I've not really vanished!

Good morning

As the title I've not really vanished completely - however life is rather busy and my pc which is my main blogging space is rather creaky and temperamental. Sometime soon it will get sorted - a newer tower is sitting here waiting to be swapped with my current old tired one - its just a matter of copying all the important stuff across - and it takes time and there's not been much spare!

I just looked and its 3 months since my last post - so much has happened and so many photos taken of places visited, days out, days at home and family life in general. Here's 3 mosaic pictures which condense it rather a lot;

 August - a long weekend in Wales - mainly to take the boys to the Doctor Who Experience - very much loved by us all, 2 wonderful festivals - Folk East and Shrewsbury Folk Festival - dancing at one and just paying punters at the other.

 September - so much foraging and jam making happened - enough to last us through to next year. Little Son started 6th form having passed his GCSE's with flying colours. Big Son also passed his A levels and we said a tearful goodbye mid September as he started his new undergraduate life at Uni.

October - Little Son passed his CBT test and bought his first moped - meaning he can get to work easier and not rely on lifts and public transport. As the days shorten its been time for fairy lights and candles and also the dreaded raking of the leaves in the garden. S & I had a short holiday in Dorset - we spent one day on the steam trains which run down to Swanage. Hard to believe that on Halloween, we sat on the beach in t-shirts, eating icecream and watching little witches paddling in the sea!!

We had a busy start to November - last weekend we made the trip north to visit Big Son - oh what a happy Mummy I was - first cuddle from my giant boy in 6 weeks :) and the best bit - its only 4 weeks till we head up there again to collect him for Christmas!!

Where has 2014 gone?

I can't make any promises about regular blogging - I do miss it and the reading of everyone elses - but I will try to by a less slack blogger!!

xxx Vicki xxx

A quick catch up aka where did the time go?

Good afternoon

Ok who is making this year whizz by so quickly? How can it be July already?

Here's a mosaic for June - very hard to pick just 6 pictures for the month;

A birthday with a theme song - and of course the answer was yes ;) An anniversary worth celebrating - 45 years! A rare snap of me and my boys, the first batch of home grown raspberries, many meals in the sunshine and me and my Morris man.

On to July - 3 big events all running back to back - Big Son's leavers dinner, Little Son's leavers Prom and a big Morris event up on the north Norfolk coast;

 Big Son - all 18 1/2 years of him

 With his gorgeous girlfriend

 Little Son - ok so not so little anymore

With his girlfriend - they travelled with 6 friends in a very smart stretch Lincoln limo.

Both of them had a fab time with their friends - celebrating ends of eras and beginnings of new chapters.

3 pics from a fab if wet weekend away dancing - 2 taken by someone else and one snapped by me;

Someone got confused - he heard the phrase 'dancing' and thought it was a pole-dancing event ;)

Camping gear has been sorted, washed and dried and is sitting on the front room floor awaiting another trip soon - folk festival time - here's hoping its a bit drier - still haven't got any wellies!

See you soon 

xxx Vicki xxx

Summertime fun

Good morning

Another sunny start here - with an increase in the pollen count too - which means I am sneezing like Mr Sneezy from the Mr Men series but hey ho.

Its been a lovely and busy past week here at No6. I have to keep a written note of who is doing what/when/where. The best thing - big son finished his exams and whilst he still is slightly 'shell-shocked' from the whole finishing thing, his big smile has appeared and the stressed look from the past few weeks has gone.

We decided to celebrate the end of exams for both boys at once and properly. It involved takeaway pizza, their favourite beer/cider, a huge water fight with water bombs& super soakers and this monster paddling pool;

 Doesn't look too huge in this picture but here's how it looked when we blew it up and propped it up overnight in the dining room;

It's large enough for those two giant boys of mine to lounge around in/throw each other and me into as well.

Here's big son on his first day of school 13 1/2 years ago;

 Apart from one leavers BBQ today at lunchtime, that's the end of school till results day in mid-August.

This past weekend of course was the summer solstice/midsummer. Our Morris side headed a few miles inland to the village where we practise and to their Midsummer Folk Festival. The weather was perfect for dancing and camping. I've topped my tan up nicely.

As I was getting the camping stuff and kit sorted for the weekend I snapped this pic of our morris kit;

 

Oh yes, I've tweaked my kit again and added a corset top - surprisingly comfy to dance in.

Here's me and my man together yesterday;

One last photo for today - a snap from the garden of one of my favourite things about summer - the geraniums coming into flower;

Right I'd best go and wake little son - he seems to think he might sleep till school for him restarts in September - sadly I have other ideas!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

More sunshine - more dancing

Good morning

Where has the past week gone? In a blur of exams for the boys and just a very busy life here for all of us.

Another 10 days and its all over - no more exams for either boy and a long summer break for them both. Holidays have been booked for us all - one for the boys & I is very special - off to Cardiff to see the Doctor Who exhibition - not sure who is most excited!

Anyhow back to the past week. Firstly car boot bargains - lavender plants to make a hedge for the front garden - amazing the difference it makes - hopefully soon they've grow bigger and attract lots of wildlife;

 Even after just a week they seem bigger and starting to flower.

The picture at the top is big son and his 2 best mates taken a couple of years ago on a 6th form charity dress up day. When I found the 2 Thunderbird figures for sale I knew they'd go with the Brains from a birthday cake I made for him a few years ago and I'd be able to recreate this favourite photo!!

This past weekend I've been dancing again - this time in Aldeburgh on the seafront. It was a perfect day - sunshine, blue skies and a slight sea-breeze. We shared the spot with another side and a great time was had by all. Even little son came to watch me dance for the first time - though perhaps I need to rename him as you can see - he towers over me;

I as usual had loads of fun - twirling around and flashing my bloomers!!

As well as Little Son, a further 11 members of my family came along to watch - my baby sister took the photos of me;

As you can see - I'm having far too much fun!! and best bit - it happens again on Thursday night - we're off dancing in Southwold down at the Harbour Inn.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Hello again

Good morning

Well that didn't last long - nearly 3 months away from blogland and a little look to see whats been happening and reading a few favourite blogs again and here I am - resizing photos and trying to condense the past 3 months into one managable post!!

Things have been busy here at No6 - both boys have been working hard towards exams - Big Son is doing A Levels with a view towards leaving home and going to Uni in September and Little Son is almost through his GCSEs and is planning on going to 6th form in September. Both are also preparing for end of school Proms - can't wait to see both my boys all smartened up and ready to party with their friends and girlfriends.

Anyhow - where did we leave off? Oh beginning of March - here's what happened afterwards;

I had a birthday and was thoroughly spoilt - flowers, balloons, cake and 2 nights out with friends. Little baby nephew turned one and we had a big family party to celebrate. Then it was Mothers Day and my lovely boys spoilt me again.

April - a belated birthday celebration with someone special. A Morris dance out at Snape Maltings. Easter with loads of chocolate. My cute nephew with a cuddly orange I'd just bought him.

May sees that start of the proper Morris dancing season. We headed as a side down to Rochester in Kent for the first bank holiday weekend. We had a massive camp area with about 7 caravans and 10 tents. We danced all day on the Saturday and half the Sunday. One of the things I am now getting use to is having my pic taken by random people and I love hunting them out on Flickr at a later date. Here are just a few pics from the weekend - some taken by friends and others by random strangers!!

 Me and some of the other girls in the side

 Me again 

 and again

 Just one more!!

Once the dancing for us was done on the Sunday we headed to one of the pubs to a gig by a band we are good friends with and despite us all being tired most of us danced the whole gig!!

The following weekend I watched the Ladies Tour of Britain come through Suffolk - what a difference a week made - it was wet and a bit chilly but those girls didn't seem to notice as they whizzed by.

Last weekend was actually spent at home! Time to make an assault on my garden - weeds to clear, grass to cut and tubs to plant. Once it was all done - time to build the hammock and spent a little time studying the inside of my eyelids!! 

Right I think that's enough for today. Time to get sorted, hang washing out and then head to see one of my sisters and my little niece and nephew. I saw cute pictures yesterday of someone who is coming to live with them in a few weeks time and I need to hear all about it!!

See you soon 

xxx Vicki xxx

52 weeks of Vicki - week 2

Good morning

Hurrah another sunny one - I do love them. Our dining room faces south so its been a lovely sunny and late breakfast here today.

I didn't mean to be up quite so late but my body was tired from a lovely but tiring day yesterday. Our first dance event of 2014 - Whittlesey Straw Bear Festival in the Fens.

It was a very early start - we left just after 7 and I travelled with a group of friends. We had an in car breakfast picnic - bacon sandwiches, banana muffins and lots of coffee.

Now I think Suffolk is flat but the Cambridgeshire Fens are even flatter - once the sun came up you could see for miles - I just wish I'd been more awake and taken some photos.

Now as ever with Morris stuff - I can't take pics and dance so I've pinched the first few from a friend!!

 I'm in the middle with my back to the camera!!

As you can see taking pics was tricking - the sun was very bright and the streets packed so moving about to get a better angle wasn't easy.

I've just opened the patio doors and snapped this view - the garden bathed in low winter sunshine;

So week 2 of the year and lots of happy stuff. No more dancing out for a while but we've a winter full of practises to get through - I for one need the practise - I managed to hit myself yesterday on the face and am now sporting a slightly black eye!! Must learn sticks bounce back when you hit with them and if you lose concentration for a second you will get hit!!! 

Right a sister has just arrived so I'd best get the coffee on!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

All creatures great and small

Good afternoon

Not sure I could love all creatures - especially this one that decided to hide under my pillow the other night! I'd been away for the weekend and left the boys in charge - they'd been good and got washing in and I guess this must have smuggled itself into the house in the washing basket;

I might have squealed like a girl when I spotted it but then I calmly deployed my insect catching kit (junk mail and a plastic Latitude cup) and put him downstairs to deal with in the morning!

I said I'd been away - I stayed with friends and we went to an birthday party on the Saturday night - it was 80's themed - and I knew what I wanted to wear - the jacket & accessories date from my mid teens in the mid 80's and the t-shirt was a treat to myself;

Obviously back in the mid 80's it wouldn't have been a pint of cider ;)

The party was for one of our dancers and we were asked to dance just once for everyone - such a lucky girl that I am, I finally got to dance with Adam Ant ;)

After a very late night and not a very restful sleep - I managed to fall out of bed!! Perhaps the 4th pint wasn't such a good idea!! The next dance we headed to a gig in a pub garden - us lot dancing for half an hour and the rest of the afternoon spent sitting in the sunshine, listening to music, chatting and maybe drinking some more cider!!

This week has been busy - even though the boys had one day off school due to the strikes. This morning was quiet and in order to put off hoovering for a while, I bashed some more picture pins in the wall and added to my wall of family photos;

I can now see there are some family members missing and I've been asking for copies of photos to add to this collection.

This afternoon has been spent with two wonderful creatures both very small and both very new. One of my sisters has recently got a puppy and kitten - they arrived within days of each other and and slowly getting the hang of each other. The kitten gives as good as it gets and has the advantage of speed and being able to hide under the sofa when the attentions of his 'brother' get too much!!

Meet - Foggy the border collie puppy;

and Douglas the kitten;

Both adorable and crazy and I could have happily brought them both home with me!!

Right I'd best be off - having a girls night with my sisters tonight to celebrate a birthday and draw names for our Not-so-Secret-Santa we do every year.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xx

And still the sun shone!

Good morning

Oh what a weekend :)

It started Friday evening - firstly a barbecue with the boys in the garden. Such a simple pleasure but one we are enjoying on a regular basis now. We've even got the lighting of said bbq down to a fine art - little son squirts the coals with bbq lighting liquid and I do the match thing!!

Of course every bbq has to end with toasting marshmallows. Big son has decided the combination of toasted marshmallow and reggae-reggae sauce works well - I am not so sure!

After we'd tidied up, I headed out with my parents to a beer/music festival in a pub a few miles away. We spent a lovely evening sitting in the sunshine with friends, listening to a fab local band and I was happily testing some excellent local cider too!

I headed back to the same event on Saturday afternoon, this time with our Morris side. We were due to dance late afternoon and decided an overnight camp was a good idea.  The weather was very hot not a breeze at all. We managed to change our dance time till early evening and instead started to investigate the beer tent!!

Its somewhat of a miracle that some of us managed to dance at all and even more of a miracle that no big stick injuries happened!! Here we all are afterwards - this is taken by a friend. Such a happy and colourful bunch;

The dancing continued into the evening - firstly to another band but when rain stopped play there, we moved into the beer tent and our Morris musicians started playing and soon more mad, drunken dancing was happening. I was sensible enough to realise that dancing in sandals on damp ground wasn't a good idea with my history so a quick trip back to the tent and putting my dancing boots on probably saved me a trip to A&E!

What a weekend - just brilliant fun.

One final word to sum it all up - when asked how our Morris Squire was feeling very late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, he replied 'Frunk'!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Going Potty In Sheringham

Good evening

Thank you for all the comments on my last post :)

Well I said I was going away this weekend and I managed it. I was very wary of heading off camping for the weekend but decided it was something that I wanted to do and I very badly needed some relaxing time and some serious fun.

I didn't pack my dancing boots instead I packed extra camera batteries and suncream!

The Morris side headed up the coast over the border and into Norfolk. The Potty Festival in Sheringham was our destination along with about another 30 Morris sides.

 We drove up on Friday night and arrived on the campsite about 7pm. I was so looked after - not allowed to carry anything heavier than a pillow! Two dancer put my little tent up for me whilst the others helped me get sorted. Once we'd all arrived and camp set up then it was time to open bottles and cans. I was very good - just one cider but a very welcome one.

We were up early on Saturday morning - bacon butties were eaten and then costumes put on. Whilst I hadn't packed my whole outfit I had added my twirly skirt and some fab new bloomers which you will get to see another time I am sure! We caught the shuttle bus into town and the side formed up for the parade - as this involves dancing a long route - I was walking with some of the children along side them and stopping when they did to take photos.

Once we'd got into the town we headed to our first dance spot - the sky was blue and it was getting hot.

 First dance over it was time to crack open the drinks!! Of course it would have been rude to turn down a can of Adnams!!

As you can see even my handbag matched!!

Everywhere you looked there were Morris dancers;

The pubs and food places were very busy! We of course stopped for ice-creams and chips - was a bit wary at first of having these but it soon became apparent that my tummy approved! Well worth having that op the other week!!

At lunchtime we took our chips down to the beach - sitting as a side on the rocks and then heading down to the sea for a paddle;

The beach at Sheringham is lovely and sandy - the tide was out and the decision was taken to dance on the beach. I was a bit sad not to be able to do this but I was happily snapping away and another dancer has videoed it all and its on Youtube (Pretty Grim at Sheringham).

At the end of the day we all eventually made it back to the campsite - the shuttle bus service didn't happen and I thought I'd have to walk back up the hill in the heat. However my parents had chosen the same weekend to be on their hols in Sheringham and they wandered passed me queueing. Dad went and got his car and took me and some of the others (and the bbq food) back to the campsite!!

This morning I was first awake in our camp - probably something to do with having far less booze than everyone else!! It was warm in the tent so I sat in the porch crocheting and watching the world wake up;

I started this in hospital and it is growing slowly - when it is done it will be a Granny Chic string bag!!

Here's my little home for the weekend;

Today it was decided not to dance - we opted for a beach trip as a group - buckets and spades were found/bought and we wandered down to the beach. Another perfect day - blue skies, a gentle breeze on the beach and maybe another ice cream and chips were had!!

Happy feet on the beach - yes I know those legs are a bit pink - I forgot about them when I was putting suncream on this morning!!

We got home late afternoon - just in time for me to watch closing sets of the Men's Singles Finals with the boys - just great to finally see a British winner - there was much cheering from our sofa!!!

Right time to email some photos to friends, have a long soak in the bath and then settle down to watch The White Queen.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx