Posy

That Friday Feeling

Ooh, it's been a long week. A week when I've had to work full time..oh the horror! And Tom had to go to court about his mugging. He was brilliant, I was so proud of how he handled the situation and the person was found guilty. It was a stressful experience for us all but it's finished now and it's Friday. The sun is trying to shine and the weather forecast for the weekend looks good, my pots, well my buckets are beginning to burst forth with flowers and my 'new' collection is looking blooming too.  These pictures have been found at my recent car boots as I'm trying to create a wall of flowers in the sitting room. I did want only embroidered pictures but think I might extend it to paintings too.  So, now I'm trying to decided if I should paint the frames of the 2 tiny oil paintings..hmm. Anyway, I will show you when it's all up, which hopefully should be this weekend.  I say 'should be' because the house is outrageously messy and it will take some time to get things in order...better get going - have a super weekend.

My Mothering Sunday

Happy Mothering Sunday, did those of you who celebrate it now have a good one?  I hope so. I was awoken by Alice who had made me a 2 course breakfast brought up on a tray, with the sunday paper no less! Bless her.  She is so generous, thoughtful and helpful. Sounds too sickeningly good to be true but hey, I'm sorry, she just is!  Lucy gave me the most lovely earrings (in the photo) and some Body Shop Room Fragrance Oil for my light bulb ring.  That girl only managed to choose the only new oil I hadn't got...how sickeningly perfect is she?  Yes, very. And Tom?  Well I got a beautiful card and some flowers; flowers that he had to walk along way to get.  Love him.  We have recently bought him his first suit for his coming interview for university and as my mother and Robin were coming for afternoon tea I managed to persuade him to open the door to them in all his finery.  He graciously did, and you could imagine the neighbours wondering what the cries of delight were for. Of course I took some photos and these of Tom with Poppa just warm my heart.

And it didn't stop there; because it was Mothering Sunday the poor boy even agreed to drink his tea...sshh...

...in a flowery tea cup! 

"Jane, what the heck is this?!"

..."Er well, they are flower dish washing sponges. Look, they are made of foam and shaped into roses!"

Shake of the head.

.....Stunned silence......

Alfie ~ a year on

It's almost been a year that we travelled up to the Persian Rescue to rescue our boy. And what a year it's been for him. Being the longest he has ever stayed in one place; and I hope it has been his happiest yet. It certainly has been our happiest cat owning year as he and Miss Posy Darling make such a sweet pair.

Remember this photo? When I walked in from Sunday's Car Boot with the shallow, smaller tin bath (top photo) he jumped into it straight away. He loves them as much as I do and I have to admit, he looks particularly cute in them.

He is a little fatter, a bit bigger and still as playful. He's usually found on the table outside, watching. He watches for ages.

This is my last post until Sunday as the children are off to stay with Granny and Poppa, and Anth and I are off to Ludlow for his birthday, with Alfie and Posy. Be well, friends.

P.S My new banner picture is an old photo from our weekend on the canal. Ah..the memories.

A little tired..

..phew..it's been a busy week and I feel exhausted. A week of torrential rain, mixed up days off, music exams, a visit to the nurse, Lucy's work experience week, a day course, 2 visits to Sainsburys, school meetings, rehearsals, unexpected trips to Ikea, covering for my teacher, and discovering a new passion..

yes I have become obsessed with the building of flat pack furniture. I have never experienced the delights of this phenomenon before and spent a wonderful 2 hours (inbetween driving Lucy to her music exam and back to her work experience placement) building a chest of drawers for the girls to use as a bedside table (until I find a better one). I then spent the next hour or 2 in another school meeting (for Alice's trip to London) with my mind periodically straying to the delicious thought that I had another Ikea flat pack (stool) to assemble waiting for me at home. A grocery trip later and at 8.30 pm I came home to discover that to 'help me out' Anth had already assembled the stool. Oh. Ummm.

Our summer has gone and in it's place has been heavy, heavy rain. My poor garden is looking bedragled but I took a photo of my stocks to show you before they went over. Thank you, as always, for your comments - especially about the kettle. I am going to try out a whistling one, just need to find the right one.

This week will finally see Alice perform in her TAF show High School Musical. Hooray. It's been a long commitment and I will be glad that we may have a full weekend back and can go to Ludlow for a visit etc. The rehearsals have been relentless but let's hope all their hard work has paid off and it will go well. I'll keep you posted...

Alfie's Big Adventure

This was the moment Alfie first felt the breeze ruffle his fur. His first experience of the big outdoors. We had decided when we got him, from the Persian rescue last October, to let him outside when the weather improved. He hadn't shown any interest in what was behind the glass of our french doors, so I was quite intrigued to see what he would make of it. I was actually more nervous than anything. What if he ran off? What if someone catnapped him? Because of these and many other "what ifs" I put Posy's pink floral collar on him! I don't think he realised.

He stayed fairly close to home. He only got into one scrape with our neighbour's cat, and ran back looking like a bottle-brush with his fur standing on end!

Now he's not a happy puss when the french door is closed and meows until someone lets him out. So there is a blue collar on my shopping list, and not a moment too soon!

On a different note - you may have noticed that I have changed my banner picture. A very kind blog reader did my original banner but it has always been a goal of mine to learn how to do my own. Tonight I think I've had a break through but am wondering if it looks OK on other people's computers? Every time I've tried in the past it has looked distorted. Would you be so kind as to tell me if it looks OK to you as I'm thinking it might just be my new super-duper laptop making everything look good! Thank you.

My home from home

Yes, it's official. After sitting on the sofa, sleeping, & working, I spend an enormous part of my life frequenting our local Sainsburys. I have been known to shop in my pyjama bottoms (cleverly disguised as tracksuit bottoms) & slippers (my beloved ugg boots)! As I have been tagged by the lovely Nonnie I thought I would tell you some weird (may be not the allotted 6) things about my supermarket habits!

One of the more unusual things is that I feel quite 'safe' in amongst the aisles. I love the fact that I can go into any British supermarket and recognise the familiarity of the layout, graphics & design of whatever company owns it. I particularly enjoy visiting the cafe & reading the paper over a cheap breakfast before I start my shop. I must admit though, I haven't done that in quite awhile but it still causes the family great hilarity at my choice of 'safe' places (I adore cafes). I have a funny love/hate relationship with grocery shopping. I love to go & do small shops, particularly after school as it helps me to unwind as I browse, but I detest my 'big' food shop as I take 1 to 2 hours and by the time I get to the frozen food aisle (last one) I give up trying to balance all the food in the trolley and feel grumpy when I look at what I then have to unload onto the checkout - then having to pack it all up again, cart it home, carry the 13 or more bags inside and then put it all away. Ugh. I hate having to think of what we are going to eat for the week and then cook it (even worse!). I think I would rather go everyday but do managable little 2 day shops. Have you tried internet shopping, I hear you cry? Yes, but I prefer to go and see what I'm buying. I'm a strange woman who makes a list and then leaves it at home (!) so I tend to choose what my menus will be when I get to the shop. I often help myself to a drink as I wander round (I pay later, of course!) and I always take the items from the very back as they have a longer shelf life! I smell all the fabric conditioners, washing liquids & soaps & I always buy fire lighters (it makes me feel prepared!). Sometimes I go the 'wrong' way round for a change!

But there are good things...this is my favourite aisle and the first place I go. Then it is on to the flowers. And it is very easy for the children to find my trolley..

..it's the only one with a vintage style floral bag!

Two things

Just 2 photographs of 2 things that made me happy at the weekend. Of course I could have chosen more as it was a very good weekend, but it's not everyday I see Alfie and Posy in such a unusual pose. Then I happened to look out of the window too, and my eyes caught something white against the red (yes, you read right..red) Devon soil. It was my first Snowdrop!

Truly a welcome sight.

Anticipation

It's nearly upon us now and the house is looking more calm and festive. We are expecting Mum, Robin and Matthew tomorrow and just in case they wonder if they have come to the right house I have tied my bay wreath (well, it's hardly a wreath but a bunch of bay leaves from our ginormous bay tree) with Cath Kidston ribbon!

I have even found time to go on a 'charity run' (no..not actual running! Me, run! More a case of doing every charity shop in the town!) and I found this wonderful crochet blanket for Tom's room. Though he is not too happy about it, it hasn't been removed yet so here's hoping he secretly loves it.

It is just so vintage as I explained to him but he says it is just sooo sad... Even our bed has had a festive makeover.

Tomorrow, is my most favourite day of the year. Isn't the anticipation so much better than the actual event. Well, that's what I find. There is something so magical about Christmas Eve. I hope you enjoy yours.

Linen Cupboard

Firstly I am so sorry that it has been so long since I have last posted..bet you all secretly thought that Chris, having read my last post, had whisked me away to sing songs of my choosing! Alas, I have not heard from him yet but there is always hope! Given the look of the above cupboard I think he would give me a wide berth. But yay, it is no longer like that.. it changed to this..

..and then it changed to this..

..umm..much better don't you think?

I can't quite believe that I have my own linen cupboard. You see our home is very small and we don't have much space for storage. Infact I'll let you into a little secret. This cupboard was Tom's wardrobe hence all the girlie bits are able to be shut away by the door! He never used it so I thought that I would take it over and keep the children's bedding in it and it's bliss to be able to see all the bedlinen which was previously squashed into a drawer. Not a nice experience for a lady who actually enjoys starching and ironing her linen!

I keep opening the door and just staring..

I also have exciting news..very, very exciting (brace yourself Fe!). About 6 weeks ago I made enquiries about adopting a Persian cat from a rescue centre. They didn't have anything available but kept my name on file. Well yesterday I received a call to say that a ginger and white kitten of about 8 months was available! He is a little boy who is used to other cats and is very loving and gentle. We go to pick him up on Friday. It is apparently quite rare to have such a young cat in a rescue centre and as yet I don't know anymore about him; but I am desperately hoping we will bond with him and he will make Posy a big sister! So.. watch this space.

Tomorrow we take the children to Salisbury again to stay with Granny & Poppa for a few days. Yay and yay again! Anth and I have decided to stay home and chill..which will mean for me..sew, sew ,sew and sitting infront of my lit fire and going out to eat and picking up our new baby boy-cat(fingers crossed!)

I've even managed to wangle a trip to Shaftesbury on our way back, so this time I can enjoy the Green Gate shop without the sulky faces (though that is my most favourite photo ever!) Gosh, this has turned into a long post. Thank you for all your comments about my Chris post..some of you have even met him and sent me the wonderful photos...sigh!

I'll be back soon..