On a roll .......at last!

You can tell that I am on the mend - by coffee time I had stripped the bed and washed the bedding, made a corned beef quiche for lunch, ordered some shoes for a wedding in August, booked a train ticket to Nottingham to watch "An Officer and a Gentleman" (the musical) in July with Trisha, tidied the kitchen and finished another pile of ironing!  Don't get me wrong, the cough is still there but it's nowhere as bad and my head feels a lot clearer. How did I celebrate?  Well - a coffee and some reading in the summer house of course - it was just too nice not to!  Millie and Daisy joined me for a sunbathe!

Being such a lovely sunny day, I then took the dogs up to the beach.  When they stay with Mum and Dad they enjoy the large garden to run around but it's lovely to see them running freely on the beach.

Back home, and after a VERY healthy lunch of 1/3 quiche and salad, I tackled some hi-tech downloading of photos and emailing to the girls.  I did say that there there more holiday snaps now didn't I? So I thought I would show you the three of us off on a shore excursion and my view from the cabin balcony as we docked in Dubrovnik!  Couldn't see Johnny Depp anywhere - but we looked hard!




Next stop was the veg trug and some planting.  Last year's strawberry plants have really thrived and I picked up some purple sprouting broccoli plants yesterday so took the opportunity to get them sorted.  Whilst I was out in the garden I planted up my sweet peas.  They had been "on holiday" at Mum's whilst I was away so I daren't forget them!!



With just time for a quick hoover round, I am pooped - but feeling so much more energetic than I was - thank goodness.  My homework embroidery is going well and I have almost finished side 2 (out of 4) so that will be my focus tonight.

I'm following the "Cruise" diet now!

So, today was the usual Textile Group followed by Slimming World - well, it would have been if Dad didn't phone me for help this morning with his computer.  Somehow (not his fault of course) his word and excel documents all had a black background.  Cue a lunchtime visit!


The Textile group went well.  We are all doing our own thing for the next couple of weeks until  we start the new project after half term and I, of course, continued with the suffolk puffs!  I was delighted to see, however, that one of our newbies, Sue, finished her retreat bag and installed the frame.  She was really pleased with it - as she should be!








The lunchtime computer visit caused many searches on google - before a simple right click sorted the problem - phew!  So there was finally time to pop into Morrisons where this tray of strawberries caught my eye - mmmm





Then I couldn't avoid it any longer - it was time to face the scales.  I knew that I had got right back onto the SW plan the day after I got back - but did not expect to finish the holiday 1 pound LESS than I started it!  Wow! Fingers crossed that this doesn't come back to haunt me next week then!





On the way home I dropped Jean off and went to have a look at her new chicks - VERY CUTE! - before coming home, sorting out tea and prepping for the week ahead - and so it starts again!

Maybe Mum was right all along!

After yet another 9 hour sleep, I woke up .......feeling tired and headachey (Mum had said that I shouldn't go sewing yesterday but I ignored her!!)!  Yes I took my lemsip pills and yes, they do give me some relief from the incessant coughing and sneezing, but I really felt like doing absolutely nothing!  I did struggle through the holiday ironing but then gave in to the desire and settled down, with Daisy on my knee and my monthly sewing class embroidery homework and worked my way through some TV catch up.

First was a film - My Cousin Rachel.  Truthfully this was this month's book for our book club and , having seen the stage play last year, I couldn't bring myself to read the book.  Cheating I know ...... but the book club is this week!

Then it was onto  a myriad of tv programmes such as "Gogglebox" and "The Lady in White" with short breaks in-between to make me feel less lazy!  Short tasks such as trimming the lawn edges, a little weeding of the gravel near the patio or emptying the dishwasher.  Today's activities may well not make great reading but it sure got a lot of embroidery done.  I have the four large sides of a box to embroider and, by bedtime tonight, will have completed side one and started on side 2.  I only started last night!  I would also add that the coughing is much less now and I am beginning to come out of the fog - so, maybe, just maybe, Mum was right after all!

Cough, cough, sneeze, sneeze!

Armed with mum's Lemsip capsules ( plus a large box of tissues), today saw me heading off for a sewing day at Scamblesby.  Truthfully I couldn't settle on any project to take with me and so took some hand sewing.  As well as priming some embroidery for my monthly sewing class,  managed to bind my Gail Pan wall hanging that has been hanging around for nearly two hours - and started on the 20 suffolk puffs that are needed to finish!




Of curse, as usual, everyone was doing different projects.  Jean was working on her first Retreat bag - and nearly completed it!








Whilst Heather was working on some itty bitty patchwork squares for her Lynnette Anderson Seaside Town quilt (how I remember the pain of these squares!)






Terry, meanwhile, was working on one of her Scamblesy quilt squares,









and Pat was cutting out mountains of strips for her curved log cabin quilt.







Ev was tackling some bowl cosies for a friend who had burnt herself on a hot dish from the microwave,









Chris was tackling some English Paper piecing and






Sandra was tackling some embroidery from her sewing class.  Suffice it to say we are the richer for watching the efforts of each other, enjoying the laughter and company and being inspired by the different projects!







As for my cold - well it is still there and I am thinking about taking out shares in a tissue factory!

Back to earth with a bump!

Well, after months of planning, the cruise has come and gone!  But - we did have a ball!  It started with a mountain of UK roadworks (made worse in the darkness of 2am!), and early fight and, surprisingly, a decent in-flight breakfast.  But, as we landed in Malta, we were greeted with ..... rain and dull clouds - really?  Still, after getting through the embarkation procedures, we made it onto the ship, had some lunch and then found our cabins and started to unpack.  We were here - and could relax!  Well - after the compulsory lesson in putting a life jacket on of course!





The first full day was spent sailing - and we found a quite place for three sunbeds to relax on.  We read, slept and sewed!  The food on board was a real delight - from the informality of the Plaza restaurant which was a self service restaurant, to a sit down formal meal - heck, there was even a "Marco Pierre White" cafe on board - we certainly didn't starve!

Day two was spent in split, Croatia.  I really didn't know what to expect in Split and was bowled over by the beauty of the area.  However I was taken by these pottery houses - I am sure that there's a quilt idea here!










Day 3 saw a beautiful sail in and out of Venice - we had a guided tour around the Doges palace, walked across the Bridge of Sighs and then had  a gondola ride.





Day 4 saw us venture to another country - San Merino - and we had our passports stamped before enjoying some sightseeing and shopping.  I even enjoyed a piece of authentic pizza!













Day 5 was in Dubrovnik - I ventured further afield down the Adriatic Coast and visited a Croatian Olive grower to explore how he makes his Olive Oil - and to taste the produce of course!  I also treated myself to a "Singapore Sling" cocktail - wow it was strong!!






Day 6 was sailing again (and packing) - we watched Jumanji (and laughed) and finished the evening with The Greatest Showman film.  The entertainment on board was of a mixed variety from a 50's "love story"directed by Strictly's Natalie Lowe to songs from the musicals.  However the mix of people on board was a good one and we generally had a good laugh with them.

Only one negative - I have come back with a chesty cough and banging head cold - I am dosed up with Mum's lemsip tablets as I write this!  I cannot seem to download the pictures from my camera so you are spared more photos!  However, I have had a lovely time with good friends - and that. in the end, is the main thing now isn't it?

By the way - remember The Necessary Clutch Wallet - it was invaluable!!

And we're off! (well , nearly!)

• Suitcase paced and under the 22kg allowance -just!
• Dogs delivered to Mum and Dad for safekeeping
• Housesitter briefed
• Flower lei's packed for the tropical night - well Trisha has packed them.
• Friend coming round to clean the house whilst I am away - lovely return!
• House tidied before I leave
• Hand luggage packed and passport checked at least 20 times!
• Suitcase in car
• Snooze attempted so that I won't be as tired driving
• Pack up made for the journey

So - that's all folks - I will see you on the other side.  Well, that is when 10pm comes and I can leave of course!  If you want to track the cruise ship then you can via this website.  There is also a webcam which is disappointingly grey today!  Let's hope that the promised sunshine soon arrives!

Where a day of "chillin" and relaxing does not end so well!

Today was all planned -a quick visit to Tesco's (think petrol fill up and AAA batteries for my travel fan) and then a really relaxing morning at the hairdressers where I was pampered from head to toe - literally.  A hairdo and colour, a manicure and a pedicure - the three hours parking ticket was only JUST enough - with 3 minutes to spare!

Back home and, after a quick lunch, thoughts turned to really getting going with the packing - at last!  As I was going from one room to another, Millie started to follow me and I noticed a bald patch on her hind leg.  She had been licking herself a lot yesterday and I might have left it - but didn't want the housesitter to have any problems so made a quick call to the vets who had an appointment at 4pm.  So off we went.  Well - you really have to know and love Millie to appreciate how much of a pain she is at the vets.  Seriously - we had to corner her to let the vet have a look, hold her down to shave her and then two nurses took over whilst the vet checked her anal glands.  After all of that I have come home with flea treatment (just in case - they couldn't find any), antibiotics, steroids and a collar if she doesn't stop licking herself - the housesitter is going to have fun!  Thankfully they don't think that its anything serious - but, as I speak, Millie is flat out asleep after all of that exertion and stress!

Meanwhile, of course, the packing still hasn't been started - and I leave in just over 24 hours - yikes!