Lucky For Some

It finally arrived....My baby boy became a teenager.

I know it's a cliche but I really don't know where the time went. In the blink of a teary eye, he's gone from being a blonde chubby faced cutie covered in gunk, to a very tall, still blonde, handsome young fella with a wicked sense of humour (he gets this from me obviously!!!)

We celebrated over two days, starting with a day trip to the seaside on Birthday Eve. It was a lovely family day which I treasured despite the massive argument in the car before we had even reversed off our drive!
We played crazy golf and frisbee on the beach, followed by fish and chips and ice cream before heading for home, tired and windswept.

The days of huge jelly and ice cream  parties at home are long gone (sniff sniff) he's far too cool for jelly and ice cream  and pass the parcel and despite my best efforts to persuade him that you are NEVER too old/cool for jelly and ice cream and pass the parcel alternative arrangements were made. Jelly and ice cream were to be replaced with clothes shopping trips and footie matches with his mates, although still chaperoned by dad..who lets face it is still a big kid himself!

Even the cake was replaced this year by Krispy Kreme donuts

We did however start the day with a pillow fight...some things never stop being fun, whatever your age.

Birthday girl

The sun came out this weekend, perfect timing for my birthday celebrations.
Yes I am another year older and yes I probably have a few more grey hairs and one or two more wrinkles around the eyes than I did this time last year but you know what......I don't mind!

For the first time in ages Mr. H and I celebrated without little A which did seem strange and we did miss him but he was off doing his own thing with scouts.


We got tickets a few months back to see Cast in Buxton at the Opera House then we thought what the heck why not stay over and make a weekend of it, so thats exactly what we did!

Image courtesy of google

We had a fantastic time and the weather was gorgeous, we walked, we ate, we chatted, we ate a bit more, we shopped, we sang, we even danced before eating a little bit more!

I had lots of gorgeous cards, some lovely prezzies and some quality time with my man, what more could a girl ask for eh?

It's been a while

Well hello there.
I'm still here although it seems like ages since my last post.
Iv'e been a bit, what you could call 'out of sorts' lately.
I'm not entirely sure what it brought this about but I'm guessing it may have had something to do with me being called upon to do jury service. I think I have been feeling a little anxious without realising it, I have even lost a few pounds so I know something is up!
Anyways I have been excused from the call up as they have enough for the jury, so I'm now feeling slightly relieved, but at the same time a little disappointed...there's no pleasing me is there?!!!

There's nothing much happening around here at the moment, the usual day to day stuff, school run, work, tidying up after EVERYONE, laundry, throwing together a meal before back out for the school run, you know how it is!
I suppose that's another reason why I haven't been around much, just getting on with life really.


Last Monday evening we attended little H's school for a GCSE options presentation. I'm doing a fabulous impression of an ostrich at the moment, burying my head in the sand, wishing it would all go away, as my baby is far too young to be considering his GCSE options (o.k I know he's nearly 13)but the only options he should have to face at the moment is whether to put ketchup or brown sauce on his bacon buttie or what colour pants to wear!
I am so not ready for this.

I have managed to squeeze in a teeny weeny bit of crafting, just to relieve the stress you understand.

The campervan hexie cushion is coming along nicely albeit a little slower than anticipated, probably due to the fact Iv'e started something else....OOOPS just how did that happen?!!!

I couldn't resist the colours of this cheap as chips wool. I think I just needed something bright and cheerful to cheer me up on the dark, dull and downright miserable January days.

Iv'e also managed to make a few cards but not nearly enough to see me through the year, which if you remember from my last post was my intention. Never fear the card making stuff is still on the dining room table so I intend to crack on with a few more this week.


I feel slightly more myself now that February is here because as some of you know February is my birthday month.
I'm not that happy about being another year older and even less enthused about looking another year older but on the plus side birthdays in our house are always celebrated with a day out somewhere and ALWAYS cake.
This year Mr. H and I will be tootling over to Buxton to see a band and the lovely Mr. H has also booked a little place to stay over, so no driving home.

I haven't had much luck with the thrifting lately, my local charity shops seem to be struggling to fill the shelves at the moment.
I did attend a jumble sale last weekend where I did pick up this cute little bookcase.

Sadly it went downhill from there as I ended up in a slanging match with a couple of blokes who thought it was acceptable to push me so hard I nearly ended up on top of the table along with the jumble, suffice to say I left in a huff with my little bookcase tucked tightly under my arm!

: ) x

What I did last week

Crikey I'm supposed to be on holiday, surely that means relaxing with a magazine or two, or maybe a little bit of hooky time or perhaps putting my feet up with not so little H and watching a film....alas this has not been the case and last week I was busier than ever (this week also seems to be heading in the same direction)

On Tuesday we celebrated little H's 12th birthday and as usual the sun shone, he didn't want a party at home this year and his football plans went slightly awry when only seven people confirmed due to being on their summer holidays (oh dear not enough to make two teams) so we had to cancel. Instead we had cream tea and ice creams with grandma in the botanical gardens and he bought a scooter he'd had his eye on so he was a happy chappie.

The cake was a bit of a rush and usually I put much more effort in but it tasted truly scrumptious, especially the day after when the marshmallows went all soft and gooey.


Wednesday I tootled over to Swinton to paint a friend's bathroom. I love a bit of decorating whereas she doesn't and it only took a few hours so it wasn't too bad and she loved it.
As for Thursday well I had been planning to pop down Meadowhell (as we locals call it) to the opening of Cath Kidston. I had been anticipating this day for weeks and had it all planned, I was going to get there early as I was predicting a queue, I was going to take a leisurely stroll around child/man child free and soak up the atmosphere and maybe make a little purchase or two BUT........... in a crazy moment of madness I decided I would clear out the spare room instead... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!!!

I really can't explain my actions other than I couldn't bear to walk past it and see the pile of stuff gradually making it's way through the door ( I kid you not) onto the landing. I would normally just close the door and ignore it for a few more days but as the stuff was now creeping toward the landing and blocking the doorway I couldn't even do that.
There was only one thing for it...... I rolled up my sleeves and got stuck in.
So Cath was put on hold for a couple more days and Mr. H breathed a sigh of relief.

This was taken during the big tidy up just as I was beginning to lose the will to live.


I'm still not totally happy with end result as there is still too much furniture in there but for the moment its clean and tidy and everything is in it's place.

As some of you know, we recently lost two of our three hens, first Bob then Hirsty so poor old Dame Judi was left bereft and pining, so on Saturday we decided to get her a mate with a view to getting three more when we return from our hols. Although we would have preferred to get more battery rescue hens we decided to steer clear for now as they can come with so many problems and cause too much heartache as we have found out to our cost : (

So here she is......Bobby our new girl.

I think maybe Bruce is in luuuuurve!


Our sad experiences haven't deterred us from hen keeping as they are so much fun and really rewarding but for now it as certainly put us off taking in battery rescue hens which is such a shame, maybe when we are more experienced.

Yesterday Mr. H and I celebrated our Wedding Anniversary, yes we have been married seven whole years and although it's very lovely to be married, seven years is nothing really when you consider we have been together for twenty five years *GULP!
When I say celebrated what I actually mean is we did our usual Sunday thing......Car booting, so actually not celebrating at all really!
I don't mind as we are saving our hard earned pennies at the moment as we go on our hols in a couple of weeks and as usual the camper a.k.a the money pit has had to have some work done, as anyone who has an old vehicle knows, what starts off as a little job turns into a rather large job resulting in being a few hundred pounds worse off : (

By the way how amazing was the opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games.

I have never been more proud to be British...apart from William and Kate's wedding obviously!!!

: )

Treasure Trove

Iv'e managed to get my mitts on few lovely bits and bobs over the last couple of weeks and thought perhaps you would like to have a gander.

Here are some recent car boot finds

a pile of Noddy books

a pretty sewing basket

.....mmmmmmm not too sure about that Barbie pink lining, it looks suspiciously like a dressing gown to me!

a lovely bowl which might be keeper

another bowl, not in great condition but I really loved the colours and for £2 it would have been rude not to!

a giant tea pot which reminded me of the Convent where I used to work so this just had to come home with me and only a £1.........more tea Vicar!

this was discovered while rummaging through a box at the Summer (felt more like Autumn) fair at our local church last Saturday.

a lovely scrap of embroidery which had been badly placed in the most hideous frame but hopefully someday soon it will be transformed into a beautiful cushion.
(already breaking out into a cold sweat at the thought of firing up the Janome)

I also picked up pretty rose picture, a cup minus saucer and a lovely glass cake stand which had never been out of it's original box, I'm no Judith Miller but I'm guessing it's from the 70's, possibly a wedding present, who knows (pics to follow)

This little pot is my latest flea market find.

Still experimenting with instagram but loved how this turned out.


Iv'e been tackling my pile of W.I.P's and finally managed to get this done while watching Inspector Morse on a wet and miserable Sunday afternoon (the one where he died and yes there were tears)

Little H couldn't believe I had patched my jeans and was horrified when he realised I was actually going to venture out of the house in them. He said I was becoming more like Barbara from the Good Life
I got the idea when I first saw it here

Although I have enough unfinished projects to keep me busy for the next ten years I couldn't resist starting another one.
I enjoyed doing the hexie patch so much I thought I'd give this a bash.

I do love a bit of hand stitching while watching the box
It's destined to become yet another cushion because as we all know...one can never have too many cushions!


Well school's nearly out and I for one can't wait.
It's little H's 12th birthday the first week of the holidays and this will be the first time since he was born that we haven't had a huge party for him at home *sad face.
Usually by now all the plans have been made, lists compiled, invitations made and posted out and party bags made and filled..... but not this year, this year he asked if he could do something else *even sadder face.
I knew this day would come but nothing prepares you for the sudden realisation that your sticky fingered, blonde haired blue eyed boy has grown up and morphed into a handsome pre teen with a complete set of adult teeth and squirting deodorant like it's going out of fashion... BLOODY NORA when did that happen?!!!

So he's decided he wants to play footie with his friends, so the pitch has been hired at our local park and a trainer/referee who will supervise take charge of the proceedings has been booked (good luck to him that's all I can say!)
Fingers crossed the weather picks up in time although I won't hold my breath!

I am also looking forward to our summer camping trip. This year we are Southwold bound, somewhere we have never visited before but it looks like just the kind of place we like and a little stop off in Holt on the way there and Cromer on the way back, with a trip to Wiveton Farm and Holkham Beach thrown in for good measure.....now where did I put those waterproofs?!!!

How Time Flies

In the blink of an eye the school holidays are over and my birthday jaunt is just another happy memory.
I received lots of lovely cards, including this one from my gorgeous husband.

I also had some fantastic prezzies from family and friends and quite a few pennies which I'm thinking about spending on this little beauty.

Source: cathkidston.co.uk via Nicky on Pinterest

We visited some lovely places during the two days, and sampled tea and cake in most of them!

My boys admiring Titus Salt in Roberts Park, Saltaire

also spotted this in Saltaire and just had to snap it, childish I know!

Platform at Haworth train station


the perfect end to a perfect week was Noel Gallagher at Sheffield Arena last night, who I have to say was absolutely A-M-A-Z-I-N-G just like I knew he would be. God Bless you Noel Gallagher and your High Flying Birds.

Hope you all had a fun filled weekend x

Big Plans

♥ Happy Valentine's Day everyone, hope you are all feeling the luuuurve. ♥
                           

The traumas of last week are now a distant memory as this week is my birthday week and plans are afoot.
It's tradition in our house for the birthday boy/girl to choose a destination, and then off we trot, me, Mr. H, the blue eyed boy and last but not least our fourth family member, Bruce Willis (don't ask!!!) our ever so slightly smelly canine who also happens to share his birthday with me.

The day out wherever it may be usually involves a fair amount of walking and browsing the shops, several cups of tea and at least one piece of cake.
I'm certainly packing it in this year with visits to Hebden Bridge, The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and return visits to Ilkley and my new favourite place, Saltaire and luckily for me this year we are spreading it over two days so I'm hoping we might even squeeze in a quick stop off at a certain shop in Leeds on the way home!

In the mean time I'm trying to complete some unfinished projects that seem to be taking over 'my corner'.
I do try really hard to tidy it away most days but as late afternoon creeps around so do my books, magazines and numerous baskets containing wool and general crafty stuff, or  JUNK as the blue eyed boy prefers to call it, how very dare he!!!

In total contrast this is Mr. H's corner, all neat and tidy with his treasured collection of Rupert annuals taking pride of place.

I'm off now, got to take Brucie for his birthday haircut and pedicure, that dog is more pampered than me!