Good weekend ...

... despite suffering a bit of sleep deprivation *lol* I've had a few nights of disturbed sleep and Saturday I was due a day of workshops at the Glitterpot. Unfortunately I'd only had about 3 hours sleep so wasn't totally 'with it' but as it turned out it didn't matter. Joanne, the tutor, had produced workshops that I didn't need to think about too much (results will be posted soon) so I had a lovely, relaxed day made even better by the company. A few of the southern imag-e-nation forum members had booked into these workshops as well so there were 6 of us. Fortunately I'd forewarned Joanne and, as she'd had experience of some of us before, she knew what to expect. Unfortunately the rest of the attendees didn't but they soon found out - *RFLMAO!* I don't think we spoilt anyone's day or at least, I hope we didn't, although Joanne felt the need to apologise for us to the newcomers on the afternoon workshop and she also had to explain to the others on the morning one that we all knew one another .... all in a very light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek way!  We were even referred to as 'rabble' at one point - as if!

The morning started off well, not, with Kim rubbing out a mark on a piece of card that Joanne had put there for a reason *hehe*

The afternoon started even better when we were presented with a template ..... with clear instruction written on BOTH sides of it - just so we didn't get confused ☺ We laughed so much and it set the tone for the rest of the afternoon. So much so that Joanne did her best to make sure we all had a Marvy to colour with, rather than having to share and wait, just to keep us quiet!

A really, really good, fun day with great results at the end of it. Could do with a few more like that.

Eldest son and his partner called and spent the afternoon with us yesterday and he told us that eldest grandson had heard from the Army and has an interview on Friday (grandson, being a typical 18 year old hadn't thought to let us know - doh!). It's been very quick though,  seeing as how he didn't make his application until Wednesday! Hope he does well and they do consider taking him. We know that there's a way to go for him yet but at least he's making the first rungs.


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Pretty Petals Workshop.

Saturday 23rd January - morning

With Joanne of Mainly Flowers blog

Wonderful morning! Good laughs and a beautiful card.  Made using punches only.  Labour intensive but really therapeutic and very enjoyable.  Think I've gone a bit OTT with the greenery as I reckon my version looks quite heavy but ..... *lol*!

Ingredients:

Flowers:

Blue - Martha Stewart Cornflower punch and Woodware mini sun for the centres.

Cream spray - Martha Stewart Arctic Snowflake and Woodware Lilac Blossom punches.

Leaves:

Woodware Oak Leaf and Grass punches

Border:

Martha Stewart Lever Deep Edge Punch - Garden Trellis

Enjoy!!

Proud Nana ...

... 'cos here's eldest grandson hard at work avoiding having his photo taken - *LOL* He's actually hard at work completing an online application form on my lappy for .......... the Army (as well as avoiding having his photo taken *hehe*)!

... and here he is having completed it and allowing Nana some sort of photo opportunity *lol*.

As our weather is now back to it's normal miserable damp, dull and chilly days, after all the snow of late, I thought I'd post a couple of pics taken from our 2nd hit last week, after the car had been dug out. Result - kept me in again. Fortunately it didn't hang around long but it was thicker than the first hit.

The snow is all gone now and things are gradually getting back to normal. All the online shopping I'd done since Christmas, before the snow caused it's chaos, has finally been delivered so I have all the things I need for the holiday now (and a few sale crafty bits). Only 24 days to go 'til the holiday and .... I can't wait! I just hope my health allows me to make the most of it.

I'm not having a good night tonight. Went to bed around midnight and got up at 2:30am, not having slept a wink. I've not slept since either, hence posting this at silly o'clock in the morning. Why do I get these random nights where I don't settle and don't sleep? It's annoying and I know all I shall want to do during the day is nap because of not sleeping tonight. I was really tired when I went to bed so why can't I sleep?

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The snow ...

... has gone (washed away by a couple of days of heavy rain), the sun is shining and, although not a heatwave, after the temperatures of late it's positively warm - *LOL*

I've caught up with my stockpile of ironing so now I'm ready to sort out my holiday clothes .. 4 weeks today and we'll be on our way! Still waiting for some internet shopping I did, before the bad weather hit this area, to arrive. Apart from one item sent via the normal mail the stuff missing was sent via DHL. Reckon they've got a backlog to clear!

Loads of birthdays coming up as well and need to prepare for some that come along while I'm on holiday - including hubby's 70th! On original dates we would have been back 2 days before that one but, now holiday has been postponed for a couple of weeks, we're away. He doesn't mind, especially as he'll be more incapacitated than he is now 'cos he should have had his op (hopefully and at last!) so won't be able to do much for a few weeks anyway. We hadn't planned to do anything special right away anyway as we're looking at doing something later in year to mark his 70th, our Silver wedding and my 60th next January. At least I won't be away for when he has his op, where I would have been...


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To lie or not ...

... to lie? Honesty is always the first priority as far as I'm concerned but when our legal system makes a mockery of that you have to ask yourself ..... why? Where does honesty actually get you? Other than having to live with yourself, if you have a conscience and morals, I'm guessing honesty doesn't really matter any more.

Eldest son walked out on his marriage 13 months ago, on 28th November 2008. He would have been married 18 years just 10 days later. Not a bad record for somebody who'd only seen his 18th birthday 5 days before he married. He came back home to live and we saw the torment he went through wondering if he'd done the right thing. He knew he had - as did we - but he still doubted although I think it was more regret at having to leave his children behind. He filed for divorce a few months later citing unreasonable behaviour and giving the reasons why. All valid and some documented with totally reliable sources. It was refused. The court decided that he hadn't proved his case (although his wife had signed the forms agreeing to his statements and the divorce). They wanted more detail - dates, times of incidents ... and more of them. How many people document upsets throughout their married life - no matter how bad they are? I know I didn't when I was being hit or verbally abused and no more did my eldest. You don't document these things because you don't anticipate that 'one day I may need them'. There were 4 incidents that could be dated with witnesses or proof, the last being the day he left. The others were in the memory and happened privately but these things build over time and then an incident happens and it's the final straw. That's when you call time.

In the meantime eldest met somebody else. Talking it over it was decided that it would be easier - and ultimately quicker - if his wife applied for the divorce citing adultery. Because he'd never cheated on her and his new relationship started after they split, there were no grounds for adultery so, they lied! Not just on the grounds but with the date that he left the marriage. The divorce is now final and absolute, which he is really pleased about but, it shows him to be the one that caused the split when he wasn't and the divorce was granted to his ex instead of him. He says he doesn't care - as long as he's divorced - and perhaps he doesn't but it's wrong that it's based on lies when I've always lived and brought my sons up to not accept deceit in any way. It's what ultimately ended my marriage to their father but it seems that the law isn't interested in honesty or .... could it be that females are looked on more favourably on the divorce front? She wasn't asked to prove the adultery. The court accepted the lie ... the accusation and admittance of adultery ... so why wasn't her admittance of unreasonable behaviour on his original petition accepted in the same way?

Makes you think, eh? It certainly does me! Perhaps honesty doesn't pay after all but - I have morals and a conscience so, even if the law no longer works on honesty I'll continue to do so .....

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The thaw (take 2) ...

... is back with a vengeance! All the snow that fell yesterday is gone ... and some. In fact green grass is now visible and everywhere is dripping like mad. The sun is trying to show it's face and it is markedly warmer than it's been for a good while. It's not warm by any means, just warm-er. At least I can get out and about now but it's a pity yesterday happened 'cos I'd be esconced on my craft class now instead of having to wait for the new date .... and the post is starting to arrive again!

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Noooooooo!

Classes tomorrow are cancelled! They've been postponed to 11th February .... just before I go on my holiday so at least I can still get to do them. This snow has a lot to answer for. Yesterday there was every chance of it going ahead. Today, after more overnight snow there's no chance :0( Need to get my butt into gear and try doing some crafting at home - yeah, right!

Enjoy!!

The thaw ...

... has come to an end! It's snowed overnight and now, where it had been clear, is covered with a fresh 4 inches or so! The little rough snow mountains dotted around from the clearances are now smoothing out again with the fresh fall.  Schools, which had reopened on Monday, have closed again which means my youngest grand-daughter hasn't got her open morning at 'big' school as planned :0( The already very restricted bus service to the village has been stopped completely  (again!) and the buses that service the area that Dad lives in now are also not running (there's not many that were in the city anyway) because the roads are too dangerous. Guess the postal delivery won't happen again for a few days either ....

I'm not hopeful of getting to the Glitterpot tomorrow anymore, although yesterday it looked possible ... but no longer! The forecast is for it to move away but not until early afternoon. Even if temperatures rise to start the thaw again I don't think it's gonna be quick enough - *LOL* Oh well, looks like a few phone calls to be made .....

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Let it snow ...

... or not! Not any more pleeeeaase. This is the second lot we've had this winter and this one snowed us in from last Wednesday until yesterday. Wouldn't have got car out without neighbourly help yesterday though. It's reduced a bit more today but it is colder than yesterday so the thaw is extremely slow. Very pretty but you can have too much of a good thing!

click on any pic to be taken to an album for larger stills or a better slideshow

The 'warming pasta dish' was salmon & leek in a creamy dill & lemon sauce on a bed of pasta with loadsa really strong cheddar grated over .... delish!
The 'craft room' is still a store room so guess it would be more accurate to call it that or my proposed craft room. I did take a pic of it as I left it but will not be posting that on here - *lol*

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Normal service ...

... is being delayed! Off to a craft class on Thursday (if it's not cancelled because of the weather) so hopefully will report on that over the weekend but if you want to know what's been going on the past few weeks then head over to Ramblings, if you don't normally, and take a look at my 'journal' ....

Enjoy!!

I've been ...

... shopping! Online shopping while waiting for the thaw to start - lol! Actually it's been more desperation after getting what little I could, by way of holiday clothes, in M&S last Tuesday. I managed to get a cozzie, some lightweight trousers, a couple of tops and a dress (thought I might get the legs out, except it's ankle length - *lol*). No sarongs ... unless I wanted to pay an arm and a leg for a cover-up ... or slip on, non-post flip flops. Anyways, managed to find some sarongs and flip-flops on eBay, ordered sun & bug lotions from Boots Online and bought the anti-malarials the same way. I'm now starting to get it all arrive.  Dribs and drabs, admittedly but at least it's arriving! Money has been transferred so as far as I'm concerned it's all paid for and just my 'spends' to cover, which I did last week when I was in Tesco.

Does seem very strange though - all these summer clothes that I keep looking at and waiting for when we're minus silly degrees with a foot of snow outside the front door - *grin*!

I'm also waiting on delivery of some crafty bits but that is tending to find itself on the backburner at the moment as holiday, Dad and taxman seems to be taking over everything else right now. Taxman should be happy (or at least I will be when I find out how much he's paying me back) by end of week, or even this evening - *lol* - and looking forward to a day of classes with Paula Pascual on Thursday at the Glitterpot (note to self: look to see if they've got the new owl stamp set Papermania have just released .....!)

Oh yes ... I've also been busy arranging another House Party after the success of last year. Can't wait for that! Will be September this year 'cos a lot have got other commitments earlier in the year - and I've got an African holiday to go on .... did I mention that before??? *RFLMAO*

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Christmas 2009 ...

... a little late but catching up. No christmas photo's (first time ... ever) of the eldest grandchildren but there are a couple of eldest's new partners oldest 2 (phew!)... both boys and into card towers - *lol* It would be easier to call them our new step-grandchildren except they're not 'cos eldest hasn't remarried. Mind you, he can't yet anyway. Not until he receives his absolute, which is in the pipeline but not sure he intends to marry again. Have to chuckle 'cos neither did I but it's 25 years on the 2nd one for me (3rd for hubby) this year - *LOL*

Here's a medley of some of the photos I have got, until I can get more to add to them. Need to become a nagging Mum, methinks - especially as the eldest's entourage (as it's become) bought me a digital photo frame for Christmas. Need some new stuff, as well as old, to display - *hehe* There's a mix of photos from old camera and my new one.

click on any pic to be taken to an album for larger stills or a better slideshow

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Just had a ...

... chuckle. Making a cuppa and while waiting for kettle I had a look out of the kitchen window. OK, it's dark now but there's a street lamp outside the house and it's highlighting all the snow mountains that are now dotted around. Couldn't help but chuckle 'cos I can just see these mountains being there well into next week and longer if the temperatures don't rise. It just looks so funny - all these piles of snow and ice.


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Well, the weather ...

... outside is still frightful but there hasn't been any more snow and it seems as though a slow thaw may have started. Made the effort, even though still feeling kack, to go clear car this morning. Thought I'd try 'thinning' snow behind it (it was over a foot deep), throwing some salt on to it and leave that to do the work with a view to trying to get out tomorrow. Kindly neighbour 2 doors away was out with his shovel and took pity. Within 10 minutes he'd cleared the snow behind my car and had started on the public bit ... pavement, crossover and road. A neighbour that faces us from over the road, must have felt guilty and came to help (he watched hubby struggling in his wheelchair the other day). Result - half hour later I could get car out. Managed to get over to Dad's but couldn't believe the state of the main roads. The village looked like a giant car park! Abandoned cars littered the main street and reduced it down to a single lane in places. I don't think I've ever seen the like before and I've lived in the village for 55 years! Further into town, nearer Dad and I could understand why the buses hadn't really started back on proper routes. Hoping that the thaw continues but it's not going to be quick, that's for sure.

I've been going through the photos I've taken since just before Christmas so here's the start of a photo roundup of the past few weeks ....

Just before Christmas ... saw them going down, here they're coming back, then saw them in the field behind the trees viewed from the rear of our house. Not sure if they were having a party or if it was just a dress up for the season but they looked as though they were having fun - *lol*

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♫♪♪♫ Oh, the weather ...

... outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we've no place to go,
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! ♫♪♪♫

Well, I wish I didn't have anywhere to go and I actually wish I felt well enough to even try but I do and I don't so I'm staying put! The snow we had before Christmas eventually cleared but it snowed again in this area on Wednesday and I'm stuck! Have to say that it's not just the weather that has made me stuck but health as well 'cos, on top of the norm, I've now caught a cold from OH and feel really poo! I told him he shouldn't have been so generous - *LOL*

It's been an age since I've updated and really no reason other than I've just not been in the right frame of mind and don't see the point unless I am. There's been a bit going on so my 'journal' is a bit behind now as well.

Didn't see the little ones on Christmas day as originally planned as they all went down with the winter sickness bug. It started for them a couple of days before Christmas and, as one recovered another went down with it. Trying to steer clear of all bugs so hubby stayed bug free ready for his op on New Year's Eve, it was thought best to keep away. Dad came to us for the day and hadn't been here more than ½ hour when he decided he could stay the night by sleeping on our sofa. Mmmmmmmm, a 2-seater sofa that isn't a sofa bed? I don't think so! Eldest son and his family - new and our grandkids - called in Christmas afternoon and we had a house full. 5 kids - well, 18,16,13,12 and 8 - and 5 adults, including us, do not make for the quietest of times. We had fun but think Dad decided that it was all too much for him. He took his hearing aids out and not long after they'd left he decided it was time to go home - *lol*

We managed to have our time with the littlies on the Monday after Christmas. Santa had left a lot of stuff at our house for them and to see the excitement on their faces was wonderful. Little Zac was a bit bemused by it all and decided our kitchen was a good place to test out what his voice sounded like - at full scream! It was a happy, play scream but a scream, none-the-less .... *bless!*

Hospital confirmed, on the Wednesday, for hubby's op but he woke up on the Thursday full of cold. Rang the hospital to find out whether he should still go but anaethetist said 'no' due to tubes down throat so op was cancelled on the morning he should have had it. Talk about disappointed! He is so desperate for this op but everything seems to be conspiring against him having it. He's now got another date for 5th February. Not soon enough really but surgeon is off on a skiing jolly sometime in January and his list was full.

I've been shopping for the holiday. Not easy finding beachwear in the middle of winter when most of the country is covered in snow! Have managed though, which was just as well as I went shopping on Tuesday and the snow came back overnight Tuesday/Wednesday and I've been nowhere since! I've also done some online shopping (clothes, shoes, lotions, potions, meds and craft) and had emails from all the places I've bought from telling me they've all been despatched. Only problem is - the last post we received was on Tuesday. We've had no mail deliveries since then, of any sort - Royal Mail or courier - so it'll be like Christmas when it all starts getting through - *woohoo!*

On the subject of holiday ... that's changed twice in the last week. Firstly it seems that Zanzibar had a power failure before Christmas and the place has no electricity. We've been told it could be March by the time it's fixed and now it's affecting sanitation so plans changed and we're no longer going there so no Spice Trail but ..... we're going on safari instead! Now, am I disappointed? In one way yes but mainly, NO!!! Check out here. It's where we're going for a 3 night stay. Since that change the dates have changed as well. We're no longer flying out on the 2nd February. It's been delayed and we now go on 14th February but we're going for a couple of days longer. We're also gonna be doing the safari at the start and not the end and there's a possibility that we'll stay an extra night in Dar-es-salem. Of course, this could all change again before we go so, Magical Mystery Tour .... here we come! I'm now all jabbed out and have nothing more to have but one of my online shops are my anti-malarials which have been despatched but not yet arrived!

In the meantime it's still snowing and we've the worst to come if the forecast is anything to go by so looks as though I'm not going anywhere fast, any time soon! I've craft classes booked for Thursday, with Paula Pascual at the Glitterpot but whether I get there or not remains to be seen - assuming they're not cancelled anyway!

People complain that this country comes to a standstill when we have snow and to a certain extent that is true but - it is very rare for us to get a lot of snow so there is no real reason why we should be geared up to deal with it. If it was a given every year, as it is in other countries, we might have more reason to complain but as it's not I think we have to accept things as they are. It just wouldn't make economic sense to be geared up to deal with, what to us, are freak conditions. If it starts to become more the norm then that's a different matter but in the meantime ....

Well, think that's caught up with all the 'happenings'. Need to sort out photos now. Been playing a bit 'cos hubby bought me a new camera for Christmas especially for my holiday - and that was before we knew a safari was gonna be involved! Only problem is - I didn't get any photos of the eldest grandkids this Christmas. The first Christmas ever that I've missed getting any. I got a couple of the 'new' ones (or at least 2 of them) but with the confusion that was reigning they'd gone before I realised. Hoping eldest son has got some that I can add to my collection but not holding breath at getting any, even if he has. Trying to get photos from either of my boys is like pulling teeth - *LOL*

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Normal service ...

... will be resumed soon, hopefully!

Christmas has been and gone and not in the way hoped or planned and New Year came and went much the same way. So much going on and no time to blog, just when I should be blogging to record it all - *LOL*

Thanks for dropping by .....

Normal service ...

... will be resumed soon - hopefully!
Enjoy!!