A Weekend Away

Last weekend (not the one that ended yesterday!) saw H and I off for a long weekend in Sidcup.  Now it might not immediately spring to mind when thinking of somewhere to spend a weekend, but there was method in our madness.

Do you remember last November we met these loons, friends, when they came up to visit?  The wheelchair photobombs everything!!

Well it was time to repay the visit.  I am sure the town was warned and was on high alert for our invasion!  Thankfully Mum and Dad get on with everyone so were happy to join us (& drive - thanks Dad).

The journey down was pretty uneventful, indeed we had a picnic on the way and it was lovely and warm.

H & I in the sunshine.

 Now, I could say that we had a weekend of high culture and didn't go into any pubs but I would be lying on at least one of the counts :-)

I did get up early on the Saturday and met a new friend in person.  C & I are in a carers group online and I really wanted to meet her.  Well, I couldn't go all the way there and not meet the one other person that I knew lived there.  I am so glad it worked out.  We had a real catch up and a fabulous hot choccie.

On the Saturday we went to Rochester.  Did you know that you can go into a pub and not drink alcohol???? (I sound such a lush..........), it was a cold day that day.

The only person in the group who I had not meant was D, the daughter of V & J.  Now, I have been friends with her on FB for ages but we'd not yet met.  When you see the photo below you may wonder why I was so looking forward to meeting her.  D loves SOUR sweets and I fell for the "would you like to try one?".  OMG.  The photo below is the white one - happily I don't have a photo of when I tried the green one.... you'd think I'd learn after the first time.

Still I think I've gotten my own back.

We had a lovely Greek night at P&D's on Saturday night but I was too busy to take many photos.

On Sunday we all split up and did various things.  Mum, Dad, P & I went to Chartwell, when we found it (don't ask).

Chartwell was the principal adult home of Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill and his wife Clementine bought the property, located two miles south of Westerham, Kent, England, in 1922. (taken from the web).  

P also told us that Churchill himself built a wall around the vegetable garden but never put in foundations.  The National Trust who own the building now have to decide whether to rebuild the wall for safety or keep the public away.........

I love the pumpkins hanging up in little nets. They were causing amusement and bewilderment of why they were hanging, but I just assumed that it was to stop the creepy crawlies eating them. 

I absolutely love the rose below.  I don't often go for white flowers but this one was so lovely catching the sun and any ideas what it might be called?

Churchill also ran out of money at the end of his lifetime so his friends paid for the upkeep of Chartwell so he could keep living there.  How fabulous was that?

We used the Travel Lodge in Sidcup and I couldn't have been happier.  A huge bedroom (single beds though :-( ) and our first wet room, boy did it make it easier for H.  We'll def be asking for one in future, when we travel.

Excuse the mess - I must remember to take a photo when we check in not just before we check out! Note the wheelie photobombing again............



PS The rose is called "Ice Cream"

Making Baby Blankets

I love crocheting blankets.  I may enjoy crocheting other things but since I love making blankets I haven't even tried much else.

H has 2 cousins who are/were expecting babies this year.  L had baby Charlie at the end of September.  He is such a cutie.  I don't usually pick bright colours but I was desperate to make him a rainbow blanket. 

I think I may have to buy more of the colours and make myself a version of it.  I absolutely love it.

Then M is expecting a little girl in November so I needed to make her a blanket too.  Now M isn't a girlie girl so the colours I picked originally, needed changing somewhat.  I decided to add a blue (I love blue) but all the way through I kept changing my mind whether I liked it or not.  Even now it has been gifted I am not convinced that I like it.  The original colours were the pale pink, purple and grey.  I then went back weeks later and got the blue and when I sat down knew it wasn't right so found the multi in my stash (I have a stash ;-) )

I have learnt a lesson.  Don't choose colours in 3 different sittings.  I wish I had chosen either a less bright blue (it's brighter in real life) or a silver grey.  These things are sent to try us.

Ironically M has decided that this baby is going to start life as a girlie girl and has embraced pink!!!!

What are you making at the moment?

Making me HAPPY this week

It is Sunday and I have photos this week!

Making me happy this week;

1) Having a visitor on Saturday night.  Anni kept asking to go and we were getting grumpy with her.  Then I stood outside with her and saw something move.  It was so gorgeous and Anni after barking once asking to play left it alone.

2) Saying goodbye to the scary teddy bedroom - this no longer exists.  No after shot yet as boxes fill this bedroom.  The attic was finished today so all the boxes can go back and the bedroom can be a bedroom again.

3) Arranging to view another bungalow this week.  This one is also in budget, about 8 doors up from the last one but much bigger so I wouldn't have to get rid of as much junk :-) It also is future proof so if H's MS gets much worse then there is room to covert the utility room into a wet room.

4) Meeting me friend S for tea.  We had a hot choccie, a good catch up and a lovely meal at Jamie's in Leeds.  You can't beat a proper catch up.  Unfortunately it takes me sooooo long to get home from Leeds on a night - we left Jamie's at 7.35 and I walked in the door at 9.23.  I only live in the next town to Leeds, makes me so irritated.  At least I remember my book this time.

5) Starting the crochet blanket for my M-I-L for Christmas.  No photos as I am not sure whether she reads this blog or not.  I am liking my choice of colours this time.

Making me HAPPY this week

Edited:  I did write this on Sunday and planned on adding photos on Monday BUT the joys of decorating, moving a bedroom in and out of a room has thrown me totally these days.  So I am eventually posting without the photos - sorry.


Evening, it is Sunday evening but I intend to post this tomorrow when I can download the photos I have.

Making me happy this week:

1) The scary teddy bedroom is no more - well it is nearly no more, as they are still peeping through the new paint but they are definitely on their way out.  When we moved here nearly 18 years ago we didn't bother decorating the spare bedroom as we thought we'd have children and we'd want to decorate then.  Sadly it has never happened and as we hardly use the room we have just left it.  Now that we want to move the (nice) Estate Agent (EA) mentioned we should tone it down so we are.

2) Mum and Dad coming home from their hols to Cyprus.  Shush don't tell them but I do miss them both when they travel.

3) Seeing Anni's reaction when Mum and Dad came back from their holidays.  She does love my Dad (& my Mum) but she REALLY loves my Dad.  Oh was she happy when they walked through the door.  Indeed, about 20 mins before they got here, she got up and stared out of the window until they got out of the car - how do dogs know?

4)  Finishing and posting the baby blanket for D's other cousin, who is expecting a girl in Nov.  I am still not sure about the colours I used but i did learn an important lesson.  Buy the colours you want at the same time, no adding on - that way you'll decide half way through that you are not sure about your choices.........

5) A day out with G in Leeds.  We had decided to explore places we had never seen but then I had to buy a new iron and jumper and the day got away from us but I hope we can re-plan our visit another day.

Menu Planning Monday

Wow, it's been ages since I tried to menu plan.  I had hoped that by planning I could encourage H to choose something once a week for tea.  Instead, every time I ask for 1 suggestion all I get is pie............  so I gave up.  But then I struggled to cook so I am back on the wagon :-)

I am also trying to eat through the freezer a little more - it is a mess again.  No matter how hard I try to keep the freezer in some kind of order, it all eventually goes to pot!

We will be eating;

Mon :- Fish finger wraps with sweet pot fries
Tues :- Veggie Spal Bol & Garlic Bread (am trying soya mince with this one)
Wed :- Jacket Pots and Cheesy Beans/Beans
Thurs :- erm - something.........................
Fri :-Sausage, mash, giant yorkies and veggies
Sat :- Surprise
Sun :- Surprise again

Am hoping I won't need to do a big shop this week - just need to buy 2 baking potatoes and bread I think and all done.  Then I can plan an Internet shop on next week instead.

Making me HAPPY this week

Hello.  What have you been up to lately?

Making me happy this past week;

1) Organising a new Estate agent to come down and actually give us a valuation.  God, how expensive is it to sell a house these days?!?  Wow - but I feel confident that they will work for their money - watch this space to see if I am too naive........ but I feel hopeful that it will work this time.

2) Ringing someone to come and redecorate the scary teddy bedroom (so named as when we moved it it was painted with scary teddies).  We never redecorated as we assumed we'd have children and would choose decorations then!  He is also pricing up painting the attic room and tidying up the bathroom.  Fingers crossed he'll be a decent bloke with an ok quote (pleeeeease).

3) Happy mail.  I love letters.  I made a new penpal this week and can't wait to get to know her properly.  Don't you just love happy mail.

4) Tidying the house for the EA - it looked lovely but how can it get so messy so quickly - it wasn't me.............

5) Downton Abbey starting again tonight - oh how I have waited for you.

Making me Happy this week

Hello,

I lost my blogging mojo a little there but hopefully as we make plans to move forward my head will be in a better (ie more organized) place.

Making me happy this past week are;

1) My friend N.  She ran her first Great North Run today - and in under 2 hours.  She is running to raise money for Martin House, a children's hospice in Yorkshire.  I am really proud of her.  She wanted to run, she runs and she raises money.

2) N's Birthday celebrations in Leeds.  We shopped, we ate, we drank (a little ish) and had a right laugh.  We then met up with another friend and stayed out later - on a school night too :-) Photos taken at lunchtime - I'll spare you the later ones.

D & Super N

Super N and I

3) Organising an estate agent to come down and value the house.  This time next week we should know how much it is worth and what our next move is.  I am still fearful of this as I haven't seen anything else to buy which worries me a lot.  I wish I had a magic wand to wave :-)  Still we are moving forward so that is a good thing.

4) Finishing M's baby blanket.  M is expecting a little girl in November and I just have to sew in the ends for the border and all done. (I'll try and upload a photo tomorrow so I can take it in daylight).

5) My new pj bottoms - what do you mean I am 41!!!!!!!!

All 3 pairs are from the same shop, they are all the same size.  However, the shaun the sheep are uber comfy, the birdcage ones feel massive (& may yet go back) and the Minion ones are a tiny bit tight, but i love them so they are staying.  I hate clothes shopping at the best of times - how can they be so differently sized??????  The really good bit is they are all 14-16 and I haven't fitted in that size for ages :-)