And here is the last of them for now

The car boot is on Sunday so I'm not going to make any more I don't think until then. I've told his Lordship to ask for about a fiver for each, this makes my money back and some extra, is this too expensive?








this one is my favourite!

Wire work

Beads

It's been a while...

To be honest, I've not had much I've felt the need to blog about for the past few months, so I haven't really.

However, now I do. I've been making jewellery again in a bid to take my mind of everything and am going to try my hand at seeing if I can make the cost of the materials back. His lordship is taking them to a car boot for me - failing that, guess what everyone is getting for Christmas?!

Anyway, I thought I'd put some pictures up and let me know what you think...

These are illusion pieces...

Something positive (I hope)

We had a man come around to look at doing our bathroom, and after the last time and quote (12K) I was a bit apprehensive. This guy is someone his Lordship knows from a few years ago and we found him because our friend Dave just had him to finish work on his bathroom. Anyway, he came around and I was very impressed with him, and his no nonsense approach. He's a property developer who does up his own buildings and some fairly big contracts. He also said we could go and check out work he's already done for people, and Dave said he was extremely happy with what he'd done at his house.

He talked about doing all sorts of things, such as lowering the very high ceiling and putting in fans and stuff as well as tiling etc... It all sounded like exactly what we want but it all came down to price. In the end he came back with a price of around 2.5K, I nearly fell off my chair, so needless to say we're going ahead and could be started as early as next week depending on when we can get the new suite! So, it could even be ready for when the parentals come back from Oz. I can't wait, especially as the start of this year's been awful, it's something to look forward to!

Shingles update: The pain is almost all gone except for the odd twinge now and then, and it's hard getting to sleep at night because I can't get comfortable with my hip. I'm a bit itchy, but I guess that's just how it goes. I'm off the anti-virals too now which is brilliant because they made me a bit weird and useless! I was going to go back to work today but his Lordship insisted I had the rest of the week off just to make sure I'm 100% for Monday.

Ruined his birthday (again)

So, in time honoured tradition I have fallen ill on His Lordship's birthday. I started to get a rash and my skin was incredibly sore, I thought it might be some sort of allergic reaction so dismissed it. Anyway, after two sleepless nights and severe pain in my left side we went to the Urgent Care Centre in the middle of the night and the doctor says I have Shingles! I've no recollection of ever having had chicken pox though, so we were a bit mistified as to how I could have got it. Anyway, the doctor says I must have had it and just not displayed the symptoms. Apart from the pain I feel absolutely fine, a little bit full of a cold maybe, but I'm now on some proper donkey tablets and co-codamol for the pain.

We were supposed to have a party for his birthday and it looks like that's off now.

Snow all over the show

This...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8447023.stm

is the UK, it's not just Kansas with snow as you can see! It's been incredibly cold for days and the cat is getting a little stir crazy as she's not a massive fan of the white stuff.

Feels like 50 years!?

Ok, well, the title is misleading but today His Lordship and I have been together for 5 years. Now, normally we don't bother with this kind of thing because it falls on a day when we would previously have been out partying and would be spending it hungover. But, this year he's bought me a rose plant which I will take a photo of later. I've bought him nothing because we don't usually bother so am feeling a little bit guilty!

Spoke to the Aussies around 11pm last night. They all seemed in good spirits, but looks as though my parents were struck down with whatever illness we've both had, but I'm sure there'll be an update on one or both of their blogs, so I won't go into detail.

We're still feeling a bit rough, so are going to spend the afternoon having a How I Met Your Mother marathon. We're on series 3 now.

All quiet on the Western Front

So, they've got off ok, I think the plane was delayed by about fifteen minutes, so don't know if they'll make that up on route. Aunty Sonia rang just as we got to the airport and I think they're going to try and email when they get to Dubai, dunno how successful that will be though! Probably result in a few blue words from you know who!

It's been wonderful to have them here and I'm going to miss them in the two months they'll be gone. I don't think it hit me really until they went through the gates how very far they are going, I hope they have a lovely time and that he has no need to wear a cardie!

In other news, both and Andy and I don't feel at all well, I have been sick and he feels sick, so I hope it's something we've eaten rather than anything else, although I just can't get warm despite the heating being on and all the layers I've got on. We've been in bed all afternoon sleeping.

As for next Christmas, Fuad can have his raw food, the rest of us will taunt him with our chocolates!

In which we use public transport

"We're going to Lincoln, why don't you come too," they said.

"Ok," we replied.

"It's on the bus though," they said.

Two missed connections, a rodeo, and lots of waiting around later and I've come to the conclusion that I never ever ever want to go on a bus ever again.

Lincoln Christmas market was a nice day out though.

Christmas Wreath

Spurred on by my mother's efforts with the wreaths and her instructions on how to make one, I decided to make my own to give as a gift to D and P or His Lordship's parents. I bought some chocolate orange sweets and made one, it looked crap so I've taken them all off and started again using Roses. I've got some red bows in the attic so I shall complete it tonight and take a picture to put here.

New shoes

I've been needing some new shoes for work and as I got vouchers for my birthday I thought I'd get them from Next. I had £20 and the ones I was looking at were £35. Not a problem because it meant that I only needed to put £15 towards them. Anyway, I went to the counter, handed over my voucher and a £20 note. The woman rang it all through, then announced cheerily, "You've got £5 left on your voucher."

I stared in disbelief and then said "I don't want it on my voucher, I would like the cash."

"Oh," she replied looking at me as though I was an alien. "I'll have to get my supervisor" she says before scurrying off.

The supervisor arrived and said "right, so you gave us a £20 voucher, and a £20 note, so that means...." she starts adding it up. "we owe you..." erm.. £5"

Now, I don't mean to be rude, but even I can add that up and I'm terrible at maths. But also, I think it's pretty cheeky to try and get you to come back into the shop by putting your change on your voucher that's already been paid for. I suspect it's company policy but if it isn't then the sales assistant was clearly an idiot.

Christmas already?!

I've come out of hibernation because it appears to be Christmas already. Or at least it does according to all the shops and all the adverts on the TV. Is it me or is it getting earlier and earlier every year?! I can't help but think that it's all taking the sheen off just a little. We're no sooner out of summer when the decorations and selection boxes appear. I would much rather start all that at the beginning of December. I wondered if the recession had anything to do with it. I know the shops are vying for a small customer base and Debenhams have said that there will be some good deals again this year.

Anyway, there's not been much happening hence the lack of updates, plus I get bored of blogging, not of reading them though, I enjoy that bit!

Happy Easter!

We went for a walk along the canal today because the weather has been so lovely. I also want to live by the canal so we can have a boat! Anyway, this is what we saw....

Keeping busy

I've also been trying out a new hobby today. I have a fondness for beaded bracelets and figure I could probably make them cheaper myself (yes, I am turning into my father).

So, here's what I've made so far...



and this...

Memories

As Aunty Sonia said it was nine years since Momma died yesterday and I must admit I did spend some time thinking of all three of my Grandparents and remembering all the things we used to do. These are a few that spring to mind immediately.

I used to make my Grandad put me in the cupboard in their dining table and then knock on the door for him to let me out. One Christmas he had to rescue me when the camp bed I was sleeping on folded up with me inside! And he alway used to wave us off with a special wave whenever you said goodbye to him, oh and always had Murrymints.

My Grandma and I spent some time sharing a room and I used to love it when she told me stories about how naughty my dad was as a child. Good until he was two apparently! She also bought me my Orville which I slept with for years as a child and took everywhere. I still have him and he sits by my bed! I also remember when she and Momma went on holiday together and she put a bit of half eaten toast on another woman's plate because she didn't want it to go to waste (Momma's face must have been a picture).

We went to Florida one summer with Momma and she was cold at night and we were sharing a bed and she insisted we have a sheet and a duvet type thing on and the heating! She also stuck up for me when I said I wanted to learn to play the drums when my mum was trying to get her to say it was a bad idea!

I could go on, but I'd be here forever! I just hope that I've made all three of them proud.

Home Alone

Even though I am on earlies and dog tired it took me forever to get to sleep last night. This is for several reasons, not least because I had worked myself up into a paranoid frenzy about being burgled whilst I was home alone and so stayed up to watch a programme about Holloway prison. Very interesting as it happens. Some of those women whilst may committed heinous crimes have never known a life other than that. There was one who was quite clearly doing bad things whilst banged up because she didn't have anything or anyone on the outside and staying in prison would mean a better life for her. What a waste of a life.

I digress. I finally got to sleep only to be woken by a loud crash. This made me start out of bed and then think oh my god we are actually being burgled! (See earlier point about me working myself up). I stayed really still to see if we were and then when I heard nothing else I just presumed the cat had done something.

I went back to sleep then the horse racing started up and down the stairs. I got up to see what on earth Poppy was playing at and she followed me into the bathroom. The look on her face read, "oh look she's up! let's play" and she started purring and circling my legs. I was less than impressed at this and told her to be quiet. Went back to bed and then after what felt like minutes the alarm went off and I had to get up. She better behave tonight or else!

Oh and the loud crash was the ironing board falling into the bookcase....Madam Paws at work.

Summer

So, the clocks have gone forward and like an idiot I decided that I would be on earlies just in time for that happening. I feel robbed of an hours vital sleep!

Not a lot is happening here, His Lordship is going to Scotland for a training course and I'm not at all looking forward to staying here alone. I realise this is ridiculous but the slightest sound gets me all nervous and then I don't sleep. This is not the state I wish to be in when having to get up at 4:30am.

The boiler broke and then fixed itself this weekend but not before I had to have a victorian style bath with hot water from the kettle! The reason for this was because we went to a fancy dress party on Saturday. I went as Minnie Mouse and he went as Doc Emmet Brown from Back to the Future. Pictures to follow!

I'm currently waiting for a book to be delivered that I ordered from Amazon. It's by Emma Kennedy and is called The Tent, The Bucket and Me. It's about her holidays when she was younger and featured on Radio 4's Book of the Week. Very funny and I can't wait to read it!

What happened next...

The lady from nextdoor came around and said it was probably her damp proofing that caused the hole in the wall, and in a big cheery voice said, "looks like you've got a free damp course." No apology though. Although it seems there is some justice in the world as the damage was caused last spring and last summer Poppy pulled up all her baby carrots and has been to the toilet in several of her pot plants.

Anyway, under the stairs has now been repaired, all the gloss work is done (even the doors) and we are now waiting for our new carpet to come. The man is coming on Monday some time in the afternoon. Once that is done, I might start about thinking about the living room. We're going to get it plastered and then paint it I think, just because the walls are very lumpy and bumpy. We're also getting people in to do the work as I really cannot face doing ourselves.

Here we go again...

So, today we planned on fixing the stairs and emptied the cupboard underneath in preparation. We weren't expecting what we found....



It seems that the next door neighbours could be responsible. She came around sometime last year to tell us she was getting a damp course put in and I think that it's got to be disturbance from that. I suppose we should have seen it earlier, but I don't think it's the point. Anyway, His Lordship went round to ask if they'd had work done and the man who lives there claims they haven't. He also said he would ask his partner when she comes home if they had! I know they have, because she came round to say she has, and this has been winding me up.

His Lordship has bought some stuff to repair it with, and today I became my Dad (mum will understand) until I had to tell myself not to be! I am annoyed but I don't think I need to make it into the end of the world.