About Me

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I'm 57 years old, working full time, wife, mother and grand mother, wishing that I wasn't working full time! I love and enjoy our children and grandchildren, our dogs and cat, our garden and allotment. I love crafts - knitting, sewing, crocheting, patchwork and restoring old furniture. I love to go to country auctions and love thinking that I've got my self a bargain!

Sunday 27 March 2011

Whoosh - where did it go?

Hello there,

Yes - where did it go to?....... the weekend, of course. It seems no time at all since Friday evening and here we are back to Sunday night and the 'getting ready' again for another long hard week.

I spent yesterday morning, doing the bills and the budget for next month - I'm not brilliant with computers and prefer the old fashioned way of pen and paper, but I do always keep a log of what's to be paid out each month, and I always check the bank statements throughout the month and that, what has been taken out of the bank throughout the previous month is correct. I also keep all the invoices/bills as well as bank statements in folders and they are boxed up at the end of each year and put down the cellar, so that I can always return and check anything I need to.

I then wrote a letter to Dixons/Surrys/PC World for my son, his laptop went in for a repair under their insurance scheme nearly 2 months ago and he is still waiting for it to be returned, they've sent it back once in a worse state then it went in!   I've found some one else to service and check our's (mine and my husbands) laptops and have cancelled our 2 lots of insurance with them - they are rubbish and don't have any idea of customer service - well they have 7 days to give him a full refund or we go to the Financial Ombudsman.

I then went and fetched some wool from the wool shop in Wellington - the lady kindly puts wool on one side for you and I pick it up weekly and then went to see my Daughter and Granddaughter's and Son and Daughter in Law, by the time I got home it was 6 o'clock and the day was gone. My eldest Granddaughter M. is suffering from a really bad sickness bug and has ended up being checked out at the hospital today because of the stomach pain and my daughter in law is still feeling very tired but a little better in herself.

Today has been spent, doing the ironing and cooking - I've made 2 large cottage pies and 1 small one plus I've made 2 lots of cheesey leek pancakes, we'll have one of the cottage pies tonight with one dish of the pancakes, sprouts and roasters. I've frozen the other large cottage pie and my husband will finish off the small cottage pie and last pancake for his tea tomorrow.

We have 4 freezers - one for meat, I go to a butchers and buy in bulk when I can afford to and then freeze all that I buy. We have a small chest freezer which has broad beans, runner beans, cauliflower and stewed plums in it from the garden and the allotment last year. A freezer for all the small items like fish, burgers, frozen chips, sausages and sausage meat etc., and then a final freezer which we keep for when we have a glut of vegs or all the Xmas goodies etc., Well today after shuffling everything round, we've managed to turn one of them off (the cellar one) which should help a little with the electricity bill.

The garden's still not looking good enough to post any pictures so I thought I'd post a couple of photo's of some of my favourite items from the dining room. This house is nearly 160 years old and I like it to look traditional, my Mom, Daughter, and Daughter in Law all like modern furniture and would never dream of owning any clutter - but me - I love to see all my possessions round me - I could never do 'minimulisation'!


We found this welsh dresser in an antique shop in Wellington - 7 years ago, it was filthy dirty when it arrived, and it took a lot of elbow grease and hard work to get it clean and then a lot of wire wool and good old fashioned wax polish, it's not a 'posh piece' it's been a farm house kitchen dresser and still has little knobs of wood to hold the doors shut.


My reading chair, next to the dresser, usually for when I'm checking on recipes


Sanderson 'Rose and Peony' curtains that I made myself  and my Nan's old aspidistra she passed away 13 years ago, but the aspidistra keeps going - I replanted this winter as it was looking a bit sad and sorry - mind, I can remember it being around for 25+ years - The bags are the grandchildren's Easter presents all ready for them.

Well the teas almost ready, got to go and phone my Mum and watch the skating - I'd like to see Chloe win but I don't think she'll do it - so got to go now - hope you all have a good week. Byeee.........

Friday 25 March 2011

T.F.G.

Yes thank Goodness it's Friday! - I always think that Friday night is the best time of the week and Sunday night the worst. There's nothing like knowing that you've got a lovely weekend in front of you - time to catch up with all the chores, time to spend in the garden, time to see my children and their partners, and my beautiful granddaughters, time to read and time to sleep in........ Sunday night is all about getting ready to start commuting and trying to remember all what I left on my desk and didn't achieve last week. I shouldn't moan should I? -  there's lots of people out there who would give anything to be able to look forward to going out to work again. I suppose I am lucky.........

Well, I've cleaned  the house through since I've been home, the washing is in the washer, no more to be done tonight, so I'm going to sit down now with a nice cup of tea and a magazine and relax (it used to be a bottle of wine before this recession hit and the cost of everything went up!)

Hope you have a good weekend

Monday 21 March 2011

Good Friends

Hello All.

I'm home from work today - should have been in Preston for the day, for work -  but my beautiful daughter in law isn't too well and has had to have an overnight stay in hospital  - I've booked the day off from work to be ready to go and fetch her when the hospital decide to send her home.

 My poor son is a postman and would not have been allowed time off to go and fetch her out of the hospital - the post office are very strict with any leave a postman has to take they are only allowed authorised annual leave - even if they have so much as one day's sick leave they are automatically put on a stage 1 disciplinary. If my son had taken the day off he would have been put on the stage 1 and then would have lost his chance to stay on the transfer list - he presently travels 50 miles per day backwards and forwards to work and because of the petrol costs is desperate to transfer - so Mum to the rescue.

I thought I'd show you some pictures of some very dearly loved friends of mine.....introducing

                                                     

Tillie the Tart

We went to fetch Tillie one Friday night after work and she came from a little house in Tillie Lane, hence the name - someone had told me that Jack Russells are snappy little dogs but not our Tillie - she is one of the most loving little dogs that I've ever known. It doesn't matter who you are and how long she's known you for she has got to (and I mean got to) give you a kiss (hence the nickname!). She hates the rain and the cold and loves nothing more than to snuggle down by the side of my husband and go to sleep - the only problem is that she always sends him to sleep as well!!! She's Mom to the other 2 dogs as well, making sure that they're ears and eyes are clean - You can almost hear her saying to them "Have you washed your ears today?".




                                                                 
Flossie

Flossie came from a farm on the Welsh boarders, when she goes through a door at 50mph I always say to her "You were definitely born in a barn weren't you Floss?" We call her posh and daft - posh because she's the only dog we have with a kennel club name, and she never gives you a lick (kiss) she offers her cheek just like a posh aristocrat  and daft because she just is, she loves to run, she can run for miles, understands every word you say (pork pies, are known as pp's in this house, because she runs straight to the fridge, as if to say where's mine?) walk has to be spelt out like Tammy Winnette's D.I.V.O.R.C.E song of the 70's because if you say that word she starts to dance round and round in a circle and you have no peace till she's been for a W.A.L.K. She can eat for England and she turns her nose up at nothing.

and finaly



Daisy

This 6 inch bundle of gruby fluff is Daisy (she is due to have a much needed hair cut but I am trying to make both Daisy and Flossie hang on till next month when the weather's a little warmer and I have enough pennies to pay the £90.00 for them both to be cut - we have a 'dial a dog wash' come to do them both) We brought her from a house in Bridge North - we thought all of Bridge North was quite posh and nice but when we got there it was one of the most dirtiest houses I'd ever been in - these poor little litter of pups and their Mom were in a filthy basket in the filthy disgusting hallway - if I'd have had the money I would have brought all of them - as it was, I picked the first one that looked up at me, handed over my £250.00 and got out of there - poor little Daisy was travel sick on the way home and has been ever since -  every time we put her in the car the poor little mite suffers. We took her straight to the vets next morning and had her checked out.

Daisy thinks that she's 6ft tall and will take on any other dog who comes within barking distance - it's as if she's saying "well come on then - I'll sort you out!" But again where we and the other two dogs are concerned she's really lovable - again like Tillie loves nothing more than to snuggle down and sleep on your lap. But she also likes to find any dirt or grass to roll in, hence the reason why I said she's gruby - we have to wash her most weekends to keep her clean!  I'll post another picture of her once she's had her cut and blow dry next month.

When I can get a picture of Lottie the cat I'll post a picture of her too.

All 4 of them are good friends - always there to listen to me and always give me the right response to any of my problems.............well I think they do (I know I'm sad and daft aren't I?)

Until the next time - take care xxxxx


Sunday 13 March 2011

Catching Up

Afternoon All,

Sorry I didn't visit last week - I got caught up in a family drama which took up all of my Sunday afternoon - tell me what do you think of FaceBook? - I think that it can be a nasty tool in the hands of some unscrupulous people.

I recently have had some contact with my brother, who I hadn't seen for some 12 years - the lady (I use that word loosely) he was living with seemed O.K. My brother has always been a bit of a 'del boy' has never stuck at a job or a relationship long - not stayed around to see his children grow up, but whatever I think of him he's my brother and always will be - after all 'bloods thicker than water'.

This lady he was living with likes to be the centre of attention - doesn't work, doesn't do gardening or housework, likes to sit on her back side each and every day - completely different to me and my family and she certainly she liked everyone to jump to her 'tune' and listen to her opinion on everything.

Last week they split up and the things she was putting on FaceBook were really horrible - but I kept out of it - didn't make any comments and then the text messages started last Sunday and she really showed her true colours! Because I wouldn't take 'sides' then I must be siding with my brother. I explained that No I wasn't but I didn't like seeing all the nasty comments that was being put on FaceBook  about him - that was when it got really nasty.

So I've removed her from FaceBook and have barred her text messages - apparently she has continued to put horrible remarks on Face Book throughout the week - Yesterday she started on my children, because she couldn't get through to me  and again the comments and texts she's made have been really cruel and uncalled  for, just because we don't believe in taking sides or seeing nasty comments on Face Book.

I just can't understand why people wish to put all their business out in the public areana - it's a wonder she hasn't put on there how many times she's been to the toilet in any one day!!!  I know I write this blog but do it without readers knowing who I am - people know who you are on FaceBook

I don't know where my brother has gone or if he has a phone so I suppose it will be another 12 years before I see him again. PattyPan from Taragon and Tyme did a posting about a poem whereby it explained that some people come into your life for a 'reason or a season' - my brother comes and goes for 'seasons' - I just never know when the 'season' is going to be......

We've started going in to work in one car this week to try to save petrol (and money)- it means that I have to stand outside the office for 20 mins till someone turns up to open up but it's worked well - won't be able to do it this week as I have meetings practically every day in different offices - but will try to the week after.

I dread April arriving that's when all the increases in the bills will hit and  pennies will become really short. I never thought that I'd be having to watch the pennies so closely in my 50's and the thought of early retirement just seems to be sliding away with each passing week.

All the seeds that I have sown have come through - I've pricked out the tomatos, and cucumbers today - they're back in the propagator looking a bit sad and sorry for themselves - it didn't help when I dropped the pot of tomatoes! - have had to sow a few more as I grow those for my Dad (he does my onions and leeks). I've also pricked out sprouts, cauliflowers and broccoli. In the greenhouse, all the Garlic is bounding away - I've also started, lettuces, beetroot and sweet peas especially for my daughter in law. I can get sweet peas growing but can't seem to get them to the flowering stage and she can. The apple trees from Aldi are still doing well too.

Finaly what have they done to Gardeners World??? They've got rid of the best presenter they'd had since Alan Titchmarsh - Toby Buckland was the working man's gardener instead they've put that idiot Monty Don back in - he has no clue as to how people are having to make ends meet and how we need to learn to cultivate on a budget! and what's happened to the garden they made over the last 2 years in Birmingham - talk about wasting the T.V. licence fee. Well Alan Titchmarsh is going back to gardening for ITV on a Friday evening  and I shall watch that instead and I wish Toby all the very best - I think the BBC have treated him dismally

I seem to have done nothing but moan and groan throughout this post - please take no notice of me - Normal service will resume shortly

Have a good week everyone