Merry Christmas time to everybody!!

So far Christmas is going brilliantly for us, the cats haven't even attempted to destroy the Christmas tree, and Kes has managed to resist unwrapping her presents early, although she has had a good stiff around and present pile and has correctly identified all the parcels containing balls, squeaky toys and dog chews lol - wrapping paper is no match for the power of her nose ;)

We've also bought the cats 'concentrated catnip spray' this year, hoping it has the same effect as the dried cat nip we usually buy them - there's nothing better than watching cats rolling around in catnip heaven :) Haven't decided what to spray the catnip on yet, but Kes has warned me to keep it away from her lol

Hope you have a wonderful time where-ever you are and whatever you are doing :) I'm sure you've all been very good girls and boys so enjoy all the presents Santa is bringing you ;)

We are turning off the computer for a couple of days and having a mini Xmas break, so don't be alarmed if you email and don't get an immediate response - we'll be back to chat and answer any questions from the 29th December.

Hugs and tinsel, fayley and Kes xx

Its October! Its October! *does a happy little 'Halloween is coming' dance* ^^

Gosh but I am excited already, I thought maybe I was getting a little ahead of myself planning my Halloween costume and getting decorations together, but actually now you are all clammering for your Halloween orders I think its definitely time to get excited ^^

Also to look forward to, we are going to be having a stall again at the Faery, Angel & Healing Fayre in Penzance on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 2008, it would be great to see as many of you as possible, I do miss everybody so much now I am working soley on line, so to be out in the real world again for a couple of days is going to be fantastic :)

If you want any details of the event you can find all the info here: http://www.mysticfayre.co.uk. As well as various stalls there's live music, guest apperances from artists and writers, performances, free workshops and demonstrations and just a fantastic atmospher for a lovely day out :)

I've been a little bit naughty and have yet again inflicted upon Kes a new member of the feline variey to our family: introducing Nanook! The most confident and naughty kitten the world has ever seen!

There was much hissing and hackles when he first arrived, all from him! 

Kes was adorable in a resigned kind of way (I think she has admitted defeat where cats in her home is concerned). 

Mea and Dae were not so impressed and refused to come into the house for a whole week, I was starting to think it was all a huge mistake when on day 7 they marched in, sat on the sofa and looked at me as if to say "so what, its a new kitten, no big deal". Ever since then Mea has started acting all kittenish himself so now he and Nanook rampage around the place, cat wrestling and cat racing around the room, with rugs, cusions and ornaments being sent flying *sigh*

Nanook has also now managed to chew through no less than two mobile phone charger cables, thankfully not plugged in, but still more than a little annoying. Especially as we bought half of the cat pet shop toys in existance to keep kittens and cats entertained. Silly kitten!

fayley xx

Things are on the up ^^

Anyone who ready the last Howl will know of the horrid accident I had while out riding, well my beautiful soul mate mare Isha is finally on the mend, 7 weeks on, (grief it really has been a long time), still not able to ride her as she's still a little tender on hard ground but at least there's no oozing hole in the bottom of her foot any more! Also I am soon to be moving into a new bigger home - yay! Lots of space for Kes and the cats to run around!

 I've spent the last 4 days solid painting and laying carpet, (thank you Adam! we'll get that decorators business started soon, watch out rouge traders here we come lol), and today the kitchen will be tiled :)
 I've never done that before so it may look a little 'jaunty' by the end, but hey, who likes straight lines anyway? ;)

My living room is pale blue, but do any of you remember the lush 'cadburies chocolate purple' curtains I used to have as the shop dressing room? Well since I closed the Truro shop they have been sulking in a bag... well no more! They have been trimmed and rehemmed and are now looking beautiful as my living room and spare room curtains - huzzah!!

And utterly greedy of me, I have converted one whole room into a walk-in wardrobe *big grin*. Ok so its only a tiny room, but even so there is now room for many a rail and all of my shoes ^^ Going to start unpacking clothing into it today and really should resist buying any more... but now there's more space... I am sure I need more pretty clothes to fill it *digs out Dare catalogues* ;)

Right, I should stop typing I guess and get on with that tiling, but first just to remind any ex-DeviLutioners, its our monthly cinema meet up tonight for anyone who wants to meet up with old friends - 8.30pm at the Regal Bar in Redruth for the screen 7 showing of Wanted tonight (Friday 4th July).

Ok, of to get messy with tile paint, if I'm not at the cinema tonight I'm stuck to the wall, someone come rescue me lol ;) fayley xx

Yucky yucky

I am having a horrible month. It all started off quite well, beautiful sunshine, getting loads of work done on the fields and in the greenhouse, but now I think maybe the world is out to get me again :(

I'd had a couple of weeks of non-stop work and very little time to chill out and relax and the one thing that really gives me solace from the hectic world around me is my horse. So any hour I can find spare I tack up and head out for a good gallop. As I said, I'd been too busy to ride much for a couple of weeks and was going stir crazy, so early on bank holiday weekend I decided to get out and blow off some steam with my mare Isha.

The ride started of wonderfully, we went through our local woods and enjoyed the bluebells all coming into flower, the birds singing, and the general peace and quite being up before everyone else on the bank holiday.

Then as we turned for home Isha suddenly stopped in her tracks, kicking out with her back leg. I jumped off and found, to my total horror, what I thought was a nail sticking out of the bottom of her foot.

Thankfully we'd just turned onto the road so I waved down a passing driver who held her while I tried to pull the nail out.
No luck.
So I held her while the driver tried to pull the nail out.
No luck.
The driver holds her while I hold her foot in the air and make a frantic phone call to my dad to bring tools. There is still a good inch of nail sticking out of her foot above the line of her sole and all I keep saying over and over is "good girl, calm girl, don't put your foot down, don't put your foot down".

Thankfully the next car to pass us is a friend who also has horses, so she stops as well as distracts Isha with mints and cuddles while I continue my mantra.

We get passed by 3 cars. Isha stands perfectly still, foot in the air. 5 minutes go by. We get passed by 4 trial motorbikes. Isha stands still, foot in the air. 5 minutes go by. Isha looks at me, "why haven't you made my foot better mum, I don't like this". She still stands patiently waiting for me to take the pain away.

Then two horses ride by. Now Isha is usually a total drama queen when she sees other horses out hacking, she wants to be with them, hates going away from them. But she stands still, foot in the air. Until just after they've gone past, then all she does is shift her weight slightly so she can watch them go, and down goes her foot. In goes the rest of the nail. Three very loud gasps and a long groan, from me, the driver and my friend.

Dad arrives with his tool box, and has to use a crow bar to pull it out. Then I see exactly what it is - not a nail - a threaded bolt - no wonder I couldn't pull it out by hand. Embedded a good 2" deep into her foot.

Apparently the public byway, used by dog walkers, riders and cyclists is the perfect place for fly-tipping. Usually I keep my eyes peeled for dangers and rubbish, but this kind dumper had set fire to the rubbish, so the surface of the ground looked like dark mud. Under the surface was a tangle of glass, bolts, metal etc.

We got Isha home, got the vet out (bank holiday vet's bills - not sure which is going to hurt more, Isha's foot or my bank balance). Thankfully the vet thinks the bolt missed bone so all we are looking at is high risk of infection and lots of soft tissue damage and deep bruising. Should I be thankful for small mercies?! At this point I want to go out hunting for fly-tippers, I still have that crow bar to hand....

Its now 2 weeks on, Isha has finished her long course of antibiotics but is still on painkillers, we tried to reduce them over the last week but she's still hopping lame. The scariest part seems to be over, it doesn't look like there is any infection there, but we may be facing x-rays next week if she's still lame in case there is any bone damage after all.

So far we've missed our first two shows of the season, and a lot of sunny evenings riding. But if that's the worst of it I will be a very relieved and happy horse mum.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Then today, with my bank balance reeling from vets bills, I get my latest phone bill. I don't use my land line much, so my quarterly calls are usually under £30.
This bill total is... £297??!!??.... hold on... what the *&*%£$"*!!!!!!!!?

I have been charged for engineering work carried out outside my property?! Yes I had an engineer out. Wanna know why? Because the phone line running to my house was rubbing on a power cabel. So much so that the phone line had worn through and my phone did not work.

To be honest I was more worried about the risk of sudden electrocution while walking to my house rather than a lack of communication! So I call BT, they send an engineer, who replaced the line and lowers it away from the power lines. he even said "you wouldn't have thought this line would have been put in like this originally". No, no you wouldn't.

And yet, despite being told I am not eligible for costs of work carried out outside my property, and being told by the engineer it was the location of the line leading to inevitable damage, I have been sent this whopping bill.

So far today I have spoken to no less than 3 different BT employeers, who couldn't pass me on to the next person quickly enough 'oh, ah, um, let me pass you to so-in-so until you get bored of holding the line' Apparently someone will call me back later with news on the charge.

Maybe its time for that crow bar again...

New lines :)

Oh what a totally gorgeous week, the lamb-kins in the field next door are leaping and bleating (too cute), the daffodils are blooming and Spring is well... springing! I've had a definite bounce to my step and extra wag to my tail this week, 'tis lovely to get a bit of sunshine of the snout ^^

Fay has been working far too hard so I've told her she has to take me for a stroll this afternoon in the woods and enjoy the weather before we slip back into the very predictable winter that March usually has to offer.

But before we sneak off to enjoy our afternoon I thought I had better show you all some of the new lines that have been put on the site this month. Click the links to see more detail or to order ^^

Forsaken Dress

Dress Jewel

Tartan Clasp Mini

Pinstripe Perfection Mini

Skirt Madeleine

Sweeping Satin Skirt

Top Carol

Bound is Beautiful Bodice

There is also a 'slightly new' discontinued page on the site - its been online for a couple of months now so you may all have spotted it already, but just in case it has passed you by, make sure you check it out; everything on the discontinued page is, well, as the name suggests, discontinued! So if you see anything you like grab it quick, all items shown there are in stock to send out immediately but once they have sold out they are 

gone forever! We've only got one or two left of each item shown so don't hesitate, grab it! ^^ 

http://www.daregothic.co.uk/discontinued/discontinued.php

 You will also find pvc, rubber and gothic sale items all at bargain prices on the website on  the main menu tab ** Sale ~ Specials ** ^^ There are so many pretty things in the sale/specials menu I shall not list them all here, but below are a few pictures to wet your appetite ^^ Happy bargain hunting!

Other than taking piccies and typing html for Dare, fay has been kept busy every month with DeviLution. Our next rock/metal night is on the 7th March, and as its only one week before fayley's Birthday we've decided to have a DeviLution Birthday Party ^^ 

It will be a themed dress up night for anyone who fancies dressing up, the theme is 'Heros and Villains'.

It can be any hero, any villain, from real life or fiction, comic book or film. And we'll leave the definition of 'hero' or 'villain' up to you, so that should leave you all with plenty of leeway to let your imaginations wander ^^

Of course you don't have to dress up if you don't want to. But you DO want to don't you? hehe ^^

For any of you not already familiar with DeviLution, all the details can be found here www.daregothic.co.uk/devilution.htm 

If you follow the link to our website DeviLution page there is also a forum you can join and chat to the regulars ^^ We are all very friendly and of course you don't have to be local or an attendee of DeviLution to join, any alternative thinkers are welcome ^^ Come say hello!

Right, I'm off to get my lead and round up fayley for this long awaiting walkies, see you all later! woofs, wags and slobbery kisses, Kes xx