Hello...

Well ,it's been awhile again so, what have I been up to?

We had good weather for our break in Yorkshire and did a fair bit of walking. We also discovered the fun of geocaching. The best bit is that you tend to find locations that you would never normally come across. Can't wait to do some more.

First photo' is Michael and I looking very pleased after our first find. You have to be careful not to let the Muggles see what you are doing though!

Second photo' is a lovely little valley walk where we found our third cache.

We had a boat trip and fish and chips in Whitby after we had spent the morning at Robin Hoods bay. . We visited the brilliant Eden Camp and spent another day on the North Yorkshire Moors railway.

I have been doing some crafting and patchwork but haven't taken any pictures yet, will do so soon.

We spent a lovely day at Mead Farm with Claire , Sheena and the children. It was quite cold and we just made it back to the car as the rain started but a good time was had by all.

Life is quite busy here at the moment. We have two extra dogs living with us so there is plenty of walking going on. Bonnie is not too impressed!!!!

I suppose I must begin to think about Christmas. So, this afternoon I shall be making the cake shortly followed by the puds.

14 days later...

PHEW! That was a long walk.

Our computer has been changed and it has taken a while to get myself sorted plus my brain was just not in blogging mode.

I've been busy crafting in one way or another over the last couple of weeks. It's very satisfying to see some of my projects being finished off. I took a few things to a club I attend and some woman had the cheek to say"gosh, How do you find time, I bet your house doesn't get cleaned too much". Well Missus, who watches all the soaps, quizzes, magazine programmes and more on TV, I have watched just about 2 hours of TV over the last 2/3 weeks maybe there is some connection.

So, while I am having a rant here are a couple of others. When someone follows you into a car park, why oh why do they attach their car to your back bumper when it is obvious that you will have to stop fairly quickly when you see a space to park in . Why can't I collect a prescription from the chemist when the pharmacist is at lunch ? When I make another journey later in the day to collect it, he is not consulted nor does he shoot round the counter to check what I have or who I am.

OK, enough moaning. We had our Srappbooking retreat this weekend. Great weekend. 20 of us scrapping away to our hearts content. Lots of laughs and banter but we did get a lot of work (not sure if that's the right word) done too. I reckon we produce at least 120 pages a fair few mini books a few dozen cards between us.

One day I will get the hang of putting these photo's in the right place!

Looking forward to a few days in Yorkshire next week, hope the weather will be kind to us.

I didn't realise..

it had been so long since I updated.

Michael has gone off with some friends for a weekend sailing on the Solent. The weather forecast is good and there should be a fair breeze. I am hoping to get some various types of crafting done today and tomorrow. On Sunday Beverly and I are visiting a National Trust property although we haven't yet decided which one.

Last weekend we all celebrated Ethans 6th birthday. It was good to have all the family together and for once to be able to sit out in the garden. Here he is with his Spiderman cake.

My mind has gone blank now and this is rather a boring entry, perhaps I'll tale the dog for a walk and come back later !!!!

I'm so lucky....

Really I am and I do appriciate the fact. With Beverly I have just spent another ten days in beautiful sunny Italy. The Puglia region is very Italian and far less touristy than many other parts of Italy. We visited many small towns with wonderful architecture and history. We saw some incredible scenery. We still had time to relax around the pool and also swam in the sea.

One of our favourite outings was a boat trip along the very pretty coast to look at the grottos. Some of the openings seemed far too small for the boat to get in, but, in we went and the rock formations inside were incredible. We pulled in to a small cove where we swam and enjoyed a b-b-q on the beach before returning at full pelt to the harbour at Vieste.

Another favourite place was the 'Trulli' town of Arberobello. The round white houses with their good luck emblems painted on are so pretty.

So, home again and quickly and as usual there is always so much to do. The garden needs some TLC but it is difficult when it has been so wet. I had to dry all my holiday washing indoors.
Tomorrow I am visiting a local place of interest'The Menagerie'. I don't know if any of you have heard of it and I have no idea what it is all about but it's not anything to do with animals asfar as I know. Watch this space and I'll tell you what I discover.

Just getting on with it.

Stiff upper lip, made of sturdy stuff and all that. So the weather is being particularly difficult but we just have to make the best of it. Don't let the ******* get you down!

We were away in the caravan over last weekend and actually spent Friday afternoon on the beach at Winterton- 0n -sea in Norfolk. It was quite a pleasant afternoon although Ethan was the only one to brave a dip in the sea. Is the boy MAD!!!!

On Saturday we navigated our way through a Maize maze and enjoyed pedal cars, bouncy cushions and other play equiptment and then took a ride along the coast. Sunday saw us at Wroxham barns. We only got rained on for about half an hour on Sunday morning.

Last thursday I went to the Birmingham Quilt festival. The work on show is truly awesome, so many talented people. Of course, I managed to spend a few pennies at the trade stalls but all things that I know I will use.

We have been out today to Stockwood Park in Luton. Brilliant place . Loads to see. Various gardens, displays, discovery areas, a carriage collection, playground and local history exhibits. All free, no entry charge, totally free!!!! Well worth a visit.

Anyway, Beverly and I are off to Italy on Thursday, bring on the sun and we will try to blow some across for you all.

Pheww!!!

It was certainly HOT in Egypt! We had a brilliant holiday, hotel, food, flights, weather, activities excursions, everything went without a hitch. A little bit of Egyptian tummy but that is almost to be expected with everthing so different from home.

We spent a lot of time just lazing around the pool and dipping in to cool off but we enjoyed three wonderful excursions.

The first was a trip into the the desert for a 'Bedouin experience'. First was a ride on a camel,getting up and down was quite an experience in itself. we were then given two traditional drinks which were both delicious. We walked up small mountain and watched the sun set and heard the amazing echoes. After a traditional meal there was dancing around the camp fire( the temp. was already around 33 c !) The final part of the evening was star gazing. In the middle of the desert of course there is no artificial light and the number of stars was breathtaking.

For our second outing we took a one hour flight to Cairo and then onto Giza to see the pyramids and the Sphinx. It was incredible to actually be in the place that we have seen so many times in books and magazines. In the afternoon we visited the Museum to see all the exhibits from the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Last but not least we spent the day snorkelling in the Red Sea. I had to talk myself into it as I this was something new to me and I was quite nervous. Once in the wonderfully warm water all my nerves dissapeared as we discovered a beautiful under sea world. So many brilliantly coloured fish and wonderful shaped corals. What an experience!

Do you like the 'trout pout' ?

Almost...

ready for our hols. Case nearly packed apart from a few bits still in the wash. I will tidy and hoover tomorrow and then we shall be off to the In-laws for the night as they are fairly near Gatwick.

Last Tuesday was my birthday and I spent the day at a patchwork workshop. We made up 3 blocks ready to carry on to make a lap quilt here's one of them.

I have also done a little more to Ethans new quilt and hope to finish it as near to his birthday as possible.

In the evening we all had dinner at Rachels' and I had lots of lovely goodies as presents, mainly craft stuff. Ethan had helped to make my birthday cup cakes and presented one to me, complete with candle as he sang 'Happy Birthday'.

We went to watch the film 'Mama Mia' last Wednesday. The critics seemed to be doing their best to to say it was trash, probably because there was no blood and gore or heaving bedroom scenes. The singing wasn't the best but for me that added to it. It was a feel good film that one could just sit back and enjoy and we certainly did!

Thank goodness...

it stayed dry last Saturday, so Beverly and I could enjoy an open air performance of Midsummer Nights Dream at Cliveden. We had a lovely day. Our first port of call was good old M & S to buy goodies for our evening picnic. We stopped off in Wendover and had a wander in a few very pretty shops and found a wonderful cafe where they make chocolate too! Next stop was Hugenden House, we always buy a guide book so we know what we are looking at. We took tea by the river at Maidenhead and then on to Cliveden.

Parts of the play had been updated but in such a way that it wasn't spoilt. The cast were good and the minimal scenery and costume changes ( each actor played 2 or 3 roles) were brilliant.

We sat on the ground

supported by our bean bags which everyone seemed to think was a very clever idea ( well done for that one Bev ). The only bad part of the day was getting stuck on the M1 for an hour on the way home.

Olney crop was on Sunday and again I managed 4 layouts and had a great day.

Time is moving on apace now towards our Egypt holiday so I have been stocking up with suncream, ' mossie' lotion and antiseptic had gel. Rachael andI have both bought a sun hat and very fetching we look in them too! We shall certainly need them.

What's been happening...

since I last blogged?

Had a lovely weekend ( the one just passed). We had Jet and Sasha to stay as Lindsay sailed off to the Isle of Wight to visit Squirral. and Ed was playing cricket . On Saturday afternoon we went to the Olney Cherry fair. There was a small dog show included so we entered Sasha in the class for' Best Girl Dog' (don't like that other word!). Ethan took her into the ring, helped by Rachael and he was thrilled when she won first prize. The judge commented on her beautiful shiny coat. Jet got a bone as a treat as he was very well behaved but we didn't think he would be too keen about being in the ring. Bonnie stayed at home, all the other dogs would have terrified her.

Beverly and I took Ethan down to the fun fair at the rec. where an hour and the contents of our purses disappeared fairly rapidly!

We all joined up again for a b-b-q to round off the day.

Sunday morning saw Rachael and I driving down to Watford to take part in a Donna Downey class at Willow Tree crafts. We really enjoyed the class although we haven't finished the project yet,so, piccies later. Donna was lovely, not at all Diva'ish , chatty enough but kept the class going.

I have been enjoying the warm weather and took Bonnie for a lovely walk over Clifton Meadows this morning. The garden is looking nice and full and the hanging baskets are blooming well.

This coming Saturday Beverly and I are spending Saturday at Hughenden House and then going on to Cliveden (both NT properties) for a performance of 'A midsummer Nights' Dream at the open air theatre. Let's hope the weather holds!!

Lets hear it for...

'This blessed plot, this earth, this realm. this ENGLAND.'

Can I be the only one who is fed up with all and sundry moaning and groaning about this wonderful country of ours? Yes, I know we have our problems but so do other countries, although they seem not to publicise them or put themselves down as we are wont to do. The press and other media whip up all the bad news stories and tell us about all the evil people, the skivers .

Maybe I wear rose coloured spectacles but I still belive that this is a great country to live in. I belive that there are far more good people than bad living here. As a general rule, we are still free to go where we want , when we want and to voice our opinions without fear of being shot or imprsioned. We are tolerant of other lifestyles, although maybe sometimes a little too much so!
No society is perfect, what a boring world if they were.

We have a rich and varied history and many famous, infamous , inventive characters now and in the past.

We have scenery, countryside , coasts , towns and cities to rival anywhere else in the world.

Without our ever changing weather (something that generates so much complaint) we wouldn't have the lush greenery and native wildlife that we see all around us. Endless sunshine in some other countries may seem like a dream but, how boring when it is day after day, week after week.
It's time to be more patriotic and fly the flag for this beautiful varied ( in all aspects) country.

Sunny weather

How lucky were we with the weather last week? Blue skies all the way for the first 5 days and although Thursday and Friday were a bit breezy it was still good and we had no rain.

I just love this part of Cornwall, somehow I feel at home there. Porthscatho is a very small town/village and there is really nothing there but something attracts me back there as often as possible.

We took a boat trip on Tuesday and were lucky enough to see a large number of dolphins, a few seals and the Navy helicopters landing on ships just off Falmouth.. We managed some short walks (Dad used his motorised scooter). I particularly enjoyed going down to see St Anthonys lighthouse and the views over St. Mawes.

This was rather good too!!

Ethan was very pleased with the postcard we sent him but wanted to know why we hadn't taken him. We have been promising to take him away in the caravan without Mummy and Daddy so we are off with him for a weekend in August.

I held a Stampin'up party last night . I managed to get 2 free stamp sets and lots of free goodies . I am looking forward to them arriving later in the week. It was a very busy evening but everone seemed to enjoy it and the little books we made.

What should I post?

It's odd but when I am out and about so many things go through my mind that I could 'blog' about. When I sit down to type all those ideas seem to fly away or I decide that they are too personal or about someone else and maybe they wouldn't want them broadcast to the millions that read my blog! LOL! Maybe I should write a proper diary (a private one ) to get all these thoughts down but I know I would never keep it up.

So... once again just a few bits and bobs to report.

Last Thursday Claire and Sheena and children were due to visit. Unfortuately Claire and Alex were both ill and the visit had to be postponed. We decided not to waste the day so Rachael, Ethan and I made a trip to Warwick castle. This was not a cheap outing but the weather was good and there was plenty to do. Knights, horses, birds of prey , archers entertainers and of course the castle and grounds.

Fun of the free kind yesterday when Rachael and Ethan called in after school. The weather was lovely so we had a cuppa in the garden . Ethan decided on a battle of his own and I got some great photo's of this rough and tumble with his Mummy.

Michael and I are off to Cornwall on Saturday with Dad and Dave and Liz. Really looking forward to this as it is one of my favourite places . Just hoping the weather behaves itself.

Now I know that it is not the 'in' thing to have garden gnomes these days but I think this one is rather lifelike !

Yuccky weather..

Thank goodness we got out in the garden yesterday. We cleared out the shed (at long last ) and painted the benches. Dad re-did the teak oil on the wooden table and chairs. I planted up the hanging baskets and have also put in some sweetpeas. We were going to take everything to the tip today but it was too wet. My last job in the garden for this year is to paint the two gates and the old water pump, which I will use as a feature. Hopefully , now that the garden is quite full and has plenty of perennials, we won't have to spend too much on it in the next few years.

Last Sundays crop was a very productive one. I can't belive I actually did 4 LOs! Everyone enjoyed Willows class and we had some fantastic work on show.

This pigeon appeared in the garden about 2 weeks ago. It is a racing pigeon and has a ring on its leg but, has obviously lost its sense of direction. Poor thing looks quite lonely but at least it doesn't seem to be having any problems feeding and seem to have made itself at home!

I have been very good this week, three visits to the gym and lots of dog walking. Not sure if it is doing me any good. I have the 'sniffles' and a horrible chesty cough.

Here is Michael watching the rain pour down. His game of golf was cancelled. All say 'Ahhhh'.

Goodness...

where did the last two weeks go?

We had a good w/e away and the weather was, in the main, good to us. We didn't really move very far once we were there. The little town was interesting to wander around. We took a boat trip on Sunday, followed by a BBQ. There was a nice pub on the waterfront and we also ate there on Saturday evening. Lots of chat and far too much food!

The sunny weather in the last week encouraged me out into the garden and I finally found a new table and chairs for the patio. Some of the plants I put in a few weeks ago are begining to bloom. I particularly like this Loncheria ( sp?) a type of evergreen honeysuckle.

Last weekend I was at Knuston Hall on a patchwork course. Lovely setting especially in the beautiful sunshine. I was very busy though. I made some progress with Ethans tool bench quilt and completed two cushion covers, a small bag and this project which is to be my special table mat. Now I have to make one for Michael, he wants a red one! I am buzzing with other projects that I want to do.

Another full weekend coming up. We are off to Kailas' 3rd birthday party on Saturday. Sunday is the Olney crop. Willow is going to show us some of her techniques. I think the LO will be very different from my usual style but i'm looking forward to having a go.

Nearly packed...

for our weekend away. We have a good assortment of clothes to cover all seasons and will enjoy ourselves whatever.

Had a great evening at the stampin'up party on Monday and of course I had to buy something. Beverly was there and regaled us with anecdotes about her Paris trip. She was really on form and had us rocking with laughter. Talking of stamps, the 'Tilda' Magnolia stamps seem very popular just now. I have to say that I am reminded of hippo's each time I see them and I just itch to give them a mouth of some kind.

Had lunch with my friend Rose on Tuesday and we were asked to leave the Pub! No, we hadn't misbehaved. Just nattered so much that we forgot they shut at 3 p.m. We had a small crop here in the evening, six of us. I am enjoying using the Becky Fleck Page Maps, they are really helping me to get LOs done.

Ethan has his new glasses and thinks he is the cats whiskers, I have to agree. Mind you Grandad and I are in his bad books because we are going away in the caravan without him! We will be arranging a weekend to take him as soon as possible.

Hope you all have a good Bank holiday w/e.

The UKS cyber crop took place this weekend and had some great classes. I managed to do one LO class and my first entry for the 25th day album.. The weather was too nice to spend all day inside and so I will catch up on a few others at a later date.

Sasha and Jet were here for a sleepover last night and will be here untill Lindsay finishes work today. I bought a few more plants from the garden centre yesterday so must get them planted out.

I have a busy week, must get to the Gym for a few classes,caravan to pack for the weekend, a lunch date on Tuesday,Stampin' up party tonight and a small crop here tomorrow night. Of course all the everyday , cooking, cleaning, shopping to do as well. The ironing is calling, bye for now.

So many photo's.

Today sees the start of UKS Cyber crop. I like to join in when I can, it does help me to actually get some scrapping done. Can't stand all the pre crop chat and nonsense though. Still, I have decided to join in one of the warm up classes by Shimelle. I haven't made the actual album yet but have started on the 20 or so photo's to be taken on the 25th of each month to record what you were doing, where you have been and how things change month to month. O.K. they are not great
photo's as such but I am looking forward to seeing the project unfold.

Another project on the go just now is a quilt for Ethan, depicting a tool bench with all the tools hung on it. I think he will love this as he is always wanting to help Grandad with the 'jobs'. several other smaller projects in mind too.

The weekend will be busy with the cyber crop, and sorting out the shed and garage. Michael has a plumbing job to do on Sunday and assuming the weather stays good tomorrow he will be checking over the caravan ready for our trip away next week.