Happyyarns

Dear Santa..for Christmas I would like!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE XXXX

2011-12-23T16:03:00.002Z

Merry Christmas Mum miss you

2011-12-22T15:49:00.003Z

Oh how I miss you Mum,
Now that Christmastime is here,
You come to mind now and again,
and I'm sure at times I hear you call my name

I'll walk along a street, my thoughts just clear
and then from knowhere, something will appear
a reminder of you, so strange, so true

It could be a stranger who vaguely looks like you
my heart misses a beat "oh my goodness you look vaguely like Mum"
Its such a strange sensation to perceive

Christmases were so special for us kids when we were small
I cherish the memories of all the times you enthralled
us with delights thank you for those Christmases Mum

Its been 18 months or so since you left this earthly sphere
as sitting here writing this I shed a tear
I love and miss you so so much Mum

Merry Christmas darling

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Comfoy cosy knit cardi!

2011-12-19T20:44:00.004Z

Thought I would share with you my latest knit, a oh so comfy cosy warm cardi, mind you it was a pain to knit. Quite a few mistakes in the published pattern but still, got it sorted out soon enough.

It;s knitted in a beautiful yarn Artesano aran, which is an alpaca mix, expensive at £8.45 odd a skein, this took me 6 skeins....but compared with M and S a worthy knit, it will get a lot lot of wear. Especially when I go in search of the Northern Lights to Norway early next year....wooohoo!

OH DEARY DEARY ME.......eeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...I don't generally post piccys of myself on here don't particularly like photos of myself, but think that goes for a lot of people. But decided to be brave for once, its very strange I have just turned 57 and quite honestly its gone so quickly lately, more so since all the children (or adults in training) as my dear friend calls them have flown the nest. Well they've been gone quite a few years now...but anyhow thought why not, stop being so shy. Age is just a number and inside I still feel about 40ish.

Won't bamboozle peps with more Christmas piccys, just my fireplace decs, kept simple but sweet.

HAVE FUN, KEEP WARM.....CHEERIO FOR NOW X

Such a cutie!

2011-12-15T17:48:00.005Z

I KNOW ANOTHER CHRISTMAS TREE PICTURE!

Look at those doting adoring eyes, my Jenny now 10 months old....ahhhhhh!

Yes I know I shouldn't be on the sofa, but Mum put me there, ner ner na ner ner!!!!!!!

Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswolds.....wonderful.

2011-12-02T15:01:00.009Z

Hello all, this post is rather picture heavy as just been away for my birthday/anniversary weekend to this most picturesque, charming, delightful village in the Cotswolds. We stayed at a charming 22 bedroomed hotel, fantastic cooked to order breakfast, huge huge beds.

http://www.chesterhousehotel.com/

A restaurant with food well, devine...what more could a girl want. Hubby, wonderful walks, quaint shops, beautiful cottages to coo at......also visited Lower Slaughter, oh my goodness its so so quaint, I felt at times it was a film set. Hope you enjoy these piccys. x First one seems to have gone awol ops!

Hols and hobbies!

2011-10-12T19:17:00.004Z

Hello, hows everybody? All so busy I suspect, anyway we went away for a few days in our m/h to Fleet Lagoon Weymouth. Stayed at a touring site right by the lagoon, the weather was as for lots of us that particular week glorious. The touring site was on an organic working farm...lots of lovely walks and places to visit. On one of the walks we came across The Old Church Fleet....I managed to photograph (with my old years old Fuji camera!!....more on new one later in post)...this bit of info, now I in my ignorance never knew or would have thought a tidal wave could hit our shores but here is written evidence. The only part left of this church is the chancel...but it certainly had an atmosphere.

You had to wander down this lane I think it was called "Butter Lane" hehe! the name apparently called so as to links with the land and farming....and at the end on the right was the old church. Hubby and I couldn't help having a nose through the window of the first one which was being "done-up" but in keeping. Hubby being 6'2" erm....and rooms so so tiny but oh so sweet.

As you can see from this photo is the touring site, it was only about 30% full which suited us fine.

Must tell you about new hobby, well hubbys fault really. Years and years ago he used to do photography for a hobby, and well now retired he mentioned that he would like to take it up again. So go on "treat yourself" says I. He spent some considerable time deciding what he required and duly purchased. So I take a little bit of interest in his new "toy"!!!......only being cheeky. Well I asked if I could share it with him....the look on his face said it all "it was his". Up to this point I had a years old camera that had served me well...so hubby said "buy and choose one for yourself. So originally went for a point and shoot camera, then started to take a closer look at hubbys....thought Oh! Iwant that and that and that on mine...so cancelled original order and upgraded camera to a super zoom one 36X........oh my goodness what fantastic fun I purchased a Nikon Coolpix p500...hubbys is a Panasonic Lumix fz45 which must admit has far greater write ups than mine!.....but the zoom on his at 24X is knowhere near as impressive....I think each camer has its own merits. So camera arrived and I have been learning and reading about apertures/shutters/isos and all such....very exciting and a new hobby that I thought I wouldn't do or really be interested in. How wrong can one be all thanks to my darling love of my life...xxx....so lots of sharing and finding out going one together. Anyway last night there was a full moon and the first chance to try out my "zoom" on a night sky.........ready for this.

................................................................

BE AMAZED....WHEN I SAW WHAT I HAD PHOTOGRAPHED I WAS WOW WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!

Our motorhome

2011-09-07T11:19:00.003Z

As promised, thought I would show you some piccys of our motorhome. Cannot believe how much joy it gives us, the feeling of complete and utter relaxation in your own surroundings is something that is well pure bliss. Even when its raining dogs and cats and your on a campsite miles from anywhere, its your own little world. Where I sit and knit crochet read, I love cooking in the motorhome, even love washing up, its like playing house. The cosyness is something else too, it seems to envelop you its your haven....love love love it.

A piccy of my kitchen area complete with full size cooker, I also have a microwave and fridge...woohoo!

Do you remember my crochet blanket I posted about earlier, well here she is in situ, a riot of colours....might need it soon with the weather...cosy cosy....and of course every girl needs a bit of bunting to brighten the place up even in m/h.

Crocheted a couple of cushion covers too.....accessorize accessorize..xx

HERE SHE IS OUR MOTORHOME......A KEY TO FREEDOM AND FUN WHEREVER AND WHENEVER SHE TAKES US.....and a lovely awning for sitting out in.

Knitting...woo hoo!

2011-08-25T16:17:00.003Z

Hello all, hows things I've been busy doing a bit of knitting after my mammoth crochet blanket...thats now awaiting to go into motorhome for our next expedition away to Wales and then the Lake District Keswick. But back to piccys this is a Louisa Harding top called Cuckoo, it is knitted in 50/50 silk wool and is scrumptiously soft and lovely to wear.

Must admit was a tad worried that it looks a bit like a tunic, what do you think.....too Starship Enterprise!!!!

and knitted me an "ol dears hat"...well thats what I thought when I'd finished it...but again another pleasurable knit done in an afternoon on some wool called Symphony from a company called Garn Studio...lots of freebie patterns and great yarn at great prices. I fluffed the yarn up by using a teasel brush. ttfn x

What a difference a week makes!

2011-08-19T15:37:00.003Z

Well me hubby and Jenny are well and truly acquainted now. Cannot believe how intelligent she is and a quick learner. Hubby and her are best of friends, she follows him everywhere. We did wonder if this was going to happen as she had been used to a previous lady owner. But he has been gentle and firm in his approach and as any dog owner knows there can only be one pack leader. Actually between you and me its quite good as he gets up to feed her when she wakes up about 6.20am....eeeekkkkk! Gone are our lie-ins. Her coat is coming on very well now. Family and friends have said "even though the lady that had her loved her....but with 5 other dogs she was being rather domineered...but...now lives life as a pampered pooch.

I'm camouflaged......x

The kindest most gentle loving eyes!

Come and meet my beautiful new friend...Jenny!

2011-08-12T10:00:00.002Z

Good morning blogworld, as some of you may know we had to have our beautiful Cavalier Megan to dog heaven some weeks ago and yes we said that we would give ourselves 6 months to see if we wanted another pet.....erm! life has a way of changing things. You see hubby and I felt such an empty place in our hearts and where her basket used to be that last week I tentatively started looking at Cavis again, but something was not right and clicking. You see we'd had two Blenheim cavs over the years and I had the feeling nothing would meet our expectations with another. So we decided to start looking at Spring Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels, the Springers didn't do it for us they seemed a tad too big for us. We then looked at english cocker spaniels, still nearly there but not right. Then

whilst browsing pictures of cocker spaniels I happened upon a picture clicked on it and said to hubby "if we had another dog thats what I'd want her to look like"....hubby turned to be and said the caption read "American cocker spaniel"...what!!!! in my ignorance I had never heard of an American one, so a lot of research and googling was done. Well we started to fall in love with them...so next step look at breeders, ok not a lot of them in the U.K....AND waiting lists.

Then, Wednesday night I happened on a website for breeders and people selling dogs clicked on ACS and there was an advert this lady was selling her 5 month old silver buff ACS....well emailed her and waited a couple of hours no reply, so rang.....had a lovely long conversation....went to see her yesterday Thursday pm...lots of questions on both sides. It turns out that this lady had a Cavi whom had died 8 months previous and she was going to get another until someone talked her into a ACS....BUT!......sadly for this lady but not for us.....she couldn't connect with her and felt it not fair for her to stay with her......so an hour later we left with this gorgeous little girl in my arms.....meet.

OUR JENNY....................

Hello everybody...nice to greet you x

Yes I know I'm pretty.

and my new Mummy just had to get me a stripy shocking pink basket....and a pink lead and colour.....good job my new Daddy doesn't mind.

It was so lovely coming down to breakfast and being greeted by such happiness...and that empty place in the kitchen now filled again.

Into crochet?

2011-08-08T13:54:00.005Z

Are you into crochet? Have you heard of the Japanese Flower Shawl....well I fell in love with this pattern. It was one of those patterns that you could tinker along at your own pace inbetween other projects. I used wonderful Debbie Bliss Andes which has 50% silk and gives a fantastic drape......3 colours 3 purple/2 apple green/1 beige. The yarn is so soft but does have a tendency to slip and separate at times...but nonetheless gorgeous. I will wear this with my burgundy coat in winter. It would also look nice draped around shoulders for evening out.
I made mine 9 flowers long by 3 wide...but it can get as big as you want, even a throw, but maybe I would use a lot cheaper yarn.

Ok...so me and hubby have been out and about for odd trips away in our m/h.
If anybody had told me how much we would fall in love with this type of travel.
To me nothing seems better and more lovely than our own bolthole to go home to at the end of the day.....and as for the bed....the feeling of snuggly down at the end of a busy day. Oh and the best bit of being inside the m/h is when its pouring down with rain and even better a thunderstorm. I know I know!....but that feeling of being in such a small place....I said to my hubby " that if anyone a few years ago had told me I could be so happy in basically a room on wheels that measures 23' by 9'6" I would have laughed by socks off...but it has everything one could want...and you find yourself planning your next trip away.
We spent a few days in Bath last month, just wandering around and have earmarked lots of places to visit next time, one being Jane Austens house, the American Museum with all the folklore stuff in it. We strolled up and down the lovely alleyways in fact you could really be anywhere in Europe....Italy France...only thing that gives it away is the english signs. (Sorry couldn't get piccy turned around).

ONE AMAZING SUNSET ONE EVENING....BLISS!

2011-07-19T17:10:00.005Z

Hello, it has been months since my last posting but my blog hadn't called to me until the last few days. Well I have been busying myself with all sorts of things.

But firstly there was one very very sad moment when had to have my beloved Megan put to sleep. She developed a huge lump in her neck that was full of poison and when I say huge I mean the size of a satsuma it was interferring with her breathing. We went to vets and she was put on a course of antibiotics....it then went down slowly to the size of a walnut, she was very poorly over this time, just laying asleep for most of it. Anyways went back to the vet which my this time she had developed a cough, the vet said that the poison etc had gone to her lungs and was backing up to her heart, she said that to give her some heart tablets to make her comfy for 3 weeks and then well "the kindest thing". It was an agonizing decision that hubby and I made that lunchtime, either to delay the inevitable or? Well we made the decision that hubby took her back that afternoon, whereby we rang the vet etc. I couldn't go this time, with my other Cavi she was 13 and soooo elderly but Megan just coming up to 10 but very puppyish. She did start to rally for a few hours beforehand almost as if she knew. I know its so silly but I was beside myself with grief for the loss of her, hubby came back and I watched him get out of the car with just her lead and the blanket, I couldn't go downstairs even. He came in and I just asked him to just put all that had been Megans into a bag as I didn't want to see it. Ho hum!!!. pets eh? Miss her so so much she was such a poppet of a dog. Oh and try explaining it to 3 and a half year old Grandchildren that their little friend has gone to doggy heaven. They're still asking now.

My Megs aged 8.

But enough of sad things onto my latest project which I must admist has taken me 3 months......18 balls of yarn....I used basic acrylic and it has cost me roughly £25.00......the pattern is from a lovely lady called Lucy at "Attic 24"...go check ber blog, very inspiring.......Its been made for the bed on our recently acquired motorhome....which more of at another time!

Hope you enjoy the piccys.

Oh and the blog photo is of "Fingle Bridge" Dartmoor..a most picturesque beautiful serene place. It was raining on the day we visited but we sat outside the pub/restaurant pulled the sun umbrella down and ordered the most tasty bowl of their soup and humungous roll and chips. The wind whipped round our legs but everything was "Oh so perfect".

Christmas memories and darling Mum.

2010-12-24T11:56:00.003Z

Yesterday I was chatting to my daughter and she was saying about memories of her childhood Christmas's and all the things I did as Mum to make it magical for the children.....she is now doing the very same thing with her children....she thanked me for making her childhood memories of Christmas so magical and speaking to my little twin Grandbubs they are both very excited...at 3 years old they are just starting to understand. Mind you my little Grandson asked "why does Santa come down the chimney...and how does he doe it"? Daughter talked of all the magic, when bless him he turned round and said...."But Mummy, theres a front door why doesn't he come through that". Daughter said about his sleigh and reindeer etc......he stood there taking it all in, then walked away.....he then turned around after obviously having thought about it and said..........."but he's taking a short cut"...........did make me chuckle.
It bought back my memories of my own darling Mum, I only lost her June this year. She used to make Christmas so memorable for me and my brothers.....so magical. We used to live in a terraced Victorian house with no central heating etc...it was very cold in winter but so so full of love......so the memories and traditions that my darling Mum made for me I then carried on with my own children and now find that my daughter is doing so much of the same. It gladdens my heart. She is making me smile with all her tales of her Christmas shopping and instead of turkey...she is having goose...Oh my goodness, she did so much research in the best way to cook it. All the things that I used to do, I love listening to all her exploits. Its a case of been there, done that....but its her turn now. As for my darling Mummy, wherever your are sweetheart.....I love you.......I miss you so terribly.....you will be in my thoughts as always but more so Christmas....and I know you will be near us all. God Bless Mum.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL XXXX

That Christmas feeling.....

2010-12-20T11:38:00.005Z

My Christmas window in daylight......it looks lovely at night, especially from outside.....

This gorgeous pup was on one of my Chrissy cards.......

another favourite card....just loving these sort of scenes.........

Hey Rudolph...............

whose your friend?

LOOK, I'VE TOLD YOU....NO PAPARAZZI TODAY....

I'M NOT IN THE MOOD OK!

MY LOVELY SLIGHTY DOTTY 9 YEAR OLD MEGAN......

OR MEGALS AS GRANDCHILDREN CALL HER.

My back lounge, fireplace decorated for Christmas
just simple decs this year.

and my lovely new front lounge/dining room fireplace now all

dressed up.
I decided to make a pretty scene of pretend boxed pressies for a scene in my curved window area........like it?
Night time look, shame lights don't show up enough on pics.

Enjoy your run up to Christmas this week, don't overdo it......x

Before and after

2010-12-17T10:46:00.004Z

Morning, sorry about the fuzzy picture, but -4 outside and my tiny digits were freezing. Couldn't believe it when passing my raspberry patch, there shivering under some leaves were four tiny ones, now it is December isn't it....hey who needs a freezer?

My darling hubby sure is a sweeheart, the wallpaper we have in our front lounge has some beautiful red/gold wallpaper on one wall as an accent. Not to everybodies taste I know, but we love it. I have tried in the past to do the pastel colours and I do love them but somehow they just never seem to work for me. So we have a gas stove (and yes would love a woodburner) but as no chimneys in our house, it would mean taking pipes up outside the side of the house and don't really think neighbours would take kindly to that. So back to story, we kept on looking at the stove standing there on the flagstone hearth, we have had it standing alone like this for two years and it has been fine until about a month ago. You know you go through these changes in your house. Hubby pondered and ummed and ahhe'd and bless him, turned to me and said "I'll build brickwork around it and make a fire surround. He worked all last weekend, he is so thorough and keeps mess to a minimal.

Ta da.................... he's done a great job, chose chailey

bricks which have a old worlde look about them.

He had to keep the brick pillars within the frame

of the mantel and the hearth. I was a tad worried

that it would look weird. We think it looks great

and has made the room seem so cosy now. What do you think?

So this weekend it will be decorating with

all things Christmas.......have a good weekend...

don't get snowed in. x

I love red!

2010-12-13T12:16:00.003Z

Hello, long time no post. Just been busy with all sorts at the moment, lots of babysitting twin Grandchildren....3 years old honestly I look sooooooooooooooooooo ragged after a day with them, the house looks a shambles afterwards....so ok we start playing in the lounge. Snap playing cards, then bricks, then stringing cotton reels together. Then its upstairs to play in their room, and of course the trail of toys/books etc slowly creeps down the stairs. Then Nanny (me) gets her knitting out whilst watching them play. Over they trot..."can we help"......so in turn they both put the yarn around the needle, well they do about 5 times each then boredom sets in....but I praise "well done your so clever"...the beaming smiles I receive make my heart sing.....and then theres the gorgeous hugs and squeezes I get. The sudden kisses on the cheeks, both sides at both times, the I love you Nanny. Whatever is going on in my world, these two just bring a beautiful ray of sunshine into my life, my heart sings, I smile and the world is such a better place. If only one could bottle it.

But anyways in the meantime, I decided by bed needed a bit of a Christmas fix......and whilst browsning around The Range....came across this beautiful set I think £14 for kingsize, Ok its a polyester mix, but thats Ok as I cotton sheet and fitted underneath. Also managed to grab hold of last two sweet Nordic type cushions (the small ones)....so loving my Christmassy bed, with huge red throw on the bottom and also fur one for snuggles.

Why do you blog?

2010-10-12T10:41:00.002Z

Morning......I have been admiring and reading lots of different blogs and I have a simple question....it got me wondering so I thought I would ask.

"Why do you blog"?

Nigella a must for your Christmas list!

2010-09-30T17:54:00.004Z

If there's one cooking book to go on your Christmas list this year, make sure its our Nigella. Superb, homely, simple, comforting, easy, kitchen warming, tummy warming, delicious and any other superlatives I can think of. Not too many ingredients, simple ingredients, supermarket ingredients...in fact nothing in here is too hard to make. Her best book yet in my opinion.

and even better the actual cooking turns out almost the same as the book pictures....and there's not many recipe books where that happens...well not for me.

This is a crusty pizza made from a basic batter mix....absolutely moreish!

and made this most gorgeous soft ginger cake with guinness...I added a few sultanas to it....and have managed to freeze a third....Oh! and thats another good thing about the book, Nigella gives all make ahead and freeze directions at the end of each recipe.

BON APETIT X

Greengate pinny.

2010-09-29T11:28:00.006Z

Morning, hope alls well? Have to show my gorgeous new pinny. Isn't it lovely, it comes from http://www.greengate.dk/ wonderful company. Perfect if you love CK but want more colour. Check them out you will not be disappointed.

PRETTY PLEASE.....I need some help, unfortunately I am a bit of a computer numpty. Anyway I thought I would do myself a photo shot and make a lovely new picture for the header of my blog. It took ages to do, so excitedly downloaded to "my pictures"....did all necessary to upload on blog and erm!!!!! darn things too big, can only see half of it. So does anyone know and can tell me how to resize....many thanks
ttfn x Managed to resize now have gone and mucked it up with image edit...I think its blurry, or is it my glasses.....grrrrrr!!!!!!!!! Maybe I'll try again later. x

Post holiday blues!!!!!!!?????????

2010-09-20T21:40:00.003Z

Me post holiday blues, no no noI hear you cry oh yes! big time. I have just come back from a two week cruise on the Celebrity Eclipse. We sailed from Southampton to Vigo, then Lisbon, Gibralter, Barcelona, Cadiz, Palma and Provence. I must admit my favourite was Provence, we visited Bandol and Sanary, the harbour was full of the most beautiful luxury yachts, the sun shone and all was good. I didn't really think much of Gibralter mind you it was soooo hot that day 34 degrees, even the pavements seemed to melt and finding Marks & Spencers was rather weird.

Our gorgeous ship, if you see where the man is standing on balcony ours was the one below that. We had calm sees in the Med, and the notorious Bay of Biscay was kind and calm on way out, erm!!! she was not so accomodating on way back, 10' swells, and the ship was like a washing machine....18 hours of it eeekkkkk!!! But I was big and brave and put my wrist bands on buried my head under my pillow at night and tried to sleep, Oh thats inbetween feeling icky....ah well. All part of cruising. The dolphins we saw were numerous and was delightful watching then jump the wake of the ship and we were also lucky enough to see a couple of whales.

Don't know which ship this was sailing away before us but made an awe-inspiring sight/
Such beautiful sunsets!

So back to normality, well I'm trying, think it will take me a few days....so off to look at my piccy and video memories.....ttfn x

New Cath Kidston bag.

2010-08-24T11:14:00.002Z

Isn't this bag gorgeousness.......treated myself to this for winter season last week. Briar rose mini saddle bag. I was a bit dubious as to whether everything would fit in, but it does.....purse/glasses case/mobile/brush/keys/tissues and inside pocket for lippy and odds'n'ends. Also so versatile, lovely to drape across body with strap long, or shorter on shoulder. The colour of the bag is so easy to match up with things....all in all wonderful. Cutesey door stop...."Home Sweet Home".x

Your first doll?

2010-08-14T19:25:00.005Z

So ok girls, who still has their very first dolly with them.....meeeeeeeeeeeeee!
She is now half a century yep! 50 years old. Ops nearly giving my age away there, well add 5 years. She has been cuddled, dropped, thrown, covered in make up over the years but bless her she has survived. Shes had quite a few names over the years....Belinda/Matilda/Susan/Barbara/Janet....erm notice the 1950's names. Well now she is being much loved and cuddled by my gorgeous little Granddaughter. She loves to take her to bed, erm not quite soft and cuddly unlike her modern equivalent. What is even more dear to me now is the fact that my darling Mum (who for those that have read passed away some 8 weeks ago) made the outfit for her complete with knitted pants and vest underneath. She made this outfit some 30 years ago for my daughters when they used to play with her. Isn't it lovely that now my Granddaughter is loving her, long may she continue to be cuddled.

Night night, sleep tight......x

Ops! she does have a poorly though....I think that was me as a littleun. Also the elastic holding her together has also been replaced.

Prettify silk flowers with embroidered butterflies.

2010-08-10T13:55:00.002Z

August seems to be rushing by and have wondered where the beautiful weather is...hmmm! will we all need our woollies soon? Anyways been busy making these embroidered butterflies to pretty up my silk flowers, not sure whether I will leave them there but they certainly look pretty.

and of course a bit of crafting also came too.....cupcake pot holders or stands....its funny my machine has been idle the last 2 months but now the rains here, what else is a girl to do but make.

We all need bunting and a knitted cushion!

2010-07-28T13:42:00.002Z

Thought would show you this years grapes.....not bad eh! might be edible!!!!!!!!! Tried them last year ohhhhhh! sour.Thought I would show you my bunting, actually as you can see I'm not very picture taking savvy, but it is all oilcloth Cath Kidston, florals/spots and the like. I wanted to make some myself but when I cam across a seller making these for £10 and theres 15 flags...only problem is the ends furl up in the wind, any ideas? Only place to put it around the spa

Ok you may or may not know that I knit knit and knit, always have a project or two on the needles and my latest is this sample cushion. I used Rowan Cotton Glace 5 different colours and for those in the knitting world know, went and sourced my patterns from Ravelry knitting community. 9 squares 2 weeks later ta da!!!!!....a part besequined (erm is that a word?) ah well....cushion...I love the jewelled colours, you see thats my problem. I love pastels for things and then drawn to these gorgeous colourways. Actually don't laugh the knitted bottom left square is supposed to be a cup of coffee, but I stupidly put it on upside down and inside out.

Deck chair makeover and other....

2010-07-25T16:35:00.004Z

Who needs fully functional touring sites, when your motorhome is self sufficient for 2 days and you can camp on school playing fields. These campers arrived at the school playing field which my house backs onto.....they belong to the Motorcaravaners Club and spent two days here. Wonderful idea, small fee for using field and profits go to the school.

But onto the more interesting part. Well I was looking at online shops the other day, and came across a deckchair that they had repainted and covered for the princely sum of £98.00!!!! eeeeeekkkkk.....I thought they must be having a laugh. So off I went to my shed where my long forgotten grotty old deckchair has been languishing for the last couple of years. Stupidly I didn't take a before piccy, was too excited with doing the makeover. Anyhows it was dark wood with navy and sky blue stripes running through the material. Well off I went to Laura Ashley sale and there waiting for me at £11.00 per metre (being half price in their sale) was just the woven upholstery fabrice I needed, pale ecru/cream/moss green/most beautiful grey. Did my heart miss I beat as I spied this material, was there enough left on the roll...oh yes oh yes!....honestly what else can get a girl with a love of flowers more excited. So home it came. Next a trip to Homebase, aha everything seemed to be falling into place, first pot of eggshell I saw Laura Ashley Country White, phew and just two tins left....so one quickly was grabbed by me. I covered the existing deck chair material for strength. So for the princely sum of £12.99 for paint and £9.90 for material (oh yes! there was a further 10% off at till......all done for the price of £22.89. Am I pleased, you bet cha!!!!! ttfn x

Hello....

2010-07-21T10:40:00.005Z

I know...have been such a absent blogger but things have been very hectic over the last few months and even though I have been busy, sewing and making and knitting....there has been a sadness in my life my darling Mum passed away on the 27th June at from senile dementia. She had it for nearly 7 years and has been a slow painful process watching her deteriorate over the time. The last 9 months she had been in a Nursing Home where Dad would go and sit with her from 1pm until about 6pm every day......he would feed her N Sure and play her their favourite classical pieces of music, he would sit and sing to her, constantly stroking her hair, kissing her cheeks, his love and devotion unfailing. I had been to see her on the Sunday morning when the Matron said "we think this is the beginning of the end"....I went into her room and she was looking so pretty but so frail slightly propped up on the pillows, the nurses had combed her hair so it laid out on the pillow. She had rapid breathing, I tarried a while and managed to keep my emotions in check, we left after a while thinking that how things stood maybe another few days. I spoke to Matron on the way out and asked her "how long"....she replied "my dear if I had a pound for everytime someone had asked me that question I would be a millionaire.

So home I went which is about 20 mins drive away....me and hubby had a lovely BBQ that afternoon and I was just washing up when the telephone went just 5pm...my brother was on the line telling me to get over to the Nursing Home very quick, and that he said he didn't think Mum had long to go.....I stupidly asked him how many respirations she was having, honest to goodness what an absolute dimass question, but I had my methodical hat on. So we raced over all the way I was telling my darling Mummy I was coming and for her to wait for me....we duly arrived at the Nursing Home, where my 2 brothers met me outside her room and told me I was too late, they she had passed ten mins beforehand. I looked at their faces which were full of tears, I couldn't believe it, I remember just dropping my bag to the floor pushing past them and stood looking at my Mum....then like I was watching myself I just ran over and lent over her bed, cuddling crying and asking her "I told you to wait for me Mum, why didn't you wait, why didn't you wait"......she was still of body temp to touch. I all of a sudden stood back and realized that "Oh my goodness, you've really passed away".....it was like a bolt. We stayed for a while and then privately said our goodbyes. I miss her like crazy I'm so sad that Mum had dementia and hadn't known me for years, it would have been lovely to have taken her out and about to garden centres, we used to be great friends as Mum and daughter, lots of things in common...love of home/family/cooking/knitting.......but I still have lots of memories to treasure and comfort me.
To my darling Mum, forever in my thoughts....love you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Childhood chores....

2010-03-24T09:15:00.003Z

Me and hubby were talking about childhood chores that we used to have to do as children to help around the house. Mine used to be to iron all the hankerchiefs on a Sunday morning and there used to be loads...Mums Dads mine and my 2 brothers. I didn't mind doing Mums as they were so pretty with embroidered edgings and lace corners etc...but the big ones yeuk!!!! and then of course there was the shoe cleaning to do several pairs lined up, actually used to share this job with my Dad there was an old dresser in what we used to call our "breakfast room" in the home I grew up in the dresser was built in with huge great drawers and doors under and for some reason Dad kept all the shoe polishes etc in there....hmm! couldn't see that happen knowadays. Does anybody clean shoes anymore or get shoes heeled, or is it just me? Another job, cleaning out the fire grate, used to loathe that job back then....oh and used to have to polish the wood floorboards either side of the carpet runner in the hallway, the hall was long Mum and Dad used to live in a Victorian terrace house and it was big but so very very cold, no central heating then....the hallway used to run from the beautiful front door mosaic glass entrance vestibule along from hallway, down 5 steps to another hallway, along there and then down 2 more steps to back lounge...polishing seemed to take me for ever....and then of course there were the jobs to help my Grandma....oh the joy of using an old turn handle wringer to wring the clothes, it used to fill me with glee to put the clothes through 2 or 3 times so they came out cardboard stiff......such sweet memories.....what are yours?

Long time no blog...but hello...

2010-03-02T16:10:00.004Z

Hi.....been a tad lazy of late keeping my blog up.....put it down to "what on earth do I write about syndrome" But anyway am here now and a few bits and pieces to show you....well have given the ol' blog a spring look, hope you like it, the header picture is one of my watercolours, well a copy of a painting by artist Terry Harrison, love his stuff..understand I have to put this down...but anyway don't you feel that you could just wander down that lane with all the bluebells, step over that sty into a beautiful meadow, I just feel the need to blow away those winter cobwebs don't you? First off have been making some doiley type mats for the table, red set for me and blue/green set for my friend to go with her birthday pressie. Mind you she might read this before end of week and will know that I've made them for her. Mind you its a bit like coals to Newcastle as she has her own embroidery machine and is very clever with her ideas and designs...But anyway hope she likes them.

Started to do a couple of Easter card designs....hmmmm!!! edges look terrible on here but the cards in reality look Ok.AND THEN SQUEALS WITH DELIGHT.....................TREAT FOR

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE......

GORGEOUS NEW CATH KIDSTON BAG...will see me through the whole summer...goes with most things, very roomy. I looked high and low for a bag I liked, tad expensive for what it is I think but CK seems to have the cache on this floral stuff...so for girls like me a must have.

Where are you happiest at?

2010-02-04T11:54:00.004Z

I was looking back at holiday photos from the last 3 years, reminiscing as you do and it got me thinking...which holiday do you remember as the best and most enjoyable.
For me everyone that I am lucky enough to go on I take something from, but the strange thing is the ones in dear ol' blighty seem to say nearer to my heart. How strange is that. You know the ones where you've booked a cottage somewhere and you arrive, walk in and it instantly feels like home from home, where you kick off your heels and just be, free to do as much or as little as you want. To wander and drive around villages, walk and find that pretty Tea Room, that even if they sell just teas, are the most perfect teas around. Just browsing and taking time to look at things, fall in love with pretty cottages....visit National Trust..Oh! talking of National Trust properties one of my all time favourites is Lanhydrock in Cornwall...its a must.

Stayed at Manor Lodge in Crewkerne a Christmas or so ago....a memorable time.
and sundrenced Bardolino on the shores of Lake Garda in Italy......all those icecreams...and what a place to people watch. Lakeside walks that go on and on....me and hubby have a favourite seat outside the hotel where we would go and sit and watch the sunset or wait for the mountains to start reverberating with the eventual arrival of the thunderstorm...watching the lake turn from serene calmness...quite a swell would happen, one that you wouldn't believe could happen on a lake.
I must admit though sailing past The Statue of Liberty last September at the start of my cruise to Canada, was spine tingling, tummy tugging....and I did have a lump in my throat...very strange. I didn't realize how symbolic she was until I saw her...

and finally where am I.....a caribbean island, some exotic destination....wrong...hubby and I came across this beautiful sight whilst driving to the Isle of Skye in bonny Scotland. Couldn't even see it from the road, just saw a sign that said "Cove"...well as we love to explore, off we went, rounded a few corners and hairpin bends and lo and behold, this sight awaited us. I shall never forget it, totally deserted, white sand so fine it just trickled through your fingers, this was in the month of April. The previous day we had been up to Ben Nevis and played in the snow....and here we sat on the sands together, total silence and just looked...........and sat and looked...the only sound were the birds trilling overhead....bliss.

Hexagonal knitted throw....finished.

2010-01-30T12:17:00.005Z

These were such a joy to knit and surprisingly lovely to sew together. I did 54 in the end...I would have made it bigger, but cost was getting silly. I used Debbie Bliss Rialto aran and I got about just over 5 hexagonals out of each ball. I have just one more ball to buy to finish the stitch edging as you can see from the top part. It surprisingly not just makes a pretty lap/throw but looks lovely as a shawl wraparound. Tried lots of different designs to sew them together but found this one worked for me, as you can see its a off angle triangle, if you get my drift? Actually the colours I used are clearer than shows on this photo.

Just the thing to throw over your lap when blogging eh girls!
and even matches new cushions and repainted chair...brilliant.

Must thank http://btchwstix.blogspot.com/ once again for her pattern....its lovely.

One made over rocking chair....done.

2010-01-25T15:22:00.006Z

Take one drab rocking chair, sitting in the corner, forlorn unloved unwanted...nearly got thrown out a few weeks ago.

Didn't think repainting it would work, then darling hubby tells me use this stuff.

I did one coat as there wasn't heavily coloured varnish underneath and two top coats of eggshell in chalk white.

One unloved rocking chair, now turned into a thing of prettiness. So today I've been sewing cushi0ns for it. Green floral and green spot material from Dunelm Mills.

Brought this panel of material a few weeks ago, love it. So its just been backed onto some cream cotton....actually felt quite guilty today. Mondays is usually housework day....but today I woke up thought...it can wait!!!....I'm having a me day... loved it...made a loaf this morning.....read through my favourite blogs.......rang hubby at work.....watched Loose Women. Did my sewing up of cushions, I'd cut them out previously and now its 4.10 and I need to get dinner sorted...hope you had a good day too. ...what you get up to this grey Monday?

My first attempts at machine embroidery.....

2010-01-24T20:54:00.004Z

Here she is girls..my gorgeous Brother Innov-is 750e and she is wonderful...full of such loveliness to use. What with lots of different memory cards to purchase with patterns on and also plain cards to download onto, the choice will be great. Just realized that she isn't thread up on this piccy but I was just changing colour. I dived straight in and embellished some of my new towels.

The colours used don't show up so well on this towel, as I have only purchased 14 colours as yet...so was a bit limited. Pretty though!

Tried doing a bit of moving the hearts around, very unsure as you can see, the patterns can be rotated etc and moved up/down/left/right....I feel a lot of trial and error is needed, as you can see when I added the flourish of flowers...ops.

Also I didn't move the middle heart down far enough, but hey, I'm still chuffed.

The colours show up beautifully on this plain white hand towel....gosh I'm sitting here itching to do some more...but must not rush things. Can you imagine all the things to personalize, I'm thinking plain white t-shirts of the Grandbubs, which I can put cartoon characters on...I'm thinking M & S white blouses with delicate roses scattered all over. I'm thinking bottoms of granddaughters dresses prettied up.....plain duvets prettied up, there are so many possibilities....anyway off for a cup of tea and a relax....no I shall be good and refrain from doing anything else on her tonight.....byeee x

Taaaaaa daaaaaa! .............X

Brother Embroidery Machine...woohooo!

2010-01-22T15:25:00.006Z

I have such a sweet darling hubby....well to cut a long story short. A friend of mine who is a prolific seamstress and I mean wonderful, wedding dresses and the like, clothing you name it, this lady can do it. Me I can make curtains and used to do swags and tails and austrian blinds (when they were in fashion)!!...make cushions etc. Well anything that doesn't involve a dressmaking pattern....anyway I was round hers the other day and she showed me her embroidery machine, well girls what can I say it was LUUUURRRRVVREEEE at first sight. So I duly did my research and narrowed it down to 2 this one http://www.sewingmachines.co.uk/PDFs/pdfbronv750.pdf and another one a Janome. I was going to go for the Janome but panicked as I found out this particular model is about 3/4 years old...whereas the Brother has memory cards and usb for downloading designs straight from the computer. Well spoke to hubby and he looked at them as well and we went down to our local Sewing Machine shop and we spoke to the chap there, he was so nice ( I know one could say that he would want to sell us the more expensive machine) but he went through the pros and cons...must admit my tummy was doing summersaults with excitement and after 20 mins or so I came away with this awesome embroidery machine on order. Didn't expect it till after the weekend. So went with DD and twins to Friday twins club to help out.....lucky for me, but unlucky for darling hubby, who is at home with erm shall we say, he ate a not so nice tuna sandwich...and bless him he has suffered!...anyway duly arrived home and standing in the hallway is my beautiful machine. I have been really good and not even unopened the box as well I am re-decorating the study/craft room...I decided it needed to be a restful shade of green so I have gone for Farrow & Ball Green Ground, I have painted my old rocking chair chalk white and also a old Ikea melamine unit, used some wonder Easy Seal Primer....this stuff makes everything stick to it like glue, metalwork, even brickwork...its wonderful. So am busy bee, hey don't you just love the latest fashion look, enjoy whatever your up to this weekend....me I'm just itching to get this room done and sorted.....ttfn x

Oh and would just lijke to thank you http://bellascountry.blogspot.com/2010/01/little-bit-of-sunshine.html for the award, its my very first ever award and I really didn't ever dream that I would receive one, must say its made my day....just need to work out how to post flower to sidebar.

Knitted hexagons and Emma Bridgewater...

2010-01-14T11:00:00.005Z

These cute little mugs are from Emma Bridgewater and I fell in love with the cute little robins They are just the right size for a small cuppa or coffee....been coveting these since before Christmas, but waited for sale.

I have been very busy knitting hexagonals thanks to this lovely lady http://btchwstix.blogspot.com/2007/07/for-love-of-hexagons.html

whose blog I stumbled across as you do. So far I have made 54 and I'm thinking am nearing the end, unfortunately I was silly and have made it in Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran, I thought I was going to get more per ball than I have, so when sewn up will be more of a lap blanket...think will sew up in blanket stitch...

Don't you think the wool colours are quite Cath Kidston? Think this will live over the back of the chair in the kitchen. If your into knitting the hexagonals are easy peasy and the pattern very easy to remember....but I would definitely use a cheaper yarn if I did them again.

Bits and bobs posting

2010-01-10T19:10:00.007Z

Hi....has everybody enjoyed their weekend...I suspect like me you waited for the big snowstorm to appear and hankered down for the night.....and niente!!!!!...and I can hear drip drip from the guttering so it seems a bit of thawing is going on round this way. I must admit to being a tad disappointed that its going....I know I know...its a pain and one cannot get around etc. But it was just nice to be just so, do you know what I mean, all that rushing around, tooing and frooing seemed to halt for a few days, people have been stopped in their tracks, they had to stay in, be with the family. Mind you I had to laugh when a lady was being interviewed on TV and she was bemoaning the fact that the shop/supermarket had run out of bread......erm!!! ever heard of a breadmaker or failing that bread flour etc and hey they even do the packets already mixed and just add water....I don't know?

So I wondered what I could post about today and looked around by home and spied a plate, well a plate and 1 miserable saucer to be exact, I have been trying to start a collection of this lovely little design by Johnson Bros, called The Friendly Village, quite pretty don't you think....I feel it may time some time and searching, but thats half the fun.

She sits next to my window lamp, the two halves were flea shop finds, I think the glass shade is one of the 1950 glass shades that used to be in the loo, ops! Ah well they marry up quite nicely and seem to match by Laura Ashley curtains, I love these, they add such a touch of warmth to my snug.

I bought Februarys' Country Homes & Interiors and whilst browsing came across these, Oh! my goodness, did you ever......aren't they the sweetest. A MICRO PIG.......and you can house train them. Think I'll stick to my Megs though.
Honestly Lady muck, love her to bits even though she can get under my feet, but she's always there for a lap cuddle and somehow needs to know when I need one...clever aren't they?

..........and if your in the market for a beautiful fire screen...wouldn't this handsome screen just fit the bill.
Look out....cream kitchen alert.....lovely but to be needs a tad

accessorising....but one of the kitchens from the most beautiful oak framed homes company.

http://www.borderoak.com/ There is an article in Country Homes about a couple who used them....could I...would I.......can I.........hmmm!!! some pipe dream, but ne'er the less its a lovely site to visit and gloss and gloat at....and some even more beautiful designs and interiors. Go and enjoy!

This ones for me!!!! if only......x

or may on a grander scale, no too big for us now the children have flown.

Byeeeeeee.................xxx

Whats been walking on my roof?

2010-01-08T13:34:00.004Z

Whose been walking around on my roof?
As I opened the curtains and I spied......
on my rooftop extention....
Little footprints in the snow
Little footprints side by side....

Tiny little imprints they were..........
With no beginning...and no end
It came, it saw, it searched I'm sure.....
For some food put out with love.....
But when it looked down from the guttering ridge.....
All it saw was by empty wheelie bin lid!!!!!

In seriousness though, I have been making sure that the bird feeders are all filled all the time, so the poor little birdies don't have to search too far....also they've been enjoying the last of the Christmas cake...yummy.

Hows all today, still brrrrrrrring. I went and visited my DD and twins this morning, I had thick tights and sexy bee socks (piccy)!!!.....don't you just love my knitted wonders...but they are wool and wool is natural and sheep stay outside with their coats on in winter and these socks kept my feet comfy cosy. Cord trousers plus two other layers plus thick coat, scarf and some wonderful sheepskin mitts. The cold seeped through these layers, but my hands were warm and I lovingly wore them, you see they smell of my Mum (who is very very poorly)...well the story is Mum has had these mitts for 40 years and Dad asked me a few weeks ago, if I wanted them along with a pair of her thick gloves. I must admit I reluctantly took them, as Dad keeps asking me if I want any of Mums clothes, and most of the time I politely refuse, after all they are all shall be say for ladies of elderly age, but my darling Dad doesn't seem to understand this. So back to mitts, I gave them a wash and put them in a draw just leaving them there until yesterday and today and they now have a new life with me. I love them and I cannot believe the sentiment I feel wearing them, even after a wash they smell of my Mum, she used to wear Max Factor compact face powder and the gloves smell of it. So my darling Mum (even though in the Nursing Home) has been with me today as I walked the cold freezing road....it was sooooooooo comforting. xx

Winters grip!

2010-01-07T11:53:00.003Z

Hello, hows everybody in blogland today. Hope your all keeping warm and cosy and that no-ones the victim of any power failure. I managed to get out for a walk today and with the sun shining it just somehow managed to take the edge off of the bitter cold. Lots of people walking everywhere and so lovely people were just actually talking to each other in the street. I generally say "morning" or such when taking Megs our dog out for her walk...but today people actually talked. I was greeted by "take care"...."do you know if Tesco Express has any milk"...which funnily enough brings me to my next bit of todays writing. I remember when local residents (myself included) were up in arms at Tescos wanting another express shop around...well I have to eat humble pie. As the car is well and truly iced into our driveway and darling hubby has walked to and from work these last two mornings. Honestly yesterday he looked like a michelin man...but he got there 35mins, he walked a lot of it in the middle of the road which somehow seemed safer. Anyway going back to Tescos, so not being able to get car out, so lovely to walk and get bread etc.

I must admit I am not very good at photography but having a blog somehow it seems to make you look at things a different way. Looking at other peoples blogs there is some beautiful work, which I admire. I could put it down to my camera I suppose but whether it be £80 or £300, its all in the eye. I thought to myself, well I have an eye for colour in the home decor and crafting side of my life, so its about time I tried with the photography. So heres a few of my efforts, not great, but I will try to improve more and more.
Our local church where our daughters got married.

I loved the way the shaft of sunlight just shone across and lit up the bush which unfortunately doesn't show that well.

Beautiful, nature in the snow and ice at its best.

A treacherous road in our local village Tarring.

View from my bedroom window, the South Downs, actually even though I at times would love a cottage (unfortunately finance doesn't allow)....this view which me and hubby adore, keeps us rooted. I look out and don't feel hemmed in and I know the downs are just 7 mins by car.

Thats me done for today....keep warm. I'm going to have lunch, make a apple cake for pudding tonight, then hopefully do some knitting this afternoon...keep warm....xx

Prospect of snow...

2010-01-05T10:17:00.005Z

I was reading http://ournewlifeinthecountry.blogspot.com/2010/01/getting-colder.html earlier and the colour of the sky was mentioned. Well the colour was very much the same down here on the South Coast, eerily a orangey/red but with a smokey tinge to it, wish I'd got my camera out but had just risen from my snuggly duvet. Supposed to be getting some snow here, I know I know I shouldn't get excited as it is a pain in the proverbials but...I just want to go for a lovely walk up to Cissbury Ring (which is a local beauty spot down here) and walk it and take photos of beautiful white crisp loveliness, but until the snow comes...will go off with my lovely friend for a coffee, chat and knit and a looksee around one of our garden centres.

But girlies, how about some Cath Kidston, made this cute pelmet for the kitchen window, it just needed cosying up...think its done the trick. Also bought a box bag in the sale, love it love it. Then got this cute melamine tray from Homebase, didn't know they did this flowery stuff, only £2.94 too.

What to do with dreary beige napkins....

throw them....NOOOOOO!!!!

tart them up. All pretty now.
Ok! don't look at the wonkey stitching....duh!!!

The oilcloth tablecloth is the same material as pelmet and it also goes lovely with my recovered chairs...don't you just love the way Cath Kidston colours work.

Once upon a time....

2010-01-02T23:19:00.003Z

Once upon a time in October 2007, two little twins were born, one girl and one boy. They were 9 weeks premature and weighed 3lb boy and 4lb girl. The little boy was quite poorly for about 10 days after the birth and weight dropped to 2lb 8ozs, these adorable little light of me and hubbys lives are two of our Grandbubs, the two we see all the time and we are in their lives all of the time. Our lovely daughter was poorly all through the pregnancy and quite a while afterwards, she is a wonderful Mummy to her twins and I am very proud of her.
Anyway they grew and grow and now at the age of 2 and quarter..............

Hey Nanny, Mummy says we can come to your house and bake some cupcakes....so little'uns along with Mummy came and stirred and made cakes and good fun was had by all....and my how they've grown.

Oh if I could bottle up their gorgeousness and if only we could all bottle up the cuddles and hugs and laughs, wouldn't it be wonderful. xxx

2010-01-01T17:18:00.002Z

Just popping in to wish all lovely fellow bloggers who stop by a lovely healthy happy New Year....its funny by hubby raised a glass last night at dinner and proposed a prosperous New Year....I said "hey hang on a moment, health comes first, if you haven't got that....well. So heres to Health, happiness.....and
ssshhhhh!!!!. if any of us are lucky enough....a win on the lottery wouldn't go amiss!

Look forward to reading all loads of lovely bloggyness this 2010....

xxxxx

Couple of my pressies....

2009-12-29T11:53:00.003Z

How cute is this...a cupcake cookie jar........just one of the pretties I had for Christmas.....this was from my friend together with a cookie recipe book...I think I'm going to be busy.
and then dots dots and more dots..the lovely jug to go with my sugar bowl....

and how on earth did my DD guess that I would love this from M & S its so cute and a top shelf for the eggs....what a lovely pressie along with lavendar body scrub/handcream/and body cream....see the knitted heart, this was attached to my pressie from my friend....I keep them and they're so useful to just add that extra bit of prettiness.

57 years!

2009-12-26T17:22:00.006Z

My Dad came to dinner today...first time he has ever spent Christmas apart from his darling wife (Mum) in 57 years. Mum has been ill for a long long time now with vascular senile dementia. She's had it for 8 years now, I can even remember when it first started, it was my eldest daughters wedding, and she just kept on going up to total strangers and just standing and looking and Mum had started to shuffle slightly. Diagnosis came about 8 months later. It has been a tragic disease and a very unfair one. Dad has looked after her at home until about 3 months ago, the last 3 years she has been bed ridden, with loss of all bodily functions including speech. It pains her to swallow but even though the Nursing Home gives her paliative care and very small things (all liquidsised to eat)...Dad still feels that the longer he puts food in, the longer he keeps her alive, he doesn't realize that the pure effort of even swallowing is hard for her and to see her try to drink from a straw, well...it takes all her effort. He just doesn't see the deterioration, my darling Mum is even more of a living skeleton than before, her hair is so thin, her frail hands all now knarled and closed, her sunken eyes. Her torso is square and has been for a long long time, she is and has been stuck at right angles for a couple of years. She sleeps most of the time now and will occasional manage to open her tired eyes and peep out, she hasn't known me for years now but sometimes just sometimes there is a momentary glance and a weak smile, that if I were to blink I would miss it...when it does happen I cherish it. When I go to visit her I cannot bear it if she is awake and watch me walk out of the room....I have said "goodbye" so many times now. Three times when Mum was in hospital when I was taken in the "small" room but she rallied. She must have a very strong heart. Going back to the saying "cheerio"...I always go back and stroke her back to sleep, kiss her and whisper in her ear "I love you Mum, thank you for being my Mummy".

So with Dad sitting at the dinner table today, it felt very strange, as even though she hasn't sat there for years, she's always been at home with darling Dad. I could see he was struggling, so we spoke about lots of nice things, spoilt him with dinner, mince pies, tea/coffee, sweets galore, he fell asleep for a while and then we watched an old Some Mothers Do Have Em!.....I nearly wee'ed myself laughing, sometimes they are so much better when you've seen them a few times before, and then Dad left to go and spend the evening by the bed of his darling wife, where he will sit for a few hours, holding her hand, wiping her mouth, giving her juice and generally loving her.......

My Christmas Day was filled with DD...SIL and twin grandbubs.....absolutely magic and magical, I so treasure the times.....hope yours was good too.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T17:15:00.004Z

Wishing everybody a wonderful warm

xxxxx Merry Christmasxxxx

Honestly trying to nibble my yarn!

Just like to thank people who stop by and take time to look at my blog....and to thank all those that leave a lovely comment....they are all very much appreciated and I love reading them... enjoy your Christmastime. xx

Christmas Eve magic

2009-12-19T22:12:00.004Z

Christmas Eve magic.....I absolutely adore Christmas Eve, to me it is so so magical, the sense of expectation in the air. Even now although the children are all grown with children of their own. It still exists for me, sometimes I take myself back in my mind to when they were little and the leaving out of the mince pies and milk and sherry for Father Christmas. I always used to get the fits of giggles when opening their bedroom doors to put the stocking at the bottom of their beds, I remember one time, one of the girls woke up and said "Hello Mummy".....luckily she didn't see anything as she said "has he been yet". I remember when we pretended that Father Christmas had left a trail of wool all over the house and they had to follow it to find their main pressie. A couple of years ago I brought the girls the film Polar Express and put a jingle bellin with the package, my youngest daughter of 29 now has the bell on her tree and she loves it...she says it brings back memories of when she used to hear Santas sleigh bells!!!!....see magic....and now shes showing her 2 year old twins this bell....and they are just starting to understand there is something special going on. Every Christmas Eve without fail every year at midnight, I always throw open the bedroom window and just look towards the sky and just breathe in the cold midnight air, I glance upwards and just take in the stillness, nothing is moving, stillness, quiet, just my breathing showing in the coldness......Happy Christmas I say to the sky..Happy Christmas I say to the world...xxx

Okeedoee now for some pretties, this gorgeous garland I purchase in Harrods...darlink!.....well to be honest about 15 years ago....and the bauble is another Waterford One.

Table centre decoration....hmmmmm! looking at this piccy, seems I
need to sort it out a bit.

Isnt' this the most cutest Christmas biscuit barrel,

my youngest DD brought it for me from M & S...got it full

of CHOCOLATE COOKIES.....woohoo!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
falalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......and breathe.x

My kitchen and new door.

2009-12-16T17:35:00.004Z

I'm such a chuffed happy little bunny with my new larder door, the white one on the left. Before it was a boring modern brown thingy, yeuk yeuk and double yeuk. Now glass panelled with a curtain behind, being the same as I used on the stools. Hey!...see my turkey plate on the fridge/freezer, a bargain buy from T.k.maxx. Of course my lovely new Ikea island unit which I posted about in a previous thread, this has made my kitchen so much easier to use and work in and its lovely to spread everything out when baking.

Just a snippet, purchased the cutley box from Ikea I think its called megazin and cost £1.99...painted eau-di-nil....lovely.

and of course what would a kitchen be without some pretties, so loving this tray, just need to find a lovely teapot to go with it. I have one but its a Denby in dark green, doesn't quite hit the mark for me now.

Here you can see the new door better....and on the island unit the shelves where I keep my sugars and flours for baking, so easy to get to and use.

Ta....daaaaaaa! and of course my lovely Megs my Cavalier...had to be in the shot..and of course polka dots...what else does a girl need. I love my kitchen now and enjoy being in it so much, before it was just perfunctionary.

Bye for now off the a spot of tea. x

Some Christmas decorating....

2009-12-13T15:15:00.003Z

I just adore this little Northpole Express Train....we've had it a number of years and now the Grandbubs are enjoying it....it plays Christmas music and also makes a choo-choo noise as it goes round.Thought I would share with you one (red) of the 3 Waterford baubles that I have collected....one in green....the red one here at the bottom and a gold one...

Oh I do so wish that I was better at taking photography...(think I'll blame it on the camera)!...afraid piccy doesn't do justice to my tree, honestly it does look pretty and not so bare as this picture shows.....anyway looking into my little sitting area next door from the dining room in which the tree sits....we have

Okay!!! not a lot...I seem to have gone for very little this year decorative wise....I suppose the adage KISS came to mind..."keep it simple silly"...well I did and I have....

and even simpler...actually quite like the simplicity of this on the mantle in the lounge.

Hope your all enjoying your decorations up....love looking at them.....ttfnx

Christmas aaaaaarrrgggghhh!

2009-12-10T22:06:00.003Z

Is it me, am I getting older and becoming a Christmas Grinch!!!!!...do you know what I stood in the middle of Churchill Square in Brighton and stood and watched people and well I just felt I wanted to open my mouth and scream..."WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING"?....just shopping and shopping and shopping....I passed by a small toy shop which was heaving, I heard from some small children....Aw I want, I want...pleaseeeeeeee, oh but I REAAALLLY DO WANT IT!....the looks on some of the parents faces.....not wanting to deny their darlings things.......but £40/£50/£60 a toy, wheres the magic gone, when you hear some 5 year olds saying they don't believe in Father Christmas. I find it all very sad, so much consumerism, so much commercialism. It got me thinking back to my childhood...and I wonder if the children of now will have such fond memories, I doubt it somehow. I used to get so excited as everyyear my darling Nanny would knit me a (well I used to call it a swiss sweater then) but you know the jumpers with the knitted yokes in all the different colours....and I would get a snuggly hot water bottle and I would love waking up in the early hours of the morning to see if Santa had left my stocking at the end of the bed...I used to get so excited to feel the noise when I kicked the covers and blankets. (no duvets back then good old tuck me in tight sheets and wool blankets with an eiderdown). It was a nylon stocking filled with an orange or satsuma an apple and some brazil nuts....a couple of blowers you know the ones with the feathers on the end....oh a Jackie magazine or something girlie...of course the bag of chocolate money and some fun odds and ends...but I used to love it...Mum would generally come in then saying its only 5 a.m. ops!
I can still picture my Christmas days as a youngster, actually I can recall quite a few. We always used to buy very small pressies for the tree for boxing day and Dad would always buy Mum her Max Factor powder makeup.....and Estee Lauder Youth Dew.....the house we lived in when I was growing up was a Victorian terrace, no central heating, no hot water. The windows used to freeze up on the insides and I would get washed and dressed in bed sometimes, with Mum holding my clothes in front of a single bar electric fire it was that cold. Dad would always be telling me to shut the lounge door to keep the heat in. But Christmases at home were so full of fun, love, laughter and family. I remember Mum used to buy cheap tumblers and use special paint to paint holly and berries on them.....seems my darling Mum was ahead of her time back then.....just sinmple things to make things homely. BUT...maybe its me being silly in my reminiscing....its just that looking around today as I did, I just saw, stress and rudeness, nobody smiling. I held doors open for people to go through, not one thankyou. I stopped to let people by, did they see me, did they heck. I feel lots of people have forgotten what its about, I still get choked up thinking about what Christmas is really about....hey ho! and the older I get the more choked up I get....I would love to have my time over with my children again and enjoy their faces....but then I can enjoy the Grandchildren and boy oh boy is that I heart wrencher. I cannot believe the love I feel from the pit of my stomach. I could just sit and sit and watch them for ages, well thats when they're not climbing all over me going "Naaaaannnnnnnnnyyyyyy".....cuddles, kiss (or mats as one of them calls them) and of course "Aahhhs" which are cheek cuddles....and when I do something silly my darling little grandson just says "funny". Oh of cours we mustn't forget the butterfly kisses, these are something I used to do with my own daughters, I used to flutter my eyelashes against their cheeks when they were toddlers and of course this Nanny is doing the same with her twin 2 year old grandbubs.
They are a complete joy and me and DH will enjoy our Christmas this year through their eyes.....as for the others dashing here there and everywhere....let them...one day they will know!

Christmas Wishes to all xxx

Matching Cath Kidston stripe.....not!

2009-12-08T10:27:00.007Z

Honestly what an absolute numpty I am....ok to explain, hubby and I went to Ikea and brought a lovely island unit for the kitchen....well actually we didn't intend to buy one, but hey sometimes impulse buys are the best! There we saw the hendriksal stools, they sold them in cream/grey/navy. So cream was the colour, anyway we got them home and I'm sitting having my brekky and I could feel something catching on my trousers, anyway turned stool upside down and there is velcro....well of course silly me!....these chairs are cream as they are for covering. So me and my lovely knitting friend went to Caths in Brighton and I purchased Ric Rac strip cotton duck. Quite expensive I feel for what it is, considering that Ikea had a red/beige strip for £4.99 metre but anyway............................................. CAN YOU SPOT THE DELIBERATE MISTAKE........WHAT A NUMPTY I AM...happily cutting out material for covers and you've guessed it LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't think to match.....shhhhhhh....duh!
NO MATCHING STRIPES......... ah well, at least they're original and am pleased with them.

Will post piccys of finished kitchen, when I've sorted it out, just waiting for a cottage type larder door to be delivered which I will put the same ric rac strip curtain behind....all starting to come together nicely....have a great day.x

A so homely cookery book...

2009-12-06T00:37:00.002Z

Brought this rather sweet cookery book come hints on decorating called Autumn (see in sidebar)...its an American publication but I was attracted to it as its so sweetly illustrated and has that homely feel and so really scrumptious recipes. The ingredients are in cup sizes which is so easy for flours etc. Have already tried Apple Crisp which is really Apple Crumble but with cranberries and eating apples, the cranberries give it a lovely taste sensation.

Lots of how-to's

and really lovely pressie ideas....

Oh and must not forget the lovely sugar/jam pot in gorgeous polka dot....the kind http://bellascountry.blogspot.com/ pointed me in the direction to purchase this...thank you...have a pleasant Sunday....x

Fireside Sweater.

2009-12-04T12:25:00.002Z

Has anybody seen the film "The Holiday" with Cameron Diaz Jude Law?
Its my faviourite feel good seasonal film, anyway in the film Camerzon Diaz wears this cream sweater....and a lovely lady on Ravelry designed one for all us obsessed knitters to make. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fireside-sweater So thought would share mine. Part of me wishes I had done it in cream or even red...maybe next time, thats if I have the patience to do it again but I will enjoy wearing it now the weathers turned frosty. Have a great weekend all.

Making new friends.....and Cath Kidston gift.

2009-11-30T07:04:00.003Z

Isn't life strange at times? About 15 months ago, I went to a local knitting group, there were only a few of us and we'd sit and chat and knit and coffee and cake and knit and ..........EAT Cake. It was so funny as one of the girls and I hit it off straight away and we soon found ourselves chatting away (to the exclusion of others) ops!
We had so many things in common, shared lots of the same life experiences. The knitting group faded away and we both decided to carry on meeting each other once a week, and as we chatted more and more the coincidences were more and more. We both felt very easy with each other, just and thats the only way I can describe our friendship...just easy, just is.

I don't know about you but some people take loads of different friends through life with them, that they never really get to know. I've always felt out of it as I'm one of the people that only has two or three, but they have always been there. One I have known for eeeekkkkk! 39 years and she was my bridesmaid. Another lovely lady I met strangely enough when a lot of angst was going on in my life and she became a lovely friend and still is 22 years later, maybe we don't see each other that often but always chatting on the phone............................

and now my fairly new friend, I think its lovely how in life I believe your meant to meet certain people, and so glad I met my knitty friend....and LOOK, I'll let you into a secret...sssshhhhhh! Its my birthday today. 21 again.....not! 55 and loving it. I remember turning 40 and boohooing my eyes out.

My lovely friend knew exactly what would bring a smile to my face when I unwrapped it and she had also personalized it with a lovely knitted corsage which I will pin to my burgundy jumper....whatever you do today enjoy! I'm off to open me cards.....byeeeeee xxxxx

Cath Kidston pretties....

2009-11-23T14:51:00.005Z

Isnt' this the most sweetest little jug....I can feel a collection coming on here. Popped into Caths in Brighton, was a good girl only brought 3 things, this jug.... cutesy house Christmas tin with lovely humbugs in it...placed it atop my lattic tea plates.......

and of course what every well dressed cooker must have this Christmas......tea towels....such a lovely Christmas print.

PERFECT.............................

So my pretties had to have somewhere to live, stood in my kitchen, had a think!!!.....looked and thought, those jars with all my sugars and flours for baking look soooooooooooooo BORING.... (you can see the before on a couple of posts further down)...a redo was in order. Time to do it...now of course, no matter there's ironing waiting to be done, potatoes to be peeled, ....so my stainless steel shelves (which I must admit I am beginning to loathe) have been prettied up and looks more homely.....I'm getting there slow but sure.... Thanks for stopping by.x

p.s....I have a feeling those shelves will be coming down sooner rather than later....ssssshhhh! I'll break it to hubby...hehe!

A gorgeous blog......

2009-11-22T23:09:00.001Z

Go have a looksee at this blog.......it ooooooozzzzeeesss charm.....love it....so inspirational....hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

http://cynthiascottagedesign.blogspot.com/

My previous kitchen....same house.

2009-11-18T12:52:00.004Z

Thought I would show you a couple of piccys of my previous kitchen..the units were originally dark wood from good ol' now defunct MFI... which we painted cream, the kitchen was lovely to use but after several years I got so tired of cleaning all those mouldings etc. But at times I must admit I do miss the fussiness of it but still love the clean lines of my complete red kitchen...hmmmm!!!

Some pretties and knitted scarves.

2009-11-17T15:26:00.005Z

Isn't this sign just the prettiest thing, found it in a shop in Arundel West Sussex called Sparks Yard, http://www.sparksyard.com/what a great place...full of loveliness, this had to come home with moir along with...... cupcakes pot mat...and then lo and behold, this jumps into my hand.......

gorgeous sweet Christmas letters...lovely time out with my lovely friend is what I had. We popped into a sweet tearoom for tea and toasty teacakes...yummy.

On the knitting front, found this bobble yarn £8.99 a ball, so easy to knit with, you can do a scarf in a evening, well I made 3 kiddie ones....£3.00 a scarf....lovely.

Tell me what style of decorating?

2009-11-16T10:08:00.003Z

Whilst browsing other peoples blogs, I see that vintage and pinks/creams/blues are very much admired knowadays. So it got me thinking about my own styles through the years.
I remember my first flat back in eeeekkk!!! 1975 was a basement flat and we decorated it in geometric blue/dark blue squares and swirly carpet. We had a dralon gold corner sofa and white table and chairs with blue seats. The bedroom had orange and yellow flower wallpaper....had my first child in this flat, quite a squash. Then moved to a terraced house which then (wait for it) a vast Yorkstone fireplace, complete with place for TV etc and a gas fire with wooden surround, can you just visualize it, oh yes and brown/orange geometric wallpaper. Then the years were spent bringing up the children and we get to the late 80's.....now where into swags & tails/ festooned blinds on the curtain front. That was my dark mahogany Edwardian period, and I found flea markets and antique shops, I would spend so much time looking and collecting. I used to separate my then dining room from the lounge with a huge swaythe of thick lace curtain...I had deep maroon carpet with fleu-de-lise pattern on it, everything was so heavy and dark.
Then moved to end of the 90's early 2000..time for a change, we went minimalist...I hated this look, we got rid of so much stuff and bought boxy square furniture in beech, the house become hollow and seemed unloved. The last four years have seen a change yet again, classic English with a cosy country twist, bit of floral, tad of vintage, plain carpets, plain walls, accents of red, oak furniture, easy living, nothing takes too much time looking after, comfy sofas to fall into lots of cushions....I tend to use Farrow & Ball paints, I love the matt that they give and they have such a lovely coverage and ease of use. I must admit though that I do love the pastel colours now though, so maybe the Cath Kidston prints might be creeping in a little bit more along with my love of Laura Ashley, so would love to hear how yours has changed over the years..

Just a change of paint colour.....

2009-11-09T10:59:00.003Z

Thought would show you my lovely apron from Laura Ashley...half price bargain...will it make me a Domestic Goddess...hmmmm. So Sunday mid afternoon, hubby and I fancied a trip out, so off we went to have a looksee around M & S and of course there is a local Homebase store there too. "Shall we look at the paint for the bathroom" says hubby. Its a job thats needed doing for some time now. Anyway whilst choosing paint for bathroom which we chose Eau -De-Nil...alongside was Pale Eau-De-Nil. "How about that for the kitchen" he says. I do love this colour but had never thought of putting it in the kitchen, which is painted basic boring creamy white piccy below.....anyway arrived home.....started at 4pm Sunday evening....broke for a curry mid evening............................................

and then ta....daaa.......11pm a lovely newly painted kitchen well part of it...what a difference 7 hours makes. Love it, it is so warm and inviting.....lesson learnt....."Sometimes hubbys do know best".

A bit of Christmas sewing.

2009-11-07T23:12:00.002Z

Well my new sewing machine has had its trial run and its lovely. But I must admit on the sewing front I am a tad rusty, not having done any for a while. But I found this gorgeous red poinsetia material £3.99 metre, purchased it without a clue what I was going to make and then ta.da!!!Light bulb moment, don't you just love that when it happens, why some lumber pillows for the dining room table chairs...what do you think? Oh did I tell you I like red..........

Then hearts called to me, so a cute hanging threesome......felt like a learner driver with my machine trying to go round corners, but getting there.

Dream rooms....

2009-11-06T22:34:00.002Z

How lovely is this room, so simple, rustic, that roaring fire,
I'm there with my coffee and mince pies,
knitting by my side...ah bliss. Or maybe Christmas morning,
you would love to see, this perfectly set
brekky table.

and to serve that perfect cup of tea Emma Bridgewater

tea pots, now all or any of these would be lovely as

a Chrissy pressie.

Postman made a nice delivery today, lots of lovely

future projects, honestly my list will get longer

and longer.

Caths book is perfect, and the bag so pretty.
Its free inside already cut out and ready to sew.

I'm going to purchase some pink gingham to line it.

Also in was a lot cheaper on Amazon £8.99...bargain.

Have a lovely weekend all in whatever crafty loveliness you do.

Hopefully I should have some stuff to show you soon..............

What makes an interesting blog....

2009-11-04T10:36:00.006Z

I love looking at other peoples blogs and was wondering what makes one blog more interesting than the other. What makes a person stop/read/look and finally decide to leave a comment. Obviously its the contents therein, I love looking at blogs about vintage etc....crafting...knitting and home blogs. I love noseing at peoples homes and their decor etc, well who doesn't. I notice that lots of blogs that are vintage, flowery in pinks/creams/blues etc are very very popular...with lots of followers.

So what do you think I could do to make my blog more interesting to you. What would make you come back again? I've put up a poll and would love if you could take a couple of seconds to vote, so as I know which way to go with it....and also if you have any ideas that would help me.. that would be great to.... ..thank you....have a great day.

Have just changed background and changed around a few other colours, hope it looks better.

Some gorgeous Cath Kidston goodies, my new craft corner and my lovely new toy.

2009-11-03T18:13:00.003Z

Been soooooooo excited, my darling lovely gorgeous, sweet kind hubby of mine has made me a lovely craft corner in our spare room. Aren't I a lucky girl, a place for everything and workspace too. Honestly I can hardly contain myself with all the images of needlework that I can now do...and then my trusty old sewing machine which had seen better days. Believe me at 20 years old, she has been a loyal workhorse for me over the years, helping me to churn out all sorts when re-decorating. But alas no more shes now made way for this......a beautiful sleek oh so quiet, no frills and bells PFAFF purchased from great firm below, fantastically quick delivery....Oh and all those threads you can see on the left 100 of them was the gift with the machine along with scissors etc...very impressed. http://www.ekmpowershop3.com/ekmps/shops/janome/

Then of course one has to have some more gorgeousness, in the shape of these lovely tins from the lady herself Cath Kidston....Sewing Thread tin complete with threads inside, a cutesy button tin and pin tin....and a gorgeous knitting bag... I think I'm sorted, off now to fabric shop to search for Christmas material to make some hanging hearts for gifts..........tralalallalalalala.....skips off xxxxx

Just a picture speaks a thousand words.

2009-10-31T22:30:00.006Z

Can you just imagine walking down a country lane and coming across this scene...the sunlight dancing patterns on the little stream. These watercolours I have done laid lanquishing in my folder for the last few years, I just haven't had the courage to put them out. Then I have needed to give my snug a country cottage feel and its so funny all of a sudden they have found a place to live.

Oh I so love this water colour, its my ideal home, I can imagine walking down the snowy lane in the moonlight and opening the door to a roaring log fire, a comfy chair, glass of wine and loads of magazines to read. I thoroughly enjoyed painting this one, in fact its my favourite...its so quintessentially picture book...one of my favourite watercolours that I have even done.

and here they are displayed on my wall together with one other.... a small one of a country stile with poppies abound. I have in the past thrown so much away that I wish I had kept...I'm so glad I kept these. I find that the older I get I much prefer to have things around my home that mean something to me.

Thank you for stopping by, if you fell like saying hi...that would be lovely too.......makes me smile.

Oh!!! do I reeeaaally have to pose......

2009-10-30T10:52:00.004Z

Ok dahlink...I'm here for my photo session.......Oh! sofa how wonderful a treat for moir....seeming as I'm not generally allowed on here, what a treat. So hows this pose, shall I look snooty?

Or cutesy and puppylike...I know I know I don't look my age. Let me introduce myself I'm Megan and I'm seven.....oh dear look at those ears my Mistress really needs to give them a brush.........MAKE UPPPPPP!!!

Ah the money shot, tilts head stares lovingly into the distance.....photo shoot done, now wheres my biccys.

OK OK don't go on I'm getting off the sofa.....sheesh!!!

Autumns arrived and I've come back to my blog...

2009-10-26T19:10:00.005Z

Hello.......have been away for some months and had a lovely summer albeit not much sunshine as one would have liked......but MY OH! MY did I enjoy my cruise.....well apart from the two gale force 5's and the one gale force 7....eeeeeekkkkk!!!! sees like water going down a plug hole and yes I'm not afraid to admit I didn't sleep much during the night of the force 7 and did have a little cry as I was a bit scaredycat. The men all slept through it of course, which I found out the following day after talking to other passengers. Anyway a few piccys of autumnal wonderness......oh and my favourite place was Quebec and Quebec City....we went to the falls and cathedral there and visited a lovely maple syrup butter shack....but anyway some lovliness. First photo...Empire State Building New York....2nd....me and DH country lane near Quebec where we visited a lovely lady in Chez Marie and I purchased a jar of maple syrup butter which I must say I used to glaze my sausages with back here in gold old England.....3rd photo, well every evening our cabine steward made up a towel in some shape or form, anyway this particular evening we walked in expecting to see it lying on our bed and there it was...a monkey hanging from the curtains....made us laugh. Then photo of our ship Norwegian Jewel....and last but not least some beautiful fall foliage as we sailed up the river into Quebec.........anyway hope everyones keeping well and happy in blog land....ttfn x

Taking a break....

2009-03-30T17:54:00.003Z

Hello friends....lovely fellow bloggers that have stopped by from time to time to have a quick looksee or read. I thank you very much for taking time to stop awhile look and see and maybe read my dribble. But alas the time has come for me to "STOP BLOGGING" for a while anyway.
Quite honestly I've run out of anything remotely interesting to write, pictures to post....just the train has now left the platform and is chugging orft in another direction. I really am bereft of anything I want to share or show at the moment...I peruse others blogs and they are so interesting...but!!!! by house is fluffed and feathered, my knitting is knitted.

THE SUN IS OUT!!!!!! SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND I'M OFF TO PLAY...........GARDENING..GET MY WATERCOLOURS....PASTELS AND PAD OUT AGAIN.... GO TO THE SEASIDE...SEE THE COUNTRYSIDE....SUNDAY PUB LUNCHES......ENJOY A NICE GLASS OF WINE ON A WARM EVENING (HERES HOPING).....ENJOY MY GRANDCHILDREN.......... MY DARLING WONDERFUL HUBBY..... JUST MORE OF THINGS THAN THE DARK WINTER MONTHS HAVE ALLOWED.....IT WAS LOVELY WITH THE CLOCKS GOING FORWARD AT THE WEEKEND...ITS NOW 7.15 PM AND STILL LIGHT IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER.....I just don't want to sit and ponder this screen anymore.....but I will at times pop and visit others as usual and leave lovely comments...cheerio for now and maybe see you again in the autumn.
After I've been on my cruise...trallalalalal....fly off to New York for 2 nights then board NCL Norwegian Jewel ship.... go to Boston ....Halifax Nova Scotia.......Quebec City...........Charlottetown Prince Edward Island.........Sydney Nova Scotia...then back to New York and then fly home to U.k....this is in the autumn....have four days cruising at sea...so hope the weather is kind.......anyway thats me signing off for now....see ya xx

Hello....1 for sorrow 2 for joy....

2009-03-27T14:33:00.004Z

Oh dear how silly is that....you can't see them....hmm! never make a good photographer me....anyway how many times do you see 5 yes 5 magpies together?
Hows it go one for sorrow, two for joy, three for girl, four for boy, five for silver......but they are there in the middle distance just to left of foliage covered fencing...do you see them...can you see them yet. hehe! Actually if you click on piccy it will enlarge...ta da there they are....see.

Been a bit of a naughty blogger of late, haven't been doing any. Life for the last 3 weeks has been a tad hectic....Grandbub sitting, car broke down 3 garage visits.
But my wonderful darling hubby has at last managed to finish the Dove Cote he's been making. It was proudly erected a couple of nights ago...well under a lot of laughing, the darn thing was so heavy. As yet no doves, I think he plans to buy 3 pairs at some stage, but we have a pair of ring doves that visit our garden, so maybe. As of yet, no other birds have taken an interest, mind you its early days yet I expect they're wondering what on earth is this monstrosity that has invaded our patch.Have a good weekend all...ttfn.x

They cancelled our holiday.....!!!!!!

2009-03-16T11:05:00.003Z

Grrrrrrrrrrr. and double grrrrrrrr!!!!!!.......they've cancelled our holiday and I am really brassed off. We were supposed to be going off to the island of Ischia across the bay from Naples in glorious Italy in a few weeks......stunning green hills gorgeous coastline and wonderful with beautiful lemons growing against a backdrop of sparkling blue sea. We had a beautiful small family run hotel booked....only 30 odd rooms...it had a thermal swimming pool which was emptied and filled again every day. We were going to go to Pompeii and visit the gardens of La Mortella.....and now they've pulled the plug, we wouldn't mind but we had just paid the final balance and were off in 8 weeks...we had read up on where etc we also wanted to go. But a envelope with a letter "sorry, we've had to cancel due to insufficient numbers"....duh! Surely they must have known this before now. So disappointed....we can find another holiday etc its just the fact that it takes so long for me searching Trip Advisor to make sure we get a excellent hotel etc.....suppose me and hubby shouldn't be fussy but we are, we think one pays a lot for a holiday and I would hate to end up in a stinkhole of a place. Take last September we were supposed to go to Norway and stay in a hotel in the Fjords, well before that time I hadn't heard of trip advisor, I think I must have been the last on the planet not to have heard of it. Well anyway I searched the hotel on there and my goodness 80% of them were negative about the place...but it had such a glowing report on the brochure.

Anyway back to here and now....have been doing a bit of searching this morning for another hotel/holiday and well we will see...mind you it has taken the shine off it a bit...ne'er mind...have a good day all. x

Things had to change.....

2009-03-06T10:38:00.004Z

Whats one to do when the children have all flown the nest and rooms become redundant? Well even though the children have been gone for several years now...we are still in the family home. A couple of years ago we did try to move as we felt the space we have wasn't being utilised to its best.....but after putting the house on the market hubby and I realised that we weren't yet ready to leave it. Don't get me wrong its lovely to have the space but well to be honest I had these visions of our home being constantly visited with teas/dinners...the hum of constant family members in and out....well reality is that it doesn't happen that much. Through no fault of anybody....its just that life is so busy for them. Anyway just after Christmas I started to get itchy feet again....not that I feel or felt that I wanted to leave just more the fact the home was feeling lonely....can anyone understand this?
So action was and has been called for...to change our home to suit me and hubbys needs.....first of all we changed the snug into a breakfast room.....(previous posting). Then we were left with a dining room with a large oval table in it, (first piccy is of previous table/dining room) which wasn't being used etc....also the room where it is has just become an access route...so again me and hubby sat back and thought...aha!! we need a smaller table just for four......decent size enough for friends etc for dinner but small enough for me and hubby to sit. (As and when family come to tea/dinner the table in the new room will be utilized...we will pull it away from the wall and there is a centre leaf so it will sit 6/8 or 10 if need be....maybe a little cosy but hey thats the fun of it.)

So this last weekend we had a redo of the old dining room and we now have a lovely 2nd lounge with a cute round table and four rattan chairs situated in the alcove.....in truth I was absolutely sick of the way I was doing our home...it was becoming stiff and pompous...We needed to make it more relaxed hence the rattan dining chairs and pads instead of the upright wheatsheaf chairs.

Our much loved knole sofa....which for the past few years has been no more than a furniture decoration...(it used to sit in the alcove where the round table is now)......it was hardly ever sat on but now.....hey woohoo! it has a new lease of life....hubby and I now have a lovely 2nd lounge.....I am one chuffed bunny and now the then once unloved room has now come to life and feels part of the home. As they say "change is as good as a rest".

Do you qualify?

2009-02-27T11:35:00.002Z

Now I need to know at what age does one qualify as a grumpy old woman.....50/60/70.....hmmmmm!

Do you at times find yourself.

Telling speeding motorists to slow down.

Retort back when knowone thanks you for holding the door open.

Started saying "well in my day".

Want to spend more time at home than in company.

Shop first thing in the morning at supermarket as cannot stand being among crowds.

Shout at the television. hehe!

Mouth at motorists "thats illegal" when driving using a mobile phone.

Get annoyed when motorists don't signal their intentions.

Sound familiar....so how many do you answer yes to...me ALL OF THEM........TA.DAAAAAA... so then officially I'm now a grumpy old woman.....but hey hang on old at 54!!!!.....hmmm! I think I prefer to see myself as a red wine.....ripe/mellow with a slow warm taste....no acidity....something that gets better with age but with the occasional BITE. . x

Love is...buying some pretty glassware...and knitting hubby a pair of socks

2009-02-23T14:57:00.003Z

Oh don't you just lurve these two little pretties.....the marbled effects are so nice and as for the fluted rim.

My hubby thinks the orange/red one would have sat on a dressing table with one of those powder puffs in it.....me I think for now it looks pretty on my dresser and I may use it to put jam in at times.

and then of course...when one knits...one has to knit the occasional pair of socks for hubby...he keeps asking "when am I going to get a jumper"......hmmmm!!! can you see the pigs flying hehe. ...seriously though I don't know whether I would have the patience but we shall see. Anyway these are knitted in Regia Design Kaffe Facett colours...and I'm chuffed as the stripes match. ....nothing like wool socks...keeps those tootsies warm.

My own thoughts provoked after reading Bargain Hunting at Lauries posting

2009-02-17T15:11:00.004Z

I have been reading this....http://bargainhuntingwithlaurie.blogspot.com/.....and thought it a very interesting read and made me wonder about my own house and style and the reasons why we feel we have to feather our nests. Styles I suppose are a very subjective thing and what draws our eye to one style and not to another....what makes one comfortable with minimalist and yet another person run a mile from it. I have also noticed that younger homemakers (late 20's/30s) are very much into vintage with all the pale pinks and pale blues and beautiful rosy patterns....but the problem being as much as I love them...I've been there done that. Maybe that is it.....actually have been there, done that......I've done the geometrics in the 70's with the thick pottery coffeee cups....I've done the dralon corner sofas...done the yorkstone fireplaces......done the burgundy carpets with fleur delise pattern on them...done the mahogany furniture.......done the vintage look where I had to have roses everywhere....done the swags and tails for curtains....done and made the festooned blinds.....done the constant going round the antique shops and flea markets...done the minimalist decor...which I must say was my least favourite. I know I just went out and brought vases and plonked a flower in it and have nothing around that said anything at all about me/my life/our family. Well going back to my bit about flea markets and the such...don't get me wrong I still love doing it but I am more restrained now.....in fact I did have so much that there wasn't a shelf that wasn't full...but for more funnily enough it started to make me cross and cause stress. I know this might sound strange, I just wondered why I was collecting so much paraphenalia which albeit was nice but really I just didn't need. In the end it was in boxes in the loft and strangely decided to have a clear out...I kept a few of my favourites and the rest went. It was very uplifting having this sort out, this stuff stuck in boxes and for what...to get out occasionally and look at and go "Oh yes...I've got that and that and that. Nowadays I much prefer to have things that mean something to me...O.k it may be a jug or piece of glasswear/pottery....but I can relate as to when/where/why I purchased it....or something bought as a present. I also find that my house like others is now a mixture of styles.....my new breakfast room is now my favourite room in the house, as it is so comfy cosy and I don't have to bother much with it, it seems to look after itself, it welcomes me. Whereas my dining room is for dining.....you could no more sit there and have your breakfast than do a puzzle in it. Its a room that really isn't needed much knowadays....surplus to requirements one could say. But could I be without it hmmm! I think the jurys out on that one...otherwise where would I use by beautiful Villeroy & Boch dinner service, it certainly wouldn't look right in the brekkyroom. Then theres my lounge....which is my 2nd favourite room...this is the room in the heading photo.....I love my Tetrad sofas, you just sink and flop into them....this room I would prefer to have made more casual looking but again...funnily enough...the room dictates the style....and also I suppose the coffee table...I could I suppose change the coffee table to a more unvarnished pine one and the carpet more country...but then my curtains wouldn't look right. But strange to relate this room lends itself to smart and tidy and also cosy and lived in (hehehe!!! you just don't plump out the feather cushions) and just leave magazines laying open and my knitting around and my hubbys kit woodmaking project on the table.....simple... sorted.

I have a lovely friend called Teresa (same as me) who has a gorgeous flintstone cottage........she has plain pine furniture...rattan dining chairs....baskets with her wool ect in......dried country flowers....lots of different material patterned cushions on her sofas.....a beautiful open fire with a very sweet mantel. She has her art work done in watercolours and pastels over her walls and the whole place looks wonderful. I have my watercolours and pastels but they just don't look right being out...so they are kept in a folder. Her work is lovely. She thinks her home style looks shabby....I tell her "No" its warm/homely/inviting and lived in... her dresser is full of Portmerion china....and strange to say its the sort of look I love and would love to emulate....but it just doesn't work in this house....so again I suppose we must go back to character of property. Our new was a new build in 1994.....and I changed it so quickly I couldn't stand the fact that I had the same kitchen or bathroom as every other neighbour (albeit different colourways)....I had along with hubby to put our own stamp on it and I feel we have done that. I feel this house has a character (well I hope I have managed to impart some in it). So I must thank Laurie for her posting and making me think.......I know now that my house is essentially my home.......sometimes I wonder that I am too houseproud.... but then again I am proud of my house..so???....there is a saying that I have seen... saying that "houseproud women are boring"......dull me...never....got too much chat and too many things I love doing..."now where's that duster". hehe. Cheerio for now....mex

My new breakfast room

2009-02-13T14:47:00.002Z

Woo hoo...I am one happy bunny and pleased with my new breakfast room.
Found this Welcome sign and just adds a touch to one wall...and love the sentimental hanging plaque. I think I will collect some more of these and hang them alongside.

The table just needed a touch oif something...so what better than some artificial countryroad side like berries and such. The lovely vintage type ironwork tray was a snip for £6.00

So here is the room (albeit small) but its cosy and next to the kitchen so I tend to spend my time here during the day etc. As you can see my knitting awaits me on the sofa. The table pulls out from the wall and we can sit 6 and there is a centre leaf for even more....

aren't these just the nicest cushions? I purchased two for now to put on the chairs for the small of your back. Lovely embroidered mugs/cups and jugs.

Lastly my new fire all painted black...much better than than yeuck brass....and one sorrowful looking dog. Oh the two small plates you can see are Johnsons Friendly Village...I'm trying to source this pattern piece by piece at the moment, have a felling its going to take a little while even with ebay.

Oh the before pictures of this room are a couple of posts down titled "Yeuk dust"....all for now.x

Whats in the box?

2009-02-08T22:31:00.004Z

Oh my goodness did I so fall in love with these mugs today. Even the box they came in is gorgeous and will be on display somewhere. I was browsing around the British Homes Stores...home store at Chichester in Sussex. This is a brilliant store, just everything for the home.....lots of vintage decor too. So I spied these mugs and they said "buy me...buy me"....well whats a girl to do eh! Next thing I was at the till and parting with the money. At present they are still in the box...Monday our new table and chairs come from Ikea, so the new breakfast room will be sorted out.

So chocolate drink anyone...mind you tea and coffee will also go into these. They are a good size, just right to wrap your hands around on these very cold days.

The backs are just as pretty as the front. In the box there was a bit of info about the designer...her name is Rosanna Bowles and she has been recognized as a leader in tabletop design. She was awarded Pretigious Gift of the Year award by the British Giftware association. Her products are designed in Seattle, Washington USA. This is the website if you fancy a looksee http://www.rosannainc.com/

There are lots of beautiful tableware there....there is a distributor for the U.K........so hopefully we could see more of her collections over here. As for me I quite like the teaplates that go with the set and Oh! of course the jug....maybe on my next visit.

Yet another knitted tea cosy.

2009-02-04T21:14:00.003Z

I think I must be on a roll the last few days...yet another tea cosy. Well the real reason being I have lots of oddments of yarn around and thought I really must make an effort to do something with them. But actually at the same time, knitting these cosies has been lovely. This is done in double knitting Rowan and Sirdar. It is called Rosy Posy and is supposed to have twelve roses all together on the top...ah well I plumped for one.

Hubby had today off and we went to our local Ikea...I say local its generally about an hour and 15 mins or so. We have a good browse around and I purchased some cushion seats for my new ladderback chairs, which now won't arrive until Monday due to the inclement weather.

So there was I browsing at everything and lo 'n' behold what did I spy in Ikea............packs of crochet doilies (5 in a pack)....exsqueeze me!!!!!!! but did they not, if my memory serves me right produce an advert a few years ago extoling the virtues of "throwing out the chintz". Hmmmmm!!!

We got snow...well 4"....

2009-02-02T12:46:00.003Z

How wonderful to wake up this morning to some beautiful serene glorious snow. Albeit it has brought most of the country to a standstill Me and hubby were talking about our childhoods when it really snowed....I mean 6' drifts, my Dad used to open the front door to face a huge bank of it, he used to clear a pathway and me and my two brothers would force our way through 3' deep pavements of the stuff. It used to stay around for weeks and refreeze and then the pavements would be thick with 4" of ice...oh those were the days hey? Mind you we did have local shops then in my childhood home. A local greengrocers, a grocers that sold a bit of everything and a sweet shop. So with these 3 stores if one was snowed in everything was catered for. Nowadays with more cars/traffic/people....out of town supermarkets, how things have changed....so 6-10" of the white stuff brings total chaos. But hubby is off work this week and we have just been for a walk locally with the snow biting into our cheeks, we stopped by the local church which looked so pretty and then the park where all the children were playing so nicely together, it did make us smile. Also the number of people actually walking, well I haven't seen it like that for ages.
It has been years since we have seen any serious amount of snow on the south coast of England....but I would imagine with our weather it will all have disappeared by the end of the week...but for now I and hubby will enjoy. x

PS....Out of interest if anyones also into cooking/baking....I started a blog with my attempts....actually its nice to have piccys to look back on...so if you enjoy this sort of thing...it can be found here...http://lovingmyrangecooker.blogspot.com/.....bye for now.

Knitted Tea Cosy

2009-01-31T23:31:00.007Z

I know I haven't been posting much about my knitting lately....but honestly I have had my needles clicking. So today was very cold and whilst hubby was busy doing the breakfast room...Oh by the way I have painted the yeuk brass fire surround (picture on previous post) and it has come up a treat, it is now black.
So anyway I wanted a quick knit to do and thought there's my lovely Denby teapot feeling brrrrrrr!!!..so I quickly polished off this lovely tea cosy today. The pattern is from https://www.ravelry.com/account/login which is a worldwide knitting community (for those who have never heard of it or don't knit or crochet. So Mrs teapot is warm and cosy with a pretty flower atop. Anybody that likes the pattern to knit...it is called Autumn Tea Cosy....oh and the yarn I used is Kureyon Silver Thaw.

Eeeekk dust!

2009-01-30T12:12:00.005Z

Hello...so we are in the process of changing our snug...which is a little room off the kitchen. At the moment as you can see from the first picture, there is a rather huge gas stove in there and just back left of photo there is a small eating table. The reason
for the change in this room is really........simply that we want a change. We are still in the family home and things have to change to suit our needs.

So we thought hmmm! lets make this room into a breakfast room...but first off that stove had to go so we could knock back the hearth to make room for a kitchen table. Which I'm happy to say is on order, a lovely solid beech and four ladderback chairs.

As usual nosey parker has to get in on the scene.

Sorry my photos are back to front...(I've yet to sort this out). So next photo is the new
...well not new but taken out from another room...funny thing was we were about to sell it..then I had my brainwave....use it in the new room, only thing is EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I HATE AND I MEAN HATE THAT BRASS SURROUND......I'm going to take it back to chrome or more likely paint it black with hammerite. Anyone else any other ideas that would be great.....grins sweetly xx

Oh yes of course Madams there again.

So these are the bits I hate...the husband doing bits, honestly the kitchen was covered in the brick dust...but hey needs must.

Whats really strange in this photo is all the little circles...can you see them it looks like dust particles have been picked up...first off I thought it was the sun shining through and making shadows.

All for now byeee.

Friday night and the lights are low....

2009-01-24T21:52:00.004Z

Friday night and the lights are low....looking out for a place to go..........lalallalalallalalla..come on all sing...you can dance...you can.....llalal....oh alright then I'll stop. So Friday night we had a couple of friends round for dinner....I cooked all day....Watercress and celeriac soup......then Beef Wellington and roast potatoes and peas alla Italiano...(well peas with bacon lardons...spring onions all cooked in double cream)...glazed carrots. Then we had a chocolate savarin for desert...which I must admit was rather jostled together at the end with the strawberries etc.....the savarin was soaked in syrup made with wine/sugar/brandy and then chantilly cream.
Coffee was served with ROCKY ROADS.....with due thanks to lovely Nigella Lawsons "Christmas" book.

I laid the table very simply with white tablecloth...burgundy place mats and napkins. 3 bottles of wine later...full bellys and very happy dinner friends....and then after clearing away and all I ended up going to bed 1.27am Saturday morning...phew.

Spring times a coming....

2009-01-19T11:21:00.003Z

Did you know that Monday 19th January is officially the most miserably day of the year...(well apparently according to the guy on the radio).....mind you could be very true today...its wet/windy/very overcast and the garden is looking decidedly sorry for itself....so on that thought. Off I came to my computer and looked at it May 2008 when greenery was becoming in in abundance, the air smelt of fresh mown grass...birds twittering and one dreamt of long summer days lounging on a lounger on the decking.

So with that thought in mind...heres some pretty pics of the garden in sunnier days. The building in the picture at the back is the hot tub....mind you this is used more in the winter...as love to come out of it into the cold and feel that tingle on your skin....so refreshing.

So have a lovely Monday all.x

Sooo cheeky!

2009-01-16T14:45:00.003Z

Hey sis!...shall we play swing Grandma's lamp....err errr errrrrr!!! Oh alright then.

Come on both at the same time 1.2.3. weeeeee!!!!

Don't think Grandmas' wee dog will mind me taking over his bed do you?

Honestly pictures at times say a thousand words, just look at the rather disgruntled face on my dog....

A nice Wednesday morning....

2009-01-14T12:31:00.004Z

Today went for a visit to a historic town called Arundel in Sussex. It is a maze of antique shops and flea market stalls. Mind you some of the prices for me looking were a little off mark. But anyway whilst browsing... this gorgeous mauve/lilac/lemon coffee set caught my eye. I'm not in the market for one as it would just sit in its box...but it was so pretty. The stall owner saw me looking and dropped it from £45 to £40 straight away...I continued browsing and was just leaving and she dropped it to £35.00...I still wasn't tempted...no matter how pretty it is. Couldn't have wanted it that much he!

So I continued my walk back to my car and passed by Arundel Castle....because Arundel sits in a vale and a river running through it, its often shrouded in mist and either side of the town... blue skies and brilliant sunshine. Today was one of those days....the castle seemingly rising eeerily out of the ground, I found it very atmospheric.

Thought would show you a road 5 mins from my house...it is in Tarring Village, Worthing. In the 17/18th century ... it was a hive of industry for smugglers and the houses are very tiny. Doorways of some no taller than 5'. The building on the right is I think 17c...could be earlier. It is now a very very nice restaurant...have been a few times. They have individual little rooms where only two tables sit , so you can almost have private dining.

The floors are very hicklety pigglety as you can see my the building...lots of low beams

The tiles on the roof fascinate me as they are huge slabs which the picture doesn't really illustrate.

All the black and white wood structure is the original. Could you imagine living here if it wasn't a restaurant?

My small collectables....and a hard lesson learnt

2009-01-09T15:36:00.003Z

Thought I would show you my small amount of collectables....I say small because I used to have a very large amount. I had been collecting glassware, salts, coffee cans, small jugs for about 10 years and then about 2/3 years I'd had enough. I don't know what happened, I think I just got fed up dusting it all and I started thinking less is more. So what did I do.....I packed it up and it all went to my local charity shop. I kept a few of my favourite bits and bobs, but now looking back I think maybe I should have kept more...my darling hubby kept on saying "Are you sure"......you took a long time going round all the flea markets etc. "Oh no, been there done that" was my reply. Which brings me onto another topic, through ones interior/decorating years, do you or have you changed your style. When the children were young I didn't really have a style, was too busy being a Mummy and I suppose it wasn't until I was in my late 30's/early 40's that I became interior mad. The house we are in now has changed so often over the last 15 years. It started off being decorated with deep maroon carpet and mahogany furniture...I had a beautiful carved Edwardian sideboard which was far too big for the room and far too out of character for the house. But I loved it, it even had the joiners name on the draw DORIC WHITE....theres a beautiful historic first name....I loved it as I chose the very same draw that ladies before me had chosen for their cutlery draw and whats interesting is...how I found this out. I would take my knives out and catch the top of the draw then realized there were lots of other knife marks there as well. My lounge was covered in doilys and I had lace curtains "victorian" style swagged back as room dividers. That phase then passed....then came the modernity phase, which surprise surprise lasted a very short time. I found it cold and sparce, I tried the limited pallette of colours and the one central piece of china/pottery, it just didn't work for me...so now I find I am going full circle. No not back to burgundy and mahogany...the furniture we have hubby and I love and its staying.....no by full circle I find that I am a "TRADITIONALIST" in my home....anyway learnt me lesson. So thought I would share my few collectables that didn't make it to the charity shop.

I just don't know what to think anymore regarding my Mum?

2009-01-07T16:15:00.004Z

Honestly, I'm just so bewildered by the whole goings on with my dear darling Mum and her senile dementia....well as in a previous post and postings, we thought she was going to depart this world before Christmas due to all her other problems as well as the dementia. So the hospital had been booked for the 22nd January for Mum to have this tube inserted in her side to release her gases as her stomach swells up huuugggeeeee! As previous my thoughts on this were "Eh what...she wouldn't survive....well I have spoken to my Dad today and the date for this op has now been changed to end of February...apparently the ambulance didn't/don't realize that she is totally bed bound. But my thoughts are and please don't think me cruel or such BUT....if my darling Mum carries on in this world until then and the ambulance duly takes her to hospital. What on earth are the medical staff going to think when they pull back the sheet and see her....she is soooo wasted she looks like one of the starving millions...as described before her body is rigid at right angles...her torso is a square box. Honestly sometimes I feel like taking a photo and going "here look".....but thats being far to dramatic, so I come to my blog and type my thoughts. It is so so sad now...as now she cannot even utter any sound whatsoever and she constantly chews her mouth.....oh to describe as such....how a cow chews grass. Even when she could mutter it was this strange gibberish sound. Dad is getting more and more upset as when she is awake and he goes near her...she looks so scared and he has and is still such a wonderful devoted husband. When I spoke to him earlier, he said that he wanted to ask me and my two brothers something.....that if she goes into hospital for this tube????? that me and my brothers of which I have two choose whether she be resuscitated. Again my internal reaction was "eh"....would she survive such operation anyway. He then said...he didn't want the responsibility of the question. Oh deary me....my poor darling Daddy....it would be maybe easier for him if she quietly went to sleep soon....but then whom am I to judge. I have thought about his question long and hard. and sat and gone through maybe different answers that I might give him. I haven't spoken to my brothers, they must think this through themselves without big sis.
So if and when he does ask me the question properly and if my darling Mum has not gone to sleep and if they do try, I say try and put this tube in and if things did go wrong... I would take hold of his hand....my answer to my darling Dad would be...."Don't you think enough is enough Dad......what quality of life has Mum got and what yours". xx

My New Year baking sort out.

2009-01-06T16:07:00.008Z

I've been a really good girl and actually have carried out what I said I was going to do in the New Year in a previous post.....woohoo!!! am I chuffed or what, finally got my flours/sugars/dried fruits all together in one place for baking. No more going to my larder and sorting through turned over bag tops and then the flour dust flitting all over the place...they all have homes...I know I know it might be sad to some but for me...its wonderful. Mind you I do have Nigella Lawson aka The Domestic Goddess to thank for this, after watching all her programmes where she has everything to hand and in reach. SO DO I....am starting to feel like a real cook now.
Anyway let me tell you about my new area....there was a blank area beside the door to the garage, it had been bugging me for ages, when we redid the kitchen I decided not to have any units there and subsequently it became a dead space. But now...lookee lookee looke....can you tell I'M EXCITED. Anyways purchased one lovely trolley that has two wheels so can be moved around complete with stainless steel shelves and a blockwood top. Then a trip to Ikea was called for of course...us girlies when we do it...do it right....I purchased glass containers etc and the wonderful unit underneath the shelves plus the stainless steel shelves. First off I put all my sugars in the wooden container with glass partitioning.....but alas they are not airtight within reason and the sugar hardened...duh!!! silly me. So now it holds the dried fruit. First shelf has my bread making flours...2nd shelf sugars...3rd shelf baking flour (are you bored yet!!!! hehehe) and then the boxes hold the dried fruit....ain't Ikea wonderful? Oh of course had to have a bit of kitch to break the modernity up....a lovely little hen and chicks era 1920's.

Then decided needed nice new mixer...well I originally wanted a Kitchenaid Mixer but the prices here in the U.K £350 EEEEKKKKK!!....looked on US websites a lot cheaper but postage costs put paid to that. So went and perused Amazon and read some wonderful reviews on this little beauty...KEWOOD PATISSIER....I love it.http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kenwood+patissier&x=12&y=22 The shape is wonderful and and price even better
£97 smackeroonies (theres slang for you)...I think its now gone up a bit to £133.00 but ne'er the less, very well pleased. I think they come in red as well. So I now have everything to hand when baking....wonderful...all for now....xx

Wedding cakes or a date slice anyone?

2009-01-05T18:48:00.012Z

When my daughters got married....they searched for wedding cakes and the prices for what they wanted were sky high....."Mum", well you can guess what came next..."do you think". Well I knew I could make the rich fruit cakes etc, but sugarcraft etc, well that was a different matter. Well as luck would have it I was talking casually to one of my neighbours and was telling her about my dilema. Well I didn't even know that she was a proficienado at sugar icing and teacher as well, she took me under her wing and showed me the basics and away I went. I spent many an hour making the red sugar roses and leaves listening to Steve Wright in the afternoon on the radio. I was pleased with the result of the rose cake. The other cake was a winter wedding and a lot simpler, even though you cannot really see it, there is embossing all around the sides. The draping effect looks so effective but is so easy. Funny thing is I have been asked to make for other people but I couldn't do it...there was so much of my heart/soul and love put into these cakes....such tender sweet memories of when they were small was on my mind a lot when making these.

AND NOW.....date slice....yippee

Hmmm....fancied a bit of baking this afternoon. First thoughts were of a huge fruit cake, but then the guilt trip stepped in...fruit cake. I can never eat ONE slice, especially with a lovely cup of tea. So browsed my lovely new "treat for myself" baking book and came across date slices. Well I have made these numerous times from another recipe before but thought.."they're easy, healthy and I won't feel a guilt trip". The recipe called for soft brown sugar of which my cupboard was alas bare...so subtituted dark brown musqovada. Isn't is strange how one standard ingredient can change a recipe, they have turned out richer with a strong molasses taste, very nice indeed. Only problem is they're very moreish too...so I have been a good girl and frozen the other half. Anyway if you can get hold of this great book. I thoroughly recommend it. I purchased it for £10 from Waterstones, on amazon I think its now gone up to £12.99.

Tablescape Tuesday

2009-01-04T22:08:00.011Z

Welcome to my tablescape for tuesday...this is only the 2nd time I have presented. The dinnerset I have used is simply Denbyhttp://www.denby.co.uk/ranges/1146/greenwich.aspx in the greenwich. This is my everyday use tableware and has served its purpose very well over time. The beautiful yellow/red/green and purple glass bowls you can see are from my belated mother-in-law. You can see how thin the glass is by the single photograph of the purple one. Honestly when you hold them it feels like paperthin ice. They I think come from the 30's/40's.....I don't and cannot use them as they are so delicate...but they are gorgeous to get out and hold at times. The tablecentre piece is a huge...well to describe it is...(ok for those of us who can remember the drink) like a babycham glass. Thank you for stopping by...and I hoped you enjoyed my green/goldie tablesetting...till next time.x
Oh before I go if you fancy a look at other beautiful Table Landscape...please go and have a look here http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/and you will see the links....they are truly lovely. Enjoy....you never know if you haven't joined in yet...you might.

Phases......

2009-01-04T14:48:00.004Z

Hello...hope everyones well. I have been thinking a bit over the last few days...(and my voice is now coming back) even though my darling hubby joked about it being quieter hehe. Anyways...started to sort out a few of my arty bits and bobs....a few years ago I was mad on watercolour and pastels...and enjoyed this hobby for quite a time then for some reason it has taken a back seat...I just wondered why my enthusiasm for this died...could it be been there, tried that etc. I have tried picking up the brushes on the odd occasion the last couple of years...but I just couldn't seem to get anything quite right with the strokes. So anyway in the meantime I thought I would share with you some of my work...albeit these images are copied but painted by me in watercolour and the floral one in pastel
from watercolourist authors books.... but I enjoyed the learning process all the same....funnily enough my dreams were to take myself off into the English countryside and paint what I saw...tried it just didn't work for me....oh well...maybe I might be inspired sometime soon. Just seen that one piccy seems to have repeated itself...opsy.

Happy New Year....

2009-01-02T11:53:00.004Z

Hello and wishing everyone a Happy Healthy wonderful 2009...and may all your dreams come true.

Changed the top picture of my lovely dog to my favourite sofas.....these are so comfortable, you just sink into them...they're made by Tetrad. Its funny as had hankered after these for a couple of years, well when we went and purchased our previous 3 piece suite I knew it wouldn't work in the lounge, it was far too classic and upright and never had the sinkability factor in it.....so 18 months ago we changed it to two sofas...my darling Dad was after a new 3 piece suite so the other one found a good home. I must admit that the cushions etc have to be fluffed up every day as they're feather etc...but for me thats a small price to pay. Especially at the moment as have largyngitus (I think thats how its spelt)...well don't laugh but anyone that knows me is laughing at the moment as my voice is a whisper and has been for nearly 3 days know and me not to talk.....hehe...do pigs fly. Anyway where was I oh yes...will be curling up on sofa this pm to watch a film.
Have just finished taking all the Christmas decs down...don't you just hate it when all the prettys have to go away...mind you I have left some very small twinkly lights in a red glass bowl on the side table in the dining room, I think I will be able to get away with it. Now all I have to do is dust and vacuum and thats that for another year.

So I best be away and give my throat and chest some TLC....speak soon...take care x

How was yours?

2008-12-28T14:03:00.004Z

Honestly what a name for a establishment....originally est 1839...this building is down a cobbled street...0ld tenament buildings.

This beautiful staircase is in the middle of the hotel...when the hotel was refurbished it had to be kept Grade II listed...at the very top is a beautiful domned window.

Me and hubby having a quick cuddle whilst waiter took piccy....ahhh!

We went for a walk around and about....these beautiful houses take your breath away...lots of them are flats but a few are still full houses. Luckily people had their curtains open and lights on so we could have a good ol' nosey hehe!!! everything looked so festive inside. The ceilings on these properties must be 12' odd....and the mouldings and original cornices etc were gorgeous.

Hello...hope all had a good Christmas

Mine with my darling hubby was a quiet one....usually I do all the cooking and running around but this year my youngest daughter went to her In-laws....my eldest DD we don't see...this is by her choice. Anyway me and hubby thought okeydokee lets take ourselves away...so we did up to wonderful beautiful Edinburgh...we stayed for 3 nights at the Roxburgh Hotel in Charlotte Square....the hotel if I am correct is made up of several georgian town houses knocked together.

The food was superb....champagne and canapes......poached pears with stilton......full turkey dinner..oh every concieveable delicious morsel of food was had. On Boxing Day we went to the pantomine, well I haven't been for 20 odd years, we saw Aladdin with Alan Stewart as Widow Twanky...I tell you there may have been lots of children but I haven't split my sides laughing so much in ages...especially some of the innuendo jokes that go straight over the childrens heads...a lovely treat all in all.

Came across this poem and made me smile

2008-12-21T09:14:00.005Z

Its the day before Christmas and all through the house

The puppies are squeaking an old rubber mouse

The wreath which had merrily hung on the door

Is scattered in pieces all over the floor

The stockings that hung in a neat little row

Now boast a hole in each one of the toes

The tree was subjected to bright-eyed whims

and now although splendid, its missing some limbs

I catch them and hold them "be good" I insist

They lick me, then run off to see what they've missed

And now as I watch them the thought comes to me

That theirs is the spirit that Christmas should be

Should children and puppies yet show us the way

and teach us the joy that should come with this day

Could they bring the message thats written above

And tell us that most of all Christmas is LOVE

Me and my darling hubby went to Horsham in Sussex....just to browse around. Along one street they had 3 snow makers blowing...the scene was entrancing....Christmas music playing...people walking through and getting "snowed on". But what stopped me in my tracks
were the children all standing/jumping/skipping around their faces full of laughter...so young so sweet. A young man was entertaining them and shouting "Who loves Christmas"...and the children responded with such raised voices. Me and hubby stood watching for a while I was starting to choke up........how I wish that time did not rush by soooo quick and I could enjoy the time all over again with my children........but there again...........I will and I can....with our Grandchildren, how wonderful is that. Honestly the sentimentality at this time of year now that I'm a tad older......(or like a matured red wine, mellow and warm without a tang!!! he he.)...is so silly, now where did I put that box of tissues.......x

Nigella Lawson......

2008-12-19T11:31:00.005Z

I treated myself today...if whether you love her or hate her...this book is a definite must have for Christmas.....maybe a great gift....actually I'm wondering if my daughter might have purchased this for me ops! Best of all its at Waterstones for £8.99 woohoo bargain.
The glossy pages just inspire you to cook...well it works for me.....I'm loving
the Spruced Up Vanilla Cake what a wonderful alternative to Christmas cake, have defnitely got to track down one of those cake tins for it. Also fantastic recipe for Chocolate Pudding...oh and for those not keen on the proverbial MR. TURKEY....then the recipe for stuffed pumpkin looks pretty good.

What I love about this lady is "SHE LOVES TO EAT"....honestly I sit their giggling to myself when after the end credits of the programme...she sneaks downstairs for the midnight bite. The lashings of cream that went on that mince pie.....indecent. I was listening to our Terry Wogan on radio 2 the other day......seems quite a few of the men love her two...hmmm! wonder why? Could it be the way the camera lingers on her mouth as she eats..I don't think its the food.

Theres also something else I am inspired to do....I lurrrvvveee her kitchen it is so homely. I love the way everything sugar/flour/dried fruit etc are all to hand and within easy reach. So after Christmas I'm off to Ikea to purchase glass jars and sort out my larder...then I won't have flour/sugar spilling over the place when I unroll the bags etc. Yep I think that will be one of my New Year resolutions....get organized.

OK own up whos finished their Chrissy shopping?

ME.....TA DA!!!!

I'm going to sit with a Christmas film on this afternoon and do my wrapping....of course with a cuppa and choccy bickies oh and....read my new Nigella Cookery book....

Have a wonderful weekend...xxxxxxxx

Thank you....

2008-12-18T16:52:00.002Z

http://www.bigfoto.com/sites/galery/flowers1/flower-rose_5xv.jpg

Just a virtual thank you for the lovely kind words such lovely ladies have left on last posting.

XXXXX

Update on my darling Mum

2008-12-17T16:23:00.003Z

Some of the lovely people that visit my blog and I thank all of you that do...know that my darling Mum has end stage vascular senile dementia....I find that putting my thoughts to print has helped greatly.
So I thought I would update the current situation. Well as of last posting re Mum....she was sent home from hospital...her stomach continues to blow up like a huge balloon and when I say huge...well the only way to describe it...is well like when ones 9 months pregnant...I apologise for the comparison but was only way I could think of describing as to how big. The swelling is due to the fact that her body can no longer pass gases so it all ferments. I could hardly believe it when my darling Dad said that the doctor was contacting the hospital with a view to them putting a tube into the side of her stomach with a valve....apparently to release the gases. I suppose this is to make her more comfortable but whether she would survive such? Anyways this is booked for January.
I have described my darling Mum before but will do so again....she is doubly incontinent...weighs about 4half/5 stone...cannot talk/feed/move at all by herself...her bones of her entire body are now fused all together and when I say entire I mean entire....she cannot even turn her head.....she is stuck at right angles like a Z. She has so many sores over her body it is heartbreaking...she doesn't know me at all and hasn't done so for the past 2/3 years....even though at times I do get a lovely oh so sweet smile when I first walk in and she manages to open her eyes but it is flickering....when this smile does happen my stomach trips and I choke up and believe me I cherish that smile with all my being.
My Dad looks after her with 2 carers coming in 3 times a day to change and clean her and a daily nurse to see to her sores...there is a terrible one on the base of her spine, so now they have given Dad a special bed where the back raises up...and have said that it is better for her to stay there until after lunch. The bed is in the lounge where Dad sits as well....he is not at all happy with her being in bed as he likes her in the chair...but now she constantly slips down...they have been married 56 years and in her chair is where he likes her. I gently talk to him that it is best for Mum and more comfortable...I think for now he is agreeing. He is in denial and has been for a long time....on Monday he was talking about colouring her hair as he dones't like seeing it grey!!!! eeek....what hair....what my darling Mum has is hearly lost and so so thin....to describe her as skeletal is nearer.
To describe more.....she has now been having TIA's...transiant ischaemic attacks...mini strokes...over the last week about 5/6 I know these are a prelude to something bigger. I have said "goodbye " to her so many times over the last two years when she has been hospitalized due to problems....usually taken into a side room...but bless her she has rallied.
Everytime I see her now I mentally say the words and also whisper in her hear that "I love you" and thank her for being my Mummy. I have been dreading that she will depart this world before Christmas.....but the TIA's seem to have settled down.
I don't know how my darling Dad will be...he says to me..."he lost his wife a few years ago"....he is such a trooper and the care, compassion, patience and dedication and total love along with his strength have astounded me....lesser mortals would have buckled....but it has been at a cost to his own health.....he never complains just recites his marriage vows to me.."for richer for poorer...in sickness and in health and desrcibes it as the "rich tapestry of life"....so lovely people thats where we are as of the 17th December...Mum is 85 and Dad 82...if you have read thus far I thank you so much for staying with it....I understand and I apologise that at times it can make uncomfortable reading.....but anyways for now take care hugs ....x

Christmas past......

2008-12-15T11:02:00.004Z

Hi...thought would show you some piccys of where we went for Christmas 2006......we decided hubby and I to go down to Somerset and stayed in a beautiful mullion stoned lodge.....this lodge was on the entrance to a most beautiful entracing mansion....(privately owned)...unfortunately I never got to step a foot inside to view. But anyway the lodge was so charming for Christmas...although not richly decorated it was very warm and very welcoming. It had a perfect but small workable kitchen....off that a very pretty dining room which had a log burner in an inglenook.... The lounge as you can see was not heavily decorated but the whole lodge had a wonderful ambience of spirit of Christmas...it seemed to wrap itself around you and comfort you and say "welcome".....The side stone mullion window behind the TV looked straight down the drive so that in the "olden" days...the gatekeeper could see who was coming and inform the Master/mistress of the Manor.

Me and Megs by the fire and then my lovely sil by the car in the beautiful shrouded icy mist of a winters morning. Its strange how when one looks back on past holiday photos....does one realize what a wonderful time was had.....will definitely visit back here again. Take care...xx

These were only part of the grounds....which we were allowed to walk around.

The Aaaahhhh factor!

2008-12-12T14:40:00.002Z

Thougt I would show you photo of my two beautiful twin Grandchildren.....both a year old when this photo was taken in October. They were born 9 weeks premature and weighed the
little boy weighed 3lb and dropped to about 2lb 9oz afterwards and the little girl weighed 4lb and managed to keep her birth weight pretty well....now as you can see they are doing great. Took this piccy adhock and made me smile when I looked at it...the page they are looking at says "Little Treasures"......oh how true...if anybody had told me I would be so so head over heels and totally besotted I would not have believed them. They just make my heart smile.....

Thought I would show you another photo of this little poppet...shes my Cavalier called Megan...and yes she is as sweet/soppy/daft as she looks...she has a very lovely nature...always ready for a lap and snooze.....I used to have another called Lady, she lasted for 13 years which is very good for this breed...in fact Megan was brought as her companion....but Lady never wanted to know Megan...would turn away and put her nose in the air when Megan went near her. Actually thinking about it Megs quite a "tart" hehe!!! she goe to anybody for a biscuit........shhhhhh!!! don't say it out loud.....sometimes I have spelt it out and she still knows what I'm talking about. Oh the other day DH went out for a couple of hours and Megan got up ran to the front door and laid there...I thought somebody had rung the doorbell....went to check noone there....then about 2 mins later I hear our car coming up the road and yes it was hubby returning. How on earth do dogs detect this......dodododododododo......chat laters hugs me xxxxxx

2008-12-07T09:22:00.003Z

A rose by any other name..

Such a pretty glass crystal cream amd sugar set.

I just adore this table runner.

Hello and welcome to my very first Tablescape Tuesday....I came across this here...http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/.....what a wonderful inspirational idea....along with all the other beautiful blogs with wonderful houses and tables. Anyway hope you enjoy my table setting. The table is set with Villeroy & Boch white porcelain china in Wave Design....I wasn't quite sure when I first purchased this dinner service as to rectangular plates...but they are wonderful to use....everything interchanges with each other....the small plates underneath the soup bowls are used with the coffee cups (not shown)....the side plates used as dessert plates as well.

Ops sorry for the shaky piccy.

My cutlery has a pitted bark effect on it. The so pretty etched wine glasses come from one of my very very favourite shops Laura Ashley. On the left is a cruet set which I purchased in a local collectables shop.

Just love this cutesy sleigh....it comes from TK Maxx....this shop fascinates me you never know what you are going to find from visit to visit. The other day popped in there and they had Spode Woodland coffee mugs eeekkk!!....I would have purchased them but there was nothing else to go with them...oh well.

Anyway back to here....put lots of lovely apple/cone thingys to make everything festive and pretty.

MERRY
CHRISTMAS

XXX

A few Christmas bits and bobs.

2008-12-07T01:33:00.004Z

Picture heavy post.....hey Mr. Turkey are you ready....???

Just a few prettys on my side cabinet...hmmm!!! now looking at this picture think it maybe needs a tad more flowery bits...yes?

Hey Santa.....you'll be real busy soon.

Don't you just love the cutesy set on the first picture...purchased from good ol' TK Maxx....sugar bowl/cream milk jug and the lovely jam/butter dish with the sleigh mini knife...lurrrvveee it...and of course there was my 2nd bargain again TK Maxx.

Then my 2nd bargain yet again TK Maxx 3 beautiful large Baubles which are by Waterford...a bargain at about £3/£4 each...went into my local department store and couldn't believe my eyes, they were for sale there at £20 eeeekkk!! so very pleased. Have displayed them in a red glass bowl with tiny lights around them.

Ok I know TK Maxx again....did I tell you about my bargains...couldn't resist (oh and I tried soooo hard) these cutesy four plates and large plate.....perfect for those mince pies....scrummy.

and for now my mirror done up in its glory....with another Waterford bauble that has Seasons Greetings on it.

and how could I forget these so funny snowmen....in stages of meltdown....did make me giggle...the message on the melted snowman says..."see you next year".....oh yes the 3 small threes come from Sainsburys.....a great little find.

the home piccies

2008-11-19T16:01:00.005Z

Afraid my postings got a bit mixed up....below this post...there is one re my darling Mum and where she is at now....but for here...some piccys which I hope you enjoy....hugs me x

The first picture is of the vest/tank sirdar top I have just finished. This one is the afterthought one...the first being on Ravelry....finished it was way to big and made me look frumpy...so a lovely knitty friend suggested that I machine and cut to shape..so boldy going where I have never been before I ventured forth...so glad I did.........looks a lot better...sorry for the cheesey phto thought....meme to me...must let my hair grow a bit.Thought would show you a few piccys of a few of my favourite things....now theres a cue for a song....in my home. First off is a lovely little gas fired stove from Villager Stoves....originally we wanted a woodburner...but the expense would have been far too much...so we settled for this little beauty....throws out nearly 4kw of heat...but never needs to be up so high...keeps the room lovely and toasty just ticking over on low.

The chair is a favourite to sit and read my mags and knitty stuff with a nice coffee and biscuit.

We have just papered one wall of our dining room in this sumptious wallpaper...I love it. We weren't quite sure first of all but the room needed warming up and its certainly done the trick. On the wall is a oh so! beautifully romantic print then my thoughtful DD brought me the porcelain couple on the left to go with it.

Last and not least is my very very favourite...my lovely Rayburn...gorgeous red...oh is there a theme going on here....hehe....anyways my kitchen is Ikea red units with chrome etc.... this afternoon I have been baking a fruit loaf and some roly poly mince pies at the same time a beef casserole has been simmering away in it.

Home pics and other...

2008-11-19T13:24:00.009Z

Hello...thought I would start with Mum today....ok where we are at now is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????????????.....if somebody had told me how uncredibly sad...painful....heartbreaking and all adjectives that I could add....that watching someone in the end stages of altzheimers would be maybe unless I was seeing it for myself I would and could never ever comprehend. The hospital sent my darling Mum home about 16 days ago.....Dad wanted her home I had other thoughts wondering why. I spoke to the hospital and asked about her and her stomach blowing up and said that she would be back in again in a week or so and they said they would deal with that then. So she went home...Dad has been feeding her...albeit very little...and this week her stomach is blown up and hard again....the doctor called and said to Dad "oh we can look at putting a tube in the side of her stomach with a valve to release the gases.....all this intestinal abdominal catastrophes are all part of her aging process and not linked with the dementia. WHAT........why........I asked my Dad how he felt and he said that he lost his wife four years ago...I said to him rather quietly..."don't you feel enough is enough now Dad".....he didn't answer...I could sense him choking up and I quickly changed the subject...this seems to be an unspoken rule of thumb between the two of us now....he brooches questions with me I try to answer then he understandably shys away.

Anyway today wed 19th Nov...I rang him to ask how things were...well he is awaiting the doctor as apart from all the blisters and sores that are breaking out over her body.....a hugh rash is appearing over her torso......I believe her body is now breaking down rapidly now.....he said he hopes the doctors take her back into hospital....honestly what can I say to this charming delightful Father of mine...he knows what is coming...but I believe his heart and hopes go the other way. I know not. He said to me that Mum couldn't even cry if she wanted to...her brain is completely d..d...there I cannot even bring myself to type the full word...so I await a phone call later this day to find out what is happening...he says he prefers to ring me........xxx

Anyway onto tuther things. well I completed by sirdar vest and when finished it was uuurrrggghhh! too big. Apologies I will have to post piccys later...computer seems to be playing up.....will be back in the next couple of days...ttfn x

Oh for goodness sake......

2008-10-27T15:03:00.002Z

No knitty pics....just a bloggy post re things...anyway I will post about my darling Mum in a bit....so a couple of weeks ago I had my flu jab...well within 24 hours I had very mild flue symptoms....achy/headachy that sort of things....thats fine, never had them before with the jab so oh. Anyway 4 days later, a sort of cold type thingy affected me, nothing really came to a head just that feeling of stuffy and being off for the last9 days...then last night Sunday...flipping eck...thought my head was going to pop my 3am sunday morning...my throat was so constricted...face pain/earpain....a terrible pulsating pain in the roof of my mouth and back of my throat that came in waves....it hurt so much I'm not kidding you afraid to say I blubbed like a baby. Anyway took myself off to the docs this morning, even though hubby wanted me to stay in bed...so doc looks and just sees red mouth and throat...he said that I could have had a virus in my system waiting to emerge and the flu jab let it loose....add to that I have developed a red rash around my mouth...this could be from a change of foundation...anyway doc has prescripted me some cortizone cream....honestly I look like something out of halloween at the moment.

Ok....now to my darling Mum....last Tuesday they wanted to let her out of hospital as they said "medically shes fit"....urgh!!!!!!! are they talking about the correct woman...or has it been my Dad saying he wants her home. Anyway he hasn't been too good himself...so I asked him if he could cope...he said "no"...so I rang the hospital and asked if they could possibly keep her for another 24 hours or so....afraid that met with a rather angst reply....so I asked if she could be kept for another day on a "social basis"....erm no.....ok so I understand that Mum would be bed blocking. Anyway Dad has a wonderful social worker, she is young and so helpful...I rang her up and asked for advice....she managed to get my Mum to be allowed to stay and couldn't understand why they would want to release her anyway. So at the moment my darling Mum has tubes up her nose to help her breathe....they are taking x rays of her chest etc....they are attempting to help her get rid of the gas build up......she has a perpetual temperature...so they have a fan on her....I as yet have only managed to see her one in the last week...because of this cold virus thingy...I was going to go tonight...but then my throat thing happened last night...so the next few days are out....I would love to go and visit my Dad and spend an evening with him ...but he would rather I didn't so as I don't give him anything else, which I can perfectly understand...so lovely people who have sent me their virtual hugs...it really does help....I cannot believe how much...and I thank you sooooo much for your kind words.

Now on the knitty front...well we have to speak of it don't we....Lady E is coming on Ok...even though I am not making it so wide. I have just cast on for some mittens for my darling twin Grandchildred (one boy and girl) they;re a year old now....anyway what with colder weather coming, they will need them. Then for a big big treat for MEEEEEE!!!! squeeeeeee.. I just purchased two skeins of Malabrigo lace weight in the colourway Noviembre....I want to have a go at making a lace shawl...something which has eluded me so far....but....I really don't know which pattern to go for ...any suggestions? so will be off for now thank you for stopping by xxxx