Shipley Glen Walkies

It was a glorious day yesterday.  One of those you don't expect to be anything special but then turns out to be blue skies and sunshine.  My parents and I decided to talk Anni for a walk at Shipley Glen.  We used to go up there when we were kids, and it's lovely to have another reason to visit now.  I don't remember ever walking down to the river, when we were children - did we Mum?

We park up, let an excited Anni out of the back and off we go.  Thankfully, unlike Patch (our first dog) Anni does not get car sick.  Down one side of a valley, the trees are lovely, to a river at the bottom.

Going down,

and down (don't you love that Dad waits for us - and Anni has already disappeared into the river!!).

I even managed to get tape of Anni swimming.  She tries to avoid it if she can, she prefers to run round, or try and jump through the water, but every now and again she will swim and seems to like it.  I hope you can see the video (you may want to turn off your speakers so you can't hear us all!).

Then starting up the other side and it is pretty steep.  Half way up you come to these fabulous, massive gates which lead to nothing.  Dad tells me that it once led to the mansion of Sir Titus Salt but it burnt down in the early 1900's (I think).  It does feel weird that the gates are still there.

Looking further up the hill from the gates- hope we don't have to go up there!

Looking right, whoops Dad can't wait to get going

Anni is off.  See her in the distance.  When she was smaller she wouldn't let us out of her sight.  She'd go a couple of feet then come running back to us for safety.  This went on for a long time.  She'll now go round a corner for a nano second before barrelling back to us at 90 miles an hour (no love, I haven't verified the speed).

There were a lot of bluebells out in the woods.  My Mum complains that she can never get a good photo of them.  It helps if you bring your camera Mum............  (wonder when she'll see this)?

 Looking back down the hill from the gates.  I love the old cobbles leading down the hill.  I can imagine someone with a big old fashioned bike pushing his bike up the hill in days gone by.

I love the splash of blue through the trees.

Our first "Selfie".  Not sure we'll be doing many, but I did get to wear my new sunglasses.

I must have put my phone away here as I don't have any more photos.  We walked along the top of a ridge, back to the river, Anni had another paddle then back up the other side and back to the car.  There is a lovely little cafe, with a real sun trap of a patio to have lunch.  It almost makes the walk worth it,  almost.......

Making me HAPPY this week

Yes, I know I am missing a week.  Last Sunday, Easter, was a busy one.  I cooked for Mum and Dad, made the "World's Best Ever Eton Mess" according to my Dad - and he should know :-) and ate chocolate.  What more could a girl ask for.

This week, making me happy are;

1) Watching the bluebells appear in the woods.   Can you see them?  I only had my phone with me.

How about the zoomed in one?  Sorry for the blur.

2) What can I say.  My dog walking buddies make me happy.  Anni happy after chasing balls and sticks in the stream, the rest of us happy that it was a warm day.

3) A new view of the stream.  Wellies are fabulous creations and I am happy that my wellies open up new streams for me to explore- ok so Anni decided that a stick was more exciting than her ball and someone had to clamber down the banking to get the ball - well it was a new one :-)

4) First batch of cookies - no photos though as we ate them too quickly!!!!  Followed a recipe from here Cookies Now I found that I got more than 9 cookies out of the mix and they were in the oven for nearly 20 minutes (down to my rubbish oven), a little long for the ones on the edges.

5)  Ahem, no comment.  Do men ever grow up?

40 good deeds in my 40th year.

So I have decided that in honour of me (and HUBBY) being 40 this year - he already is, I'm not quite........ I am going to do 40 things to help other people.  I am not sure how this will pan out and what that will entail but I would like to help 40 other people.

In order for me to track my progress I have made a new tab at the top of my blog so I can see how far I have gone through my 40 things.  So good deeds will be to help friends, strangers and charities and will be spread throughout the year.

So you have any suggestions?  Charities that you support that I can take a look at.  I may decide not to help certain charities, as I already help some but I am happy to take a look.

Making me HAPPY this week

Can you become addicted to a tv programme?  You don't need to answer that one.  Oh, yes you can.  When Hubby dislocated his knee earlier this year and was off of work recovering, I downloaded series 3-9 of "Grey's Anatomy" and I was addicted.  I HAD to sit and watch multiple episodes as often as possible, now I am not as bothered.  Not sure whether the lack of episodes to watch has anything to do with this. I am now addicted to "Bones" - shush Hubby isn't as bothered and is in fact sleeping as I watch!  Anyway, I digress.

Making me happy;

1) Baking.  Cake for tea and cake for when G visits tomorrow.


2) Getting money back to put towards a holiday.


3) Buying a new coat - I've been searching for the perfect coat for over a year now!!!!  I no longer need to go out in my dog walking coat - woohoo!


4) Starting a Christmas present for little L (photo to be taken in daylight).


5) Having a very quiet week - lovely.  Next week is very busy - do you have that.  Weeks that are either stupidly busy or very, very quiet.  I like both of them as I don't think you can enjoy the quiet times if you don't have the busy times.  I think my next quiet time is about a month away - I must book a Pyjama day!!!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

Woohoo, we have a winner.  Name from a hat, well a gorgeous bowl I bought in Molyvos, swim fishes swim........

Now be prepared to be amazed by the number of entries.  After complaints from Hubby his name was in the proverbial hat, but he was warned if he won, it would be redrawn.  In fact, I must check that he hasn't "accidentally" eaten part of the giveaway.

 Are you waiting excitedly yet, G, J and A??????? (and hubby)..........

Who is it????  Who..............  and the winner is...............

Well done Gill.  You are a winner - thank Hubby's lucky fingers for pulling your name out of the hat.

Giveaway closed and will be drawn tomorrow.

My giveaway is now closed and due to unforeseen circumstances (unexpected tea out and a dog who was sick by my feet when we got back!) will be drawn tomorrow by Hubby - don't worry his comment won't get an entry into the draw!

I was a little disappointed that I didn't get more comments, but I guess I haven't found my niche yet to have many readers.  At least the few people who did comment, have a real chance of winning.  Good Luck.

Making me HAPPY this week

This week has felt like a long week.  I think the weather does that for you.  We had one glorious day in the warmth and mainly miserable days when we've been warned not to venture out too far because of the pollution - it feels like we've gone back in time when the smog was so bad people were dying!!!!!!!!  Definitely reinforces that we need to do more to save the planet.

Making me happy;

1) Anni being braver in the garden.  She actually happily sat down and watched the cars pass by.  This was without sitting between our legs for safety.

2) Tulips

3) Meeting L for lunch.  It's been a while since we've met up.


4) Reaching 100 blog posts - have you entered the giveaway yet?


5) Learning I am married to a secret ninja - he got up at 5.30 without waking me.  This is so unusual that when I commented on it, he came back with "that's cause I am a secret ninja".  It's kinda stuck and I'm sure he may regret it one day .................

100 Posts GIVEAWAY

Oh my, 100 posts already.  When I started blogging 100 posts seemed so unattainable.  Wow, it's really not.  If you are thinking of starting a blog, just do it.  Some weeks you'll have absolutely nothing to say, some weeks you'll think no one else will care about what you have to say and other weeks you can't shut up.  I think that's the nature of blogging and all I can say is go with the flow.........

So 100 posts- do you want to enter a give away?  Now, I suspect that I only have about 5 people who regularly read my posts so your chance of winning is pretty high!!!!!!!!

So what can you win????????  I am thinking something handmade, something pretty, something cute, something edible?

So my second dishcloth (trust me you wouldn't want the first one!!!), a CK spotty lanyard (you can't have a giveaway without some CK), a cowboy topped pencil (did I tell you I love spots?), some cute stickers cause they have eggs on and some cute Easter chocolate babbits (cause Anni loves her Babbit!).


All you have to do is leave a comment on this post by 9pm (my time) on Thursday 11th April, so I can get it to you before Easter (Post Office permitting).  The lucky winner will be picked from a hat - or alternative container, unless I suddenly attract a gazillion entries then I'll have to ask hubby to sort me out a random number picker thingy from t'internet.

Simples!

Go on, give it a go and you may win some pretties.

Wow

Not sure how Hubby knew.........  Look what came with the shopping yesterday..........  a bunch of 2 coloured tulips, even with my most favourite shade of pink ever.

Ok, so I bought them myself but a girl can pretend!!!!!!!!!! and he did buy my Mini Eggs to celebrate the 2 year anniversary of leaving work!

I haven't posted photos of Anni lately so thought I'd best rectify that.

She loves taking up as much space as she can when she is allowed on the sofa and S-t-r-e-t-c-h

and finally, I am brave enough to let you wrap me in my blanket Mum - I'm 2 now and not as scared of as many things..........  maybe.  

Favourites

Do you have a favourite?

Now that spring is here - is it??????????   We are hiding in the house to avoid the bad air outside.  My nose is running and breathing a little raggy.  I suffer dreadfully from allergies, a recent -ish development.  Indeed, I kinda disbelieved those who suffered each year and thought oh, yeah how bad can it be.  Well from someone who now relys on allergy tablets and nasal sprays and can still feel like death, I take it back.   I am so sorry, please make it stop.................


I LOVE flowers, absoultely adore them.  So it got me thinking if I could have a bunch of flowers suddenly appear - are you reading this hubby?  What would I choose?

Would I choose yellow roses (as in my wedding bouquet)?

Or Lilly's?

Maybe Lavender - I love the smell?

Gerbera ?

Nope, I'd pink a bunch of pink tulips - every single time, or a bunch of mixed vibrant tulips.  I love flowers, but I love the simple flowers that make me think of sunshine and happiness everytime I look at them.

 Pics taken from the Internet.

March Roundup

March roundup already.  Where is the time going to?  My Mum always used to tell me that time passes quicker as you grow older - oh dear!

From top left: First attempt at a dishcloth (2nd since completed), Mother's Day card, Birthday cake, buns

From left (clockwise); D and Anni enjoying the outdoors, Mum and Dad, stream, flowers, G, A

Birthday Girl

I may be mad but when Anni turned 2 she got a cake!!!!

Peanut butter and honey.  It's not too bad - yup, I tasted it but gosh it needs sugar!!!
 

She may not wear an actual hat but that need not stop me.