May 2016

Another month passed in a blur!

Celebrating VE day, lots of knitting, cuddles with the kids, finding my 'new to me' WI brooch, trip to the bingo, starting walking to help speed up my weight loss & spending time in the garden.

1/2 way through the year...... blimey!!!

November 2013

So what did November bring….

At the beginning of the month we celebrated the girls first year with us :)

It was a mad panic getting ready for my last craft fair of the year and possibly my last ever!

My first remembrance day in 2 years that I didn't work, a week off from work, Christmas lights going up in the city, working hard in my garden, getting ready for Christmas in my PJ's & doing the window in my shop….. phew, it was a busy time!

I also picked up a nasty cold at the end of the month which I still have…. 2 weeks & counting :(

So we're already 1 week into December…… only 17 more sleeps until the big day! 

I need to start thinking about getting the very small amount of presents I have to get….. as I can't leave the shop during the day & I never go into town on my day off I'm really behind…. in fact I'm in a little world of my own.

Gardening

Hello..... well, well, well..... what about the weather???

It's as warm as July isn't it?? 

I can't believe how beautiful it is, I just don't want it to end!

It's that time of year when you look in the garden & notice how messy it looks :(

This was after I started cutting back the bushes at the back of my garden. I HATE ivy!!! It's grows really fast & it's dirty.... yuk!

I've invested in a shredder this year & it works a treat...... I love it!!!

I now have a very large pile of ivy to shred on my next day off!

Hopefully the next time you see my garden it will be lovely!!!

(fingers crossed!)

During the winter months I cover my salad bed with a piece of wood

Can you spot Ted??

As you can see this is a sunny spot & one which Ted loves to sunbath in.

But all good things must come to a end & the wood needed to go so the soil can see the sun!

Someone is not happy?

So that's been my last few days off..... no resting for me!!

Blood test update: All clear which is good but doesn't explain why I keep having dizzy spells & nearly falling over.

Enjoy the sun while it lasts!

Away too long.....

Well, well, well I haven't posted since August 1st..... were is August going?

One of the reasons I haven't posted is because I haven't got anything to say! The days roll in to weeks & nothing really changes..... I'm working harder & longer hours now which doesn't help!

Sweetpeas from my garden

We still have no end date which is just crazy...... 3 stores are to close Sunday 21st August, they were only given 10 days notice! We were told last week that we should all be closed by mid September but that changes every week!

On Friday I attended my 4th interview.... I'm feeling a bit fed up with it! When I get told about the pay & hours I lose interest..... get paid for 37.5 hours but work 50 hours a week, which means it's just over the minimum wage! I haven't been told the wage for the one on Friday..... you get told that in the second interview! Hours are better, only about 40. It's a 12 months temporary contract managing the home ware dept in a very small shop. I have a team of 5 people, at the moment I manage about 17 staff so not very challenging!

 I guess I've had it easy for too long!

I washed my new blanket today & realised I hadn't shared it

What do you think? Lovely isn't it...... I'm a sucker for a granny square blanket even though I could make it myself I thought this was a bargain for £10!

All that work for just £10..... I feel guilty!

This week I sorted out my mini birthday party..... something to look forward to. I always book the week off but this year I have to work, I don't have enough holiday to take so could lose money..... I've got Sunday - Tuesday off which is great but I found out I need to be in on Wednesday at 8am.... that's the day after my 40th! My manager wants that day off .... I'm still working on him!!!

I need to make a very important phone call tomorrow...... it could change everything! 

I'll let you know how I get on :)

Have a good week

Lavender

I've been away so long.... sorry!

Last year I told you all about my lovely lavender growing in my garden

It was getting out of hand so I cut it back early this year

I have 4 plants in the front garden, this is the crop this year

Crikey....

It's all hanging up in the shed drying

Plus the 3 plants in the back garden have done really well this year ...... they're different & much easier to cut & dry..... must remmeber that for next year!

I bagged some up to sell at the vintage fair & sold out so I'm thinking of putting it in my Folksy shop.

I have more then enough to make my lavender bags!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend..... work for me!

Back soon

I'm still here......

I've just noticed I haven't posted for 2 weeks!!! Blimey I think that must be a first & this is my 250th post!

I've managed to escape work for the last week, I've spent time getting my head around things & pottering around the garden

Loving my David Austin rose this year..... best it's ever been.

They don't last long so I decided to enjoy some inside too.

It's been so windy today the garden is now full of petals :(

I've also been making things for my Folksy shop

We headed off to the coast a couple of days.... although the weather wasn't great it was nice to get out & about. It normally involved going to the pub for lunch!!!

I've enjoyed catching up with all your blogs..... back to normal on Tuesday :(

Hope you've all had a lovely week

April 2011

Well that's another month over!!!!

With all the trouble at work I haven't had much chance to enjoy April...... a month I normally enjoy..... I've just wished the whole month away & I'm still none the wiser with my job but the ball is now in my court. Decisions, decisions....... I hate it!!!

I've had a lovely weekend.... on Thursday evening the family met to celebrate my dad's 70th birthday & on Friday I watched the wedding....

I'm very British & I've been looking forward to this day for a while. I'm no girly girl so imagine my surprise when I found myself lusting over her beautiful dress!!!
I've never dreamt of marrying ...never thought of a wedding dress but this one is lovely :)
They looked so happy together, unlike his parents on their big day..... I hope this is one royal marriage that last.

I love their carefree attitude to life..... it's about time the royals had a kick up the bum, well not Queenie because that would be so wrong!!!

Ok so I mentioned Queenie & I have to confess I still haven't finished her :(
Has anyone else tried to knit from this book?

It really easy to read but so fiddly... I've nearly finished thankfully but I have been asked if I would make some to sell....... well at this rate I'd have to sell for about £100 for the amount of hours it's taken!!!!

Did you have a street party?
I really wanted one & was very surprised to see one just behind my house..... why wasn't I invited? :( I was going to gate crash but it was full of small children, terrible modern music blasting out, no bunting..... in fact it wasn't very 1940's at all so I went to the pub instead!

It's certainly been the wrong weekend to have off, what with the large football match yesterday, the roads being closed in the city centre for the Great West Run today & of course the rain :(

I've been running in & out of the garden today, I managed to get my runner beans in but not much more. Off again on Wednesday so fingers crossed for sunshine :)

Hope you all enjoy the last day of the bank holiday weekend tomorrow..... back to work for me.
Another sell out Make, Do and Mend on Tuesday..... our local newspaper want to do a feature on the group & should be sending a photographer along :)

I hope to be better in May on the crafting front & blogging!

Still here......

Yes I'm still here..... it's been a week since my last post & I've been really bad leaving comments..... sorry everyone! I will try harder...promise!

So the count down to work has began..... I can't believe I had 14 days which has now turned in to 4 days left! I'm starting to have that back to school feeling already. I've been so lucky with the weather as it's been beautiful here in Exeter. I spent some time in the garden trying to cut back the blackberry bushes..... they've taken over!!

Have you all seen this...

Lovely t-shirts at a fantastic price!

 You can find them here

I checked yesterday but couldn't work out the sizes.... if you check on the pop up size page it says the XL size is an 18 but then in the next block it says it a 16..... I'm very confused!!! Anyone know?

I brought a jumper from there years ago that's XL & it's massive!

They're selling like hot cakes, yesterday nearly everyone was in stock in XL...today only 3! Does that mean all CK fan are larger ladies??? Then why are all her clothes for little people??!!!

I wonder if they'll get more in?

I hope you all enjoyed Comic Relief on Friday..... I was out but spent Saturday watching it on catch up..... 6 hours!!!!!

What was your favourite bit? 

I love the Smithy sketch....... soooo funny!!!

Today I'm waiting in for my new armchair :) 

It's being delivered between 12-6pm which is a complete pain as I can't do anything in the morning so it's a wasted day :(

Hopefully I won't be the last on the route!

Enjoy the sun

A Vintage Week

Today while looking back on my week I realised it's been a bit vintage!

It all started on Monday when I dashed through WHSmiths & spotted this...

As this is issue 7 I'm sure some of you would have already heard of it. I can't believe I've never seen it before (WHSmiths have only just started stocking it)..... I must say it's excellent! I've read it cover to cover & really enjoyed it..... so much so I've subscribed today :)

My favourite article.... it made me think of my Nan & all the questions I never asked when she was here :(

Make do and mend!

Jealous...moi???

On Tuesday it was more make do and mending...

I've also found out they're showing Shine On Harvey Moon on the yesterday channel

I loved this in the early 80's!

I found it while looking for Ration Book Britain....

Have you been watching? You can check out the web site here

The week was finished off by a little treat...

Prefect for the garden & it looks good on my shelves 

So as you can see it's been a bit vintage in this neck of the woods!

Valentine treats......

I'm back!!

I hope you all had a good week & a lovely Valentine's day. We don't do Valentine's day here but I hinted on Facebook that I had seen a lovely necklace & I got it!!!

Want a closer look?

Cute isn't it?? I love Victorian cats with bows :)

The only problem is I have a neck like Mike Tyson so it's really tight, I guess it's meant to be a choker but this is silly. Any ideas how I can make it bigger?

He brought it from one of my favourite Folksy shops........

Silk Purse, Sow's Ear

Eilidh keeps tempting me with her beautiful jewellery.... I'm not a big jewellery fan but I keep finding things! I've just seen she's made earrings to match the necklace.....ooohhh I want!!!

This is my 2nd necklace.... the first can be found here .... I've also brought a stag brooch & earrings as well as a few Christmas presents.

In the garden today I spotted these....

Something to make me smile & remind us that Spring is on the way.... hooray!!!

OH update: after a stressful week OH seems to be getting better.... another hooray!!

Back soon

Salmonhutch

Hello everyone..... I started this post yesterday but was feeling so rough I gave up. 

It's a official .......I finally have my first cold for years :( 

I've been really smug since I started taken Echinacea, for the last couple of years I've escaped all the coldy bugs going around but on Saturday night while out with a friend my throat started to get really sore. When I woke on Sunday I felt terrible...... although I don't have a runny nose etc I feel really achy & generally unwell. 

Luckily it was my day off yesterday so I slept for most of the day then a further 10 hours last night.... I woke this morning hoping it would've passed but it's still here. I've taken loads of pills so fingers crossed it'll been gone by tomorrow.... not a good way to spend my 2 days off!

Today I'm going to tell you all about Salmonhutch.....

This is the train crossing leading to Salmonhutch. It's just outside Crediton where I grew up & spent most of my summer holidays. My Nanny was evacuated here in the war as she was pregnant with my mum..... she used to drive the ambulances in South London. My mum was born in a large house just to the right of this photo & Auntie used to live in the station house. 

Mum used to wash her tortoise in the stream to the right of the railway lines & was put on the trains by her cousins.... you can read about it here.

I love Salmonhutch..... it's so peaceful & beautiful..... 

Sophie & Robbie enjoying the river

Oliver going for a swim

Sophie not looking her best!

I'd love to live here but the houses are so small & so expensive now!

But look at that view!

The hill in the back ground is know as 'Break Heart'.... why???

Because it would break your heart if you tried to walk up it!!! 

We used to roll down it..... I lost a bumble bee brooch once.... gutted :( 

I still think of it even though it must be over 30 years ago! 

When I was growing up my dad used to work nights so we had to be really quiet until lunch time. I loved the summer holiday when we would be packed up with lunch, rubber tyres, fishing nets, dogs etc I sent to the river for the day..... down break heart we would roll & spent the day playing or sun bathing before Dad picked us up in the afternoon.

My eldest sister heard of a good tip to get a lasting tan..... cooking oil & aftershave!! 

Yep she really did cover us in that & made us lay out cooking in the sun...... I was only about 6 but I can remember the look of horror on mum's face when she saw us!

I had to sit in a cold bath for hours!

They were really happy days........ simple things that cost no money.

Now I just go back for my birthday..... mum brings bacon sandwiches, hard boiled eggs & a flask of tea...... it has to be the same every year! 

We sit in the peace & quite watching the dogs swimming & playing..... I think they're getting fed up of this ritual but I love it...... cheap date me!!!

Over the last couple of weeks I've been clearing up the garden & tucking it up for winter...... I covered my salad bar & put my figures on the top but look who else took a fancy to it.....

 

Nanny the sun god!!!

My Cath Kidstion book arrived today.... yippee!! I need it for Friday.... more on that later in the week.

Have a good week