clara spotted a picture on the stairway.
"Wow, look at that, it's gorgeous".
"It is nice, but where would we put it?"
"I don't care, I love it. Can we put a bid in? No sorry, we mustn't I know. Let's go".
"How much do you love it?"
"Well..........."
"Ah go for it. You only live once." - another bid.

Tomorrow could be interesting! Last time they put bids in they didn't win any of them. The time before that they won all of them. Exciting - but Calum and Baggy really shouldn't be allowed out, but Cal's right and Baggy needs no persuading, you do only live once.....

Sod it!

No white sparkly stuff this morning, just another cold, but gloriously sunny day for Furry Mama to go out with Minty Mutt.

Baggy did have to tell Hormonal Hannah where to go though, before Baggy would head out. Even though Baggy's cold didn't seem quite as bad this morning, (possibly something to do with the ridiculous amount of Vick's vapour rub that Clever Bird plastered on her chest last night), she still felt rubbish. But her sprits lifted as she watched Minty Mutt bouncing about like a little puppy and Creative Clara was mesmerised by the beautiful light.

Clara would have taken more photos, had her phone not been sulking! It insists that it has no storage space left to take photos, even though it recognises that there is an empty sim card available for storage and is set to put all new photos and videos on it! So why won't it then bloggees? It is driving Clever Bird nuts. Psychic Ploppo is sure that it's because the phone is upset that Baggy has somehow broken its screen. She's tried to explain to it that it needs to work properly, or a broken screen will be the least of its worries, but it doesn't seem to understand.

It did make Baggy feel a little better being out with Furry Mama, but by the time she got back to the house her nose was once again running well enough, to compete in the London Marathon. So her muttered lists for the day haven't really materialised. The sitting room looks like a bomb's hit it, because The Domestic Goddess hasn't yet put away any of the things from the weekend in Billy Bob.
"Right, make a cup of tea, blow Baggy's nose, unload the washing machine, blow Baggy's nose, hang up the washing, blow Baggy's nose, cuddle the cats, blow Baggy's nose, start putting things away, get distracted, blow Baggy's nose..."
"Right, sod it, make a cup of tea, blow Baggy's nose, watch a Christmas film on telly and relax".............