Happy New Year!

Although it's a little late, Happy New Year to you all! Hope it's a really good one. So far, it's been pretty reasonable here. We had friends staying for New Year and so our New Year's Eve was busy and on New Year's day we went for our traditional walk on Dartmoor. This year Ian wanted to do a long walk at Haytor. This is the second walk we have attempted here with our friends at New Year. This is now the second time we have had to abandon it. The first time, which was probably 4 years ago was abandoned because of the rain and hail making it too unpleasant. This year it was the mist and the freezing cold. We couldn't really see much more than a few yards, which was funny really as just a few hundred yards down the hill, it was sunny and although cold, very pleasant. Here is a photo of my friend's son - it all looks a bit spooky doesn't it?



A freezing wind had obviously been blowing across Dartmoor and formed amazing feather-like icicles on the rocks. Have a look at this:



I thought it might be very cold and so on New Year's Eve, I found the time to knit a short coat for Rex using the rest of the Colourscape from Lucy's beret. This was accompanied by much jeering from my friends who thought Rex should be a tough Jack Russell. We managed to rise above the laughing, and Rex was certainly very pleased with his jumper when on Dartmoor. After we left Dartmoor we went for a much longer walk at Bovey Tracey (around 5 mins from Haytor by car). It was glorious, although cold and I have to say that Rex did look a bit sissy, particularly when other, more hardy dogs came to examine him.


As you can see, the jumper stretched a bit and ended up resembling a 50s Brigette Bardot kind of look - not particularly the look Rex wanted I fear. So, I have searched the Internet and have found a super pattern called 'Biscuits and Bones Dog Coat' from the Patons site, which I am going to start this evening. Watch this space!