Making me HAPPY this week

Wow, what a glorious day it's turning out to be.  Gone, are the winter jumpers and the extra blankets.  If this is an Indian Summer (why is it called that anyway) then I'll take it.  Roll on for September please.

Making me happy this week (in no particular order);


1) Friends coming for tea.  Lovely to see A & R and to make a new dish.  We had stew (something I don't often make - shows how cold it's been this week) and cake.  Did you know I love baking...........

Cake - Mmmmmm

2) Walking Anni B.  It's been great getting wrapped up and going for walks.  Not sure what she's trying to tell me below, that shot took about 10 attempts too!!!!!  Hoping we get many more walks in the dry before Winter arrives.

Muttley anyone?

3) Eating chocolate- is that ever bad.  I was given some for my Birthday and they supply a local shop so it'd be rude not to help a small business :-) Check out www.guppyschocolate  , you won't be disappointed!


4) Spending a sunny Sunday at a local canal and beer festival in Brighouse with my Hubby.  We don't often do things together as sometimes it is easier not to.  BUT we are making an effort to do more and not take the easiest path.  Thanks to Mum and Dad for taking us.

H and I

5) Wearing my flips flops again when I had thought it had stopped being warm.  Fingers crossed I'll get a few more days out of them this Summer.

Ahhhh flip flops.

Oh dear

how do you know you are not in the best mood????

You shout at the bloke walking his 2 dogs in the woods, aimlessly wandering whilst dog number one has a poo.  "Scuse me,  I shouted (he was quite away away), your dog's having a big poo".  He wandered back, told me he hadn't any bags on him.  "You're lucky day, I have spare", as I handed over a bag.  Apparently he looked quite shocked I had the nerve to tell him off.  Sorry, old man, not in a good mood.

If you own a dog, pick up after it.  It's not difficult............

Anyone fancy coming on a walk with me?????

Photos below taken on a recent walk in the same woods, so Mum could go blackberry picking.

Anni waiting patiently for set off.  C'mon.

Blackberry picking up the lane.

Pose for the camera- what's in the bag?????

Still a long walk up the lane.

Countryside views, 10 mins walk from home.

Dingly Dell???

Ah, reward for waiting whilst we picked blackberries.

I love water, I do.  Love Anni x

Making me HAPPY this week

It's Friday night and I am making a start on my happiness post.......


1)Lunch with Mum.  It was lovely.



2) Walking Anni in the woods by myself.  I hate the woods, so it is a big deal for me.

3) Baking.  Biscuits with a raspberry flavoured topping.  All gone (SAD FACE).

4) Walking Anni with my Dad.  When Mum was ill we spent loads of time walking Anni together.  I miss spending this one on one time with him.  Don't get me wrong it's nice with both of them, but it's the only time I ever spend with my Dad by ourselves, so it makes me happy.



5) Waking up without a hangover after an engagement do last night.  I don't like parties, too many people for me so usually drink a little too much.  Last night I didn't and it was much more fun!!!!!

Now I think I need to go and bake a cake - it's a hard life!

True Friendship

A long time ago, I was told that a sign of true friendship was that you may not meet for years but when you do it will be like you last saw each other yesterday.  This has been tested and has proved to be true (or not) in each case.

On Monday, I met such a friend.  We have known each other since we were 5/6.  We lost touch as teenagers and then when she moved back to Bradford (and on again) we got in touch and keep in touch.  Now, I am not the best at keeping in touch.  I find it difficult to balance my life caring for H and my life as me.  I struggle to take the time to maintain friendships as I feel guilty if I am not helping H.  This is something I am working on, allowing myself the time to have fun with friends.  Now L and I are friends but we haven't met up in such a long time that I can't actually remember when we met up.  If you'd have seen us on Monday you'd have thought we'd last met up last week.  We sat for an hour and a half catching up over coffee and a sandwich.  We even made loose plans to go to York in October to go to the Chocolate Story, and to arrange a monthly lunch and a 2 monthly sleep over (involving wine, I suspect!).

My fav photo of L (let me know if you don't like it L and I'll take it down), taken at our local when she used to live near by.  We were sat there with H and it was just a fabulous night.

Then on Tuesday I went shopping with my Mum whilst Anni spent time with my Dad - win-win situation!!!!  Mum and I went into Huddersfield to collect my Birthday present which broke on holiday and needed to be replaced.  We then stopped in a lovely little cafe for lunch and shared a bottle of wine.  We were sat there for nearly 2 hours.  The only criticism was we shared a bowl of chips, now if you give small portions you shouldn't put it in a soup bowl...................

Cheers Mum.

My Birthday present from L included a new baking tray from Lakeland and other baking bits - did you guess I love to bake?  Today I tried out the tray and made biscuits with a raspberry flavoured icing - I wonder if it's set yet.  How many biscuits can I eat before I am a pig......... don't answer that one.

Inspiration

I go through phases of 'having' to craft and then not touching it for a while.  My crafting ranges from card making to knitting and just lately I am learning to crochet.  Now I love plain and simple knitting as I can do it in front of the TV whilst watching a programme.  Crochet I need to concentrate on and can't focus on the TV at the same time - maybe in time I will, but at the moment I still sit with my tongue stuck out - truly it helps!!!!!!  (thankfully I keep the camera near me so H can't capture the moment).

I have gotten into a bit of a rut with crochet.  I did a little on holiday but I hadn't really managed to find the enjoyment in it that I should have been feeling, so I put it aside and every time I walked past the bag of my crochet I glanced at it sadly but kept walking.

At the same time, I love reading blogs about crochet (and knitting) and I read them with gusto.  I can't get enough of them, and look at what is being made with jealousy, thinking, Oh I couldn't possibly make that.  But maybe one day I will!!!!  My main goal is to make a ripple blanket ala Lucy at attic 24.

Then this week I found a new blog, one that hadn't appeared on any of my Google searches, and it made me pick up my crochet hook (like I only own one!!!!!!!).  I was inspired by the blankets that Birgitte has made for her family.  Indeed, I may have added another one to the list of what I NEED to make.  So if you haven't found her blog yet, pop across and say hi handmadeandoffcentered .

The blanket I started ages ago but only picked up again this week currently looks like this,

and I'm loving working on it - yeehay.

Making me HAPPY this (LAST!) Week

Ok, I've done it again.  When I decided to do these "happy" posts I never imagined that I wouldn't be able to think of things on a Sunday!!  How hard is it?

So here goes;

1) H not getting more hurt when he fell.  He was all a fluster (or not if you believe him!!) and putting Anni into her crate for the night when he lost his balance and started free wheeling backwards.  He tried to fall on the floor to be safe but bounced off the pouffe first.  I am happy that he didn't do more damage - though Anni needed a love as he scared her when he fell.....................


2) Walking Anni in the local woods with my parents.  She lights up when she sees my Dad and for days afterwards waits in the window to see if they are coming again.  Anni is only my second dog so I have no idea if her fixation with my Dad is normal or not.


3) Watching this film for date night.  I was surprised I loved it so much.  Is it wrong that I am on Cesar's side????     Eager to see the next one now - hint to Hubby!




4) G coming for lunch.  It's always lovely to see my friends.  Anni says thanks for the walk too.  When are you coming next?


5) Arranging to meet a friend for lunch today (I know it's this week but I arranged it last week).  I tend to find it hard to leave the house sometimes - it goes in phases, so I try and make sure I get out each week.  When I don't and I haven't for 2 weeks now, I do find it hard to make myself go out.  I'll be right when I'm on the bus.


PS How can it be so cold in August!!!!!

Crafting on Holiday

Now last year I took no crafting on holiday and I regretted it hugely.  I just felt lost with nothing to do.  Now I did read A LOT of books (and that's great) but my hands were itching to make something.  So this year, I bought a crochet and knitting magazine which came with wool and hooks/needles and was set to go.

I wasn't too bothered in the first week but by week 2 I needed to do something.  As you know I am a crochet beginner so I concentrated on making Granny Squares.  Want to see what I came up with?  I didn't manage too much as I couldn't remember how to do it without using the Internet, and I couldn't see the screen clearly in the sunshine and I was determined to enjoy the sunshine this year.

Basic Granny Square - I can do these once I remind myself about the number of stitches needed.  I do love how these change depending on what colour you do.  I also made one in blue and white which I love (and used as a coaster).

A Closed Granny Square.  I love the look of this one, but I have to REALLY concentrate to make it and it's not perfect.  I hope to make many of these and make a blanket.  I'll worry about joining them when I feel I have mastered them!!!

I am not happy with the one below.  It is meant to be a circle in a square.  I think it is ok until the blue, then it doesn't look like a square.  I think I misread the pattern and didn't do the corners well enough.  Another one which needs lots of practise.

All in all I doubt I'll buy the magazine again.  The hook wasn't brilliant and had sharp bits on it which the wool kept catching on.  I also wasn't keen on the wool - I LOVE the blue though.  So on future holidays I think I will take my regular hooks and choose a couple of balls of wool to pack.

Rain, rain go away

Talk about a storm.  A week ago today (Friday) we had a massive storm in Molyvos in the middle of the night.  I actually thought someone was stood on my balcony taking photos and the flashes woke me up (Maria, I was half asleep - it had nothing to do with the final night of drinking!).  It was glorious sitting there watching the sky light up.

Then today, we've had a couple of storms.  I have NEVER seen rain like it before.  I was hoping H was still at work as there was no way we'd have gotten him into the house safely.  The rain running down the road was horrendous.

Do you like storms?  I hate the thunder and enjoy the lightening - go figure!!!!

Making me HAPPY this week

This week has been a nothing kind of week and it's been great.  We arranged to see someone about a new wheelchair - we think we have finally chosen which one to buy, we ate healthily (sometimes), enjoyed the quietness of doing very little.

Making me happy this week;

1) Ice cream with Sour Cherry (this one is for you Maria).  The sun was shining, I'd remembered to buy ice cream (no banana in sight) and opened the Sour Cherries.  Yum

2) Knitting- no photos allowed.  A new project, (gone wrong twice now.  Mum has fixed once and I suspect will have to frog and help again). MMMMMuuuuuummmmmmmmm and I think it won't fit me too - arghhhhhhhhhh.



3) Walking Anni in the sunshine, with friends, and with family.  It's always nicer to walk with other people.



4) Finding new storage solutions to help with the de-cluttering.  Hopefully a trip to Ikea this week and we'll be set to start de-cluttering mark 2.  I will look forward to it................. maybe.



5) Thinking of our trip to Molyvos.  Yup, that's it in the photo below.  We have never flown over it on the way home before, and we were actually sat on the right side of the airplane so I could take photos.

PS The airport at Mytilene - now there is an experience you have to experience to believe!!!!!  Next Summer there will be 3 flights to the UK on a Saturday.  Great for the island, not so great for travelling.  It'll be hell - fact!!!!

My favourite place so far

It might be here

or here

or here

or here

or here

or here

or here

Or how about here

Molyvos, you hold a piece of our hearts and we miss you already.

Where is your favourite place?

Making me HAPPY this week

Apologies for the lack of posts but I couldn't upload photos whilst on holiday.

Making me happy this past week are;

1) Spending time with these two.  Thanks for coming on holiday with us, so glad you loved it too.  Where to next time????? :-)

2) Watching the sunset.  Wow.

3) Having just the right plaster when H face planted on our last night of our holidays.  I got back to our room to find him claiming to have broken his nose.  Thankfully (only) a small cut on his nose.  Drama Queen anyone???????

4)  Oh Maria, how lovely you are.  A jar of Sour Cherries, brought safely home from our trip to our Molyvos.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

5) Picking Anni up from the kennels this morning.  Well it made her happy....... to see my Dad!!!!!!!

And Breathe

and relax.......