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.........

4 comments:

  1. Your dresser is beautiful! I like a homely warm feel...but not the dusting.
    Jane x

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  2. Hi Jane
    Thank you (Oooops I had hoped that you wouldn't be able to see the dust on the photo!!!) Have a good week Best Wishes x

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  3. hello Sandra! your dresser looks very homely. Mine has not been "dressed" since we came here, because of the builders, but I am looking forward to getting my china out soon.
    You are a girl after my own heart, with your "old fashioned" high backed chair. We have 3 in our house, they are so comfy.
    Your home looks very inviting.

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  4. Thanks Kath, I hope that there will soon be some photo's of your new kitchen, I do enjoy reading about all your hard work and the transformation that is taking place there - but I don't envy you all that hard work in the garden - Best Wishes Sandra

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