Catching up ...

... now. Had a lovely day at the Craft Barn on Wednesday. This was the second meet of the SE forum members ... the one that was postponed from beginning of February because of the snow. 2 classes, same tutors as before but this time much better organised - at least the morning one was. The afternoon one, held by the tutor we had in the morning before, was still pretty chaotic with having to ask for what we needed and waiting for some instruction when stuck. We had one card to make in the morning but the afternoon - well! It was so intense and I think there was only one person actually got both of the cards made. Most of us didn't finish one and had to take all the elements home to put them together and - once again I was the last person there - lol!! Tutor told me that she'd made the main card (that we were all making) with a class a couple of weeks earlier and they'd taken the whole time to make the one card so she (in her words) "knew you'd be up against it". Personally I would rather have spent the time making one card fully without rushing and had the option of a second if there was time. Have to say though, I have found the odd minutes to put them both together since I bought them home so that's a novelty! Take a trip over to Crafty Bits for more detail, both written and pictorial ...

We made a spinner card, with a twist, in the morning and used Inkadinkado Inchies in the afternoon. Didn't buy any but now wish I had as I'm getting loads of ideas coming into my head! So that's another shopping trip then - LOL!

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NB: The first photo in this post was snagged from Vilms 'cos it has me in it - thanks Vilms!

Blog posting ...

... drought! Seems to be ages since I last posted anything and seems as though there's not been much going on but it's not - really - and there has been some stuff going on ... lol!

Bit out of order but I managed to get, what I thought were good but turned out not so good as I thought, some photos of the littlies last Sunday. Yep, a week ago so really behind with posting these ones. Trouble was, I had flash on originally but it was far too strong so took it off, which meant that the photo's have come out a bit grainy. Realised today, in trying to make them less so, that I should have used the soft flash option but heyho - will put brain into gear one day (when I find it) and might even take the normal flash off of the strongest setting and put it back to normal ...... doh!

Little Zac is 6 months old tomorrow. Doesn't seem possible. Where does the time go? He's coming on in leaps and bounds and he is such a contented and happy little lad. Mind you, reckon he'll have trouble getting a word in edgeways with the girlies around - particularly with our little Amy who tends to suffer very badly with verbal diarrhoea - lolol! Hmmmmmm .... just like her Dad did at her age - hehe!

Seem to have spent the rest of the week doing Dad's ironing but in reality I've only spent a couple of hours on that chore! 'My' ironing, according to Dad, 'his' according to me - lol! He has so little washing it's easy to leave the bits that doneed ironing to do another time but it's amazing how quickly it builds up.
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The lesson ...

... seems to have jogged a memory - lol!! I'll double-check tomorrow morning before I leave him and then it's up to him but I'll pop head in on way home to make sure he's not gassed himself - lol!

Got a day of crafting tomorrow at the Craft Barn, with some of the SE ladies from the imag-e-nation forum. Most I've met but there are a couple coming that I've not met before so it will be good to meet them and I'm really looking forward to it. Disappointed that my mate Cally can't come though. She was booked in for this one but it was postponed from early February when the snow stopped it happening. She's away on a jolly in Devon this week so her place is vacant! She had wanted to do both of the meets - the January and February one - but she didn't get on the January one so she's missed out completely. Still, we've got a long weekend coming up in a couple of months - well in 99 days by my countdown at top of blog - so that's something to look forward to! That's been a long time coming 'cos it was booked waaaaaaaaaaaay back in February last year.

Had a quick trip to hospital with hubby yesterday. Well, I took him and dropped him off (parking's a nightmare even for disabled). He's been complaining of his hand hurting and last week he told me he was going to doctor. Then he tells me it hurts so much he thinks he's broken a small bone at base of thumb! I suggest he goes to hospital where they can Xray it immediately if needed, rather than go to doc but also suggested he strapped it to keep it as immobile as poss. Does he do any of it? Does he 'eck! Well, he's a man after all - lol! Yesterday he finally relents and decides he will go to hospital. Got him there around 3pm, left him and went back to sort Dad out. Hadn't even got Dad's dinner cooked and got a phone call to say he was finished and to pick him up. Now, Dad (and us) only lives about 15 minutes drive away from hospital so this phone call came less than 45 minutes after I'd dropped him off. Seems he never got past the triáge nurse (I'd warned him he might not). She examined it and it's a bad sprain and guess what - he's to use it as little as possible (of course, but near impossible for a wheelie!) and she gave him a hand splint to wear with instruction to icepack it as well. Now if he'd listened last week as well we might be more than half way there - hehehe! He then admitted that he thinks it may have been coming out of his chair that did it and how along ago was that? Oh yes, here, on the 4th February - doh!!

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Disappointment ...

... over Dad's living arrangements! Managed to speak to Dad's caseworker today and unfortunately Dad going into permanent residential care is not an option. Seems they don't consider his needs are bad enough to fund him so, unless he can pay the full amount himself, he can't go and he doesn't have that sort of income - or assets! He's still on the referral list for the Extra Care Sheltered Housing place though, so hopefully he'll be accepted on that. It means he will be living on his own but a care package will be in place and he will be able to use the on-site restaurant and communal facilities to socialise. Not as good as the full residential care but it's a compromise, although I'm sure that some of the attraction of residential care wasn't just the company but the fact that he was waited on and didn't have to do anything for himself - not even make a cuppa - LOL!! He will still be able to have the occasional respite break as well. I've been told that we may hear soon whether he's been accepted or not .........

I need him to heat up his own meal on Wednesday (unless he wants a really late dinner) so I'm gonna have fun tomorrow showing him how to use the gas hob - again. He can't remember how to from when he was shown early February when the snow was around. In fact, he can't remember that he even did - or so he says! I'm not always convinced that he really doesn't remember but the look on his face when I said "Do you remember when ....." told me he really doesn't this time - lol!

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That's more ...

... like it - LOL! Caught an episode of Cash in the Attic on the TV today. Rarely watch daytime TV but hubby turned TV on and it was part way through the programme. It caught my attention straight away 'cos the 'expert' was talking about a set of WWI medals and yep, they were Pip, Squeak and Wilfred! Seems there's a few of these sets finding their way onto these antique programmes just lately and, having been disappointed with what I saw the last ones fetch, I decided to watch this programme to see what price these ones made at auction. What I didn't realise, until the actual auction was shown, was that there were 2 other medals with them - the ones my Dad has from WWII! There were differences between those on the TV and what we have with Grandad's and Dad's medals though. One of Grandad's medals has a ribbon missing and they're not mounted and Dad's are brand, spanking new as they were only claimed last year and not at the end of the war as they should have been. Anyway, the medals were put together as one lot for the auction and they raised ................. £300! Much better than the £40 I saw the last set of Pip, Squeak and Wilfred go for. Just goes to show you need to have them in the right place with the right bidders after them ..........

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Happy Birthday ...

... to me! Well, Happy Birthday to my Ramblings blog - LOL!!

A whole year - and what a year it's turned out to be with Mum's death and Zac's birth and everything else inbetween. I had no idea as to the turn of events when I started this. My Ramblings blog, very soon, went in a completely different direction to the one I'd intended it to take. It was supposed to be a good mix of craft and general life chat - or ramblings - lol! Seems Mum had other ideas though 'cos things changed unexpectedly, dramatically and very suddenly and the blog took on a much more personal direction. Have to say though, it's been a great help to me over the months as my life, and those around me, has changed. It's my diary and, although I'm aware it's public now, to me it's still a bit of a private place if not quite as private as it once was - lol! Hopefully my life will continue to evolve - but for the better - and I will be able to get to do more crafting. Crafty Bits came about to compensate for the direction that Ramblings took but I've tried to keep them linked and, if my life goes the way I hope (I'm not holding my breath) then they may, eventually, melt into one another as one blog but only time will tell! So ... Happy Birthday Ramblings blog!

Technically this isn't my first blog. I signed up for one nearly 3 years ago but never actually did anything with it at all - not one post! When I decided to take it up properly I couldn't find my original so had to start from scratch, signing up etc. Since then I have found the original but it's still got nothing on it and it's unpublished. It's what I use to 'play' with when I want to try random things - like the tabs at the top of my blogs, my label dropdown on this one and the label cloud I have on Crafty Bits. If it works on the original then I transfer it over to my 'proper' blogs. Useful to have and I'd recommend everyone has a 'spare' if they want to play and learn - lol!!

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The whole ...

... length of the dormer has now got a double row of spikes at the ridge. Hopefully there is nowhere too cosy for the seagulls to nest and they'll go find themselves another roof to use [grinning!]. There's a lovely big, nice new one 2 doors down from us. It was only finished last year and I'm sure it would make them a much nicer home than ours did (although there's no chimney on that roof - lol!)

Wot? No seagulls? Eldest and grandson doing the deed!

Seems as though there was a bit of a contrétemps on the forum again today. It was all done and dusted by the time I saw it but I do wonder why people who, quite rightly insist that they have a right to an opinion, then object when somebody else voices a differing one. Aren't people allowed to have an opinion that differs? I do wonder about people sometimes but I guess it would be a boring old world if we were all the same. One thing that really disappoints me though is the language (bad, crass - whatever you want to call it) that eminates from some people (abbreviated or not) - :0( It's totally unnecessary and shows them in a really bad light - in my opinion - LOLOL!! Have to say I've noticed it on a few blogs and UK ones at that. Makes me ashamed of my nationality and 'chav central' comes to mind when I happen upon some of them. I'm sure it's done with little thought as to how it makes them look to their readers which is a shame, 'cos it means it's probably 'normal' for them.

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And something ...

... else looms again :O(( We've taken precautions but the first indications are that it hasn't worked! Eldest son has been onto dormer roof and 'spiked' a square meter of the roof, near the ridge and chimney - in other words their previous nesting spot - to stop the seagulls nesting there again this year. This is what we've put on the roof and this morning what did I see? One had hunkered down at the end of the spikes but up against what remains free of the ridge! Just ordered more spikes to go the whole length and a double row. Hopefully, if there's nowhere they can get cosy they will find another roof - LOL! Reckon that allowing them a couple of years lodgings is enough and now that the dormer room is occupied (by eldest) he doesn't want to hear an army of gulls with hobnail boots on strutting around the roof when the little ones(?) hatch! He's already commented on how noisy they are and there's no sign of youngsters yet - LOL!

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Floral Punch Craft - Chrysanthemum

Well, would you believe it! Another card made at home - LOL! Thought it was time that I did something with at least one of the big flowers - lol! This is the smaller one of the two made so far.

Base card is a 6 inch square, deckle edged, hammered, ivory card blank. I inked the edges with 2 colours of inks - a goldie brown followed by a dark yellow - so that it toned with the flower. A selection of leaves were punched from varying colours of green papers, aged a little with a few brown shades (not too obvious in photo)..... well, chrysanths are autumnal flowers, aren't they? Finished with a line of crystal gems and a tiny one stuck onto a petal as a highlight.

Enjoy!!

and it ...

... starts again. What starts again? Packing up at Dad's. This time it's the stuff of Mum's - and some - that should have gone last year but didn't. Couldn't stand to see brand new stuff (still with price tags on) and unworn shoes going to the Dogs Trust. It was bad enough seeing 'nearly new' going but to see brand new, unworn go was just too much. Anyway, despite best intentions of doing some eBay selling it hasn't happened so it will all have to go. Unfortunately none of it will fit anyone in the family. There's around a dozen sweaters that would do a turn for whoever they'd fit - just nobody in family. There's M&S Footgloves and more but all too big (she had long feet - lol!). There's the kitchen stuff that will no longer be used and then there's other bits I thought might do well on eBay ........ old phones and the like. Reckon she must have kept every phone they'd ever had - LOL! It's all now going. Nearly a year on and it is feeling better about getting rid but mainly it's because of Dad. If he does end up in residential care - and there's no reason to suppose now, that he won't - then it has to go anyway and, as he doesn't need any of it, there's no point in keeping. Already, this week, I've packed up a large boot load and it's gone. Large boot load 'cos it all went in brother's boot - and he's got a big car - when he visited yesterday and he took it to drop off on his way home. Would have filled my little Peugeot's boot and the back seat! The only real problem I've got is what to do with the electrical stuff 'cos Dogs Trust won't take it .....

Yep, brother is still alive and it only took him 2 months to contact me from the last time we met! Things are improving - a visit just 2 months after the last meeting is a great improvement - according to Dad - LOL!! Actually, he's not wrong and his other comment? Guess it's better than nothing!

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What a ...

... disappointment! This morning I caught a glimpse of Bargain Hunt on the TV and one of the teams bought a set of WWI medals - the ones known as Pip, Squeak & Wilfred as earned by my paternal Grandad and mentioned in my blog last year. The team bought them from the dealer for £75 but when it came to auction they only fetched £40. OK, they'd obviously been cleaned and had new ribbons (no sign of the original ribbons) but surely they were worth more than that? The auctioneer said that the soldier's story was also important and in this particular case the soldier had started out as a Lance Corporal and ended up a Private - lol!! Perhaps it was that they didn't look 'right' but I've since found a set being sold on eBay for £52.50 and they're definitely not original as they're listed as 'accurate full size replicas'. I didn't expect Grandad's to be worth a lot in monetry value but thought they'd be worth more than £40! Perhaps they just weren't at the right auction. Anyway, it's made my mind up about whether to have his cleaned and ribbons replaced. Not going to as I like them the way they are. If I buy a 'replica' of the TFE medal to give his full complement then I may get new ribbons just to keep with them but not for any other reason. I've now found out which is which of the medals and Pip is the 1914-15 Star, Squeak is the British War Medal and Wilfred is the Victory Medal.

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RESULT! ...

... collected Dad from respite today. Before we left we booked him in for more weeks. He's now booked for a week every 2 months but those weeks can be extended and they're also happy to take him for the odd few days if 'something crops up' as long as they've space. When I asked him if he'd enjoyed it he said he had and then he said "I think it opened me up". Not too sure what he meant exactly but it was either that it had opened his eyes to what it was like having other people around or that it had brought him out of himself. He was certainly more chatty. He's always insisted that he was happy with his own company but I think he's now realised that there is something more out there and I have a feeling he was a bit brainwashed before but, we won't go into that - lol! Suffice to say that those who knew Mum would know where I'm coming from!!

Whatever, he really enjoyed it and that's a huge great bonus and it feels like a weight has lifted. Even more so as, he no longer wishes to live 'independently' either where he is or in sheltered housing - extra care or not. He has now told me he'd like to go into a residential care home. In other words he wants what he had last week on a permanent basis. I've explained that what he'll have on that basis would be much better and nicer. What he had last week, although clean and tidy, was pretty basic so anything else will be luxury and he'll be able to have some of his own personal bits with him!

If I'm honest, it's the result that I was hoping for. Selfish, I know, but regular visits and trips out can replace twice daily visits to feed, nurse, shop and housekeep. I can stop being his mother, wife, nurse, housekeeper and financial advisor/accountant and become his daughter again - as well as getting my life back! If I can find a place midway between me and my brother there's a chance that he might even visit him on a more regular basis but ..........

Need to talk to his case-worker now and get the ball rolling. Haven't a clue where to start so need pointing in the right direction, especially as he'll need funding but, watch this space - LOL!!

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We had ...

... company yesterday afternoon. Eldest grand-daughter (12 going on 21 - lol!) came to visit 'Daddy' but, as he's now living with us, we got her company as well. Dad was employed sorting out her laptop and while he was doing that she wanted to make one of my 'big' flowers. Despite explaining how time consuming they were she insisted - until she'd cut up some of the daisy shapes I'd already punched a few days ago - hehe! She ended up making 3 simpler flowers from shapes I'd already got punched (instruction care of moi but with inspiration from Jane Gill - of course!) and making a Mothers Day card for her Mum. It's being kept here so she doesn't lose it which gave me the chance to take a photo of it today. Apart from the ribbon, which I tied and stuck where she wanted it, it's all her own work, her colour choices and layout. One day she may make a 'big' flower but - lol!

 

I managed to make a card for a friend who will be celebrating his 60th birthday on 23rd. He shares the date - but not the age - with hubby. Hubby just wishes he could see 60 again - lol! He's very much a country gent so decided to make the LaPashe Flippin' Men - Walkies for him. It's the first card I've made at home in an age and will probably be the last for a good while as well!

..... and here's hubby's latest toy! His brand new, all singing, all dancing box with a wheel on each corner - hehehe!!!

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Flippin' Men - Walkies

Rare sighting! The first card I've made in a long time that was made at home without a class being involved. The card is for a friend who's very much a 'country gent'. He's into shooting, fishing and all things country related - and enjoys the odd pint! He's even got fields to the rear of his property which his beautiful black lab enjoys.

LaPashe's "Flippin' Men! - Walkies" seemed just right for the job. The 60th backing paper was one of a selection posted on the imag-e-nation forum by one of it's members (member name Vixen) and at a very opportune moment for me. Thank you Vixen. The card was trimmed with gold peeloffs which is something I don't use very often nowadays, although I own 1000's of them.

Enjoy!!

Nice new ...

... shower all installed and working. Won't know ourselves again now! Got to find something to cover a couple of screw holes that are now showing and, as bathroom is fully tiled I don't like seeing the holes in the tiles. Think it would look better with mirror screws - can't think of what else to use. Luckily they're high up and above the new shower box but I know they're there - lol!!

We've been having some beautiful sunny, but very cold, days just lately. Went out just before 11am on Thursday and found my car still covered in frost but it was soooooooooo pretty I had to go take some photos of the patterns it had made. They didn't all come out too well but reckon these give some idea.








As it was such a nice day I decided to stop on my way to visit Dad. Just 5 minutes away from my home is Brighton Racecourse and a small car park at the start of the course. This area overlooks the village I live in (technically a suburb of Brighton) and, towards the sea, Rottingdean, Ovingdean, Brighton and as far afield as Shoreham and the subsequent coastline to Worthing. From this spot and a little way on towards Brighton, if it is really clear, the Isle of Wight can be seen. Anyway, the sun was really bright and I thought I'd take a series of shots to put into some panoramic software (when I eventually get my own laptop back - repaired or otherwise ...) One of the photos was looking towards the sea over the top of Roedean School. The sun was reflecting so strongly off of the sea that it put the school more-or-less into silhouette. I think this is a lovely photo. Quite dramatic - even if I do say so myself - LOL!

Today it's been so sunny and springlike (although still cold) that we had the patio door open for a while and enjoyed our newest residents - a pond full of fish that we've acquired. They belong to our eldest and, as he is living back with us for the forseeable future and their house has now been sold, the fish have had to move in as well! Big changes being made but sometimes it has to be done .....

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Where has ...

... my anticipated week of leisurely mornings gone? There was me thinking that, with Dad in respite, I'd have a few mornings without having to worry about being up by a certain time and what's happened? I've been getting up even earlier! Most mornings it's because the postie has rung the bell at some silly o'clock time with a packet too big for letter box or something to be signed for. OK, some of it was for me, most wasn't, but who had to get up to answer door????????? If postie hasn't got me up the hubby has with something to do with the new car (which is now in it's new home outside the house - lol!). Now it seems I've not even got the weekend for a couple of leisurely mornings. Phoned plumber today as we've got a replacement shower to be installed and ............. he's coming tomorrow morning so looks like another early one. Perhaps I'll get a lie-in on Sunday but - I'm not holding my breath - LOLOL!

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What a ...

... relief! Paid a visit to Dad today and he's enjoying himself! He says he felt at home nearly straight away. He's not doing anything different really. Mainly staying in his room, reading his newspapers and books and watching TV but the difference is that he's seeing different faces, talking to different people and socialising at mealtimes. He's chosen to have his meals in the lounge rather than his room, which is good. He was really animated and he wouldn't stop talking. It was good to see him like it so I'm now hoping I can arrange for this to be a regular thing - and I can enjoy the rest of my time off - LOL! He didn't mention yesterday so there's every possibility that he had no idea how significant the day was. I hope so anyway.

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Day two ...

... and still no phone call so reckon things really are OK with Dad in respite. If there was one day that they would have rung me it would have been today because, today would have been Mum's 80th birthday. I'm hoping that Dad won't have realised what the date was (he doesn't usually have a clue - lol) but I did warn the staff that if he did he may get a bit emotional. I've stayed away because I thought it best to 'ignore' the day. Not necessarily the right word but ......... I'm going to call in tomorrow to see how he's going. I have to say that today hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be, bearing in mind that this is Mum's first birthday since she died but I think it's helped that we've never been a family to make a big thing out of birthdays - not even the '0' ones. We've always treated them as 'just another day' so that is what today has been, albeit that Mum - & Dad - have been on my mind a bit more than usual. Spooky though, I've heard from my dear(?) brother this evening. I'd decided to see how long it took him to contact me instead of me contacting him first - as is usual. Last time we saw/heard from him was at the family gathering on 14th December and today is the first contact since then. Why Mum's birthday, 'cos I'm sure he's not aware it is as it's not been mentioned. He lives just about 40 minutes away but it may as well be the other side of the world. Now he wants to visit next week ....... !

I've been busy re-stacking boxes in my so-called craft room so that I could move stuff off of the landing to make better use of that space. I became a bit depressed working in there 'cos I've got soooo much stuff that I just don't know where to start with it all. It would be a lovely room if I could get space to use it but it's more like a walk-in loft (which, technically it is) but it's being used like a loft and I can't see anyway out at the moment. I need to have a good clearout! I've more card than I could ever use in my lifetime - especially pre-scored card blanks - and ready made embellishments that I'll never use (don't think they bear any relationship to proper crafting - sorry!) and can't understand why I ever bought them in the first place! I'm going to have to go through it all and be strict with myself. Decide what I'm going to 'specialise' in and get rid of anything not related to those choices (note, plural already - doh!). It really is just as well I've grand-daughters and a daughter-in-law that are into crafting and I may just do some blog-candy ....... when I get a chance to start going through it. Have to say a big thanks to my good friend Jak for ringing just at the right time and helped me see the wood through the trees - hehe! Just wish we lived closer to one another but, if Dad takes to this Respite and I can get him booked in again on a regular basis, she may just find me on her doorstep one day - lol! Anyway, I hope I helped her as well - on her 3rd day of not smoking! Been there, done that .... 4 years and 8 days ago since I stopped.

One thing that has wound me up over the past few days ....... Freecycle ......... again! Well, not Freecycle per se but the flippin' people that use it. Why, when you're giving stuff away, are there so many time-wasters? I offered my HP Deskjet 5550 and got somebody after it before I'd even received the Digest email. They asked for address and time to collect so I sent them both asking them to let me know if not convenient. In meantime I got email after email coming in from people wanting it so kept them in the queue - just in case! Heard nothing from the first guy so assumed he'd come as arranged. Did he turn up? Did he 'eck as like! I gave him an hour past his time and then sent him an email telling him it was no longer available to him and rang somebody else from the list. Although I hadn't heard from them to make definite arrangements they contacted me this evening and called within half an hour to collect. I've not been completely impressed with those that use Freecycle at all but the next thing that is likely to be offered is a single ottoman bed. Wonder what the take up on that one will be ..... Have to say, I've had more luck getting rid of stuff left outside the front door! I had an old microwave that had started sparking. I'd cut the cable off and put it outside the front door to put into car to take to tip. I'd also put an old, cable cut off, toaster inside it to take that as well. Before I'd had chance to take it to the tip it disappeared. Ok, it had been there a couple of days and it had rained but, it still disappeared and whoever took it had to come onto our property to take it - doh!

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The first ...

... whole day has passed and no phone call has come so perhaps he's actually enjoying it! Who and what? Dad and respite care!

I took him in yesterday afternoon. He's got a lovely room with its own TV and ensuite facilities. It's basic but clean and tidy and he can sit in his armchair and watch the world go by if he so chooses but there's a couple of lounges and a day centre. He can go to the kitchen to make tea or get the staff running around after him - lol! The staff I met were really nice and they said, although they wouldn't force him, they would encourage him to socialise and would take him to the day centre to see if he'd join in. Hope so 'cos if he does I'll try and get him into one on a weekly basis. Felt funny leaving him there and he's been on my mind the whole time. Not sure I'm getting much benefit from it myself at the moment as I'm worrying about him. Hopefully I'll discover that I had nothing to worry about - lol! I said I'd call to see him on Thursday to make sure he's OK rather than leave him the full week as it's his first time. Hopefully he'll have liked it enough he will want to do it again .........

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Stamps and ...

... punches fest! A couple of weeks ago I got a big box from Scrappily Ever After. My order of 43 punches arrived. It was like Christmas. Yesterday I got another big box but this time from the UK and yes, it was craft stuff but ......... some of it was for Christmas! Yep - Christmas presents - LOL. Well, you have to don't you, when you see a bargain and when you have grand-daughters that are into craft and a daughter-in-law that is as well. I have no problem buying pressies for them - lol!! It's everyone else that's the problem. Trouble is my fingers got a bit sticky and I actually ordered 2 of one of the items - and didn't notice until it was too late - when I only wanted one but I'm sure it won't go to waste - hehe! I spent just over £80 but what I got was worth £250 full price and it included the super duper giant, extra large daisy punch (or whatever size it's called but it's BIG!) that was used to make the chrysanthemum's shown on the Crafty Bits blog. Well, I just had to have that punch as I've fallen in love with that flower - lol!!

Today postie has left me another packet. I didn't buy the set of owl stamps on Friday and then regretted not doing so. Hubby liked the cards so much he offered to buy them for me (the stamps, that is - LOL!) as a belated birthday pressie 'cos there was nothing I'd wanted at the relevant time. After he'd twisted my arm really hard (hehe!) I agreed he could so, order was put in and now they're sitting on table next to me.

Now all I need to finish my week off craftwise (I know, it's still early in week!) is my Flippin' Women order from imag-e-nation and some stamp sets ordered from the US and which are on their way!

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