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

Suffolk Sunshine

Good morning

Another sunny morning here in Suffolk - weather seems to have got it right at the moment - sunny days and rainy nights :) We've been spending lots of time outside - we've rather mastered the art of cooking over fire and Big Son seems to have assumed the role of chief flipper of burgers and bbq food.

We had a day out en-masse last week, - me, S, Little Son, Big Son and his girlfriend. We headed over to Thorpeness first and hired boats on the Meare;

 Just a gorgeous day - sunny and breezy and despite the empty looking Meare in this photo it was in fact rather busy.

 We were in 2 boats - we left Big Son and his girlfriend in one and we headed off in another. They took a while to get the rowing mastered but eventually they were getting around rather well.

 There were many swans about and racing across the Meare to be fed. They are surprisingly tricky to photograph - turning their heads at the last moment - eventually I managed a picture!!

After a lunch of chips and ice-cream on the beach at Aldeburgh, we dropped the teenagers back home and S & I headed up the coast to Southwold. As big kids we spent time playing on the arcades and continuing our Air Hockey battles - I always seem to loose whatever dirty tricks I try!!

 Still one of my favourite views - Southwold seafront taken from the end of the Pier.

Lastly for today - a mosaic for July - very hard to limit it to just 6 pictures - its been a lovely and busy month;

Both boys proms, more dancing and plenty of festival fun.

August is shaping up to be busy too - we've a holiday with some Daleks, more festivals, a carnival and of course 2 lots of results days!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Marching, Morris and A Lion!

Good evening

This posts title sums up my weekend rather well!

Firstly marching - our little town commemorated its involvement in WW1 this weekend. The main employer at the time of the war was the Garretts factory which amongst other things made steam engines. They were also the sponsors of the town band - the company headed the donors for the first set of instruments - these were purchased in 1886 and the band mastered these in time for the celebrations of Queen Victoria's Jubilee later that year. 

Anyhow I've wandered off already. The band were at the time all Garretts employees and when war broke out many signed up to fight for King and country. They marched up to the station in the town and caught their train - many never to return. Their instruments were taken back to the band room on a horse and cart.

This weekend their march was remembered by many groups in the town and headed by the town band - now a British Legion Band.

Little son has played in this band for about 6 years now with his Dad and this weekend, he was marching just behind him - now only a few inches shorter than him!

In recent years when we've had events in town one of the biggest problems has been stopping traffic from coming face to face with a marching band. It seems no longer a job for special constables or community support officers and its often left to the parade to sort something out. Its seems for this one the perfect solution was found - British Legion motorcycle outriders who soon stopped traffic.

 

It is always a lovely sight and sound to hear the band marching through the town and this weekend there was a wonderful turn out of townsfolk and visitors to watch and listen;

They made their way on a long route on a hot muggy day - through the town - up the hill to the old station where some of the band left the parade and put their instruments on a horse and cart as happened a century ago. Little son was one of these and when I realised he'd have been the right age to sign up and go to war, it might have made my eyes leak a little bit.

Afterwards marching to only the beat of the drum the parade made its way to the school field for an afternoon of music and community events. Sadly I'd already agreed to be at another event in the next town so had to miss this.

Yep - we were dancing again - a very hot afternoon to be dressed up in our finery and face paint. Luckily not to long a dance spot and we were sharing it with another side. They did an audience participation dance and several of our dancers joined them;

Yesterday was another hot one - so all sensible people headed to the coast - many of them visiting Little Son now nicknamed Ice-Cream boy due to his holiday job at a lovely ice-cream parlour in Aldeburgh!

However I am not sensible and certainly S isn't. We were inland at an event in his home town and he was dressed as the mascot for the sport centre he works for! Yep temperatures hitting the high 20's and he's dressed as a lion!

 My role? Make sure he didn't stand on any small children or fall over any picnics. Also stop tweenagers trying to knock his head off - good job I've perfect that 'don't you dare look' over the years!!

Right - that's all for today. Time for a wander and to see what others got up to at the weekend.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Festival fun - in the mud!!

Good morning

It was festival time at the weekend - Ely Folk Festival - not as dancers but as paying public!  We were lucky and sent our tent ahead with friends who were arriving early in the afternoon - they secured us a good spot which was easy to find late at night after a pint or several ;)

All tents need bunting and windmills don't they! And purple fairy lights inside too - and a later addition of a colourful flag as well! We've quickly adapted to camping together and can get everything set up quickly so the beer can be opened and the fun times begin.

I'd never been to Ely FF before but friends and S had and they were right - it was lovely. Quite a small festival - very friendly. There are shuttle buses running all day and evening into town and back. We headed out on the Saturday to watch the Morris parade and dancing;

 The end of the parade - dancers gathered beside Ely Cathedral.

 Love the rainbow outfits of this side - Gog Magog - they always make me smile.

 Green Dragon - lots of friends of ours in this side.

 One of my favourite border sides - Witchmen - they are brilliant and it was lovely to be able to watch several of their dances without having to rush off and dance ourselves.

Thai street food for lunch whilst watching this lot dance in brilliant sunshine - blissful.

Sunday morning the Witchmen ran a dance workshop - we went over - and whilst S danced, I took photos and video and spent time chatting to a couple of the Witchmen dancers about all things Morris and teenagers leaving home to go to Uni!!

When we were watching a set on Saturday night - they announced the winners of the Club Tent competition - the prize is to open the Main Stage on Sunday night - it was fab to hear that friends of ours had won!

They got a 15 minute set this time - here's hoping after playing a blinder they get a longer set or two next year.

Despite mixed weather - brilliant sunshine and then torrential downpours of almost biblical proportions, we had a fab weekend. Each day started the same - I make coffee and S cooked a proper breakfast for us both;

We tried over the weekend several times to get pics of us together with no Morris kit on - now it seems the art of the selfie is more tricky than teenagers make out - we gave up in the end and a random stranger did the job for us!

Felt weird yesterday - getting dressed and not adding the flowers to my hair - luckily its only a few weeks till back to back festivals - might just have cleaned the mud off my boots by then!

See you soon

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

A handful of good stuff

Good evening

Its that age old problem again - lots to write about but not enough spare time to sit down and do it.

Part of the busy bit comes to an end tomorrow - Big Sons final exam. We've something planned for tomorrow night which involves water, cider and lots of fun - must remember to take a photo or two!!

Here's just a few good bits from the last week;

Picking the first raspberries from the garden.

 

 Opening the curtains to find its another sunny day.

 A leisurely weekend breakfast - just me - the boys were still asleep.

 Warm, sunny evenings - perfect for another BBQ.

A very rare photo - me and the boys together - at a get-together with my family.

 

I promise to be back soon with photos from tomorrow promised celebrations and also from a weekend of folk music and Morris dancing which I'm taking part in.

BTW did I mention - last exam tomorrow! I'm almost excited as Big Son is!! 

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