We don't live the high life do we??

The heading is a little misleading because I did live the high life for just about an hour.  It was amazing, especially for a person who doesn't "do" planes.

Just as we were taking off

That's me in that shadow on the most beautiful day
How proud I was that I did it

In that little dinky toy down there is Richard and David chasing us
ready to pick us up.  It's just a shame they lost us !!!!

I have to say it was an incredible experience and I thank David and Eleanor very much, especially Eleanor as she is a fairly new pilot and she put me so much at ease I could only enjoy the flight.

The next photo is back to our cats again, well Sophie actually.  Why is it, when you put protective blankets on your bed so you don't get hair everywhere, they always want YOUR blanket.

Perhaps if I keep very still, mummy won't notice

We went to see our nephew and family last week and it's always a lot of fun there and you never know what you are going to see or who you are going to have a meal with.  You are always surrounded by dogs, cats and chickens, and these two, bless them, had decided to lay their eggs on the dresser in the outside eating area in a basket of walnuts!!  They didn't care at all that we were eating our meal beside them, (thank goodness it wasn't chicken) they just know they have to be there for days hatching their babies.  How cute are they and so very, very pretty.

Contented, happy bantams

Here are some they prepared earlier

Having fun knitting these hats

I wish I could wear hats, but not having much hair, I just
looked like a boiled egg with a cosy on!!!

I'm sure you must have seen enough by now so I will save the others for another day.  The weather is getting warmer now and hopefully we are going to be able to start our kitchen in a couple of weeks time.  We have to dig out the floor that is there and put down a base (it now has tiles laid on mud) and re-tile.  A horrid, very dirty job but we can't wait to get it done.  We have lost quite a lot of furniture and food due to damp and mildew so bring it on!!!

I will sign off now, take care all my family and friends and remember, spring is just around the corner, so close we can almost smell it.

Just a few random snapshots

Not one particular subject to talk about today but a few photos to share.  The first couple are of our beautiful cats who are so pleased to have us back even though their "Uncle David" spoils them while we are away.  I will always worry in case they get a bit uppity on our return and pack their little spotted hankies on a stick and walk up the road to their other parent!!

They have become good friends

No mummy, this is our bed

The next picture is rather sad.  I found this beautiful lapwing struggling in the field behind our pond and went to rescue it, as Sooty was there as well.  There wasn't a mark on it so don't know what the problem was apart from the fact that it couldn't seem to fly.  I don't think it was Sooty as the bird is almost as big as he is and I would have thought there would be some damage. There are telephone wires overhead so whether or not it went into those I'm not sure.  I warmed it up, kept it in a box to let it get it's wind back, but unfortunately it died.  I was amazed at the colour of it though, his back was an incredible dark petrol green and it was a very special moment to be able to hold it for just a while.

How beautiful

The next photo should bring back a few memories to some people.  Richard and I are really enjoying it, to drink the coffee from it or just look at it.  It was sitting in mum and dad's kitchen for - I don't know how many years, and I finally asked if I could bring it back home with me.  Isn't it the most glorious coffee pot?  Very retro and very authentic.

Is it from the 70's or the 80's?

This last photo was taken on Richard's birthday in January while we were in the UK when we all went out for lunch, all our family and 2 very special friends.  I just love the fact that my mum and Jaime are sharing a special joke and look so cheeky.

3 generations apart and can still share a joke - priceless

 Well that's about it for now.  Hello to all my friends who read this but don't leave a comment so it was such a lovely surprise to me to know they look in.  Hopefully some craft items will be put on next time.  Also, a "hello" to my beautiful sister and her family.  Love you guys.

How lucky am I ???

I may be in my PJ's, but who on earth cares?  Not me.   How many people can say they were dancing with their 93 year old father to let in the New Year?  I love you dad.

I must plan to achieve

Now is the time to start planning as to what I am going to make for gifts for next year.  Clare had given me inspiration with her cross stitching and I loved doing it, so it makes sense to plan what to do next.  The idea of just having one colour thread works really well for me so this is where I start.  I also want to create something for over my fireplace and I have the idea of three framed cross-stitch words, but it is surprising how difficult it is to think of 3 words that mean a lot to Richard and me without being too obvious.  Below are a couple I did as gifts this Christmas.



One version finished



Another version unfinished

What I need to do next time is make sure I stitch them the right size so I can get a frame to fit.  I couldn't get one for either of these and it makes the gifts rather expensive to have them made!!!!  Clare is the planner and I usually "borrow" her patterns, but this time I think I need to do it myself.

I am also going to do a quilting project with my friend in America and I am rather nervous about that because I'm not very proficient, but I am looking forward to the challenge.

We are going back to my parents for a couple of weeks now so I won't be able to access our computer again for a while.  I do have my patterns and graph paper though so I won't be idle.

Take care all of you, talk again soon.

Every picture tells a story

Looks like my dad telling one of his many funny stories

As the heading says, I am posting just one "Christmas" picture because this sums up our Christmas.  It is always a worry as to how things will turn out, but the decision to take my mum and dad to Clare and Kenny's for 6 days was certainly the right one.  You wouldn't believe, looking at this photo, that they are 93 and 91 would you?  The day we went for a walk was Boxing Day and although not raining, it was very, very windy, but my dad absolutely loved it.  They don't get out much any more and are rather worried about walking when on their own because if one goes down, they both go down, so to have the security of their granddaughter's arms was good.  When they go out now, it's my sister who usually takes them in the car either to the sea or to the New Forest, so I'm not saying they don't go out at all, far from it, just the walking part and that was something they loved to do.

We had a really wonderful time when we were in Cornwall with lots of good food and entertainment and we even went to see the Christmas lights at Mousehole on Boxing Day evening.  Beautiful and very festive.  Again, my dad loved it and my mum stayed in that time.

We are now with Vicki and family and thoroughly enjoying catching up with the children.  We went for a New Year's day walk yesterday and it poured with rain and we got drenched, but still managed to have a picnic and stop at a pub on the way back.  There were about 18 of us so a lot of fun and as you can imagine, the children were very excited, all on their bikes and absolutely filthy by the end of it.  So good to see children out in the open air in all weathers, rather than inside watching a TV.  A nice warm bath for them when we got back and the end of a lovely day.

We will be going back to my mum and dad's soon and try and catch up with other family and friends.  We are here in the UK until the end of January so we have a little time yet.

I wish all of you a very Happy and healthy New Year and I look forward to chatting to you all again soon.