Friday 26th June

This morning, we, like the rest of the world were looking at the news, trying to digest it and thinking - I wonder what has happened. I hope that Michael Jackson's family, friends and most especially his children are given the time, space and support they need to come to terms with their tragedy. And that most of all the media leave them alone to grieve. I fully appreciate MJ's role in music history, but whilst he was never a fave of mine, do feel that like so many others his music along with many others too does form the backdrop to all of our lives.

Jamie headed off to school this morning with his project and Bushy the squirrel, I never realised a small cuddly toy would take so long to make, tucked safely under his arm. Well all was good -Jamie got 10 merits for his project (the highest in his class, along with another boy (proud Mummy boast there, sorry)), it was a good project, so now he has set the standard! Clearly the trick is to get him to do his project on the computer - lesson learnt!

I had a busy day, as later in the day it was the school summer fayre. I was going to make a couple of flower arrangements as raffle prizes. I thought I would go down the easy route with one and make my favourite line arrangement, and was lucky enough to find some stunning roses in Asda, the arrangement looked fab. For the second I thought I would do a hand-tied arrangement, with roses, carnations, gyposphilia and soft ruscus. I am not totally competent at hand-tieds but I think it looked OK and managed to remember how to tie the cellophane so I could pour water into it and have it stand. And silly me forgot to take a photograph of it or the cakes!

After I had finished those I started making cakes. I decided to make tiny cakes, in petite four cases. The children just love them as they are one or two bites big! Rather than have a lot of fuss I cheated and used a packet mix, or rather a shake and bake mix. I will use them again as they were so convenient and I had cakes in the oven in less than 5 minutes flat! I made about 48 little cakes, sadly I didn't get a picture of them, and decorated them with melted chocolate, sprinkles, buttons etc. They always go down well with the children. And they must have done, because by the time we got to the cake stall there were none left, none for us to buy to bring home, poor Jamie, Mike and me - we were looking forward to a couple of those with a cup of tea!

There were plenty of others cakes and biscuits so Jamie managed to get himself some, he had a drink and a hot dog too! Then he had a go on several of the stalls, lucky dip, tombola, lucky lollies etc and bought himself a little car on the toy stall. The fayre was very much orientated towards the children making it, running it and for their fun, which was good. He enjoyed himself. Some stalls had managed to make it outside as the weather had not been good during the day. By the time we walked home, it was very hot indeed! It turned out to be very successful raising over £1000 so a good afternoon all round.

We chilled out for the rest of the evening, Jamie did his guitar practice as the Music Festival is now less than a week away - when you have children you feel as though you get one thing out of the way and then there is the next - and I wouldn't change it for anything!

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton

Jamie's Reading challenge 1/12 - currently reading Clean Break by Jacqueline Wilson
SLYMI - 1/52

Can't Quite Believe What Has Happened

Thursday 25th June - Michael Jackson is Dead

Got on with all the usual stuff today, a very normal and typical day. I was looking after Kian after school for a few hours, so collected him from school along with Jamie. We haven't seen much of him lately, Jamie and Kian must have had a little spat but things appear to be fine and dandy again now. I have to try not to intefere or get too involved, which is not easy for me. I have to let Jamie sort some things out for himself now, but oh it is difficult. I don't get it right all the time, but I am getting better at it!

We had a lovely dinner of spaghetti bolognese and J and K played, albeit being very noisy! After Kian went home, I made sure Jamie's project was ready to hand in and all I needed to do was finish off making a small cuddly grey stuffed animal squirrel. I thought it would only take me short time, but it took me hours and hours and hours! So whilst I was doing that I was flicking through the TV channels.

Well - I guess it is going to be one of those moments where you will always remember where you were, like Elvis (on holiday at Stratford upon Avon with my Mum and Dad), Lockerbie (at my Dad's), Princess Diana (Mike and I were at my Dad's again!) and 9/11 (I had been shopping with Jamie and Mike was on nights - I had to wake him up!). It seemed as though the news was going to be bad as soon as I saw the headline, sometimes you just get a gut feeling about these things, but the BBC waited until it was confirmed, Michael Jackson was dead. Whenever there is anything this major I always need to have the BBC on, it is like that tried and trusted friend and a kindof comfort zone too, something familiar.

In a way it didn't surprise me, he never did look well or strong but it will still have an enormous impact on a lot of people, all around the world and in so many walks of life, and not least his family. There are bits of his music which I like but I have never been a big fan of his, but I can appreciate the unique position he holds in the history of 'pop' music. He certainly was a complex person and maybe we will never know exactly who he was and what the reasons were behind some of the things he did. It is always sad when someone is beginning to claw their way back and they get thwarted in the most tragic and cruel ways. And most of all, it is his three children who need love, care and support at this time, their loss will be unimaginable.

I always find the role of the media during these major events interesting, but I do have to question whether it was necessary for us to be shown them unloading his body from the helicopter into the Coroner's van. Surely, no matter who you are you should be allowed the dignity to not have that broadcast for public consumption, and as it was in this case, over and over again. I may continue that one tomorrow. But for now RIP Michael Jackson.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Wednesday 24th June

A quiet day today, which is nice

did some chores,
helped Jamie with his project (but only a little bit!)
sat in the garden and enjoyed the sunshine.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Tuesday 23rd June

Trying to catch up on all my jobs at the moment, there always seems to be something to do, but almost caught up on the washing and ironing especially as the weather has been so good. I hate ironing!

Binnie had to go to the vets for her check up - thankfully she is doing really really well and her stitches and wound are healing up very nicely. I seem to have lost my impetus for my walking too at the moment, so I really need to get back on top of that too. Perhaps I should set myself a fitness challenge, perhaps a 'Greatest Loser' style week!

I've bought a 'temporary' set of drawers to keep some of my scrapbooking bits in as they seem to be taking over the office (crafting space, writing/blogging space and 101 others things too!) at the moment, so I need to put them together and clear some space - maybe then I can get down to some scrapbooking at the weekend too. Is it just us, or does everyone have a serious lack of storage space?

I cannot believe it is this far into the year already, time just seems to be flying past at an alarmingly fast pace. Today was the music festival auditions and hooray Jamie got through, despite his being very nervous. So now it is practice, practice, practice until the day of the festival. He is also busy doing his project on grey squirrels, but thankfully we are not going to be as stressed as last time as he has put a good quantity of work into it already.

I'm finally getting around to reading T is for Trespass, I have held onto this for some time now, but then the next one may be on its way before too long too. I am well behind with all of my fave authors (Cornwell, Kava, Reichs, Slaughter as well as Sue Grafton) at the moment, so need to get stuck into my reading challenge!


Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Monday 22nd June

All the usual stuff today, Mike was doing his Aylesbury Friars bits today. We've been tasked with putting the club's membership forms onto a database of some kind, which I have told Mike I am happy to do, so he is going to set something up for me to work on. I think Friars is just the coolest thing and Mike has done an amazing job with his website, I am immensely proud of him - don't always tell him tho' (perhaps I should!).

Jamie has been practising his fave piece of music for his audition for the school concert, I am in no doubt that he will get through but I'm always anxious for him. He has been practising "When The Boat Comes In" which he can play very well, but when he is practising he is getting nervous, so it's lots of deep breaths. As we get nearer and nearer the end of term things start to get busier and busier with lots of things going on at school. He also has a project due in at the end of this week which is about grey squirrels so we need to do some finishing touches to that as well, although thankfully we have pushed him a bit to do some work on it already. He appears to be much happier sat at the computer writing his project than doing it by hand, but I guess that is the way of the world now.

I had a bit of a funny turn this evening, felt very sick and was a little sick. I am guessing it is something to do with my age and that thing that is on the horizon beginning with M. I have known for some time that I am perimenopause, but have not had too many symptoms but when I looked it up, yes overwhelming nausea, something like morning sickness (and that is just what it was like) is all part of the package. I tend to look at it as there isn't anything I can do about it, so better just deal with it! I might keep some ginger biscuits in from now on as they worked quite well with morning sickness.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Father's Day

Father' Day so definitely a day to relax and chill. Lazy breakfast, we even got the Sunday papers today (we don't get them that often any more 'cos we just don't get time to read them). Jamie made Mike a lovely card, all by himself and I had knocked something up too. I'm not really a card maker, don't get the same buzz from it that I do scrapbooking, guess it has something to do with telling a story. But when I have used my supply of cards I will have a go at a few, 'cos a homemade card is a nice thing to receive.

We got Mike a couple of books for Father's Day, I've noticed that we so rarely buy CD's these days now we are Napster people. We chose Stuart Maconie - Adventures on the High Teas and Mark Radcliffe's Thank You For the Days: A Boys Own Adventures in Radio, both are right up Mike's street and he has read and enjoyed one of Stuart Maconie's other books.

We decided to go to Dobbies for coffee and cake, which we really enjoyed. I picked up some bedding plants whilst we were there. While Mike fired up the BBQ, I potted up some hanging baskets and pots. I unearthed a very large ant nest full of eggs, so boiled the kettle a couple of times to help get rid of. Having Jamie and Binnie means I am very very reluctant to use any chemicals in the garden.

Had an enjoyable BBQ and strawberries and cream afterwards, lovely! We watched Top Gear in amazement as Schumacher was 'revealed' as The Stig, well maybe for that day he was. After that we all had an early night, which we were in need of.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Saturday 20th June

Our Day

We were planning to have a quiet day and we did just that, the weather was pretty good and we pottered and relaxed. We've been trying to find a few minutes to get the garden tidy and we have got most of it clean and cleared now, Mike just has the job of preserving all the garden furniture, which he is hoping to do over the next couple of weeks, Aylesbury Friars allowing!

Jamie had his friend G around to play this afternoon, she is a gorgeous, feisty blonde and they have been friends since nursery school, oh yes and she has a smile that can melt your heart! Jamie most of the time is noisy, G is noisy, but put them together and they play brilliantly, no hassle or problems at all today and they are quiet. I just need to know how does that work? G is a little bit afraid of Binnie but got more used to her this afternoon. They wanted to call for another friend who lives close by, but I am protective mum and will not let Jamie go out on his own yet, so we said next time when we can arrange it with L's Mum. They had a lovely afternoon rounded off with pizza and ice-cream. Mike and I ate later, we had an Indian takeaway, how naughty was that!

Parenting Dilemmas

Jamie is now at that age, where some of his friends are allowed to go out and knock for friends to play, he isn't. Whilst he accepts that fact and understands the reasons we have given him, it is one of the issues that can be a challenge. I don't believe that they are wrong and we are right, I just believe that we do things differently, they do what suits their family and we do what suits ours and that is what we try to explain to Jamie. We are lucky to have a small play area at the end of our street and Jamie is allowed to play there on his own for now and for Mike and I that is enough. Jamie has been very good in respecting the boundaries we have set for him and that is pleasing and reassuring and he knows in due course we will extend them. I think you just have to have the confidence and belief that you are making the right decision for your child and family, I'm a great believer in gut instinct and that if it feels wrong, then it probably is wrong. But I'd love to know what other parents think.

The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner (possible spoilers)*
*just as a warning I will do my best not to spoil the plot!

We love Doctor Who in this house, in all its forms (TV, DVD, toys, magazines, collectors cards, exhibitions, audio books and books) and I have enjoyed reading all of the books in this series so far. I'm working my way through a box set of 10 novels, and this is the 7th in the series. I also have to confess that I had already heard this story on audio CD, but I still really enjoyed it.

This is a complex story, with, in Doctor Who speak, much crossing of time lines, backwards and forwards time travel and potential paradoxes, for the need to get my head around all of that it was an enjoyable read. The story starts at The British Museum where Micky Smith has found a statue that looks just like Rose, so the Doctor and Rose head off to Ancient Rome to investigate. They quickly become embroiled in a mystery when they meet Gracilis, whose son has disappeared and they help him, of course when would Rose and the Doctor not come to someone's aid. The story leads Rose to become a model for a sculptor, Ursus, and the Doctor visits many of the famous sights of Rome. They also come to the aid of a slave girl Vanessa who it is believed can predict the future, but she is not all that she appears.

Where the book is so successful is in portraying the characters of Rose and The Doctor, they are just as you have grown to love them from the television series and the relationship between them is drawn beautifully. The story cleverly hints at all of the undercurrents in their relationship and you feel their bond very strongly. The story is pacey and I found, whilst reading it relatively quickly I was always wanting to read just a few more pages even if I was very tired. The story for me comes into its own when it begins to explain how all of the events have taken place and how it describes multi-layered time-travel. A jolly good read, lots of fun and I'm looking forward to the next one.


Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Finally - They Are All Gone!

Friday 19th June

As Mike was off to do a couple of bits for his Mum this morning, I thought I would send over a couple of arrangements for her, so he was sent out with them and a list of the foliage I needed from her garden to complete my last arrangement. And I got on with all of my usual bits and pieces around the house. Binnie getting on very well, Jamie safely at school and I had Metallica on loud.


Mike came home with some exciting news, there is going to be another Friars Gig (hooray), after last time I can hardly wait - Friday October 23rd with Stiff Little Fingers. Check out full details at http://www.aylesburyfriars.co.uk/.
We are going to have a busy October, what with birthdays, wedding anniversery, Spandau Ballet, Sound of Music, La Cage Aux Folles (with John Barrowman) and now a Friars Gig too. My own musical taste is nothing if not eclectic!

So here it is, I think I did about 14 arrangements with the flowers I bought at CRM, so actually they worked out very reasonably priced per arrangement! This arrangement is an asymetrical arrangement, it is triangled shaped, I tend to think of it as either an L or backward L - this one is the backward L. I am very pleased with this one. I had got some chyosia (a favourite, I love the smell), conifer, variegated laurel and a couple of other bits off Mike's Mum and they worked incredibly well. I used the conifer to give me the line and height, then used alstro to support the line, the lillies took centre stage backed up with peony (are they ever going to open?) and carnations.

Mike and I went up to school to view the portraits the children had painted during creativity week and have a look at the scrapbooks they had done. Jamie was disappointed he hadn't won anything in the competition (he should - but I'm going to say that). The winner was very good, I told Jamie he should be very proud of his, he had done all of the work himself and that is very important! Here is a picture of Jamie with his self portrait.

Jamie was happy, it is the weekend and all his new clothes arrived, (he chose his own this time with only a little help from me - I love Next online, have I mentioned I hate shopping!). He has got some super t-shirts and lots of shorts for the summer and very expensive sandals (Timberland). Mike is happy there is going to be another Friars Gig, I'm happy Mike is home for the weekend so we are going to have a lovely family, chillin weekend.


Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
SLYMI - 1/52

Thursday 18th June

Even More Flower Arranging

All the usual stuff was going on today, Jamie off to school, Mike at work and Binnie is doing very well, still watching her carefully so she doesn't do too much. She is a runner and jumper and that is not the best thing for her at the moment, we don't want her damaging her stitches.

I still have a house full of flowers so I've made some more flower arrangements today, I will get all of these flowers into arrangements before they go over, I will, I will, I will! And I would like my kitchen back!

A very simple one to start with, 3 gerbera all the same height in identical candlesticks (Ikea). I've also used the crystal accents (water retaining gel) for added interest in the base, I added a little bit of steel grass, as I just had some there! This one has been Mike's favourite so far, typical, and I just threw this one together!

This one was me trying to be clever, we have this lovely pewter statue/ornament and I wondered what would it look like with some lilies poking through the holes, well I guess you pays your money, so to speak. I really like it and to be honest it hasn't photographed very well, but sort of Ikebana (ish) and modern. and very easy to do with 3 flowers and a bit of ivy and conifer. I think it lost something, because there were so many other flowers around, standing on its own it may have had more impact.

This arrangement was supposed to be me interpreting an arrangement, sounds better than copying (!) I had seen but, I didn't have the right flowers apart from the sunflowers and I didn't have the right vase, so this is my interpretation of that arrangement. I've used sunflowers, carnations, carthamus, hazel, ivy, fatsia, and I've covered the floral foam in laurel leaves so it didn't show through the glass vase, in that sense it was an experiment/challenge and practice (hopefully).

For my next arrangement, the gerbera are starting to go, so I just popped them and a few carnations into some foliage I had left over from another arrangement, I am now running very short of foliage. I daren't say to Mike I need to get some foliage as the flower budget has been well and truly spent this week! I'd had my favourite rose line arrangement in this pot previously, I have found as long as I have kept the oasis wet and haven't prodded too much at the oasis (ie I've got the flower in the correct position first time) I can usually re-use oasis at least twice, I've sometimes managed 3 or 4 times, which does spread the flower budget!

Sadly our garden is pretty small and is aimed at keeping a young child happy and having somewhere we can sit, eat, BBQ and read. As the soil in MK is pretty poor we were constantly battling against it flooding in winter when it became like a bog and we couldn't step foot on it, not nice when two dogs were running around on it too and bringing the mud back in, or it drying solid in summer and having huge cracks. So we decided to have a contemporary garden with no grass and only pots and baskets, which is not much use to a flower arranger!

Below is what I call an Odyssey arrangement (a "Use It Up and Wear It Out"!!! (sorry!)), and other than a few bits I have kept back for another arrangement tomorrow, this is the last few bits and I sort of just bunged it all in. This one along with the round one got sent over to Mike's Mum.

And finally, an old fashioned looking arrangement with lilies, alstro, chrysanthemum, carnations and peony. It should be a triangle, but it has almost made it! I am beginning not to like these lilies as they are SO strongly scented, they are a bit overpowering.

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 2/16 - currently reading T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton

SLYMI - 1/52 (with all this flower arranging am I ever going to get scrapbooking again?)

Wednesday 17th June

TLC for Binnie and A Bit More Flower Arranging ....

Binnie is looking much more like her normal self this morning, although much slowed down from her normal speed, and she is taking great care when moving about. Fortunately I haven't had to use the buster collar on her yet as she is showing no interest in her stitches. She has to refrain from jumping up and not dash around in her usual Jack Russell style. Below, one of her favourite places to sit, comfort being the least she expects!

For those who don't know JR's are totally tenacious and have no idea that they are small dogs. They are full of spirit, fun, devilment, curiosity, and can be the cutest things going. She has all of those qualities in abundance. She is pretty well behaved and tends only to bark when provoked, by us playing with her, when she sees a cat (and there are quite a few of those in our neighbourhood) or she hears another dog barking. Sadly she doesn't get on with our cat, Twinkle, who is about 11 (she was a rescue, so we don't know for sure) and Twinkle positively hates her! But then whenever Binnie sees her, she chases her so can you be surprised? I will fill in bits about Twinkle another day. Jamie and Binnie in a usual position, she adores Jamie and considers it her job to make sure he is OK at all times, even when he is playing in the park, she sits on the edge of the sofa and watches him out of the window. She whimpers and whines if she sees him, or thinks he has a problem, I know what he is doing just by listening to her!

I did indulge her and spent a lot of the day giving her some serious TLC on the sofa, I watched Hannibal Rising, which was OK, but nothing special, well not for me - none of the sequels, prequels have lived up to Silence of the Lambs for me. That first experience of Hannibal cannot really be beaten and the ending, "I'm having an old friend for dinner" what a shiver, but what humour!

I did manage to produce another couple of flower arrangements today, while Binnie slept. The first was in a vase, in which an oasis round fitted perfectly and I did a fairly simple line arrangement, using gerbera, at the back I used Bells of Ireland. I have wanted to get my hands on Bells of Ireland to have a go with for quite some time and had not managed to find any until Colombia Road. What I hadn't realised is they have a nasty little prickle on them and caught myself a couple of times whilst arranging them! I added carthamus and brought some bright green sisal to the front to take the lime green right through the arrangement. This one works perfectly on the shelf in the hallway!

The second arrangement, was supposed to be more of a challenge for me, but I found it came together very well and very easily. I arranged the foliage in low groups around a circular base of oasis, there is a space in the centre, which could be filled with, well whatever you want, I was putting a candle in mine. I have used a variety of foliage including ivy and conifer. The main height comes from Bells of Ireland again, I've made sure I trimmed the top leaves to give the tops of the flower a clean look. I've then grouped the other flowers around the arrangement, in 3's, 3 white roses, 3 white peony, 3 white alstro and finally 3 pink lillies. I think this one is super and will be using that design again, certainly at Christmas with some candles and lots of red and gold! And I still have tons of flowers left, so 5 arrangements thus far and counting!

Jamie got his second praise postcard at school today, well done Jamie! Here he is displaying his new postcard still covered in chocolate ice-cream around his mouth, boys! Although I do love the way he just doesn't care, his attitude is so what if I'm dirty I'm OK, I'm having fun, stop fussing mother! In that aspect he is so much like his Daddy, whose attitude is I'm clean and don't smell so what else is needed?

Well done Jamie on your praise postcard!

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52

Binnie

Tuesday 16th June - Binnie Has Her Operation

We had to be very organised and out early this morning, as today was a day I hadn't been looking forward to, today Binnie was heading off to the vets to be spayed, and I knew I was going to be very worried about her all day. I've always treated our animals as if they're part of the family, well they are part of the family and I'm incredibly soppy with them and spoil them to bits. Here she is sat on the sofa, looking totally gorgeous, she is such a cutie espcially with the colouring around her eyes. Both ears are down here, but more often than not, she can be found with one ear up and one ear down.

Binnie is a 2 year old Jack Russell and I have to say it was love at first sight on both sides between Binnie and I. When I went to look at some JR's, I wasn't going to have a brown/tan one and I wasn't going to have a girl. Binnie is tan and white and obviously a girl but I just fell for her BIG time! When I was looking at the puppies, they all went mad jumping up and down at the gate (except one which was eating sawdust - I avoided that one!). Then one really cute one which had been jumping up and down went to the back of the kennel sat down and just stared at me. Can I have a look at that one, said I, I picked her up and didn't put her back, in case she got mixed up! She still sits and stares at me when she wants something, feeding, letting out and mostly cuddling. Here is curled up with one of her toys when she was a puppy. As a puppy she would curl up on my chest and sleep, now she is bigger, she stills does it, and I can be found trying to watch my fave TV show around or over the top of her! Spoilt doesn't really come into it!!

She isn't used to be left at the vets, although she has been into kennels a couple of times, it wasn't going to be fun for either of us. We dropped Jamie round at Vicki's (lovely Vicki, who can cheer you up on any morning!), one of Jamie's school friend's Mum who was going to drop Jamie at school along with her daughter Lauren. Anyway we got her over to the vets about 8.20 am, and waited to see the nurse. We did all of the paperwork and chatted over what was going to happen and when we would be able to collect her, I then asked if they could ring when the op was done and just let me know all went well. Then we had to leave her, I held it together pretty well and I was pleased that I did.

I'd decided to head off to my floristry class as usual, something which a year ago I would not have been able to do, I would have sat at home worrying myself silly about it all. So I got stuck into my arrangment at class and waited for a phone call. It was not long in coming (thankfully) and by about 10.45 Mr Burke (who is a brilliant and wonderful vet) had rung Mike to say the op was done, she was ok and she had lifted her head. All she had to do now was come round fully from the anasthetic.

Today at floristry we made an arrangement in a glass with white sisal at the bottom before the oasis was placed and then the two candles were added (mine got a little bent on the way home!). We used the lovely white oasis again which was covered in gypsophilia, stunning white roses, carnations and eustoma (lisianthus) and added the silver thread. This would make a lovely table centre for a wedding or especially for a silver wedding anniversery.

Once I got home I was quite anxious to pick up Binnie as soon as possible, but she was still coming round when we rang at about 1.30pm, we needed to pick her up after about 3.30pm, so after collecting Jamie we headed off to get her. She was very pleased to see us and seemed to be in good spirits considering. She was not herself, in that she was quiet, subdued and very sleepy. Binnie is rarely subdued, in the normal course of things! She snuggled up with me once we got home and was quite happy to sleep for the rest of the day. But she was hungry, very hungry and was happy to clear up any food that was put down for her, which was a very good sign. She was given a special treat of some nice cooked chicken breast. The wound looked very neat and tidy and so fingers crossed it will heal quickly. She has a buster collar too but thus far has not shown any inclination to lick her wound, fingers crossed it goes on that way. Here she is being a little devil, you can see it on her face, she has run off with a bag of crisps, she is such a madam for running off with things!

I did feel a little sad, thinking that we would never be able to have any of her puppies, but as she has had 2 phantom pregnancies it was very much the best decision for her health and realistically, the best decision as if she had a litter I wouldn't have been able to give any of them away, especially if I had got around to giving them names (and I already have names picked out for several other dogs I woudl love). No probably not, so now just to work on Mike for getting the second dog! Below, she just looks so gorgeous! She is loved by all in the house, even Mike, though he would never admit it!

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52

Flower Arranging - Lots of Flower Arranging!

Monday 15th June

A usual day today, Jamie at school, Mike on a day off, so we pottered around doing bits and pieces and then went off to do our own things and it isn't any surprise that I have spent quite a bit of time flower arranging today. Even though I made 3 arrangements, I made no impact on the flowers, or that's how it felt. I went out and begged and borrowed some foliage from neighbours and here is what I did.




This is a parallel or continental arrangement, also one of my favourites to do as it can look striking. I have used orange roses (they maybe Babe or Marie-Claire but that is just a guess), orange gerbera, yellow/red spray chrysanthemum and carthamus. The roses and gerbera are done in line arrangements and the chrysanthemums and carthamus I've group in the middle around the hazel. I like keeping to a single colour palette too, as I believe it gives extra impact (and that particular colour works so well in our living room!) I've used a variety of foliage including fatsia, laurel, ivy amongst others which gives a variety of sizes and colours. I used some contorted hazel to add a bit of architectural interest. The 'mechanics' are oasis in an opaque glass dish. I love the dish as it works perfectly for this size continental arrangement. I was very happy with the arrangement.


I followed that with a line arrangement, which I did using oasis sat in a small black dish, which I then sat in an identical but larger black dish. I like making arrangements in black containers. I have used a phormium/cordyline to give the height and structure at the back of the arrangement and used them in the arrangement folded into hoops to give added interest at the bottom and take the foliage through the arrangement. Similar foliage to the last arrangement, with a couple of hoops of lime green sisal for some added interest on the left. Then a simple line arrangement of 5 orange gerbera, which I wired and guttered to give them added support and hopefully make them last a little longer. This is another of my favourite styles of arrangements, I like this one particularly because of the space that you can have in and around the arrangement, the clean and clear lines and that it looks so modern and contemporary.






Finally I did a small arrangement in an art-deco style tea-pot. I'd originally bought this to give to someone as a present, she was, at that time, like me into art-deco pottery, but it was another one of the things that she was 'into' for a brief period before she was 'into' something else, so I decided to keep it for myself and also managed to find a jug and coffee cup to match it, so I was very happy. Note to myself here I must blog about my pottery collection as I am still into my art-deco pottery, sadly it can be a bit too expensive at times, and also collect pottery by an Irish potter called Jack O'Patsy which is modern and I truly love it, it gives me lots of pleasure and is also super to use in my flower arranging.


This was a round, table centre, posy type arrangement, kind of cottage garden, chocolate box arrangement in a way. I used a tiny bit of foliage, wired individual stock flowers, peony and carthamus. I tried to use white/cream, green and orange to reflect the colours in the tea-pot. I'm not sure about this one, as it is not my own personal taste, but feel it is important to challenge myself and now wish I had done tiny complementary arrangements in the cup and jug - maybe next time. The photo also doesn't really show the arrangement at its best, another note to self, must do a short photography course, I did one years and years ago, but camera technology has come such a long way since then, need to learn it all again!


Hope you like them, and I would love to hear what other flower arrangers, florists have to say.

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52

Colombia Road Flower Market - Sunday 14th June

Currently listening to Metallica via their website.

It was a very early start today, we were all up just after 5 am, as Jamie and I had to be in Newport Pagnell to be on a coach at 6.30! Not the normal time of day for us to be up and about! Mike dropped us in NP ready for the coach, what a luxury not to have to be the one organising and arranging everything! We hopped on the bus, along with lots of other flower arrangers and headed off to Colombia Road Flower Market.

This gives an indication of how busy the market was, this photo was taken at around 11 am. Another view at around the same time, at the other end of the market and still very busy.

I had a long chat on the way down, whilst Jamie napped, to another flower arranger I'd met on another course, the time to London flew! We arrived safely at about 8.15 and my first task was to ensure Jamie got his bacon sandwich, it was my bribe to him for getting him up so early. Mike was working so Jamie had to accompany me, he was the youngest on the coach by a long shot and one of only 3 chaps and about 30 women!

After a couple of false starts we found a lovely coffee shop that was doing excellent breakfast baps, Jamie had sausage and scrambled egg with hot chocolate and I had bacon and scrambled egg with a latte, it was very welcome and very good. We were joined by another flower arranger, our coach had pretty much taken the cafe over, and we had an enjoyable breakfast chatting about flowers and Liverpool, she was from Liverpool originally. By the time we had finished breakfast and headed back out onto the street, the places to eat, which had been so hard to find at 8.15 am were open everywhere, perhaps to be sampled later.

The weather was glorious, the sun was beaming down and the narrow streets and cobbled lanes were looking lovely. So Jamie and I began browsing around the flower and plant stalls, not perhaps the most riveting thing for him, but for me with my flower arrangers hat on sheer heaven. There were flowers and plants as far as the eye could see, but there was also people, a lot of people and as the streets were narrow, you got pretty close!

There were stalls selling just about every plant you could want from big feature plants to bedding plants, all at very reasonable prices. People were constantly passing you laden, completely laden down with their purchases, heading off home for some Sunday morning gardening! There were other stalls which were just full of flowers of just about every colour and every variety. I was spoilt for choice, but I did ensure that we had a really good look around everything before I even thought about what I might buy.

To give me some thinking time and to ensure Jamie didn't get bored we headed off to the local park, and Jamie had a chance to have a really good play. We were playing on the see-saw, and I was just about to get onto it, when I heard a shout and saw Sue Billington and some of the others from the coach ready to take that shot of me on the see-saw, they shouted too soon, I didn't get on! I was rescued by Jade's (from my floristry class) other half Simon who helped push Jamie for a little while as I was getting tired! Below Jamie on the roundabout.

After the park we headed back and had a wander around some of the shops, which were full of wonderful arts and crafts gifts and bric-a-brac. I really enjoyed wandering around them, and a few of the flea-market shops too. There was also an amazing jewellery shop, with some of the most wonderful designer type jewellery I've seen , I'll be heading back to that shop with some funds next time I'm there.

I didn't want to start buying anything too soon, first because the prices come down, sometimes quite a lot as the day wears on, and the prices are good to start with and second, because I didn't really want to be weighted down carrying things for too long. I have always tried to suggest to Jamie that if he has some money to spend, he needs to ensure that he has had a good look around the shop he wants to spend the money in (eg The Lego Shop or ToysRUs) and look at everything he may want to buy before he makes any decision to part with his money. So I had to set a good example, but I always like to have a good look, before parting with any hard earned money!

It puts me in mind of craft fairs such as the big one they hold at Birmingham NEC in November. In 2007, I went up on my own and had a totally brilliant day, really enjoyed looking around and came home laden with loads of stash which I have had lots of fun using, and pretty much bought everything I needed or wanted, why because I'd had a really good look round first, then had my lunch and then spent my money in the afternoon. In 2008 I went with someone, and knowing what that particular person is like, I really ought to have known better, but we'd had a chat beforehand and had agreed a plan of action. Sadly, that person, who has a real buying obssession, just couldn't wait and had started buying after about 40 minutes. The first time she did it, I gave her some leeway, the second time, I left her to it and later in the day left her waiting whilst I made sure I got a couple of bits for Mike and Jamie. My first words to Mike when I got home where never again! The bits I had missed out on due to her selfishness I had to catch up with through the internet.

So before I parted with any money, we headed back to a stall we'd found selling some amazing home-made cakes and we had a piece of delicious chocolate cake each (sorry Jayne), but it was lovely. We stocked up on water for the journey home and headed into the vintage sweet shop to get a small bag of pick and mix for Mike, a bag which Jamie and I dipped into once or twice on the way home (sorry Mike!). There was no way I was going to let Jamie miss out on his cake, or taking home some sweets for his Daddy.

Here is one of the most handsome chaps I saw during the day, there was another couple of sausage dogs hanging out at the market too, who were incredibly cute too.

Here we are on our way back to the coach, again via the park, to give Jamie another breather from it all. We met up again with the lady who joined us for breakfast and we had another lovely chat. I have to say that I have met such lovely people through my flower arranging, that I really look forward to every class or demo I go to. I was also very proud of Jamie and the way he behaved all day, because it was not the most exciting thing for him to have to do. When I did see Sue B at my next floristry class, she said how good Jamie had been all day, so he can be very pleased with himself and he has shown what a super chap he is and how proud of him I was when I head that from Sue. Well done, sweetie pops!

Jamie slept most of the way home and Mike was waiting for us when we arrived back home in NP, after dinner, we all slept well after being up so early. But what did I buy? Well I bought

4 stems of hypericum,

5 stems Bells of Ireland

5 stems of Roses

1 stem Leatherleaf

9 stems scented stocks

and 5 stems carthamus

5 sunflowers

and 20 gerbera, which I picked up for £5 (can you believe that!)

10 peony

6 very big lilly

and a couple of lime green vases to put my flowers into, whilst they condition and before I arrange them.

Now I just have to create something with all of them!

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52

Saturday 13th June

Jamie and I headed out to the library this morning and stocked up more reading material and some books to help him out in his project about squirrels. After that we headed to Hobbycraft to see if they had a sew your own cuddly toy, in the form of a grey squirrel. They didn't have grey, but had a red squirrel, so we bought him and bought some grey fur fabric so we can copy the red onto grey - hopefully. We also bought a couple of make your own bracelets and hair accessories kits as a present for the party he was going to later in the afternoon.


After we got home and had lunch with Mike who was also home on his lunch-break we just chilled out and enjoyed ourselves. We had a game of backgammon and Jamie was beating me the whole way through the game, but I had the luck with the dice at the end of the game and managed to beat him almost with the last moves of the game!


Jamie was at his friend Lauren's birthday party this afternoon. We walked up to the community centre where the birthday party was, the weather was so lovely. We took Binnie and she was so good on the lead, I think it threw her that she had never walked that way before. When I got back I had a play on Facebook (a great time waster!) and caught up with some bits (about 40) that people had sent me. One of the other Mums, with a child at the party was on there too as I kept sending her stuff and she kept sending me stuff.


When Jamie got home he'd had a fantastic time, so we just chilled again and caught up with Robin Hood, and as I had predicted a couple of weeks ago Guy of Guisborne turned into a bit of a goodie, long may it continue. We are all having an early night in preparation for what we are hoping is going to be a bit of a special day tomorrow.


Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52

Friday 12th June - I Have A Manicure

Jamie had lots to remember this morning as his scrapbook had to be handed in at school and it was a non-uniform day when the children could dress up as what they want to be when they grow up. So scrapbook in hand, Jamie headed off to school dressed as James Hetfield from Metallica, the question I have to ask is - are we doing something right or wrong? Well he looked cool in jeans, Metallica t-shirt and shades, I drew the line with that hanky in the back pocket that Hetfield does - well it was school after all.

As for me after chores and bits, I headed up to the salon for a manicure! I have never had the best of nails and didn't help myself by chewing them (sorry) but I have grown them and they are long! Yipee!! Therefore, as a little keep going reward to myself for something I can't reveal yet I had a manicure and it was very enjoyable. Hannah the beautician at my local salon was excellent and I'm sure I'll be back again in the future. Although, it won't be a regular treat, sadly, honest Mike I promise.

I am, I'm ashamed to admit, usually a jump in the car person if I go to the salon, post-office, the corner shop but in my efforts to be fitter and healthier I'm trying to walk more in the course of those errands. So I walked to the salon, and really enjoyed it and thus felt pretty pleased with myself too.

As I haven't had nails long enough for a manicure in years, I decided to have the full works and go for the deluxe manicure. So after a good filing, cuticle treatment, waxing and massage, my nails and hands looked and felt brilliant. I choose a dark plum colour for the varnish and I am loving it, very much incentive to keep them nice!

One of the SLYMI challenges is to scrap a self-portrait so I will take a picture of my nails and make a layout out of that, should be a bit different for me. I will post the layout here when it is complete.
Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner

SLYMI - 1/52

More Flower Arranging! (Thursday 11th June)

I know I've been going on about the work we did in our hallway, stairs and landing on and off for some time now, but as with all these things, there are always one or two niggly little jobs that linger on for some time afterwards, well they do in this house! But we have now almost finished, I still need to sort out a couple of new plants and a couple of pictures need to go back up, but I need to make a trip to Ikea for the plants and the picture hooks, but feel a trip to Ikea can wait until I can make it worth my while.

I love Ikea and we're lucky enough to have one less than 10 minutes away, but I always spend a small fortune when I go to Ikea, so feel the longer I delay it the better. And now I do so much flower arranging, I am always spotting a new container, I'd like to try and make an arrangement in, so it is even more expensive!

But the shelf and coat hook are now both up and look brill! And I have re-done the dried flower arrangement I have near the top of the stairs, in the bit that curves round (you know what I mean). Some time ago I'd bought some artificial flowers and foliage and kind of just dumped them in a plant pot, because I have never been able to get a plant to survive in that spot. But now the flower arranger in me felt I had to make them look more special, so today that is what I did, and so I have a triangle/pedestal type arrangement and I am pretty pleased with it. It does look good from all angles, looking up from downstairs, as you approach it on the stairs and from above it on the landing. Love the colours in so rich! See what you think .....

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner

SLYMI - 1/52

Wednesday 10th June - Jamie Joining Reading Challenge

I am really pleased as Jamie has decided to join me in my reading challenge and he has chosen 12 books that he wants to read by the end of August. He decided he may add to his list and choose some books from the library.

His list is:-

1. Primeval - Rip in Time by Kay Woodward

2. Clean Break by Jacqueline Wilson

3. The Hunger by Carol Drinkwater

4. Five Children and It by E Nesbitt

5. Just Binnie by Dick King Smith (the book we named our Binnie after!)

6. Charlotte's Web by E B White

7. Rise of the Judoon by Terence Dicks

8. Made of Steel by Terence Dicks

9. I am Dalek by Gareth Roberts

10. Moos My Curse by Steve Cole

11. Roman Moostery by Steve Cole

and

12. World War Moo by Steve Cole

I know that he is more than up to the challenge and look forward to reporting on his progress.

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by Jacqueline Rayner
SLYMI - 1/52

Floristry Class (Again)

Tuesday 9th June

Off to floristry class again today, it had to happen at some point, and today was it - we did a funeral arrangement. Part of me has been dreading it, but I have to be realistic, funerals do make up a large portion of a florists work, so I have to be able to understand and undertake them. Sue had tried to make the tribute as adaptable as possible, so we could use them at home if we choose to, but I have put mine outside in Nelson's favourite place to sleep in the garden for Mika and Nelson. We did have a bit of a chuckle in class as it was one of the other girl's wedding anniversary, so we suggested she may not want to take it home for her husband!

You can see the ribbon around the edge of the tribute, a single pleat this time. The body is gypsophilia (that took forever to put in!), some spray carnations and a small posy on top. It is simple but would make a simple tribute.

A closer look at the posy, a single rose, white freesia, stem carnations, leather leaf and asparagus. The posy is raised by adding an extra piece of oasis onto the main pad.

Ciao

Sue

XX
Reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by J Rayner

SLYMI - 1/52

Only Dad - Alan Titchmarsh - Book Review

Monday 8th June

**Beware possible spoiler**

I’m not sure where this book came from, I don’t remember buying it, it must have been a hand on, so I came to the book with an open mind. This is not a bad book, but it is, through much of it, a sad book, and made me very reflective. The book is about the Drummond family, Dad Tom, Mum Pippa and daughter Tally, their relationship and their reactions when tragedy strikes.

Tom, has longed wished to be a writer, but is part owner of a restaurant on the south coast of England, Pippa runs a small herb growing business and Tally has just taken her GCSE’s. The family go on a well earned holiday to Italy when tragedy strikes and Pippa dies. Titchmarsh has spent time creating a happy and loving family, and they become people you care about, so when Pippa dies, it left me surprised and saddened.

The rest of the book is how Tom and Tally cope with the tragedy and learn first to live with life as it has become and then begin to find their ways to a new life without Pippa. How Tom copes with his daughter growing up, her relationship with two boys, Blip the local boy and Alex the slightly older, rich and confident university student. How Tom finally realises his dream of writing. It also goes on to explore how people move on and whether it is possible to love again after such a tragedy.

It is a well written book, goes along at a decent pace, although it isn’t in anyway spectacular. It does appear to be a more sombre book that his usual stuff, judging by other reviews of the book I have read but it does deal sympathetically with a difficult subject.

The book did move me, made me very reflective at times and also gave me lots of things to think about, Tally is 16 when she lost her Mum and I was 14 when I lost my Mum, Mona. If I had not spent the last 2 years tackling my own issues relating to that loss, I would not have been able to read the book, or would after reading it been an emotional mess for quite some time. Having done so, I felt it allowed me to explore a few things from a different perspective and did offer me some solace and comfort. In that it was an enjoyable experience to read it.

Ciao

Sue

XX
(reading challenge 1/16 - currently reading The Stone Rose by J Rayner)
SLYMI - 1/52

Collectormania Milton Keynes

Sunday 7th June - Collectormania Milton Keynes

A chillin' out Sunday morning, then in the afternoon Jamie and I ('cos Mike was at work) had a wander down to Collectormania 15 at the MK Dons Stadium. We've been to several of the Collectormania's before, but this was the first to be held in The Dons stadium so we weren't sure what to expect.

Collectormania's are events where sci-fi/fantasy and cult TV/film collectors can buy their collectibles, meet their fave star and get their autograph. Some even go so far as to spend a fortune getting their photo taken with the star, and some even go so far as to get their autograph two days running! (mad!). We have taken Jamie to meet a couple of Doctor Who stars, cos he loves Doctor Who and so he has got a couple of autographs and photographs (taken by me!) and that's really cool for him, Elizabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) and Nick Briggs (who does the Dalek voices) were absolutely lovely and those things really make his day. We did spend ages waiting to see John Barrowman, but he is a real exception as Jamie and I both totally LOVE him! Anyway there was no one we wanted to pay good money to see or spend hours in a queue to see this time.

We largely go to have a browse around the stalls it can be an enjoyable couple of hours, some of the stalls have some pretty interesting stuff, and we go to add to Jamie's Doctor Who Battles in Time card collection, of which he now has approaching 1000. He is currently trying to complete his Ultimate Monsters set, so we hoped to add at least a few to that collection.

So was it better than when it was held in Middleton Hall in MK Shopping Centre?

Well parking was no problem, plenty of free parking and we even managed to park pretty close to the entrance we needed. The celebs were around the perimeter of the seating area so most could be seen quite easily, for those of us who go along to have a look. Most of the time, I am wondering who they are, as most of them I ain't heard of! We managed to get a good look at Burn Gorman from Torchwood, Geoffrey Hughes (from Corrie and the Royal Family) in fact he walked right past us at one point! We also saw '66 heroes Geoff Hurst and Gordon Banks, along with Ray Parlour (Arsenal) and the mighty Henry Cooper ("splash it all over"). We also spotted Darts players John Lowe and Bobby George (naturally dripping in gold!). So celeb spotting was a lot easier, although it was cold wandering about.

As for the stalls, well there didn't seem to be as many, and most were crammed into one room, we only found one selling Battles in Time cards (but managed to add 19 to Jamie's collection including one Ultra Rare) and they were very close together again, worse than Middleton Hall, so a big thumbs down for that one!

But the big big thumbs up was, I had hoped to catch a glimpse of Philip Glenister, who I totally love in Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes but sadly his table was empty, he was on a break, doing his photo shoot. But as we were looking at a stall, he walked right in front of us and we got a really good look at him, yes, he does it for me and he seemed so much taller than he does on tele too. So after that we were happy to go home.

Ciao

Sue

XX
(reading challenge /16 - currently reading The Stone Rose, completed Only Dad by Alan Titchmarsh (review tomorrow))

SLYMI - 1/52