Soldiering On!

 

Today I had promised to take the Teens to Southampton, and in particular, Ikea's for brekky.

I wasn't feeling too great when I woke up, with a sore chest and nasty cough, but taking things slowly meant I was able to fulfil my promise.

Grandma was due to come to ( part of the reason I pushed myself) but she called at the last minute to say she had hurt  her ankle, and we all know what a big place Ikea is for walking round!

We often see huge cruise liners as we park in Ikea's car park, and today was no exception.

These liners really are massive!

 

 

The first port of call was the famous £1.50 brekky, that was our brekky AND lunch as it turned out!

 

 

We usually bring  cinnamon rolls back with us, today we also brought back a new range...gingerbread rolls...and very nice they are too!

 

We bought a few Christmas presents as well and then went for a short walk to the nearby shopping centre.

 

 

 

They have a beautiful white grand piano there, with the invitation to "please play me"

so Teen One treated us all to a piece  from Sleeping Beauty.

 

By this time my chest was complaining so much I had to take a breather in well placed sofa, whilst Teen One continued to shop and Teen Two stayed to keep me company, patting my back when I broke into uncontrollable coughing!

 

One the way home we made the now, all to familiar trip to The Range, where I bought the second pair of curtains, to give more fullness to the ones I bought yesterday.

It was a different branch and I was rather miffed to see they had wider curtains in stock, which had our local one had, I wouldn't have needed to buy an extra pair!

When we arrived home, the ones I ordered from Tesco had arrived...so we are now awash with curtains!

I haven't felt well enough since I came home, to get the ironing board out and hang the new ones, they will just have to wait!

Teen Two has spent the afternoon cleaning out the gerbils cage and then getting the wood in and lighting the wood burner for me, and preparing a bolognaise for our dinner.

Teen One is now going to dish dinner up whilst I try and gather some energy and enthusiasm to take Teen Two to gym later on.

I feel like I have soldiered on long enough for today and will now collapse on the sofa for a bit!

 

 

"In every thing, give thanks"

 

 

 

Feeling All Draped Out!

 

This morning Teen Two and I had an early start.

He had wanted to meet a friend at the trampoline warehouse, and the only time his friend could make it was 9am!

We have to be there 15mins earlier for the obligatory safety video, and its about 20mins drive from home, so it really was an early start for a holiday.

However, it was well worth it.

Teen Two really loves bouncing into this pool of sponges!

 

 

 

The basket ball area is also a favourite.

Whilst he and his friend wore themselves out ( and that takes all of about 10 minutes!) his mum and I had a catch up.

We then headed home, via The Range ( the curtain saga continues!) and then with Teen One collected, out to Pizza Hut for Teen Two to enjoy a free lunch with his mates from an internet club he attends.

 

 

Teen One and I went to a nearby McDonalds.

It is new and has table service...so civilised!

I ordered myself a frappe, but for some bizzare reason chose Mocha instead of Caramel....and I don't like mocha!

I think I had the idea it was iced coffee in my brain ( which it is 50%) and thought the caramel was just caramel, whereas that also is 50% coffee and was of course a favourite over the summer.

I really didn't like it, so Teen One had it for me and I didn't bother spending any more money on getting a replacement, which as just as well, since we then went to Tesco for a look round and spent £50 on presents and yellow sticker bargains!

 

 

Teen One saw these purple crisps in the discount area and rather fancied trying them...you gotta try it when its cheap I always say!

We managed to get lots of silly priced stuff ( pennies worth) for the Friday club shop and came away feeling rather pleased with all our bargains.

 

 

 

If you have the stamina for a long winded curtain story read on!

I mentioned the other day, I don't like curtain choosing, there are lovely curtains around, but they never seem to fit in with our colour scheme ( which is very loosely themed I might add!) and I don't see the point in buying curtains only to then have to buy new furniture to match...naahh, just not a good idea!

I went with Teen One at the weekend to look for some "to make do" until I found some I really liked.

However having put them up, I really didn't like them, they did not suit the room at all and jarred on me whenever I looked at them.

I thought however, they would be ok for the bedroom....

... as you can see, the fading on the bedroom curtains was beyond belief and they were expensive too ( well for me anyway!)

So I felt quite justified in using the new ones for upstairs...and I couldn't take them back as the cord had been pulled at the top.

Only thing was...I would need another pair as the bedroom window is a bay, still they were cheap so it wouldn't matter.

Today I went with Teen Two and bought the second pair, and saw these at the same time...

 

 

...I don't know how I missed them at the weekend!

Does that design look familiar to you??

 

 

 

Very similar to Orla Kiely's stem design, which I just love, especially the multi coloured one!

So, at £22.99 for the pair, it was a no brainer, I just had to get them!

Having taken them out of the packet at home, I noticed there was a flaw in one of them, so had to go back to The Range and get a replacement pair.

Having got the replacement pair out there was another flaw!

I decided I really couldn't  face going back again, and since they were incredibly cheap curtains what did I expect!

So...I took down the curtains I bought at the weekend, and ironed the new ones....only to find they are not as wide as the other ones, so there is no fullness when they are drawn which makes them look a little lack lustre...so I guess its another visit to The Range tomorrow and another date with the ironing board!

Oh...and did I say...I ordered some "they will make do" curtains from Tesco Direct yesterday!

They will go straight back without being opened for sure!!

 

 

So with the downstairs curtains ironed and up, it was time to iron the second set for upstairs.

Hubby had asked the other day, if they would be too long...but I was sure they wouldn't be...hmm....does skimming the carpet count as "too long!"

And of course I had bought the second pair today....but I really had no choice, I would have ended up with a pair I couldn't take back which made no sense.

Maybe next year ( or the year after!) when I take them down to wash them ( even though it says dryclean only...just what can go wrong with poly/cotton?) I will shorten them, but right now I am all draped out!

 

 

When I was with Teen One in the Range, I saw this quilt cover, which I think is a pretty good match with ( those dreaded) curtains and the end of bed blanket, which was a freebie from the US a few years ago, is a pretty good match too.

 

 

Whilst I was busy ironing, taking down, putting up and generally stressing about curtains, the Teens were busy crafting for Christmas....with just a little bit of stress going on for them too!

Amazing how easy something looks in a video, but try it out and its way more difficult!

Teen One, however, after making one, cut out three steps and made the job much easier, now why didn't we think of that!

We hope when they are dried out they are worth the effort!

All family members please take note...when you get your red presents, give a great big smile, no matter what you really think of it !

 

The weather really has been lovely today and the birds were singing away as I was struggling with the curtains in the bedroom, it was so warm I had to change out of my sweater into a t-shirt!

 

My cold is lingering and I can feel it going down  to my chest...just what I don't want when we have  special weekend coming up!

I was ill this time last year when we had a Hilton break, I really don't want this one spoilt too!

 

However, its just a cold, and yet again, today we had sad news.

A family friend from Cornwall, who is now in her late 70's and used to foster/adopt children, lost one of her adopted daughter's today.

She was in her late 30's and had spina bifida as well as other problems, which is why she was put up for adoption as a little one.
Our friends embraced her and gave her a lovely happy life.

In recent years she had to go into a home as our friend was too old to cope with the nursing needs, but she visited most days of the week.

She said to me just the other month, I do hope Sweetie goes before me...and her prayers have been answered...but oh how she will miss her.

She went peacefully in her sleep, for which we are all thankful.

 

"God shall wipe away all tears"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crafting For Christmas!

 

 

Well last night I managed to sleep most of the night, and apart from the usual tell tale signs of having a cold I am as near normal as I ever get!

According to Hubby, having checked out the NHS website, with my body temperature being so low last night, I was technically a medical emergency!

I have to say, I have felt an awful lot worse and at no point did I feel THAT bad!

This morning was the day for visiting my Recycled Teenager of course.

Share a cuppa and a catch up and do a little bit of vacuuming before taking her shopping.

Today, bless her, she forced £50 into my hand!

I did my best to resist, what I do I do for pleasure, not gain, but she said it was no good to her when she went and she would rather share it out now....so I relented and put it in my Rainy Day tin.

 

 

After lunch, Teen One had her driving lesson and Teen Two vacuumed the garden for me.

I find the gardenvac too heavy and get a bit frustrated at having to be right on top of whatever I want sucking up, whereas Teen Two would probably do it that way by choice and watch each leaf being sucked up!

 

 

Teen Two and I then got cracking with some Christmas presents.

He loves watching a YouTube video called "Life Hacks" and as I was watching over his shoulder the other day I saw something that, hopefully, will make some fun Christmas presents...

 

 

...it was a trifle messy, so rubber gloves were the order of the day.

I have of course only shown strategic shots so as not to give the game away, but family members will note we are keeping to the red brief!

Teen Two was going to join in, but we forgot about her driving lesson...however its a case of "one down four to go" so she has plenty of time to play catch up!

 

 

I managed to finish a present I started a couple of weeks back.

As usual  I am not 100% happy with it, but having unpicked on area more than once, decided to just hope the recipient has a good imagination instead!

It is now all pressed and ready to wrap...and its still October!

 

 

 

Not only that, but I have another project planned!

If the momentum carries on after dinner, I will get it started tonight.

Does this mean I am on a roll?

 

 

 

 

Dinner tonight is one of Teen Two's creations.

He and a friend at church are often discussing pizza toppings, trying to come up with new ideas, with the dream of going into business one day!!

I had better keep some of their ideas to myself, incase some bright spark beats them to it!

He had the idea of a roast dinner pizza, with Yorkshire pudding as the base....so basically its a "left overs" toad in the hole...in a round dish!

I have made left overs toad in the hole in the past....but it wasn't always a hit, the meat goes a bit too crispy, so we will see how it goes!

I don't usually add cheese, but having just checked if I ought to both Teens looked up with that

"of course!" look on their face...with Teen One saying

"well there isn't any substitute for cheese is there, and this is pizza!"

 

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel"

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Minor Calamity

 

This morning I  awoke to Hubby coming to tell me there had been a disaster in the kitchen overnight!

The fridge door hadn't been closed properly and the light had therefore been on all night, and gave out such a heat it melted the butter and warmed up everything that was on the top shelf...and guess what I keep on the top shelf...the most perishable things ( fresh meat aside!)

 

 

Yogurts, cold meat for sandwiches etc all felt warm to the touch, so there was nothing for it but to throw it all away.

Room temperature may have been ok for the yogurts but being warm would have allowed unfriendly bacteria to grow, so it wasn't worth it.

I hate to waste food, but it probably only amounted to around a fiver, so it was better that than make everyone ill.

There was a lot of mess to clear up as well, somehow the butter had got knocked over and dripped everywhere.

Hubby has had a clear up but I have noticed a few bits during the day so will have to empty the fridge tomorrow and give it  a good clean out.

I have decided to rearrange the fridge, putting the drinks on top, they wont come to any harm if we make the same mistake again.

The chicken for today's dinner was at the bottom and was very cold to the touch, so we felt happy to cook that.

We have searched on Amazon and there are fridge door alarms available for a reasonable price, so we will invest in  one, as this isn't the first time we have had this happen.

The problem really is the fridge door  is much heavier than our last one, so a standard "push" to shut it doesn't always do the job.

So, that wasn't the best start to the day, but a minor calamity in the grand scheme of things.

 

 

I have had a head cold most of the week ( caught from Hubby no doubt) and didn't feel right most of the day, but managed to get the roast dinner done and cleared up.

But during the afternoon  I didn't feel myself, took my temperature and it was 33, not the usual 36....not wonder I didn't feel right!

I had a lie on the sofa with a hot drink and blanket to try and warm myself up.

I went up one degree and after an hour joined in the family with a game of Rummikub.

 

 

I gathered enough energy to get some tea together but then couldn't face going out in the cold.

So whilst everyone else has gone to church, I have had a hot bath to try and warm up my bones, which feel like they are in the Arctic right now!

 

 

More Sad News

 

Most of the gardening falls under the "pink label" in our house, but there are some jobs I don't tackle...like using the chain saw to cut down big bushes!

Our bay tree was getting out of hand, and although I had hand cut quite a bit off earlier in the year, it was getting bigger by the day, so with the promise of a lovely sunny day, Hubby agreed to tackle the job....

 

 

 

..ably assisted by Teen Two.

When I suggested to Hubby he get Teen Two to help, he said " oh yes, I can give him the long handled loppers"

"You are kidding!" I replied..."he will want the vroom vroom tool!!

 

 

 

It took quite some time to get the tree under control...

 

 

...and the bunnies were very inquisitive to see what was going on...

 

 

...by lunch time we had much more light coming into the garden and Hubby chose to make cube shape once again...reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland I think!

The mess on the ground was something to see and took almost as long to clear up as the cutting did!

Hubby and Teen Two went straight to the dump with it thankfully.

 

 

Whilst they were busy doing that, Teen One was busy making a "reading river" for homework, and I was busy in the kitchen baking ( apple and cranberry cake) and lasagne for dinner.

 

 

I also made a chocolate sponge for tomorrow, using this....lets see if anyone notices!

 

 

Teen One and I popped out to the Range to look at curtains.

I really was fed up with yesterdays waste of time and effort and decided I couldn't look at them another day, so bought these cheap ones "for the time being."

I am not totally in love with them, but they will do until I find a pair I do like!

Knowing me that could be some time!

 

Sadly, we had yet more bad news in the family tonight.

The uncle we are so looking forward to meeting next year, in Australia, had an emergency operation last night to remove an obstruction in the colon.

He narrowly avoided having to have a colostomy and will be in hospital for some time as he is "anorexic" in weight they have said.

He has been unable to eat anything since the week his wife died ( our sadness earlier this summer)

and of course we all thought it was the shock of losing her that had made him lose his appetite, but clearly this underlying illness is the root of it.

We have yet to know what caused the obstruction.

 

"I am with you always"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mind The Gap!

 

 

Today started very early again.

For some reason I woke at 4.30am and just could not drop off again.
So once again I came down, had a cuppa and a surf, then around 6am went back to bed for an hour, and did manage to doze a bit thankfully.

 

Our cat Milly is a funny puss...she has "favourite spots" that she sticks to for a few weeks before finding a new "favourite spot."

Last week and the week before she was in the kitchen doorway...not ideal...and this week it has been by the front door...not ideal again!

You wouldn't think she had a nice cosy bed to sleep in would you!

 

 

When doing my shopping today I saw Lidls were selling pumpkins for 70p.....we do like our pumpkin soup at this time of year...and also their cheerful appearance around the place

So for the time being I shall enjoy seeing it in the garden ( and hope the bunnies don't find it!) and then make some soup out of it later.

 

 

Tonight was "shop" at Friday club, where the kids can spend the points they have earned.

Its always hard looking for things that are affordable and desirable!

These giant crayons were £1.99, which divided up  made them 25p ( therefore 25 points) so very affordable...and I am relieved to say they sold like hot cakes!

I will go back and get some more for  next time...which thankfully isn't for a few months!

 

 

Teen Two had some more bunny bonding time...they really are a part of our family now!

 

 

 

For some reason, I took it into my head to clean the living room windows....AND take down the curtains with a view to putting different ones up.

These windows are a pain, as each section has to be done individually.

However I was shocked at how much dirt came off...so they really did need doing!

 

 

These curtains came from next door and I accepted them when the house was being cleared as I assumed they would be the same size as our windows.

I  held them up this morning, to see if they were the right size and from where I was standing all looked fine...so I washed them to freshen them up, but wasn't expecting this when I hung them later on in the afternoon....a four inch gap!

Teen One thinks it looks like a pair of trousers at half mast!

So now I feel the urge to look for new curtains as the ones I took down were more "show curtains" than "working curtains" and I am enjoying being able to pull the curtains and feel cosy inside.

We aren't overlooked at the back and have blinds in the conservatory so we are quite private, but I kind of like the cosiness of drawing the curtains I have now decided.

 

 

We had some sad news tonight.

Hubby has a cousin, whose husband was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a year or two ago.

He has not been well for a couple of months and sadly the cancer has moved to his brain.

He is a lovely man and we feel so sad for them.

They know the Lord is in control of their lives, and are looking to Him for the strength to get through this tough time.

 

 

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let That Somebody Be Me

 

This morning was Mother and Toddlers ( should I be typing Parent and Toddlers nowadays?) and I decided a little problem needed tackling.

At the back of our little church hall is an emergency exit for the snooker hall next door.

With  the "no smoking indoors" law some years ago, the smokers have taken to gathering outside the exit door...on our property, but up until now we haven't done anything about it.

Whilst we appreciate they need somewhere to go, and its much easier to just open the back door...what we really object to is the ever increasing amount of rubbish they dump ON OUR SIDE!

At the weekend there was the distinct smell of urine coming from there...not good at all!

Someone at church said " somebody needs to go and talk to them about it!"

So, today, I thought, its no good expecting "someone else" to sort out problems, sometimes we just need to get on and do it ourselves.

I went armed with rubber gloves and bags, hoping to bag up what I could and put it on the street ready for the binmen , who come today.

Sadly the binmen had already been, so I decided to bag up what I could and then move it all to the snooker hall's side of the wall.

There was no disputing it was their rubbish, mounds of cigarette ends, empty packets, empty cans of lager, crisp packets etc....and the very tell tale chalk cubes they use for their snooker cues.

 

 

 

Pretty soon I had the bins and general rubbish cleared, and just some old bits of timber lying around...not so easy to accuse them of leaving that, and I can take that to the dump some time.

Grandma and I then went round to the snooker hall ...who knew there would be men there drinking and playing snooker at 9.30am??!

We explained what we had done, very politely, and then  kindly asked if they could make sure their members

could keep the rubbish on their side, for health and safety reasons (sounded good!)

Only time will tell if they are cooperative.

 

 

 

I have left it a lot tidier than they left it for us, so hopefully no one is going to take umbridge at the matter being raised....you can never tell!

 

 

 

This afternoon I decided to clean the windows, and replace the net curtains.

The existing ones were only a fiver from Ikea, and were completely see through in the day time.

On top of that, the cat had clicked holes in them.

I had a carrier bag of new nets from next door, so knew they would be the right size.

A quick wash in the machine to freshen them up and 20minutes later they were up and so much better.

I prefer no nets if I am honest, but living in town and opposite a school, I don't like the endless passing of pedestrians going by and looking in.

I even cleaned the outside of the windows!

Just as I was finishing off, Teen Two came home...he looked at the windows and said

"Wow, they look sparkly and shiny"

Ahh...he knows just how to say the right thing!

 

 

"My strength cometh from the Lord"