Monday 28 January 2013

A little bit of love

A friend gave me a big bag of tapestry wool and some of the skeins have been cut - which makes crochet tricky in that there are lots of joined bits, but I managed to make this little heart. Lucy at Attic24 had it on her blog, with a link to the designer. I have just had a laugh at how finished and professional Lucy's looks and how beaten up mine is........But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I was happy to give it away today to a lovely friend in the office. What is more, someone else wants one AND, I have been asked to make some of my little Japanese dollies as well for a charity fund raiser. Woopee.
 
But before I get carried away and abandon family, home and hearth to crochet with a goal, there are other things to be done.
 
At the quilt fair, some of the fabric was very, very appealing. I was so tempted, but the only things that made it home with me were some quilting betweens (needles) with large eyes, so that I can thread them without cursing too much. I have a plan to work on an old project and have pledged NOT to buy more fabric/yarn until some of the WIPs have been dealt with.
 
Off to do some chores....ironing in front of the TV. Miranda is on tonight. Such fun. x
 

Sunday 27 January 2013

It's been a while

as things have not been easy here for some tine now. As the sun streams through the window, spirits have been lifting and with lots of wonderful friends to talk to  and have a laugh with, (you know who you are) and some expert blogger's advice, things are looking a bit brighter!!

What has happened? A friend died young, of cancer. My Dad's cancer is back. Family life has not been running smoothly and much reflection has been necessary. However......

Doggy training continues. 6 visits to the tent of shame yesterday for barking at her classmates! But she is not a barky dog, it was all just so thrilling. Manners still an issue, again, she is little and she is learning. Love her to bits.

Socially very busy. We went to this:

New Brunswick Battle Of The Blues:
Crows Parliament + 3am

Friday 25th January 2013 from 7:30pm, until 11:30pm

About this event

Second stage of the The New Brunswick Battle of the Blues to find Britain's best emerging Blues talent, run in conjunction with the Canadian province of New Brunswick. Unsigned UK blues bands, duos and singer/songwriters were invited to enter. Winners will showcase at the world-renowned Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Sept 2013.

 
Big J's friend is in 3am. They did not win, but it was a good night.
 
We went to a friend's 60th and had a great night meeting new folk and catching up with old ones.
 
Off to see quilts at Ardingly today, and have been MADLY exercising....such a good thing to do when one is down....and every muscle aches, but that is good.
 
Have discovered MYFITNESSPAL as well and have been very good about food this last week. With only 51/2 weeks until I return to Australia - it was Australia Day yesterday good people - to see family, this great tool should help me dump a few pounds before getting there.
 
I have a crochet heart to finish for a birthday girl tomorrow and a little doggy coat nearly done....
 
But it is on with the wellies and off to the quilt show now.
 
Ciao x
 
 
 

Thursday 10 January 2013

18 Today

My beautiful Hannah is 18 today.  She is bright, funny, outgoing, driven, thoughtful, creative and kind.  Happy Birthday sweetheart.
 

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Groucho Marx

This morning the door bell rang at exactly THE WORST moment. I was towel clad, and was colouring my own eyebrows. There was enough goo on them to make me look like Groucho Marx. There was NO WAY the door was going to be answered, but I did poke half my face out of the window and asked politely if I needed to come down stairs or could he leave his bits of paper in the letter box.....which he did. Phew!


Once restorted to my usual self, Juno and I paid a visit to the vet to be weighed, (just her thank heavens), she is now 3.6kg. We went for a walk after that. She loves her walks, but hates, hates, hates having her lead put on and or her collar touched. She bites very hard. This is something for the puppy class ladies to help us with. We have been doing lots of the training from last night's session and she is tired tonight.

The charity shop got a huge pile of things today as well. I did say it was time to get off my butt and the result was four bags of unwanted items.....

My gym buddy and I had our first lunch time session today and despite the whinging about being there, we had not caught up with each other since before Christmas so we managed to talk and work out for an hour. Boy do bits hurt now. An older gym member said he thought we were going at '45 chats a minute' when we were on the bikes. Very sweet.

Tuesday 8 January 2013

Pink Clouds

are in the sky this morning, and there is BLUE SKY. Oh how we need to see the sun. I am pack-lunched up and almost ready to go to work.

It was a big day yesterday. My boss was lovely about my departure, but equally lovely about me being missed. No start date yet, so things continue as normal until then.

Tonight though there is something special. The first Puppy Class, this time for owners only. I will be able to sit and lie down and respond to my name by the end of it!! I just don't want to have to eat kibble and cocktail sausages when I am good.....

Puppy is on my lap - yes, indulged and ruined already - trying to snuggle in for a snooze. Time to shake her up and get on with the day.

Enjoy it everyone.

 

Monday 7 January 2013

Goodbye to Christmas

All the decorations are down, boxed up for another year. I have to say it is nice to have the house back - feels as if there is more space for us.

Wooohoooo!



 

Sunday 6 January 2013

Wise words from Frugal Queen touch a nerve

This is our home and we jointly fund it. This is our life and we jointly fund it.

For the LONGEST time I have struggled with joint accounts, pooled money and in fact pooling in general. This is not the same as sharing, if that makes sense. Big J is a pooler. It is all for us, for our lives, for our future. I have clung on to the old ideas and ways and it has been a struggle for both of us. I always want to have my own money (i.e savings) in case. In case what? Rarely does this money get spent, it is squirrelled away and kept. My pay goes into my bank account, then I transfer the overpayment for the mortgage into our joint account.... Other income comes into my account and again, I transfer that into a savings account in my name, although that money is without question 'ours'. By the end of the month after my humble outgoings, there is little left, and that goes into savings too.
All this reveals an independent streak that is very wide, but on the down side, it maybe shows a lack of faith in our shared values or is it our sharing values? I don't know.
We have a good life, a very blessed life. We have a comfortable home, want for nothing and most importantly are all in good health. BUT, I feel unsettled a lot of the time. I thought for the longest time that I wanted change. That I wanted the things around me to change. They aren't going to.

I am probably not going to either. Let's face it, at this age with all these weird habits it is probably impossible, but I think that what FQ said in her longer blog about budgets really hit a nerve. It is time I started to think more we and us and less me and I. It is time I started to accept that we both work our long, long ours for us and the kids. It is time to accept that if I am not happy with the way things are, I can get off my butt and have a go and get them the way I want them.

What a waffle for a Sunday morning, but the reality is, FQ, who is wise and lives her words, has inspired some serious self reflection and not a moment too soon.

It is not the 'what might happen' that counts, it is the 'what we are doing now FOR now and the future' that does.

Off to dismantle the Christmas tree and collect my wee girls, who will be a bit sad because Dada flies home today.









 

Saturday 5 January 2013

By George she's got it!

I got the job. Despite being very ill in the wee hours (still suffering today) the interview went well and a phone call last night confirmed that it was mine.

It means change. A move to a new office away from my fabulous friends/team. It means a lot to learn. I will be working with the Breast Cancer team, clinical and non-clinical staff. It means more responsibility and the challenge of that appeals. It may be a few extra hours a week, but the day off is not lost. The day off could become flexible, quite a nice thought.

Today I am alone again. The girls are in London with Dada, he flies back tomorrow. Adam is out. Big J is in Whitley Bay, catching up with work and friends.

I am not socially presentable in any way today. I have a nasty stomach bug and I need to be at home. Juno and Bosley are here with me. I would rather they see me than anyone else!




 

Thursday 3 January 2013

Home alone

Big J has taken his Mum home, Adam is out. The girls are with Dada on the South Coast. I am alone, swatting for an interview and wondering if I have bitten off more than I can chew.

Juno is running wildly around the kitchen and in and out of the cat flap and poor old Bosley has slipped away for some peace.

Back to the notes.



 

Wednesday 2 January 2013

Birthday Boy

Big J celebrates his birthday today. He has had messages from friends in 17 countries.....quiet exciting that....We went to Devil's Dyke, as and we got nearer the weather got worse and by the time we got to the pub, there was  no view to speak off. We did have a nice meal though even if we could not walk.

He and I met with Dada this morning in town and had a catch up about the girls. Hard to believe that in a week Hannah will be 18....

Tonight is another chill session. I am making banoffee pie. We all say we like it, but one slice is usually one too many!

 

Tuesday 1 January 2013

The New Year

is here.  It slipped in while I was asleep. I did not celebrate with my family. I took myself to bed, cross, teary and feeling sorry for myself. Sometimes a big weep just clears things up.  This morning the sun was shining and the sky was bright blue. It has been beautiful all day. 

Big J, his mum and I took Juno for her first walk on the farm tracks. People greeted us and we them with 'Happy New Year'. Many stopped to pat Juno, puppies are hard to resist. Lots of dogs gave her the once over too. It was a very happy walk.




Right now there is a goose in the oven, occasionally spitting and popping and sending out worrying clouds of smoke. Thank goodness a recipe on the 'Net did say they tend to be smokey, or I would have given up by now, convinced the kitchen was about to go up in flames.

Dada is here from Japan - he arrived this afternoon. The girls will have a week with him and we are all hoping that this weather continues for a few more days.

Tempting as it is to think about the year to come and to plan and hope, the best thing I can do for myself and all my lovely family is take one day at a time and make it count.