An adorable new puppy! Plus cafe breakfast vibes, and my radio interview replay

 

 Hello friends!

We visited our neighbour to meet his new puppy the other day. Luca is a labradoodle and his fur is so soft as you can see. Sooooo soft.

Paul and I walked up to visit, but Micky dog saw us and ran to catch up. We didn’t know if Luca would appreciate another dog so soon, but it was all fine. It was probably the other way around, that Luca overwhelmed Micky!

You can see in the photo below that they had a good run around, and Luca who is only 3-4 months old is the same size as 13-year-old Micky. Soon he will tower over him.

 

 

Micky is on the left and Luca is on the right. They are so similar haha

 

Luca has already grown a lot since I’d met him only a few weeks prior and I’m sure when I see him again soon he will be even bigger.

 

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Reader Karen from Jane Austen country - Bath in the UK - sent me this pretty photo of her cafe breakfast on her 55th birthday. (She said it was okay me for me to share it). Her birthday was one day before mine, and we were born in the same year. My English almost-twin!

I can almost taste that croissant it looks so good. I love the candle touch on the table, and Karen said there was cafe piano jazz playing in the background as well. Sounds like a lovely ambience for a birthday breakfast.

I loved seeing my newest book The Autumn Reset on her table too. This really is the biggest thrill for an author to see that someone else is reading their book, in their real life! I hope you enjoyed it Karen 😊 and happy October birthday.

  

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And excitingly, my most recent interview is now out on replay. I was a guest on ‘Happy Hour with Jonna & Keryl on K104.7 FM’ in the Hudson Valley, New York.

You can listen to my interview here.

I’m mentioned at the beginning, and my interview begins at 18:30 minutes. The two presenters Jonna and Keryl, along with their producer Frankenberry are such a fun team, and I had a great time with them.

You can see all their other shows here (scroll down to ‘Happy Hour’).

I recognised authors names I enjoy so have downloaded those episodes to listen to 😊

I hope you have fun listening to my interview, and that you have a great rest of the week!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my links including books, audiobooks, interviews, plus all my social media at fionaferris.com 

 

 

 [My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase using these links. It’s no extra cost to you, so I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links for any Amazon purchases you might be making!]

Poodle chic

Oh happy days, I have a poodle in my life again!  Please don't get too excited, this handsome fellow is a Rent-A-Poodle of sorts.  Teddy lives across the road and LOVES walking, so I take him with me when I go for my walk now.

Isn't he handsome?

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you'll know that I adopted senior rescue poodle Atlas after his dad died.  I thought Atlas was twelve, but his original papers turned up and he was actually 14.5.  We had him for only seven months before he crossed rainbow bridge and he was such a sweet boy.  He'd come to the shop every day with us and was an excellent greeter.  We still had customers asking about him years after he died, he was so popular!

You can read about the day Atlas came into our lives here, and if you are keen for more, everything poodle is in the Poodle Chic tag here (you'll have to read the posts in backwards order though because the newest one comes up first).

After Atlas passed, we adopted our rescue cats Jessica and Nina so didn't look for another dog, and that's what makes coming across a new friend in Teddy such a lovely find.  I get to enjoy his company on my walks, then drop him off home and the cats are none the wiser!  Dogs always make walks more fun, and Teddy is no exception.

On our first walk together we encountered a horse waiting tied up briefly outside its house....

Chickens free-ranging in a paddock (there were four of them)...

And the cutest lamb who must have been hand-reared because he always comes up to the fence if he's close by.  (Sometimes mother sheep won't have anything to do with their lambs, so there is no other option.)  Have you ever buried your face in a sheep's head?  It smells gorgeous.  Warm and lamby and woolly.  It's the farm animal equivalent of sniffing a baby's head.  Budgie heads are lovely too (in my sister's rescue-bird aviary).

I hope you enjoyed joining me for my country stroll with my new man Teddy.

Please, let me know what you've been up to this week?

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I also have exciting news.  My first international edition of Thirty Chic Days has been published by Vaga, Lithuania's oldest publishing house. It is available in both print and as an eBook here.

Thirty Chic Days is still my most popular book, even though it was one of my first.

I've been writing for my next book, and have decided it is going to be Thirty More Chic Days.  I have so many wonderful topics I've been writing on, but I'd love to hear from you.  If you could choose a chapter topic or title for this book, what would it be?  Also, do you have a favourite chapter in the original Thirty Chic Days?  Please share your thoughts, because I'd love this book to have your input; I think that would be really special.

Have a lovely weekend, and I will see you next week!

Fiona

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Adding a pop of colour to neutral outfits

I had reader Gemma email me with her dilemma:

Something I'd like to see more of your opinions on is how to accessorise and use colour. I have the basics in neutrals but I find it hard to incorporate a flash of colour into my outfits. I don't tend to wear statement jewellery, so other than a handbag or scarf I'm not sure how to get that flash of colour (I like teal and blues) into an outfit (& I'm not very good with scarves, they only tend to be worn outside.)
I find a lot of what you say about accepting a quiet life very comforting. I often feel I should be doing more, going further and that people look at me and think I do nothing and go nowhere.

I love this suggestion, because I have been a bit off scarves lately and so I have had to look to other ways to feel pulled together and accessorised.  You can see my spring wardrobe here (it has just come into spring in New Zealand) – you can see that I have a few coloured items, but overall my wardrobe is very neutral.

I find that just wearing the clothes doesn’t feel as polished as when I add a little extra, but scarves for me feel frumpy at the moment.  I even have a few lightweight cotton infinity scarves but I still don’t feel like they are me right now, as much as I love them on others.  Still, I like to go with the flow and not force things.  I’m sure I will come back to scarves later.

In the meantime though, here are some of my favourite ways to add colour into an otherwise neutral outfit:

Coloured nails:  I don’t often paint my fingernails, but when I do I love the pop of colour it provides.  If I paint them, I tend to go for bright or dark, say a crème (no sparkles or shimmer) tangerine or red-orange, or dark burgundy.  I trim/file my nails very short when I do this because to me it looks more modern than long, coloured nails (that’s just my personal preference) plus I find they last longer without chipping because I’m not tapping the edge of my nail when I am typing etc.  I have my nails so short that you can see the edge of my fingertip beyond the nail.  They look so good painted this way!

Coloured shoes:  Aside from my neutral coloured shoes, I seem to always have a pair of red shoes, and I love how these lift up a neutral outfit – jeans and a navy top with red shoes is one of my favourite combos.  There are shoes in any colour you’d care to name now, and if you keep yourself from being scared of ‘a shoe that won’t go with everything’ you might find it is a good way to get a little bit of colour into your outfit.  If you wear mostly neutral clothes anyway, a shoe colour that you love (such as navy or teal) will still go with everything.  I don’t know if this is just a New Zealand thing because I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard in our shoe store ‘I really like that cheery orange, but I’m just going to go with black – it’s far more practical and will go with everything I own’.  Other coloured shoes I have are nude and plum patent ballet flats, which I love to wear as well.

Pretty makeup:  If I do have a totally neutral outfit on and no coloured accessories, I can to add colour with my face.  At the moment I am loving a sheer, blushy spring makeup look where I apply BB cream with my BeautyBlender (I have had it for a few months now and love it! My poor foundation brush has been cast aside) and a light dusting of loose powder.  Then I add a glowy pink blush, sheer pinkish-orange lipstick and gloss and a sweep of bronzer over my eyes and around the edges of my face and just mascara, no eyeliner.  If you like bright lipsticks, that might provide a good amount of colour to your look too, or a coloured eye with nude/low-key lip colour.

Jewellery.  I usually wear my classic, everyday jewellery of a watch, my rings and some studs in my ears (CZ or pearl), but if my outfit is totally neutral I might add a necklace – I have a gold coin and also a few chunkier statement necklaces.  Coloured chunkier pearls are nice too.  Even if the slightly more out-there accessory you wear isn’t a colour, it still provides a finishing touch.  I have some silver oval hoops that are twisted and very shiny.  I love to wear those sometimes because it feels different to my usual studs and with my understated style they provide enough of a kick.

Handbags.   My current handbag is a tan leather Michael Kors, and I know that tan is still a neutral, but I love the way it lifts a black top and dark jeans nicely.  Maybe I’ll go nuts and find a scarf to tie to it handle.

I had a bit of fun with my lovely friend Barbara's poodle Zoey as the image for this post - Zoey is modelling her pop of colour wonderfully.  Barbara, Zoey and I had a long overdue ladies catch-up this week.  I almost managed to 'acquire' Barbara's gorgeous Prada handbag by offering to carry it for her when we were leaving.  She wasn't giving it up though :)

Can you add to this conversation on adding colour in ways other than scarves?  Do you love to wear neutrals and accessorise with colour?  Or is your wardrobe itself a riot of colour?  Please share!

Wishing you a wonderful week,

Fiona

PS.  If you join my mailing list, you will receive instant downloads of excerpts of my two newest books:  Thirty Chic Days, and Financially Chic.

Bastille Day

Since being an adoptive care-giver for elderly poodle Atlas almost three years ago, I have kept in touch with my poodle friends, and am regularly invited to poodle events despite no longer having a poodle!

I love catching up with them all and of course, the four-legged company is so darling. I love that I am now an honorary member of their little gang, and I get to be the doting Aunty at lunches and get-togethers.

This Bastille Day, last month, I was asked if I would like to be involved in a special Bastille Day Poodle Fashion Parade with them all. Yes please! I was kindly given a loan-poodle, sweet 13 year old Amy and was part of the group of 23 poodles and their walkers on the catwalk (dogwalk?).  Amy had two changes of clothes from my dear friend Barbara’s pet boutique Yuppy Puppies in Auckland.

Barbara was concerned because she needed French music to play during the show. Yes, I could help her out with that!  I don't know why she didn't ask me first when she thought to herself 'who do I know who is nuts about anything French'.

We put together a fun and jaunty playlist including Fabienne Del Sol, a few tracks from Hotel Costes, Saint Germain du Pres and Paris Lounge compilations, a little Pink Martini, a Serge Gainsbourg and even an Edith Piaf (we found one upbeat track of hers, usually she is a little more… morose, but I do love her).

Barbara had even organised a videographer to film the event, so you can see us on You Tube here. Such fun! After the show, we retired to Barbara’s beautiful home for ladies luncheon. Macarons of course featured on the menu, made by one of the ladies. I was so impressed by that as I have heard they are notoriously hard to make.

Most of the ladies balanced a poodle and a lunch plate on their lap. It seems that many poodles are adorably co-dependent. Hostess poodle Zoey trotted around making sure everyone was ok.

 
I don’t know what Atlas would have thought of this day. To be truthful, I don’t think he would have known much of what was going on. Being not that sighted and also hard of hearing, he may not have noticed the crowd but he would have enjoyed himself just the same.

And I would have had to help him off the catwalk otherwise he would have fallen off the end. Dear sweet little Atlas. He was there in spirit though.

If you haven’t met Atlas yet, click on the Poodle Chic tag. He was a honey.

Just a little more Atlas

Thank you for all your lovely comments on the last post. I still feel sad and I sometimes don't feel I have the right to because we only had him for a short time, and we knew he was old already. Therefore I should have been expecting it, right?

It's funny how they get under your skin very quickly. I really miss seeing his little silver face around, and feeling him rest against my legs at night. For such a diminutive physical presence (about the size of a small cat) he leaves a big gap in the atmosphere.


Above, snug as a bug in a dalmation-spotted rug

He was a darling wee thing, who never failed to make us laugh with his not-quite right way of lying on something, be it a dog-bed or a cushion. 'Centre' was never in his vocabulary, and sometimes not even 'On'.

Enjoy these photos of our precious Atlas in the spirit they are shown. We will miss his woolly presence in our lives.

Atlas' Bed Fails


Melting off his bed at home

^^^^^



Tucked up on the edge of his bed at work

^^^^^


Not quite in. He would hop into the centre and then start twirling around, 'flattening the rushes' as they do. But he invariably ended up going off-centre. I would often have to reposition him.


^^^^^


Missing the bed altogether out the back of the shop. Gee those shoes and socks must be nice to cosy up to.

^^^^^


There are no words for this one. His best ever I think.

^^^^^


And back at home, asleep on the sofa. He loved dangling his head low. Clearly he knew that having your head below your heart was a good thing to do regularly (as told to me by my yoga teacher).

^^^^^

I'll be back in the land of chic soon.

Rest in peace little poodle

Yesterday was a very sad day for us. Our wee man Atlas went to poodle heaven.

Within the last month he had declined rapidly, and became blinder and more confused. Unless we were holding him, or he was asleep on a lap, he spent his day bumping into and tripping over everything. He probably felt like he was under constant attack. A bit dramatic but you get what I mean. A lot of things he used to do with ease, like go for a walk on his leash, or take himself outside to the lawn and back again, he couldn't do.

So we made the hard decision to take him to visit the most lovely and compassionate vet I've ever met, and he is now reunited with his beloved original dad John, and matching brother Hercules. Atlas is young again, and racing around up there like a mad thing.

He only needed us for seven short months, but we were so glad to make it happy, safe, warm and secure for him, and of course offering a selection of delectable treats at mealtimes, walks on tap, a cosy lap for home-time, and a snug rug on top of the bed at night. He travelled in luxury in the car, wrapped in a German wool rug on the passenger's knee.

The photo above was taken in our shop a couple of weeks ago. He was wearing his red fleece top I made to keep him cosy now that it is winter here. Atlas had a private burial at home wearing this jacket, and wrapped in a matching red fleece blanket.

Rest in peace our little darling boy. We miss you already.

Atlas
20 February 1996 - 14 June 2011

A Poodle's Birthday

Our precious wee boy is fifteen today. Just for fun, we (I) decided to borrow Adrienne at The Rich Life (on a budget)'s family tradition. It involves treating the birthday doggie to a McD's hamburger. Here Atlas is on his way to the drive-thru. He alternates looking around (above) with napping (below).

His day started quite well too, with cold roast chicken from last night for breakfast. Roast chicken is his favourite, I'm pretty sure he would do anything for a plate.


First we check out the height restriction. Phew, he will fit under the 2.6 metre barrier, being roughly knee-height tall.


Atlas peruses the menu, even though he knows it's the tradition to have a plain hamburger. We saw the car in front of us's order on the screen. Wow, they spent $41.90. Our total was $2.00. They did have a whole family in the car though and we were only feeding a dog.

It sounds pretty bad when you put it like that. My man looked at me when we were ordering and said 'We are such sad people, going through the drive-thru for one hamburger. It must be their smallest order ever'. But he does what I say, and that's all you can ask of a good husband.


We checked if Atlas thought it smelled good. He did.


As a responsible(-ish) elderly-poodle caregiver I made the decision to remove the bread buns. I didn't want to choke him on his birthday (or any other day, really).


After a hesitant start (one of the few times when a McDonalds burger is actually hot, my husband noted), Atlas was off and scoffing.


Mere minutes later his birthday hamburger was just a distant memory, and a big drink of water was in order.


A typical teenage boy, Atlas walks off leaving his dishes, tripping on the wrapper on the way.


Happy Birthday little poodle! And thanks to Adrienne for a fun idea!

The Atlas Update

Atlas hasn't been in these pages lately, so here's a little of what he's been up to. Our little man is very much part of the family, we both adore him (which is an understatement). Above, Atlas is harnessed in his safety car seat-belt. He's off to be groomed. All that wool is a little toasty in the heat of summer.

Here is his before picture.


And after. So fluffy and trim!


And a close up at work of his new look.


With 'poodle feet'.


A few weeks ago Atlas and I took a road trip (about 45 minutes away from where I live) to visit his former owner's partner. She was not able to take on both his dogs when Atlas' owner died, and so Atlas was adopted out. The new owners didn't want him after a while and tried to give him back to Poodle Rescue.

He really is the sweetest boy, I don't know how they could. His little heart must have been broken for the past 2-3 years. I am glad we are now able to make the rest of his retirement a happy one.

His former 'mum' Pamela was so glad and emotional to see him and we had a lovely few hours. I met his poodle 'brother' Samson and heard how much his first owner John loved his poodles. They even went to his funeral.

Pamela gave me a little bag of goodies for Atlas - some of his favourite toys, his vet records, a little jersey for the winter and a framed portrait of Atlas as a puppy (only two months old). Do you think he looks like an owl?


From talking to Pamela I found out Atlas is actually 14, and not 12. What do you say to that? He wasn't young when he came to us, now he's just a little older. After I brought his goodie bag home I thought to myself 'his birthday will probably be on his vet records, then we'll know when to throw him a party'. I checked, it's in a few weeks time - he will be FIFTEEN! Could Atlas be in the Guinness Book of Poodle Records?

Considering his grand age though, he's very spritely and adaptable. He gets very excited about coming or going. Atlas is all bouncy when I put his harness on in the morning to go to work, and equally happy to arrive somewhere, practically launching himself out the open car door when we get there. He's nothing if not fearless.

And here, just because he is very handsome in his new jacket, is Atlas modelling this winter's look for chilly poodles. He won't be needing it for a couple of months at least. I'm hoping I haven't bought it too soon... (I find black humour works well in situations of elderly-to-the-extreme poodle adoptions).


Just in case you think otherwise, we are so happy to have Atlas in our life. He has added much richness and fun. For as long as we have him we will consider ourselves very, very lucky.

A Christmas Outing

We had a plan one evening recently to go and see the Christmas lights on a street famous for dressing up its houses (not quite American style though, New Zealand is a little more low-key). There were a few hours to fill in, between finishing work and it being dark enough to see the lights. We didn't want to go home so our plan was to have a drink in a pub nearby, then takeaways at a local park before heading to the light show.

We stopped at a Belgian Beer Cafe. Atlas soaked up the sun, and the compliments of fellow customers. I was asked if I wanted a small or a large beer when I decided on Hoegaarden. I said large, then changed to small. My husband went up to the bar and came back with the bucket that you see above (large). It was 'only' 500ml which he justified by saying it was less than 1.5 small bottles. It's bigger than Atlas!

'Never drink a beer bigger than your head' should be my motto, but I ignored it that day.

Next stop was the park with takeaways and a picnic rug.

Poodle relaxing in the sun once the dishes were washed up.


Back to the car, slowly. It was still very much daylight and we knew the lights wouldn't even be on yet.


Heading down the famous street in search of Christmas festivities.


One of the first of many cutely decorated homes (they must have decided against prettying up the wheelie bin).


Atlas cutting a dash on his Christmas leash (red with snowmen and Christmas trees on).


The sky was beautiful as the earth turned and darkness came.


One of my favourites - very subtle and stylish with plentiful round paper lanterns in varying sizes of yellow, red and orange.


The upper balcony is extremely tasteful I thought, and appropriate for a very hot early summer.


Impressive.


A long shot of the street.


It looks simple enough, but I bet outlining your home in lights is a big job.


Atlas walked all the way down the street (we parked at the top). It was a 10-15 minute walk and he skipped ahead like a puppy, pulling at the leash he was so excited to be out and amongst it all. It was a different story crossing the road at the bottom and walking uphill though. He started flagging and we took turns carrying him back to the car.

He conked out immediately on the drive home. I don't think he's ever had so much exercise in his life before he came to live with us.



Merci for reading How To Be Chic since I started in May of this year. I am looking forward to an exciting 2011, and will be back in January for my next year of living chicly. Merry Christmas!