Garden, birthday and crafts to make

I don't think I appreciated all the rain we had back in May and June because since we had the heatwave a few weeks ago our poor garden really took the brunt of all that sun and dry weather. Although we have kept it watered (obviously not enough!) our lawn is awful, with large patches of yellow (dead looking) grass and although people say 'it will come back again' I really don't see how. Fortunately we do have a few large paved areas where we plant up shrubs and flowers in pots, so all is not completely lost.

I got the inspiration for this step-ladder display a few weeks ago when I saw it here where Elaine had visited an open garden and posted a photo.
 I loved the idea and was soon on a mission to re-create it in my own garden.

Many years ago I bought this old Singer Sewing machine treadle table. I bought some decking wood and after cutting it to size and varnishing it, attached it to the top to create a display for some of my pots, which takes on a different look from year to year.

 I love potting up old garden trugs, tin buckets and pails, old boxes and birdcages

These potted areas have always been a favourite and again changeable from year to year

My herb garden is also in a large pot just outside my kitchen door - so useful for popping out to snip what I want, when I want

I bought this old milk can in a little local vintage shop which has the letters UN on the front. Not sure what that could mean, so I'm digging (excuse the pun) and delving on the internet to find out its history.

It was my birthday yesterday and I had such a lovely day - a trip out to Sudbury in Suffolk, where my daughter E took me to lunch with grandson L

And in the evening, with the whole family we went out to dinner at a local Tapas bar - very nice it was too!

My two gorgeous boys 

I had lots of lovely pressies and must show you just a couple before I go

This lovely Handmade Glamping book

which features so many fabulous crafting ideas which I am definitely going to make a start on -soon!

and this handy little book which will come in useful on our forthcoming campervan trips

and last but by no means least this gorgeous set of vintage looking china ice cream dishes complete with spoons (from Lakeland) - love them

Bye for now

xx

Results are in, and...........

 WOOHOO!!!

 I passed my finals and have been offered my

 BA (Hons) in Humanities with Classical Studies. 

I am absolutely overjoyed and my head is still in the clouds.

I got the results on my iPhone on Saturday when John and I were out having lunch

and all I had to do was press a button to find out - nervous or what.

Needless to say I burst into tears!

We popped in to see our daughter E and her family, where it would have been rude not to take a bottle of Champers, wouldn't it

Everyone in the family were thrilled and the phone hasn't stopped ringing

John took me out for a meal in the evening to celebrate - to a newly opened Bistro Cafe called the Beach Hut - literally right on the beach at Westcliff

Shame the tide was out - but hey you can't have everything!

Before I finish,  I must just tell you - several years ago before I started blogging, I was rooting around in my loft - as you do, and I found these old autograph books from my childhood

and at the time I was really struggling with one particular module - almost at the point of giving up altogether - when I happened to find something my dad had written when I was nine years old. To say this kept me going is no exaggeration - I tore it out and put it into my pin board above my computer for continued motivation.

He was soooooo right of course

Then - I found this my grandad had written at the same time (I think this had been a Christmas present and I was making the most of all my family - there are more, lots)

and this was to become the original inspiration for my Blog title!

The stuff I have in my loft is unbelievable and I dread to think of how we'll shift it if ever we move - but sometimes this stuff has its uses.

Anyway I want to thank everyone who commented on my last post about Working under pressure - and apologise for not replying personally but I took on board what you had to say and realise that I'm not the only one who works better when life is pretty busy.

Well - my graduation is booked, 20th September at the Barbican Centre in London and my Academic gown has been ordered and now I really can get on with my life.

Thanks to you all for listening to my moans and groans over the last couple of years and for the motivation you have given me, it meant a lot.

xx

Working under pressure

Do you know, I've decided that I definitely work better under pressure. When I was studying for all those years I systematically sat myself down for three hours every afternoon during the week to read my books, make notes and write essays. That being so I arranged my life around this - shopping, housework, washing, ironing - you know all the mundane but important things we do to keep a nice home, plus meet up with friends for coffee or lunch, browse around the odd charity shop or two, go to the gym, bake cakes and more importantly write my blog.

So - why is it that now I no longer have this chain around my neck, do I not have the time to fit these things into my daily life? I constantly start one job only to find I end up doing another. The gym, well that's been a  definite no-no!

Do you remember me telling you I was looking forward to reading normal books again? - hasn't happened.

and as for charity shops - haven't been in one for months. 

As for gardening - well the weather didn't help - too wet for months and now too hot and dry (not complaining of course) - must get out there soon

Baking - well it's simply not happening

I was looking forward to starting on some new crafting projects too - loads in the magazines I'd been buying. Have I? No.

As for my blog, this was the one thing I knew that I would definitely make the time for as I so enjoy writing but in fact I'm only putting out about one a week on average at the moment, and I miss it.

If I could organise my life during my Uni years then there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to fit these things into my life now. I kept to a strict routine. So - I have planned out a new weekly routine, give or take the odd spontaneous-something-different-to-do-kind-of-days and I'm all set for a change.

Is this going to happen I wonder? I've often heard people say when they're particularly busy "life simply gets in the way of life" - is this so? Am I being too rigid or should I just take life as it comes and do what I want, when I want.  I think maybe secretly I'm awaiting the results of my degree (fourteen days and counting) before I get back to normal living again. Well that's my excuse anyway...

I'd love to know if you work better under pressure?

A little bit of France

We came back last weekend from Brittany where we stayed with friends K and F who have been living in Plougourvest for ten years. This was our last visit as they are returning to the UK in September. I must just show you a glimpse of their lovely home and gardens. We are in such awe of their achievements in turning this old pig farm into a gorgeous, tastefully refurbished four bedroom house, complete with barns, porkery and outbuildings.

Their property is at the end of a mile long lane outside of the village and very remote

Farm fields surrounding them for as far as you can see

growing produce such as artichokes, cauliflowers and much much more

This is the first view you have when arriving

After our nightly barbecues we would stroll down to the bottom of their garden which is a good acre or more? (not sure what an acre looks like but its BIG!)

To the fast running stream which borders their property from the adjoining farmland

Cutting their huge lawn at the rear with their two sit-on mowers was beginning to take its toll so now they have left the middle to form a woodland meadow, attracting all manner of birds and insects.

 The muddy rings in the cut lawn around the meadow are made by the moles - a nightly and frustrating occurrence - there would literally be approximately 20 or 30 new molehills each morning!

Foxgloves grow everywhere with gay abandon 

Such a delight to wander these beautiful wooded areas

Our gentle stroll down through the meadow and gardens generally took about half an hour and we couldn't believe that it was still light at ten o-clock at night.

And so a return to their more formal gardens behind the house and a welcome glass of chilled wine to complete our evening!

Hope you enjoyed our evening strolls as much as we did

 ************

A big welcome to my new follower Sue at Beach bungalow

Thanks for popping by and see you again soon x

Our new toy

With John's impending semi retirement as from August - a three day week - we have indulged in a new toy. Something that I've wanted for years but John was not so keen. Anyway, with a sudden change of heart he agreed that we might think about it. Well, with that I was on the case and went headlong into searching which did not take long I can tell you. With just a small amount of prompting and a visit to a local showroom John finally took the bull by the horns and said yes. So - this is it. Meet our little VW campervan

I'm absolutely overjoyed - a dream come true.

For our first trip we visited our daughter and family who have a static caravan on a site at St Lawrence Bay in Essex

It was a bit of a learning curve but because we were with experienced caravanners we knew we'd have help if needed.

We've had a couple of overnight stays so far but now our holidays are all out of the way we hope to spend more time 'glamping' (which is something I'd never heard of before but apparently the 'in' word at the moment)

 So - at the end of the day John is smitten with our new toy and hasn't looked back. Looking forward to some great weekends away and lovely days out.

Be in touch again soon x