Since I last wrote, Booty has continued to be well and quickly recovered from her adventure at the vet's. On Saturday, our friends Anna and Rebecca brought their greyhound Paco over for a sleepover, while they went to a combined engagement/30th birthday party in Swansea. They came over in the afternoon and we had a tray of lemon vanilla cupcakes that I'd baked - these disappeared very quickly! Most amusingly, Andy stole a couple of the discarded paper cases from the garden table where we were all sitting out, as they still had lots of yummy frosting on them. We all expected him to just lick off the frosting, but not Andy. No, he promptly ate the entire case, frosting, crumbs and all. It doesn't appear to have done him any harm but I hope he doesn't make a habit of it.

It was lovely to have Paco around - he's good friends with Booty and Andy as they all go out for walks together regularly and Paco comes over with Anna and Bec when they visit us. He quickly made himself at home, enjoying sniffing all the garden plants, having peeing contests with Andy, drinking from the pond and lying on his back with his legs in the air waiting for tickles. In the evening we all watched the final Bourne film with all three dogs reclining gracefully on their respective cushions.

In the afternoon, I also went over to Busy Bees, my local patchwork/quilting store and where I go for lessons. They were having a weekend remnant sale and also launching their new programme of classes which start in September. As usual, there is a mouth watering selection of stand alone day classes and series of lessons - there are several which look particularly tempting. I will probably write more on this over on my craft blog. While I was there, I also bought a few fat quarters in the sale, and then treated myself to a Moda Scrap bag of lovely blue and buff fabrics and the most adorable Moda Honey Bun - basically a miniature jelly roll. So sweet. So now I have a new stash of strokeable fabric and several ideas buzzing round my head for items to make. The last couple of nights I have gone to sleep picturing quilt blocks and counting squares! My initial thought for the scrap bag fabric is to make a Christmas present for a friend of mine, with nine patch blocks in the centre and flying geese round the edges as an inner border. We shall see.

On Sunday afternoon, Anna and Bec reclaimed their hound - we had walked him and ours in he morning over at Tredegar House. Fortunately we just missed the rain and by the time Paco left us it was a downpour. This summer is not as bad as last year, but I would really like some settled sunshine - it would be so nice.

On another craft related note, I have taken the momentous (for me, anyway) decision to enter some cross stitch into our local show - the St. Mellons Agricultural Show. This is held at Tredegar House every August - we went last year and it was like the Somme with mud everywhere and appalling downpours. This year, fingers crossed for better weather. There are several adult craft classes, including one for cross-stitch, one for a greeting card and one for an item that could be sold at a bazaar or fete. For this latter one, I think I might make something like a cross-stitched coaster or possibly a key-ring. The piece of cross -stitch I will enter will be the baby sampler I am currently working on, not the largest of pieces, but a pretty piece with coloured aida, some fractional stitches, backstitch and some beading. Entry is the princely sum of 50p per class so I think I will go for it.

Paco is coming over again on Thursday for the day - Andy and Booty are looking forward to seeing him again. I attach a couple of snaps from his visit on the weekend.