I picked up a load of new sample coats from Nina earlier in the week and yesterday, amazingly, it wasn't raining.  So after our normal walk at Tredegar House, we took the girls over to the reen behind the houses and did a few pictures to put on our website.  We have several new fleeces  and the second prototype of the raincoats we'll be launching soon.  Got some lovely pics of the girls - Sara is very photogenic.  

 

After we'd done our mini shoot, got home, fed the woofs, fed ourselves and read the paper for a bit.  Then Andrew started uploading pics to the website along with the various bits of text, shopping basket etc.  and I put lots on Facebook.  Caught up with the wedding Sherlock last night- I enjoyed it, but it did feel quite self-indulgent, and again, I'm struck by how poorly written the female characters are. 

This morning, Andrew took the boys out first thing and got some diesel, while I got ready, then headed off with the girls.  Our destination was the Bristol DAWG Dog Show at Avon Riding Centre, Henbury, just south of Bristol city centre.  The centre has a lovely view back towards the Severn Bridge.  I met up with our lovely friend Sue and her gorgeous hound Mick - we entered quite a few classes but not a sniff of a rosette.  This happens sometimes, so not too worried, especially as I know that shows are such good fundraisers for smaller rescues.  

 

There was a raffle as well, and to my astonishment, I won the most enormous hamper of dog goodies I have ever seen in my life.  It took a man with a big parcel trolley to load it all into the car - there's masses of stuff.  Tinned food, dry food, treats, snacks, even sardines.  We'll be keeping and using some, but quite a lot will be going to EGLR, I'm helping with their show in May, and this will be perfect for the Doggy Tombola. I started my journey for home just before 4 in the rainy dusk.  There's something really romantic about that time of day - I love the grey, low sky, the twinkling lights and the sense of returning home to warmth and welcome.  The girls were shattered after a long day of bum sniffing and excitement so slept most of the way. 

Andrew had been busy while I was away and there was a warm welcome from the two boys.  A big tray of vegetables for roasting was just going into the oven - they are cooking now and smell gorgeous.  I probably won't be having wine tonight though - for the last couple of months, I've drastically reduced my wine consumption as I've found it triggers hot flushes.  This is particularly unpleasant if I drink in the evening as the flushes seem to happen a couple of hours later, so I'm kept awake.  Fortunately, if I drink vodka or gin, there seems to be no ill effect, so I'm currently enjoying a big glass of vodka and orange juice.