52 weeks of Vicki - weeks 7 & 8 - oops

Morning

Whoops - forgot completely to blog last week and even worse I'm a week behind on my reading! It's been half term here and whilst the boys no longer need entertaining what little routine we have to our lives goes completely out of the window! Late nights, lie-ins, meals all over the place and we're never quite sure who is here for dinner/lunch etc.

So pics from the last 2 weeks - all snapped on something made by Apple - just so easy to snap away on my phone these days;

 Flowers for me - sent to cheer me up when I was having a particularly rough time the other weekend. Still typing up loose ends from my old life - almost there - just one big one to sort.

 Lovely sunny days mean I've dragged my bike out a few times - once on a much needed trip to the bottle bank!! Not all the empties are mine - those boys of mine love their cider and ginger beer too.

 A walk along the prom at Aldeburgh the other day - the sun was shining and reflecting off the sea - reminding me that spring is just round the corner.

 Crochet and rugby watching - a pretty good way to spend a Saturday afternoon - especially as England won :)

 Beer and catching up with the Folk Show on Iplayer - very happy Vicki

 A sunrise - always beautiful to see.

And lastly something that cheers me no end - washing drying outside in the sunshine - meaning for a few hours my house no longer resembles a laundry!!

Right that's all for this week - mostly quite simple things but all make me happy/smile for there own reasons. 

Back to school for the boys tomorrow - a last minute homework panic is happening as I type.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

2 weeks to go!!

Good morning

Ok so in 2 weeks time it will be Christmas morning, Santa will hopefully have been and its likely that my teenagers who can sleep for England will be awake early and sitting on my bed opening their stockings!

Where has 2013 gone? Even the last month has just whizzed past. Well there's 5 minutes now and time to quickly update my little online diary.

This post will run back to front - so newest pics first - why not - convention is boring ;)

The boys and I put up our Christmas tree at the weekend. Firstly there was problem with the lights - Big Son spent an hour untangling them and at the last knot the cable broke and we rushed into town to buy a replacement set. Then there was a hunt for a box of decs - after all when we moved in the summer we didn't think about remembering where Christmas was stored!!

We've decorated other bits of the house too - rather like the fireplace - once the stockings are added on Christmas Eve and a drink and mince pie for Father Christmas it will look even more festive;

 Still not convinced that there are enough things hanging from there - I keep looking at a box of spotty baubles - I may just add a few of them!!

Saturday morning I went to watch Little Son play carols at an event in town;

He's a few more engagements before a well earned rest from playing for a few weeks.

Last Thursday (told you I was going backwards) we awoke to the most amazing skies - red skies forewarning of the dreadful weather and flooding that followed. Luckily our litle town is ok - no tidal rivers. But many nearby places I know and love have been flooded and homes/businesses damaged.

I've said before how much I enjoy live music. Last weekend I went out with friends to a fab concert and danced all night. The weekend before I went to a local pub with a friend so see a local group - The Broadside Boys. I really love these two - fab music and a wicked sense of humour;

Nearly there - just two more pics to go.

Did anyone else watch the 50th Doctor Who celebrations? Well here at No6 we are big Doctor Who fans. We decided to watch in style - we cleared the coffee table and Little Son hunted out lots of monsters and Doctors and set them up around a big bowl of jelly babies (Whovians will understand why);

We loved the episode - complete silence here. No talking, no texting and no facebooking!! I don't think any of us even moved for the whole episode!!

Lastly for now - its been rather hectic here. Getting the house sorted for Christmas, the shopping and the keeping up with who is here at any one time. Those boys of mine have hectic social lives now and coupled with mine it take some remembering at to who is suppose to be where and when!!

My new favourite way to unwind - candlelit bath, bubbles and beer!!

Right time to make some packed lunches and make sure those boys leave for school on time!! Roll on the end of term!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

3 is a magic number

Good morning

Just a quick post before another busy day happens - work, nephews birthday and dance practise. Does seem life is rather busy as the moment - lots of lovely things to look forward to mixed with some domestic stuff and more house alterations.

The week started relatively quietly - time on Tuesday afternoon to go and get a new tattoo done - I've wanted a 3rd one for a while but couldn't decide what. However doodling with henna over the summer I kept doing the same thing - 3 hearts - one for me and one for each boy. I took my doodle into the shop and explained what I wanted and here's what I went for;

Its on the inside of my wrist and I love it - I know these aren't everyones cup of tea but heck the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same things or didn't do something because others might disapprove!! No it didn't hurt - odd as I am normally a complete wuss with pain/needles.

The weekend saw a very sudden switch between seasons - summer on Sunday morning so plans for lunch in the garden were made. Just as we finished eating the seasons switched from summer to autumn and we hurried indoors from the rain!!

Am thinking at the current rate, we'll be having a roast this summer rather than a lovely picky buffet lunch!

Monday saw Big Son go back to school for his final year of school. Unlike his smaller brother he was happy to have his photo taken - even reminding me it needed doing. Thinking one day of finding all the back to school pics and making a collage of them;

We are taking this giant boy on his first Uni visit this weekend - it means an early start but the course is so very him that the 4.30am start will be worth it. More visits are being planned to others places. Not sure how I will feel next year when he leaves home - he's so useful to have around - so often saving me having to get a ladder out!!

Right time for work - hoping for less nutters than yesterday!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

The world is sparkling today

Good afternoon

Just sitting down to a late lunch whilst a batch of bread rolls cooks in the oven.

Its been very much a home day today whilst I wait in for a parcel to be delivered - a vague sometime after 11 was the only time I was given!

No sooner had I posted yesterday, then the skies darken and snow began to fall. Not enough for snowmen or snowball fighting but enough to make the world sparkle.

This was the view this morning from our conservatory;

 Probably one of my favourite photos I've taken this year.

The Green Woodpecker has been a regular visitor to the garden for years - however he is very shy and I've struggled to get a decent picture of him. This morning I braved big sons room and sat at the open window and snapped away with my new toy.

Love the way Mr Woodpecker clears a patch of grass in his search for bugs in the ground.

I nipped into town first thing to do a post run and on the way back, I spotted the perfect picture. I quickly took my bike home and grabbed my camera.

 The view over the frozen fields.

 A frozen snow capped giant hogweed.

Then this picture - this is the one I had in mind :)

I also managed to tick many pictures from this months Scavenger Hunt list too but more on those at the end of the month - there's still quite a few that need hunting down.

I'd best be off - the rolls are nearly done and there's birthday presents that need wrapping for a certain persons 15th birthday tomorrow!

See you soon (probably with cake pictures!!)

xxx Vicki xxx

A little blast of wintery stuff

Good evening

Absolutely no doubt this morning that winter had arrived - when I peaked through the curtains it looked like someone had sprinkled the garden with icing sugar - all glittery & white. A sprinkling of snow and a layer of ice - very pretty.

I had to stop on the way to work this morning to post some letters - I thought this view was rather pretty;

I much prefer the cold weather to the wet - much easier to wrap up against the cold - I counted 15 separate items of clothing this morning! I felt rather like the main character in this book the boys used to love;

I took a few photos before I left the house - just a few seconds outside in my pj's was enough!

 Frozen leaves - we've given up in the battle with them.

 A neglected for the winter summerhouse - the spiders are welcome to live there for a while, its too cold to sit out there at the moment.

 An early morning departure - I wondered if they were off somewhere warm?

The sun starting to rise - love the silhouette of the bare branches against the sky.

I wonder what it will be like here tomorrow - the boys would love a snow day but I think that's a bit hopeful.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Thank goodness for Daniel Craig!

Good afternoon from chilly and damp Suffolk.

Thank you Daniel Craig - all 3 menfolk are big Bond fans and they've gone out together to a late afternoon showing of your new film 'Skyfall' - it means I get the house to myself and time to blog :)

The weekend started wintry;

Hailstones - least it wasn't snow AND they didn't last long.

In the afternoon MrVV & I went to Southwold for a walk and wander along the seafront. We stopped at the pier cafe (outside)  for a pot of tea for two - all rather civilised. Just as we'd finished drinking the heavens opened and we dashed into the arcades whilst the shower passed over. We had a quick play on the penny falls - amazing how long you can make 50p of tuppences last!

We wandered through the town on our way back to the car and I might have popped into a CS or two - just one thing - another Ladybird book for my collection - one of my childhood favourites;

I woke up at my normal time this morning and try as I might I couldn't get back to sleep - I thought I'd take advantage of the extra hour and get some crocheting done.

So far I've finished off 3 new dishcloths - I prefer these to the shop bought ones - easy to make and after I'd done a Granny Square one I thought I'd make a couple using other stitches - whilst I can Granny Square almost in my sleep I find other stitches require concentration. Since then I've started on a cowl scarf for me using a gorgeous Rowan Aran yarn I bought several years ago. I just need to sew the ends in and then I can take a picture - that will have to be tomorrow as already its getting dark - the downside to the hour change.

First thing this morning - the sky was blue and the rooftops were covered in frost - perfect for taking this weeks Autumn Views Challenge photos;

The trees and plants all have less leaves than last weekend - most of them are on the lawn waiting for a willing volunteer to rake them up - might see if a teenager wants to earn some money tomorrow!

Right time for more crochet I think - as well as my scarf there's at least 2 blankets on the go that I can add to for an hour or so till the menfolk come home.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

One misty, moisty morning....

Good afternoon

Oh what a grey day (again). Seems ages since the sun has peaked through the clouds here in Suffolk. I am so envious of bloggy photos from this weekend of sunshine and beach trips - its been grey and damp here this weekend with rather too much rain :(

This morning I had to go into town - there were parcels to post and banking to do. As I was cycling down the lane, I spotted these gorgeous toadstool houses in a neighbours garden;

 So pretty and so autumnal.

It seems during the damp but warm night, lots of fungi have appeared;

A fairy high rise block of flats perhaps??

These are the views that greeted me when I opened the curtains looked out of the upstairs windows this morning;

  The fog was so thick that even the trees in the next gardens started to disappear.

 This view out of the front of the house should contain fields and a glimpse of the next village!

At least all the damp in the air is good for one thing - it makes the spiders webs glisten;

Right off for a wander around blogland whilst I eat my lunch. Then I'll tackle the small matter of more laundry to dry then I've got space for!

See you soon - I must show you my latest CS finds.

xxx Vicki xxx

Stalking Jon Boden!

Good morning from Sunny (at the moment) Suffolk

How was your bank holiday weekend? We had a good one but with some dodgy weather at times - especially on Saturday!

Many months ago, I treated MrVV & I to day tickets for a new folk festival being held in Suffolk. It was easy to choose which day - my favourite band Bellowhead were headlining on the Saturday night so it was a must to see them.

When the programme was released the other week it was even more exciting - it seemed that Jon was not just playing with Bellowhead but also in a couple of other groups too :)

Anyhow Saturday morning saw us heading up the A12 to Somerleyton Hall via Millets as the forecast was not promising. MrVV needed a new waterproof - I waited in the car whilst he dashed in to buy one - the colour choice is entirely his own!!

Anyhow the festival - it felt quite empty at times as it was not sold out - however the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming and for a new event we felt they'd got it almost perfect. An excellent real ale bar which I visited several times and a reasonable choice of festival food at sensible prices.

As well as 4 music stages there were performances and workshops with several Morris Dancing sides - I didn't partake but did of course enjoy watching - especially one side that contained lots of my friends;

They worked hard on trying to persuade MrVV to join their band - he is very tempted but not sure he has the time to do that as well as work and his current band.

Anyhow - stalking Jon Boden (not him of the overprices colourful clothes fame but someone far more talented) - firstly accompanying Fay Hield as part of the Hurricane Party;

Then playing with the Remnant Kings;

and lastly playing with Bellowhead - as ever they were amazing - they got the whole crowd jumping and dancing - I did dance but very carefully with 2 of my best friends who were also there - just no high kicking or flicking!

Luckily for this performance the weather held off - it hadn't been like that in the afternoon however. We were watching the amazing Bounty Hounds in one of the covered stages when the heavens opened;

The Bounty Hounds are amazing - relatively local to us and we shall be heading to see them again soon I hope.

The tent was one of the massive ones that you see at festivals with a huge surface area - the rain torrential (accompanied by thunder and lightening too) - the water pouring off the sides was more powerful than some showers I've used in the past - apparently back home they'd not had a single raindrop all day!

All in all despite the weather it was an amazing day - great music, excellent company, fab food and of course brilliant beer too :)

Planning to go for the entire weekend next year - think I've sold it to MrVV!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx