Delightfully Ordinary

The Insulin Gang

2011-04-27T08:21:00.000Z

So far, 2011 has been a testing year for myself and a number of my friends and family. One particular friend, experiencing turbulent times recently discovered that her little girl had Type 1 diabetes.

I for one, had not heard a great deal about Type 1, being more familiar with the more common Type 2, that a lot of people get later in their lives.

I could only imagine what the family was going through and how isolated they must have felt, this small girl, in a matter of weeks, not only diagnosed with diabetes but also had to learn how to inject herself with insulin daily.

My friend, the small girl's mother, was extremely frustrated with the lack of support for them as a family. And over a small amount of time, together, mother and daughter, they established a website and forum, aiming to highlight type 1 diabetes and to be able to contact and share support with other children going through similar experiences.

The website is called The Insulin Gang - http://www.theinsulingang.co.uk. Should you know of any child learning to live with diabetes, please do share this web address with them. Or if you think you could help in any way - by blogging or tweeting about the website, please please do! You would make a little girl very happy....

Let me know if you do share.........thanks so much xxx

Bad Days

2011-02-09T12:13:00.001Z

"You never see the bad days in a photo album but it’s those days that get us from one happy snapshot to the next."

In the midst of a bad day, I remembered this quote. And I realise how true it is and how we need a bad day for us to be grateful for the great days of our lives.

So as I sit feeling pretty pathetic with a poorly leg, non-existent energy and the get up and go of a snail. I need to remember that just as I have pretty bad days, I have more good days. And for that I am grateful for - on my 3rd day of gratitude!

Day 2 - Friendships

2011-02-07T10:15:00.000Z

Saturday evening was spent with 'the girls'.
A bunch of friends, some old, some new. We spent the evening eating, drinking, dancing and roaring with laughter. Going out with them is like chicken soup for my soul.

Some I see every day, some I see maybe once a month. Some I've only just met. But I feel so very blessed to have them in my life. They make me laugh when I'm feeling down and they tell me off when I'm on a downer and slating myself.

What would my life be like without them? I'd still have my child, my partner in crime and my family. Whom I trust and love with all my heart. But it would be a lot less fun and very lonely.

Who else can I share my most random thoughts with?

Who else would understand my quirks?

gratitude

2011-02-04T13:20:00.003Z

I am eternally grateful for the gift that is my son.
Twelve years on, as I look at my son, growing taller and more solid by the day, with his darkening hair and mischievious grin, I will look past the mood swings, and attitude and feel so lucky, so grateful to have this boy, my boy, in my life. Just the other day I peeked into his room before my bedtime where he was flat out in bed, snoring ever so slightly, totally unconscious to the world. I looked on with immense pride and love. Looking at him, so vulnerable and unaware, and wondering where those twelve years had gone? What was to come for him?

This boy, my boy, will grow up, have relationships, gain responsibilities, possibly marry, have children. What else will he do with his life?

I realise that I am lucky to have the opportunity to give birth to and raise a son, where many women will not, cannot experience that.

I am so grateful. Thank you!

National Storytelling Week

2011-01-31T11:56:00.000Z

This week is National Storytelling Week, an annual event which encourages communities to take part in and enjoy storytelling. Throughout my son's infant years we enjoyed imaginative storytelling together and over the years, the storytelling has turned naturally to enjoying independent reading, which he still thoroughly enjoys and I hope he takes it throughout his life. As I believe there is nothing better.

One distinct memory of my childhood is of books - Meg and Mog, Gobolino The Witches Cat, Secret Seven, Famous Five, The Children Of Cherry Tree Farm, Bible Stories...As I got older it became Mallory Towers, Nancy Drew, St Clares, Then it was The Babysitters Club and The Sweet Valley High series, then it it was books by the likes of Judy Blume, Stephen King and Point Horror.

Ah the memories, each point of my life I can easily point out the type of books I would have been reading at that point in my life. As I reached my twenties, the book genres changed once again, gone were the teen romances and in came the historical fiction and arthurian legends. During my late twenties, I reached for the childrens books such as the Lemony Snicket's series and Harry Potter. Now in my early thirties, my taste changes week by week. One week I could be reading an autobiography which ten years ago would have bored me to tears, another week I could be reading mindless chick literature, especially if having a particuarly stressful week! Another week I could be reading an old Enid Blyton classic, and yet some months and I read nothing at all!

I for one, am a stickler in 'proper' books, I have frequently had a moan about the new Kindle type readers. Which in no way am I interested in. There is nothing better than sinking into a corner of the sofa, blanket over lap, book wedged in hands, leafing through the pages and breathing in either the scent of new pages or the musty smell of aging yellow pages. There is something comforting about it...I just can't put it into words!

I embrace new technology with open arms, but the reader is something I'll never have possession of!

Is reading part of your life? What books did you read as a child? Teen?

Memetastic!

2011-01-28T16:52:00.003Z

I have been tagged for this *delightful* most awesome award by lovely Sarah over at Over The Hill Mum blog, and created by Carole!

This is what you do, and then when you're tagged (I'm very sorry!) You can also do it too...here are the rules, not created by me I must add.............I'm a good girl and do not swear! ;)

The Rules:
1. You must proudly display the absolutely disgusting graphic that I have created for these purposes (put it in your post, you don’t have to put it in your sidebar, I think that would seriously be asking too much). It’s so bad that not only did I use COMIC SANS, but there’s even a little jumping, celebrating kitten down there at the bottom. It’s horrifying! But its presence in your award celebration is crucial to the memetastic process we’re creating here. If you need a higher resolution version… I totally have one!!

2. You must list 5 things about yourself, and 4 of them must be bold-faced lies. Just make some shit up, we’ll never know; one of them has to be true, though. Of course, nobody will ever know the difference, so we’re just on the honour system here. I trust you. Except for the 4 that you lied about, you lying b******s! But don’t go crazy trying to think of stuff, you’ll see by the example I’ve set below that we’re not really interested in quality here.

3. You must pass this award on to 5 bloggers that you either like or don’t like or don’t really have much of an opinion about. I don’t care who you pick, and nobody needs to know why. I mean, you can give a reason if you want, but I don’t really care.

4. If you fail to follow any of the above rules, I will hunt you down and harass you incessantly until you either block me on Twitter or ban my IP address from visiting your blog. I don’t know if you can actually do that last thing, but I will become so annoying to you that you will actually go out and hire an IT professional to train you on how to ban IP addresses just so that I’ll leave you alone. I’m serious. I’m going to do these things.

5. This one isn’t actually a rule, but once you do the above, please come back here and link up to the Memetastic Hop so that I can keep track of where this thing goes.

My 4 lies and 1 truth

1. I had a nose job aged 21, it was a conker of a nose, now it's not! Thankfully.

2. I am a proud grandmother! :)

3. I have a twin sister.

4. I am a terrible drunk and have, in the past, fell asleep in pub toilets and been v.embarassing!

5. I have been on Countdown....and lost.

I am going to tag the following. No need to thank me :-)

Mummy Mishaps

Plus 2.4

What Katies kids did next

Thinly spread

The Five F's Blog

Good luck, I found it incredibly hard trying to think of 4 lies!

Slow Down

2011-01-27T10:01:00.002Z

Maybe we all should all just slow down?

Maybe we should all turn off our computers, our mobile phones, television sets and consoles and just 'be' for a while.

Unwind, find time to actually be aware of everything around you. To just 'be'.

Would it be so bad?

Go for a walk, not a brisk stride...SLOW DOWN. Feel the wind brush through your hair and the chill of the air burn your cheeks, watch that lone bird circling above the field and notice how the clouds slowly move and wander the skies, forming shapes.

Cuddle with your children on the sofa and talk to them, tickle them, glow as they laugh. Make food together, sieve and mix and taste and savour every flavour together. Take a gloriously hot bath, light candles and sigh as you lower your shoulders under the water....and just breathe.

If we took the time to SLOW DOWN, maybe we could re-focus on the most important things in life, all the ones that come for free.

I for one need to slow down, stop moving so fast, stop expecting too much of myself and everyone around me, and to appreciate the simpler things in life that are all around me that I do not take the time to explore.

If you slowed down, what would you do?

The above post was prompted by Josie's Writing Workshop prompts - Word Hunt, go visit to see her post and those of others!

The Gallery

2011-01-26T10:44:00.005Z

The Gallery: Children

When I decided to take part in this weeks 'Children' Gallery post via Sticky Fingers I didn't fully realise just how hard it was to find a photo which sat right with how I feel at the moment, I could have chosen a toddler photo or an old photo of myself as a child, so many photos, so many years of memories, so many I found that I had forgotten about! It was lovely to search and find these treasures, so thank you Sticky Fingers for that opportunity!

The photo I'm showing you today is of my lovely 12 year son and his 13 year old cousin. On this day, we had walked to and around a lake called Shearwater. My son, being almost a teen, and not letting me forget it, tends to like a good whine about going for walks/day trips/shopping, no real big surprises really.

But on this day, he and his cousin larked about without a care, and as captured by my camera, contemplated and sat peacefully beside the lake.

Both 'tweens' sat staring into the water, idly chatting once in a while, and it was a moment that had to be captured. I love this photo, like many others, but this one doesn't show him trying to be 'super cool', grinning insanely, or pulling a face. Underneath it all, he's growing up, becoming a thoughtful young man, and this photo captures an essence of that.

100 Books Challenge

2011-01-25T18:34:00.003Z

I signed up for the 100 books in a year reading challenge, hosted by Book Chick City.

I absolutely love reading but go through certain phases where the bookshelves go untouched for a while, whilst getting distracted by another of one my loves, which could be - sewing, gardening, baking, running. I am easily distracted.

100 books initially didn't seem that much of a challenge....So I stupidly thought! But then I realised - 1 book a month is 12 books, 1 book a week is 52 books. So I need to read around 2 books a week...hey I can do this!

Where do I start? What book should be the very first of my 100? Any recommendations?

Fundraising for Cancer Research

2011-01-24T16:11:00.001Z

This week is Cancertalk in some schools across the UK. Cancer week makes children aware of the facts about cancer, dispels misconceptions and reduces unnecessary fears our children may have about it.

I think this is a great idea and think that all schools should adopt this every year. On a personal level, our children and community as a whole are still dealing with a recent teen cancer death, and I feel that information weeks such as this one is of a huge importance.

>>Iam fundraising for Cancer Research UK, please sponsor me!<<

This year my friend lost her only son to mouth cancer, he was 12 years old.
He was great friends with my son, and we have many funny memories we will continue to share for the rest of our lives.

He fought so hard to live yet the cancer was too much and when we all knew it was terminal and he had merely weeks to live, our local community worked hard at raising funds and awareness to help him live a few of his dreams before he passed.

January 2011 will always be the month and year that a lot of people's lives changed. From that day he passed I then decided I would continue to fundraise for cancer research and clicsargeant and help families/children suffering from severe hardships and terminal illness in as many ways as I can.

Rest in peace little man, sleep tight xxxx

2011-01-24T14:53:00.001Z

After a few years going back and forth between blogspot and wordpress, I have decided to commit. I have chosen you, blogger, only because I can get some good graphics and pretties for you where I cannot on free wordpress!

So anyway, here I am! For those who are reading me for the first time, welcome! And those who are a frequent reader of my ramblings, welcome back!

2010-09-16T13:20:00.000Z

It is nearing the Autumn equinox.
I certainly 'feel' it. I feel my body slowly starting to go into hibernation mode.
I feel really hungry for steaming hot choc, bowls of chunky soups, and roast veg.

My body is waning a little, feeling more tired and wanting to sleep more. I'm starting to reflect on the past year and beginning to face the coming of the darker winter months ahead and silenting giving thanks for all that I am blessed with.

Goodbye summer. Goodbye warm (sometimes!) evenings sat out on the decking drinking vino and laughing under the stars. Goodbye elderflower picking, ice cool cordial and homegrown salads. Goodbye school sports, light evenings playing in the park with the kids. Goodbye flip flops, cut off shorts and sand between my toes.

Hello crunchy autumn leaves, conker collecting, dark and chilly evenings, afternoons of preserving berries, sweeping the chimney and adding an extra layer....comfort foods.....and seeing your breath in front of your own face :)

I always complain, isn't that a british must? But I know when I'm sat in the firelight, huddled under a cosy blanket, listening to the rain out in the dark night fall onto the window. I wouldn't wish for anything more :-)))

2010-09-15T09:49:00.004Z

Last night I made my old special, butterbut squash and sweet potato soup, alongside thick crusty bread. Nothing better to warm the insides and fill you up completely.

Feeling the pounds slowly pile on, I forced myself, yet again to exercise this morning. Jogging 2 miles in 22 minutes. Horrendous. Hated every minute. But if that's what it takes to get back my 18 year old figure....well I'll give it a try ;)

Apple crumble tonight :)

Have a good day folks. x

2010-09-13T10:44:00.002Z

4 miles of cycling today...and on weigh in, have lost 5Lbs, I am exceedingly happy!

I am in jam making mode. I have plenty of apples from our tree residing in the garden and fancy making blackberry and apple jam and alongside...apple crumble.
Yum.

Dan has started secondary school. This new era has got me thinking and looking at dan differently, I watched a video of Dan as a baby and toddler and I now look at him, nearly 12, and he has lost all 'baby-ness'. It breaks my heart. Where did that time go?
To all mums of young children - take each precious moment of their little years and treasure it and capture it not only in your heart but in your head and record as many moments as you can.
They really do grow up too quick.
To my Dan, all my love to my gorgeous, smart, funny son. Enjoy your teenage years xxxxxxxxxxx

2010-03-07T22:14:00.001Z

The Soil Association Easter Egg Hunt

We're attending!

"Organic farms up and down the country are holding Easter Egg hunts this spring. Take the family along and your children will be able to hunt for eggs and win special Green and Blacks chocolate egg prizes! Every farm will have something special to offer, from range of simple and fun activities to farm walks, tractor and trailer rides or opportunities to see the new-born lambs..."

Visit the soil association website to find a local event and get booked up.

2010-02-23T22:00:00.002Z

My new fetish...baking!

Recents...

Lemon Cupcakes, Recipe from 'Rachael Allen - Bake' :-

Scrumptious Lemon Loaf Cake, recipe from Nigella's website:-

2010-02-08T20:29:00.003Z

Naughty kitty Meg really is wanting to explore outside now, but she's not old enough so instead when I carry her with me outside and let her have a little sniff of the outside world. Today I took her with me to fetch the bird feeder, Meg was a little too interested in the wild bird food, attempting to eat it as it fell through the cracks of the feeder! Won't be long Meg until you're big enough!

I'm currently ebaying a few bits and pieces, first on are these CK pumps, never worn....impulse buys indeed, I don't know what I was thinking, I could never wear these and keep them clean! I'm also thinking that if these sell, any money made can go towards a certain CK messenger bag I have my eye on :)

I'm also selling on a few vintage enids and ladybirds, so give me a shout if you want to know what I'm selling.

Work tomorrow :( Oh to work from home and earn a decent enough living *sigh*

2010-01-27T13:54:00.003Z

It has been over a month now since Christmas and I haven't blogged!

I have been struggling and struggling to get over the little bugs I keep getting from pre-school, not surprising when one of my main jobs, i feel, is wiping their noses before it gets to their mouth, eww!

Christmas was just lovely, as was new years eve! And now i find myself near the end of January, already!

I'm almost finished with my first assignment, have De-cluttered my bedroom, painted the kitchen and oh yes, i have collected more vintage ladybird books, I am thinking i may do something 'crafty' with the ones that look a little too 'vintage', for example, lots of scribbles and tears...but what?

Three more things, before I log off ; I have created an account on flickr for my photos of places/objects etc HERE.

I've also discovered lurvely.com! - Photos you lurve!

Third and last thing, I have signed up once again for Race4life! 5k run in aid of cancer research.

Feel free to sponsor me here - http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lynseydoel

2009-12-21T10:40:00.002Z

I can hardly believe that in just FOUR sleeps it will be christmas......
and then, just as quickly as it came....it will be all over.....bah humbug! All this organisation for one day? :-/

I still have lots of wrapping and, sigh, cards to be written and delivered by hand :-/

BUT, no more school, whoop! Had a lovely long lay-in this morning, a long hot shower and now debating on whether it's taking a risk going out in the car to do my weekly food shop....in the snow, snow! At christmas! So lots to smile about :)

Saturday evening was a blast, me and the girls from school went for an indian meal, Sam the owner knows one of our friends and helpfully made up a buffet for us, with a selection of indian food, it was truly scrumptious....and the wine went down a treat, apart from sunday morning that is, when I was a bit poorly...all self inflicted! But let a hangover put me off from my christmas shopping, I think not! At 10am we headed off with friends to Bristol's Cabot Circus where we got bags of goodies from Saltrock, Joules and Disney! :)

2009-12-11T15:23:00.002Z

It has been an eventful week! Nativitys, work and all the christmas buying, wrapping and not forgetting the day to day stuff.

Last night I made some chocolate bread, but what a disappointment it was, after following the recipe, including almost 2 bars of bourneville, milk, sugar and cocoa powder...and the most inviting smells coming from the oven...the taste was surprisingly bland, not exactly tantalising to the taste buds...but I thought, all was not lost, I'll bake the choc bread and turn them into choc biscotti....so thats exactly what I did...And? Perfect biscotti texture....but a miracle hadn't happened whilst baking and it is still as bland as can be...so I think it will be binned....such a waste....I wonder if ducks like chocolate bread? :-)

On the positive side, 350g dark choc + 350ml double cream + vanilla extract, along with some desiccated coconut/cocoa powder....I made some gorgeous (but very rich) chocolate truffles. All that needs done now is to put them into some pretty bags/boxes and give them to friends!!

Photos to follow! xx

2009-12-07T11:58:00.004Z

How exciting!! Our tree is up (but yet to find and buy my yearly traditional purchase of one tree decoration a year) We normally put our tree up 12 days before christmas but we, okay I, couldn't wait this year :)

Steve started putting the outside christmas lights up and Meg the Kittycat was so desperate to pounce on them!

What a lovely weekend, it was very quiet without the children, but we made the most of the time by present wrapping and oh, having a gorgeous brunch at Dick & Janes! The perfect antidote to the tiredness and fuzzy head feeling I'd been feeling since the Pre-school Xmas Meal, where karaoke and port and lemon featured most prominently!!

Must off to post some ladybirds ordered today and some eBay orders.....

Enjoy the day, despite the wind and rain.

2009-11-24T21:34:00.002Z

Hi Everyone, well it's been a while since I last logged in and posted on here!!
I've missed it, but I just haven't had the time to *breathe* argghhh! ;-)

A LOT has happened since my last post, but won't go into absolutely everything.

Main events have been my new preschool job (yay!) alongside my childcare course, the rejuvenation of the gift tree and my new hobby/pocket money earner, collecting vintage ladybird books and enid blytons! Have a look here - http://delightfullyvintageintheuk.blogspot.com/

OH!! and not forgetting, our new addition to the family....

MEG :-))

2009-06-08T20:48:00.000Z

Steve and I went to the allotment for a couple of hours last night, managed to plant my Salad Rocket, Lollo Rosso lettuces, replaced some of the cabbages that were nibbled and the cucumber that disappeared! Sowed 2 rows of carrots (early nantes) and 2 Cherry tomato bushes. Caned the gardeners delight, which now has a few flowers and one very small green tomato!!! hooray!

The runners now look more healthy in colour and actually seem to be growing up the canes by themselves now, all is good!

My parents paid us a visit whilst we were up there, they and a few other friends/family like to see how it is coming along and quite often wonder on up to see how everything is growing. They were amused to see Steve on his hands and knees planting and being overly fussy with everything!!

On the home front, the gardener's delight are coming on well, as well as the lettuces and dwarf beans (which might actually be runners, I'm not sure, as they are outgrowing the canes!)
The mint I transplanted seems to be extraordinarily healthy and really filling the pot!!

Recently sowed and in our makeshift greenhouse - Greenshaft peas and more toms (can't get enough of them!!) and this morning I sowed Sweet Marjoram, Mint, and coriander and placed in my kitchen window sill, can't wait to see the first signs of life!!!

I'll upload some photos from my mobile soon xxx

Lovely soup recipe made tonight and which I hope to use when my very own butternut squash has grown!

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion – peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed
15mlsp (1 tsp) ground cumin
300g (11oz) sweet potato – peeled weight and diced
250g (9 oz) butternut squash – peeled weight and diced
Seasoning
1 litre (1 ¾ pts) vegetable stock
2 x 15mlsp (2 tbsp) chopped fresh coriander

Method:
1. Heat oil in large saucepan, add onion, and garlic, cook until soft,

add ground cumin and cook a further minute.
2. Add sweet potato and butternut squash, stir and cook for 2

minutes.
3. Add seasoning and stock, bring to the boil and reduce to a

simmer for 20 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked.
4. Blend or process vegetable mixture until smooth, stir in the fresh

coriander, dilute with water if necessary.
5. Serve soup hot or cold.

2009-05-20T20:22:00.001Z

This afternoon I went up to the allotment for an hour and made the most of the dry weather until school beckoned and I went to pick the kiddies up from school ! I partially dug a bed for strawberries and planted the sprouting broccoli which was purchased at the allotment plant sale, and the cucumber plant given to me by John a fellow allotmenter from Frome (a friend).

Was disappointed to find the runners looking a little weedy so plan to take something up to wrap around them next time to protect them, being very new and in the middle of a country park, it makes it extremely open to all weathers and the runners are getting the brunt of it all.

On a good note, I earthed up a lettuce today and look forward to having it in a salad tomorrow! My very first produce from the allotment. I look forward to the seedlings maturing now and then planting some more seeds, the plugs will be finished within the fortnight!

(fresh out of the allotment, as you can tell!)

Here's hoping the bank holiday weekend will give us dry weather and plenty of opportunity for the allotment!

2009-05-18T09:23:00.002Z

We had all three children with us this weekend and the plan was to spend a bit of time down at the allotment digging more beds, taking the cooch grass out, replacing the dead runners (just two of them thankfully) and planting the strawberries and cucumber as well as building a bit of protection around the plot to stop the howling wind and rain destroying my climbing plants! (as it is so open up there at the moment)

...Instead, the good old british weather was at it's best and we dragged the boys around the garden centre instead, visited friends, had friends around...and did chores! Bah humbug!

Good bit of the weekend, I purchased this book @ the garden centre to go along with the rest of my growing collection:

2009-04-01T08:47:00.002Z

Just a quick post to excuse myself really!
I've been SO busy, no time for crafting, even less time for my new allotment but alas! we're going to the plot at the weekend with a rotavator to dig it over properly...fingers crossed that the sun stays put!!

I've been marketing Arien Designs, The Gift Tree and Wiltshire Business Mums...as well as sowing lots and lots and lots of seeds in preparation for planting at the plot (photos of said plot coming soon!), childminding, doing 'pta' duties, and being Mum!! So you can see I've been rather busy!!

...I need some ME time!!! argh!

2009-03-24T09:37:00.004Z

As much as my mothers day weekend was lovely, it also had sad undertones which made me slightly wobbly throughout the whole of sunday and monday. It saddened me so much to hear that two little boys have lost their mother to cancer.

A lot of people criticised Jade Goody for 'flaunting' her illness for the media, but if any good has come out of this sad, much publicised event, it's not just the smear awareness (which is itself good news and will hopefully save lives) It brought to light the plight of so many families all over the world and highlighted the fact that we should make the most of our lives, love and cherish our family and friends and to not take life for granted. It is something which kept coming to the forefront of my mind on Sunday....So thank you Jade and god bless xx

And staying on the same subject...

I am doing the race for life on the 28th June.....please, dig deep into your pockets and donate xx

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/lynseydoel

2009-03-18T10:11:00.004Z

*above* A milk jug from tesco that I got yesterday, half price at just under £3!

*melmel - thanks for your comment, couldn't reply back though as couldn't see a way of contacting you or getting to your blog, but helloooo and thanks for visiting xx*

I went to visit my allotment plot (available from 25th March) yesterday and so far, all it is, is grass...and lots more of the stuff!! I think I have some hard work ahead of me!

Last night found me on the sewing machine armed with the stash from the weekend =) Crafting and making 'something' for the heart swap, and no, I'm not telling, its a secret until my swap'ee gets her parcel!

It's been glorious weather in the south west of England this week and it's brought out the best in me, domestically anyway. Yesterday I flung all the doors and windows open, had a good old spring clean, mowed the lawn, took my friends gorgeous dalmation out for a lovely walk and then collapsed in the evening in front of the telly. This nice weather is shattering me!! ;-)

Me, waiting to be picked up and taken for a lovely lunch!! "Cheese!"

Just sat here now, supping a mug of green tea, contemplating the day, the birthday lunch I'm attending at half twelve with my luvverly friends Jo and Sam and thinking about what activities should be arranged for Dan and my childmindee M....Perhaps the park again?

Until next time...xxx

2009-03-16T09:12:00.007Z

*** UPDATE 12.02 today - JUST been informed I have been given a plot on an allotment!!!! So pleased!!***

Stash alert!!

I was delighted by what the weekend brought me, by way of postie, thrift and gift shops of Bradford on Avon and car boot sales!

The weekend started on Friday night at our school gathering (and with a rethink of outfit)

Saturday was started with a large boatmans breakfast @ Dick & Jane's The Lock Inn, along with a fuzzy head and slight nausea from friday nights antics! After managing half the breakfast I managed to drag Steve into the gorgeous gift shops and purchased myself a delightful red, spotty soapstone heart! Then diving into the charity shops and found some lovely red/pink fabric for £1 and some large Laura Ashley-like napkins for £1.50. I went home happy and contented to find that Henry our postman had delivered my new Sew Fabulous Fabric book, new nautical/dotty bunting won via eBay AND two quarters of Cath Kidston fabric! (cowboy and pink rose) Also from eBay. Eakk!

Saturday evening we went to our local pub with our friends Sam & Neil to watch an Elvis tribute, the locals managed to grab Steve and I and stick 'sideburns' (black sticky tape!) onto us, what a sight, a heaving pub of merry villagers with black tape stuck to our faces, odd but fun!

Sunday we travelled to Yeovil for their large bootsale and on a bit of a weekend bargain high I managed to buy myself a whole bag full of sewing threads, some gorgeous buttons, and large pile of white and pink gingham fabric, and some vintage enid blyton hardbacks! Oh and a 'Cath Kidston for Easy Living Magazine' (freebie from magazine) zip up bag, for 40 pence which I have stored all my new threads in for now until I can find the time to sort and store them all properly.

2009-03-13T10:05:00.008Z

Mayhem in the kitchen!!

Last night Stevie went to a business networking meeting, buffet and left the tribe and I baking (Easter cupcakes and shortbread) and making a ma-hoo-sive mess in the kitchen. Trying to bake with three wild argumentative boys ("its my turn to stir/sift..etc") is NOT the ideal!! Haha, but it was fun!

Two missing un iced cakes! Oopsie! Now where did those go? *looks guilty*

A blurry photo of one of the finished half eaten product, iced with choc icing and topped with mini eggs!

2009-03-10T11:49:00.000Z

Today I went searching for a needle threader and found none but came back with these 1970’s 15 x 11 inch fabric placemats. I thought they would be great used in a sewing project and so I was overjoyed to get them for just 50 pence! They now eagerly await a project!!

1970's Fabric Placemats!

No children today so using the day to sweep, dust, organise and take photos of clothes etc that will eventually be put onto eBay…and then freecycle….and then search out some recipes and decide what to make for Steve and myself tonight…

Feeling hungry now so must up and away to make a cuppa!

2009-03-09T18:29:00.002Z

At the weekend the family and I ventured to Longleat Center Parcs for Lewis’s 10th birthday! Alongside us and our boys we also took one of Lewis’s friends B, which gave us 4 boys altogether, a bit of a handful, but fun all the same!!

: Callum & Me in the lazy river!

: The Birthday boy!

: Dan enjoying himself in the wave pool!

Upon returning home, I was the first to fall asleep, after a long hot bath which eased my aching muscles and bruised body parts!

I collapsed on the bed at 7pm and didn’t wake until the following morning!

Sunday, we went to Standerwick boot sale where I purchased not a thing!! We had a lazy rest of the day with the boys quietly playing and steve working on his quote and me, happily playing on the sewing machine. Ah bliss!

2009-03-04T14:01:00.009Z

I had a lovely package through the door today, all the way from Australia!

The packaging was enough in itself, but each layer that came off revealed another gorgeous layer of packaging!

And a lovely message thanking me for my order =)

Oh and my order? :-)

Is this gorgeous brooch...it reads I love Carousels!

I love it!!!

Since I'm very pmt'ish today, I'm now going to attempt to find more cutsie items to buy!!

2009-03-02T18:07:00.002Z

I'm waiting for everyone to arrive home, Steve back with his two children and my 10 year old, Dan. And then I can cook dinner - Just Eggs, Bacon, Sausages, Tomatos and Bean...and I'm feeling rather hungry...and trying not to snack on...*blush* milky bars and jaffa cakes!! Oh come home before I start on the rest of the jaffas!!!

I added more items to the shop today, read some blogs, visited the sister and looked after my childmindee - I'll call him M. Oh and I finished reading Mr Darcy's diary.

A good day xx

2009-02-08T22:23:00.006Z

It's been a mad week. What with snow and the schools shutting down and having the children traipse us into the park every five minutes for snowballing fun and then crying when after making snow angels, being wet and very very cold (and painful to boot).....I've had enough now! I've had enough of wheel spinning and then sliding and skidding off the driveway...and tiptoeing over the paths...and finding puddles in the hallway......one, two, three.....arghhhh...hhh..hhh!

But having said that, I'm glad it snowed the way it did, despite missing the Keane concert due to treacherous road conditions (a sad day...) ..and why? because the boys finally got to find out what being a kid was all about. I remember spending all day out in the snow when I was a young girl, and what snow we had!! Dan is ten years old and this year has been the first ever where he has made his own snowman. Which is a little sad, but he got the opportunity at last and of that I am glad.