Posy

Poor Anth - part 3

Not content with surrounding my poor husband with every floral embellishment going; over the last year or so, flowers have also crept into his wardrobe. He is building up quite a collection, though can't compete with my brother, Matthew who has a marvelous selection of floral shirts which could rival Noel Edmonds' assortment.

Anth loves them and I love him for loving them. So flowery shirts are on my check list when I enter a charity shop and yes, I have actually found one or two. And in my opinion, it takes a real man to watch his rugby in a floral shirt!

Poor Anth - part 2

 

Well, my friends, I think that this week I have surpassed anything that has gone before in what I subject Anth to!  In another box at Totnes market I found some old linens (note to self: odd boxes at Totnes market produce some wonderful finds for me.) This time amongst other linens I found this sweet vintage pillowcase, complete with little rabbits gamboling across the top.

Would he draw the line at this, I wondered, as I lovingly placed it on our bed with my new candy striped pillowcases?

No, nothing mentioned. Perhaps he didn't really notice that his head was resting on a baby's pram set covered in cavorting bunnies...

...no, I'm sure that it would have been dreaming of All Blacks.com!

Poor Anth - part 1

This is the first part of 3 posts that show what a understanding husband I have. Over the last 23 years I have subjected him to sleeping in flowery bedding, eating off flowery plates, drinking from flowery cups. He even drives a red car with a large Cath Kidston sticker on the back window...umm..now that's love for you.

Anyway, whilst rummaging in a box at Totnes market the other day, I came across the above crystal tankard. I paused. Inspected. Anth really loves plain glass tankards. But, standing there I pondered this question, is this too much this time? Too feminine? Too over-the-top?  The seller approached me and I told him my quandary, using slightly more direct language. He roared with laughter and agreed it was extremely girlie and then said I could have it for only 50p!

So I brought it home expecting him to draw the line with a tankard that sparkles like crazy under our halogen lights; it's handle the most ornate I have ever seen. But to my amazement he loves it. It brings a smile to his lips...or maybe that's just the beer!

And more stripes - with a few flowers thrown in

Ooh, what wonderful finds aren't they? For this little lot I cast my net in my most favourite of all hunting grounds, Totnes.  Mmm Totnes, I would marry Totnes. It may be so 'New Age' and 'alternative' but it showcases some of the best independent shops (and a flea market) in England. Ok, if I'm pushed for a decision, it's a joint tie with Ludlow. There.

I've had some wonderful finds recently which I keep forgetting to post. I think I'll do a 'Look what I've thrifted' week, this week. I am feeling much happier and balanced now. It was a shock to the system going back to school, but I'm now falling in love with my new class. I just love the sweet and funny things that they come out with. One being (sorry Catherine to hear this yet again!) when I was lining up the children to take a small group to visit our Head Teacher in his office; one little boy squealed with delight and said to the child next to him, "This is the happiest day of my life!"  Perhaps you had to be there, but it was so unexpected and it certainly brought a smile to the face of all I told...including the Head Teacher!

I've been busy of late, sewing my presents and have been making extra to sell. I have a wonderful friend, Amanda, who has a stall, Shabby Chick, at Totnes market. This is where I buy my candy striped pillowcases and other wonderful treasures. She has kindly said that she will sell my goodies so it's been all systems go.

This has meant every surface covered with thrifted linen and the odd bunch of roses for  Max's mummy. Oh to have a room of my own..

One day..

Our Tonic

This is Matthew, my youngest brother. He came down to Devon to stay the weekend with us and was just what this family needed to lift our spirits.

He spent time with us all and brought smiles back to our faces. In fact I laughed so much that I woke on Saturday with a migraine. Oh dear. I had bought a Trigger Happy TV DVD afew weeks ago, saving it for when Matthew could watch it with me. We share the same sense of humour and we laughed so much that we only managed to watch half of it, this being our current favourite starting at 4mins 14 secs (the horse drawn tour of Bruge, which we kept rewinding) closely followed by Stupid & Son Removals where the lady nearly trips over her dog. Poor dog. I must have a cruel streak somewhere because I love this sort of humour, particularly when Dom Jolly pretends to be a foreign tourist and speaks nonsense to poor unsuspecting pensioners! 

The children get fed up because I keep rewinding to watch them again and again, my sides aching. It also has me giggling to myself when I'm trying to go to sleep and the house is quiet so I bury my face into my candy striped pillow, my shoulders shaking!  I'm a great practical joker, or I try to be - prank phone calls (not cruel ones I assure you) used to be my specialty but I can't do that now because of my tendency to giggle and spoil it all.  I've played some fantastic pranks in my time. Evacuating my parents dinner party with a megaphone and a threat of a gas leak ranks as my #1..

Oh, it's good to laugh, isn't it? That,'I can't breathe' laugh where it hurts and causes you to wake the next morning with an aching head; and no, it wasn't too much wine, my drink of choice is Coke (and I'm naughty because it's not diet! And it should be!) Ooh, I'm such a rebel..

But I digress - sweet Matthew and I did a spot of singing as we did the dishes. Matthew loves Coldplay too (remember this experience?) but he indulged me and agreed to sing the echo part of Wondrous Stories by Yes. I have recently downloaded the lyrics and have asked various family members if they would have a sing-along with me. Would they? "No way, are you crazy?" was their reply. Not even our resident singer would oblige. But Matthew did; and in the end I could hardly sing for giggling. Er, must do something about that pesky giggle as it keeps getting in the way..

Incidentally, incase you're wondering, we are facing our fridge because the ipod dock is on top. We don't usually stand and sing to our kitchen appliances!

Yes, it was good to have him to ourselves for a short while, he even took the children out to McDonald's for breakfast (what are crazy, bachelor uncles for) and we didn't see them again until late afternoon! Goodness knows what went on..

..but I think, with somethings, it's best left unsaid...

Remembering

Dearest Max,

We were a sad little family on Thursday night as we sat and ate our chips and looked out to sea. The day, I personally had been dreading since we first met you, had arrived, after all this time. You see, you were the most loved cat I've ever met. Even though you officially lived across the road you adopted us and we couldn't have been happier. You were our orange boy.

You touched all of our lives and most of our visitors' hearts too. Everyone who came to our home knew you and commented on your handsome looks and gentle ways. I read Lucy's old school books from when she was 6 and there you are.

I look at the photos of long past birthdays and family gatherings and you were there too. A quiet and loving presence in our home. Visiting children used to bring you gifts, which Sue (your real Mummy) used to receive with good grace on your behalf. You made your 10th birthday but we have known for, awhile now,that we would be saying goodbye to you soon. I'll miss hearing the local children calling your name. Your wonderful orange coat glinting in the sun. Returning home and finding you waiting for us on our doorstep. That loud, turbo purr. Oh, that purr..

This is a love letter to you to say thank you for all those years.  Did you know how much we loved you, even though we finally got our 'own' 2 cats...?

I think you did.

I so hope you did..

Reasons to be cheerful - the British Countryside

My favourite, favourite view.

I cannot quite believe that this wonderful sight was only 100 yards from my childhood home. I like to think that my love of English cottages must have seeped into my very essence whilst I was growing up in the delightful town of Shaftesbury in Dorset. I spent my childhood living in 2 hotels, as my parents were the managers of them. So maybe, living in something so far removed from a tiny cottage has made me yearn for one of my own. I just think it would be so 'me'!

Anyway, this view is of Gold Hill and I never tire of it. At the top there is a cafe where one can sip tea and just stare and daydream. And I promise you, it looks just like it does in this picture. Perfect.

Reasons to be cheerful - a box full of vintage threads

There is something so uplifting about vintage threads, or should I call them twists. I think twist is a nicer name by far. Apart from the wooden spools, and wonderful end labels, who can fail to smile when using Frivolous Pink, Myrtle, Cornflower or Peacock. I wonder whose job it was to name each colour all those years ago. And can you tell me, how is New Brown different to Old Brown? Nowadays it is all numbers and plastic spools, which is not quite the same. Shame. But occasionally, if I'm lucky, I can find the odd spool or two at a charity shop. Then it will find a new home in my vintage tin where it's name will be pondered on and it's label admired!

Reasons to be cheerful - new logs

...our freshly stacked (or should I say heaped!) log pile. All fragrant and ready to use.

To ease me into the new term I am shamefully copying other bloggers, and am going to do a few posts sharing some of my favourite things. We had a delivery of logs yesterday - and the thought of that first fire of the season had me smiling all day.

Readers of this blog will know just how much I love our open fire. I love everything about it, laying it, cleaning it, bringing in logs, collecting kindling. Everything. And the cheerful sound of it crackling away when I first light it soothes my soul and calms my spirit.

Ahh..roll on autumn.

Merry & Bright - not!

Merry and bright....me..now..no blooming way! I have just settled down to blog about my new Christmas book when I have just been told some awful news. I should really wait  to calm down before I write this post but I want my blog to reflect the 'real' me and the 'real' me is so upset at this precise moment. You see I have just found out that my beloved Anna Raeburn has left the London radio station that I only recently found her on. Ahhhh! Anyone who knows me will know how at every available moment (car, sewing, walking, crocheting, dozing, cooking, ironing, gardening) I listen to Anna on her 2 hour afternoon show. How do I listen to a London show all the way down in Devon; the magic of Podcasting! I used to listen to Anna (who advises people on their problems) many years ago and suddenly she went off radar for years only to be rediscovered by me last November - she was back. Oh the joy!

If anyone asked me what was one of my highlights of 2006, finding Anna again was at the top of the list. I found that I could download her shows onto my ipod (and there are about 400 old shows) for a small fee and that was that. I am slowly working my way through them all. Perfect. I love radio shows that have the public ringing in to contribute because I love people and am always so curious (some could say nosy!!) about how people tick. Anna fulfilled this and so much more. She is such a wonderful woman, soft but takes no nonsense, and so wise. My ipod is so full,  I can only download a few at a time. But that was the pleasure, knowing there were so many pleasurable hours of listening to catch up on. And now she has left..no one can tell me why. I am worried that they may remove the archives that I so love.

So there you have it, my first week at school which has been very tiring and trying with 29 new 4 year olds, quite a few headaches and now no Anna. What a bummer! I'm sorry, I so wanted to be merry and bright..

My new book is from the US Country Living magazine but is able to be bought at the UK Amazon ISBN -13:978-1-58816-636-4. It is giving me many excitable moments while I'm scanning the magazine racks for anything remotely Christmassy. Hopefully not long to wait..

There is definitely one thing I am adding to my Christmas list this year - a bigger ipod! I will now have to download all the Anna podcasts, just in case. Umm...really like that cool little red ipod nano... we'll see! And if by a miracle Anna may come across this little blog, thank you, I hope you are OK and I'm missing you already..