All Hallows Eve is just around the corner ........

Weather forecasts are always somewhat unreliable.  Having been promised a week of  'Indian summer' it has been a little milder but we have been living in a world of fogginess for several days.  The garden is like a swamp as there is no sun to at least dry out some of the moisture.  Bronwen takes Max for an early morning walk and she has found it rather spooky in the misty darkness.

Which brings me to my latest little bear.    Jack with his puppy friend Boo are all ready to go trick or treating.  Jack is wearing bright orange overalls with polymer clay pumpkin buttons and is carrying an ultrasuede pumpkin.

We are both still busy working on orders and although there is no little imp to bother us when we are working, we seem to making rather slow progress.

This is a picture of the holy terror called Victoria sitting pretty in a corner of our workroom.   We rather miss having her around.

My garden is starting to look sad but the hanging baskets are still blooming beautifully

and should survive until the first frost.   I need to find time to cut back the fuchsias and store them in the glass house before the weather gets too severe but that chore is unfortunately at the end of my list of things to do.

It is almost four years since we moved across the ocean and settled here in Cambridgeshire.   There are still many things I miss a lot from Cape Town, my special friends, the ocean and the wonderful mountain scenery.   Something else I rather miss is having a ready and easily available source of alternative medicines.   The EU restrictions on the sale of herbal and homoeopathic medication is a nuisance.   Oddly I also miss my wonderful dentist!   My experience with the dental practitioners here in the UK has proved interesting and frustrating.   Having decided to change to another practice my first appointment yesterday was somewhat of another disappointment.   Being handed a form to complete with medical history is one thing but the question 'what do I not like about my smile' elicited the response of 'do I really have to answer this question!'  Obviously the dentists are looking to do cosmetic work at the expense of good basic dental care.   Once again I am not impressed,  especially being charged to glue back a loose capped tooth and being told that was all he could do and I would have to make another appointment.   As NHS subsidises each visit  ( as do I ) it seems a good way to make a living.

and so back to work......................