Rhubarb and bones

What a busy week! It started quietly enough with the Sunday papers and a bacon butty, and yoga on Monday as usual. We're all becoming quite bendy and stretchy now, but none of us can match the suppleness and strength of our instructor who can stand on a hand with his legs twisted into a very strange knot. Just a show-off is what we say!

Later that day my next-door neighbour brought me some early rhubarb. What a wonderful colour, a sort of glowing strawberry pink, contrasting wonderfully with the deep green leaves. It was so kind of her, I am one of those unfortunates who cannot grow rhubarb. Yes, I know it's supposed to be easy. Just chuck it in and let it grow, they say, you'll have trouble keeping it in check. Yeah, right. A few weedy bendy twig-like stalks are all I get. And that's if it's managed to stay alive. So a lovely rhubarb crumble and custard at teatime courtesy of Julie. Yum!!

Meanwhile, sewing furiously and working on the picture above. This is my DevonBear, called Jack. I'm hoping to have a large version custom-made for my stand in the summer. Some friends have donated an old-fashioned life belt for him to sit in and so all I need now is the bear. Does anyone out there make bears?

The same friends who donated the lifebelt run the Canvas Factory in Dartmouth. Some time ago I commissioned some panniers for Ben from them and this week they rang to say they were finished. Wow! Is all I could say. They fit like a dream and he swaggers along in them, having taken to them instantly. Still, he's used to wearing a harness for his water work. He can't carry anything very much yet as he's still only 10 months old, but I'm getting him used to light weights.

We walked up to the village butcher's shop where they carefully placed a bone in each bag for him to take home. He graciously accepted tributes and praise from everyone we met on the way home and now believes he is a superstar. As Amy also believes she is a superstar, they are both becoming very hard to live with!! I'll try to take a photo of him in his panniers if anyone's interested. Apparently once newfies are fully grown at about 18 months - 2 years they can carry up to a stone in weight - could be useful for picnics and beer next summer!