I've just delivered Abbie to Guide camp, an hours drive away and into a field that looked like the sort of organised chaos you get when a few hundred girl guides are pitching tents. It looked a hoot and after kissing her goodbye and driving away I wished I was staying to join in the fun too. 3 days of abseiling, water fun, skill building and plenty of gingangoolies around the camp fire.
What a difference this year to last when she waved me off sobbing as the coach pulled away to take her on a weeks adventures to Canvey Island for her school journey.
The PS has a gig tonight so Joe and I are having a treat at Jimmy Spices, our favourite restraunt that neither of the others enjoy and it's lovely to have some Joe and Me time on our own.
http://jimmyspices.co.uk/concept.php
Saturday, 28 May 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Awol Under The Floorboards....
It's been an eventful weekend . Another trip to the garden centre. Must stop these trips they set out as a trip to buy a hoe and end up being a boot full of plants and a large bill . Couldn't help slipping a few herbs into the trolley and a bag of compost and a couple more strawberry plants and mealworms for the chucks .
The kids decided in the week that they'd like to have a couple of friends over for a bbq on Saturday night . Fine the PS will be out doing a gig so why not have a bit of teenage company . Thankfully they're all still at that silly teenage stage not the 'whatever' stage . After the food bit I sat in the shedio making beads , they were very well behaved .
Sunday morning at 6.30am saw me lying on my stomach in the bathroom , 2 floorboards up , silently watching a baited tupperware box lying on its side waiting for Awol the hamster to creep in for a snack . She didn't of course and by 7am I'd had enough and gone back to bed though not before seeing the itinerant rodent peeping at me and sniggering .
By the time I'd got back from dropping Joe at his friends to pick up his bike Abbie was holding the tupperware box aloft with said rodent inside . So she's home , cage securely sorted out with a pair of heavy duty pliers and a roll of sellotape . Lets hope she stops living up to her name .
The kids decided in the week that they'd like to have a couple of friends over for a bbq on Saturday night . Fine the PS will be out doing a gig so why not have a bit of teenage company . Thankfully they're all still at that silly teenage stage not the 'whatever' stage . After the food bit I sat in the shedio making beads , they were very well behaved .
Sunday morning at 6.30am saw me lying on my stomach in the bathroom , 2 floorboards up , silently watching a baited tupperware box lying on its side waiting for Awol the hamster to creep in for a snack . She didn't of course and by 7am I'd had enough and gone back to bed though not before seeing the itinerant rodent peeping at me and sniggering .
By the time I'd got back from dropping Joe at his friends to pick up his bike Abbie was holding the tupperware box aloft with said rodent inside . So she's home , cage securely sorted out with a pair of heavy duty pliers and a roll of sellotape . Lets hope she stops living up to her name .
Thursday, 19 May 2011
The Livestock.
So livestock. Yes we have live stock. We have Ben, our gorgeously stupid labrador x retriever x bloodhound x convicted thief and dirt bucket. He's had his moments like today when I arrived home from work and realised I'd shut him in the dining room and in his panic he's clawed a hole as big as good sized frizbee in the dining room carpet as he tried to dig his way out under the door. My fault of course for shutting him in but he was laying in the sun very quietly and I didn't realise he was there.
We have cats too. Just the two now. Our cats never seem to like living in the same house as each other and we never seem to have more than one at home at any one time. All we have now are Arthur and Marthur. Both white with dark tabby patches on their backs like saddles for elves and both as daft as each other, brother and sister. Both of them are accomplished cat burglers thinking nothing of pouncing on whatever is lying on the chopping board and running off down the garden with it. I've stood at the kitchen sink, mouth open as I've watched one of them jump over the fence with a chicken breast in its mouth wondering which neighbour has lost their dinner.
Chickens. We've had them on and off for a few years now. Unfortunately we lose a lot of them to foxes who blatently walk into the garden and pick off what they fancy in broad day light. I've hatched the last lot myself, a batch of Cream Legbars of which 8 hatched, 5 girls and 3 boys. The boys went off to live on a farm in darkest Dorset, 2 of the girls went to live with a friend up the road and the other 3 are pottering around in the hen house as we speak. I'm not letting them out, not my babies that I raised from an egg. I have one dear little chick all on its own in the broody, the only egg to hatch, it's a black Australian Buff Orpington or an Australorp I'm told. In the incubator at the moment are 3 Buff Orpingtons which are due to hatch next week. It's an amazing thing watching new life hatch out of an egg.
We also have a hamster somewhere or other in the house. I noticed it missing in action this morning. Don't think the cats have had her because I've not found her anywhere which is a good sign. Well a good sign unless she's hiding in my ironing pile nibbling through my knicker elastic.
We have cats too. Just the two now. Our cats never seem to like living in the same house as each other and we never seem to have more than one at home at any one time. All we have now are Arthur and Marthur. Both white with dark tabby patches on their backs like saddles for elves and both as daft as each other, brother and sister. Both of them are accomplished cat burglers thinking nothing of pouncing on whatever is lying on the chopping board and running off down the garden with it. I've stood at the kitchen sink, mouth open as I've watched one of them jump over the fence with a chicken breast in its mouth wondering which neighbour has lost their dinner.
Chickens. We've had them on and off for a few years now. Unfortunately we lose a lot of them to foxes who blatently walk into the garden and pick off what they fancy in broad day light. I've hatched the last lot myself, a batch of Cream Legbars of which 8 hatched, 5 girls and 3 boys. The boys went off to live on a farm in darkest Dorset, 2 of the girls went to live with a friend up the road and the other 3 are pottering around in the hen house as we speak. I'm not letting them out, not my babies that I raised from an egg. I have one dear little chick all on its own in the broody, the only egg to hatch, it's a black Australian Buff Orpington or an Australorp I'm told. In the incubator at the moment are 3 Buff Orpingtons which are due to hatch next week. It's an amazing thing watching new life hatch out of an egg.
We also have a hamster somewhere or other in the house. I noticed it missing in action this morning. Don't think the cats have had her because I've not found her anywhere which is a good sign. Well a good sign unless she's hiding in my ironing pile nibbling through my knicker elastic.
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
The Hideyhole....
I've been gardening, well not so much gardening unless you include planting a few busy lizzies and petunias in pots. More sort of re-arranging things really. I've made a hideyhole. Opposite my shedio is a very large fir tree, probably a lilandi which grows behind the trellis and pergola. Well the branches came right down to the ground so I cut them off all the way up to above my head creating a ceiling of fir tree with a great space below with a sort of forest floor below. Anyway this space beneath the tree has made a wonderful space to sit, sheltered from the wind and it catches the late afternoon sun which is lovely for an after work glass of wine and an al fresco supper.
I've been sewing cushions for the bench, lots of old Sanderson flowery print cushions, big poppies and roses, perfect for the garden. I've since taken delivery of a small swing seat which has added a touch of luxury to the place and is wonderful for sitting on with a good book and a pot of tea. Of course the weather hasn't been anything like it was before I ordered the seat but that's just about right for England I suppose.
The trunk of the tree is quite something with lots of trunks coming from the stump and there are plenty of nooks and crannies to perch jam jars with candles and a place to put a shelf to hold a cup or glass. Hanging from the remains of cut off branches more jam jars and lanterns hang creating a fairy like space in the evening in which to while away the time listening to the radio whilst supping a good glass of red. The hideyhole looks out onto the pond which of course brings with it gnats and midges so plenty of citronella is needed. Its a lovely place to be though and the odd bite is a small price to pay for peace and beauty.
I've been sewing cushions for the bench, lots of old Sanderson flowery print cushions, big poppies and roses, perfect for the garden. I've since taken delivery of a small swing seat which has added a touch of luxury to the place and is wonderful for sitting on with a good book and a pot of tea. Of course the weather hasn't been anything like it was before I ordered the seat but that's just about right for England I suppose.
The trunk of the tree is quite something with lots of trunks coming from the stump and there are plenty of nooks and crannies to perch jam jars with candles and a place to put a shelf to hold a cup or glass. Hanging from the remains of cut off branches more jam jars and lanterns hang creating a fairy like space in the evening in which to while away the time listening to the radio whilst supping a good glass of red. The hideyhole looks out onto the pond which of course brings with it gnats and midges so plenty of citronella is needed. Its a lovely place to be though and the odd bite is a small price to pay for peace and beauty.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Did I mention I made glass beads, well I do, but not much since I was ill last year. (All fine now) Well anyway, I used to do loads until I stayed out of the shedio for a few months whilst repairing the body and in that time I lost my mojo. It's starting to return, got loads of ideas but with working 5 days a week albeit part time, and being quite tired in the evenings it's sometimes hard to get in the shedio. So what to do to cure the fuzz and get back on track.
An Open Studio Day. I've booked the date, I've sent the invites to the printers and announced the date in the church news. Can't back out now. Thing is, now, not only do I need to make beads and more jewellery, tidy the shedio and boy does it need it but I will have to sort the garden, tidy the house, collect glass jars to hang candles in the garden and make untold scones. No it'll be wonderful, honestly, as long as people turn up.
I'll keep you up to date if I rememeber.
An Open Studio Day. I've booked the date, I've sent the invites to the printers and announced the date in the church news. Can't back out now. Thing is, now, not only do I need to make beads and more jewellery, tidy the shedio and boy does it need it but I will have to sort the garden, tidy the house, collect glass jars to hang candles in the garden and make untold scones. No it'll be wonderful, honestly, as long as people turn up.
I'll keep you up to date if I rememeber.
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
One Thing And Another.....
The cars in for its MOT. It's a bit like that book The V.E.T the kids had when they were small. Give one small hint to the CAR that its going in and the damn thing breaks down on the way to the test station. Plumes of smoke escaping from the bonnet and a cronic rasping noise turn out to be the starter motor burning itself out. Fab, £ signs roll in front of my eyes as 3 mechanics stand over the bonnet grooming their chins with greasy fingers.
You'll be glad to know that it passed after a little welding, new wipers and a break light. The nice men at the garage put an old starter motor from a clapped out old Micra they had into mine and its worked fine since. Dear old Flower sees another year!
You'll be glad to know that it passed after a little welding, new wipers and a break light. The nice men at the garage put an old starter motor from a clapped out old Micra they had into mine and its worked fine since. Dear old Flower sees another year!
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