Shit, it's a dead cat...

Hooray the clocks have gone back, I can see, the mornings are lighter. Couldn't come quick enough for Milo and me as I nearly made a big fool of myself yesterday morning. We were driving down the road towards the woods when I spotted a dead cat lying in the road. I slowed down ready to stop, pullover and knock on a few doors asking if anyone was missing a moggy? As I got closer I soon realised the dead cat was infact a pile of horse manure! Could have received some very funny looks trying to cradle that in my arms.

The woods are beautiful this time of year, all golden and warm colours yet cold and breathtaking. We love Autumn. I love watching the geese fly off to warmer climates and wish I was travelling with them on their adventure. I think it's time I planned another adventure for MiloandMe. I kind of like the idea of going back to the West Coast of Scotland but am not sure the Beast could stand the cold. Every few days his engine battery is flat and it's not even that cold yet. Not sure what that's all about.

Poor Milo is now hiding in the bedroom having heard a firework in the distance. So I've made him a little den to feel safe in and am playing him some soothing music in the background. It's like this every year but it still breaks my heart...

Autumn in the woods...

Migrating South...

Milo in his den... 

Milo and The Milk Tray Man...

I for one can't wait for the clocks to fall back an hour. Milo and me have got into a routine of our daily walk being at about 7am. Unfortunately for the last few weeks it has been extremely dark in the woods at 7am, I can't see where I'm going (story of my life!). Milo doesn't care and insists on waking at 6.30 for his breakfast and then mithers me until I agree to venture out. He does everything that he knows will annoy me: empty the bin; eat my socks; steal my slippers, just to get me out of the armchair.

This morning though he was very quiet. He was up to something. He was lurking around looking rather suspicious. And it appears he was up to something, he has been online and entered me into a competition! He has put me forward to be the recipient of a box of Cadburys Milk Tray chocolate delivered by himself, accompanied by The Milk Tray Man. They will both go on a mission, risking life and limb, to deliver said chocolates to me. I, of course, will be waiting deep in the woods in my log cabin lying by a log fire looking suitably gorgeous praying for their safe arrival.

 Now I appreciate The Milk Tray Man and I won't live happily ever after, what with him having to carry out these missions on a daily basis, but if only for a moment I will get a taste of this. And of course the chocolate...

Milo ready for his mission...

I think I hear their helicopter approaching...

Ready for my chocolates...

Hoping for mission accomplished...

A Tinder has-been living alone in the woods...

I want to live in the woods. I really don't mind where the woods are as long as I'm surrounded by them. I will live there with my husband and Milo. My husband will operate as a secret service spy and will go away for weeks at a time on top secret spy missions. Occasionally I will meet up with him at worldwide locations for a romantic hotel rendezvous, otherwise I will wait upon his return to our house in the woods.

On this note I have joined Tinder. I've not quite met James Bond yet but I've had some interest. I took some professional advice regarding how to work Tinder and was told to always swipe right. Apparently men take rubbish photos of themselves and aren't very good on description. Well after a day of much swiping right I'm now receiving some pretty weird messages and have decided I'm going to have to be a bit more selective in my swipe right motion. I have had one date so far and it went ok. He turned up. We then arranged to meet up for dinner on a second date but I got a bit greedy and arranged to meet another date two hours before him. Saves on petrol I thought. Anyway to cut a long story short I got a bit confused as to which one I was messaging and got my times a bit mixed up when date two asked to alter the time. At which point they both had to cancel and I had no dates and nothing to eat for my tea. At this rate I will be living in the woods like a has-been Goldilocks/Little Red Riding Hood...

Me waiting for James Bond...

My house in the woods... 

Milo collecting fire wood...

Help me out here Tinder...

London girl...

Today is my sons 30th birthday and he is in Rome with his girlfriend. I bought him a suitcase. I would have preferred to buy a ticket and fly out to surprise him but I don't think he would have been too impressed with that! I can't believe he's thirty already, he's my pride and joy, my biggest achievement. It only feels like yesterday that I was in hospital in London, during the Big Storm, staring at this funny little fella in a plastic box next to my bed. I did wonder if I'd be a good enough mum and if he'd turn out alright. I think we've both surpassed my expectations. Even if he does think I'm a nutty mum :)

I went to London this week on a little day trip. There was a reason for my journey but it's top secret and if I tell you I have to shoot you. And I don't have a gun. I travelled down on a Virgin train and rather enjoyed overhearing the various conversations of the other travellers. Other people's lives are so interesting. I did a bit of sight seeing round the Marylbone area and visited a famous bookshop called The Daunt. I was a little bit naughty and placed a picture of MiloandMe over a book cover in the travel section. Just to see what it looked like. A girl can dream. Hopefully my dream will come true one day. I paid £3.30 for a small latte, wandered through Regents Park, tried to enter what I thought was a popular looking bar full of men which on closer inspection turned out to be student facilities and then walked to Euston station where I ate in a little back street Italian restaurant. I love London. I could be a London girl.

I am now back on the Wirral, Milo ate one of my slippers, the Beast has a flat battery and I have blisters on my feet...

Thirty years ago...

London girl...

The Daunt bookshop...

My ambition,  second shelf... 

Happy Birthday Milo...

It was Milo's 5th birthday on 3rd October.  And I forgot. I'm such a bad mum, I only realised when I got one of those facebook memories showing his first birthday. I'd been out most of the day shopping and getting my hair cut (of which my mum and sister said it doesn't look any shorter! see pic!). Anyway I made it up to him and took him off in the Beast for an adventure. Although I'm not so sure he enjoyed it. It's been so long since we slept in the van and he kept sitting by the door waiting to get out. We only went down the road so that's probably what confused him.

I chose a really quiet location, plied Milo with biscuits and a tin of sardines I'd brought back from France and snuggled down on the couch with him. Then the noise kicked in. Our peaceful location felt like being parked next to a motorway once the farmer started ploughing the field. This went on until about 1am. Somehow I managed to sleep through most of the night, only waking up once, as I'd chosen to sleep in my clothes under the duvet and 3 blankets my fleecy lined leggings had to be removed. But sleeping in the overhead cabin bunk it felt a bit like getting undressed inside a coffin. I could see Milo's bemused look in the moonlight watching this activity.

We woke up quite early as Milo had vomited up last nights snacks all over the carpet. We then headed down to the beach and our favourite cafe the White Owl. Then we packed up the Beast and went back to Pips. It was only a short trip in the Beast but it made me realise how much I miss him. If I could afford to I'd drive round in the Beast forever...

It is shorter...

Waking up the Beast...

Zoom in to see Milo...

Our favourite cafe... 

Can my ugly mug attract Mr Right...

I really should look in a mirror before I leave the house in future. Yesterday, as usual, I threw on my coat and wellies (sometimes on top of my pyjamas) and headed to the woods with Milo. When we got out the car Milo dropped his ball which rolled between the feet of three men discussing which route they were about to jog. Hmm, I thought, as I leant in to retrieve the ball. They all stopped talking and just stared at me, for more than a few seconds. I smiled and went on my way. Then I raised my hand to move my hair out my face and that is when I realised I had not removed the previous evenings face mask. No wonder they were staring at me, my face was just a mass of white sticky goo. I must have looked like something from a horror movie!

Milo has had quite a good week. Pips boyfriend bought him a squeaky duck, well it was squeaky until he ripped it's insides out. I've also found a lovely new coffee house and Milo loves it too. It's called The White Owl and is in a beautiful location in Thurstaton.
I had a shopping day with my son and his girlfriend yesterday and my son very kindly offered to buy me some new wine glasses... See photo!

And on a final note I've joined Tinder! I tried it a few years ago and wasn't successful finding love haha. But I'm giving it another shot. It's a bit gruesome to be honest. Like looking at someone's face and then just binning them. Why do men wear sunglasses in their pics? They may as well just put a bag on their head. And don't get me started on the weirdo pics including carpets, underpants, bathroom selfies, seriously too close close ups etc etc. Anyway I've had over a thousand likes so fingers crossed the odds are in my favour, or the oddballs are...

Milo's Duck...

What's left of the duck...

Our new haunt...

My drink problem...