October 2016 & November 2016

I'm back!!

The last 2 months have been very stressful...... my Virgin internet was cut off at the end of the October ready for when I leave, I've had nothing but problems with the new internet & already I've over spent by £75 so hence why I'm staying away!!

So October came & went, autumn is my favourite time of the year but with all the things going on at the moment I didn't have time to enjoy it.

The biggest thing in October was the terrible fire in the Cathedral green, it was so upsetting to see the Royal Clarence destroyed. 

November was all about knitting.... wearing my fair isle jumper & finishing 2 dog coats for the boys.

An evening with the family seeing the Coca Cola truck & spending time with the cats.

I was also lucky enough to see New Model Army & The Beat, nice to let my hair down & forget about my troubles.

I'm still looking for somewhere to live but as it's getting so close to Christmas it will have to wait until the new year now. So many places but none that I can afford or will take cats.

Fingers crossed 2017 is better for us all.

September 2016

I'm so behind....... it's nearly the end of October & I'm only just posting about September.

At the beginning of the month I received a bomb shell as OH has decided to sell the house for financial reasons. I knew it was coming but hoping it wouldn't. Anyway I had a cut off date of 29th October & I'm still here!! I can't find anywhere that will take cats so OH has left & I'm still looking. We think I can stay here until April so fingers crossed something turns up before then.

So September was a blur really, I've not been able to walk due to the darker mornings & to be honest weight loss & fitness are the last things on my mind. 

I celebrated my volunteers 50th birthday with the team, attended the RSPCA Big Walkies, another trip to the bingo with my sister as a late birthday treat, spent time with the cats, knitting my Home Fires fair isle jumper & celebrating 8 years in Blogland.

I would love to say October was better but that's another story for another post!!

August 2016

The last month of summer has come & gone.....

Once again it passed in a blur & looking back I didn't seem to do very much!

Walking, lots of walking! Knitting, crocheting, meeting Barney for the first time, spending time with my children, celebrating my birthday at the end of the month & enjoying a few days off.

Autumn is my favourite time of year, bring it on!

July 2016

We're half way through August & I'm only just getting around to blogging about July!

The weeks & months always go so fast, I feel like a hamster on a wheel!

So July........ remembering the Somme, day out to a 1940's weekend, lots of knitting, cats socks, spending time in beds with the cats, lots of walking, finally getting in my old dress, new PM, Prince Charles visiting Exeter, Andy winning Wimbledon, remembering Teddy & lots of work!!

Phew..... it sounds like a busy month.

It's been a year since I gave up the fundraising job & I'm enjoying being back in the shop. However I've now agreed to do the Ebay shop for all 9 shops..... what a fool!! 

As it's so busy in the shop I'm finding I'm doing more work at home so hence the lack of time. But..... everything we sell will help the animals so it's worth it.

You can find our shop here

Little Valley Animal Shelter 

Be back soon!

June 2016

Another month as gone to quickly.

So we're half way through the year....... it'll soon be Christmas!

 June was a busy month on the work front..... our annual AGM, national RSPCA week, national volunteer week, lots of events in the shop to raise extra money, celebrating our 25th anniversary at Little Valley & topped off with our annual Shelter Day at the end of the month.... phew!!

Outside of work we celebrated OH's birthday, I finished my jumper & started my Home Fire jumper. I visited the Dig For Victory show in Bristol,  treated the kids to a new toy, had some time off to spend with the kids & voted in the EU referendum........ what a shock???

Let's see what July brings

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!!!

March 2016

Wow that was a quick month!!!

Looking back I don't think I did very much...... I finished my Birdie cardigan, ate Easter eggs & hot cross buns, started my VE day puzzles, made more bow scarves & spent time with my children.

On Good Friday I took advantage of the sunshine & headed to South Devon Railway with the family for their heritage weekend.

It was a lovely day

Let's see what April brings!

February 2016

I'm glad to see the back of you February!

I started the month with a lovely case of flu that made me take to my bed for a whole week! My brave little Bobby was bitten on the neck & needed veterinary treatment. I went to hospital for my long awaited scan & was diagnosed with gallstones! 

I also celebrated Hugo's first birthday, did lots of knitting, enjoyed spring daffodils, spent a day cooking, finally finished my hexagon blanket & started my blue bird cardigan!

Phew...... that's a lot in one month!

January 2016

January has come & gone.

I started the 3rd year of my Q&A book, spent time with the cats, worked really hard to finish my hexagon blanket (the deadline was the end of January - Fail!) remembered Holocaust memorial day, celebrated success in the shop with a night out with the team & shared old photo's for #waybackwhen 

One week into February & what a rubbish start........ on the 1st I struggled through the day feeling pretty rubbish but couldn't say why. When I finally got home I took a turn for the worse & by 9pm I was thinking of calling my sister to take me to hospital. I've never felt so ill..... sickness, shaking, dizzy & sweating...... not nice.

After a trip to the doctors on Tuesday morning it turned out I had a bad case of flu. 

I've never had flu before & I certainly don't want it again!

So a week in bed was on the cards....... I hate calling in sick, I haven't been off for over 2 years, but I didn't have a choice. I was as weak as a kitten & felt sick every time I though about food...... I really was ill!

The good news is I lost 1/2 in a week, perfect timing as I'm having a scan on Wednesday for Gallstones & I was told I should lose weight before.

There's always a positive side!

Back to work tomorrow, hope I have enough energy to make it through the day.

That was the year 2015

Another year has flown passed, we're already one month down in 2016 & I still haven't done my yearly catch up!

So here it is...

January

Staring my new job as fundraiser for the RSPCA, finishing my Christmas jumper, lighting a candle for holocaust memorial day & spending time with Bobby.

February

Under going lots of test at the doctors but they didn't solve the problem! Hugo was born & lots knitting.

March

New phone, starting my Victory jumper, treating myself to goodies & spending time with my family.

April

More crafting & meeting Paul Young

Celebrating VE day, voting (& feeling disappointed with the result!), fundraising events, getting my new glasses & another jumper finished.

June

More fundraising events, the most successful shelter day on record!, day out at Dig for Victory, celebrating OH's birthday & remembering Zoe.

July

My last month in the fundraising role, my nephew's wedding & starting yet another jumper.

August

My birthday month, day out with the family to another 1940's event, meeting Jeremy Corbyn & yet more knitting.

September 

Celebrating 7 years in blogland, getting over a nasty chest infection, taking part in the RSPCA Big Walkies & an evening out with friends.

October

Yet another new cardigan, cocktails with friends, more knitting & spending time with my children!

November

Christmas started early, my one & only craft fair of the year (not very successful), remembrance day & more cat cuddling.

December

Finally I could wear my Christmas jumper! Spending more time with my family & partying!

2015 was a good year!

My plans for 2015....

• Be amazing in my new job! - This didn't work out, unfortunatley they didn't want a fundraiser & it showed! I wasn't allowed to do anything so decided it was time to leave when my 6 month contract was up
• Sort out my crafting area - Nope, still a mess & getting worse
• Decorate my living room & bathroom - Nope, the bathroom is worse now thanks to my leaky toilet
• Read more books - Nope, still haven't found my reading mojo

• Plan ahead & make stock that will sell - be organised! - A little but I've decided that selling my knitting is going to make my millions so I will be rethinking this in 2016
• Complete my things to do list - Nearly!
• Make things for me - Yes indeed..... 4 jumper, landgirl, brooches & more
• Try to continue Make, Do and Mend on a small scale - Nope, the months just disappeared
• Spend time with my family - Yep
• Spend less time on my laptop & more time crafting - This is still a problem, need to try harder in 2016
• Stay happy! - I think so!

2016 plans include 

 

• Sort out my crafting area 
• Decorate my living room & bathroom 
• Read more books

• Plan ahead & make stock that will sell online (no more craft fairs)
• Complete my things to do list
• Continue to make things for me
• Set up a few Make, Do and Mend craft meetings
• Try to come off my pills that are making me lazy & sleepy 
• Spend time with my family
• Spend less time on my laptop & more time crafting 
• Stay happy!

Come on Josie-Mary...... you can do it this year!!

December 2015

A busy month....... advent candle, visit to Father Christmas, spending time with my children, finding a new way to wear my Miss Marple scarf, enjoying Christmas decorations, finally getting to wear my Christmas jumper. And yes I ate Christmas!!! 

Back soon for a round up of 2015.

November 2015

November came & went in a blur....... time with my cats, my one & only vintage fair of the year, lots of knitting & starting to feel festive.

October 2015

October passed in a blur & looking back over the month I realised I hadn't done anything!!!

Due to holidays at work I had to work 3 weekends in a row but I did enjoy a morning at the boot sale with my parents, finding my lovely cat planter, a new cardigan, cocktails with friends, spending time with my children, knitting, knitting & more knitting!!!

I didn't even do anything for Halloween this year, any ideas on how to slow down time??

September 2015

September came & went...... and so did October!!!

It was a beautiful sunny month. 

I enjoyed a week off, new birthday shoes, spending time with my children, celebrating 7 years in blogland, knitting for Crikey in November, a night out with the girls seeing Rocky Horror Live & walking 5k for the RSPCA Big Walkies.

I didn't enjoy having a chest infection for over a week!!

August 2015

Another August has come & gone!

It seemed to past in a blur & I didn't do very much!

At the start of the month I went to Lupton 1940's event with my brother & his family. This was the 3rd year we attended & rather then getting bigger it seems to have shrunk! Not much happening unless you like US army vehicles.

Cracking on with my Christmas cardigan & taking photo's of my fair isle berets for the internet.

Spending time with the children, dressing Bobby up!, attending a rally for Jeremy Corbyn & celebrating my birthday at the end of the month.

OH moved back in the middle of the month as his money ran out, I've had a year of being alone but over the last few months he's been spending more time here. I'm pleased but just waiting for the next time!

After a rubbish week off from work in July I was really looking forward to my break at the end of the month....... but stupid me lifted a very heavy 1940's sewing machine in a wooden cabinet on my last day of work so I've spent the last week at home in pain. Not a happy girl!

Hey ho my next week off is the beginning of December so lets hope that's better!

July 2015

I've been away too long! 

July seemed to pass in a blur...... remembering the Somme, the wedding of my nephew, a week off from work,  knitting cats, starting my Christmas cardigan, spending lots of time at home alone, finishing my temporary job as a fundraiser, having one last chance to see the rescue cats & the big blue moon!!!

August feels like a fresh new start...... I'm back in my shop full time & feeling much happier, funny how my eczema has nearly cleared up! OH has moved back, we'll wait & see how long that last!

I hope August slows down a bit!

June 2015

Half way through 2015!

June was a very busy month for me..... 1st June saw the start of the national RSPCA week which as part of my new role I had to help organise a collection day at Tesco's & a coffee morning in Exeter High Street. Celebrating OH's birthday with a yummy cake & lots of shots! 

Finishing my Landgirl jumper, remembering Zoe, cracking on with my hexagon blanket, spending time with my children, treating myself to some great badges from The Scout Project, a day out to Bristol for the Dig for Victory show.

Then I finished the month off with the Shelter Day which you already know about.

Phew..... I hope July will be a bit slower!

May 2015

I can't believe May has come & gone.

I started the month getting ready for VE day by making Victory brooches & completing my special window display.

Attended my friends daughter's fundraising event, she swam a mile to raise money for Little Valley Animal Shelter.

Feeling gutted at the election results :-( 

Finding out I have to wear glasses for reading, spending time with my cats, feeling stressed out at work & finishing my land girl jumper (more about that in another post)

When I look back over the month it went by in a flash & I didn't seem to have time to do very much. I'm so focused on our Shelter day at the end of June I think I'm wishing the weeks away. I hope the year slows down after that!