So life goes on! On the 15th my twin boys turned 13 and now I have 3 teenagers in the house (it can feel like 4 sometimes when DH's around!!) We bought them new gaming consoles which they very much wanted and in the evening took them out for a family meal. The following day they went away for the weekend with their church group to a big Christian Youth Camping Weekend in the grounds of a private school not far from us. The weather was perfect and they enjoyed swimming, sporting tournaments, discos, camp fire food and a couple of very late nights!
School has now finished and now begins the 6 weeks Summer holidays. We don't have anything particular planned so I guess it will be a chilled and relaxed time for all, we eagerly await the 24th August when DD's exam results will come through, I know she gave her best so I will be pleased with whatever results she achieves.
And now the news I have been itching to share with you:
introducing . . . .
TILLY
This wasn't a decision I had planned to make but for my own personal reasons and something one of my children had said that touched my heart I decided our family wasn't complete without a bunny. So whilst the boys were blissfully unaware and away at their camping weekend DH and DD took me to numerous garden centres which all had pet shops so I could look at the bunnies but none of them pulled at the heartstrings.
Our local pet rescue centre was being refurbished so the rabbit department was shut down and no-one had any bunnies for rehoming.
So all Saturday night I searched the internet and finally came across a breeder, some 45minutes drive away who had a litter of 9 for sale with pictures posted of each one. They were all beautiful with very unusual coats apart from one which just stood out for me. I emailed her that evening to see if we could drive over and take a look on the Sunday morning and later that night she emailed back to say 8 of them had now been sold and only 1 was left . . . . yep, the one that was pulling at those heartstrings!
Sunday morning over we went with me repeatedly saying to DH and DD 'I don't want to be pressurised, it may be too soon and not feel right' and they agreed. I explained this to the breeder as well and she said I was under no obligation ..... then she got 'Baby Number 8' out of her hutch for us to see ......... a little mini-lop ear doe, 9 weeks old and agouti coloured (same pattern and colouring as a wild rabbit/and Buttons). Yep, you guessed it, I melted and home she came with us, 1 week ago.
Tilly at 3 weeks old
I've named her Tilly, no particular reason why, it just suited her. Within 3 days of her being here we each received bunny kisses, lots of lap hopping and the wonderful binkies that all bunny owners love to see! She eats virtually anything (including your hair) and loves to sit on my lap at breakfast time eating celery.
The children were so young when we first got Buttons and have no memories of all the above gestures so this is lovely for them to experience and best of all it has encouraged them to talk about Buttons and my memories of him doing the same things.
Bunny kisses for Twin II
Tilly made her first visit to the Vets the very next day for her first jab and to be checked over for any problems. The vet we saw was the one that treated Buttons tumor so I think she knew how special this new bunny was to us, she cuddled her so much I didn't think I was going to get her back again but her reassuring eyes told me that I had done the right thing and that she was perfectly healthy but just needed to put some weight on! I'm sure when she returns for her second jab next week the weighing scales will definitely confirm this!!!
And finally, what about my Blog? Do I continue? If I do, then do I rename it?
I've lost a couple of followers recently, perhaps my ramblings about sad occasions have put people off but going by the number of kind people offering words of support recently I guess followers are willing to share those moments too. I don't want to change the name, Buttons & Stitches was all about my bunny and cross-stitching and if I keep the name then his memory lives on too, I expect Buttons name will make a continual appearance on posts along with Tilly. I have done no cross-stitching since that day not because I've lost my mojo or anything, it just hasn't felt right but I will! I will stitch something commemorative of Buttons, I have kept his food bowl, he had the same one for 10 years, I shall put a church candle in it and stitch an evenweave band around it with words that are special to me and on special days I can then light it and think of Rainbow Bridge.
Thank you to everyone for sticking by me, normal stitchy posting will resume again shortly!!!
HAPPY STITCHING x x x
