One Photo and Twenty words

Such a small photo for something big. Introducing Mr & Mrs B by a proud Mum and Mother in Law

With many thanks to Abi over a Creating Paper Dreams.

Wendy xx

My first ‘simply a moment’

Simply A Moment - a chance to pause, connect with our outer and inner worlds and to share in some way, whether through a photo and a few words, a longer piece of journaling, a drawing ... limited only by your imagination!

Those words belong to Alexa over at Trimming the Sails. A regular slot on the 15th of each month I think, I have often had a peek at some of the posts but never joined in. A couple of weeks ago I felt myself inclined to jot down my thoughts one morning whilst sat drinking coffee in the kitchen. I’d forgotten about them and really should have typed them up and posted well before now as they are now a little out of date. Not wanting to lose them though I’ve decided to just throw them into the mix – hopefully its something I can start to join in on a regular basis. Perhaps on time even!! For now though I’ll post it now and then link up to the next one.

Monday 30th September - It’s gone quiet, almost silent. The banging that’s still ringing in my ears has stopped. So too has the voice – a telephone call, he stepped out the front to take it but he has a large booming voice and so I could still hear it. I can hear ladders being manoeuvred out there now but I presume that’s the neighbours getting ready for their day – they’re window cleaners. Footsteps, he’s returned, just finishing up the sweeping he was part way through when the phone rang. It will be lovely when its done – a few hours time maybe? A whooshing noise now – my phone. That’ll be one of my children ‘whatsapping’ me. Yes it’s Grumpy – can’t ignore Grumpy, she only went away to uni a little over a week ago and I miss her – even more than I was expecting actually. I reply to her straight away. She’s bumped her recently pierced nose in the night, lots of pain and a slightly swollen nose now. We have a little ‘conversation’ about it and then she moves on with her day. I’m finding it a little difficult not knowing ALL about her days anymore. I use Instagram and Facebook to gather snippets – usually in the form of photos – but I feel a little like a stalker at times. It’ll lessen, I know it will – she’s not the first of my children to go off to uni. I suddenly remember she needs to make a phone call so I send her a message. I get a ‘I know’ back so I just send kisses and close down the conversation. A little banging has started up again, not as much as earlier. I think it will just be occasional now, and then I hear the sawing out front – oh yes I’d forgotten about that , there will be quite a lot of that today. It’ll be worth it though, a lovely new hall floor, hmm radiators – still not sorted those. I’d better get onto that now – I’ll just finish my coffee first.

Light reflected in my coffee cup

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment

Wendy

Take a peek into my hallway

Whilst my paper crafting is still very much on the back burner I love the creative feeling from completely revamping a room and so I thought I’d share with you our latest revamp.  The hall, stairs and landing were long overdue some tlc and so whilst we were away on holiday we took the plunge. Half a wall was removed on the landing, giving us a much more open balcony landing. The whole kit and kaboodle was then re plastered from top to toe. Next came the decorating and we chose two paints from B&Q colours range, Grey Hints for most of the walls and Grey Slate to act as a feature wall.

It’s not completely finished yet but most of it is done. I busied myself with the Annie Sloan paint again on a purchase from eBay for the landing and, although it didn’t turn out quite as good as the chest of drawers in the hall, that’s more down to the style of furniture than anything else I think. The wooden flooring carries on through from the lounge and there’s a rug made from the leftover carpet. As you can see, Mad dog has already taken a liking to that particular spot.

I’ve added a couple of hooks to the one side of the chest of drawers so that my handbag and the occasional jacket can be neatly stowed and, when the flowers have keeled over, there’s a wire ‘in’ tray that stores our daily post quite nicely. Just lately I can often be found sitting on the stairs in one place or another. I love the feel of the wool carpet and the padding of the underlay makes it feel really rather luxurious. This is also the best place to view my anniversary present from T’hubby, it’s a painting by the very talented Kerry Darlington and although this particular painting wouldn't have been my first choice (and yes there is a tale to tell there) it is growing on me all the time.

I’m also loving the old school map of the British Isles that’s actually a sheet of wrapping paper from the British Museum fitting perfectly into an Ikea frame. The globe, lamp, deer head and the little key dish are finds from one of my favourite stores – Tk Maxx, and I think that pretty much rounds it up.

So, I’ve a few more bits to do (we still need new radiators and lights) but I’m really pleased with how it now feels and I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a peek. Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

Last to jump on the bandwagon …….

The Annie Sloan paint wagon that is. I’ve lurked in the background for a while now, wondering if it really was as good as it claimed to be. When I recently searched again and couldn’t find a bad word said about it, I took the plunge.

Our hall stairs and landing are long overdue a revamp. First up the artex and pine had to go and so the whole space was re-plastered.  Then came the decorating which has now thankfully been finished. Which just leaves the hall floor (wood to be laid) the stair carpet (a runner to be found) and carpet for the landing. We’re also still in need of new lights and window dressing but hey we’re heading in the right direction.

An old pine chest of drawers has stood in the hall forever, but it is useful for housing all manner of things from warm scarves and mittens to lost and found knick knacks that we seem to have a constant supply of. I’d found something in Ikea that I quite liked the look of but at £250 I thought it might be worth my while to attempt a revamp instead. True to form (well my form anyway) I forgot to take complete ‘before’ photo so its a sort of half way through but I think you’ll get the picture.

This paint is wonderful. I did zero prep and it really went on like a dream and dried quickly. I applied one straight from the tin coat of ‘Florence’ followed by a watered down coat when that was dry. I then applied clear wax all over, removing the excess with a cloth and ta da …. the finished product.

I so enjoyed it and its so easy and quick to achieve a nice result that I’m itching to do more.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

Hovel cake

T'hubby surprised me on my recent birthday with a cake of The Hovel. How fantastic is this.

I must admit I'm thinking that posts from my phone only work when they're small and you're happy with just one photo at the bottom.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment. It would be lovely to hear from folks again.

Wendy xx

Antwerp

A quick trial of blogging from my phone. I'm bound to dislike the font but hey ho.

For now I'll just share a few shots of a recent trip to Antwerp.

Thanks for dropping by

Wendy xx

Hello Monday

Well hello to another week and the realisation that I’ve not posted since the last Hello Monday – I must get better at that.

• Hello to a temporary working girl, Tattyhead is doing work experience this week in our nearest Debenhams store and went off to work this morning looking very grown up.
• Hello to Grumpy’s new job, her words not mine – Her bid for head girl was successful and she’s off with the rest of the newly formed team (deputies and ambassadors) going through a lively ‘storming’ phase that I listen very dutifully to her account of each day.
• Hello to visitors later in the week, one night here then we’re off to The Hovel with them for a weekend of eating drinking and chatting – lovely.
• Hello to ordering sun cream, insect repellent and Euros, yay bring it on.
• Hello to the ‘Next sale’ parcels arriving bit by bit. Of course the things I want for our hols won’t arrive before we go but hey ho.
• Hello to having a go at making a skirt from a sundress later in the week.
• Hello to this view, well soon anyway, I just cannot wait can you tell?

That’s pretty much my week ahead, what’s planned for your?

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, its lovely to hear from you.

Wendy xx

Hello Monday

Completely and utterly inspired by Alison’s post here (she also links back to her inspiration too) these are the things I'm saying Hello to this week.

• Hello 17 – Grumpy has her birthday on Wednesday and yay, she’s at home for the day so that will be nice.
• Hello panic stations – Grumpy again, interview for Head Girl and ever the drama queen has gone into overdrive.
• Hello holiday packing – don’t really need to do it just yet but yay yay yay, three weeks time we’ll be in warm sunshine, what a change that will make.
• Hello to the orthodontist, again – seems like we’ve making this trip for ever, first with Grumpy and now on-going with Tattyhead.
• Hello to The Old Vic, London – Thursday night theatre trip with dinner at The Bangalore Express. A lastminute.com cheapie – I’ll report back.
• Hello to the V&A and Hyde Park – two things I intend to do whilst in London Thursday/Friday
• Hello to MaMere – very kindly dog sitting.
• Hello to the odd photo – just because I can (and also because I have this hang up about posting without one lol)

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

Instagram 365 (tennis spoiler at the bottom)

Somehow it had passed me by for a little while but no longer, I have discovered Instagram – yay.  I thought I might try it out by focussing upon a 365 theme with the hope that I can turn it into a piece of art for the wall next year.  I’ve started on the 30th June, odd you may think, but that's when I downloaded Instagram and, because of the topic on that June day, I didn’t want to leave it out.  Now I love capturing the day to day in photographic form but sometimes I need more than just photos to encompass my day so I thought I’d share here on my blog too where I can add words to my hearts content. Perhaps, just perhaps its a Blurb book in the making as well as wall art.

The Olympic flame was due to pass by not far from home and given that this was as close as we were ever likely to get to it, we decided to pop along and have a look.  I was expecting an anti climax but it turned out to be quite a pleasant little outing. I understand that The Wanted were in one of the coaches that passed us by but if they were I didn’t spot them. Its great to have the photo above, we don't have many of all the girlies (with the exception of one cousin) but this entry wouldn’t be complete without the flame itself would it.

I don’t know the name of the lady that carried it at this point but I’m sure she won’t mind being included here given the number of photos that were probably taken of her.

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The weather this summer has been atrocious apart from a few days back in May. None the less Maisy still gets to be taken for walkies by Tattyhead and The Footballer (Tattyheads boyfriend). Can you spot T’hubbys new (old) car in the background.

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Sometimes you just forget to take a photo until its bedtime lol. Given a little twist by using the Paper Camera app. I wonder how many more of my bedroom will feature?

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Lunch with an old friend Tracey who flatly refused to have her photo taken. The teapot doesn’t tell the full story of course, we’d chatted, eaten, chatted some more, partaken of a little alcohol and were onto the tea and coffee when this was taken.

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Quarter finals day at Wimbledon. Andy Murray, fantastic match. Murray played very well indeed and went on to win against David Ferrer, who gave a fabulous account of himself too. I love the selective blurring of this app.

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A busy day at home, early evening awards ceremony where Grumpy received a much deserved excellence award. A quick curry and then a dash to The Hovel, arriving after 11pm. Electric blanket on (and its July!!) car unloaded, hot drink made and off to bed with it.

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Semi finals day at Wimbledon. We have no TV at The Hovel and so the radio is stood in the window in order to get the best signal possible. Federer went through in fine form against Djokovik to make his record 8th final appearance, and then onto Murray versus Jo Wilfred Tsonga. Gosh he (Murray) was like a steam train and took the first two sets very quickly indeed. Tsonga suddenly starting playing like only he can in the third set – game on and the third set to Tsonga. In the background another Brit Johnny Marray is through to the Mens Doubles final with partner Nielson. Gosh, if Murray makes it he’ll be the first Brit into the Mens Singles final for 74 years! Fourth set and Murray breaks Tsongas serve in the 4th game. Tsonga desperately tries to break back immediately – and he does it. Tsongas serve and they’re all level again.

4 games to 3 Murray,Tsonga to serve   ... ... ...   0:15  ...  0:30   ...  15:30   ...  15:40  ...   2 break points for Murray ... 30:40 ... Deuce  ...  Advantage Tsonga  ...  Game Tsonga.

4 games all and Murrays serve – he loses the first point, takes the second and loses the third ... ...  15:40. First break point saved, second break point saved. Advantage Murray  ...  Game Murray.

5 games to 4 Murray, Tsonga to serve  ...  ...  ...  15:0  ...  30:0  ...  40:0  ...  40:15  ...  Tsonga wins

5 games all Murray to serve  ...  ...  ...  15:0  ...  15:15 after a double fault Murray  ...  15:30  ...  30 all  ...   40:30  ...  Game Murray

6 games to 5 for Murray, Tsonga to serve  ...  ...  ...  0:15  ...  0:30  ...  15:30  ...  15:40  ...  2 match points for Murray  ...  Hawk eye is needed but its in

Murray wins, he's through to the final

Phew, I need to go lie down now, I’m not even a tennis fan lol

Wendy xx

Crate expectations

Over on Pinterest I have a wonderful little collection of ideas for recycling pallets and crates, at one point I think it was becoming an obsession! Until recently that's all its been, an obsession - oops I mean a collection of ideas. And then I found Matey in Welshpool. You must forgive me, they all get called Matey by t'hubby and it can be rather confusing but that's off topic - Matey in Welshpool is a wood craftsman who has just made us some new windows for The Hovel but who also has a shed load of crates, quite literally. Ta da, oh how I drooled when I spotted them, oh the ideas that flew around my mind tumbling over each other in their haste to land uppermost. Somehow I managed to convince t'hubby that buying three was a good idea, my intention being to create some wall storage in the kitchen. Two were to be hung on the wall and the third would provide the wood needed for shelves inside the other two.  At £15 for the three of them I was well pleased. These were no ordinary crates, they're  bigger than your usual fruit crates and I did secretly suspect that they'd be too big for their stated purpose. I wasn't worried about that though, I knew I had a mountain of ideas.

Back at The Hovel they were indeed too large to be hung on the wall, they were actually rather heavy, but they were also the perfect height to act as benches around the kitchen table. Voila it would seem. Whilst moving around, giving them a quick spruce up etc, I had them stacked for a little while and of course I remembered that they looked fantastic as bookcases too. Sucker. In all I made two further trips and bought four more crates. I used two in the bedroom in my little corner to create a bookcase/display stand and the rest make up the new kitchen benches. I'm not intending to paint them, I may later on make some cushion pads for them but for now they're actually quite comfortable as they are (we did have to remove a few nails first).

I am so very pleased that I have finally acted upon at least one of these ideas that whizz around my head. And the downside? Oh dear, I did have to buy a new table as the old round one didn't quite cut it but hey, at least my benches were cheap!

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

PS, breaking news, I’ve spotted yet another fab idea and will be buying one more crate next visit, I’m on a roll see.

Wendy xx

Story telling Sunday – Chatterbox and Giggles

Today I have a little story to tell,  its bought to you as part of Sian’s Story Telling Sunday. This is the first time I’ve managed to join in but plenty of others play each month and so there are lots of tales out there just waiting to be read, please take a look at the others which you can find links to from here.

When The Boy B was still very little, we’re talking in excess of twenty years ago, I myself was still only a strip of a thing. I’d always been thin, yes I’d managed to put weight on whilst pregnant but it had disappeared again as soon as I was back on my feet. I’d always hated being thin and had endured some horrible name calling in my time but post pregnancy I guess I was now ok with it.

Ok with it? Actually looking at this photo now I think I should have just got on and ‘enjoyed’ it.

At the same point in time, The Boy B was a prolific talker and would happily chatter away as we went about our daily business. There were a few hairy moments when he used words that he couldn’t quite say right and it sounded for all the world like he was saying very bad swear words but I’d smile sweetly and explain that he couldn’t say his ‘l’s’ right as he pointed to something that had caught his eye and tried to say “look,look”. His chattering continued as his speech refined and his lovely clear voice could be heard for some distance as we meandered along.

One day The Boy B and I were shopping in town. I spotted something I liked in BHS and duly went into the changing rooms to try it on. Although a lot of the cubicles were occupied, it was quiet as we went in and, for once, The Boy B was also quiet as he sat there watching me undress – then he decided to speak – loudly and clearly he uttered these unforgettable words:

“Mommy, why haven’t you got very big boobies like all the others ladies”

My mouth dropped open as I looked at him and then I heard the giggles from the other cubicles. For long seconds there was silence in our cubicle as The Boy B and I stared at each other, and then I sniggered, and then he giggled and pretty soon we were laughing our socks off. Of course the downside of the decision to laugh with him rather than find a hole to swallow me was the fact that he thought it was great fun to repeat the exercise!

Do you know, to this day, I have no idea what I took in to try on, but I didn’t buy it. We walked out with our heads held high with the cubicle curtains twitching as we passed.

Thanks for taking the time to read my little story, don’t forget to pop over to the others too.

Wendy xx

Friendship

It never fails to amaze me when I meet up with really old friends just how easily the intervening years are stripped away and once again we're reduced to the giggling girls we were when we trained together more than thirty years ago  (and boy are there some tales to tell from those days - but I digress). I was all of sixteen when I first met these particular old friends and fresh out of school. So fresh in fact that I'd had my last exam on the Friday and had started work the following Monday, I couldn’t be any ‘fresher’ lol!  Pam and Christine were both older & wiser than I and had definitely seen more of life than I had, no slur on them I was just so innocent or was it naive, probably both. We worked in a completely female environment and although you could get the inevitable nastiness that so often happens in these cases, it was here that friendships were formed that became an intrinsic part of your life and that would truly stand the test of time.

Friendships that saw folk marry, have children, divorce. Friendships that saw Christmas parties, trips to Blackpool and Alton Towers. Friendships that experienced promotions AND redundancy and finally; friendships that saw folk from the wider group sadly pass away. Gradually over the years people move on, and I was perhaps one of the first to go. Our lives each going in very different directions and yet somehow never being THAT different to each others, but this you only realised when you finally manage to get back together.

We've not been brilliant at keeping in touch, we've met up perhaps a handful of times over the years and more frequently very recently. The thing that strikes me most each time is that it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how long since the last time. It doesn't matter that as one of us approaches 50, another is approaching 60 whilst the third (somewhere in between) has had both hips replaced! None of it matters and all of that giggling years ago, well, it could have been just yesterday. What truly wonderful gifts friendships are.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment if you’d like.

Disclaimer, this wonderful photo taken from Pinterest in no way is intended to represent anyone mentioned within this post lol, not yet anyway.

Wendy xx

Academia

As I mused the other day, contemplating what I might post about I received messages from two of my three children. One telling me how her maths exam had gone, the other telling me about a ‘published’ paper of his. Ah, the word - Academia:

The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece, which derives from the Athenian hero, Akademos. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning. The sacred space, dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, Athena, had formerly been an olive grove, hence the expression "the groves of Academe."

In these gardens, the philosopher Plato conversed with followers. Plato developed his sessions into a method of teaching philosophy and in 387 BCE, established what is known today as the Old Academy. By extension Academia has come to mean the cultural accumulation of knowledge, its development and transmission across generations and its practitioners and transmitters.

In the 17th century, British and French scholars used the term to describe types of institutions of higher learning.

Not a word I would ever expect to be using when referring to my family. I didn’t even do any A-Levels let alone attend University, in fact it was never even suggested. I’m clinging to the belief that this was due to it still being the province of those that could afford to go rather than the fact that I wasn’t capable lol. But somehow my children are in this space.

My eldest, The Boy B, was adamant he would NOT be going to ANY University. Sadly I have to admit that I didn’t really present any resistance to his decision, so strong was his voice. Suddenly though a girl changed all that and I found myself rushing off up North, touring the halls with potential students all a year younger the The Boy B so late had he left his monumental decision.

But he went and I can still remember the day he moved into student halls and how I felt as I left him there. I can remember his little face as he sat on his bed in his little room as if it were yesterday rather than nearly 7 years ago. I can still remember the girls saying goodbye to their big brother, the oldest smiling though her eyes were full of tears and the youngest wailing and sobbing all of the journey home in the car. He never came back. Oh, he visited often (and still does, so all is well) but he made a life up there with his girlfriend (soon to be wife) and I think they’ll continue to live in that area, and I’m glad – it suits them. What’s more he seems to be continuing with the Academia as following his degree (4 years) he started a 3 year KTP with a PhD to boot and is now slowly switching to lecturing so that at the end of the 3 years he hopes to become a lecturer. Bit odd for someone so set against going to Uni don’t you think.

Then we have Grumpy, DD1 on the left, determined to do even better than her big brother. She’s in the middle of her AS exams and is really trying as hard as she can to get good grades. She plans her revision so that focus is placed on the areas that need more attention and so that she can re-cap in a timely manner just before each exam. She worries about which subject to drop as she still can’t make her mind up about what she wants to study at Uni let alone what she wants to be ultimately - But the The Boy B has NEVER known what he wants to be so I tell her not to stress about that lol

Lastly we have Tattyhead, DD2 on the right, who wailed so much when we left her big brother all alone in that nasty place. Tattyhead will always do things her own way, and that may not coincide with what I might want but boy does she has a cast iron will. She’s year 10 and starts a few of her GCSE exams next week. Once again the rules have been changed and there will be NO re-sits allowed for the exams she takes now. Not that I advocate being able to re-sit endless times BUT she isn’t ready yet and I just hope it isn’t her undoing. She is revising (some) but I do worry that being the third she feels she has a lot to live up to and rather than being outwardly determined to do as well or better than the other two she’s setting the scene for doing the opposite. I don’t know how to counteract this, all I know is that she’s easily as bright, if not brighter, than the other two and she’s my baby. She too wants to go to University but has no idea to do what yet.

So come the summer we’ll be doing the rounds of Uni’s (at the right time) for Grumpy and then once again two years later. Hopefully by the time Grumpy goes The Boy B will be secured as a lecturer and then when Tattyhead goes all three will be safely ensconced within the world (or is that word) of Academia – fancy that!

Phew, is that (part 1) job done do you think? T’hubby and I will then sell up and run off while there’s no one home lol, only joking ……….  But then I do quite fancy Crete !!

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, it is lovely to hear from you.

Wendy xx

And we’re off

Hmm, well we’re possibly off. Long time no blog – no excuses, just life. I’m back because I do get the urge to capture ‘stuff’ and just writing into a journal doesn’t feel quite enough, I like to add photos at the very least. Although that said I did try out another method recently whilst we were away for a long weekend. I bought myself a Pogo on eBay and took it off on our little trip with me. It worked really well, apart from the fact it ran out of battery and I didn't have the charger with me, but lesson learnt there. Each evening I wrote up the day in my holiday journal and added my choice of photo printed straight from my phone. Fab, bit of a grungy/instamatic type thing going on but that suits me just fine.

Been at The Hovel a lot lately, gradually starting to get things updated and the way we want them. We’ve just had it completely re-wired and with that comes the inevitable patching up afterwards. We needed to hide the new consumer unit and the cupboard that had been there previously just wasn’t up to the job. We found a man fairly local to build us one to match the floor standing units we inherited. I chose a range of paints, china blue, to use for the kitchen/downstairs from the Little Greene paint and wallpaper company.  These have some lovely colours and fabulous wallpaper too, I’ll have to share some wall art made with samples from them at some point.

Using the lightest colour I managed to get it finished last weekend. I’d decided to do something a little different on the inside and so when I’d visited B&Q recently I raided their bargain paint shelf. I bought three pots that folk had had mixed as testers then not liked, all for 50p each – I think they’re 200 or 250ml each so there’s plenty there too.

         

The first has been used on the inside of our new wall cupboard and as we paint the old units I’ll use the others on the interior of those. I like the fact that all is serene and grown up on the outside and then as you open the cupboard there’s this loud injection of colour. At the very least it will detract from any untidy jumble one finds inside lol.  Last, but not least, I added a couple of pretty little knobs I had in my collection for the finishing touch. Voila, all done.

I think that’ll be all for now, lets see if I can visit again and report on the update to our stairs shall we – now who won’t be holding their breath lol. Just before I go though I’ll think I’ll share the tune that is currently blasting out as I type.

I hope it doesn’t play unless you want it to–Enjoy xx

Thanks to anyone that does drop by and please feel free to leave me a comment if you’d like.

Wendy xx

Good Mail Day

Yesterday I received a wonderful piece of mail art from the lovely Alison over at Life in the Slow Lane. I love the colours and the stamping on the envelope and even the postage stamps added to the overall colour combo – just lovely.

Inside I found a beautifully handmade notecard and a lovely fridge magnet quote. Thank you so much Alison, it really made my day.

In other news, I have signed up for Shimelle’s latest class.

Just how much I manage to get done remains to be seen but, as always with Shimelle’s classes the pdf’s are all available long afterwards. Now I just need to get myself organised and get stuck in.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

Ten books awaiting

I always have a pile (or ten) of books waiting for me to get around to them, this is the pile that awaits me in the conservatory. From top to bottom then:

1) & 2) Junk Style and Comfortable Country – I love these little books. I can’t say that I have actually read them as such but they’re packed full of gorgeous photos that every so often I drool over.

3) Why does E=mc2? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw – Hmm, I think it was the sound of Brian Cox’s voice that sold me on this one but I’ve yet to get around to reading it.

4) Exit the Actress by Priya Parmar – I have actually already read this one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended by my favourite historical novelist and narrating the story of Nell Gwyn, the style was quite different I found but I really enjoyed it.

5) & 6) The Queens Man & Cruel as the Grave by Sharon Penman – This is my favourite historical novelist herself but these two are a departure from what I’ve read thus far in as much as they are historical mysteries. I’ll have to wait and see.

7) Lionheart by Sharon Penman – back to the format I love, this book is brand new as it has only just been published. Telling the story of Richard Lionheart it fits into the timeline of her other novels well and should be a fabulous read.

8) 52 weekends by the Sea by Brigid Nelson and Craig Easton – I first picked this up at the library and loved it, hence the purchase. Featuring the coastline of Britain it winds it way around the country highlighting 52 fantastic weekend destinations. With some yummy photography it has me drooling over many a destination.

9) Decorate by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick. Another brand new book, Holly Becker is the author of the very popular Decor8 blog and has applied her talents to this new book which I think came out in March. I’ve yet to dip into it, beyond a quick flick, but it promises to be a fantastic source.

10) Living Rooms – love this book and it has my lounge on the front cover. Ok well not exactly ‘my’ lounge but my plans for my lounge lol.

That’s all for now folks. I’ve been missing in action just lately, partly due to my disappointment over losing all the photos from my blog and partly due to ‘stuff’. You can see more 10 on the 10th over at Shimelle’s.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

Disaster

Just a very quick post to say that I have spotted that ALL of my photos on my posts have disappeared. I have re-instated the most recent but it going to take a fair bit of work to get them all back (in fact that may never happen). Please bear with me and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Sadly I think it’s all because of my new (replacement) phone!!

Thanks

Wendy xx

Mail Art Exchange

Yay my package arrived safely at its destination in Spain on Tuesday, which is actually the estimate the post office gave me when I sent it off on its merry little way. The recipient was Alison over at 'Life in the slow lane' and she seems to like it.

I’d decided to use a google map of the area Alison lives in Spain as with her address this was easy but I also wanted to use a page from an old road atlas I had stashed away for crafting purposes. This took a bit of detective work but I did track down a location prior to Spain and used that page as the basis for the front of the package.

Picture taken prior to posting so stamps were added but phew, they didn’t cover up anything critical.

The mail exchange was arranged by Ginger at ‘Gingers life of spice’ and the theme was ‘earth’. I decided to try and use as much recycled stuff as possible for my take on ‘earth’ and so the package itself was an old one, the map page on the front was old and the patterned papers I used were from my scrap box etc etc. I did have to use ink to print the google map on the back (which you can’t see here because I lost those photos when my phone took its dive) but I printed it onto paper from the scrap pile. Finally, the smiley earth was taken from the earth day campaign. I thoroughly enjoyed myself once I got going so thanks once again Ginger for arranging it all and roll on the next one.

What Alison very kindly didn’t tell folks in her post was that I had written a little note to pop in the package and of course, said little note was still sat on my desk AFTER the package had been securely taped. So Alison received a rather boring little white envelope too lol

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

I don’t believe it

You need to put on your best Victor Meldrew voice and re-read my title, that’s the clean version of what I yelled as my phone (the all singing, all dancing new one) leapt from the back pocket of my jeans and dived head first down the pan. Now, IF the last occupant of the bathroom had closed the toilet lid or IF I had been in any other room when my phone suddenly leapt into life I may not have uttered those words but they hadn’t and I wasn’t and I did so now my lovely new phone is kaput. I’ll not dwell on my sorry tale, I am insured and I still have a smidgen of hope that after a weekend of drying out it may end well – I know, I’m not holding my breath.

In other news I have crafted! All please take a moment whilst this news sinks in but I have. I can’t show you a photo because, you guessed it, it was on my phone. Actually I think I do have a copy on the laptop but I can’t show you anyway because it was my contribution to Gingers Mail Art Exchange and so I’ll not share until it has arrived safely at its destination. Ginger – thank you. I’m so glad you spotted I was back and contacted me before your deadline, it was wonderful to sit and craft again, although I did struggle a little for inspiration. I am determined though to get back into it.

As I can’t share my crafting at the moment I thought I’d share an odd little shot but one that shows another persons craft. Unfortunately I didn’t think to take a before shot and this is probably the oddest thing I have (publicly) enthused about but take a look at my pitch fork.

What about that then, and the spade too. Both of these items were inherited at the hovel and both had seen far better days. They were pitted, rusted and sporting stubby broken handles. A few weeks ago we happened across a market stall selling similar items and as we chatted it transpired that the owner ‘repaired’ these very implements. A few weeks and less than thirty pounds later and look at them now. I’ve never owned a pitch fork before lol.

But now I guess with that I’ll leave you. Thursday saw the Victor moment, Friday saw me obtain a wasp sting as I’ll climbed over a farm gate (you can imagine where can’t you) but I did get a better harvest from the two remaining potato tubs and Saturday, well lets just wait and see shall we – bring it on! Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Wendy xx

Under pinning?

After the really high winds over the last week or so we were slightly nervous about what we might find at The Hovel, especially given the number of large trees behind the property and most actually within reach of it! Thankfully, apart from the black bin wedged in the stream, there was nothing to report.

Our main aim this visit was to meet with the structural surveyor, queue ‘uh oh’ or similar cinematic effect please. Yes, after a year of owning the property we have now decided to consult an expert. Personally I would have done this way back, before we actually signed on the dotted line but t’hubby felt that there was every chance it would cause us enough concern that we would chicken out of buying it. Of course that was highly likely and because it had been love at first sight, especially for t’hubby – we went ahead.

It wasn’t long after it was ours that we started to notice the cracks. They weren't new, they’d been there all along it was just that the rose tinted spectacles had hidden them. Now The Hovel was built in 1768 and as it is still standing we didn’t think it would be disappearing down the hill in a hurry but, at some point in the distant future we (or our children, maybe even grandchildren) will want to sell. And so now we needed to know, so that we can take whatever measures may be deemed necessary. My thoughts up to this point have been that if drastic measures were required e.g. underpinning then we’ll take the opportunity to extend, sympathetically of course but to me it makes sense to take advantage of the situation. Lol, my one daft concern was that if that WAS the case it would throw out our lovely new doors, but I guess in the scheme of things ……

……… And so the man arrived.

And he looked

And he walked around

And he looked

And he walked around some more

And he looked

And then he made his pronouncement ………..

Nothing too severe, phew. There is obvious evidence of past movement and we need to take some remedial action to ‘tie’ the front wall to the back wall (not as bad as it sounds I’m told) as it has moved 25mm since the ceiling/floor was replaced – 41 years ago! Then we need to place ‘tell tales’ to both monitor for any further movement and to provide evidence when there is none (fingers crossed). That way we are also safeguarding a future sale. So all in all a reasonable outcome.

And would we have chickened out if we’d had that done in advance. We’re not sure but we may have done. Because we didn’t ‘know’ the hovel then we may have thought it wasn’t worth the hassle. And so I guess t’hubby was right all along and as I sit here typing watching the sun start to burn off the cloud and rain and reveal our view, I am glad, although had the answer been underpinning I might have been yelling at him, right here right now lol.

Thanks for dropping by and please feel free to leave me a comment, oh and yes, the campanulas survived on their house bricks.

Wendy xx

Please note this post was scheduled to upload after the time of writing