The new all singing and dancing carpet cleaner arrived on Saturday.......within 24 hours of ordering. Very impressed.
So today I am taking advantage of hubby being here for shifting furniture and I am going to do battle with the filthy carpets to try and rid them of their coating of winter grime from muddy shoes, coal fire dust and smelly dog.
I am expecting great things of this beast of a machine so we'll see how it does.
It looks like hubby has evening meal prep under control so there is maybe a chance he will cook it too....bless him. So once the carpets are done I can get back to my quilt top making.
Gosh....it's very warm here already so I'll be flinging the windows open for sure and letting some breeze in.
I'll catch up with you all later when all my housewifely duties are done.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Monday, 30 May 2016
Another Sew Shop Show!!!
More rulers to add to my quilting tool arsenal.
The Christmas fabric is to go with other fabric I have to make a Sit For Santa quilt for my girls. The idea is to put it on the floor on Christmas morning and they sit on it to open their presents......as long as they have been good enough to get presents.....lol.
The Moda Vintage Picnic is for a quilt for Marlowe.
The Red Rooster ten fat quarter stack couldn't be passed up....it was reduced from nearly £30 to £10. It will make a fabulous beach quilt for Ruby and Marlowe.
DD has chosen the two darker fabrics from my stash for her bag and she bought the lighter fabric for a lining from the same range.
So much fabric, so many ideas.....where do I start? Well I will start by finishing the Christmas quilt top over the next couple of days. It's coming along very nicely.
Simple food today. We are having fish with salad and garlic and parmesan roast potatoes. That means I can get my sewing done in between loads of laundry and not have to spend all day preparing our evening meal.
I was going to dry the washing outside but some mighty spiteful looking black clouds are gathering so I don't think I will even attempt it today.
Hope all is bright and sunny where you are.
Sheila-x-
Sunday, 29 May 2016
Crafty As A Cartload Of Monkeys!!!
Oh yes that was me yesterday.
To avoid having to go out for a meal I came home with the fixings for a barbecue. I wouldn't normally buy those overpriced packs of meat but T's had some really nice ones at 3 for £10. Threw in some corn on the cob, a bowl of salad, coleslaw, potato salad and some crusty rolls and it was absolutely gorgeous....even though hubby was a grumpy old git at being thwarted.....lol.
It meant that I was happier to go out for lunch today. We didn't go far....just up to the next village and we had a really lovely meal all freshly cooked and beautifully served.
I still came out asking the same old question though......why in gawds name can nobody do proper roast potatoes. Today they looked like boiled potatoes that had been put under the grill to brown them off. They had definitely never seen the inside of an oven.
The trip to Derby was about the quickest DD and I have ever done. Out at 8:30am and back home by 10:30am.
Nothing to tempt me fabricwise on the market so all I came home with was a pineapple prep tool, an address book, a magnetic shopping list/meal planner thingy to put on the fridge and a magazine. I soon put that right though by going off to the patchwork shop. DD went off the idea of the skull bag and has set her sights on some fabric I already have in so she just bought the lining fabric. I'll take some pics tomorrow and show you what I bought.
I've just had a blissful half hour or so having my hair sorted out by DD and my toes being licked by Smudge the dog. Eeeeeh it were just like being at a salon. So now I am all relaxed and just about to start on the next stage of the scrappy Christmas quilt. The 4.5 x 2.5 strips are now sewn into 4.5 x 4.5 squares and I now need to sew those into 8.5 x 8.5 squares.
Another job I have lined up is to make myself a pressing board. Hubby has just cut me a piece of wood so I need to sort out some batting offcuts and a piece of fabric to cover it and that's another piece of kit off my list.
Hope you are all having a fabulous day. The sun is shining here.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
To avoid having to go out for a meal I came home with the fixings for a barbecue. I wouldn't normally buy those overpriced packs of meat but T's had some really nice ones at 3 for £10. Threw in some corn on the cob, a bowl of salad, coleslaw, potato salad and some crusty rolls and it was absolutely gorgeous....even though hubby was a grumpy old git at being thwarted.....lol.
It meant that I was happier to go out for lunch today. We didn't go far....just up to the next village and we had a really lovely meal all freshly cooked and beautifully served.
I still came out asking the same old question though......why in gawds name can nobody do proper roast potatoes. Today they looked like boiled potatoes that had been put under the grill to brown them off. They had definitely never seen the inside of an oven.
The trip to Derby was about the quickest DD and I have ever done. Out at 8:30am and back home by 10:30am.
Nothing to tempt me fabricwise on the market so all I came home with was a pineapple prep tool, an address book, a magnetic shopping list/meal planner thingy to put on the fridge and a magazine. I soon put that right though by going off to the patchwork shop. DD went off the idea of the skull bag and has set her sights on some fabric I already have in so she just bought the lining fabric. I'll take some pics tomorrow and show you what I bought.
I've just had a blissful half hour or so having my hair sorted out by DD and my toes being licked by Smudge the dog. Eeeeeh it were just like being at a salon. So now I am all relaxed and just about to start on the next stage of the scrappy Christmas quilt. The 4.5 x 2.5 strips are now sewn into 4.5 x 4.5 squares and I now need to sew those into 8.5 x 8.5 squares.
Another job I have lined up is to make myself a pressing board. Hubby has just cut me a piece of wood so I need to sort out some batting offcuts and a piece of fabric to cover it and that's another piece of kit off my list.
Hope you are all having a fabulous day. The sun is shining here.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Saturday, 28 May 2016
Up With The Lark!!!
..........or judging by all the chattering.....the sparrers....lol.
I gave myself an early night to bed last night and I feel so much better for it this morning. I've been up since 6:30am and have a load of laundry done already.
Just about to get myself ready for a trip into Derby with DD. She wants me to make her a bag from the pattern I got at Hobbycraft last week and we have to go in search of some skull fabric and a script type fabric for lining.....bet I won't find those in the remnant bins.
Hubby wants to take us out for a meal tonight....I would rather not but hey ho....I expect I shall give in and go. He also wants to take us out for lunch tomorrow but I will try and get out of that one.
I can hear DD stirring so I'll go and get myself sorted out.
Hope you all have a fab weekend. The weather is supposed to be good.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
I gave myself an early night to bed last night and I feel so much better for it this morning. I've been up since 6:30am and have a load of laundry done already.
Just about to get myself ready for a trip into Derby with DD. She wants me to make her a bag from the pattern I got at Hobbycraft last week and we have to go in search of some skull fabric and a script type fabric for lining.....bet I won't find those in the remnant bins.
Hubby wants to take us out for a meal tonight....I would rather not but hey ho....I expect I shall give in and go. He also wants to take us out for lunch tomorrow but I will try and get out of that one.
I can hear DD stirring so I'll go and get myself sorted out.
Hope you all have a fab weekend. The weather is supposed to be good.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Friday, 27 May 2016
Blue, Green And White!!!
I am not a lover of spring or summer but even I couldn't fail to be awed by the beauty of our little bit of countryside as we went into town last night. The vivid bluebells in the copse we pass, the lush green fields and the gorgeous sight of the white lacy cow parsley growing along the verges.
The hawthorn trees wearing their white veils are everywhere here as far as the eye can see and look so beautiful.
This morning we have another blue to add to the mix in the shape of a blue sky.
How lucky we are.
Thank you all so much for your comments yesterday.
There is quite a sad story behind hubby's eating habits. I won't go into the details but suffice it to say that due to things that happened in his late childhood/early adulthood he has an abject fear of being hungry and of there not being enough food. I have been trying to help him overcome this for forty years and he is better than he was at one time. I do cook good nutritious meals for us all but whereas DD and I are happy with fish or chicken and salad he always has to have potatoes or bread with it else he thinks he will be hungry.
I have won quite a lot of battles with him over his food but there is still a good way to go to win the whole war.
I am just about to start on my sewing together of the bits for the quilt. It wasn't started last night as I was exhausted by the time we got in from town at 7pm. We just had our beans on toast and watched a couple of programmes on the Freeview channel True Crime until it was time for hubby to get home and then I had to get up and see to his supper. I should really be out in the garden. The lawns need mowing but I can't use the huge lawnmower we have.....well I could if I fancied a trip round the estate clinging on to the back of it and mowing down everything in my path.....lol.
Anyhoo.......I will tidy the dining table, crank up the Singer and get me some sewing done.
Bye for now.
Sheila-x-
The hawthorn trees wearing their white veils are everywhere here as far as the eye can see and look so beautiful.
This morning we have another blue to add to the mix in the shape of a blue sky.
How lucky we are.
Thank you all so much for your comments yesterday.
There is quite a sad story behind hubby's eating habits. I won't go into the details but suffice it to say that due to things that happened in his late childhood/early adulthood he has an abject fear of being hungry and of there not being enough food. I have been trying to help him overcome this for forty years and he is better than he was at one time. I do cook good nutritious meals for us all but whereas DD and I are happy with fish or chicken and salad he always has to have potatoes or bread with it else he thinks he will be hungry.
I have won quite a lot of battles with him over his food but there is still a good way to go to win the whole war.
I am just about to start on my sewing together of the bits for the quilt. It wasn't started last night as I was exhausted by the time we got in from town at 7pm. We just had our beans on toast and watched a couple of programmes on the Freeview channel True Crime until it was time for hubby to get home and then I had to get up and see to his supper. I should really be out in the garden. The lawns need mowing but I can't use the huge lawnmower we have.....well I could if I fancied a trip round the estate clinging on to the back of it and mowing down everything in my path.....lol.
Anyhoo.......I will tidy the dining table, crank up the Singer and get me some sewing done.
Bye for now.
Sheila-x-
Thursday, 26 May 2016
Sleepless In Staffordshire!!!
What a flippin' horrible night that was.
I don't think my eyes have been closed for more than ten minutes all night. I just couldn't get comfortable and spent the whole night tossing and turning. One minute hot and throwing the covers off and the next freezing cold and shivering. Gordon Bennett....I am so sick of germs.
I have just presented hubby with a fait accompli and given him fish and salad for his lunch. He eats way too much fried stuff, bread and potatoes so I have decided in future that I am not asking him what he wants for his lunch....he will get what I think is good for him as I am the one who has to listen to him moaning about heartburn and other side effects of eating too much unhealthy stuff. He has very fixed ideas of what a working man should eat....lol.
We enjoyed our meal out with Ruby yesterday. She was thrilled to bits when we told her she was going to Frankie & Benny's as she loves the music in there. I had my favourite Chicken Parmegiana as did DD. Ruby always goes for pizza but I don't mind as long as she eats her salad with it and she ate every mouthful.
I felt too off it to do the top up shop last night so we will go and do that tonight and just have beans on toast and a cuppa when we get back which was DD's request.
No cooking means I get some extra time to do what I want so the last bit of fabric will get cut up today and the sewing will commence tonight.......about bloomin' time.
For now I am just off on a search for a new carpet shampooer as mine doesn't seem to be doing it's job properly. It doesn't have brushes so it doesn't scrub the carpet. I shall pass my old one on to DS so it won't go to waste.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
I don't think my eyes have been closed for more than ten minutes all night. I just couldn't get comfortable and spent the whole night tossing and turning. One minute hot and throwing the covers off and the next freezing cold and shivering. Gordon Bennett....I am so sick of germs.
I have just presented hubby with a fait accompli and given him fish and salad for his lunch. He eats way too much fried stuff, bread and potatoes so I have decided in future that I am not asking him what he wants for his lunch....he will get what I think is good for him as I am the one who has to listen to him moaning about heartburn and other side effects of eating too much unhealthy stuff. He has very fixed ideas of what a working man should eat....lol.
We enjoyed our meal out with Ruby yesterday. She was thrilled to bits when we told her she was going to Frankie & Benny's as she loves the music in there. I had my favourite Chicken Parmegiana as did DD. Ruby always goes for pizza but I don't mind as long as she eats her salad with it and she ate every mouthful.
I felt too off it to do the top up shop last night so we will go and do that tonight and just have beans on toast and a cuppa when we get back which was DD's request.
No cooking means I get some extra time to do what I want so the last bit of fabric will get cut up today and the sewing will commence tonight.......about bloomin' time.
For now I am just off on a search for a new carpet shampooer as mine doesn't seem to be doing it's job properly. It doesn't have brushes so it doesn't scrub the carpet. I shall pass my old one on to DS so it won't go to waste.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
That Man Of Mine!!!
Oooooh he is in such trouble. He has bought yet another germy horrible cold home from work and both DD and I have caught it. Nasty sore throats and coughs, runny noses and headaches and not an ounce of energy between us. If he doesn't pack it up I am going to start making him take a dip in a bath of disinfectant before he is allowed in the house.
I must admit I do feel better today than I did yesterday. Not sure about DD as she was gone to work by the time I got up.
It's dull, dreary and threatening rain outside but later on I shall have my own little ray of sunshine in the shape of Miss Doodle for her usual Wednesday visit.
Tonight we are taking her out for tea as a treat seeing as how we won't see her next week. She is off on hollibobs with Mummy, Daddy and baby sister for a week.
Nearly at the end of cutting all the pieces for the Christmas quilt so I will be able to get onto my favourite bit of doing the sewing. Hubby thinks I am mad cutting fabric up just to sew it together again and can't understand it at all....lol.
Well I had better go and feed the germ monster before he goes to work. He's having liver today.........yuck.
Hope the rain keeps off for you all.
Sheila-x-
I must admit I do feel better today than I did yesterday. Not sure about DD as she was gone to work by the time I got up.
It's dull, dreary and threatening rain outside but later on I shall have my own little ray of sunshine in the shape of Miss Doodle for her usual Wednesday visit.
Tonight we are taking her out for tea as a treat seeing as how we won't see her next week. She is off on hollibobs with Mummy, Daddy and baby sister for a week.
Nearly at the end of cutting all the pieces for the Christmas quilt so I will be able to get onto my favourite bit of doing the sewing. Hubby thinks I am mad cutting fabric up just to sew it together again and can't understand it at all....lol.
Well I had better go and feed the germ monster before he goes to work. He's having liver today.........yuck.
Hope the rain keeps off for you all.
Sheila-x-
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
A Convert!!!
Well.........I'll go to the foot of our stairs........I am shocked to be admitting that the courgetti was a complete success and we loved it.
I made a loose white sauce with onions, peppers, garlic and oregano.
The Italian chicken meatballs were browned and then added to the sauce and simmered until cooked through and then I left it to stand for the flavours to develop.
The courgetti went into a colander and had boiling water poured over it to soften it and then it was drained well and added to the warmed through sauce for a few seconds.
It tasted lovely and fresh and was very satisfying. I had expected to be hungry later in the evening but no....it was very filling.
The only thing I would do different next time is to cut the courgetti into shorter pieces.........or wear a bib....lol.
Only half the kitchen got done yesterday as I kept getting distracted by things like a drawer that needed tidying and I kept finding stuff that had been put away in the wrong place by hubby who has lived here for twenty years just the same as me and still doesn't know where anything goes......lol.......so that all needed putting back in it's rightful place. It will get finished today.
DD got home earlier than expected so I didn't get long to deal with what is left of the pile of fabric. Some more will get done today and I might even get the chance to do some sewing as we have finished all three seasons of Wentworth now. It was brilliant and I can't wait for season four.
Hope hubby hurries up back from town as I am ready for a good strong coffee now and then I need to find something for his lunch.
Ooooh he's back.
Thanks for dropping by today.
Sheila-x-
I made a loose white sauce with onions, peppers, garlic and oregano.
The Italian chicken meatballs were browned and then added to the sauce and simmered until cooked through and then I left it to stand for the flavours to develop.
The courgetti went into a colander and had boiling water poured over it to soften it and then it was drained well and added to the warmed through sauce for a few seconds.
It tasted lovely and fresh and was very satisfying. I had expected to be hungry later in the evening but no....it was very filling.
The only thing I would do different next time is to cut the courgetti into shorter pieces.........or wear a bib....lol.
Only half the kitchen got done yesterday as I kept getting distracted by things like a drawer that needed tidying and I kept finding stuff that had been put away in the wrong place by hubby who has lived here for twenty years just the same as me and still doesn't know where anything goes......lol.......so that all needed putting back in it's rightful place. It will get finished today.
DD got home earlier than expected so I didn't get long to deal with what is left of the pile of fabric. Some more will get done today and I might even get the chance to do some sewing as we have finished all three seasons of Wentworth now. It was brilliant and I can't wait for season four.
Hope hubby hurries up back from town as I am ready for a good strong coffee now and then I need to find something for his lunch.
Ooooh he's back.
Thanks for dropping by today.
Sheila-x-
Monday, 23 May 2016
Flaming Flies!!!
As big as I am and as small as they are.......I am terrified of flies. If I hear one buzzing about in the house I have to track it down and kill it. Every year between the middle of May and well into June we have a plague of small black flies right outside the back door. They hover about an inch above the paving stones and swarm into the house when you open the door and then proceed to die all over the window ledges and gawd knows where else. They drive me mad.
So yesterday I went off to Hobbycraft and was looking forward to a browse. I only needed a reel of thread but it's nice to have a look around. Walking up to the doors I spotted a stand of sewing patterns and got quite excited but walking through the doors we were greeted by.......a plague of flies. Not the small ones we have at home but bigger house flies. OMG it was disgusting. They were everywhere and we had to keep brushing them off ourselves. Needless to say I didn't get to browse the patterns....I just saw one I wanted and grabbed it, found the thread I needed and hot footed it out of there. DD and I were itching all the way home.
Today is kitchen cleaning day so I will be cleaning all the cupboard doors and scrubbing the tiles. Luckily the oven is fine for the moment so I will just need to clean the hob and wipe over the outside of the cooker. There are a couple of loads of laundry that need doing and hubby needs feeding before he goes to work. DD will be home later tonight as she is doing first aid training at work so I can have two or three hours to carry on with my strip cutting. All the strips I have cut so far have been chopped into the pieces I need for the quilt. I think I will just chop all of the Christmas fabric up and see if I can get two quilts out of it.
Tea for DD and I tonight will be Italian chicken meatballs made from the sausages I bought. I've not decided on the sauce yet but it will be served with courgetti freshly made on my spiraliser. I'm hoping we like it.
Just waiting for the hubster to get back from town before I have my coffee and then it's on with the Marigolds and I'll crack on with the cleaning.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
So yesterday I went off to Hobbycraft and was looking forward to a browse. I only needed a reel of thread but it's nice to have a look around. Walking up to the doors I spotted a stand of sewing patterns and got quite excited but walking through the doors we were greeted by.......a plague of flies. Not the small ones we have at home but bigger house flies. OMG it was disgusting. They were everywhere and we had to keep brushing them off ourselves. Needless to say I didn't get to browse the patterns....I just saw one I wanted and grabbed it, found the thread I needed and hot footed it out of there. DD and I were itching all the way home.
Today is kitchen cleaning day so I will be cleaning all the cupboard doors and scrubbing the tiles. Luckily the oven is fine for the moment so I will just need to clean the hob and wipe over the outside of the cooker. There are a couple of loads of laundry that need doing and hubby needs feeding before he goes to work. DD will be home later tonight as she is doing first aid training at work so I can have two or three hours to carry on with my strip cutting. All the strips I have cut so far have been chopped into the pieces I need for the quilt. I think I will just chop all of the Christmas fabric up and see if I can get two quilts out of it.
Tea for DD and I tonight will be Italian chicken meatballs made from the sausages I bought. I've not decided on the sauce yet but it will be served with courgetti freshly made on my spiraliser. I'm hoping we like it.
Just waiting for the hubster to get back from town before I have my coffee and then it's on with the Marigolds and I'll crack on with the cleaning.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
Sunday, 22 May 2016
A Sew Shop Show!!!
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| Free, gratis and for nothing. |
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| A daughter spoiling her Momma. |
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| My little spend. |
No eight and a half inch square rulers so I went for the twelve inch instead plus a pack of glass headed pins and that was my £20 voucher used.
DD is not a crafter in any way, shape or form but she has a fabulous eye for things she thinks I might like and she treated me to another Bali Pops strip pack and the William Morris layer cake pack. She spoils me rotten.
The Christmas fabric will be a patchwork binding for the quilt and that was my only spend yesterday. Despite that with a balance carried over from my full loyalty card and what DD spent I now have another half full loyalty card....lol.
This morning I have to nip to Hobbycraft in Derby as I need to find some strong thread to mend a split in our leather sofa. Both sofas need replacing really but they will have to do a while longer yet.
We'll have a later lunch today which I will do when we get back. Roast stuffed chicken breasts with roast potatoes, roast brussels, carrots, leeks in white sauce, stuffing and gravy. Oooooh my tummy is rumbling already.
Blue sky, fluffy white clouds and sunshine here today with a gentle breeze. We were expecting a bad day according to the local weather report but I should know by now that the best way to know what the weather is doing is to look out of the window....lol.
Okey dokey I shall go and get ready to nip out.
Have a wonderful Sunday.
Sheila-x-
Saturday, 21 May 2016
A Mixed up Kind Of Day!!!
Well it certainly is mixed up weatherwise. A strong wind with brightest sunshine one minute and dark and drizzly the next so no outdoor jobs will get done today.
DD didn't feel like going to Derby today so she has just nipped into the big town and then when she gets back we will be going to little town and then to the patchwork shop if it's open today. I have to phone and check first as sometimes the shop is closed if they are doing shows or retreats. I have filled another loyalty card so will get a twenty pound voucher to spend in the shop which is fab as I am after an eight and a half inch square ruler if they have one and that will just about pay for it.
Just having a coffee with the hubby and then I had best go and get ready.
Hope you are having a nice relaxing weekend.
Sheila-x-
DD didn't feel like going to Derby today so she has just nipped into the big town and then when she gets back we will be going to little town and then to the patchwork shop if it's open today. I have to phone and check first as sometimes the shop is closed if they are doing shows or retreats. I have filled another loyalty card so will get a twenty pound voucher to spend in the shop which is fab as I am after an eight and a half inch square ruler if they have one and that will just about pay for it.
Just having a coffee with the hubby and then I had best go and get ready.
Hope you are having a nice relaxing weekend.
Sheila-x-
Friday, 20 May 2016
A Waiting Game!!!
Sorry for the late post again.
Yesterday hubby got a call from the hospital to go in today for a follow up appointment after his MRI scan last week. Apparently they have found something irregular and we now have to wait for a couple of weeks for an appointment to come through for him to go to another hospital for a biopsy.
At this stage we are not overly worried. We'll wait and see what the biopsy results are.
I came home with a vile headache. It must be all that bilious green paint. The walls are one shade of green, the doors another and the floor yet another. It was very warm and there was the smell of a very unwashed body somewhere in the patients who were waiting. All that on top of a sleepless night so it's no wonder my poor head is throbbing. I think I might have a lie down seeing as how I don't have to cook tonight. We're just having crusty bread and pate with a mango and apricot chutney for those who feel like eating.
Not much strip cutting going on today but I'll be back on the case tomorrow once all my jobs are done.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Sheila-x-
Yesterday hubby got a call from the hospital to go in today for a follow up appointment after his MRI scan last week. Apparently they have found something irregular and we now have to wait for a couple of weeks for an appointment to come through for him to go to another hospital for a biopsy.
At this stage we are not overly worried. We'll wait and see what the biopsy results are.
I came home with a vile headache. It must be all that bilious green paint. The walls are one shade of green, the doors another and the floor yet another. It was very warm and there was the smell of a very unwashed body somewhere in the patients who were waiting. All that on top of a sleepless night so it's no wonder my poor head is throbbing. I think I might have a lie down seeing as how I don't have to cook tonight. We're just having crusty bread and pate with a mango and apricot chutney for those who feel like eating.
Not much strip cutting going on today but I'll be back on the case tomorrow once all my jobs are done.
Hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Sheila-x-
Thursday, 19 May 2016
Being Ganma!!!
Sorry the post is a bit late today but I have been enjoying some snuggle time with Little Miss Marlowe and giving her Mummy a breakfast treat of Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. Not something I could eat but she loved it.
Miss Marlowe is a gorgeous baby but I think she could do with being returned to have her lungs fine tuned. She has the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard outside of a horror film. Ruby used to to scream but this could pierce armour plating. She only screams when she is hungry or tired and today it was tired so I sat for a while with her draped tummy down over my arm and she soon snuggled in went to sleep. When she woke we got so many smiles. It was wonderful.
By the time they headed for home it was getting near to feed time and the scream got another airing.
So nothing else but breakfast cooking and baby cuddling achieved this morning and now I have to start on prep for tea and I am having to do two seperate meals today. Hubby spotted the smoked salmon so he has asked for Eggs Benedict and DD and I will be having fajita style turkey mince in tortilla wraps with pineapple salsa and corn on the cob....yummy.
More strip cutting later and another Wentworth session with DD and that will be my day today......very ordinary and maybe a little boring to some but I love my life and wouldn't change a thing.
See you tomorrow.
Sheila-x-
Miss Marlowe is a gorgeous baby but I think she could do with being returned to have her lungs fine tuned. She has the most blood curdling scream I have ever heard outside of a horror film. Ruby used to to scream but this could pierce armour plating. She only screams when she is hungry or tired and today it was tired so I sat for a while with her draped tummy down over my arm and she soon snuggled in went to sleep. When she woke we got so many smiles. It was wonderful.
By the time they headed for home it was getting near to feed time and the scream got another airing.
So nothing else but breakfast cooking and baby cuddling achieved this morning and now I have to start on prep for tea and I am having to do two seperate meals today. Hubby spotted the smoked salmon so he has asked for Eggs Benedict and DD and I will be having fajita style turkey mince in tortilla wraps with pineapple salsa and corn on the cob....yummy.
More strip cutting later and another Wentworth session with DD and that will be my day today......very ordinary and maybe a little boring to some but I love my life and wouldn't change a thing.
See you tomorrow.
Sheila-x-
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Stripping Away!!!
It looks like I am going to be a little short of reds so I may have to get a couple or so fat quarters if I can find any at this time of the year. I have looked at a few online places but can't really find what I want. It has to be something with gold on it as all the other fabrics have gold in the design.
Looks like we have rain set in for the day today so I won't be doing any outside jobs. I'll have a tidy round ready for Ruby coming and throw the hoover round when hubby gets up........and you watch.....he'll get up late today.
Just cold meat and salad for tea today although I'll do some chicken strips for Ruby as she is not keen on cold meat.
I watched the Great British Sewing Bee on catch up last night and loved it. Never watched it before and I wish now that I had. It's really good.
Time to put the kettle on......coffee anyone?........and while I am drinking that I'll have another look round for fabric.
Hope it's not too wet where you are.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Today Is The Day!!!
Pam at A New Life In Wales has been showing us some wonderful scrappy quilts lately and I have fallen in love with them.
Yesterday I managed to have a fabric sort out and I have a pile of offcuts of Christmas fabric. Today is the day I will start on cutting them up into strips and begin a new little adventure in quilting.
Up until now I have only done either simple block or strip quilts so I am excited to see what I can achieve.
Woke up to quite a dull morning but now the sun is breaking through. Looks like it will be a good day to finish off the windows I started yesterday and sweep the rest of the yard so that will be first on my list for today.
After sorting out the freezers I left a pack of sausages out to defrost and hubby has requested Toad in the Hole for our meal today. Not one of mine or DD's favourite meals but it will do.
No yellow sticker bargains at the supermarket last night except for some manky looking fish and some eggs but I did pick up some Italian chicken sausage at half price. I have been wanting to try it for a while. I'm thinking I might make it into tiny meatballs to cook with some garlic and baby plum tomatoes and serve it with some courgetti. A nice light meal for DD and I one night next week.
Well as usual I am going to have a coffee before I start anything and then I shall get through my jobs as quickly as I can so that I can start cutting up this fabric.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
Yesterday I managed to have a fabric sort out and I have a pile of offcuts of Christmas fabric. Today is the day I will start on cutting them up into strips and begin a new little adventure in quilting.
Up until now I have only done either simple block or strip quilts so I am excited to see what I can achieve.
Woke up to quite a dull morning but now the sun is breaking through. Looks like it will be a good day to finish off the windows I started yesterday and sweep the rest of the yard so that will be first on my list for today.
After sorting out the freezers I left a pack of sausages out to defrost and hubby has requested Toad in the Hole for our meal today. Not one of mine or DD's favourite meals but it will do.
No yellow sticker bargains at the supermarket last night except for some manky looking fish and some eggs but I did pick up some Italian chicken sausage at half price. I have been wanting to try it for a while. I'm thinking I might make it into tiny meatballs to cook with some garlic and baby plum tomatoes and serve it with some courgetti. A nice light meal for DD and I one night next week.
Well as usual I am going to have a coffee before I start anything and then I shall get through my jobs as quickly as I can so that I can start cutting up this fabric.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
Monday, 16 May 2016
Monday Mutterings!!!
Well I don't know what has been the matter with me this weekend but far from knuckling down and getting loads of jobs done I have been lolling about feeling as weak as a kitten. I've had wobbly legs, achey arms and shoulders, headaches and slight nausea. It's been horrible.
Anyway whatever it was it has gone this morning thank goodness but that means I now have a backlog of jobs to get done today.
First on the list will be sorting out the freezers. I like to keep all the meat in the outdoor one and the inside one is for veg, ice cream and stuff like that. I need to make a list of what we have and see if I need to stock up on anything. I also need to do battle with the spiders and their mess up the side of the indoor freezer. I only did it a couple of weeks ago and already it looks like there is a fur coat stuffed up the side of it.
Next on the list will be outside cleaning.....sweeping and tidying up the yard and cleaning all the windows and frames to get rid of the dust and debris left by the workmen.
Tea will just be a simple salad with some fish and crusty rolls so before I need to serve that up I may get a couple of hours to sort out my fabric which I haven't done yet.
I need to get out of the house this evening so DD will take me into town. I have a list of cleaning products I need to stock up on so I will be hitting B&M and Poundland for those.
Season three of Wentworth has arrived so for relaxation tonight DD and I will be starting again at season one. It's ages since we watched it so need to remind ourselves of what went on.............and that will be my day today.
What are you all up to?
Thanks for popping by today.
Sheila-x-
Anyway whatever it was it has gone this morning thank goodness but that means I now have a backlog of jobs to get done today.
First on the list will be sorting out the freezers. I like to keep all the meat in the outdoor one and the inside one is for veg, ice cream and stuff like that. I need to make a list of what we have and see if I need to stock up on anything. I also need to do battle with the spiders and their mess up the side of the indoor freezer. I only did it a couple of weeks ago and already it looks like there is a fur coat stuffed up the side of it.
Next on the list will be outside cleaning.....sweeping and tidying up the yard and cleaning all the windows and frames to get rid of the dust and debris left by the workmen.
Tea will just be a simple salad with some fish and crusty rolls so before I need to serve that up I may get a couple of hours to sort out my fabric which I haven't done yet.
I need to get out of the house this evening so DD will take me into town. I have a list of cleaning products I need to stock up on so I will be hitting B&M and Poundland for those.
Season three of Wentworth has arrived so for relaxation tonight DD and I will be starting again at season one. It's ages since we watched it so need to remind ourselves of what went on.............and that will be my day today.
What are you all up to?
Thanks for popping by today.
Sheila-x-
Sunday, 15 May 2016
Liebster Award!!!
Dear Jackie over at Winters End Ramblings has been kind enough to pass on this award to me to help people to discover new blogs to read.
Here is what you have to do-:
Link back to the blog that nominated you. Done
Post a photo or badge of the Liebster Award. Done
Answer the ten questions posed by the person who nominated you.
1. Tea or coffee?
Tea first thing in the morning and coffee mid morning.
2. Bath or shower?
Bath but at the moment I am stuck with showers until we redo the bathroom.
3. Book or Kindle?
Book.
4. Real or fake Christmas tree?
Fake I'm afraid.
5. Christmas or Yule?
Christmas.
6. Starter or pudding?
Starter.
7. Cup or mug?
Mug
8. Favourite flower?
Peony.
9. Up to the table or couch dinner?
Up to the table
10. If you had the chance to go back in time, when would you choose and why?
I'd love to go back to the 17th Century as I am fascinated by the court of King Charles II.
Nominate five blogs for a Liebster Award. Done although very hard to chose just five as I love all the blogs I read.
Notify them so they know. Pending
Post ten new questions for those you have nominated. Done
1. Your favourite way of eating potatoes?
2. Favourite craft.....past or present?
3. Skirt or trousers?
4.Favourite room in your house?
5. Carpet or wood/laminate for your floors?
6. A book you have read more than once?
7. Your favourite dinner from school days?
8. Long, mid length or short hair?
9. Your favourite ice cream flavour?
10. Least favourite vegetable?
Have fun :)
Saturday, 14 May 2016
Sunny Saturday!!!
It's lovely out today. I've a feeling it will get a bit too warm for me later but I do love the brightness of a sunny day.
There's a good breeze too which means I'll be able to hang out some washing......as long as the old apricot tree will stand the weight. My lines are tied around it and I noticed that a branch had broken off it. It is dead but I keep it as we have a lovely rose climbing up it.......but do I trust it with a line full of clean washing.
It was sooooo good to finally be able to get in and out of the back door yesterday and Smudge was happy as I could leave it open for him to go in and out as he pleased. I've not been able to let him stay out in the front garden as there is no shade for him to lie in.
Hubby has gone off to the big town to try and find some boots to replace his old ones which have bitten the dust. DD is tidying her room before she goes off to work and I have a few more loads of laundry to do. While that is doing I am going to be fabric sorting.
The crop top was a bit of a failure I'm afraid. The fabric seemed to have a life of it's own and didn't want to do what I wanted it to do so I'll see if I can pick up a remnant of a heavier jersey when I go to Derby next Saturday.
Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Sheila-x-
There's a good breeze too which means I'll be able to hang out some washing......as long as the old apricot tree will stand the weight. My lines are tied around it and I noticed that a branch had broken off it. It is dead but I keep it as we have a lovely rose climbing up it.......but do I trust it with a line full of clean washing.
It was sooooo good to finally be able to get in and out of the back door yesterday and Smudge was happy as I could leave it open for him to go in and out as he pleased. I've not been able to let him stay out in the front garden as there is no shade for him to lie in.
Hubby has gone off to the big town to try and find some boots to replace his old ones which have bitten the dust. DD is tidying her room before she goes off to work and I have a few more loads of laundry to do. While that is doing I am going to be fabric sorting.
The crop top was a bit of a failure I'm afraid. The fabric seemed to have a life of it's own and didn't want to do what I wanted it to do so I'll see if I can pick up a remnant of a heavier jersey when I go to Derby next Saturday.
Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
Sheila-x-
Friday, 13 May 2016
Joy!!!
Oh joy of joys.....they are here and taking down the scaffolding. I am so happy that we can now get back to normal.
I have quite a bit of laundry to catch up on today but not much else to do so I'll be sewing in between loads. I have a crop top cut out and ready to sew. Not over confident that it will work but we'll see. It's no loss if it doesn't as it is only one of my t shirts that I cut up but if it does work I shall feel confident enough to buy jersey to work with in the future.
Yesterday I finished the longer kaftan. It did make me laugh when I tried it on as it looked just like a hospital gown. As it is only for wearing in the house I'm not worried.
There were plans to be out making a start on work in the front garden this weekend but DD has to work. Hubby is here but I won't allow him to do anything in the gardens as he usually ends up doing something wrong. Last weekend he went to cut the lawn for DS and ended up cutting through an electric cable. I call him the Garden Terminator. We have had to put log roll around the borders in the back garden as lawns and borders are all as one to him and he goes straight over everything when he is mowing. I can't tell you the number of plants and shrubs he has ruined over the thirty odd years we have had a garden. Love him to bits but he is a true menace in my garden.
Tea tonight is what we should have had last night but neither DD or I felt like eating much which means no cooking today although I will have to do something for hubby when he comes in at 7pm.
I'm not awfully impressed with ITV. Have you seen that they are dropping Home Fires? What? They leave you with a cliffhanger like that and then say that's it.....no more. I loved it and am quite miffed that we will never know the outcome.
Well enough of my chattering. I shall be off and get on with sorting the laundry.
Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-
I have quite a bit of laundry to catch up on today but not much else to do so I'll be sewing in between loads. I have a crop top cut out and ready to sew. Not over confident that it will work but we'll see. It's no loss if it doesn't as it is only one of my t shirts that I cut up but if it does work I shall feel confident enough to buy jersey to work with in the future.
Yesterday I finished the longer kaftan. It did make me laugh when I tried it on as it looked just like a hospital gown. As it is only for wearing in the house I'm not worried.
There were plans to be out making a start on work in the front garden this weekend but DD has to work. Hubby is here but I won't allow him to do anything in the gardens as he usually ends up doing something wrong. Last weekend he went to cut the lawn for DS and ended up cutting through an electric cable. I call him the Garden Terminator. We have had to put log roll around the borders in the back garden as lawns and borders are all as one to him and he goes straight over everything when he is mowing. I can't tell you the number of plants and shrubs he has ruined over the thirty odd years we have had a garden. Love him to bits but he is a true menace in my garden.
Tea tonight is what we should have had last night but neither DD or I felt like eating much which means no cooking today although I will have to do something for hubby when he comes in at 7pm.
I'm not awfully impressed with ITV. Have you seen that they are dropping Home Fires? What? They leave you with a cliffhanger like that and then say that's it.....no more. I loved it and am quite miffed that we will never know the outcome.
Well enough of my chattering. I shall be off and get on with sorting the laundry.
Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-
Thursday, 12 May 2016
Today Should Be The Day........!!!
.........that this blessed scaffolding comes down. If it doesn't I will be very angry........they wouldn't like me when I am angry as I have a tendency to turn green, swell up and burst out of my clothes....lol.
Although we are very pleased with the work that has been done their idea of planning has been an absolute farce. The surveyor should have seen that the job would need scaffolding in the first place and then everything could have been planned properly with regards to the timing of it going up, the job being done and then it coming down again. Instead of which it has been stuck there for just over a fortnight for a job which actually took a day and then an hour or so for the roofer to mend the felt though he said he could work without it......ridiculous.
ETA......they have not turned up. In fact they were never going to turn up today according to the man from the scaffold company who phoned me at 3pm to arrange to come and take it down on Monday. Trying not to lose my cool I told him that I want it down before then.
So the company who did the work bare faced lied to me when I phoned this morning. I am disgusted with them. The guys who do the work....fantastic......the office staff and supposed planners all need to be sacked and replaced. They are useless.
Lunch out with the girls was fab yesterday. A little rushed as I didn't get picked up until nearly 1pm and I had to be home by 3pm.
It was the first time I had been back to the pub where we worked in thirty years and it has changed beyond all recognition. It has had a beautiful makeover and I could have stayed there all day taking in the changes.
Had a lovely couple or so hours with my Doodle. She loved her skirt and wanted it on straight away. She even went home in it to show Mummy and Daddy. I got a quick cuddle with Marlowe. She was a bit fractious as she was tired but I did get a little smile. She is so cute when she smiles.
It's a tad warm here today so I have put some chicken to marinate in a barbecue sauce. I'll cook it and let it go cold and serve it up with some salad either as it is or in a wrap. Have to see which DD fancies when she comes in.
I'm putting off my shopping this week until I can get in the outside freezer to see what we have. I can just about manage with fresh stuff until tomorrow and I need to have a sort out in the store cupboard to make sure I have everything I need for marinades and salad dressings as we eat a lot of chicken with salad when it gets warm.
There's not a lot else to do in the house today as for once it seems to have stayed clean and tidy so I am dismantling some hardly worn t shirts of mine to make some crop tops for Ruby. Hopefully the tips and tricks I learned from You Tube will help with sewing this fabric too although it is not as heavy as the jersey I used for the kaftan.
As usual I am off for a coffee before I do anything else.
Tara for now.....and thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Although we are very pleased with the work that has been done their idea of planning has been an absolute farce. The surveyor should have seen that the job would need scaffolding in the first place and then everything could have been planned properly with regards to the timing of it going up, the job being done and then it coming down again. Instead of which it has been stuck there for just over a fortnight for a job which actually took a day and then an hour or so for the roofer to mend the felt though he said he could work without it......ridiculous.
ETA......they have not turned up. In fact they were never going to turn up today according to the man from the scaffold company who phoned me at 3pm to arrange to come and take it down on Monday. Trying not to lose my cool I told him that I want it down before then.
So the company who did the work bare faced lied to me when I phoned this morning. I am disgusted with them. The guys who do the work....fantastic......the office staff and supposed planners all need to be sacked and replaced. They are useless.
Lunch out with the girls was fab yesterday. A little rushed as I didn't get picked up until nearly 1pm and I had to be home by 3pm.
It was the first time I had been back to the pub where we worked in thirty years and it has changed beyond all recognition. It has had a beautiful makeover and I could have stayed there all day taking in the changes.
Had a lovely couple or so hours with my Doodle. She loved her skirt and wanted it on straight away. She even went home in it to show Mummy and Daddy. I got a quick cuddle with Marlowe. She was a bit fractious as she was tired but I did get a little smile. She is so cute when she smiles.
It's a tad warm here today so I have put some chicken to marinate in a barbecue sauce. I'll cook it and let it go cold and serve it up with some salad either as it is or in a wrap. Have to see which DD fancies when she comes in.
I'm putting off my shopping this week until I can get in the outside freezer to see what we have. I can just about manage with fresh stuff until tomorrow and I need to have a sort out in the store cupboard to make sure I have everything I need for marinades and salad dressings as we eat a lot of chicken with salad when it gets warm.
There's not a lot else to do in the house today as for once it seems to have stayed clean and tidy so I am dismantling some hardly worn t shirts of mine to make some crop tops for Ruby. Hopefully the tips and tricks I learned from You Tube will help with sewing this fabric too although it is not as heavy as the jersey I used for the kaftan.
As usual I am off for a coffee before I do anything else.
Tara for now.....and thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Wednesday, 11 May 2016
More Sewing!!!
I've got quite a busy day today. Looking forward to going out for lunch with friends but I am more excited about seeing my Ruby as I haven't seen her since last Wednesday.
Tea will have to be simple today so I am thinking crusty rolls and pate. Luckily DD and I are very simple souls.
Well I had best go and get ready for my visit to the docs.
Have a lovely day.
Sheila-x-
Tuesday, 10 May 2016
K Is For Kaftan!!!
Well what a different morning to wake up to. It's dull and cloudy after a night of heavy rain and a lot cooler....which I won't be complaining about.
The pic above is the kaftan I made the other day. I think it is going to be a favourite this summer. It will be worn with leggings and my new Birkenstocks which will be arriving home later today.
I am so grateful to people who post instructional videos on You Tube. It helped me enormously to be able to learn about the fabric and the best way to deal with it and the outcome was so worth spending the time watching those videos.
Take a bow people.........you are awesome.
In the parcel with the first kaftan fabric was a huge piece of white cotton shirting with a stripe and I am just in the process of turning that into an ankle length, slightly more roomy kaftan for wearing around the house in the evenings when it is warm. I should finish it today while I am waiting for my DD to get home.
Yesterday the roofer turned up to mend the felt on the dormer but the job didn't get done as he hadn't been told that some piece of wood had been removed and he didn't have anything to replace it with. He is back today and getting on with it so I am am hoping that we will be rid of the scaffolding before the end of the week and we can get back to normal.
Not much to do in the way of cooking today as DD has requested New York Deli sandwiches for tea when she gets home....easy peasy. I may bake a cake too as I promised Ruby one for tomorrow but I have a busy day and won't have time to bake tomorrow. I have my follow up appointment with the nurse and doctor at 9:30 and then two old work friends that I had coffee with a few weeks ago are coming to pick me up for lunch. We are going to the pub where we all used to work. Nella and I were the cooks and Jeannie was our kitchen assistant/waitress. I had a look at the menu online last night and it's very different to what it was when we used to work there. I think I will be having the posh fish finger sandwich as it seems to be the only thing that doesn't have chorizo, blue cheese or brie in it.....lol.
I'm just doing hubby some lunch to take to work with him today as he has to go for an MRI scan at the hospital before he goes and he doesn't want a cooked meal beforehand.
Right I shall go and get on.
Thanks for dropping by.
Sheila-x-
Monday, 9 May 2016
A Summer Skirt For Ruby!!!
There was going to be pom pom trim but I liked the lace better and as it had been in my stash for the best part of six years thought it could do with using. I just prayed there was enough and I scraped through with just under two inches to spare.
Fabric is Rose & Hubble both £5 per metre from Derby Market.
I'd like to make her a little white broderie anglaise crop top edged with the red and white spot to go with it but I may need to find another pattern as the one I have for a crop top is sized for stretch knit.
Today I just need to have a quick tidy round and feed hubby before he goes to work then it will just me for tea so I shall just have a salad.
Not sure if I will be sewing today or if I will be having a fabric sort out to see what I have to go with the patterns I have. I want to try not to buy any more fabric for a while as DD is taking me to a show at the NEC in July and I want to save for that.
The sun is out again today and it is very warm. This is the start of my least favourite time of year. I don't like the heat at all. Time to drag out the fan and the cooling spray.
DD is not impressed with the weather in Spain. They have had torrential rain and I am not sure if they have got to go on the beach yet.....lol.
Well I can't get on with much until hubby is out from under my feet so I'll have read of the papers and finish my coffee before I feed him at 11:30.
Have a lovely day and thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Sunday, 8 May 2016
Summer Is A Cumen In!!!
It's a bright, sunny and warm start to the day here. Perfect for a drive up into the Peak District for lunch at the pub near Carsington Water. We'll get there early as it is bound to be busy.
On the way back we might have a walk around the garden centre if hubby feels like it.
The skirt for Ruby is finished so I am now going through my patterns and cutting them out ready for use. The one I did yesterday was for home decor and had so many pieces in it that I very nearly lost the will to live. At least it's done and is ready for when I want to make an apron or something.
I'm missing DD. The house just isn't the same without her here so I am looking forward to her return on Tuesday teatime. She has messaged me to say that she has found a shop that sells Birkenstock shoes and that she is bringing me a pair back. I have always wanted a pair so I am super excited about those.
Anyhoo I shall get off and get myself ready to go out.
Hope the weather is lovely where you are.
Sheila-x-
On the way back we might have a walk around the garden centre if hubby feels like it.
The skirt for Ruby is finished so I am now going through my patterns and cutting them out ready for use. The one I did yesterday was for home decor and had so many pieces in it that I very nearly lost the will to live. At least it's done and is ready for when I want to make an apron or something.
I'm missing DD. The house just isn't the same without her here so I am looking forward to her return on Tuesday teatime. She has messaged me to say that she has found a shop that sells Birkenstock shoes and that she is bringing me a pair back. I have always wanted a pair so I am super excited about those.
Anyhoo I shall get off and get myself ready to go out.
Hope the weather is lovely where you are.
Sheila-x-
Saturday, 7 May 2016
That's It!!!
The roofline work is done, finished and over with......thank goodness. We just have to wait for a man to come on Monday afternoon to repair some felt on the dormer roof that got damaged when they were removing the old trims then hopefully the scaffolding people will be as quick coming to dismantle it as they were coming to put it up. Once that is out of the way I will need to have a good clean up of all of the windows and sills and get in all the corners of the yard with a sweeping brush.
There is a massive patch of yellow on my back lawn where all the materials were stored. I don't know if we will just see if it will grow back or if we will dig up the whole lawn and returf it. It definitely could do with that option as it is a lumpy old lawn that doesn't drain very well. We shall have to see.
It's a bit nippy this morning but it looks like it might brighten up later.
I need to have a clean up in the lounge this morning as we had to have a window open for the fitters power cable yesterday and there is dust everywhere. It will be a furniture shifting session I think.
The skirt for Ruby is nearly finished. Just the top gathering and waistband to do now. The fabrics look so lovely together and I have loads left which I shall use to make a bag for myself.
DD has gone off on her travels and will be back Tuesday teatime which leaves just hubby and I to cater for. He is taking me out for tea tonight and he says we might even go out for lunch tomorrow. I am a lucky girl.
Well I shall go and arm myself with cleaning stuff and go and make a start on this lounge. It won't do itself.....more's the pity.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend.
Sheila-x-
There is a massive patch of yellow on my back lawn where all the materials were stored. I don't know if we will just see if it will grow back or if we will dig up the whole lawn and returf it. It definitely could do with that option as it is a lumpy old lawn that doesn't drain very well. We shall have to see.
It's a bit nippy this morning but it looks like it might brighten up later.
I need to have a clean up in the lounge this morning as we had to have a window open for the fitters power cable yesterday and there is dust everywhere. It will be a furniture shifting session I think.
The skirt for Ruby is nearly finished. Just the top gathering and waistband to do now. The fabrics look so lovely together and I have loads left which I shall use to make a bag for myself.
DD has gone off on her travels and will be back Tuesday teatime which leaves just hubby and I to cater for. He is taking me out for tea tonight and he says we might even go out for lunch tomorrow. I am a lucky girl.
Well I shall go and arm myself with cleaning stuff and go and make a start on this lounge. It won't do itself.....more's the pity.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend.
Sheila-x-
Friday, 6 May 2016
Work Begins At Last!!!
Work has finally started on the house. They say it will all be finished today but how long the scaffolding will take to remove they cannot say as it is a different company responsible for that. It's all very noisy and from the sound of the debris I can hear falling there will one heck of a lot of sweeping up to do......hey ho!!!
MM and Sandy thank you so much for your kind words on my post yesterday. I am relieved to say that the family problem is well on the way to being solved.
Sandy.....it is not so much what Ruby says but how she says it. I tell you that girl is six going on forty six. Her facial expressions and mannerisms when she is delivering any gossip remind me so much of old ladies gossiping over the fence in their headscarves.
I sewed all day yesterday as I had promised myself and the result was a new top for my wardrobe.
After watching some helpful videos on You Tube I was able......for the first time ever.......to work with some heavyweight jersey and it turned out perfectly with no puckers or anything. For saying I was filled with horror when the fabric came in my 'pay your money and get what you're given parcel' I am pretty darn chuffed to say the least. I also didn't use a pattern as the top is just a knee length kaftan style to wear over some leggings in the summer. Even DD is who is strictly a t shirt girl thinks it's great and now wants me to make her one.
Today will be a bonus sewing day. Nothing can be done outside as I don't want to be hit by falling debris or to get in the way of the workmen. I will tackle the skirt for Ruby until it's time to make some hot dogs for tea and settle down to watch the Downton finale before DD has an early night. She has to be up at 3:30am to go and pick her friends up for their weekend away.
Well that's me today. I am just off now to enjoy a cooked breakfast that hubby has made for me.
Thanks for visiting.
Sheila-x-
MM and Sandy thank you so much for your kind words on my post yesterday. I am relieved to say that the family problem is well on the way to being solved.
Sandy.....it is not so much what Ruby says but how she says it. I tell you that girl is six going on forty six. Her facial expressions and mannerisms when she is delivering any gossip remind me so much of old ladies gossiping over the fence in their headscarves.
I sewed all day yesterday as I had promised myself and the result was a new top for my wardrobe.
After watching some helpful videos on You Tube I was able......for the first time ever.......to work with some heavyweight jersey and it turned out perfectly with no puckers or anything. For saying I was filled with horror when the fabric came in my 'pay your money and get what you're given parcel' I am pretty darn chuffed to say the least. I also didn't use a pattern as the top is just a knee length kaftan style to wear over some leggings in the summer. Even DD is who is strictly a t shirt girl thinks it's great and now wants me to make her one.
Today will be a bonus sewing day. Nothing can be done outside as I don't want to be hit by falling debris or to get in the way of the workmen. I will tackle the skirt for Ruby until it's time to make some hot dogs for tea and settle down to watch the Downton finale before DD has an early night. She has to be up at 3:30am to go and pick her friends up for their weekend away.
Well that's me today. I am just off now to enjoy a cooked breakfast that hubby has made for me.
Thanks for visiting.
Sheila-x-
Thursday, 5 May 2016
Taking The Day Off!!!
I was up and out to the doctors surgery very early for my blood test this morning so that is now done and out of the way. I do get very stressed when I have to go for one as I never know if I will get my regular nurse who is fabulous or someone who will mangle my arm and leave me black and blue for weeks. This morning I got my regular girl....yay!!!
It's a good job the machine did break to be honest as the nurse who took my blood earlier in the week hadn't marked the samples for all of the tests I needed so the doctor wouldn't have had my full range of results. I suspect I would have had to have yet another test.
With all the rubbishy stuff going on at the moment....the roof stuff and a family problem which I can't talk about here.....I have decided to give myself a day off today from doing housework of any kind. I am going to sew all day. At teatime I will just chuck some meat and salad on our plates and then go back to my sewing. I do have to pop out to the supermarket tonight and pick up a couple of things for tomorrow. Hubby won't have his van until late on in the day as it has to go in for a repair to the radiator.
My one bright spark this week has been Ruby. Such hilarious conversations about the goings on at school yesterday when she came for tea. She made me laugh so much I thought my ribs had broken. Thank goodness for my sweet, precious little girl.
Okey dokey......coffee and a bit of research on t'interweb and then on with the sewing.
Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x-
It's a good job the machine did break to be honest as the nurse who took my blood earlier in the week hadn't marked the samples for all of the tests I needed so the doctor wouldn't have had my full range of results. I suspect I would have had to have yet another test.
With all the rubbishy stuff going on at the moment....the roof stuff and a family problem which I can't talk about here.....I have decided to give myself a day off today from doing housework of any kind. I am going to sew all day. At teatime I will just chuck some meat and salad on our plates and then go back to my sewing. I do have to pop out to the supermarket tonight and pick up a couple of things for tomorrow. Hubby won't have his van until late on in the day as it has to go in for a repair to the radiator.
My one bright spark this week has been Ruby. Such hilarious conversations about the goings on at school yesterday when she came for tea. She made me laugh so much I thought my ribs had broken. Thank goodness for my sweet, precious little girl.
Okey dokey......coffee and a bit of research on t'interweb and then on with the sewing.
Thanks for your visit today.
Sheila-x-
Wednesday, 4 May 2016
Winging It!!!
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| Cloud Bread |
For some time I have been seeing mention of Cloud Bread on t'interweb. Apparently virtually carb free it can be used....so says the blurb.....as a replacement for bread in sandwiches and rolls for burgers......and they do look pretty darn cute to boot.
So it had to be done.......I gave them a go and let's just say that that is a little chunk of my Tuesday that I will never get back.My own common sense should have told me that with just three ingredients......eggs, cream cheese and baking powder....that they would not magically transform into something wonderful in the oven and that they definitely did not do.
I will not be making them again.
Today I am having to drag out leftovers from the indoor freezer for our evening meal as I still can't get to the outside freezer where all my meat is. So I have pulled out some leftover savoury mince to which I will add some mixed veg and make into a pie and then I want to make a meal for DS and DDIL so I have a box of Chicken and Leek pie mix which will make a good big pie for them and do them for a couple of days and a small individual pie for Ruby to have for her tea here as she won't eat minced beef with veg in it.
Honestly......the things you have to do.....lol.
The surveyor was pretty disgusted with the scaffolding situation when he came yesterday and was going back to pass on the hot chops he got to the office. I don't think it has bought things forward any as we haven't heard anything.
Just had a phone call from the doctors surgery. The lab machines broke down yesterday and they couldn't process my blood test. I have to fast again today and go in first thing tomorrow to have it all done again. That will be my third fast for this one test. I am verging on hysterical now.
Right....well I had best go and find my shopping bag and go for a trek round to the food store which is normally five or so steps from the back door and I need to fetch some washing from the dryer......washing that could have dried on the line if the lawn wasn't covered in soffits, fascias and guttering which means I can't get to the washing line. I am a woman on the edge at the moment....lol.
Thanks for stopping by today.
Sheila-x-
Tuesday, 3 May 2016
Just A Boring Old Day Today!!!
Morning all.
I have just returned from having my fasting blood test. As I haven't eaten anything since about six thirty yesterday evening my tummy was grumbling rather loudly so I set to and made myself some tomatoes on toast and a cuppa. It was gorgeous.
Although I was hungry the thing I miss most is my early morning tea which DD brings up for me before she goes to work. I don't function well until I have had that first cup of the day but now that I have had it I should be firing on all cylinders.
The laundry has to be tackled today having been put off over the weekend due to the trek round to the tumble dryer in the rain. The situation with the scaffolding is beyond a joke and the surveyor who is due to visit is going to be getting a portion of hot chops from me today.
I didn't get started on the skirt for Ruby yesterday as I decided that all of the new patterns needed to be sorted and put away before I started so that the table was clear. By the time that was done DD and hubby were calling for me to settle down to watch some Downton so I gave in. We should finish it this week so when DD comes back from her long weekend away she is going to order season three of Wentworth which we haven't seen yet and we will start at season one before we watch it.
Since we have had two meat and two veg meals on the trot I have suggested salad for tea tonight so no cooking today.....yay!!!
I do love cooking but it is very nice to have a day off.
Hubby will be back from town shortly. He has gone to pick up a parcel that the postie couldn't deliver on Saturday. It will be a book that DD ordered for me from Amazon. Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor. I first read it when I was about twelve or thirteen and have read it several times since but my copy was lent out and never returned. I love the story set in the seventeenth century at the court of Charles II and am looking forward to reading it again.
Once he gets back it will be coffee and papers time so I had best go and sort out some of this washing and get a load going.
Thanks for dropping by today.
Sheila-x-
I have just returned from having my fasting blood test. As I haven't eaten anything since about six thirty yesterday evening my tummy was grumbling rather loudly so I set to and made myself some tomatoes on toast and a cuppa. It was gorgeous.
Although I was hungry the thing I miss most is my early morning tea which DD brings up for me before she goes to work. I don't function well until I have had that first cup of the day but now that I have had it I should be firing on all cylinders.
The laundry has to be tackled today having been put off over the weekend due to the trek round to the tumble dryer in the rain. The situation with the scaffolding is beyond a joke and the surveyor who is due to visit is going to be getting a portion of hot chops from me today.
I didn't get started on the skirt for Ruby yesterday as I decided that all of the new patterns needed to be sorted and put away before I started so that the table was clear. By the time that was done DD and hubby were calling for me to settle down to watch some Downton so I gave in. We should finish it this week so when DD comes back from her long weekend away she is going to order season three of Wentworth which we haven't seen yet and we will start at season one before we watch it.
Since we have had two meat and two veg meals on the trot I have suggested salad for tea tonight so no cooking today.....yay!!!
I do love cooking but it is very nice to have a day off.
Hubby will be back from town shortly. He has gone to pick up a parcel that the postie couldn't deliver on Saturday. It will be a book that DD ordered for me from Amazon. Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor. I first read it when I was about twelve or thirteen and have read it several times since but my copy was lent out and never returned. I love the story set in the seventeenth century at the court of Charles II and am looking forward to reading it again.
Once he gets back it will be coffee and papers time so I had best go and sort out some of this washing and get a load going.
Thanks for dropping by today.
Sheila-x-
Monday, 2 May 2016
Squidging And Smooching!!!
Ruby was really tired when she arrived yesterday morning. I think she is finding this big sister thing a little more exhausting than she thought it would be.
She went out almost as soon as she arrived with Aunty DD for comics, popcorn and sweets and getting back she just wanted to wear Ganma's nighty and squidge and smooch all day so that is what we did. She slept like a log until gone eight this morning unlike me who didn't sleep a wink......it was sooooo hot last night.
She woke up full of beans and ate a good breakfast before being delivered home for her day out to the park. Looking at the weather though I don't think that is going to happen....it's wet and windy.
I am just going to get a pan of savoury mince simmering on the stove and then I'm going to sort my threads out into some new little baskets I bought from Lakeland. After that......it's sewing time and I will make a start on a skirt for Ruby.
Hope your day is a little drier than it is here.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
She went out almost as soon as she arrived with Aunty DD for comics, popcorn and sweets and getting back she just wanted to wear Ganma's nighty and squidge and smooch all day so that is what we did. She slept like a log until gone eight this morning unlike me who didn't sleep a wink......it was sooooo hot last night.
She woke up full of beans and ate a good breakfast before being delivered home for her day out to the park. Looking at the weather though I don't think that is going to happen....it's wet and windy.
I am just going to get a pan of savoury mince simmering on the stove and then I'm going to sort my threads out into some new little baskets I bought from Lakeland. After that......it's sewing time and I will make a start on a skirt for Ruby.
Hope your day is a little drier than it is here.
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheila-x-
Sunday, 1 May 2016
It's A Doodle Day!!!
Hubby has just gone to fetch the papers and pick up a fresh loaf..........and my little Doodle. I can't wait to see her. I know I only saw her on Wednesday but from the time she was ten months old until she started school full time I saw her nearly every day as I was her childminder. I still miss that. Having her to stay over is just so, so precious to me.
She will be very excited to see the new patterns and fabrics and will probably want one of everything by midnight tonight.....lol.....but I think I will get her to choose what she wants by order of importance and work on a list over the next week or so for her.
Roast lamb for dinner today as it was what I grabbed out of the meat freezer before they blocked off my access with the scaffolding. Ruby will love it though as mint sauce and gravy is one of her favourite things.
I probably won't get back on here today so will have to catch up with what you are all doing tomorrow when Ruby goes home just after breakfast.
Have a lovely day today.
Sheila-x-
She will be very excited to see the new patterns and fabrics and will probably want one of everything by midnight tonight.....lol.....but I think I will get her to choose what she wants by order of importance and work on a list over the next week or so for her.
Roast lamb for dinner today as it was what I grabbed out of the meat freezer before they blocked off my access with the scaffolding. Ruby will love it though as mint sauce and gravy is one of her favourite things.
I probably won't get back on here today so will have to catch up with what you are all doing tomorrow when Ruby goes home just after breakfast.
Have a lovely day today.
Sheila-x-