Check it out....

This was our afternoon treat today, the bold No2 D did her bit of baking before No1 returned from the sleepover.

Apart from turning on the oven, she did it all. Next lesson in cooking... washing up and washing down worktops :-)

They weren't half tasty, so I put down the knitting...

and ate three. Well they were MINI in size!! My knitting is hopefully going to fit. I saw a waistcoat on http://www.thewhitecompany.com

and had a bag of lovely Rowan cashsoft bought 2 years ago half price in the John Lewis sale and thought to myself, How hard can it be?? I'm good at these sorts of working outs...

Well, I hope it fits. I have offered it to No1 D if a bit small for me, she declined - cheeky soandso.

Beautiful Day , Lovely Walk

We had a lie in this morning. First time in ages and much enjoyed. Cup of tea in bed (fab), only thing to spoil it was Fiona Philips on tv... but that's just a personal preference thing (I'm in the Nays).
So anyway, No.1 D invited to sleepover and himself off to work, we decided to make something of the fabulous sunshine and even nicer fresh breeze and go for a walk around the windfarm.
Like F.P, I realise there are those in the Nays and those in the Ayes. I am an Aye for the windfarm, I think they are beautiful.

They are elegant and stately. When you walk amongst them it's like being in a 1960s film set for some space-y movie. We are planning a bit of a picnic next holiday week - fingers crossed we get a similar day. We could see Ben Lomond so clearl, had a fantastic view to the Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde. Then a hot choclate and cake sitting in the sunshine outside. We are incredibly lucky to live in such a nice place - and I don't say that smuggly. 

What a difference a week makes...

Well, indeed, what a difference a week makes. Busy old week, back into the full routine, found myself with a free friday. No. 1 D due back from school at 5pm - aft school club. No. 2 D due back aft 9 PM(!) - tea with friend and school disco. So talk about - what will I do - time.
Bit of this, bit of that...
Did some sewing, walked the dog, pottered meaninglessly (always love a bit of that). THEN decided, let's do something constructive, so I dug out a well grown in flower bed. Ready for a new fence and replanting.
So a few hours of enjoyable digging, pulling, yanking.
Then No.1 D and I did some me and her time, pizza and shopping. At which point my arm was hurting a bit. Just ignored it, didn't think much.
On Saturday my sister visited and gave us a shot of her new toy...

In my dreams! Just lovely. (That's her garden incidently, not mine)
Bit of sore arm, but carried on, as you do.
Then last night it was very uncomfortable, so this morning we went to casualty and where I was told I had damaged my tendon and now I have to wear this lovely thing

Talk about irritating. Typing with one middle finger on right hand, and I am no typist normally. Can't open oven door, do washing, hang out with pegs, sounds good eh? Should be but it's hard sitting doing nothing, REALLY hard. Ds are pretty good at tea though.

The nights are drawing in...

Well we have not flicked the switch to kick in the central heating yet. Even the children haven't been complaining, so it must be mild really.
BUT tonight was the night...

...that the papers were scrunched, the splints stacked and the coals settled around. The whole thing has gone up in smoke and what a cosy front room we had tonight. I keep my big baffers (slippers) nice ever since No.1 D threw up on my old favourite ones, so fresh jimjams, lovely goonie, and fluffy white slippers with a bit of chocolate and a crackling fire.

How good does that sound?

Nearly perfect, switch on the player now, click on play all...

new DVD in with the bread and milk. Oh dear it's a 15, off to bed, mum time X

Feet up now.

We had a great day yesterday where all the girls had a lovely day stitching.

Not brilliantly in focus pics because I chopped them up a bit but gives the idea. Well done girls.

saturdays project

We have our regional day on saturday and the project I have planned for the YQs is a Halloween themed applique. It's always a bit difficult as the age range is 6 - 16. So I got it into my head "Mola". I wasn't thinking needle-turning and tiny reverse applique, that would be interesting but too much for one day. The YQs really need to take away something finished, who wants a UFO.  So it's a felt thing. With a bit of scope for them to be creative in their own way. I am happy with that. Let's hope they are ;-D

Lovely Film

One of the John Barry songs on my probably very annoying bits of  music that play on this blog, is from a film I watched when I was 17.It was called "Follow Me".

In those days we didn't own such a thing as a video tape recorder... laughing now I use the pause button on SKY to make a coffee!!

Well, I have tried to get a copy of the film for so long and it is impossible. It turns out it's also known as "The Public Eye" and stars Topol, Mia Farrow... and a British actor whom I had a bit of crush on - at that time - , Michael Jayston. 

Well, searching on the web again, I discovered that it's very popular in Japan, and the whole thing is available with Japanese subtitles, on YouTube, so I watched it.

video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8605466784247117804#

And this time I was quite taken with Topol!! Is that what happens as you get older. 

Anyway, it is a truly lovely, subtle, touching film, and a fantastic view of early 70s London.


PS I have just re-read this and I should add... that I was not 17 in 1972 when the film came out, I was but a slip of a child and heading for my 4th birthday. Let's not rush things!

Birthday weekend

On thursday we went to the shops for the second time to buy more chocolate, more fizz, more crisps, more butter and eggs... have you noticed how expensive butter and eggs are becoming. I am going to sound like an old whinge-y grump, but they are really expensive, esp when you make cakes etc...
I was going to make american frosting for the american cup cakes - until the recipe stated 8oz butter, as well as the sugar and chocolate. Far too much of all that so I made a good old fashioned butter ice with chocolate.
Along with carrot cake, cheesy jacks (savoury flapjacks), top hats, birthday cake, etc etc etc.
Not one pic of any of it!! :-/
Tasted not too bad though.
However, the bold, now 13 year old didn't specifically ask for any one thing for her birthday. Nothing, just surprises. So we got her something she has wanted for a long time....

AND THEY ALMOST FIT ME!!