Computer age... PAH!!

(N.B You can just go straight to the pics and avoid my rant if you wish)

Why does it take forever to do things on the computer? Isn't it - aren't they supposed to make life easier? STOP.. well in fairness I have just been shopping, at the kitchen table, coffee cup and egg sandwich at the ready... maybe a Pringle crisp or three. Not too many as I am becoming quite disciplined with Pringles - basically I could eat the tube.
But - the flip side is we got a telephone call this morning about a direct debit that is due. Turns out on saturday, the DD was asked for electronically and the money sitting waiting to fly down the wires was sent by the bank... then the wire skipped a beat and the money slid back and the DD never reached it's goal. App some sort of electronic glitch. Efficient (for once) Mr H telephoned the receiver of DD and organised it over the phone speaking to PEOPLE.
The end result was that PEOPLE can not take over from computers... because the money wanted to fly again and have another go because the computer said so... (are you with me?) So...
today we got a phone call from said receiver of DD - because they never talk to each other - saying

Them - "Your DD didn't arrive, we are going to try it again!"
Us- "But we paid it over the phone"
Them - "You'll have to cancel that"
Phone bank... "Nope can't cancel, the payment has been made - it is sitting in cyber space awaiting landing"
Us - "*@$*"
Them - "You'll have to cancel DD order"
An hour later, back and fore as go betweens finally it was sorted - all because of some electronic funny turn on saturday - wonder if it's a strike imminent?

Talk about frustrating. AND I discovered 900 emails that haven't arrived into my inbox. My computer deciding they were Junk and listing them so. Some emailed family pics, and stuff.. I don't think I have the energy to trawl around and find where the setting is that I'll have to deactivate. Maybe the pixies will do it when I 'm asleep. Role on my children getting that bit bigger so I can just leave them a note....

In another time zone - I crocheted a handle bar moustache for Movember

Look it's been a long day so far - I also persuaded Mr H to take a grip of Miss H and hold her whilst I gave her a makeover. She was desperately in need of a bath - seriously not great in the whiff dept. I know you're asking - she's a Border Terrier.

And now she is perfectly cuddly-able..

Sewing and crochet.. crochet and sewing..

Ok, so yesterday, Friday - a day that I have some time to myself, I FORCED myself to sew. Yes FORCED! I have not been doing very much of it at all, by that I am mean serious quilt and patch making projects. 5 min wonders have occurred but for some reason I have not felt like it much. I don't know if it's the weather changing. It has been unusually mild over October here (Bonnie Scotland), which means my workroom is 'atmospherically speaking' not bloody freezing - which is a good thing! BUT the last 2 wks it has gone down a degree or 6... which means, heating on or brave it out? OR go and sit in another room watching B+W films crocheting... ahem....

My tea cosy is not finished yet. I am enjoying myself encrusting it in pretty flowers, none of which are sewn on - just pinned at the moment. 

It's my little Cath Kidston teapot that was just singing for this treatment. I just typed Crochet a Poppy into the search engine and off I went, with as many as my leftover red cotton would allow. The only thing that I feel I keep doing when people comment on it is.. "I have donated!" The more Novembers of Remembrance that come and go, the more it seems to  me, to feel more and more touching. Not forgetting the past wars at all, but connecting them to the Now ones. 

Funny (strange) that one of my favourite B + W films was on this week and it still gets me going...

Did I show you my birthday dresser? It's 18" high and sits so well next to my little chair with it's thimble on the arm, I stop and open the doors every time I pass it in the hall. My miniature Spode blue plates fit perfectly into the shelves.

...and... although maybe I haven't been stitching as much as I should, two of my ladies who have been working on Quilt-as-you-go quilts, have been really busy of late. They have turned a huge corner and are nearing the end, their quilts are truly gorgeous and really very big!!

Has Halloween passed already!!

In my head I have points in the year to ground myself to... to stop it feeling like one week runs into the next TOO quickly. But it's not helping!!
Halloween is a classic example.

When the summer break ends, I think.. half term next... half term ends, I think... Halloween... after Halloween... OMG it's Christmas!!

So this is freaking me out a bit. So the lists have started - in my head - which is completely useless, as I can walk into another room and forget everything.

Anyway, lets have a look at Halloween

As usual the great Scottish weather was pretty crappy for the Guisers (Trick or Treaters). All day the weather was dry. Too windy for some of my house decorations that were getting blown around so much I gave up. Then by the time the light darkened, and the kids were ready - the heavens were well and truly opened. The rain was awful. Really WET rain, which sounds a silly thing to say, but the poor kids were all soaked!! 

I forgot to take pics of the toffee apples finished, and they are all gone now!! and the pumpkin cakes which we've eaten!! and the baby's legs I fed them for tea - delish!! 

Basically you just get chicken legs and thighs still in one piece, cook them however you wish, I barbeque sauced them, then you make little baby booties and put them on like feet. They are so funny - visiting children have to be persuaded that it is actually chicken. HONEST!!

We had purple potatoes too, bit off putting really, but they taste just like ordinary ones.

What filled my heart was my two at the end of it all, washed and PJ'd, saying "thankyou mum, we had a great time" - filling up now typing it. Sweat hearts X