Fences, Dogs and Dad

It was Callum's birthday. We were all sitting around the table having dinner.

"Dad, we had an idea," Callum said. "You know how you've always wanted a garden that has fences all the way around it? We had a look at materials today and we are willing to build you some fences."

Dad was happy about the fences but then he became suspicious. He wondered why we wanted to build a fence. "Do you have a plan? Is it a four legged plan?"

Dad guessed we were hoping we could get a dog once we had fences all around the garden.

Everyone started talking at once.

"A dog?"

"We would look after it."

"Please Dad!"

"I have always wanted a  dog!"

"We looked at the ones in the animal shelter and they don't cost that much."

"What?" Dad cried. "Are you seriously hoping for a dog?"

"Please Dad, it's my birthday," Callum begged.

We all started talking again, begging Dad to let us have one.

"What kind of dog?" Dad asked.

"What kind of dog would you like?" we said.

"Why me?" Dad looked at Mum.

"What size?" Dad asked.

"Middle sized, something that can keep up with Mum while she runs," Callum answered.

"What size is middle sized?" Dad wondered.

"Collie sized," Callum told him.

"I don't want a collie," Dad protested.

"I was just giving you an idea of a size. We don't want a collie," Callum said.

"Get the fence up first," Dad told us. 

While we washed the dishes we prayed Dad would say yes. 

"We had a dog years ago," Charlotte told Casey, Callum's girlfriend. "Her name was Rocket and she was a bit crazy." 

Callum started hunting on the Internet for a picture of a dog that Dad might like. Very soon Dad sat down next to him to have a look too. He had agreed to let us have a dog!

We were so excited. We spent all evening trying to find a dog we liked.

"We can't decide on a dog until we have the fences up," Mum told us.

So that's what we are doing: building fences. I can't wait to see what kind of dog we get. We have decided it must be a trained adult, but that's about it. I have always wanted a dog, especially one you can walk and run.

Do you have a dog?

The Tardis

One of the last picture we have of the van

A few days ago I walked into Mum's room to find Callum showing her pictures of vans and big cars.

"We're thinking of buying a new car," Mum said. "We will sell the van and get something newer."

Sell the van? I couldn't believe it. We had owned the van for fourteen years. It would be hard to imagine life without it.

Imogen and Charlotte started bagging seats before we have even decided which car we were getting. They were just as excited as me.

On Saturday, Mum and Dad went to the car dealers to look at all the choices. Everyone else waited around at home to hear which one they were going to buy.

The Tardis

The phone rang. Charlotte grabbed it. "Hello," she said. Her face lit up as she talked to Dad.

When she hung up, she turned to us. "We have a car," she said.

"Which one?" Immy asked.

"I didn't catch the name but it is silver, has seven seats, four doors, a boot and wheels," Charlotte told us.

"Yes," I yelled and danced around the room.

By Tuesday the car was ready for us to pick up. Dad swapped the van for it after work.

We sat around in the living room, waiting to see what the new car looked like. Dad took a long time getting home. We were all very anxious by the time he turned into the drive way.

"He's here," I called as I raced out the front door, everyone on my heels.

"What do you think?" Dad asked as we crowded around the new car.

"It is wonderful," we all chorused.

"It is the Toyota Tardis," Dad said, "because it seems tiny on the outside and huge on the inside."

The name suits it perfectly.

"We need to go somewhere in it," Immy said.

"The beach?" I asked. We hardly ever go to the beach.

"I don't see why not," Mum agreed.

So now we are looking forward to the holidays. We are off to the beach!

New Blog Name

"Mum come have a look at my blog header I have made," I called.

Mum came over to have a look. "That's nice. You know you could always change your blog title if you like."

"Really?" I asked. I had been longing to change my blog title for ages. It no longer seemed right.

I went around asking people for their ideas for a new blog name. Soon I had all the names I could want and more.

I looked down the list I had written out, trying to choose which name I liked best.

"It is either Sophie's Stories or Sophie's Scribbles," I told Mum.

I decided on Sophie's Stories and then went to Picmonkey to edit my new blog header. I smiled happily as I loaded the header onto my blog. Sophie's Sea Bed was gone and Sophie's Stories was born!

When Dad came home from work I rushed over to him. "I have changed my blog name," I told him. "It is now Sophie's Stories."

"I said you should have that name from the start," Dad said smiling. I grinned back. He was right. Sophie's Stories is much better than Sophie's Sea Bed.

Trampoline

Gemma-Rose on our trampoline

When I was little, Mum and Dad bought us a trampoline. I jumped and jumped on it. 

After a few years, the trampoline started to fall to pieces. Last year it got to a stage where it was too unsafe to jump on. I was very sad.

Mum knew Gemma-Rose and I were upset about not being able to jump on the trampoline and so she made up a sneaky plan.

On Christmas day when we were giving out our last presents, Mum gave me and Gemma-Rose a surprise. We had to close our eyes as Mum and Callum brought something into the room. It made a lot of noise and I wondered what it was.

When we opened our eyes, there in front of us was a new trampoline! Of course it wasn't assembled. A put-together trampoline wouldn't have fitted through the door and into the living room. It was in a box.

I bounced up and down (on the floor, not the trampoline). It was too good to believe. A new trampoline. Gemma-Rose was just as excited.

a very bad photo of Gemma-Rose on our trampoline

The very next day Dad and Callum put the trampoline together and Gemma-Rose and I got to bounce on it.

Gemma-Rose and I love jumping on our trampoline. It is one of our favourite things to do outside.

Quite the Most Exciting Main Character

Each evening Dad, Gemma-Rose and I settle down on the sofa to watch one of our favourite TV series, Joe 90.

Joe is a very funny nine year old boy who goes on all these exciting adventures to save the day. He is always going off and flying planes, rescuing people in space and so many other things. 

Whenever people ask what Joe is doing, all he has to do is to say the truth to get out of trouble, for who would believe that a nine year old boy was finding a bomb?

Once Joe had to help a famous pianist to get out of trouble. To do so, he had to play the piano instead of the pianist. No one thought it would work, but it did.

Joe's father does not always like Joe going out and saving the day, but whenever he says no, Joe always ends up helping out anyway.

Joe is a really good main character, not like some you can find. I love Joe 90.

Pets

Dad has a lot of pets. He just keeps getting them!

His collection is made up mainly of dogs.

Canine

There is Canine, his oldest and most trusty pet. He will sit and guard the house all day, and the best bit about him is that he does not eat or need attention. 

Next there is this little dog that someone gave Dad for Christmas one year. He is not even half as old as Canine, but he is still loved. 

This dog may look old, but he is really quite young. I think his rust is starting to show a bit. 

Dad also has some other quite exciting pets...

Pocock

...like Pocock. This lovely peacock is the newest edition to the collection. He is handsome and charming, but the only problem is that he falls over all the time.

This Meerkat is always ready to welcome people. Standing there with his welcome sign he looks very cute!

This snail is always in a good mood, even though not many people like snails. He just keeps on smiling.

Dad got this turtle at the same time as the snail. He sits beside it and does not even think about being annoying. 

This flamingo is as vain as can be. Standing in the middle of the garden on its long legs, it is most definitely looking down on everyone else.

Feline

Dad also has one cat, Feline. You would think that living with so many dogs she would be going up the wall, but she just sits there happily beside Canine, watching people go past.

Dad also has two birds, a chicken and a mouse. He some of the best pets ever. Which is your favourite? I think Canine is mine.

Nuts

I love nuts. They are so yummy and crunchy.

Dad often gets nuts for his birthday and Christmas. He loves nuts too.

Often Dad shares his nuts with us. I like it when he does that, especially when we are watching a movie.

We often put nuts in our curries. They are my favourite bit of the curry.

I don't know what my favourite nut is. There are so many to chose from. I could chose almonds or peanuts, walnuts or cashews, Brazil nuts or hazelnuts? There are so many of them. Do you have a favourite nut?

Sometimes Dad gets really hot nuts. I don't think I like them quite as much. They are a bit spicy for me.

Quite often we get walnuts on finger buns or cakes. That is my favourite way to eat walnuts!

Sometimes Mum buys little boxes of dried fruit and nuts for morning tea. I like them. Nuts and fruit go really well together.

Nuts are so yummy and you can eat them in so many different things. They go well with so many things you would think they shouldn't.

Dad

I have a wonderful Dad! He is very funny and is always making us laugh.

"Dad would you like to play a board game with Gemma-Rose and me?" I ask as I enter his room.

"Sure." Dad stops what he is doing and comes with me and Gemma-Rose to play whatever board game it is we want to play. I don't know many dads who would do that.

"Will you make toad in the hole please, Dad?" I am begging for one of my favourite dinners.

"We had that last week and the week before," Dad says.

"We have sausages in the freezer," I beg. Next thing I know Dad is making toad in the hole for dinner. He is wonderful.

It comes to dinner time and we all sit down to eat. The toad in the hole is wonderful, but we soon find out that Dad has made a dessert too. It is a dessert he used to eat as a boy, spotted dick. It is the first time I have tried it, but it is wonderful.

On the weekends when Gemma-Rose and I are going to watch a movie we always invite Dad along and more often than not he joins us as we watch one of our favourite movies.

"Dad will you come for a run with us tomorrow morning as you're not working?" I beg.

Next morning Dad is out there on the tracks outdoing us. He is a lot of fun.

"Dad can you make a trifle, please?" we beg, and so Dad makes a really big trifle with the thickest custard ever. Yum!

"Can I come shopping with you please, Dad?" I ask as Dad is heading out the door to do the shopping.

"Sure, go get your shoes," I rush off and soon I am pushing the trolley around the supermarket helping Dad with the shopping.

When we go swimming Dad often hops in the pool with us and plays games. It is not quite so fair when he cheats, but none of us mind. He is too much fun!

I love my Dad! I bet he is the best dad in the world!

Making Monsters

From the library I got a book that had these really cute toys in it. I wanted to make some monsters with wibbly wobbly arms. So that night I got out my knitting needles and wool and started to knit.

I didn't notice the time going by, and suddenly it was bed time and I had to stop knitting. So I put away my knitting needles for the night and went to bed.


The next morning I got straight back to work. I worked all day and by afternoon tea time I had finished the monster. Then I wanted to make a smaller one so I did a little bit of maths to work out how.

The little one was finished very soon. I gave it to Dad who was very pleased with it. When he found Mum he said, “Look what I got”. I was very pleased with the toys too. I named my one Mackintosh.

If you would like to make one yourself here is the pattern:

The big monster

The body:

Cast on 16 stitches and knit 72 rows.
Cast off


Arm (make 2):

Cast on 5 stitches and knit 26 rows.
Cast off

Leg(make 2):

Cast on 5 stitches and knit 40 rows.
Cast off

Sew it up and you are done

The little one

The body:

Cast on 8 stitches and knit 37 rows.
Cast off

Arm (make 2):

Cast on 2 stitches and knit 13 rows.
Cast off

Leg (make2):

Cast on 3 stitches and knit 20 rows.
Cast off

Sew it up.

For the face you can sew on buttons for eyes or you can do what I did with Dads toy and sew on wool eyes. Sew on the mouth with wool.


You can also make hats for the monsters.

A hat for the big monster:

Cast on 54 stiches knit 20 rows.

Fold in half and sew up.

Hat for the little monster:

Cast on 29 stiches knit 10 rows.

Fold in half and sew up.