OTHER BOOKS AUTHORED BY LADY ANNABEL GOLDSMITH (SHE LOVED DOGS!)

 

In this book Lady Annabel Goldsmith wrote about her childhood and growing up in a rich family, and her parents ; her father a liberal Member of Parliament who raised her after her mother died young of cancer. She married Mark Birley at the age of twenty, and had three children by him. She writes about her children, her affair with Sir James Goldsmith, but most of all some of the fascinating people who were part of her social life. You can see by the title that these people were welcomed into her home and friendship. Pelham cottage was the place she lived until she and Sir James Goldsmith finally got married and she moved.

I remember reading Annabel's memoir and she clearly loved dogs. She wrote this book about one of them.

This book is a lot of fun, as Annabel recounts Copper's adventures on the aristocratic social scene as well as the London buses, and well, you know that, like most dog owners, there had to be some premonitions about what this particular dog was up to ...

She contributed to this book, all about the life and death of best friends. Dogs were important to Annabel and her family and her garden at Ormeley Lodge has memorials to some of them. 

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AUTHOR SARAH BRADFORD ON ANNABEL'S RELATIONSHIP WITH PRINCESS DIANA : A MOTHER FIGURE TO THE MOTHERLESS DIANA

DIANA, Finally The Complete Story by Sarah Bradford 

Excerpt: "....the two women close to Diana for the remainder of her life were glamourous mother figures, Lady Annabel Goldsmith and Brazilian Ambassadress Lucia Fletcha de Lima. Another older woman, lady Bowker, was the recipient of many confidences about her love life.  Lady Annabel, a daughter of the 8th Marquess of Londonderry, had formerly been married to Mark Birley, founder of the smartest of London nightclubs which he named after her. Glamourous, popular, and social, Lady Annabel had two sons and a daughter by Birley, and subsequently two more sons and a daughter by the fabulously rich Sir James Goldsmith, international financier and celebrated gambler. Annabel Elliot, Camilla Parker Bowles sister, was a particular friend of Annabel's and it was at her birthday party at the Goldsmith house, Ormeley Lodge. on Ham Common, that Diana's face-to-face interview with Camilla had taken place. The Camilla connection was, in a perverse way, an attraction for Diana, as was later the marriage of Annabel's beautiful daughter, Jemima Kahn, when the Pakistani connection became important to her.

Annabel was a contemporary of Diana's mother, Frances, and had known her well. Her own children ranged from Rupert Birley, born in 1955, to the youngest, Zak Goldsmith, born in 1980, and with nephews, nieces, and stepchildren the Goldsmith house supplied a wonderful family atmosphere that attracted Diana. Ben Goldsmith was just over two years older than William, and Diana would bring the children with her to marathon Sunday lunches at Ormeley..."

C 2026 Mistress Manifesto - BlogSpot  All Rights Reserved including Internet and International Rights

 

FONDLY

 

THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS FA LA LA LA LA - LA LA LA - LAAA!

What fun!  Thank you Sherry Stahl!

BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY : AND HOW TO CHOOSE A DOG BY THE DOG WHISPERER ! FREE PET ADOPTIONS TO CELEBRATE THE PAWLIDAYZ

ZAPPOS and BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY TEAM UP : DOG FOR FREE PLUS 

SAVE A LIFE AND ENHANCE YOURS

You know that in all the years that I've been blogging at Mistress Manifesto, I've almost never advertised a product. I even avoid posting videos that have ads on them. So I really searched for the opportunities that I'm posting this month. Here is an opportunity to adopt a dog for free. Now, be sure that you want a dog - the blessings and opportunities but also the responsibilities - and have wisely chosen one that will fit in with your life - your space!

BEST FRIENDS ORG : ADOPT A CAT OR DOG : NO KILL SHELTER

EXCERPT: In 2024 alone, 425,000 cats and dogs were killed in this country’s shelters, including here in your community, simply because they didn’t have a safe place to call home.

We know millions of households will add a pet to their family this year and if just 1 in 17 more of those families chose to adopt a pet from a shelter, we could reach no-kill in your community and nationwide.

So when you adopt from a Best Friends location, a network partner or one of the many shelters and rescue groups around the country, you’re not only adding a loyal and loving companion to your family, you’re helping to save lives.

PURE BRED ? : ADOPTING A DOG IS A DECISION TO MAKE WISELY

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB GUIDE TO DOG BREEDS 

Dogs do have needs and there are expenses.  If I could do it over, the one thing I would do is buy doggie health insurance.  When I got my dog she was almost five years old and I knew near nothing about her past. Later I found out she had likely been allowed to breed or perhaps bred in a backyard.  Breeders sometimes stop when a dog is about five years old.

I soon learned she was terrified to have an accident in the house... i.e. housetrained.  However she was never taught any commands such as sit and stay. She also did not know what to do with toys and didn't play with them.

I had no idea if she'd ever had vaccinations or medical care. I didn't know that I could get health insurance for her, starting with her adoption from a local shelter where they had groomed her, cleaned her teeth, and otherwise given her a thumbs up when it came to her health...So, a dog does not have to be a puppy in order to get health insurance for it. 

Missy

WESTMINISTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW

I just love watching this show from beginning to end. This is but one of the categories. The people who own these dogs go all out. They are groomed beautifully, healthy, active, and often adorable.

WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB DOG SHOW 2026

The150th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show presented by Purina Pro Plan is happening January 31 & February 2-3, 2026 in New York City,

LOVE A PUP !

 

YOU CAN SLEEP WITH THE WRONG MAN...

BUT YOU CAN'T SLEEP WITH THE WRONG DOG!


(Don't know where this quote originated, but it made me laugh, as my dog is right by my side!)

COCKER SPANIEL

This images provided to wickicommons by Pearson Scott Foresman

an educational publisher.  Public Domain

William Faulkner gifted Meta Carpenter a puppy,
a cocker spaniel they name Chloe,
early in their relationship. 
She had the dog for many years.

AKITA - NICOLE BROWN SIMPSON's DOG MAY HAVE WITNESSED HER MURDER - IF ONLY DOGS COULD SPEAK

from WP images

 

Nicole Brown Simpson's Akita dog, named KATO, like Kato Kaelin,

lead strangers to her body.

 

SENIOR LOVE : IS THERE SOME WAY SHE CAN MAKE HIM MARRY HER? QUESTION FOR MISSY

QUESTION FOR MISSY

Hi Missy, 

I started seeing Lloyd several months after his wife of many years died.  Their children are grown and have families of their own.  They seem to think that I'm OK as a "companion" to Lloyd because he is older and I'm older, a couple years older than their mom was.  That's their concept.  That older people are just "companions," to go places together on senior citizen trips.  There are no objections to me that I know of.  They don't want dad to be lonely.

Now a couple years have gone by and we're comfortable.  We're sexual which his kids don't know but mine do because we get together at my house and I tell them not to come over.  What I'm not feeling comfortable with is that this relationship is not going towards marriage and I want to be married.  Lloyd knows this.  He says, "Some day it will probably happen."  How do I get Lloyd to move forward and make a real commitment like a wedding date?  He's a grieving widow.

Joan
Woodland Hills


ANSWER FROM MISSY

Dear Senior Citizen Joan,

I think all of us women know that there are very many more of us available as the years go by then there are men to go around.  I had a senior neighbor, a man who was half blind with thick glasses, a sloppy eater, and told the same bad jokes repeatedly, and he still had five women after him.

Senior women seem to be in abundance and most seem to have accepted that they will continue on as single or divorced or widowed.  Therefore, the competition is actually not as fierce as some think because so many women are themselves simply not interested in another marriage or have given up. I hate to say it, some feel grateful that they have a man who is a "companion." 

But Joan, to yourself you must be true. 

You use the term "comfortable," and I think that's just it.  Lloyd is comfortable just as things are and his comment gives me the impression part of his comfort is that he doesn't feel you are too pushy.  You could psyche this out that if you are "too pushy" you will loose him. but standing up for yourself and your beliefs is not pushy at all but what you have to do to be authentic. 

Then again this man had a long marriage with children, his life was settled, he probably has some wonderful characteristics, but he is a widower and was grieving his loss when you started dating him so OK, a couple years is enough time put in for you as a loving and patient woman who wants to be a married woman or for Lloyd to decide he has to make it as a single man.

What I'm going to suggest, but you must be firm in your desire to marry or leave him before you try this, is Don't Push Lloyd. 

When I got my dog,  I soon realized she was all muscle though a small creature. I was shocked that she could pull me down the street in her attempt to chase squirrels (which remains her passion) when she weighed ten times less than me.  One time she even broke her leash going after them.  There she was galloping in a field while I stood there in awe of both her speed and glee and how fast she got away from me.  Luckily she stopped at a tree where I caught her.  Then I read in one of the many dog training books that if a dog races away from you, hopefully not into deadly traffic, you shouldn't chase after them if they don't heed your call, but turn around and walk away.  Not that people are dogs, but you know, I tried it, and sure enough, it was like she had eyes in the back of her head.  When she knew I had given up and was heading home without her, she quickly turned around and followed me back.  Which means that she thought of my chasing her as part of her game.

So, Joan, it is time for you to tell Lloyd.  "I love you but I feel the need to be married."  (Do not officially break up with him or even say anything like "We should both see other people.")  Keep it that simple.  Tell him about when you also announce that you are going on a trip and don't know when you'll be back.  (He'll know you need time to think but also that you just need to get away ON YOUR OWN and have a good time.)

Joan, go on a trip for at least a month or more. Don't let him drive you to the airport or see him locally once you've said these two things and start packing.  No long good byes or promises to see each other when you return.  Just don't go on a cruise where everyone knows there are way more women than men.  Go to Europe to see the sights or to see your sister in Florida who has a boat or anywhere you can afford to go where there will be an adventure and where you'll be meeting people and go without giving him any way to contact you since after all you "don't know where" you will be (or with whom).  Don't even make any promises that you will call from the road or send any "thinking of you" postcards.  Don't e-mail or text from your other location. In fact, it would nice if you could leave your cell at home.  Tell your children not to inform him of your whereabouts if he calls them to find out where you are or when you'll be back.  All they do is "pass on the message when we hear from her." Make sure that no one is going to use your absence to "level with" or otherwise inform Lloyd of what you're up to. Be mysterious and vague.  Be open to a good time.

Lloyd will realize that you have created your own diversion and that you are rethinking the relationship.  Lloyd needs to think about what life will be like without you, when he can't call you at night to touch base, when he can't be sure he will have company to go along with him here there and everywhere.  Lloyd needs to know that you can find other companions elsewhere.  Without you saying it.  So just go.  Let him think his thoughts. If he finds another himself, let him.

Hopefully by the time you return, if you still want to marry Lloyd, he will have thought about it and have a proposal for you.  Whatever he says, don't consider it such if he does not want to set a date so that you can make a plan and have your Senior Dream Wedding.  If he doesn't soon after you return, well, you have already given both of you some distance.  But if you get back and he wants to continue as you had been before and loneliness or love consumes you, just know that the moment you go back to going out with Lloyd as you have been, the cause for marriage will have been lost.  And yes, very likely some other woman will soon be after Lloyd, making his widowhood easier on him.

I wish you the best, Joan.

Missy

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