It's been surreal and busy..

Well, there have been a few things happening since last I wrote. I have had a lovely little sewing room in our smallest bedroom which has been a lucky lucky pleasure. You couldn't swing the proverbial, and I am sure George the cat would protest if I tried...

So, we have had several discussions about converting part/most of the garage which is just off the kitchen. I have plenty stash squashed into my cupboards upstairs and then when the shop shut I held onto niceties.. so..

a joiner came on the Friday to inspect and returned 4 days later to begin..

And last tuesday he finished! So I was testing my plastering skills at the weekend - the taping the seams bit. Well I can do seams on the fabric nature and I can ice a cake so put the two together, and hey presto.

Then on top of this, which lets face it, anyone asked to clear their garage over a weekend is going to stop time!.. we collected our new pup last week.

It is like having a baby again, except I can walk and run and not fret about going to the loo! She is "Haggis" a Border Terrier and she is gorgeous. The children are smitten, I am smitten, even the big bad daddy is trying to hide the fact that he is smitten. In between worrying about smelling of dog.

I am hoping to show a pic of Haggis sitting in my newly organised sewing room, the easy bit was getting the joiner in!

Slowly does it.

The other day as I was cart-horsing my bags from car to class I came across someone moving house.. what was amazing was - that last September I met this "person" on the same path in practically the same position, direction,etc as this second time. And here he/she is.

How very odd thought I, unless of course this was "visitors", because that wouldn't be odd at all, for visitors can be a very pleasant experience.

Birthday Weekend!

well.. as usual it starts off with ..No party this time! No to the big gift.. and then we are involved in the three day event that is No.2 Ds birthday.

But - (and there is always a but) when she saw this cake she couldn't speak and the tears were rolling down her cheeks (and mine) she was so happy and gracious x treasure x oh and their Mars Planets.. slightly smaller than Maltesers

Trip to top of the world (almost!)

Six days walking walking walking.. and no complaints. Children left at home (sobbing on the phone "we miss you so much..") . Just himself and me in the most interesting and mesmerising city in the world.

Well.. I haven't been to many, but this one I love. I love the way people are themselves, they like what they like. They dress the way they want, they eat what they want and tell the waiters to bring. SO polite and mannerly.

And do you know I can walk down Buchanan St in Glasgow and have sore shoulders by the end of it and didn't bump into one person in a New York street. Actually not true - someone bumped me and they apologised so sincerely I was really embarrased.

Two quilt shops! Lovely. Department stores, museums.. just fab. ANd then home to the Easter Break where the rain stayed away!! For once.

And doesn't the old Statue look tiny!

Hoppity Hop

Well you know the set up... they come home from the club - in this case Guides - throw everything in a heap and before you know it a week is just about in and they are saying...

"But I have to make something!!"

So this is what she did last night. for today! Thank heavens for no homework!! It is a hard boiled egg that she sewed into a felt "bodysuit" . Her mother helped with the wire in the ears and the fishing line whiskers.. it is fab!! And is about 5" tall to the ears tips.

HOPPY EASTER!

Friday Evening Stroll

This should have been put in before Sunday but I have only just realised how to NOT lose the pics from my iphone when I plug it into the computer. Sounds silly I know but I have misplaced some nice pics... I dare say they will appear when I am tinkering...

Anyway, lovely spring evening on friday so we - only just - got the bikes in the boot. Thank..... for an estate as the bold boy says we dont need the bike carrier that everyone else seems to use.. Oh no! I can man handle the ladies bike (which TALL No.1 D uses) and the MUDDY one that No.2 likes to shoot through the sludge in.. I can lift them without getting muddy into the boot... yeah right! As soon as we get back from our travels I am off down to the bike shop for one of those hooky things!

He's just afraid he will reverse into a parking space and forget its there. A bit like the time we were in France and drove into a wall, he didnt believe there was anything behind the copious ivy...

The travels are to come.

Dig for Britain

Well, it's been a very fulfilling weekend. I knew I should have taken "before" and "after" shots but I was much too embarrassed by the thought. Yesterday I spent time digging the veg patch. Not very big but there and ignored for much too long and then today I emptied a LONG ignored flower bed.

So now I have an old carpet, much to the amusement of half a dozen children playing "mum's and teenagers" - what has happened to the dads?? Anyway, the old carpet is upside down and I will give it a couple of weeks to see if it works to block out and weeds on my veggie patch - which has a dozen bulbs of garlic that have survived the bad gardening ethic that has existed!

And oh the joy of washing windows in a glass house. Today it looked quite smart shining at the bottom of the garden, a few little seedling trays sitting on the shelves smiling at their mother - she cares after all!

And theme of the week has been rustling up...

the gardening Sunbonnet Sue. Not normally my cup of tea but I seem to been widening my "likes" to almost anything and my "makes" into .. yes.. just about anything (once).