The little highs and lows of life

Today Katie woke me up at 5am and, apart from letting her out and then going back to bed to doze that's all I saw of the world until around 9am.  My excuse - if I needed one was that I had a banging headache - a headache that has lasted all day and which has limited my activity to "sit down jobs".  IT was so bad that until 7:55am I was waiting for Morecambe and Wise's "Bring me sunshine " which, as you may recall is played on a FRIDAY at 8am.!! Fancy not even knowing what day it was!



Before

After

So - not a lot has been achieved.  I spent this morning painting the hall cupboard with its first coat of paint - I want to get the furniture done before I go away so that its ready to be put back in place once the new flooring is put down. (No photo - I want to give it a second coat and then fit with new handles before it meets its pubic.) Then it was time to tackle the fire place.  This before picture is after it had been swept, dusted and wiped over with a wet cloth - clearly a lot of staining.  After I had used this product from Lakeland it looks a lot better and worth the hour or so of effort.

And that, apart from pulling up the hall carpet and loading it into the car to go to the tip tomorrow, is about the extent of my day.  The headache is still there and my neck aches so I am feeling quite sorry for myself.  Just one high - after some  nagging  suggestions from my mother I texted someone who helps keep the churchyard neat and tidy asking him if he would come over and sort my garden out so that I at least felt on top of it - he and his wife are coming over next week to get it sorted - just asking for petrol money and a nice sponge cake!  What lovely people - clearly I will give them more than this but its so nice to come across people like this!

I was also sent this picture today of the apron that I keep talking about.  Terry's friend Pat has finished her and I think that it looks stunning!



 

 

 

 

 

Minion quote for today:-



Today I grew up - well just a little!

Firstly may I say thank you for all the best wishes towards my father.  I spoke with him this morning and he is in good spirits - I think that we are more annoyed than he is.  So the current update is that despite being 20 weeks since being diagnosed (the limit is 18 weeks) and despite being cancelled twice (they should only be cancelled once and then you should be guaranteed - apparently) he has now been given a new date and time.  Tomorrow?  The day after?  No - Wednesday 26th august - what!!!!!  Ah but he's first on the list so LESS likely to be bumped!! Suffice it to say that a complaint has been placed with the PALS organisation who are looking into it.

So - onto today.  I claim to have grown up - just a little.  Yesterday the car turned out to be around £2000 less than I was planning to pay for it.  What's a girl to do?  Should she go out and blow it as extra spends?  No - I paid off some of the mortgage.  More importantly in August 1991 I took out a mortgage to buy this house and today I paid it off - in full!!!!!  Realistically there is a second mortgage on the house that I took out about 10 years ago to build the conservatory etc but its a good feeling to get rid of one of them!!

However I will admit to spending some money today.  Apart from a general Tesco shop I also popped into my local fireplace shop.  They put my coal fire in around 10 years ago or so and it is looking somewhat yuk!  Now I know that fire places get grubby but the surround is tarnished and replaceable, the ash can is rusting and the front looks yuk.  Even the granite needs a long clean and polish.  If I didn't do anything then it will stand out against the newly painted walls and new carpet - so I treated myself.









Yesterday I mentioned a visit to a fabric shop and thought that you might be interested to see what I bought.  Yes I know that its seems silly to mention the C word but there's only 141 days left!  Fabric wise I loved this blue combination that Wendy spotted and I have no idea what to use this adorable fabric for but it just had to make a leap into my bag!

Jobwise I have started the great Kitchen clear out (look at the dust on this clock - yuk!).  I have left this room until last for obvious reasons but its hard going.  I also have not been strictly honest with you - not only are the decorators coming in next week but I am going on holiday (don't worry - I have a house sitter lined up to look after the house!) so have started to think about packing etc.  My pile of ironing could have rivalled Happymum's but at least I have got to the bottom of it!  Right now I am thinking that its pure madness to empty and clean 3 rooms (its carpet lifting in the hall tomorrow - what fun - what dust) whilst getting ready to go away - but it will be lovely to come back to the finished product!

So - now its time to get tea sorted before going out to "Sit and Sew".  After all we've got to be back for The Great British Bake Off don't we?  Take care x

And today's minion quote................

 My kind of exercise!

Another day, another hospital cancellation!!

May I first thank everyone for their best wishes towards my father's operation.  Sadly, and after  staying overnight and waiting around this morning, the hospital have sent him home and have promised to ring tomorrow re another date.  I could get on my soap box about the NHS and the stress that this constant cancellation does to the patient and their family but am not so sure that it would achieve anything!!

So - onto my day - I woke up to this as my Google search.  Slightly freaky when your computer is wishing you happy birthday!!  My cousin also sent me an irreverent minions e-card - thank you x








So - first on the agenda was to go and buy a new car.  I had intended to buy a brand new car but for reasons too complicated to talk about here I opted for this demo car which has 1900 miles on the clock (thank you for the suggestion Wendy) and will pick the car up later in the month.  I even managed to get a free dog guard thrown in and half a tank of petrol!









After that it was quick detour via my favourite fabric shop and then onto my birthday treat.  My good friends, Jean and Wendy, treated me to an afternoon tea at Lilly's in nearby Keelby (winner of a C4 Four in a Bed programme - its also a b & b).  As you can see we were not short of food - I suspect there will be no tea tonight!

I was also lucky enough to receive some lovely presents from Jean and Wendy - sewing accessories from Liberty's from Wendy and some Annie Sloan fabric from Jean (I loved the gift bag made from Newspaper!)  Ironically I was only reading the other day about stair treads made from fabric - I need to investigate further but this would do nicely!! 








The tea room had a sister home ware shop - mmmmmmmmmmm - lovely signs ready for my hall / kitchen - I just could not resist!  In particular I could not leave the "You are my sunshine" wall hanging.

So - I am now home and exhausted - ready to kick off my shoes and chill.  Hopefully I will soon be able to understand what happened today with Dad and we can all move forward. In the meantime thank you for your best wishes - I am now officially RETIRED!!


In terms of the sewing cabinet - and change of paint colour - here it is after 24 hours drying. I really like the subtle colour!

And today's minion quote:-

I thought it summed up some of my car negotiations - although I think that I won out in the end

Waiting for a hospital bed

Another chore day started with a nice surprise - a Patchwork programme on create and craft at 8am. Cue breakfast in front of the tv along with some more of ..... yep you've guessed it - hand sewing!  I will be glad when this particular project is finished although its always nice to have something to create in front of the tv.

Then it was time for the Monday clean and tidy.  The chimney sweep came today to clear the chimney ahead of winter / decoration of room so wanted to tidy up for him (what's that all about??).  In-between the cleaning tasks I assaulted Millie with the grooming brush.  You wouldn't think that, for a short haired dog, she could lose so much hair - but she does (fortunately not throughout the year though!).  I also made time to phone the oil company to pay for the oil that I've ordered.  I belong to a village group scheme and they source the cheapest oil.  I remember a time when I was paying 57p a litre but its now just over 30p - so I am filling the tank up!  Later on this week I plan to order some coal at the summer prices - bring on the winter - this pensioner is sorted!!!!

Next on the agenda was to revisit the apron.  An insert here, a change in neckline there and I now have an apron (well an old sheet version) that fits!!  I now need to convert this to a pattern for keeps and then start on the actual project.  However I am feeling quite proud of myself (yes I know - pride goes before a fall!)

before

after

After lunch there was another sewing programme (cue more hand sewing) and it was time to test the new Annie Sloan paint that I bought last week by painting a small sewing table that I "rescued" from my parents many years ago.  They had been given it and I spent many an hour stripping, sanding and staining but now its coming in for the paint treatment.  If it is a colour that I like (a decision will be made tomorrow when it has dried properly) then the plan is to paint the tv cupboard, the fireplace, the hall cupboard and the stairs in the same colour!!  As it is the colour seems remarkably like the sage green - albeit several shades lighter - tomorrow I shall put it next to the dresser so that we can see the difference.

Conservatory update

Here are today's photos and Phil will be pleased - there are some additions to the room due to the removal of items from the lounge prior to the decoration.















So - apart from a dog walk, talking to my mum to wish her and dad all the best for his operation (he hasn't got a bed yet and could be operated on tomorrow afternoon !!! and  is expected to be in hospital for around a week so she is staying nearby), having a gossip with an old friend that I met in the village when I popped out to get the cash for the chimney sweep, pruning a fuchsia bush, getting a quote from webuyanycar.com for my current car so that I am armed with some info when I got to buy a new car tomorrow and wiping down more kitchen cupboards - that's my day.  I guess its understandable why I can't settle and focus!

Minions

The minion quotes seem to have taken on a life of their own so I will try and find one to suit every day of this week.  So here are today's offering.

Who says that romance is dead?

Firstly I cannot let today's sad news go without making a comment and posting my respects.  When I first heard about Cilla Black's death on facebook I thought that it was one of those hoaxes that happens from time to time.  Cilla Black was the staple Saturday night entertainer and always seemed to live a fairly blame free life within the torrid world of entertainment.  From what I have read she missed her husband dearly so I can only hope that she is now at peace with her Bobby.  RIP x

(Mind you - having listened to Radio 2 today it makes you realise how many programmes are recorded beforehand - Paul O'Grady was a good friend and was very cheerful - they had to give out a notice to say that it had been pre-recorded!)




So - yet another day dawns with Katie waking me up at the unearthly hour of 6am - I really must buy that dog an alarm clock!!  Not only that there was no sewing programme on Create and Craft at 8am - what is a girl to do?  Well, obviously, she should clear out the vent in the bathroom.  Uh?  As I had a shower I looked up to be met with this sight - several minutes later it was cleared and put back in place- yuk!







Next to be tackled was the coat mountain in the hall.  Inspired by mothers question re leaving the view of the new hall free by finding another home for the coast I thought that I would start by washing them - you hardly need them in this weather!  Whilst they were being buffeted within the machine (yes - it still doesn't overflow - what a thrill!) I set to washing down the doors of the kitchen cabinets.  I could do this after the decorator has been in but thought that I would make a start - it doesn't take long.

Next on the agenda for today (and I know that Terry doesn't like me listing the jobs but that's what my life is like at the moment) was to cut out and sew a practice apron.  If you recall from yesterday I tried to enlarge it.  Truthfully it looks better on the mannequin that on me but I am clearly getting there and think that I know where the problem is (quite apart from running out of sheets to cut up of course!!).  Lets hope that it's third time lucky.












Then it was time to spend 15 minutes tidying the desk in the sewing room.  When I decorate this room (probably will be the last to be done - too much to move!!) I really must get a smaller desk.  Until then it is being swamped by paperwork so I am spending 15 minutes a day this week tidying the desk and sorting some important documents.

After lunch the day was essentially a repeat of yesterday - walking the dogs, hand sewing the two Christmas presents - will be half way by the end of this evening! - and massacring the elder tree / laurel bush.  Who says that retirement isn't glamorous?









Meanwhile, back at the mothership, baby brother Mike is down at my parents for a few days dog sitting.  Dad, in the middle here with his brother Ray on his left and Mike on Dad's right, is going into hospital tomorrow for a few days (he even has his own nurse to flirt with - isn't he lucky!!) - please pray for him to get well soon - I am not so sure that Maisie (the dog) can cope with Mike for long!!!

Finally another minion quote for you - dedicated to my parents xx

Normal service is resumed.

So - after a lovely night out last night with the book club I have given myself a good talking to.  I think that I need to start appreciating what has been completed over the past 60 days.  Its getting stuck into a project that I like and waiting for the decorator feels as if I'm stalling.  What I have forgotten is how much preparation I have to do before they come.







Two days after they leave the lounge and the hall are having new floorings so the carpets in both areas have to be taken up and disposed of.  I mentioned this to a friend who asked if she could have the lounge carpet for her son.  I would much rather things go to use so this morning was spent emptying the room (I underestimated how long that would take) and starting to pull the carpet up before the family arrived after lunch and took it away.  There is still the underlay but that's much easier and lighter to move.  I am planning to salvage a little of the hall carpet to go under the dogs' bed but the rest is not a massive piece.



Then it was onto the apron that I might have mentioned before.  If you recall the pattern needed to be enlarged and I fudged it on an old sheet.  Today I sat down with greaseproof paper and drafted a pattern using an existing top of mine.  I will use the said sheet to sew a mock up tomorrow and see how far I am away from a working pattern.  I have ordered two books for my birthday - one of which is felt brooches - just to decorate the apron!!




After walking the dogs it was then on to start tackling a bush near my coal bunker.  several years ago a gardener came in and redesigned the garden - planting a laurel bush near the bunker to "hide" it - BAD MOVE!!  Not only has the laurel bush got out of hand but it is in front of an elder tree that is turning into a monster.  They must both GO!!!!  So I spent half an hour struggling with choppers etc and achieved this much.  It then took me another half an hour to chop the pieces up small enough to go in the green bin!!Tomorrow will see the saw coming out - until I remove some of the outer bush I cannot get to the elder tree and my garden needs to become a project at some point - it is somewhat lacking in tender care!  Perhaps the redesign can be a winter project!





So - apart from some general housework (anyone in need of a light bulb or three??  At least the utility room now has room for them!!) , setting my retirement budget for August and organising some ecards for August,  that just about sums up my day so far.  More hand sewing lies ahead of me this evening for two Christmas presents (I really must take photos and have a "show and tell" on boxing day once the presents have been delivered!).  However at least I am beginning to feel more like my old self again!

I also came across this on Facebook - think I need this as my welcome sign in the hall!!