House and garden

Good evening

Thanks to those who've visited since I dipped my toe back into blogging this month :)

Still getting the hang of taking pictures on a camera and especially for here. Had a crash course at the weekend on how to upload them onto my new toy and also how to use a programme to edit/resize - the one I used before was very very old and not compatible with this new lappie of mine.

In recent weeks its been very domestic here at times at No6 - my dining room was looking shabby, overstuffed and the radiator had sprung a leak :( Time to give it a makeover. Coats of fresh paint in a neutral cream, new curtains that actual fit, a new non leaking radiator and tomorrow a new carpet in a colour I like and that won't show every mark, thread or crumb.

Here's what we've done so far - very happy with it and also the fact I've not gone over my limited budget :)

 The room had felt overstuffed so when big son was home at Easter we sorted out the two bookcases that were in there and condensed them into one - bookcase was sold and I sold lots of the books at a boot sale this weekend.

New tablecloth from Aldi which the boys actually quite like - they were worried it would be a very floral room but so far they approve.

 The two huge paintings were done by one of my sister for her GCSE and A levels exams many years ago - I love both of them and they will always feature somewhere wherever I live.

One of the first things we bought for this house - now rehung and filled again with clean china - still have the stuff from my dresser to do tomorrow so once the carpet is down that too can be refilled.

The arrival of spring and sunny weather made me look at the garden and realise it needed work doing on it. I spent hours weeding, cutting back and sorting out. Then when S was over we went to a local garden centre and I chose things to fill gaps, tubs and new tiny veggie plot. Here's just a snapshot of what I've been doing;

 Just a few strawberry plants - this year in pots but hopefully next year in a proper bed.

 Tiny tomatoes appearing - we chose varieties which crop heavily.

 Trying to disguise the less pretty bits with tubs of geraniums.

 Waiting for this one to flower - it's called Apple Blossom and the petals look beautiful.

 Bargain hanging baskets filled with car boot find bedding plants.

 It was so sunny when I took these pics you can't see this one too well - must get the hang of my camera again - anyhow its full of pink, blue and purple and a as one lot finish another should burst into colour.

A practical bit - storage with strawberries and a few leftover geraniums on top.

Just realised I forgot to take pics of the little veg bed and the raspberries behind it - they are looking very promising this year - handy really as we've run out of raspberry jam!!

Right that's probably enough for today - there's dinner to cook, washing to get in and of course things to water later too.

See you soon - we've been productive this weekend and there's the first foraged make of 2015 to share with you.

xxx Vintage 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

3 @ No6 - settling in rather well.

Afternoon

Well nothing for ages and then 2 posts in 2 days and photos taken for another!! Blimey not quite sure whats happened - perhaps its the sunshine?

We've been very lucky here in Suffolk and its been a mostly lovely this weekend. I've spent time with some of my family - sitting in the sunshine yesterday at one sisters and today I've been to the big local boot sale with another. Have some purchases to show you another day.

Thanks for the welcome back. I thought I'd show you how well we've settled into our new home - been here 9 months now and it feels forever. All the big expensive jobs have been done and there is decorating which needs doing which should start to happen once exams are over and teenagers are about to help with the heavy lifting and high up bits!!

Have spent the last few weekends trying to get on top of the gardening - apart from a quick lawn cut nothing really happened when we moved in and there have been 9 months of weeds to clear - slowly getting there and now the fun bit of adding colour can happen.

 The patio got jet washed and we have been eating out here lots. The hammock is permanently outside so power naps can happen when it all gets too much!

 I forgot to take a picture when the apple tree was in blossom - trust me - it was gorgeous. See the bottom of the garden? Those are raspberries - going to be a bumper crop if we beat the birds!!

 A car boot sale purchase this morning - Norbert the Gnome - I love these little fellas - he's the first of many I hope for this garden.

Tomatoes growing in a sunny sheltered corner.

 Even the boring fence panels have started to get prettied up - strings of bunting to brighten the view from the kitchen window.

Now inside - I took these pics this morning and then spent this afternoon, tweaking things, moving things about and hanging more things on the walls! I am getting a dab hand with a hammer - tempted to buy a drill soon and learn how to use that!!

 The dining room is a sunny spot - I spent hours in here the other day getting reacquainted with my sewing machine. I bought muslin months ago to make new 'nets' for the front room - finally I hemmed it and they are up. More muslin to get tomorrow as my bedroom needs new 'nets' too. I've ordered some gorgeous red velvet curtains so when all is done I can show that space off to you.

 Still my favourite room - the front room. One sofa died and a second armchair was acquired - now both boys are happy and have man-chairs - complete with crocheted and handmade cushions and quilts!! This is one room which needs painting - we had to replace the radiator in January and the new  one doesn't cover the old space.

 My spot - complete with reading pile, project bags and my ipad.

 The ever growing photo wall - still space left and I've loads more pictures to get printed and framed.

 For once the fireplace is almost tidy!

The fireplace in the kitchen got shelved out and its proved most useful - I can fit so much stuff on there - must just paint the wall behind it one day!!

See that flowery thing to the side? Well its going to get used now - the ironing mountain is rather huge and I want to wear some of it this week!!!

See you soon with some pretty car boot bargains to share and (hopefully) pictures of a rather lovely WIP new skill I am learning!!

xxx Vicki xxx

New Year - New Challenges

Good morning

Happy New Year

I was thinking the other day about the forthcoming year and what I am hoping it will bring to me and the boys here at No6. We are hoping this year is calmer than 2013. There are some big things happening this year - GCSE and A level exams for the boys in early summer and then the wait till August for the results. If all goes to plan then Little Son will be heading off to 6th form and Big Son off to University! 

We talked about remembering all the good stuff rather than the bad bits. With than in mind I pinched an idea off the internet and am aiming to do this for the whole of 2014. 

Take one tin and a pile of post-it notes. Each day write one good thing that's happened on a note and put it in the tin. At the end of the year or beginning of next, I can then tip all the notes out and remind myself of stuff that's happened.

 So far so good - 4 days in and there are 4 notes in there!!

One good thing - a day out with the boys. We spent the day with a friend who works in a leisure centre - it meant the boys were actually out of their bedrooms and away from their screens! We played badminton - yes even me! and had a go on a climbing wall. Little Son took to this - he's always been a climber even when he was small and you'd see him climbing onto things he shouldn't!

Another challenge for me this year - this blogging lark - it was a big hit and miss last year - I started several things but lost interest/got sidetracked and never saw them through. This year I am aiming to blog at least once a week - along the lines of the 52 weeks of happy posts - 52 weeks of Vicki ;)

Here the first photo - my Christmas hyacinth has finally flowered - guess our house a bit on the cool side - others who were given them at the same time had theirs flowering on Christmas Day!!

Right I'd best go and get sorted - one last lazy morning here before school and work start again tomorrow. I thing those boys of mine were planning on doing their homework today - that's if they can even remember what they are supposed to be doing!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Chasing butterflies

Good afternoon

Wow - can't believe this weather - another sunny day - and it looks like it will continue into the weekend :)

Have been pottering about lots this week - steadily but getting more and more done. Making the most of the weather and emptying my laundry bin and getting those other washing tasks like sofa covers and throws sorted too.

I've also been watching the wildlife - the butterflies and bees have been loving the huge Hebe's in the front garden - some even stayed still long enough for photos;

I mentioned that on Sunday I'd headed with a sister to the big local car boot sale - here's what came home with me minus the strawberries that soon disappeared into those hungry boys of mine;

Both the books were favourites when I was younger - I used to read Mr Pink Whistle whenever I slept over at a friends house - I was always awake first and seemed this book was nearest to hand each time!

I also mentioned about heading to Latitude this weekend - well I decided that a new frock was in order - the fabric came from my friends little shop and once I'd unearthed my packed away sewing stuff it didn't take too long for a frock to appear - even if I had to sew standing up at the breakfast bar (more comfortable than I thought it would be);

I went dancing last night - just one dance as its the only one without having to have someone put their arm around me as part of it - too sore still for the others. However it went well and it felt good to be doing it again. Hopefully next week I might manage a couple more - I've been to the doctors (again) this morning and the pesky dissolving (but not actually doing it) stitches in 2 wound sites are finally gone - hurrah. 

Right off to the washing machine again - another load is finished!

Long may the sunshine continue :)

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Busy doing nothing

Good morning

On doctors orders I have been taking it easy this week - yeah right!! I have been trying to take it easy but as a single Mum who has two teenagers, a house which can't clean itself and no means of transport I've tried hard to go at a slower pace - not easy especially if you factor in the need for 3 doctors appointments the other side of town and the mountain of tasks to do with my impending house move too!

This has been the view at times though;

I repainted the picnic bench a few weeks ago and then added the vinyl flowers to 'Vicki' it up! Add in a new parasol from an outlet shop and its gone from unloved to much used :)

The inside of the house has been pretty at times thanks to lovely friends and lots of flowers - including some homegrown sweet peas from my mate, Dawn.

As I thought more photos from my fab Morris weekend have appeared - this time including ones of me - whilst its fine if I don't know the pic is being taken, if I see the camera I still end up pulling a silly face as these next two show - oh well I was having fun!!

 You can just glimpse a cheeky pic of my fab new bloomers here - perfect on the beach when it was windy!!

This week for the boys has been a not normal school week. Big Son has been volunteering at school decorating classrooms - he seems to be enjoying this and some paint has made it onto the walls - however he comes home with white freckles most days too!

Little Son has been doing work experience at a local primary school. He has wanted to be a primary teacher since the age of 6 when he had the most wonderful male teacher. He's been having a great time and loving his week. Today he made an extra effort and as you can see he is really looking rather grown up these days!

Lastly for the past 18 hours I have been wired up to a mobile ECG monitor - roll on this afternoon when it comes off - the wires and sticky pads are annoying and I hate missing my bedtime bath and morning shower!! It is just a precaution after my little blip - would be interesting to see what happens to my ticker when I am hounding teenagers out of bed in the morning!!

Right time to hang washing out and get on with another day of pottering/resting and hopefully some crochet in the sunshine later too! (Sunshine is currently hiding!!)

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Heart Stopping

Good morning

One week ago, I was walking down to the operating theatre to have a routine operation to finally remove my pesky gall-bladder. I'd arrived at the hospital in plenty of time and had been checked in and confirmed to be in good health and ready for my op. Even my blood pressure was perfectly normal - no 'white-coat' panic this time. I hopped up onto the bed and was happily chatting to the medical staff whilst wires and needles were attached to me. I started to count to 20 and then I must have dozed off.

I was woken a few hours later in recovery - surrounded by rather alot of wires and machines - all which seemed perfectly normal to me. I had been assigned a lovely young nurse who was chatting to me and making sure I was comfortable - again it all seemed perfectly normal.

Then the bed got surround by a few others - they asked if I was feeling ok - I said yes and then they told me. During the first part of the operation they needed to inflate my abdomen with gas so they could get to my gall-bladder. During this part my heart stopped - nothing - no output!! They said they'd given me drugs and CPR to get it going - and obviously it had worked!! They had decided to carry on with the op and I was no longer in possession of a gall-bladder nor a little triple family of stones.

To be honest it didn't really sink in then. I then happily lay there texting my family (well the best I could considering I was still high as a kite and unable to wear my specs as I'd an oxygen mask on!!) to tell them the op was over and what had been said. Only when my Dad text back with a hint of panic in the text it started to dawn on me what had happened and what it could have meant!!

Instead of going home the same day, I was being admitted to hospital - some talk of sending me to ITU but that was deemed not necessary. Instead I spent a very long time in recovery with my own nurse at my beck and call. Eventually a space in a lovely ward was found - I needed to be by myself and very close to the nurses station so they could keep a careful watch over me. I was not allowed out of bed unless someone was with me - oh yes 43 years old and not allowed to the loo without a grown up! I was monitored very closely as my blood pressure was pretty pathetic.

Anyhow staying one night lead into another then another - in total 5 nights were spent in hospital. Thank goodness for family and friends - who visited, phoned and text me. Now I am not a big TV watcher but having access to my own tv over the weekend meant I had some entertainment. I love Glastonbury festival and watch every year (one year I will get there for real). I knew the line up was good and watched many hours of it over the weekend. One of my highlights was Sunday afternoon - lying in bed, watching Kenny Rogers and singing along to my hearts content - I loved his set and yes I managed to sing out loud much to the amusement of the cleaner who came into my room!!

I was eventually allowed home on Tuesday afternoon. I got home before the boys got in from school and there were plenty of hugs when they got in. Its the longest I've ever spent apart from them and I really missed them so much. Whilst they visited its not the same. It was lovely Tuesday evening to sit down together to have dinner and a good chat.

I have got to go back to hospital for various follow up appointments to check that there is no lasting problems. The surgeon is confident it was just an extremely rare reaction and I should be 100% very soon. At the moment I am a bit battered - lots of bruising from the op and one cracked rib from the CPR process!

However they have given me permission to go camping with my Morris friends this weekend providing I don't dance and don't drink too much cider! I can agree to this - after all who'd turn down the chance of camping with friends at the seaside and getting to eat ice-cream too!

If you've got this far then thank you for reading. I needed to write this all down as after all this blog is mostly used as my online diary and this is a big event in my already eventful life this year!!

I shall leave you with a happy picture - these gorgeous yellow roses - a get well pressie;

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Happiness is......

Good morning

I've not taken many proper pictures recently - the habit of taking my camera with me everywhere has lapsed. However I have captured happy moments on my ipad and these get shared by Instagram - its instant blogging I guess. However I do want to keep this blog running as its a more permanent record of my life - its ups, its downs and of course my family.

Here's just a few pics from the past week - all filtered via IG first;

 Those blooming named coke bottles - once Big Son found his name, we had to find one for the rest of us - even though I really don't like the stuff! I found mine on the way home from my cancelled Op appointment - hence full fat coke was ok - after 9 hours of nil by mouth, I felt I'd earned the calories!!

 Gardening time - pretty frock of course and wellies 2 sizes to big - despite everything I still can't get my ankle into my wellies - I've just adopted an old pair of little sons instead!!

Big Son taking on the task of grass cutting - he did a fab job - completing the task despite a wheel coming off the lawnmower with just a small area left to cut! A new lawnmower is on the shopping list now - had hoped to wait till we move but heyho!

 A peony rescued from the garden - just so gorgeous.

 Dinner for one on a night when the boys were with their Dad. The perfect excuse to indulge in all things local - asparagus.

Followed by strawberries - all served on vintage china - why not ;)

Last but not least - someone who makes us all very happy. My little nephew - just so cute. The boys visited earlier in the week and took lots of photos - I just love this one of him with Big Son;

Right I'd best go and get sorted - work later and then S&B group tonight.

See you soon 

xxx Vicki xxx