Busy, Busy, Busy!

This was going to be a short post, today, but inevitably.....!

Wednesday saw me with a migraine, so nothing happened other than I had to turn work down... just couldn't function!  I was still asleep when the phone rang so I had no chance to make it to a school which was effectively 3/4 hour drive away in peak time, especially when I wasn't even up, let alone dressed ready for departure.  Never mind, so I lost out on work; once I was up and running so to speak, I did at least have a chance to catch up on some viewing whilst I ironed... over 5 hours worth so it did do me some good!  At least it cleared some space on the box!

I worked Thursday with a nursery class.  I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed it and got some very positive feedback, which was really good as feedback either isn't given or doesn't happen very often. The next day I had years 1 and 2 which was just as nice and was given some really lovely feedback by the class TA in YR2.  I was very pleased to end the week on such a high note.  Compliments are hard won! 

Well, Saturday was quite mad as we were taking the in-laws to a plant sale on behalf of their local Alzheimer's group, which FIL attends.  By the time we had walked the dog and had brekkie pt 2, then got underway, the weather had warmed considerably and I was suffering the effects of a recurrance of my hot flushes.  MIL wanted us to call in at Garden Centres for this, that and the other before we had even left the house.  Oh joy!  We said we would do it afterwards which didn't go down too well... but we still deferred it until after we were out of our glad rags! By the time DH had taken her to the G.Centres,  it was time for lunch so fish and chips were served.  It was a huge meal.  I actually did not get to finish mine.. it was too much!  BUT - they were freshly cooked and piping hot by the time DH got them back to us and very yummy!  Wish we could hve shared a portion of chips.  The foxes did well out of it though as did the dog.. she rarely gets a treat like that!

(MIL also told us she had a phone call to say her hip op would probably be the first week of June!!! Yikes that is less than two weeks away now.  When she said she was under investigation for angina, the receptionist told her it might have to be put back then as they would not operate if she had it.  When do they want to put it back to... August or September!  We have our holiday booked for the first two weeks of Sept!  This happened last year when MIL ended up in hospital with Diverticulitis!  I'm now thoroughly convinced we are jinxed!)

We declined to stay for tea as we had many chores still to do, then drove home, where by, DD had another little favour to ask.  Could I pick her up after she got back from watching  a footie match in Coventry and take her to a party which, for a change was being held locally?  This we did, then of course the inevitable text arrived, LATE, to ask for a lift home as the taxi was £40 etc, etc, etc.  I went, as mum's do and ... yes, you guessed .. a car load of people later... were duly delivered to her house to be ferried elsewhere.  Where they went afterwards was not my concern... just that DD was going to be the driver, AGAIN.  She is severely put upon by her friends and doesn't have the gumption to object once in a while.  She paid for it as one of them was very unwell in her car! I got home and went straight to bed.. it was after midnight!

8.30 saw the first of many texts and calls of the day.  Could I please help her as she was volunteering to cover at work, despite it being her annual leave  week and thus, not supposed to be able to be asked to work? Hmm!  She needed her uniform and could I take it to work for her where she would meet me.  We took the dog and went for a windy, but nice walk in the countryside, after dropping it off (it was dumped on the floor the day she went to Morocco- so I'd washed it, as mums do).  We had a warm cuppa at the local cafe and then headed home to do the neglected chores.  Stacks of ironing later.... I had another call and it was that the housemates dog might need to be let out as the two of them were possibly going to have to do a night session for work.  Still no staff!  I exploded - mildly!  How many favours can one be expected to do in a weekend?  It wasn't just that, but it meant I had to go to their flat, find the key, in the dark, then let myself in for a large dog, who doesn't really know me, then take various bits to where DD was... and oh yes, please could I find a garage and buy some sandwiches for her.. then them both???  I declined to buy the sandwiches and made some as we had had a big chicken for dinner and so they were easy.  It was on my way home that I discovered DH had not filled the car up with fuel.. and I had no money on me.  Luckily when MIL gives me money for taking her out and about I put it in a pot, which just happened to be in the car that day!  It was only a tenner, but it got me out of trouble... but of course on a Sunday night, not many garages are open late and just why does the local Tesco superstore NOT have fuel????

I crashed into bed, exhausted!  This morning was back to 'routinesville' so... I was up and out with the dog having dropped DH at the station, once more.  I got back home, hair/shower and laundry sorted, waited for the call that didn't come, so went across to see if a friend would be available for lunch, which she wasn't.  I got back in just as the phone rang for me to work this afternoon. Grr! Until next time.. I have a house to clean - quickly!

Prevarication Rules - OK!

Bake at 350

  

Wow! The above blog link is one I very recently became aquainted with. All I can say is 'Yum!' Now all I need is to understand what weight a cup measure would contain and what all purpose flour is equivalent to here in the UK! Google here I come! LOL. Seriously, I will be more than happy to try these recipes out - they just look soooooo delicious. I know this seems a little over the top, reaction wise.. but it is not often I actually look at other floks blogs... I am just too easily distracted from what Ishould be doing. For example, I had every intention of continuing the clearance work in the awfully untidy conservatory we have. I began on Saturday and was still clearing odds and bods yesterday. It hardly looks any different despite the fact I was out there until 10.00 ish and actually didn't sit down to have a drink until 10.30pm. (DH by this time was already upstairs getting into bed... yes, he did offer help, but knows it will be refused. One day I will surprise him and say 'yes'!) Anyway, the laptop came out and I began to try and think about posting, but got distracted looking at email and had had a notification from another blog I'd been accepted for private viewing and well.... that is how I discovered the Bake 350! I've just realised too that whilst typing these last couple of sentences, I have been holding my breath! No wonder I have a headache!



This area is at the end of our 100 foot garden and is
laughingly called our nursery bed. It now has
several acers and a pear tree, along with a few
pansies, thyme and several self seeded plants
of unknown name.



Actually, with all the work being done in our garden, front and back, it was a wonder I was able to get into the conservatory at all. I started before lunch, then DH asked me to say what I wanted done with some self seeded plants he had dug up, which led me on to asking him to mix up some compost for bulbs etc... and so spent several happy hours digging and planting and prevaricating. BY the time I got back to what I should have been doing which was planting an achillea, DH was annoyed and grumpy.. and so the afternoon went on. I finally got back into the conservatory, which by the way, is NOT a thing anyone would want to sit and enjoy the afternoon sunshine in, due to the nature of its build and lack of comfort. It is an old Wickes design, poorly put up (very cold in Winter and boiling in Summer - lots of air gaps!!! Poor foundations allow heave during wet/dry weather thus the door does not always lock easily, exterior protection is also falling off) so is in need of a LOT of attention. With the last two winters really stressing the very fabric of it, it is failing and so is my patience. Money has always been an issue so it is just a question of doing maintenance when we can.  That and hiding what I don't want the world and my neighbours to see behind a giant dustsheet placed like a curtain over the glass.  



Towards the end of the garden is more work in progress. 
A stone wall is waiting to be built, for example plus a
patio which has foundations but no slabs as yet!  Sigh!



So, where does this leave me? Prevaricating again as I am blogging instead of clearing. I have soooo much paperwork out there to chuck... yes chuck! Have I looked at/used it recently? NO! So why hang on? In case I could use it, that's why!  The nature of my work is that generally, I go in, do the work left for me and then leave. There are times though when one is asked to plan ahead (especially if working a week or so...) and then I get to use my own sheets etc.. Still, I have a lot, an awful lot which I really could throw. It is the squirrel in me. Goodness knows where it comes from. 

DH says, and I quote... 'We don't have a storage problem, we have a collection problem'!  How true that is.  I have hobbies.. over the years they have mounted to become the issue they are as I get into a series of books - so have to have them all whether I have time to read them, or not; have to work for or try out the latest cross stitch kits or patterns and as for scrapbooking, well what I haven't got could be listed on one hand!  Orchids were next... I just love the beautiful and graceful sweep of the flower stems.  My grandfather gave DH and myself one for our silver wedding anniversary.  It had two stems of baby pink flowers.  It is beautiful, even now .  Just wonderful.  several years on.   Since then I have purchased a couple of dwarf varieties in lemon and white.  But it is the larger ones that I  find transfixing.  They come in as many colours and patterns as I could care to own.  With some fragrant and smelling of nutmeg which fills the room with scent on warm daysThey line the windowsills in the hall, bathroom and kitchen, where they seem happiest.  I am looking at them thinking what am I doing?  Do I need them? No! So why have aI spent so much?  Not sure!  Hmm!!!  I have had the urge to put them on the recycle website.  We will see. 

 

Star Log Cabin blocks... now
which way to have the patterns
 running?  Oh decisions!!!



Anyway, then along came quilting.  I have a four drawer Ikea chest of drawers full of fabric (and the really useful boxes I store each project in.  I have approx four boxes per drawer.  So .. maybe now you can appreciate DH's side of the 'clear it up argument!'  I do and I'm the one that caused it in the first place as I let everything accummulate.  Now here is a case in point.  Why am I sitting here instead of getting on and clearing?  Because..... just because!

  

Time to upload some works in progress, quilt tops and garden  photos,  The orchids will have to come later or look back to my first posts.

Well at least it is Tuesday tomorrow and so, the Tuesday Girls  http://teaontuesdays.blogspot.com/ will gather for our regular session of Tea, muffins, lunch and perhaps a little quilting or such.

See you soon dear reader!





Erm... Blogger, where is my post? Ah... there it is!

Wow, after a hugely frustrating session and a real worry that my memory wasn't what it should be, I have read that posts since Wednesday were deleted, so all my angst and frustrations at getting one done on Thursday were pointless - for nothing-nada!!!!!

I have completely re-written the post and, I swear to you good reader, that it wasn't there two hours ago.  I have just now gone into edit my post and discovered the original.  An hour wasted!  Not at all.  It just re-affirms what I thought about putting things off.  I should have double checked.. but I put it off!  I deleted the new post!

So much for good intentions, but it is the weekend and I shall try to relax a little whilst encouraging DH to get on with some of the chores... Does that sound as mean as it does?  It isn't meant to.  I have dog to walk, housework a plenty to get on with... a few painkillers to take (for arthritis based neck, knee and back issues after a hefty afternoon playing rounders with Year 5 children) and then I might settle down to tidying up the incredibly mess in the utility area formerly known as DD's bedroom!  NO, that should read 'I will settle to tidy it up'! Shouldn't it??????

Can't wait for Tuesday and a quilt day with the girls! http://teaontuesdays.blogspot.com/

Time to go so,'BYE' for now!

A Long Week

Well, it has been more than a few days since the last post. DD has flown to Morocco, DH is currently donating blood and me... I have walked the dog, been to work, taken my in-laws shopping and driven home. All this since 5.30 am. I would love to say that I am ok with it all but actually, all I want to do is curl up and sleep for a week, either that or veg out on recorded tv programmes which have now rendered our Virgin Box down from the 50 hours it had left, to 22. This is usually when it starts to go wrong. Fingers x we manage to view at least some of our massive download.

Photos - taken, to be taken and those wanted to be taken, but likely never will

I have had three really nice days.. two work ones and one craft/appointment oriented. Yesterday was a hospital day for MIL then for me, a quilt day (See http://teaontuesdays.blogspot.com/).  I eventually got quite a lot done, but had meant to go and purchase a 1/2metre of co-ordinating fabric for backing.  Thus I came to a full stop but it didn't matter as I ended up at DD's late in the evening.  I taught Reception on Monday, and today I was doing a wide variety of cover for monitoring, so went from Nursery to Yr 4.  It was super fun and I didn't have time to get frustrated or bored or 'angry'.  (Yr 5 tomorrow so these comments may be moot by then!) 

Sadly, we heard this evening, that DH's cousin had passed away, only moments after he had gone into a hospice, today.  His prostate cancer had spread to his spine and his wife was told on Friday it was weeks rather than months.  He was a lovely man and will be missed, particularly by MIL.  They grew up together as he was her eldest sister's son and they were very close in age. 

It is when you look at those things you mean to get around to that you realise how fragile our lives actually are.  I have got to the point where I think I don't care about something, then flare up because actually I do and that it is usually my fault it didn't get done in the first place ie. pick up the camera and take it with you when you think about it.  With my mum gone, dad's health is not the best (he also has prostate cancer) and neither MIL or FIL are fully healthy, then I look to myself and see a veritable hippo in the mirror, I really begin to think about things. Diet today, not tomorrow.   I'm sure you get the picture!

Now I do not mean to get maudlin.  The title for today is something I have pondered often.  My blog title is meant as it is.  I used to really live for my Scrapbooking and went to several crops a month, both at local church or other Halls, our local craft stores and a friend's house.  We had great fun and it was all very social, but these things end, either because of work commitments or because they naturally fizzle out. I have many photos which have been gloriously 'scrapped'; dozens more printed and awaiting that moment when they will be 'scrapped'; thousands waiting to be printed and chosen, but worst of all, are the ones I haven't yet taken and which will most likely supercede anything I already have shot.  These are the 'get around to' photos.  There are several clumps of yellow flag iris on the common which I want to photograph.  But will I? 

DH 's cousin was another one of the ones I wanted to do so MIL had a picture.  His son emailed us several years ago to tell me how to access his web site so we could copy some photos for her.   The only proviso was to delete said photos after copying.  I found them, but never copied them, so did not delete them.  Of course after a good long while, they went!  Now it is too late!  Maybe the title should read Don't put off what you can do today... but...... 

A good example of the above has literally just occurred.  DD phoned in tears. She is off to Morrocco tomorrow for a week.  This morning's little issue was would I mind 'popping' into M&S on my way home from work, to pick up some currency.  I forgot to take my passport and was going to MIL's first, anyway. I had asked DD to phone them to check if they had what she needed, then text me a simple 'yes' or 'no'!  Nothing!  So, I did and whilst waiting for the assistant to check her list, I remembered that actually it is what is known as a closed currency, only available in the country.  I checked with a friend who had been there last year and was correct.  Tonight (11.00 pm on the dot) the phone rang with DD in tears.  'What now?' I thought! I'd already spent much of the evening going through some of her boxes to find missing bikini bottoms.. (how do you lose not one but a whole set?)  I only found one, but the junk I tossed meant I could remove one more packing case.  YAY!

Well, she had lost her passport and what could/should she do?  Her room is upside down and she will not be sleeping in her bed by the sound of it.  I made various suggestions of where to look and got the usual, 'I've already told you.... ' response!  Suddenly, her house mate (she must have the patience of a saint) muttered something and the trauma was over.. it was in her jacket pocket - of course where else should it be?  It's usually on the floor of her car!  How long ago/ many times did I 'suggest' she put it somewhere easy to find??? I've lost count of them. What will she learn from this?  Nothing, I suspect (despite the fact that she almost lost her holiday).  Someone always gets her out of the mire!  Usually me!

So, what have I learned from these events?  That my new resolution is now going to be firmly on the side of ...'Do things now, when I think of them... I may not get that second chance.'  I will try!

Now where is that list????

What a Day!

Well, what a day we have had.  Talk about productive!  It all began with a single, but very loud clap of thunder, which must have woken up a very large area of the locality.  It was somewhere around about 6.00am. I  had had an ongoing headache through the night (nothing unusual there) and several sets of paracetamol based product later, it was still there.  I despair when I have this type of 'Head' as usually the only thing to do is shroud my hed in darkness and sleep it off.  No such luck! The thunder even woke sleeping cutie who proceeded to have an asthma attack and thus our day began. 

I was due at our local craft shop to do make a quilt top. I had been looking forward to this all week but dreading it also.  You see, I couldn't make up my mind which fabric to use.  I had bought a jelly roll to use, but talking it over with my friend, she thought I would not use the whole JR if I was only going to make one 'star' so it would be a waste.  Dilema, dilema, dilema!  What to do, what to use?  I ended up going through my scrap box, my topic box (one with patterns and fabric together in ready for that fanciful day when I have 'NOTHING TO DO!'  You know when the house is ultra tidy and sorted out so it looks like it is from a fashion mag!  And piggies might fly!  Could I make up my mind? Could I heck!  So,in desperation I began to toss fabric bundles onto the ironing board... the only clear enough space to put anything onto currently.  This is the way it stayed for several days.  DH even saw what was out and refrained from commenting (until our very early breakfast this morning that is...)!  Ah well!

I took several bundles and a few packs of fabric and my jelly roll to the class.  We were making a star by piecing together strips of fabric then cutting them diagonally and then joining the ensuing linked diamond shaped strips together.  I asked for opinions on whether to use the JR (jelly roll - for those who are uninitiated in quilting terms a JR is a roll of about 40, 2.5 inch wide x 22 inch lengths of  different co-ordinating fabrics produced by a particular company -  there are other copycat  types around too.) or to use the  fat quarters and other cut lengths I had on me.  In the end we chose a red floral; a red spot on cream and white spot on red, with two light green leafy prints.  Oh so very pretty once I had done it and the class was just so enjoyable as there were ladies of all abilities. Everyone had chosen such different fabrics - one lady had pastels, , one Batic prints, one had sunflowers, one had beiges and then my friends had Moda prints, one as a JR and the other quarter metres or FQ's - fat quarters!  Such lovely colours and such surprising results.  It made me want to change my mind and make a bigger quilt.  If I had used my JR, it would have made a quilt 72 x 72 inches.  Yikes!

I was really pleased with my progress, especially as my friends, both of whom are experienced quilters were having trouble lining up their diamonds and we all sewed at least one strip on the wrong way round.  It gave me - hope! LOL! I am at the point where I will be able to stitch all the triangles to complete the top, to the diamonds and then stitch them all together to make a square.  This will eventually become a belated 40th birthday present for my very good friend in Brazil... if I can bear to part with it once I have finished it.  I forgot my camera so took two photos on my phone before it told me the card was full!  There is an 8Mb memory card in it... Grr!   I took a few on Amanda's camera and she will email them to everyone so we have a record.  Until then you will just have to, good readers, to see what we achieved in the 6 hours we were there!!  Of course we had tea/coffee and yes, muffins.  Janet had made choc chip and her boss had made walnut, apple and cinnamon.  Yummy to say the least!  With lunch supplied by our local cafe for those that desired it (yes, that was me and several others!) , we were replete. 

DH came to fetch me (although I did have to phone him several times, as he was collecting his broken glasses from town).  He'd been to his mums and worked on several important things there, raspberry canes needed pruning and tieing up,  as did several climbing roses... amongst other little jobs.  He was fed for his troubles though!  On arrival back home, the two of us, having popped over to the Co-op for milk and coming away £16 poorer, put our purchases away!  We then spent several hours in our garden working... me potting up plants, a quick dash to the local GC (garden centre) for sweetpea canes, and DH to dig up some more of the front garden in readiness for building works - sunken patio going in ... watch this space for news on that happening!  It has been a hole in the ground for two years sooooo!!!!!!!! I'm not holding my breath until it happens!  DH eventually went in for a bath and I carried on until I couldn't find any more space or bare soil to fill up.  Only 8 more geraniums to find homes for.  I have even planted some of our neighbour's front garden up, and feel very virtuous as a result! I was going to leave them in their pots and then remove them back into my front garden, but as we have probably got to dig most of the plants up out of it.. then maybe that was the best solution.  A late tea ensued.. I wasn't really hungry and DH wanted his bath!  I am glad though that I have done what I have done and feel quite relaxed as a result. 

It is now quite late and so, as we have to go to the tip first thing, with all the waste from the garden, I will go to bed.  MIL wants us to take her out tomorrow!!! Again!  Our reward will be lunch in a pub.  Trouble is I am not getting any slimmer! Sigh!  Goodnight!

Tuesdays!

After the Wedding Street Party and a really busy weekend/Bank Holiday, actually working in the garden for two of them, we both returned to the real world, refreshed.  The bank holiday had been a little fresher than the Easter break, but still warm enough to have to water all the newly planted garden plants and some older ones showing severe signs of wilting - mostly those in the front garden where the soil is poor.  I was quite pleased not to get a phone call to go to work as I am very lucky to belong to a small, but amazing group of friends who meet every Tuesday (for most of the year)!  I was invited to join as a scrapbooker whilst the 'girls' quilted.  Next thing you know, I am too and have developed extreme avarice in building up my stash of fabrics.  Oh my!  If DH even cared to look in the chest of drawers in the room formerly known as DD's  bedroom, he would be shocked!  Actually I think he would just raise his eyebrows and tell me I have yet again added to the collection problem (we don't have a storage problem, just a collection one!!!)  One of these days though, I will get back to scrapbooking... I have far too many photos which need be displayed appropriately!

Anyway, as usual I digress.  Tuesdays, when I was working in my job share, were sacrosanct!  NOTHING interfered with them and we all met regardless, on a regular rota of each other's houses, from about 10.30 am till about 3.00pm.  We always begin with conversation, a cup of tea and cake (it is usually a muffin - home cooked) then head to the sewing area, if it is different (ie. they have a kitchen table to sit at whilst drinking and eating etc...depends whose house we happen to be at).  Wonderful and so relaxing.  Sadly one of our members has moved an hour's drive away, so we don't see her as often, but we all still stay in touch - visiting her every five weeks or so.  I also have to work more, which is ok but I do miss the girls company ( DH was out of work for 10 months and so we are trying hard to get our bank balance back to the comfortable state it used to be in.  Anyway, we survived and that is what is important.) 

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  It began rather chilly and my hands felt like blocks of ice half way round the common with the dog at 7.00 am.  I arrived at Janet's for 10.30am and Amanda arrived a few minutes later.  I carted my machine and quilting bits into the house and set them ready to use.  We spent the morning gossiping about the Royal Wedding, the fashion disasters and successes, the lack of a honeymoon, and how sadly, that most of the photos of the Queen, made her look really sour; the demise of Bin Laden and possible world wide repercussions to that event; and the course we are all attending at our local craft store,  this weekend (and fabrics chosen to do it with)!  Did we get any sewing done?  No!  Not a stitch!  Grump!  Still, we did get to look at each other's achievements.  Janet had been to Ikea for furniture and since her son had moved out, she now has a sorted and tidy sewing room!  Lesson to be learned here by me!  DD , moved out months ago (for the umpteenth time) and I still can't swing a cat in her old room!  She has thus been able to complete several samples for the craft store and I am so pea green!  Incentive to get sorting.. I should think so!  More to the point, I need to as I now have several UFO's (un-finished objects or quilts to you and me!).

Anyway, Chris joined us for lunch, but left early along with Amanda, who had an appointment.  I left a little later as Janet had asked me about FIL and the problems associated with his Alzheimer's.  He has sadly deteriorated quite a lot over the last 16 months and with MIL probably going in soon to have her hip op, well, it is going to be hard work for us as we will move in again, maybe for another month!  Last year she had a small section of one lung removed, due to cancer.  This was exactly when she should have had her hip done, but... she may have to delay it again as she had an angina attack Easter Saturday night; this being a new health issue.  I suspect she will have to see the Anaesthesiologist again before she can go in.  We will just have to see.  She has a hospital appointment to set up an investigation next week.  However, hopefully, Tuesdays will continue for me until they can't!  Watch this space! LOL

I got home in time to sit in the sunshine for an hour, with the dog at my feet, a cup of tea, A Magnum ice-cream (my favourite) and the third book in a series about a quilting store and it's supporters.  What a wonderful hour that was! Reality soon reared its ugly head with hoovering, meal to cook and ironing to do.  Still it was a more relaxed me that went in to do them. 

Until next time take care!

Photos to follow! Soon!!!!!!!!!!!!