I Can't Believe.....

....that it has been so long since I last posted, except I just discovered a draft and have published it but it is 'old'. So. it's really been two whole years and then some in reality. In that period of time I have been to Brazil twice (for a 50th birthday and a wedding) done no scrap booking at all despite a multitude of photos - both my old and new laptops have a plethora of photos to chose from, three wedding cakes, a small amount of cross stitch and definitely become a quilter... although my current project is .. shall we say sitting and waiting for the very necessary quilting.  I have a number of unfinished tops and a virtually un-pieced friendship braid in black and red fabrics for my daughter.  It's all cut but as she has returned home and taken back her bedroom which HAD become my craft room it will just have to wait.  Sigh!  Still, it is wonderful to have her here despite what she says to the contrary.


 







Holidays have been amazing... our trips to Brazil were experiences that will be long remembered.  We have been very lucky to have access to a friend's flat in the Lake District and have been up several times over the last few years.  Last year we went up in April, September and December.  Each time we went the weather was stunning and I was able to take some reasonable photos for once. We achieved one of many things to do on my husbands top hundred list which was to a) sail on Lake Coniston and b) find the alleged Wild Cat Island and its Secret Cove from the Swallows and Amazons story.

It was also the year my MIL broke a vertebra in her spine, spending two weeks in hospital and we lost my FIL a few weeks after. This was in September, just after we had set out on the downward trek from one of the most beautiful spots I have ever seen, in Grasmere. As to it's name.. well those who are familiar with the area will know where I mean  (I can't remember) if I say we climbed up beside the Sourmilk Falls to the Tarn above.  It was just beautiful in the sunshine. Eight hours later we had packed up, cleaned and driven the 5 hours back home.  Later, in December we had clear blue skies for most of the 5 days we were there and had snow across the hill tops.  Stunning combinations.  We have only been back two weeks from this years break there and already have withdrawal pangs. 



 My most recent wedding cake was a huge success with my daughter and the friends it was a present for.  It caused me a lot of aggravation as a) Granny made it but it wasn't a rich dark mix as she had only used granulated sugar and no molasses so I| ended up making another. Next it had to be football themed.  I had found that a company made runouts of footballs and had bought enough to cover what I felt was needed. Then I was asked to make actual balls.  I made 100+ but the black hexagons  and lines I painted on bled and they looked grey. So another batch was made with only the hexagons painted on.  Luckily those were the ones that worked.  I was also passing through a large supermarket two days before the wedding and saw some runouts of football boots which just added to the overall design.  Combine this with the figures which had scarves and boots added, I think it came off reasonably well. I had almost considered never making another wedding cake again but I have to say I love the creativity of it all and guess I will put off that decision for another day.

I have made a variety of quilts over the last few years. This hobby began as just a Christmas present for my daughter, then I made another and another and so on.  I have finally completed a quilt for us whilst we were on holiday although I had had it professionally quilted as it was very large to go over our bed.  I hate skimpy sizing! I also have been making a personal quilt for myself... could've done with it today as I was in need of a little warmth. It is in colours I would never have thought to have chosen in my more 'youthful' era!  Oranges, turquoises and black. I always thought I preferred pastel colours and traditional designs, but here I am making quilts with modern designs and vibrant colours.  My quilting tends to be of the straight line kind as I haven't as yet worked up the courage to use filigree style infill. So, I expect it will be practise, practise and more practise until I am confident to use it in my work.

  













Until then , I shall say goodnight as it is now quite late and I am teaching year 5 tomorrow, amongst others. Help!

Mountain Passes, Caves and We made it to the Show!

We are still on our holiday in the Lakes ... it has been a soggy and windy week so far, but we haven't been put off.  We have enjoyed the time visiting areas both new and old. Tuesday saw us high up near the Langdale Pikes, perched overlooking the Hardknott Pass.  The gale force winds were difficult to stand up in (I tried) so was grateful to the sheer weight of the car keeping us grounded.  At least it was mostly dry at that point.  We went to  White Scar Caves yesterday...  Going through a half mile or so of the accessible area, part of which was over an underground stream, through a passage where I had to bend double on more than one occasion.  Thank goodness for the hard hat is all I can say.. I hit my head quite a few times! 

The stalactite and 'mite formations were 'picturesque' (a budgie, a witch's hat and face and a cat to name just a few).  There were some incredible straw stalactites also.. fluorescing a luminous ultra violet. These form literally like a straw, with a hollow centre.  When they get blocked, they can form a carrot shape which looks very strange if it blocks half way down.  The history and geology of the caves was interesting to say the least.  Our guide, a young woman who had been there two years, was extrememly knowledgeable with a great sense of humour.

Well, we have finally made it to the Westmoreland Show (this is our second visit to the area in the same week as the show - last year MIL was rushed to hospital so we came later) despite the on/off state of the persistently wet weather! I think had we not got advanced tickets though we probably wouldn't have gone as it was a little on the damp side. However, we were more dry than wet, which was good. We went early, as we thought about the consequences of lots of visitors and muddy fields... which turned out to be more than just a concern (later we watched tractors pulling huge horse boxes through the axle deep mud and one stupid and obviously inexperienced driver, careen down the hill and skid at the gate onto the road!)

We spent a huge amount of time looking at the animals, particularly rare breeds, and were interested in the fact that we could be in the same enclosure whilst the judges were 'doing their thing'! LOL. I was fascinated by the size of the animals too, from tiny (less than knee high) to almost hip height, white, dark, blotchy, tweedy and so on, in colour. And the horns on the rams... positively satanic looking on the Jacobs! We spent time in the Alpacca tent, watching the judging and listening to the amusing commentry by one of the organisers, some of it against himself and the 'creed' according to the 'Alpacca' way of life.. eg they only give birth during daylight hours of 6am and 8pm... they do not give birth in bad weather... their gestation is between 10.5 and 12.5 months and so on. Then of course there were all the colours... eg fawn... light, medium or dark and so on. It actually was very interesting but quite amusing too. They make good 'guard dogs' apperently for sheep! No lambs are ever taken if there are Alpaccas with them!!!

We visited the WI tent, some super displays of food, crafts (struck up a great conversation with a lady who was spinning with a contempory 'wheel' from New Zealand, using only local or rare breeds wool.)  If I could have afforded the £10 for the 50g-100g balls; depending on the breed, my friends would all have got one for their knitting!) and 'afternoon tea'... photos to follow when I can download them at home. The internet here keeps dropping out in the middle of things! The Schools and Learning tent was foggy inside.... (yes, I do mean that as there was a definite mistiness in the air - it was so much warmer inside than out, but also quite damp feeling). It was also full of inspiration for me and I photographed as many displays as I could, very aware that I had left my spare battery at the flat! One or two GCSE art books were incredible... how it has all changed since I did my GCE O level. From there we walked up and down the aisles and eventually found the produce tent... all locally produced food and lots to try. If only we were local or at least able to freeze some and bring it home without defrosting!!!

We found lunch at a stand which was doing locally produced meats (pork, beef burgers, bacon etc. We had a stuffed pork (plus stuffing and apple) roll each and oh how much tastier it was than that from a supermarket. I tried not to think of the poor little piglet we were par-taking of, as I munched on the tasty fare. We could have had crepes or doughnuts, strawberries and cream, meringues dipped in chocolate and so on, for desert but.... I still look like a roly poly.. think a few pounds have crept back despite me packing salads when we go out!

DH predicted the weather would clear in the afternoon and indeed it did. The sun came out and we spent an hour or so longer mooching amongst the machinery and vendors, finishing by the show ring where the heavy horses (ridden) were about to be judged. The show jumping was later than advertised as the ground was just too wet to begin as stated. We watched the carriage driving for a few minutes, then the hunter class (unregistered) for a few more. People were beginning to swarm in at this point so we decided we had had enough and left, before the 'car park' got too churned up.  It was a super show and it was sad that the weather had stopped people from going - I suspect many vendors will have lost out substantially!

The forecast is wet for the early hours tomorrow, but hopefully we will get to Coniston so that DH can sail. We will not go if it is too windy as the boats available are better with more crew! I for one do not wish to be dumped in the lake! DH is much quicker in his movements and need to stay dry than I!!!! LOL We have bought dry bags for the camera!!!! I'm taking my good one with lenses! Heaven help me.

Tomorrow night is the Kendal Torchlight parade.  Fingers x. 

In this week I have relaxed.  I have read two books - watched an episode of the Swedish programme The Killing (missed almost all the episodes!),  learned to play Suduko ( a genuine surprise to me as I am not mathmatical and cut fabric for a quilt. This has been 'my time' and I have enjoyed it.

Oh yes, for any who are interested... DD landed back in the country yesterday... she drove her grandparents up to Newcastle today..  I am still awaiting her call to say she is home having done the 500+ mile round trip in one day! Kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Daughter's, holidays and what else will the weather chuck at us?

It is once more our annual holiday... so what is it about our 'sacred' time away, that seems to inspire our daughter to have an emergency that only we can help her with?  She is thousands of miles away from home in New York.  She has an infected leg requiring $900 worth of hospital treatment and $93 of anti-biotic.  Yes, she has insurance, but of course has had to pay out up front!   Could we help her as she didn't know if she had enough in her account to cover it?  This, at 6.00am in the morning, was somewhat of a shock, especially as DH flew out of bed at such a speed (to answer his phone), I thought he was going to be ill (I don't normally sleep heavily, but I had gone to bed very late)! We are hundreds of miles away from our home... needless to say without any of our financial 'requirements' to use internet or otherwise banking, thus to try and put money into her account (and it being a Sunday)... nigh impossible.  Why is it that banks do not have a contact number to phone for genuine emergencies?  The Indian call centre does not understand that we do not need to carry our passports within our own country - the UK call centre for DD's bank could not help as they would not accept debit card payment. GRRRRRRR!!!!!!

A few years back, we were in Oban and a similar thing happened... DD phoned at 2.00 am to say her car had been stolen and what should she do as she was miles from home, it was freezing cold (it was late October) and they would not let her back into the club she had been at to ask for help from her so called friends. We arranged for someone to pick her up and take her to our house at that point, but.... where is the common sense that we hope we have imbued into our children?

Having said that, we are having a slightly damp, but very pleasant holiday.  (The weather is being influenced, I think, by the after-effects of Hurricane Irene travelling across the Atlantic, so is rather up and down this week).  However, it is beautiful in the Lakes and so green.  We love it here and there is so much to see and do, however many times we come.  My diet has gone to pot, but I am trying to reel in my greed!  The food up here is so much tastier than at home!  At least it seems that way, but there are so many places to eat honest home grown or produced food here, that it is difficult to make the 'sensible choice'.  I had baked potato with crayfish and courgette and white onion soup (sounds gross but actually was tastier than I expected.  DH's gammon steak (at an inch thick and very succulent), with double fried chips, two eggs and salad was just amazing.  His pub-produced real ale was just delicious (I don't ever have a beer, but it was just smooth and had so many overtones that had I been a beer drinker, it would have been the one I chose). 

After coffee and NO desert, we left to continue our perambulations and eventually ended up at Ullswater and the Brackenrigg Inn (a frequent and favourite stop), for more coffee (and a desperately needed loo stop... LOL).  Two pots of coffee later, a half hour drive back and a visit to Morrisons for milk (and another loo stop) we have got back to discover DD has been invited, along with her team mates (she is in NY for an International sports event) to dinner with a fire crew who were involved with 9:11 and the Twin Towers.  This has obviously made her forget her woes.  Thank goodness something positive has come out of her trip... the first part of the games was cancelled due to Hurricane Irene and they lost at the semi finals to a team they had already beaten! Not sure how that happened but....!  Fingers x for her last few days out there... and for a relaxed end to both our holidays!

Films, cakes, quilts, friends and family.

Well it has been a very busy few months since I last wrote.    DH and I actually managed to get to the cinema last night to see Cowboys and Aliens.  Entertaining hokum but none the less, they are 2 genre I enjoy - Westerns and Sci Fi!  It is a wee while since I last saw a good western, this just had the added twist of aliens in it.  Sadly, it is not long since I saw the end of a really shabby B movie, on TV along a similar vein and it was awful.   Very similar story line (aliens extracting something from the ground, but no super anti-hero! 

I have been splitting my time as carer for my In-laws and also trying to see something of my father...  My house literally looks like the 'Wreck of the Hesperus' and I had such plans to clean and tidy a room a week whilst I was on recess.  No such luck!  I had planned to have my first full day at home, since breaking up, today.. Sunday ... 4 weeks in to the holiday.  No chance... went to put the icing on some cakes instead (see below)!  However, on my return, DH and I went for an idyllic walk with the dog across some local water meadows in the sunshine.  It was very warm and relaxing... just to go and walk, talk and enjoy the countryside... It took about 10 minutes to walk to and was only slightly spoiled by the drone of a hovering helicopter and the circling light aeroplanes, possibly pilots of the future learning their trade... it was that often!  It was such a lovely afternoon.

DD flies to NY on Thursday... the football kit for which does not arrive until Tuesday!!!!! It should have been with her two months ago!!!!  I will be going to her house to wait for it to arrive as both she and her landlady will be at work.  The downside... I have to be there for 8.00 am. The up-side, she will be home for lunch and hopefully will remember to bring something with her for us as we wont be able to go out to purchase anything.  I suspect I shall be asked to find something somewhere once she arrives.
We have decided to stay a few extra days in Brazil after going to a friend's wedding there, later in the year.  Weekend flights were just too expensive to return then anyway and there was not a flight available on the Monday, so that we thought it would be nice to explore the town and locality.  I would have liked to stay in Sao Paulo, but it is just adding to the cost and we are still trying to recoup a little of what we did not earn when DH was off work and I was looking after MIL.   This will be happening again when she has her hip done.  Thank goodness for Supply work.  Anyway, it will be the height of summer out there when we go and I have little idea what to wear for a more up-market wedding.  Luckily I am shedding some of the excess weight I have (1 STONE (14LB'S) SO FAR!!!) been carrying for far too long and hope to have got to a sensible level for my age and height.... this means another 2 stone at least but preferably 3.  I hope I can do it as it means I will be able to wear some of the really nice clothes I have been desperately hanging on to for 'a while'! 

As I say, we have been ultra busy with DH's family... his father came out of the care home on Wednesday and as predicted, it took less than three days for MIL to be back where she started... she is finding it even harder to cope since. I do not know what to do for them for the best.  The poor man is adamant he will never go back to the home, she is equally adamant he won't, but that she might if she is stressed much more!  What to do? Dementia is a tough one.

I have also been busy covering a wedding cake needed for the end of this week. It is three tiers, but the cakes will sit on top of each other rather than on pillars or separate stands. I have no decorating to do as the couple want fresh flowers and green ribbon around the base of each cake.  (The colours I purchased were either to minty or too limey.  Finally found one called khaki but it really is just a leaf green and will blend in well with the fresh flowers.  It is just not the green they had in the picture they showed me/wanted, which is probably an organza ribbon anyway and so much more translucent.) Just as well they don't want me to make the flowers as I have not made any for over a year now and am feeling a little rusty!

I also just completed a baby quilt for my friend whose baby is due in September, who, I am glad to say loved it and phoned me, in floods of tears to say just how much she loved it... the colours being those she had chosen for the baby's room (I did not know this).  So what to do about this.. I have too many quilts UNFINISHED as it is! I still need to start the one promised for an acquaintance! But then of course there is the huge pile of ironing!!!  Now which would you prefer to do first, dear reader? 

* Well it is now Monday and I have spent the day ironing, washing and ironing the dry.  At least I only have one basket of it left ( I had three, plus the freshly washed - all now hanging to air!) but that is piled high... well higher than I would like it to be. Once that is done, I shall be guilt free and be able to tackle some more housework then the quilts... or shall I just take it to DD's tomorrow?  Now there's an idea!

Until next time...

Time and Thankfully it's the holidays.

Wednesday Evening
After a fantastic four week stint at a school in Surrey, I can say I am ready for my break.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the work, the children and being with the staff... (who have thoughtfully, invited me to their end of term/year get together).  It has been great fun as we have worked on a topic base for these last few weeks and although their is a wide variety in outcome, I think they did quite well to build models and produced ICT and written contributions.  I have now brought it all home to mark and will give it to staff tomorrow to give back.  Nothing like pushing time as I have to take MIL to the hospital again for another check-up before she actually goes in for hip op in September, and then get ready to go to the staff-do!  DH is going to his company's evening at the local bowling alley where he works and so there was an issue with our one and only car but hey... these things have a way of resolving themselves..... I'm having it!  I wasn't but he's decided to stay at work and go on from there then catch the train home. YAY!

Thursday
I have at last completed the baby quilts... given one and one to go.  Hopefully I will see my friend next week to do this.  I have great plans to quilt till I drop over the holiday, but these things have a habit of not materialsing...   We have been invited to a wedding in November, so am considering using one of my UFO's for a wedding present.  The trouble is, it is probably too flowery for the gentleman in question, but perfect for his bride to be (who is dainty, petite and feminine). I will have to see what DH says (who promoted the idea of a quilt as a present.  At least he can appreciate what I do now... he has never really liked/enjoyed any of my other 'hobbies'.

I spent last night wakeful and in pain, due to a migraine.  I was over-tired, had eaten a rich and heavy curry (I have been on a diet for the last month and already lost 9.5lb's, which I am totally chuffed about as it has taken 18 months to get my head around doing it) so am really tired as a result and unusually, my tablets have not really cleared it - I am down to my last four and NOT for the love of money can I find anywhere that has them...guess they're not being made anymore. 

I am picking MIL about 11.30 so we have plenty of time to get to the hospital which means I have to leave no later than 11.15... maybe I can get an hour's sleep if I go now... so until later... adieu dear reader!

Photos of quilts to follow!

Yet again, I wonder where time has gone!

I am appalled at how swiftly time has gone by since I last posted. It is now early July -the 6th actually!!!!!!!!!!! 

I have been running around like the proverbial headless chicken... Both work and family commitments are taking up a lot of time and yet I still feel I am not doing justice to either, particularly with family.  My dad is poorly again, yet I know he isn't seeing the doctor - his excuse being he can't get an appointment.  I just hope he isn't heading for another bout of pneumonia!

Work is, gratifyingly, coming my way with a frequency which keeps me very busy.  I have had many good days lately which has left me feeling almost like going back full time.  Luckily, I do remember the reasons why I stopped full time!

Something I have not mentioned before is that as a result of stresses from work, I developed a small case of psoriasis, on my elbows of all places!  It is not pretty to look at, is basically very itchy and can be quite red, but that is all it's done.  Over the last month, suddenly I have it several very sore patches on  my left hand/wrist... with  small patches on  my right hand third finger and wrist.  I have no idea why 'it' has done this either as surely I feel less stressed than before.  I am enjoying my job, hubby is about to get a contract (we hope) and apart from the fact I am still an untidy creature, life is good. As my American friend might say...'Go figure!' Any ideas on  best treatments gratefully received; (I am using a steroid cream and various moisturisers to help keep it in check but the fingers are the worst).  NO advertising though, thanks!

I have been working hard on two baby quilts for my  friends who are expecting very soon.  One knows what sheis having but wont say and the other doesn't want to know.  I have kept to light pa  stel colours for both so there should be no problems about gender issues.  All I have to do is complete them. I was inspired to copy the design of a quilt I had seen hanging in the window of my local fabric store, Needle and Thread, (almost all my fabric came and indeed comes from there).  I just love going in to browse through the very neatly aranged fat quarters... to look at the quilts my friend has made to showcase the classes on offer and yes the very large arrangement of bolts so effectively displayed.  It is all so............. 'strokeable'!  Now all I need to do is not get distracted and complete my UFO's.  That is Un-Finished Objects - of which I have a few.  My friends laugh and say I am now, officially, a quilter as a result!

I am tardy in publishing this as I had the last part to complete.  So from then until now several weeks have passed.... apologies dear reader!
Until next time...
Bye for now.

Where does the time go?

Last week (Half Term) was busy!  I can't deny that.  Here it is now June and well, I'm ready for a proper holiday.  Lunch with Dad on Friday was not easy.. he is very introspective now and not very 'polite' either.  Still, lunch was an amicable affair despite him finding the filling for his baked potato rather tasteless and then we walked around the garden centre briefly.  'Which is the way out?' he said.  I took the hint and followed him out. He stayed long enough to have a cup of tea and then went on his way home.  Sadly, for me, it is hard to see him becoming so 'muddled' and unfocused.  He doesn't know what to do with himself these days and 'finds things' to do, whether it is bringing me Sainsbury's schools vouchers at some odd time, or taking MIL to the doctor.

DD has come for a visit (it involved lunch and an iced coffee at our local cafe) in the middle of her working day.  She has been obsessing over the iced coffee they serve for a couple of weeks now so, I took her as a treat. I was able to do this as I have had no work for 2 whole days... a record!  I am happy to have the time but not to lose out on the payment. I have partly used the time to visit my friends yesterday for our regular Tuesday quilt and lunch sessions (or should that just read our food and gossip session???LOL).  I did get quite a lot done so am really pleased to say that today I have put the binding on my first ever baby quilt!  I have enough fabric to make two more, although I shall be a lot more careful with how I allot the limited fabrics I have .  In some of the colours I only had a small amount of fabric and so,  still being a novice quilter (in my opinion) I did not work out the ratios very well. This quilt is a square as a result!  A very pretty one even though I say so myself.

Tomorrow, I will be back at work in a regular slot.  Hopefully, it will be a split day with Yrs 3 and 5. I have one week totally year 5 and then the next is 3 and 5.  One is an enjoyable day the other is not so much.  Never mind, it is all part of the great  experience life has to offer us.  Who knows what Friday will bring!