Gggggrrrrrrr!!! ...

..... eBay!  Or should I say eBayers!  After the hassle with the bow buyer about a month ago I'm now having a problem with a seller.  What is it with some people?  I ordered a ring.  Well, I made an offer on a Best Offer option for a ring and with a bit of bartering I got it.  Should have been sent within 3 days by recorded delivery (signed for) post.  I paid last Monday evening.  A week on and I've still not got it.  Contacted the seller on Friday as had no communication from them only to be told they were waiting for stock to arrive (I hate sellers who sell stuff they don't have to sell) and, if it arrived in time to send it to me that afternoon they would do so but otherwise it would 'definitely be tomorrow' (Saturday).  Postie came this morning and no ring but neither had I been notified that it had been dispatched so I contacted the seller again asking for a refund if there's no sign of it.  She came straight back telling me it had been dispatched on Saturday and apologising for the delay.  Still no official notification of dispatch and I asked her for the tracking number .... twice!  Twice she's ignored that request.  It seems she's lied.  She's either not sent it as she's stated or she has but it's not been sent by recorded delivery, which is what is stated in the listing and is charged for on the p&p.  I shall be raising a dispute if it doesn't arrive tomorrow and I'm thinking I shan't be giving very good feedback.  Her communication has been zero, only replying to my queries.  Not a sign of an apology without me pushing and worse, because there was a bit of bartering going on at the outset, she could have told me that there may be a delay as she had no stock.  I wouldn't have bought the blooming ring in the first place!

Until recently I haven't done many crafty things this year, well, for a good while to be honest, but back in March I did a day of workshops with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot  We made a good selection of cards using the resist technique, spotlight and patchwork.  The latter being an ideal way of using up oddments :)

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Think we've ...

... decided on the wallpaper for both hall and lounge.  Also think we know what flooring we're going to be having.   Didn't like the ones we saw on-line in real life.  Actually nothing much like the images but there was a good selection and it wasn't difficult to find something.  Well, not entirely true as it was difficult in as much as there ended up being too much choice!  Price plays a part though and, although the expensive stuff was nice it was outside of our budget with everything we've had done of late and with what is still to come.  There were some quality ones on offer though, which made them more affordable.  Providing they're still on offer when we're ready to buy then it'll be easy to select :)

Having a rest day today, although I upped the minutes on the cross trainer this morning.  Have I mentioned the cross trainer since it was delivered?  Mixed fortunes on that.  I'm using it daily but I'm finding that I can't always use it for as long as I'd like, particularly in the morning.  Nothing to do with lack of breath, although that doesn't help, but more to do with muscle pain kicking in.  I always start with the 'walking' bit.  Do a couple of minutes with that (have increased the resistance since I started), then I do a medium speed cycle for another couple of minutes and finish with a speed cycle for a minute.  Sometimes I don't get the 2 minutes walking bit completed in the morning and the odd morning I've only managed 3 minutes in total.  Not good when I started on 4 and have been trying to increase the time, weekly.  The past week I've managed 6 minutes in the evening, doing 2, 2  and 2 but it's not the evening I've been having a problem with.  This morning I decided to try a different tack.   I started, as ever, with the walking bit but I slowed it right down and it worked!  The muscle pain stayed away but my heart rate and breathing went up, as they should do.  I managed to do 3 minutes walking and followed that with 2 medium speed cycling and then 2 fast - 7 minutes in total and the longest I've managed since I started.  Think it's the way to go, for now anyway.

OK, nothing of note today as having a lazy day so more catch up.  This isn't being done in any particular order.   P'raps it should be but it's how and what I feel like recording ...

February 2013 and I got a strange message via Ancestry.co.uk.  Did I know what happened to the Peter Pantzer on my tree?  No Peter Pantzer on my tree but there is a Paul so I replied saying so.  Turned out that it was Paul the person was enquiring about.  I know exactly what's happened to him as it's my OH - lol!  Anyway, reply made and ... we've found Paul's Aussie relatives!  They're a huge family and he always thought, although he knew of some back in the 50s, that he was the last one of any of his family.  He was told he was the last of his maternal and paternal family.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Paul's Dad was born in Tasmania and he had several siblings.  It was his only sister that Paul knew about and she died, childless, some time ago.  Anyway, the siblings had children and it's those children and their children that we now have contact with.  Lost count of how many there are out there and they're all still in Tasmania.  On top of that there are cousins coming forward from his maternal side and we've recently met a couple of them that live around 30 miles away.  Today an email has been received from another there's been no contact with until now.

In January 2013 I entered a competition to win a photo shoot with a 12x10 print and a birthday party for a certain number of children.  The winner was going to be picked about a week before the youngest granddaughters birthdays and I thought it would be good if I won.  I didn't but the photographer gave a lot of 2nd prizes of the photo shoot with print and I had one of those.  Not wanting to waste it I offered it to youngest son to have the littlies done and so it came about.  The shoot took place early March.  A couple of hours of fun and the youngsters really threw themselves into it.  Well, as with most of these things, we couldn't just stop at one print so we paid for extra.  It wasn't cheap but, because we chose the photographers top option he threw in 6 prints and gave us 2 discs instead of the one.  Once collected and bought home I had to have all the photos in print so the call of the photo book was strong .........

Yep, it was supposed to be the littlies but it was good to have the family - youngest son and daughter-in-law.  Not so good I got roped in :(

There's going to be another photo shoot next weekend - watch this space - LOL!

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I'm going ...

... shopping!  I hate shopping - normally.  This is different.  I'm finally shopping for wall coverings and flooring.  Yay us!  First foray has been done and some wallpaper samples gathered.  Some are already discarded.  I'm off out again tomorrow to find some more from different sources and I want to look at some flooring I've seen on-line.  Looks ideal on-line but would rather see in real life.  

Nothing else of worth to report so I'll do a bit more catch up. Something crafty again?

December 2012 saw eldest son reach 40.  At one of Greta's playdays Debs had brought some card kits for us to play with.  I pinched one of them and it turned out to be the ideal card for him.  The background is made by sticking masking tape onto card then applying ink directly from the ink pad to the tape.  Once the ink was dry it was versamarked all over, clear embossing powder added and heated.  Very effective and ideal for the subject of the card.

January 2013 and the youngest granddaughters had birthdays - as did our little great-granddaughter.  Unfortunately I never got round to making her birthday card, even though it was her 1st birthday.  Too much was going on.  I did get to make the granddaughters'.  Quick and easy and peel-offs were used (shock, horror).  The girls liked them though and that's the main thing.  They were made from sheets of decoupage gathered at another of Greta's playdays but only on the understanding that I used them ..... :)

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What a week ...

... weatherwise!  Monday we had the worst storm, wind and rain wise, for many a year.  Winds of 99mph were recorded not that far from us but the storm passed over the North Sea to Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands were the winds were recorded at around 120mph.  There was a bit of damage in our area but not that much.  Hubby's shed lost some of it's roofing felt, which is now being dealt with, and a fence panel, which was already loose, became looser and that has been dealt with.  Other than that there's not been a lot going on of any note.  

I did sell my bow again and for a LOT more than it sold for originally.  Quite a bidding war went on at the end.  An American was after it and he was determined but not quite as determined as a Brit was.  Good to know there were people out there that new the worth of the bow and I know, because of that, it's gone to a good home :)

We've found the guys that did most of the work in our house back in the early to mid 90s.  We have been more than pleased with what they did and we've called them back to deal with what we want doing now.  Just wish we'd found them last year when we were after having the bathroom remodelled.  They did the bathroom in the first place and we would have been more than happy to have them redo it.  Didn't happen but now we've found them again they're not getting away again!  We have a long list and they can deal with it all ..... new floors, new woodwork, decorating .... a complete transformation.  We've made a start as we've had a new boiler and a new gas fire with surround fitted over the summer.  Don't think it will be complete by Christmas but we're in no hurry.  Would rather time and care was taken as it has to last ... at least, the flooring does.  I can go shopping for wallpaper and then furniture.  Excited!

Now, what photos?   Way back in August 2012 a group of us went to a beading class in Fareham.  Squished into a very unsatisfactory space as a workroom with access to an old outside loo we were given beads, needle, Fireline and an instruction leaflet and pretty much left to get on with it. Fine for those experienced in this type of thing but pretty much useless for those of us that weren't.  Anyway, with a little lot of help from our friends, for some of us, we produced a beaded necklace that was actually quite pretty.  Could see ways it could be improved but I was pleased with my effort ....

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Photos today ...

... from the weekend in Cardiff :)  An excuse to stop 'working'.  I'm packing boxes still.  Well, packed really.  Just got to access some electrics to disconnect the wall unit and 'tis all ready.  I've heard from one of the Americans several times over my bow.  Even an estimated shipping cost of £50 ($80) hasn't put him off and he says he's going to bid and hope he wins .... "it is a beautiful bow" (his words, not mine).  Hope he bids well enough to prove that - or at least that others bid as well and it gets bid up.  He knows what it is ... hope other's do to.  Anyway, on to the photos - a small selection but WARNING .... PICTURE HEAVY - LOL!

The first few need no explanation .... but just in case -

 ... and after Dr Who?

Norwegian Church - and arts centre

Merchant Seaman's War Memorial

Pierhead Building - National Assembly of Wales 

Torchwood entrance (yay!) and the Millennium Centre

The mad women

The view from Kim's front garden ... beautiful!  A stunning area to live.

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Where does ...

... the time go?  Just noticed it's 2 weeks since I last blogged.  Mind you, with my blogging history over the past year or so I guess that's just a blip - lol!  2 weeks, now what's happened in that time?

I had to say goodbye to a flower stem.  Not just an ordinary flower stem ... an orchid flower stem.  A plant given me by #1 son and his wife for my birthday in 2012.  I kept it on the kitchen windowsill once it finished flowering last year and thought I'd throw it away, as is usual, once the leaves had died.  They didn't die and in December I noticed a 'thing' growing out of it.  Thought it might have been roots but #2 son looked and told me it was the start of a flower stem, so I left it.  A couple of weeks later another joined it.  By the end of February, beginning of March, there were buds and those buds got larger.  On the 3rd April I took the first photo of the first, fully open orchid flower.  By the time I went to Italy on 15th April all buds were open on both stems and I had a grand total of 11 flowers!  I've never, ever been successful in keeping orchids alive and this one wasn't exactly looked after.  An egg cup full of water occasionally, when thought about, so very occasionally, and I ended up with more flowers than when originally given me.  2 stems instead of 1 and a full 7 months of bloom instead of 2 to 3.  It's now back on the kitchen windowsill and I'm hoping for a repeat performance :)

The first flower

The 2 stems, with buds and the first flower

In full bloom :)

I've also said goodbye to a lot of my archery gear.  I've had to admit I'll never shoot again so it was listed on eBay and all bar 4 items sold except .... the bow buyer ended up being a real waste of time and an eBay policy abuser so I reported him and he left me unwarranted negative feedback.  Reported him again for that and eBay removed it but I've had to put the bow back on sale.  I've stipulated UK only postage as it's really, really expensive to send overseas however I'm getting enquiries from the US and Italy and it's now got a bid from somebody in Australia!  They've not even been in contact so I hope they get out bid as I have a feeling they won't be too happy with the shipping costs if they win and I'll have another problem to overcome.  Just shows though, the quality and reputation of the bow I'm selling.  They're no longer made but were - and still are - considered to be one of the best bows ever made.  Just wish the bids would reflect that - lol!

Hubby and I celebrated (is that the right word?) our 28th wedding anniversary on the 16th.  Not bad for a 2nd marriage that few thought would last.  Perhaps it won't but it's certainly gone longer than my 1st, which didn't quite make 11 years - well, not together anyway. 

I had my flu jab on the 17th and, apart from a couple of days of sore arm it's been OK but inbetween these last 2 events me and some of my friends had a weekend in Cardiff.  Now nicknamed, by Toni, the Apple Mangoes the core group that go on the Crafter's House Party went 'on tour' and all because of a throwaway remark made by Cally to Trace, who lives in Cardiff.

Trace arranged a 'crafty' day on Saturday 13th but we decided Cardiff was too far to travel there and back in a day so it had to be a weekend.  Cally and I drove down early, stopping at Greta's for a comfort break on the way.  Greta was going with Debs and Jackie.  (Strange not having her in my car.)  Kim was making her way from Sopley by train and Toni, with her daughter Sonia, were coming from Tamworth by car with them sharing the driving.  Toni is learning so a good experience for her.  Kim arrived first and made her way to the city centre to explore.  Cally and I arrived and made our way to the Dr Who Experience.  Debs, Jackie and Greta found the shops and a bar, where we all met, eventually, to have something to eat and Toni and Sonia arrived in time for the pyjama party at the hotel in the evening :)

Saturday turned out to be more of a chatting and bracelet making day than anything else although a bit of decopatch was done and Trace hosted an hilarious raffle which you had to be there to understand.  Suffice to say we all had aching faces from the laughter.  A brilliant day followed by a great evening in Frankie & Benny's made all the better by our server.  He joined in with the fun and put up with a bunch of women of a certain age being silly where many might not have done.  Good job Rob :)

Sunday morning, met up for breakfast ... at same F&Bs and we went our separate ways.  Cally, me and Kim spent a while in the Range, bought a little bit and started our homeward journey around 11am.  Cally and I were taking Kim home, hoping for good weather as it was cross country and part of the UK I'd not seen before.  Lucked out!  It rained and it rained and it rained.  From the moment we left Cardiff until just before we reached Cally's house.  Photos will follow ....

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I'm tiring myself ...

... out!  I had a delivery on Friday.  I'd been considering buying a 2 in 1 cross trainer for a while.  Mentioned it in passing to eldest son, as he's got one, only to be told not to be too hasty as it was possible that his would be going.  Newly bought and had become a coat hanger, apparently - lol!  Anyway, said cross trainer was delivered on Friday, after my exercise class.  It's big!  It's probably quite a bit bigger than the ones I had been looking at.  Definitely more substantial as I was looking at folding ones.  This one's not.  They look easy.  They are not!  I can't even start with the recommended 'easy' start because of my breathing problems so I'm adapting them all to suit my capabilities.  I'm doing little but often so when I pass the bedroom I pop in and just do 4 or 5 minutes on the machine.  The walking bit I can only manage about 1½ minutes on the lowest resistance but I up the resistance on the bike bit and finish my 4-5 minutes on that.  I'm finding I put in roughly 6 sessions a day this way and I'm feeling a difference.  I plan on keeping it going.  It's easier with the machine permanently available.

Had a bit of stress over one of my sales last night.  The bow buyer raised a dispute with eBay saying that it's not in the condition stated in my listing.  He raised the dispute before even contacting me.  It was listed as used and had 6 photos, some of which actually showing where there were small paint chips on the riser.  Not sure what this guy was expecting for his money but worse, he won't tell me how it's not in the condition stated in my listing.  He keeps giving excuses as to why he can't tell me yet but says he'll be posting it back on Monday.  He also bought a brand new arrow rest that I listed and he's saying that's not in the condition I listed either.  It's brand new, in a sealed box, for heavens sake!  How can it not be?  More like he bought it as a spare for the bow, as I had it, and as he's decided he doesn't want the bow then neither does he want the rest.  Personally I think he bought the bow for himself and has found it's not suitable.  He sniped the auction at the last minute and hadn't asked any questions, although all the info he would have needed was within the listing so I'm at a loss.  I think he's trying to find a reason to return it that pushes it onto  me and not himself.  It's not that it's been damaged in transit either as I would have thought he'd have said.  There was a lot of correspondence going back and forth last night and every time I asked for more specific information which wasn't forthcoming.  The last message I sent pointed out that we were on eBay's time scale as he'd raised a dispute and that if he didn't answer the questions I was asking he'd probably have to answer similar to eBay if the dispute escalated.  This morning he had closed the dispute as 'I'd requested him to'!  I hadn't asked him to at all and our correspondence will confirm that.  Pity, in a way, as I feel pretty confident that eBay would have found in my favour just by looking at my feedback .... just as described, well described, excellent eBayer .... and not just for the items I've sold recently but over time.  Anyway, he can return it and I'll refund what he paid for the bow and I'll either do a 2nd chance offer to the person he sniped (who did ask questions beforehand) or list it again.  He won't be getting his postage back though and he'll be in for a surprise when he finds out how much it's gonna cost him to return it.

I've been doing some investigating.  Coming back from my exercise class yesterday I found a visitor trying to get in the front door.  It nearly made it as well, until I found something to move it further away.  I found this .....

It was humungous!

  Very pretty in it's colouring but huuuuuuuuuggggggggggggge! (see my left hand digit finger?)

Apparently it's a privet hawk moth caterpillar.  It was probably looking for somewhere to bury itself so that it could pupate,  Not a lot of luck in our front garden as it's laid to gravel with membrane underneath it.  It would find somewhere eventually as we've a few plants so there are spaces in the membrane.  It digs deep to pupate and in June/July next year will emerge as one of these .....

Britain's largest moth.  As large as the one I saw in Cyprus 2 years ago (pictured in my Cyprus photo book [page 39] and also a hawk moth)

We've no privet in our garden, which is it's primary food source, and there's none near so the only place I can think it came from was our lilac bush as that is one of it's food sources.  It's only privet, lilac and ash and lilac is the only thing close.  If the daft thing had gone down to the base of the bush it may have been able to bury itself there.  Anyway, there's no sign of it now.  Perhaps I should have kept it and given it a pot of soil to bury itself in.  I might have got to see the moth next year ....

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Bank balance ...

... has increased quite healthily.  Perhaps not quite as much as I'd have liked, overall, but it's increased and that's the main thing.  Archery stuff was looked on favourably and all bar 4 items sold.   I got silly money for some of it.  Way over what the item could be bought for new in some cases.  Things I thought would command a really good price didn't get quite as much as I'd hoped for but other items got a lot more than I would ever have thought.  Even my quiver, although good quality leather and not a cheap item when bought, sold for more than I was expecting.  Really surprised me as I was going to throw it out but thought I'd put it on for 99p and see what happened.  Surprised me 'cos it had my name on it.  I'm hoping the person who bought it really did realise that as her name was Jo.  She's either bought it as a present or she didn't notice, despite pointing it out in the heading and the description.   Still, her problem if she didn't - lol!  Anyway, it's either all on it's way to new owners, received by new owners, or waiting to be collected by new owners.  It's been a busy few days trying to find suitable packing, trips to the post office, arranging couriers and making appointments.  I'm acting as sales manager for hubby who has some items for sale relating to air target shooting.  He's never sold on eBay himself and it's looking likely he'll not be doing it any time soon himself.  I'm having to answer questions, Best Offers and the like.  He's now found some more 'stuff' he tells me!  I think he needs a lesson in listing and selling - lol!

Photo books have been received and to say I'm pleased with them is an understatement.  I've now got another Christmas present - granddaughter's prom record - and a photographic record of 2012.  I've started cleaning out the files for 2013.  Italian holiday photos have been sorted and uploaded to the relevant site, so I've a smaller selection for that book.  I've also cleaned the files for 2012 ready to go on disc.  Unfortunately the discs I want (archival ones) are out of stock at the moment so they'll have to wait.  Think this photo business is going to be a life time's work as I'm trying to get them in order, clear out the rubbish ones and put them to disc in years.  A lot of work just from the digi photo side without those that go back pre digi and need scanning and sorting.

Not sure what pics to add to this post - there's just so many ...

Last June our next door 'forever' neighbours moved.  They were living next door when we moved here in 1988.  How long before that I don't know.  They were left a property in a flatter part of the area so they had it modernised and moved there ... they are both well into their 70s and one has knee problems the other, hips.  It made sense.  Property was bought by a guy for his daughter, who subsequently moved in 3 weeks later, after it had been modernised.  The new occupant is a young, unmarried Mum with a toddler (and now another on the way).  A few days later we met another of the new occupants and who has become a very regular visitor.  Not always welcome, I have to say.  Not when she finds the open fanlight window in our bedroom and visits at 1 o'clock in the morning!  I think she thinks she has 2 homes.  The one where she can come for a cuddle and peace and quiet and the one where she gets fed.  She doesn't here as we've tried not to encourage her but that may change come November as we've now been asked if we'll feed her while the neighbour goes on holiday ... as she visits us anyway - lol!

Honey ... making herself comfie on hubby's wheelchair.  A British Blue - I think.

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Boring couple of days ...

... and a headache!  I blame that on the OH.  Yesterday he mentioned that I'd been really good with headaches of late and I had been - until last night and one started.  I went to bed with it and I got up with it.  It's been ..... can't remember how long, since I last had one.  If he'd kept quiet perhaps I'd not have this one now.  It's not bad but annoying, none-the-less :(

Yesterday we took a trip to Farnborough, about 1½ hours away from home.  OH had some new wheels for his wheelchair, ordered from Germany and they needed fitting.  They're super duper, bells and whistles all singing and dancing and I'm hoping they'll get him out from under my feet a couple of days a week.  I'm hoping they get him back to his shooting which hasn't happened for 4 years or so now. Not since the problem started with his thumb back in 2009 and has been ongoing with his left arm, in one way or another, since.  These wheels each have a motor in the hub that assists with mobility - it aids him pushing himself by taking some of the strain and is, supposedly, particularly helpful over rough ground.   They have their own axle and that is what had to be fitted and he had to have instruction on how to use them.  

I should have stayed at home or taken my Kindle!  It was boring, snoring. We were just round the corner from the Art of Craft craft shop so I took a stroll there when I went to get us some lunch.  Got there and then couldn't be bothered to go in, just looked in the cheap bins outside and didn't see anything that took my fancy in them.

The one thing of note from the trip?  I recognised one of the guys sitting at a computer when we arrived but didn't know why.  Just a very familiar face to me.  While we were there a young guy came in and he was measured for a wheelchair ... a tennis wheelchair and 'ding' a light bulb went off.  The guy I recognised was a Paralympian and not just any old Paralympian.  It was our top medal winning wheelchair tennis player, Peter Norfolk, OBE - and the guy who was our flag bearer, leading the British team, at the opening ceremony of the Paralympics London 2012.  He's retired since the games but the business we visited is his.

Anyway, there I was in the company of 3 Paralympians ... my OH (Atlanta 1996), Peter (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012) and Nathan Milgate (Beijing 2008, London 2012)  long time friend of OH's and who we've known since he was a lad needing his parents to ferry him around.  He was the one who was dealing with OH and his wheels.  Anyway, axle fitted, wheels tested and day (manual) wheels adapted to new axle and home we went.

In my 'brief' catch up post last October I mentioned eldest grandson had got married in September.  He's not long celebrated his first wedding anniversary.  It was a reason for another photo book. Completed this one a few months ago now and I did 2 versions.  One was a copy for both sons - grandson's Dad and bridesmaid's Dad.  Neither wanted photos of the other families involved (ex daughter-in-law's or bride's side) so I did one without them but I've also done one with them using the some of the professional photos and snagged ones from Facebook.  They said they were going to give me copies of discs others gave them but they weren't forthcoming so I did the best I could with what I found and this is the result ....

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