I'm still here !

Just ! I've a few 'issues' at the moment that I'm not able to go into but it's taking up a lot of my time. I will be back soon though, just need to get the weekend out of the way !

Hopefully catch up with you all soon x

Needing some inspiration

It's that time of year again when I start to (dare I say it ?!) think about my winter wardrobe.

Last year's consisted of jeans and baggy jumpers (to hide the lumps and bumps) but that's not going to happen this year ! I'm wanting those brightly coloured jeans instead of the black ones, pattered knits instead of plain black and blue and accessories that would out-bling the queen ! But, I can't, for love nor money, find anything I remotely like on the high street so far. I know it's still quite early in the 'autumn/winter' ranges but I find myself being a bit disappointed in what's on offer. Maybe it's just me being picky ? I scoured the net for hours last night but nothing jumped out at me :o(

So, I'm handing over to you lovely followers to see if you can 'inspire' me with your favourite autumn/winter items. Hellllllllllllpppppppppppppppppppp !

Favourite Things on a Friday ...

Hmmmmmmmmm let me think about this for all but a second ......

It's going with a mouth-watering steak and stilton sauce & chips Friday night supper.

Then it'll be a nice long soak in the bath with ....

 

And a read of my latest book ......

before zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Have a great weekend everyone ! xxxx

Thou shalt not kill .......

....... except electrial appliances and spiders !!!

Today isn't going so well, the computer decided to have a funny 5 minutes (well, about 3 hours all told), my hoover pipe has broken so I can't get into the nooks and crannies and to top it all off, I happened to catch sight of something out of the corner of my eye .......... the most horrible looking spider you've ever seen on my shoulder ! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Now I absolutely hate spiders .....




....... all other critters are welcome except them things ......... so I'm afraid I screeched, brushed it off my shoulder and ran over it with my computer chair !

Apart from that (and keep checking over my shoulder every 5 minutes) I think I'm ok !

On a cheerier note, I've had a lovely phonecall from daughter number 2 who is in Jersey this week with the Girlguides. They're having a whale of a time and are enjoying the activities (kayaking, jet skiing, banana boating etc) and spending time with the German Scouts (cue protective mum mode !) Missing her terribly but I know how much these trips build character and confidence. Can't wait for her to get home and tell me all about it :0)

I'm in 'money saving mode' at the moment (Florida spending money) and after a quick jolly down to the local Waitrose last night for a pint of milk, I found out they do mega knockdown prices on their short-dated food - I came home with 3 carrier bags full for the measley sum of £5.92 ! I think I shall be 'popping in' most evenings :0)

It'd be great to hear your money saving tips !

Here comes the rain again !

After a glorious couple of days it's now peeing down. We're on a 'yellow warning' down here on the South Coast with copious amounts of rain expected and maybe a bit of thunder and lighning thrown in for good measure. I hope they cleaned out those storm drains !

So, to cope with the distinct 'autumnal' feel I've bunged a beef stew and dumplings in the oven and spent the day baking cakes (choc chunk muffins, raspberry muffins and honey cake). I shall have to hide some of these in the freezer before they disappear !

 I did manage to pick these before the rain started ......

The weekend was a superb one, seeing family members and spending precious time with my close family - something which doesn't happen very often since we moved here. I think I'm going to change that !

The luau party went without a hiccup and 23 7-year-olds had a fantastic time. One cute little lad said to my neice "this is the BEST party I've ever been to" ! Bless him !

The cake was amazing ....... it looks far better than my poor quality pic and tasted divine ! I've never had chocolate cake like it !



It was made by http://www.yellowbutterflycakes.co.uk/ of Ely, Cambs ...... check them out, their cakes are out of this world ! Not only are they a cake shop but they are a delightful tea room as well ......... bonus !

Just before I shoot off for my stew ...... nom nom nom ! ......... a quick wave and thank you for joining to the new followers xx

It'll soon be giveaway time :0)

These boots were made for walking

Look what I picked up while I was on holiday !

I found them in a little boutique in Looe and fell in love with them straight away. I didn't even look at the price tag until after I'd tried them on (naughty !) .......... £40 was a price I was willing to pay ! They're by Sergio Todzi (never heard of him/her! lol).

Fur lined and comfy as hell, I almost can't wait for the winter so I can start wearing them :0)

Not a 'want' buy either as I do 'need' boots this year, so I'm very pleased with my likkle self !

It's been a busy week so far, catching up with washing, work etc so I'm with Laura when she says she's letting her hair down this weekend ! We're off to visit my Sister and her little girl (birthday weekend) where we are guests of honour at a Loual (sp?) party so hula skirts and garlands are the order of the day ! I have to drive back here to Sussex on the Saturday evening so no cocktails for me unfortunately!

I've been catching up with everyone's blogs (I seem to be following more and more but I love reading them - isn't individuality a wonderful thing?)

The everso lovely MimiandTilly is having a giveaway to celebrate her second 'blogiversary'. If you haven't had chance to pop over and have a look, can I suggest a sneaky peak at her blog? She's a very talented lady and full of inspiration and ideas.

Claire (who is everso lovely as well :0) ) is having a welcome giveway over on her new 'Favourite Things' blog. She also has a wonderful Etsy shop and I have to resist every time I visit (well, at least until payday after my hols ! hahaha) I'm sure she wouldn't mind if you popped in and said hello :0)

I'll be doing my own 'welcome' giveaway soon - now that I've got more than 1 follower ! hahahah - so watch this space xxxx

Cornish Delights.

We're back !

And we've had a wonderful week in sunny (and sometimes rainy !) Cornwall. Alas we didn't find the Beast of Bodmin Moor but we did come across some other local wildlife that seemed to be very camera shy (i.e. they disappeared before I could take the snaps).

An aberdeen angus (I think?!) cow, very hairy, very huge horns that stood in the middle of a moor road and would not budge despite a few honks of the horn. It was a bit scary ! I'm sure he was doing it on purpose!

Two deer that leapt out in front of the car, luckily we were going slow.

A buzzard that nearly wasn't when it swept over our front windscreen and the 5 resident dogs that kept us company at the farm we stayed on. Oh, there were a few alpacas, donkeys, horses, ducks, geese and cows too !

It's a good job we're animal lovers ! hahaha

It was a wonderful family holiday that I hope will leave the kids with many fond memories ........

A visit to Lanhydrock (National Trust) ....

The dining room was my favourite !

Amy and her new friend 'Bertie'

The farmhouse we stayed at

Breathtaking scenery

A seal basking in the bay at Tintagel Castle (he was showing off to the crowds !)

Sunset, fish and chips and fireworks at Lands End.

Surfing on Perranporth Beach.

Visiting quaint little fishing villages.

We filled our days and slept well at night !

I'll try to catch up with all my blogging friends over the next couple of days .... I had no internet signal while we were away so have lived without for a whole week !!!! Can't wait to see what everyone's been up to :0) xx

Favourite Things On A Friday

I've been a follower of MimiandTilly's blog for a while now and when she came up with the brilliant idea of posting about her Favourite Things on a Friday and asked for people to share theirs, I jumped at the chance !

There are quite a few of us so hop on over and have a look see ! ...........

Here's mine for this week :0)

Finding a nice little tea room that you didn't know existed .....

that also sells lots of goodies as well as .............

the most beautiful home made victoria sponge and a bottle of ginger beer .......

plus a comfy chair to sit on .......... what more could two girls want who've just returned from the Dentist !

We're off on holiday to search out the Beast of Bodmin Moor tomorrow so have a good week fellow bloggers !

I look forward to catching up with everyone when we get back xxxx

Testing, testing ......

Thank you for all the comments about the new header, it's where we live :0) ...... (In the old days of course!)

So, who broke the weather !!! It's heaving down here :0( At least the garden will get a good water I suppose.

The news I was looking forward to yesterday never arrived ........ my first born baby girl took her driving test (it was all a bit hush-hush) but she failed it. Bless her little cotton socks, she was sooooooooo disappointed ! A huge cuddle from mum was in order and a quick dash down to the shops for a big box of girly chocolates cheered her up a little bit.

In her defence she had an examiner in the car, an examiner examining the examiner (!) and her driving instructor ! If that's not enough to make you nervous then I don't know what is ! She only failed on a couple of things that are rectifiable so we're going to get her out and about and driving lots over the next couple of weeks - she can share the driving to Cornwall on Saturday too.

Today will be spent doing a bit of this .......



and some more of this ........



and definitely some of this to take with us ......



What keeps you busy on a rainy day? xxxx

Perfect timing ...... NOT !

I've just been signed off work for a week (initially) ...... just 3 days before I go on my hols which means no holiday pay and having to let work down when they need me most ! The manager is already off on her hols and we're a staff member short as well, so having to phone in and explain I'm not going to be in for the next 3 days went down like a ton of bricks !

Don't get me wrong, work are great but I just hate letting people down (I'm a bit of a workaholic on the quiet !)

I'm also banned from driving for the foreseable which isn't good either! It's all to do with medication and it causing a very slow heart beat and risk of fainting - eeeeeek !

However, I'm not going to dwell on it. I'm going to enjoy my holiday and hopefully a change in meds will stop the permanent 'drunk' feelings !

I may have some good news to cheer me up later but I can't reveal anything just yet ............ watch this space !

The Lost Guide to Life and Love ........

is a book I've just finished reading. It's a good'un so I thought I'd try my hand at a book review (my first so bear with me !)



'In a packed nightclub, a glamorous model leaps from a window and escapes into the night. Food writer Tilly Flint, on a rare date with boyfriend Jake, is the sole witness. Little does she know the events set to unfold ...'

This book is a bit of everything, chick-lit, mystery, romance, intrigue and family history. The many characters each have their own 'story' to tell and throughout the book you get a bit more insight into their past lives. As Tilly moves on with her life, so do the other characters with some surprising outcomes ! I'll not reveal too much !

A good book, easy to get into and a nice style of writing. I shall be on the lookout for more of Sharon Griffiths' books !

Next book -



"A book that dwells on the fragile, yet binding relationship between a mother and her daughters. It is an enchanting novel about an idylic wild childhood and two girls who, in spite of everything, love the woman who gave them life".

What book(s) are you reading? xx

Car Booty (again!)

I was up at the crack of dawn this morning (actually it was still dark !) for the Car Boot.

It was drizzling but I took my chances and went anyway.

I made a nice few £££s (to counteract the Matalan trolley dash yesterday!).

We chatted to some lovely people both on the stalls next to us and had some delightful customers.

And the sun came out !

Plus I went with a boot full and came back with less than half of what I took.

All in all a good day :0)

Here's what I wore (in anticipation of the sun coming out!)

Matalan pink vest top (£1), Tesco white vest top (£2), Matalan Skirt (£3), Balerina Pumps - Charity shop (£3), New Look Bracelet (£1), Necklace - Car Boot sale (50p)

I'm at work all day tomorrow but I don't mind Sundays, a 6 hour day and it's lovely and quiet so I get lots done.

Tomorrow evening will be spent deliberating over what to pack for our forthcoming holiday to Cornwall, I think it might be a case of ..................... !!!!

Cheap As Chips.

It's school hols time and trying to keep the kids occupied is still no mean feat even though they are teenagers ! I do love the long break though, being able to spend so much time together is great and finding new places to visit and things to do is great fun. Obviously, it has to be cheap !

Mornings are usually a breeze as they're still in bed but the afternoons prove a little more difficult, especially when hubby is on nights and we have to be quiet as a mouse until he gets up.

I was feeling a bit lazy so thought a portion of chips on the beach would do very nicely for lunch and kill a bit of time along the way. The littlies managed to sneak in a chocolate dipped ice cream too ! I do like to spoil them occasionally :0)

Tomorrow, we're off to do a car boot sale to try and make a few pennies again. It's supposed to be a glorious day but I think an early start will be in order - they queue at 5am for a 7.30am start at our local one - yikes !

Today's outfit is a real cheapie ! Matalan have a sale on and a quick jolly over to Bognor today for some shoes for my eldest, ended up in a two hour shop-a-thon ! My ebay winnings are depleting fast !

Tunic (no label so I have no idea who it's made by) £1.04 (ebay). Trousers DP (£3 in the sale), Sandals (Matalan sale £5), Bracelets (Matalan sale £1.50), Earrings (Matalan Sale £1), Ring (Matalan Sale £1.50), Headscarf (New Look Sale £1), Necklace bought for me by my darling hubby on valentines day xx

Excuse the really poorly painted toe nails - I can't find my varnish remover !!!! I promise next time they will be pristine and presentable!

Total outfit cost - £14.04 if my maths is right?!

There are more goodies from Matalan too but I'll save them for another day x





20 questions ......

I've pinched this question/answer thingy-majig from Danni (hope you don't mind Danni !) who in turn borrowed it from Sophie .

I figured it might be a bit of a 'get-to-know-me' post and maybe get me a few more followers - I seem to be a bit of a 'billy-no-mates' !!!!

What is bothering you right now?
The fact that I have to have an ECG tomorrow as my heart murmur is doing funny things to me !
Do you like celebrity magazines?
No not really, but I'd read one if I was bored enough.
When was the last time you were ill? Why?
Ermmmm that'd have to be Boxing Day with that blasted norovirus, I thought I was going to die!
Do you feel you belong in a different era? 
Not really, I'm happy to move along with the times and embrace the future.
Who owns you? 
My kids, I'm a big softie and give in far to easily when it comes to them.
Favorite country in Europe? 
I haven't visited many but of the few that I have been to, I loved Turkey.
Did you skive off school?
School? No. College? Yes.
Ever played an instrument? 
Nope.
Favorite alcoholic drink?
G & T
Do you follow fashion?
I do but don't necessarily dress to the current trend unless it's something I like.
What colour are your eyes? Do you like that colour? 
Green, I've often been told I have cats eyes (not sure if that's a good thing or a bad !) I'm happy with my eyes :0)
What is the furthest you have travelled from your home? How far was it?
Turkey. Told you I'm not very well travelled !
What is the coldest temperatures you have experienced? Where were you?
That would have to be helping out on one of my son's school trips to Butser Farm 2 years ago. Sub-zero temperatures, the toilets had frozen so the kids had nowhere to pee and we were outside all bloody day ! I've NEVER been so cold !
What is the hottest temperatures you have experienced? Where were you?
I think probably here in the UK!
Imagine you have three wishes. List them. (A million more wishes doesn't count)
1. That my children grow up to be happy, healthy and kind and appreciate the good things in life.
2. Straight hair without having to get the blasted irons out every morning!
3. A huge boat, you know the kind, one of those yacht thingys with all the fancy leather seats, round beds, bar and all the posh champagne. I'd sail around the world !
Are you keeping a secret from the world? 
Maybe? But if I told you it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?!!!
If you could go back in time and give advice to yourself ten years ago, what would you say?
Enjoy the kids because they grow up too bloody fast.
How have you changed in the past 10 years?
I've gotten smaller to the tune of 5st. I'm still lacking in a bit of self-confidence, but blogging is actually helping I think. I think I'm a bit wiser too, don't take any bulls**t off anyone like I used to!
Is abortion wrong? 
No, everyone should have a choice.
Do you like long train/car journeys? 
Train? Don't go on many. Car? Yes, but oddly enough, only if I'm in the driving seat.
Have you ever considered writing a novel?
No, I don't have a very good imagination.
Have you ever punched someone in the face?
No.
What is your sense of humour like?
Quite dry. I do have a (bad) trait of winding people up while remaining deadly serious and letting it run for a few days ! I do love a good can't-get-your-breath laugh :0)
Are you a good person?
I like to think so, others tell me I'm kind so that's good enough for me :0)

Inspiration ......

...... for me comes from other fantastic blogs that I love reading .....

Laura at A Daisy Chain Dream for her fantastic baking skills, ability to make me browse the web for hours with her recommendations on fashion and footwear (any excuse for me Laura !) and her ability to pick herself up and dust herself off no matter what life seems to throw at her !

Vix for sheer envy at her fabulous ebay, car boot and jumble sale finds - she is my hero !

AThriftyMrs for her expert thought-provoking blogging posts and always having something interesting to discuss.

Alex for her determination on her weight-loss journey, her wonderful outfits and historical blog posts (I learn so much from your travels!)

There are lots more that I could write about too but this would be a very long post indeed if I did.

I hope the above ladies don't mind me giving them a mention !  xx

I wonder if you can guess who inspired me to make these beauties  ....

We're off for a celebratory charity shop jaunt this afternoon after my Ebay dolls sold for a mahooosive £350! Not bad for a £16 outlay ! Obviously I won't spend it all, just a little bit ?!

Lazy, hazy days ............

Perfect weather for a picnic by the river ...

Excuse the wally's who are pulling funny faces !

We hopped, skipped and jumped on the train to Arundel with a few goodies in a rucksack, my 'Pimms O'Clock' picnic rug that I won on facebook and a bottle or two of ........

(you will sooooo have to excuse my gormless look and tired eyes, I really was in a 'can't be arsed' mood today!)

With beautiful views of the castle and the river,

some cute little ducklings on the walk down to

the boating lake,

and some wonderfully old buildings, Arundel really is a smashing place to visit.

We're really lucky to have all this on our doorstep and part of my 'bucket list' is to make more of all the wonderful places we have here in West Sussex.



Sad Sunday ....

 ........ such a short life, such a talent and a huge loss to her family and fans.

While I wasn't a massive fan of Amy's, I did enjoy her music and her distinct voice. There's no point in getting into the 'lifestyle' issues she had, she wasn't the only musician to live like that and she certainly won't be the last !

RIP Amy x

Going once .......... going twice ...........

GONE !!!!

The auction yesterday was SOOOO much fun ! We arrived (nervously!) at 9.15 am and managed to get a 45 minute dash around the room, picking out lots we liked the look of (there were quite a few!)

Both me and hubby do have quite a 'good eye' (and an element of luck!) but even so, it was hard to know where to begin! There were over 800 lots in total and it was piled up high and cramed into boxes down below. It was a general household auction so you name it and it was there ..... washing machines, wardrobes, tools, garden furniture, chairs, paintings, toys, ceramics, nik-naks etc etc.

Bidding for the first time was a bit of a heart-racing moment (well, it was for hubby, I made him do it all ! hahah) I was most surprised when we won our first lot for the measly sum of £4 !! I couldn't quite believe how little the items were going for ..... wardrobes £4-5, units £10ish, boxes of paintings (of which we got one!) £4-£20, toys £2 a box ...... you get the idea ....... so we thought we might start bidding on a few more items :0) Not having the benefit of viewing some of these items previously, we were bidding blind on some lots ....... maybe a bit stupid????? Maybe not !

I'll not reveal too much at the moment but a little haul of a box of vintage dolls for £16 is so far netting us over £100 on Ebay {does a clappy, happy, wiggle dance around the room} !!! There are other little gems that we have plans for too - car booty maybe?

As Del Boy once said (I think he said it a few times actually) ........... "This time next year we'll be millionaires !"

Here are a few of the pictures from the £4 lot (there were 8 in total, but these are my favourites) .... I don't think I will be parting with any of these as I have plans to pop them up on the very large stair wall once we've decorated.

'The Dead Bird' by Greuze (a print, I don't think it's the original !) The frame is stunning on this. The picture is a little morbid, I wonder if she found the bird like that ? I shall have to investigate a little more on this I think ....

'A Bottle of Mateus Rose and a Baguette' - reminds me of our holiday in france last year :0)

I have no idea as to the title of this painting, it's my favourite one. Vivid colours (not picked up very well by my photo) and such a beautiful scene.

Again, no indication as to the title but reminds me of here on the South Coast and all the fishermen bringing in their catch to the beaches.

Another fishing scene, there seems to be a theme going on here ! Farming is in my blood, not fishing !!!



Will we be going again? Absolutely ! 

The big reveal .....

Don't get too excited, it's not that amazing !

It is, however, fresh and clean and tidy and a lot less messy than it was.

 Excuse hubby's Harley Duckson on the bedside table ..... I wonder how many other full grown men still have a rubber duck !

So, there it is, fini .... well, almost, ...... just the coving to go up but need to wait for our wages to hit the bank account !

Today is a bit of a sad day, my baby boy (who's nearly 12!) is leaving school tomorrow and it's his 'graduation' to secondary school tonight. I will be wearing sunglasses indoors !!! The end of an era, no more school runs in the piddling down rain, snow and hail (because it's never sunny when school run time arrives!) Lay-ins in the mornings, no more packed lunches to make (he's old enough to make his own now!)

What's a girl to do with all that spare time? Shop? Garden? Who knows ? .......

I'm very excited about tomorrow, we're off on a 'date' to an auction. I've never been to one (an auction, not a date !!!!!) so I've no idea what to expect. I just hope I don't get carried away and end up with a bootfull of stuff ! I shall have to sit on my hands I think.

I've gone 'casual' today

Top (Dorothy Perkins sale), 3/4 lengths found in the loft (I think I paid 50p at a car boot sale for them),

bangles (car boot purchase £1)

Flip-flops (Dorothy Perkins, paid full price for these, yeowch !)

I found this pretty bag in a charity shop today for £4, and it now contains all my handbag goodies :0)

I may do a handbag reveal tomorrow if I'm feeling brave !