A pants day

Yep, today has been pretty pants.  I woke up with a headache and had to take tablets.  I didn't get out of bed until 2pm.  I even slept for a while.  It lingered for most of the afternoon.

We popped down to Tesco mid afternoon as we had run out of tea bags of all things.  I don't drink tea so I didn't much care but Simon was beginning to suffer withdrawal symptoms.

As we were out we called into a builders merchant and managed to get a new shower head which was good and I also persuaded Simon to stop so that I could go in the Crafty Patch shop and see if they had the 3 ply wool that I need for Verity's baby shawl.  Good news was they did have it.  Bad news was it cost me £30!  She had better use this shawl until the child is at least 10.  By the way I am not making it, Denise is making it for me.

Once home I gave the new shower head a test run before my bath and am pleased to say that it has made a big difference and we now have a half decent flow.  Might buy another one and see if that improves the upstairs shower.  Guess some of you might be thinking that it is odd to have a shower before my bath but I hate washing my hair in the bath hence the shower but I still wanted to have a bath as I love a good wallow in the bath. I was still feeling a bit grotty and a bath is relaxing.

Simon offered to cook dinner, grilled bacon chops and cauliflower cheese.  I was on the phone to my Dad when there was an almighty crash.  He has broken the inner glass door of my oven.  I had taken it out yesterday to clean as something had got splashed on the inner side.  It took ages to clean as I soaked it in washing soda.  I was very careful with it and had left it on the drainer in the utility room to dry.  It didn't get put back in the oven.

Simon realised that it was missing when he went to put in the cauliflower cheese.  He had the oven pre heating for 10 minutes.  He went to put the glass in, apparently being very careful and then his fingers touched the glass of the outer door which was very hot........you can guess the rest.  So first job tomorrow is to find out where I can get a new glass door. Bet it will probably cost a fortune.   I can't use the oven without it which will be a pain as I use my oven pretty much every day.

We finally had dinner after clearing up all the glass which had gone everywhere and I have a feeling there could still be bits we missed and I walk around bare foot all the time..............

This evening we were out at Gyll and Max's house.  They are the owners of the dog rescue.  They were having a little get together at their house  to sort a few things out.  I am going to take over doing the newsletter that goes out to people who sponsor a dog.   It was a pleasant evening with a few glasses of the red stuff.  

It is now 11.30pm and my head is niggling a bit.  Guess the red wine may not have been such a great idea.  I think it is time to head to bed now. I have a couple of magazines to read.  One of them is my Popular patchwork one and I really enjoy that.  Think I shall go and make some hot chocolate.

3rd January 2013

Well yesterday didn't pan out the way I had planned.  Instead of just pottering around at home we ended up going to Peterborough. I decided that as it is 4 months since one of the towel rails fell off the wall in the bathroom it was about time that we got another one.  You may recall that Simon was going to mend it but.... well I have heard that one before!

So off we went to B&Q.  Now I thought this was going to be simple.  Straight in, grab a towel rail, pay and out.  No such luck.  There were loads to choose from.  In fact I never really would have thought that there would be so many.  After all a towel rail is a towel rail isn't it?

Let me tell you that it would seem that it isn't.  They come in different sizes and shapes!  It was actually really frustrating and irritating.  I just wanted a basic towel rail the same as the one that was apparently not repairable.  They didn't have one like that.  The ones that seemed best were too long.  Simon suggested a round one, you know a towel ring.  Well we have one of those by the sink and they take hand towels.  I needed this one to be a rail as it is for bath towels.  We have another rail in there which is large but this rail is the one by the shower cubicle...............Oh my god, I can't believe I am writing about towel rails!  Long story short, we ended up with a small rail so I have to fold the towel in 3.  I'll live with it.

Oh, forgot to say that as it had a different fixing to the old one it meant that new holes would need to be drilled which meant purchasing a drill bit for tiles and glass!  How can men turn something so simple into needing to buy some new tool?

Anyway, as we were in Peterborough we decided to look in a few furniture stores for a chair for our bedroom.  We have been meaning to get one since we moved in.  We went to Furniture Village fist but didn't see anything there so headed to DFS where we were given coffee and biscuits on a tray!  I had a coffee in the first place too but had to get it myself from the machine.  It was free though. I wonder when they started giving out free coffee? Maybe they should do that in the supermarket.

Another long story short before I go into a long waffle......... we have purchased a swivel, cuddle chair in cream.  It is this one below but as I said in cream.  It will be delivered in 4 weeks time.

So that was yesterday.  Today has been a bit rubbish as regards to getting things done. We had a plumber here at 9am to do the pump on the heating.  I can't remember if I said that just before Christmas the heating all packed up for a day?  We were freezing.  Oddly the next day it started working again but we had a plumber out to check and when he looked at the pump it had obviously been leaking long before we moved here. It was encrusted with a thick layer of lime deposit and what almost looked like crystals! So, a new pump was needed.  It is done now and we are £350 poorer.  Hopefully though it will be quiet .  The old pump was so noisy that we would turn the heating off at night!  When my Dad slept in the room where the boiler is he nearly woke us in the middle of the night as he was so worried about the noise!

That took up all morning and was quite stressful as the dogs do not like having someone in the house so get over excited and I had to keep taking them outside to the garden when the plumber needed to go in the utility room.  Also the front door was open so we had to keep the dogs secure.  It was bloody cold with that door open.  Simon sat at the kitchen table doing school work.

Not long after the plumber departed Coralie turned up with the boys which was nice.  She stayed a few hours and we had a nice catch up chat. Simon went with Sam to collect some large metal cabinets from the barn and got back just after Coralie left.  He had the girlies with him so I got to see all 4 grandchildren this afternoon.   By the time they went it was dinner time and since then I have been vegging in front of the TV.

Not sure what we might be doing tomorrow. The plumber looked at one of our showers which doesn't have a very good flow and advised that it needs a new showerr head so maybe we will go and get that. We shall see.

Last show and tell for 2012

Show and tell time.  These are the last few things that I made in 2012.  I have already got started on 2013's makes but I will show you them in a week or so.

I started making stuff for Christmas presents last January and I was pretty much done by around October.  I am happy to say that my presents all seemed to go down pretty well.

The last few weeks were spent in making a secret Santa gift and a bum bag for my blog friend Eevee.

The secret Santa was organised by Kathy over in Merika.  It was more a swap than a traditional secret Santa although I think she did it with several friends.  Basically the idea was to make something from our scraps and stocks.  Value of no more than $5. I think that is about £8.    Then we swapped.  Kathy sent me a cute little pillow made form her own hand dyed fabric.  It is very cute and I will try to remember to take  photo to show you.

I wasn't sure what to do for Kathy and then I thought I would copy the spring panel from my 4 seasons wall hanging that I made early last year. I used different fabrics but it is very similar.  Simon made the heart shaped, wire hanger.  I think Kathy was pleased with it.

This the original 4 seasons with spring in the top left.

This is the one that I did for Kathy.

The other things I made were for my friend Eevee.  She had seen my bum bag and liked it and as she does volunteer work for a local raptor centre I said that I would make her one in owl fabric.  Eevee loves owls.   I think I showed you the fabric previously.

This is the bum bag.  Apologies to Eevee as  the strap was way to big!

I had left over fabric so I made her a little coaster to put her coffee cup on.

I was on a roll so I also made her a little felt brooch.

Eeevee also liked my small stuffed owls and missed buying one on eBay.  Don't know how that happened as they haven't really sold.  Anyway, I made her a little red one.

She received them today and I have had an email of thanks so I think she was pleased.  Hopefully later this year we may actually meet up.  Eevee doesn't live that far from me.

This is Saskia modelling Eevee's bag.

Before I go I must just show you the bum bags that Saskia made on Christmas eve.  She made 2 of these for Evan and Flynn.

So that is the last show and tell for 2012.  I shall  be back soon.  I just have to decide what to make everyone for next Christmas!!

Are you a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime?

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

Wednesday 2nd January 2013

Well that's one day down, only 364 to go! New years day was a very pleasant one. We spent it quietly, just the 2 of us. Simon worked in his garage putting up some roof insulation and I did lots of catching up online and a bit of sewing. Simon cooked dinner which was nice and then I had an hour long episode of Eastenders followed by Miranda.  I love Miranda she is "such fun"!

I did a lot of catching up with blogs. I cancelled my account at Blogster.  I didn't really like it there and nearly every one of my old Multiply friends who went there has now left.  Sorry Pammy but we are in touch in other ways.  It is such a shame that the demise of Multiply has resulted in losing some friends. Mind you, I suppose the lost ones couldn't have been  real friends because I haven't lost the important ones.

That sounded so wrong...apologies. What I am trying to say, is that those friends that I am no longer in touch with must have been those that just come into your life for a sort while.  I enjoyed my interaction with them but they were not meant to be long term. Has any one out there any idea what I ma talking about?  If you have can you please tell me.

I am trying to remember that old rhyme about some people being in your life for a time or a reason or something........ dammit, going to have to look that up now.

Actually speaking of Multiply, has anyone else noticed that it is still there and you can actually still post blogs?  I didn't delete my account and when I looked the other day, I decided to test it by posting a blog and it worked.  Wonder what happened to the 1st of December?

So, my plans for today?  Be lazy!  I think it will be much the same as yesterday.  Simon will be working in his garage and once I have done a bit of house work then I think it will be a sewing day.

Just have to get out of bed first!

Our Christmas

We had a lovely Christmas.  Surrounded by family as always.  It begun on the 22nd when Simon collected Saskia from the station.  We had a lovely afternoon as Coralie came over with the boys and Lisa and Sam with the girlies and we made paper chains.  The children loved it.  They took some home and we hung some up.  We only had a tiny tree this year so the paper chains helped to make it look more festive.  We have taken them down today.

On Christmas eve Saskia and I had a bit of a sewing day.  She made 2 bum bags for presents for Evan and Flynn and a cushion for a friend.  I just pottered in my sewing room.  The evening was spent watching TV and relaxing.

Christmas day began at 8am as we had told Saskia that she had to go down and bring us coffee and biscuits. She was delighted to find the stocking that we had done for her hanging on her door.  She sat on our bed to open her gifts while we drank our coffee.  It wasn't quite the same as the days when all 5 of them would sit on our bed excitedly ripping open presents at 5am but it was still a lovely moment.

We had cooked the turkey on Christmas eve so we only had the gammon joint and veggies to prepare.  We got them ready and then went down to Sam and Lisa's house for an hour.  The girls were very excited and it was lovely to see them open their presents.

We received a house number plate from Sam and Lisa.  Lisa made it herself from mosaic tiles.

We were home by 11.30am and Verity and Steve arrived shortly after. We had a lovely relaxed time before dinner which went down really well. There were only the 5 of us which is the smallest number we have ever had. Verity had made a brownie cake which we had with raspberry coulis and cream for dessert.  None of us eat Christmas pudding.  She is one good cook.

After lunch we opened some presents.  I got a floor standing, day light lamp from Simon for my sewing room.  I also got 2 vouchers from him.  1 for a £100 shopping trip and 1 for me to get my hair done.  Do you think he is trying to tell me something?

Coralie, John and the boys arrived about 4pm shortly followed by Josh and Charlotte.   Sam and Lisa were not with us as they went to Lisa's parents for tea. We all had fun waiting to feel verity's baby moving.

We had a wonderful time opening presents.  The boys seemed to be very pleased with the bedtime buddies that I had made them.  We had a buffet tea as always around 6pm and then it was time for everyone to depart.  I mean every one as Saskia went back with Verity and Steve for a few days. It was the first Christmas night that we have ever been just the 2 of us.  It seemed a little odd not to have anyone staying but we enjoyed sitting and vegging out in front of the TV.

Boxing day we were totally alone as the rest of the family all went to Verity and Steve's in Cambridge.  we couldn't go as we cant leave Alfie for too long.  It was an odd day.  Just like a normal weekend day really.   We spent it relaxing and pottering as we did the following day.

This is me wearing my Christmas jammies that Saskia got me.  I was cold so I had them on over my dress. I hadn't brushed my hair!  Told you we were veging out!

Forgot to show you our present from Coralie, she made it herself and she drew around each grandchilds hand!  Isn't it lovely?

On the Friday Verity and Steve were bringing Saskia back and we were meeting them in Kiddicare in Peterborough to buy the pram/ pushchair for the  new  grandbaby.  Only 10 weeks to go!  We have sort of made a tradition that we buy the first grandchild's  travel system. We took Ellie with us as she wanted to help choose!  It took a long time even though they already sort of knew what they wanted.  In the end they chose a Quinny system.  They chose a french navy pram, black pushchair and sort of grey and purple car seat.  Baby will go in the pram for the first few months and of course the car seat and then they will convert it into the pushchair.  They were really pleased  with it all.

They had to try it out when they got home so here are some more views.  Won't be long until baby is in it.

The following day it was time for Saskia to go home so after dropping me at the dog rescue, Simon drove her back to Leicester.  I think she had a good Christmas but I think she was happy to be back at her own house and I know she was looking forward to celebrating her birthday with her friends the following day.  Happy Birthday Saskia!  27 years old!!!  How can that be possible?

With Saskia gone, we have been just relaxing and gradually getting the house back to normal.  Simon has been busy in his garage and I have done some sewing.  It was a different kind of Christmas.  Quieter. I do miss the old days when they were all young.  Those were magical times.  I am grateful though that we were able to spend time with all of our family.

Next year there will be one more person in our family.  I can't wait.