End of month stuff

Good evening (just)

The end of the month is upon us again almost. Month 8 starts of Wednesday - 2/3 of 2012 gone by already!!

Now normally at the end of the month there are 3 lots of mosaics to share - however this month, there is only one :(

There wasn't a Photo Scavenger Hunt this month - am guessing Kathy has been rather snowed under at work :( Seems strange not consulting a list and happily ticking them off.

I've also no entry into the Monthly Makes club - until yesterday afternoon I'd not picked up a crochet hook for over a month!! Hoping with forthcoming Bertie trips I might get my current blanket finished!

So here it it - one mosaic for the end of July - these mosaics hopefully will make up a calendar for our household next year - I just need to make 2 more - one for August and one for September.

For July we have - Big Sons Prom, The Olympic Torch Relay, Little Son in the flood, Sweetpeas from the garden, cherries on the tree, buddleia in bloom, a full moon (at the beginning of the month), end of term sweets and a trip to Southwold.

We're into the 2nd week of the school hols now - settling into the no-school routine. Late nights and late mornings are popular with the boys - along with lots of screen time and the occasion venture out of their rooms for food and chores!!

We're watching lots from London 2012 too. I managed to stay awake for the entire Opening Ceremony - MrVV had a little doze whilst the athletes came in - between C and U - waking in time to see TeamGB. We loved it all - so quirky and British (hoping the rest of the world understood some of the more obscure references). However we all agreed - time for Macca to retire - he really seemed to be struggling.

I'm getting into all sorts of random sports - I'd never seen Handball before but that is my current favourite. I might have to stop cheering on our boys & girls though as it seems that is not helping!!

See you soon.

xxx Vicki xxx

Make hay while the sun shines

Good evening

This was my view for Saturday night / Sunday morning;

We went to a party at a friends and camped overnight - the boys in their tent in the garden and MrVV & I in Bertie in a newly cut hayfield!

Easy access to the most wonderful garden via a gate into the chicken run!!

The party is an annual event and I blogged about it last year here. As before - great weather, fab company and lots of amazing homemade beer, wine & cider *hic*. Sunday morning was gorgeous and we all sat in the garden eating a very scrummy cooked breakfast :)

Another view - big Suffolk skies and a cornfield in the distance.

The garden was full of birds who was so tame and happy to visit feeders very close to where we were all sitting;

Today has been Day1 of the school hols - so far so good. Big Son has been working all day with MrVV and is heading back tomorrow. Little Son has been pottering at home and planning his next radio broadcast. Along with his best mate they've set up an internet radio station - they've gained a small following and have been busy recruiting other DJ's - Little Son did his first solo show on Friday night - I managed to sneak a picture of his set up - watch out Chris Evans - this one wants your breakfast show!!

We've also had a visit from an old school friend and her children - the boys disappeared upstairs to the games consoles *rolls eyes* whilst us girls sat in the garden, drinking tea and catching up.

Tomorrow is looking like another sunny one - long may this continue.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

FH&CS Jubilee Swap

Good afternoon

I meant to do this post last night but somehow managed to get side-tracked elsewhere in cyberland.

A fair few weeks ago I signed up for Lakota's Jubilee Swap - I was paired with the lovely Miss_b from Retro Lovely and we happily stalked each others blogs and exchanged emails. We decided due to other commitments that we were in no real rush to exchange but as and when we were both ready.

Anyhow last week parcels were posted to each other and a minor miracle both arrived safely within days of each other. 

Mine turned up on one of those horrid grey & damp days we've had rather too many of recently - it certainly helped cheer me up;

Homemade cookies, a gorgeous pink rose china triplet set, a fan (handy when it actually gets warm) and a CD full of some rock-n-roll - I had this playing yesterday whilst I was in the kitchen tidying and cooking - shame there is no film of me jiggling about ;)

 This gorgeous card is for Bertie - I shall be fixing that to his wall :)

and this lovely cross-stitch card was for me. Cross stitch is something I've never tried - probably because you seem to have to be neat & tidy - not things that come automatically to me!

Here's what I sent;

Crocheted bunting

A UJ cushion

A UJ hook & notebook, a red rose ring and of course a swap isn't a swap without something edible ;)

Thanks to Lakota for undertaking the task of organising this swap and Miss_b for being my swap partner.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

End of the charity shop drought

Good evening

What a difference a day makes - since the weekend its been wet, grey & yucky here in Suffolk - I've got soaked many times out and about on my bike :( However this morning when I woke up I noticed something different - a sunbeam peeping through the curtains :) It and its friends have stayed all day. It makes such a difference - the shop was busier and people just look happier. Plus it meant I could safely leave the house without wearing a raincoat!

Now in recent weeks, I've not had much luck in the charity shops - a few bits of clothing for me but none of those little bargains that you need and want to share with blogland.

This week the drought has ended;

A 70's bowl - probably meant for sugar but I filled it with Pick-n-Mix as a treat for Little Son - its that time of year again - school really could do with ending this week so in order for him to last another week he needs regular infusions of junk!!

As well I found a couple of books;

 Another Ladybird book for my collection - in really good condition - just 30p

This book is wonderful it dates initially from 1891 with this version published in 1945. Some of the advice is just so wonderfully dated - am sure lots of it was still being used in 1970 when I was born. Though I don't ever remember being put out to sunbath with just a nappy square to shade my face!!

Lots of advice too on how to facilitate early potty training - from just 7 or 8 months old. As for the weaning advice and some of the food suggestions - its a wonder we survived!!

Right I really ought to catch up on my blog reading - sorry if I've not commented recently - I've got so behind that I am just reading in a bid to catch up!!

Have a lovely weekend - we're down to just 3 of us as Big Son is off on an Explorer Camp - here's hoping the weather forecast is wrong!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

British 'Summertime'

Good afternoon

Yes I am watching the tennis but not to closely as I can't stand one of the players!! 

Anyhow whilst we have power I thought I'd share some photos from about an hour ago. Just as we had lunch the sky went black and within moments the heavens opened and torrential rain started.

We knew we'd shut all the windows but could hear water. A quick check of the garages showed the one with doors at both ends had become an indoor pool with about 2 or 3 inches of water running through!! MrVV stores some of his ebay stock out there - fortunately most of it is on pallets but some things were on the floor :(

After getting the water moving out - it was time to take photos to add to my online diary (this blog);

The view from my bedroom window - you can see all the water rushing off our drive and down the gravel into the lane.

Anyone want a paddle??

Bertie got a good wash and proved how water tight he is!!

 One view down our lane

The other way

In the middle - a teenage camera addict - who is toying with setting up his own blog sometime soon.

We went for a quick drive around the town - parts of it are sadly flooded and there were several fire engines pumping water away from houses and shops :(

Its got to stop soon - hasn't it?? 

Right back to the tennis - come on Roger ;)

xxx Vicki xxx

Olympic Torch Relay arrives in Suffolk

Good evening

Day 48 of the Olympic Torch Relay saw it finally coming to my part of the world - friends in Cornwall, Cheshire & Newcastle have already seen it and I was beginning to wonder if it would ever get here!

 Picture c/o Google Images

Apparently it left Norwich before I was up this morning and made its way out to the coast at Great Yarmouth and then into Suffolk via Lowestoft. Its stopped in one of my favourite places (Southwold) and then after a lunch break it headed our way.

Big Son had headed down to Aldeburgh with a mate, Little Son was watching it with the school in Saxmundham  - that left MrVV & I to go out together. We opted for Aldeburgh as we knew it was due to do a circular route so we'd definitely get a good view.

We left home just a few miles away in glorious sunshine as we got closer to Aldeburgh we noticed a rather thick sea-mist hanging about and just as we parked the heavens opened!! Luckily there were a couple of umbrellas in the car so we grabbed those and headed down to the sea front. It was starting to get busy - we could see all the local school children sitting on the sea wall waiting for their glimpse. We also spotted Big Son and his mate doing a rather canny impression of Laurel & Hardy;

 

Said dopey son had hoped to take photos today - however he'd managed only to pack his camera case and not his actual camera - doh!!

Luckily the rain soon stopped and the sun came out just at the right moment.

As we dried out and waited we could hear cheers and see the sponsors vehicles approaching;

Then just behind this lorry the first glimpse of one of the torch bearers.

Big cheers and loads of whistles blowing as she came onto the Moot Green for her torch handover.

This was accompanied by young musicians from all over the world who are playing together at the Proms both in London and Snape this summer.

After it headed along the Prom, we nipped through into the High Street so we could see another runner have his 5 minutes of fame;

Despite the initial weather a rather lovely afternoon enjoyed by us all :)

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Prom Time

Good evening

Last night it was Big Sons end of Year 11 Prom. Now I know these are a relatively new thing and many think they are tacky / too Americanised / rather TOWIE but actually they can be a great night for teenagers to celebrate the end of compulsory school and have a good time with their friends.

That's the route that his school go down - of course there are new clothes needed and some choose to hire limos but it seemed we were spared the huge Big Fat Gypsy Wedding style frocks and helicopters!!

Anyhow Big Son was bought his first suit and I think he scrubbed up rather well;

As he'd managed to summon up enough courage to ask some poor unsuspecting female to be his prom date - the least we could do was to buy her a wrist corsage;

The group of them had hired a limo between them and we all met at one friends house to see them off;

A team photo with their car (Big Son's date is the pretty girl in the white frock);

Inside the limo it was fab - a teenagers heaven - loud music, flashing lights and a bar - sadly only with mineral water last night - no booze for under 18's!!

He had a wonderful night and when he arrived home at 12.30 he was full of it. Wanting to tell me all about his night and showing me the yearbook of photos they'd all been given.

I've seen so many photos today of him and his friends on Facebook - all looking so grown up - doesn't seem that long since I was watching many of them on their first day of school.

Repeat performance due in 2 years time when it will be Little Son's turn!!

See you soon - Olympic Torch relay is due nearby tomorrow so I guess I'd better charge my camera batteries again!

xxx Vicki xxx

Just everyday stuff

Good evening

Another weekend has gone by, month begun and busy family week has started.

Thank goodness for a relatively quiet weekend. A family Saturday gardening session - the rain and occasional bursts of sunshine has meant the weeds were winning again - a few hours later and a few nettle stings and we were winning. A huge trailer load of weeds, cuttings and grass headed to the recycling centre.

More domestic stuff Sunday morning and then in the afternoon  MrVV & I headed out to one of our favourite places;

The usual drill - park one end of town, walk along the beach and prom to the Pier for ice-cream and a quick play on the amusements and then back through the narrrow back streets and town to the car. A lovely walk - slightly blustery but time for us to have a good natter.

Today has been very domestic - it seems once again the house was suffering with the burglar chic look coupled with a fine layer of dust everywhere. Time to get on the pinny and scrub/polish till it all looked a bit better. Fortunately its been windy but dry here today - so time to make the washing machine work overtime - one of my favourite domestic things is seeing a line full of washing in drying outside.

Whilst out in the garden I noticed that finally there are signs of life on some of my plants;

 Slightly blurry but the 2nd batch of strawberries are flowering - hoping these one don't get pinched by the mice - seem the netting prevents birds getting them but not mice :(

 I was late planting tomatoes this year - coupled with the weather then its hardly surprising they are only just flowering. 

This little area by the shed is one of my favourites - lots growing in my collection of old enamel pails & pots. Hoping one day all this will be upcycled enamelware.

Lots of good things to look forward to this week - BigSon has his Prom tomorrow night (photos next time), the Olympic Torch relay passes by on Thursday (going to Aldeburgh to watch that) and on Saturday LittleSon has his Grade 4 Euphonium exam.

Right off now - the hall appears to be suffering from an ant invasion - time for chemical warfare to commence!!

xxx Vicki xxx

PS - Yet again - no spell check - sorry