Posy

At the moment..

At the moment, I'm...

 - loving & celebrating  in the last 4 weeks, my sweet husband turning 50 and our 26th Wedding Anniversary. 

At the moment, I'm..

- missing our lovely Lucy who is now at University studying medicine a long way away...but is very happy (phew!)

At the moment, I'm..

- very disappointed at Coldplay's new album Mylo Xyloto and shouldn't really stay up late and take photos of myself with Chris like a teenager, when everyone else has gone to bed. Wish they would forget the expensive producers etc and go back to what they used to be like. Ring me Chris!

(image Cath Kidston)

At the moment, I'm..

- anticipating putting the above duvet and pillowcases (not the spotty ones though) on our bed on Christmas Eve. Sooo excited!! Sooooooo gorgeous. I've got to repaint our bedroom floor first though. Cath has made me have serious wanties this autumn in the bedlinen department. Bad Cath.

- delighted to be wearing my Dr Martens Triumph boots again, and this winter I have a brown pair too. So one day it's the brown and the next it's the black. I wear nothing else. Er, well I do wear dresses and jeans too!

- so happy it's my favourite time of year. The Christmas magazines are out, the leaves are the most wonderful colours, the smell of woodsmoke is in the air, the evenings are drawing in and everything is cosy. 

- secretly confessing that I have already played some Christmas music and am loving it.

- touched by your concern by my long blog absence. I am fine but needed (and still need I think) to have a break from blogging. At the beginning of January I will have been blogging for 6 years - 6 years (!!) and I feel I have lost my blogging voice a bit. What can I say that I haven't said before? I don't live an exciting life and do anything different really from year to year. I don't want to give up completely so will keep on and just hope my mo-jo comes back! I may be just not as regular as I used to be. Thank you though for your patience and kindness. xxxxx

Like father like..er.. son

Watching the New Zealand rugby.

What I like to call my own small Christmas miracles

:: Miracle one ::

Redwings
Blackbirds
Sparrows
Great Tits
Chaffinches
A Blackcap
A Wren
A flock of Long-tailed Tits
A Thrush
A Robin 
Blue Tits
And a cheeky Pigeon or 2

This list of birds are not the birds visiting my father's bird table/feeders or my Aunt Madelyn's, or even my neighbours. Oh no. These are MY birds!! All mine. I'VE GOT BIRDS PEOPLE!  I'VE GOT BIRDS!! Oh I love my birds.
In case you are new to reading this blog I have spent years (it feels like years) trying to entice birds into my bird-free garden. Read more here, and here. This summer the birds have been non-existent - even my only visitors to my feeders - the 3 or 4 Sparrows - have gone elsewhere. But during this really cold snap my little garden has been full of them. So full in fact, I've had to make 2 trips to the garden centre to buy different foods and more feeders. Yay! Well.. you know me and my 'thing' about feeders...

Let me talk feeders..pleeeeese. I've now have ..er..8! Well in my defence different birds need different feeders, though I have doubled up with quite a few! Hee hee. The family have a glazed over look now though I must say Anth is quite keen and is often found watching the feeders with interest. I even have a pair of cheap binoculars on our bedroom window sill (sad, I'm told). The birds seem to favour one feeder in particular - is that normal?  It's the one with the seed tray catcher where they can sit on. I bought one exactly the same but they don't really use it! What's with that?
I have also bought a Nyjer seed feeder (even though I'm not expecting any Goldfinches anytime) for my Chaffinches but they haven't tried any. Does anyone know if Chaffinches eat Nyjer seeds?
Anyway, I tried so hard to get a photo with the variety of birds in it but failed, but did manage to get 3 Long-tailed Tits

I found it hard returning to work this week as it has been dark when I leave the house and it has been dark when I have gotten home so I have not seen them. I have though, when ringing Lucy during the day, asked who was on the feeders. I got a double 'sad' for that...! I'm very excited though and if you have any tips please let me know. We can be sad together!

:: Miracle two ::
A Love Story 

A few weeks ago I fell in love with a velvet coat. Not just any velvet coat. The deepest glossy purple velvet coat that I likened to the purple velvet petals of a pansy. Over the last few weeks every time I went into Marks & Spencer I would try on this coat and stroke it's soft folds. Even inside, the label had lace around it. But. And it was a big but..it was far too much money I felt to spend on a coat..even a velvet purple pansy one. So, I would visit it, and when I did I noticed to my surprise that the rail of coats was fast disappearing. Then a week before Christmas when I was in M&S buying gloves and tights I went to visit my purple friend and couldn't find any. Gulp. Surely they can't be all gone already and I hadn't said goodbye. No, there were just 2 hiding at the end of a rail. I tried it on for the last time.
Two days before Christmas at 7am, Anth and I went to M&S to pick up our turkey.
"Ooh, Anth let me show you the coat!" We head towards the clothes section, Anth is not at all interested which is usual. I search and search. Only one size 20 left. The last one in my size has gone. Anth wanted to get on with the grocery shopping, he didn't really look at the coat.
Christmas Day I found a squashy present under our tree. I usually know exactly what I'm having for Christmas because I guess. I opened this one and saw a purple sleeve. I screamed. There were tears.
My darling husband went to M&S early one morning before work to buy the coat, before he had even seen it! I had only described it to him. I still can't quite believe it. He's never done anything like that before.

The family say it looks like Elton John's stage wear as it is rich and glossy and well...velvet..but I love it and I will be wearing during the day even though it's probably an evening coat. It will come to the supermarket with me, to school, on my charity shop runs. Everywhere. Because it reminds me how much my husband can surprise me and loves me.
Just don't shout "Elton" at me if you see me!

twenty five

Today is our silver wedding anniversary. Yes, 25 years ago we were married in the church just down the hill and 10 days later we flew off to start our married life in New Zealand.
It was a very small wedding (only 25 people) - very last minute as we were originally going to wait until we returned from New Zealand to marry but we didn't want to wait any longer. After all I had been waiting to marry him all my life.
We had no money. I had a hired dress, found only days before and 2 wisdom teeth taken out less than a week before the big day! The most important thing was that I wanted to be Anth's wife..hired dresses (however awful it looks now with it's hoop petticoat!) and chipmunk cheeks weren't really the issue. Well fortunately chipmunk cheeks didn't actually appear..phew!
We are 25 years into our journey together and I've loved every minute of it - the good and not so good. Today we are spending the day together, a night in a hotel and a meal in a posh restaurant.
All this and me wearing a Cath Kidston dress too..! 

 

 

The Good ~ day 5

My scrumptious love

If I could..I would
breathe him in
and frequently try to.

LOVE

 Last week I discovered a new song - well new to me. They played it on Radio Devon during the morning and as I was lying in bed (where else would I be these days..I'm either on the sofa or in our bed!) my ears pricked up and I stopped what I was doing (which was actually nothing..) and turned the volume up. It is a simple love song. Uncomplicated; a little different; truthful; meaningful; wise and honest. In fact just like my sweet love, Anty. 

My Dearest Lovely Man,

Happy Valentine's Day!

I thought of you when I heard this song.

I love you

four and twenty years ago

Today, four and twenty years ago I started my married life with Anthony - at around 3.15pm to be exact. We spent yesterday smiling at each other and every now and then saying, "Can you believe it's almost been 24 years?" I can, but then I can't. Sometimes it only feels like yesterday and other times it seems a lifetime ago that days after our wedding we flew to New Zealand to live there indefinitely. I was 21 and Anth was 23 - that seems so young now but I knew the moment I saw him that he was 'the one' so that made all those life changing decisions so much easier.
So I'm just going to take a little time here to show him how much I appreciate him as I haven't bought him a card (oops) - so 24 years of marriage call for 24 thank yous I think.. 

1. Thank you for our 3 wonderful children.
2. Thank you for providing us with our cosy home.
3. Thank you for letting me decorate said cosy home however I want.
4. Thank you for smiling when you read my blog.
5. Thank you, again, for living with such floral goodness.
6. Thank you for letting Lucy and I dominate the TV.
7. Thank you for accepting the fact that I don't drink alcohol and can't share a bottle of wine with you.
8. Thank you for letting me take up the sitting room carpet (only one week to go -yippee!)
9. Thank you for letting me have an iphone and you make do with a 'normal' phone.
10. Thank you for always sleeping on the right side of the bed.
11. Thank you for living in the UK.
12. Thank you for doing the dishes most days.
13. Thank you for having a faith.
14. Thank you for being such fine example to our children.
15. Thank you for never getting grumpy about me ringing you up at least twice a day to tell you I love you.
16. Thank you for being the best husband in the world.
17. Thank you for making me so proud of you.
18. Thank you for tidying after me.
19. Thank you for being the best kisser in the entire universe.
20. Thank you for getting more handsome each passing day.
21. Thank you for making my life special and happy.
22. Thank you for making dinner because you know I hate it.
23. Thank you for driving at night.
24. Thank you for completing me.

Happy Anniversary darling...

Date Night

Wednesday evening. The most wonderful man in the world.. and me. One of best views in town.

A stroll and when the light began to fade

it was into the nearest hotel for a spot of tea and crochet. How wild is that. Not.
But I wouldn't want it any other way.

A shirt too far

 

Well, I think the day has finally come when I have found something that my sweet Anth has actually has rejected. Yup, the pink shirt with blue polka dots cannot be persuaded to join the other flowery beauties in his wardrobe: and I cannot understand why! It is made by Van Heusen who makes business shirts for men so despite Anth (and, if I'm honest, me too) having serious doubts that it was ever destined to be worn by a man; I think it must. What do you think? I have tried looking at the buttons to see what side they are on but that hasn't helped because I can't remember what side a man's buttons are!

I was hoping you might persuade him ever-so-gently to try it on just so we can see if it really is for a man. He might do it if you ask!

And if he won't? Well, either I'll wear it or it will be used for a sewing project, but I think all is not lost yet as it is sitting in the ever-growing ironing pile. 

I only wish I could make up my mind if it's for a man or a woman!

.."ahh but I've got pork in my briefcase, Jane."

That has to be the 'quote of the week' for me - no, quite probably the month! These words were uttered to me late yesterday afternoon by Anth and the moment he said them I knew that I had to share them with you. I'm still laughing at his reply, and wish that you could hear how he said the words in his sweet New-Zealandy-accent-sort-of-way.

It all started about 2 weeks ago when Anth became inspired by Jamie Oliver (the British chef)  and decided he wanted to buy this book and do some recipes from it.

 

[note the grotty, brown cabinet it is sitting on - but more about that soon.]

I certainly wasn't complaining given my total aversion to spending time in the kitchen. So his Jamie journey began.

 

I photocopied the page at his request where it  lists all of the essential store cupboard ingredients and he ticked the ones we needed to get.  He is gradually working through each recipe - we had Pasta Week last week and this week it is Meat week.

 

It has been so lovely for me not to have to cook (the best gift you could give me). Well, it isn't actually just the cooking is it? It's the thinking of a meal that most of the family will like and doesn't cost too much; shopping for it; bringing it home; putting it away; preparing it; cooking it and then washing up after it. He has been making some lovely things but the kitchen looks like a bomb has hit it afterwards much to the dismay of whoever's turn it is to do the dishes.

So, we came to yesterday afternoon. He had had a busy day and wasn't going to get home until 7.30pm.

"Look Anty, I don't expect you to cook tonight, that's just ridiculous, I'll do it (thinking I've got some buy-one-get-one-free, frozen fishy things..(yeah, I push out the boat don't I?!)

"..ahh but I have got some pork in my briefcase, Jane"

Well, apart from roaring with laughter I was lost for words for a minute.

"How have you got pork in your briefcase?" I enquired.

He had actually done the very thing I often point out to him about working mothers. He had gone grocery shopping in his lunch break. Most mothers I know will use that time to run errands for their families and yesterday, he had joined their ranks. I love that man.

So what happened last night? I duly shoved my frozen fishy things and some frozen chips into the oven and went off to pot up another Geum, hoover the sitting room and water the garden and play a quick game of  'Flight Control'  (my new obsession - it's absolutely fantastic! My top score is 62!! How that happened I don't know as I can't get above 32 now.) on my iphone.

When I returned to the kitchen most of the chips were so brown and crunchy they were inedible. I tried to cover them with peas and the fishy things which had shrunk to the size of a small Mars Bar. Perhaps the pork in his briefcase would have been a better option after all!

:Anthony Week: Day 7: 'Anth, the meercat makes an entrance...'

  

Dear gorgeous blog-ladies (that should get your attention!),

Firstly, thank you so much for the time you take to comment on Janie's postings. She is always so, so thrilled to hear from each and everyone of you and it spurs her on to keep writing.

Secondly, what you read and how she comes across is really the Janie you think she is. She's as lovely and sweet and wonderful as you think she is. I'm totally blessed and being her husband for nearly 25 years has been a privilege beyond description.

Anyway, I thought you might like to hear the ramblings of the other, less prettier half, of 'Posy'. You can see her sweet little nose underneath my Desperate Dan chin in this photo!

By the way, this post is dedicated to all my male friends, those partners of all you regular visitors to the 'Posy' blog.

You'll no doubt wonder how 'Posy's' other half puts up with all the flowers, lacy-frills, vintage florals, shabby chic, car-boot bought bric-a-brac and feminine touches adorning our house.

Well my friends, let me let you into a little secret that will lighten your spirit and fill you with glad tidings, which if embraced, will enhance your relationship and earn you brownie points only found in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory!

I have learned a lot in my 23 years of married bliss and I have been converted from a rather unstylish, ignorant and quite plain person, to someone who, with a love of art, has a much greater appreciation courtesy, of Mrs 'Posy', to the wonderful array of colours, textures, materials, shapes, patterns and designs that have crossed the threshold of our home over time memorial...that and a humongous and regular helping of regular rugby viewing, nights out with non-female friends at the pub and many hours of cycling the local picturesque country lanes listening to some seriously loud rock music.

Our success as a couple has always been about compromise, patience, oodles of humour, and always remembering to do the little romantic things that cost no more than devoting some time.

For those who have been asking, I originate from the beautiful country of New Zealand. It was my oldest sisters' travels abroad that inspired me to travel and when I was old enough I set off to backpack around Europe and eventually I ended up in Britain. Funnily enough my mum said to me in a mother to son 'chat' before I flew out: "You're not going to marry the first girl you meet, are you?" "Mother!", I exclaimed (a word I use that everyone in my family laughs at me using!!), "Of course not. I'm off to get some overseas experience and then I'll be back to settle down." That was in October 1983. I met Jane in April 1984 and it was love at first sight. She was the first girl I met - I've been apologising to her ever since..my mother that is. 

It's hard at times to not be close enough to get more regularly back home, and with elderly parents it's particularly frustrating not to be on hand to be able to help them more. Still, it means I get pampered and treated like the 'baby' of the family whenever I get back! This brings out the inner child in me,but hey, it wasn't my fault I was the last of 4 siblings.

Well, friends, it has been a pleasure 'meeting' you all in the land of blog.

Janie keeps saying it would be a big help to her if I dropped a post or two, so you never know you could see me back before too long!

:Anthony Week: Day 6: A letter

 

Thank you for living in this country, a world away from your own. I know it isn't easy. Thank you for living with my fripperies, and for never rolling your eyes (well not often) when I come home breathless with joy at finding yet another vintage treasure. Thank you for coping with my lack of culinary skills. Thank you for helping me be the best person I can be. Thank you for sleeping on floral sheets and for having a large Cath Kidston sticker on your car. Thank you for totally 'getting' my Chris Martin obsession and laughing at my silly ways. Thank you for turning the light out when I fall asleep (most nights) sitting up reading. Thank you for encouraging me in my faith and being so faithful in yours. Thank you for being a Meercat and being so friendly to everyone. Thank you for setting a good example to our children. Thank you for showing an interest in my blog and trying to remember who's who amongst my 'blog ladies.' Thank you for not shouting too loudly when you trip over a pile of magazines or discover that I forgot to wash your shirts because I was so engrossed in my crochet.

Thank you for all this and more; for giving me such a happy life.

You are so loved.

From your Janie xx

:Anthony Week: Day 5: His 'n' Hers

His side..

 

My side..

 

..need I say anymore.

:Anthony Week: Day 4: Doing a Meercat

 

(photo by Tim Knight) 

Until recently we didn't have a name for it, but we have lived with it for nearly 25 years. As we sat in the interval of Alice's school concert and watched Anth's back disappear into the crowd; Lucy rolled her eyes,turned to me and said, "He's such a Meercat!"

She didn't need to explain, I knew exactly what she meant and it produced howls of laughter. Her father is indeed a Meercat. You see he cannot enter any gathering of people without his head popping up, it turns from side to side looking for anyone he remotely recognises to go and talk to. And off he goes leaving me alone or trailing about after. He just loves to socialise and meet people so now we call it 'doing a Meercat' and even he laughs at that description. Love him.

Although on occasion his warm friendliness has been a tad embarrassing and it seems to be poor old Lucy who is the victim. She has never forgotten the time  during a discussion with her headmistress he called her by the wrong first name no less than 3 times. She was of an era that you would have addressed her by her title (i.e Mrs ...) certainly not by her first name - and someone else's at that!

But for Lucy, the event that happened last week will not be forgotten in a hurry. She has a part-time job at a small library near here and as she sat working on the computer she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around she saw a pair of black lycra-clad legs.

 

It was Anth. He had gone for a cycle ride and decided to pop into the library to see her. The lycra dungarees are tight. Very tight. The florescent jacket is short and very bright. It would have been alright if no-one had spotted him but it was too late. Lucy's colleagues were very pleased to meet him and her boss took him around to be introduced to everyone in the building. Yes everyone.

"Not wearing those leggings, surely?" I pleaded when the story was being relayed to me.

"Oh it was alright," said Anth, "I covered the embarrassing bits with my helmet!"

Enough said. But although we may tease him for his affable ways; it is because of them that we met and I am very proud of him, and honored to be his wife.

 Even if he has to walk around with a helmet held to his groin..

:Anthony Week: Day 3: Love notes in my sandwiches

 

Can you picture the scene. It's lunch time at school on Thursday. I burst into the staff room, usually later than most. Plonk myself down on the nearest available chair and unwrap my sandwiches. And there it is, a small hand written note placed on my sandwich. The sandwich lovingly made for me that morning by my husband.

I smile. Eat my sandwich then go off to phone him. I think I ring him about 3 or 4 times during the day and then there's the odd text! I feel sorry for the poor ladies in his office who have to take a message if he is not there. But hey, I love to hear his voice and need to tell him that he's appreciated, loved and that I think I'm the luckiest woman alive - I really do. 

Talking about love notes, we are a bit of a 'love note' family. I used to put them in the children's lunch boxes or suitcases if they were away from home. ..Used to.. Oh goodness, I don't think I've done that for a while now. Oh my. . It has slowly turned more to texting, but receiving a text maybe great it isn't quite the same as that unexpected hand written note in familiar writing that can be held in your hand, re-read and then put safely away with all the rest: waiting for that moment in the future when you re-discover it. Smile. And savour the memory.

:Anthony Week: Day 2 - Being macho

 

"Stop!!" I shouted. "That would make a wonderful photo."

"What are you talking about? What photo?"

"You eating your manly Bombay Mix from one of our flowery, vintage tins; dressed in dirty-log-moving clothes and wearing the  'I love beer' badge I bought you for Christmas."

"Hurry up then because you're blocking my view of the rugby.."

Now there's a man who knows what he wants..

:Anthony Week: Day 1: Who's that sleeping in my bed?

            

Late last night, long after Anthony had retired early to bed with a headache;  I tiptoed into our bedroom and was greeted with this sight. If you look closely you will see that another lady had taken my place - and a thinner one at that!

Now, he hadn't put Mary#2 in the bed next to him as that would be a little odd wouldn't it?  No it was me in my usual mad rush that morning.  I had moved her to get in to my jewelery.. (umm is it a box or a cabinet?) and hadn't put her back. So there she lay nestled on my pillow, next to my husband. My lovely, hard-working, headachy, exhausted husband.

Though looking at his sweet face I'm sure that there's a trace of a smile - so perhaps Mary had worked some magic in my absence. And yes, upon waking his headache had gone. Hmm, wonder if that would work for me..

Back tomorrow with some more Anthy love.