Fed Up!

Having spent the last two nights awake with pains shooting through my head I though I'd better take everyone's advice and go to the Dentist. Miraculously when I sat in the waiting room all pain disappeared and I thought I might make a quick getaway, but no "Shane is ready for you now" stopped me in my tracks! "How are you today" said Shane in a bright friendly voice, "obviously not good or I wouldn't be here" I wanted to say but instead said "fine thanks!"
Shane had a good prod in my mouth and said "a bit tender?" as I leapt out of my seat," "aha" I mumbled.
Well it turns out I have the biggest abscess he has ever seen (the sweet talking man) and did I want him to drain it now or wait till I came back for root canal treatment plus crown and another filling and of course £45 for the hygienist!
"How much is it all going to cost" I asked politely, and then I really lost it.
"It really wont be that bad" said Shane with a winning smile, "you can have a sedative if you want"
I think Ian is the one who will need a sedative, over £1000 and that was only one tooth!

Scrapped out!

Have done my final layout for the cybercrop and I'm exhausted! Had a great time though and did lots of new things and used lots of papers etc.Ian came in to watch at one stage and was amazed at how much equipment I had, I've kept it well hidden before!!!
Off to play on EQ2 in a mo, tried sudoku but my brains not working at the moment, think I may have an abscess in my mouth as I have been in a lot of pain and my gum is swollen, hope it goes away as I can't afford anothr £400 for the dentist!

Server busy!

This is my layout for The Big Squeeze class on uks. Tried for about 20mins to upload it before the dead line but the server was busy!

Three more done!

Have been busy all day with the cybercrop and still loads to do, just time to show you 3 more layouts.

Cybercrop

Here is my first layout for the uks cybercrop.The class was called Ace of our hearts and used a doily and paint dabbers, I had neither so had to improvise!

Fresh Fruit Salad

Got on Jenny's scales yesterday and decided I really must do something about losing weight!! So today I have had porridge for breakfast, jacket potato with prawns and salad for lunch and have made this yummy fruit salad to have after a cauliflower and brocolli bake for tea. I've started off some homemade yoghurt for the morning and have been quite good apart from a couple of jaffa cakes!
Tonight is the start of the uks cybercrop weekend so that should keep me busy and away from the food!
sudoku - 542

What will I be when I grow up?

Have finally started to make my book for shimelles class! I have really enjoyed getting all the prompts and seeing all the other books, as each prompt came so my ideas slowly developed until I felt ready to start. Yes I have met with problems, Ian had to help me get the right sized photos, Jenny had to remind me how to move photos to kodak and I cut my papers wrong!! Still I am enjoying myself which is the main thing!
Have to stop now as I must get lunch and then go to Jenny's. We are sorting out papers and photos for the cybercrop tomorrow. Then I will be bringing the children back for tea.
sudoku - 457
And I have just seen a mistake in my journaling, oh well it wouldn't be my work without mistakes!!

Seaside fun!

Ian and I decided to go down to the seafront this afternoon as it has been another glorious day. We were entertained by Broadstairs answer to Robson and Jerome!

Never mind the flowers or the lovely scenery the best thing in Broadstairs for Ian is Morelli's!


First fruit sundae of the year!

Our robin!

Ian and I have been out early this morning working on the garden, yes we do work sometimes! I think Ian is getting as soft as me as he called me to get the camera quick as his little friend was watching him! we then spent a few minutes watching the robin and then decided that was enough work for one day and came inside for a coffee!
Oh and when I got inside the postman had delivered shimelles kit for the cybercrop, it is so dinky!
sudoku - 398

Hurrah for Dick Francis

For years I refused to pick up a Dick Francis book as I thought it was just about horse racing and to me that it one of the most boring "sports" in the world! Then one day I was persuaded to give one a try and I was hooked! I think I have read all of his books now and wasn't expecting any more as he is in his eighties so I was really pleased when mum brought me Under Orders, his latest novel. It is also another one featuring Sid Halley. I like these books because they grip you from the first page, no long winded setting the scene. This one is to do with internet gambling, I will say no more!
marks out of 10 - 9

Design Collective class

Have finally finished my layout for Suzanne's class for the Design Collective. We had to base it on a converstion and I did one I had with Jamie on Good Friday. We had just finished playing football with him on the beach and as usual he was asking when we would be doing it again. I said we would play on Easter Monday when Uncle Peter would be able to play as well. Jamie said "and Great-Nan, she can play too" When I said perhaps Great-Nan was a little old for football, he looked amazed and said "she's very good at cricket"
This amused me anyway!
I used some of the papers I got the other week at Alexandra Palace and Jenny reluctantly let me borrow her Autumn Leaves stamps!
Apart from that I spent the morning at the hairdressers having my hair cut short and coloured with a hint of red! All this for £19 which I think very good, Jenny had her's cut too.
Ian bought us a Dyson as our old hoover broke on Friday, I wish we had got one sooner as the amount of fluff it picked up was amazing,
sudoku - 483

Let's go fly a kite!

Have had a very nice morning with Jenny, Ed and the children. We took their bikes to Palm Bay where there is a nice big pavement for them to ride on. Jamie of course brought his football as well! We then all had a go at flying a kite as there was a nice big open field. I have to say Becca was better than me and Jenny at it!

shimelles class

Have had a funny sort of day today. Woke up quite happy only to have Jenny phone up sounding a bit down. She then came round with the boys for lunch which was nice. We encouraged each other to have a go on her sewing machine even though neither of us can use one! The thing then decided to attack us and seemed to have a mind of it's own so after several attempts we decided hand sewing was a better idea!
Andrew has convinced Alex we have got a lion in the back garden so he refused to go out there, didn't mind sending Grandad out there though!
Still trying to get my thoughts around shimelles class, think I'm getting there, I know what papers and photos I'm going to use, just need to sort out the journaling, I'm trying to think of certain years in my life to use, 5yrs can be starting school and meeting my best friend Sue, 10yrs I'm not too sure about yet and 15yrs must be starting to go out with Ian. 17 has always been my favourite number from a child and that is when I got married! 18, 20, 22 and 28 is when I had the children. 29 is when Dad died. 22 is also when I was baptised. 43 is when I became a nan for the first time. 47 is when I got my NVQ level 3 in childcare and education and shortly afterwards I became head of the pre-school which I really enjoyed.
I've now got to look at all my ambitions as a child and see if any of this fits!
sudoku - 528

Another sunny day!

It has been another sunny day here although a bit chillier. We are beginning to hope for rain to fill our water butt up, I don't have to worry about the rain now I have given up work, I used to pray it kept dry between 12 and 1pm so the children could get out in the playground!
I did the housework this morning and thought I would do a scrapbook page this afternoon but I just couldn't get round to it. I wanted to do a page from the DC class of something the children had said. I have finally decided on Jamie on Good Friday, he was asking when we would play football on the beach again and said Great-Nan could play, when I said she might be a bit old he said she was great at cricket! I had visions of mum having to go in goal! Yesterday I played football in the park and then raced Jamie, he didn't think I could run that fast and neither did I! He tells me mummy never plays football with him so come on Jenny get your boots on!
sudoku today - 611

In our garden

Jenny has been trying to show me how to take better photos, I really should read the manual!

Becca loves looking for the cat, Winnie is not so keen!


Becca admiring our new birdbath and looking for the birds. Haven't seen any in it yet!

Mum

here is another photo from our London trip, the children with Uncle David.
Got up early this morning and went to Tescos and then the farm shop. Came home and had a coffee out in the garden with Ian and then did the sudoku which was hard - 687 today!
After lunch Jenny and Becca came round as we were going to use the sewing machine on a layout, only thing was Jenny forgot the sewing machine! I had got her some milk at the shops and when she went home I forgot to give it to her, not a very sucessful afternoon!
Mum had to go to hospital for her leg to be drained (sounds revolting), she was very shaky afterwards and even though her neighbour kindly went with her it makes me wish we lived nearer, it's not a nice thing to do on your own and she is very brave as she has to go to the hospital quite a lot. Will try and visit next time and go with her.
I talk a lot about my Dad as he is not with us now but I think my mum is so brave the way she has coped all these years without him. She has always put herself down, thinks she is not as clever as others, but she knows much more than me about world events, politics and much more. She has 3 children, 10 grandchildren and 15 (I think) great-greatchildren and always remembers to send birthday cards and pressies, it must cost her a fortune

April wk 3 challenge

here is my LO for the April wk 3 challenge on uks, using pencil lines sketch 28 for inspiration. Had to force myself to do this as I have been feeling very lazy. Ian and I did manage a walk down to the sea this afternoon only to spoil it all by having some chips on the pier!

Happy Birthday David

33 yrs ago today this monster arrived! Ever impatient he took 3 1/2 hrs to be born and was my first and biggest baby (you were horrible to your mum even then!) 8lb 10oz in those days was considered big, most babies seem to be bigger now. I was 18yrs and determined to show everyone I wasn't too young, I can remember coming out of hospital and Ian taking me to Mum and Dad's first, my Dad was waiting at the door to cuddle his Grandson, a change for him as he had 3 daughters!
Well you know me David ( I will never call you Dave!) I always like to embarrass you, I loved you to bits when you were born, and I love you even more now, Happy Birthday!
sudoku-364 (wasn't going to put that in, but too pleased with myself to resist!)

A day out to London

We had a very busy day out yesterday to London. Set off at 7am and didn't get home till late so I am still tired today! Have lots of photos to show but can't upload at the moment, but David be warned I have some good ones of you!
Anyway, the boys took care of the children for the morning and the girls went off to Alexandra Palace for The Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show. We had a good morning there spending loads of money while the children were being taken around the British Museum. I bought lots of papers, a Banana Frog stamp, stencils, sizzix die cut, ribbons and more papers!!
In the afternoon we met up with the others and saw the sites, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and much more. Have to admit I liked the parks best, it is lovely how so many can be found in London.
sudoku - 430

Bikes

Jenny and the children came round this morning and we took Jamie out for a bike ride and then Alex practiced on his bike. Jamie was worried he had forgotten how to ride over the winter but was straight off with no trouble. Alex suddenly realised he was not on a motorbike and started to use the pedals! When he realised it was actually fun he did 50 laps around the car! Becca then wanted a go and managed to pedal as well.
This afternoon we took Mum for a final coffee by the sea and then she kindly bought us a bird bath as a thank you present, I have been looking for one to put on my rockery since we've been here and we finally found one I liked.
sudoku - 448

Busy day

We have had a busy couple of days with mum. Yesterday we did weekly shop in the morning then after lunch we went to Cliftonville for a walk along the beach.
Today we went to the Garden Centre in the morning then into Canterbury with Jenny and Becca in the afternoon. Becca had some money to spend and bought a badger family for her Sylvanian House, Jenny bought a burger press and I bought a yoghurt maker. we then went back to Jenny and Ed's and had chinese/fish and chips. Alex impressed me today as he managed to skip 8 times!!
sudoku - 788 (rubbish)

pencil lines sketch #27

Here is my take on the pencil lines sketch 27, have also done the weekly challenge where you have to do toes, something foreign and use edged scissors.
Have been shopping this morning with mum, Ian, Jenny and the children. Didn't get much just looked as saving money for the craft show!
sudoku score - 569

A morning on the beach

Managed to get Mum, Peter and Andrew up at a reasonable time and we were sitting on the beach by 10am! Jenny, Ed and the children joined us a bit later as they wanted to go to the Italian Market. We had a lovely couple of hours paddling in the sea, playing cricket and in Mum's case enjoying the view!
After lunch I did some more gardening and Mum supervised from her chair!
We both finished our books, I have been reading a P D James book, The Lighthouse which I enjoyed and will give 8 out of 10.
sudoku today was hard - 816

"Oh I do like to be beside the seaside"

It has been a lovely sunny Easter and mum and I have been making the most of it. This morning we had a pot of tea by the sea with Ian and Peter, there were a lot of yachts on the sea to watch and after a misty start it was a lovely bright morning.
This afternoon we have been sunning ourselves, reading our books and eating chocolate out in the garden leaving the boys in peace to watch the cricket!
sudoku today Jane - 568, Ian - 333 (I have to let him beat me sometimes)
Oh and West Ham beat Arsenal yesterday, what a great weekend it has been!

Margate Sunset

Have had a busy couple of days. Thursday we went out for a chinese buffet meal with Jenny Ed and the children, it was delicious and we will definitely go again, we certainly got our monies worth! Coming out of the restaurant we saw a lovely sunset which I captured complete with traffic lights!
Friday we took the children down to the beach for a paddle and a game of football. Jamie is expecting Great-Nan to join in on Monday!
Today we drove over to get Mum for the week. The journey was good as we made it over in less than 2hrs. We got back about 12pm and as it was so nice mum and I were able to sit out in the garden for a while. I also potted up a few plants in the greenhouse before tea. We then watched Doctor Who and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph . Peter then tested me on a footie and geography quiz, Alex I needed your help!

mini book

Here is my finished book from Design Collective class, it is of some of my teddies. It took a long time to fold papers correctly yesterday and even longer doing the layouts today, but I am pleased I attempted something different1
sudoku today 641

When I grow up!

Here is a picture of me as a child. Shimelles new class is all about our memories as a child, and I have been trying to think of some of my dreams and ambitions. I know I was in love with Davy Jones from The Monkees, and at the tender age of 9yrs wanted to marry him! I also wanted to be a teacher and live in New York.
I used to watch Hollywood Musicals with my Dad and wanted to be as thin as the leading ladies, I was always going on diets (nothings changed there)
Over the next few days I have to write my memories down, this could prove hard as I am a lot older than most of the others in the class and it is hard to look that far back!

Design collective

Here is my first offering for the Design Collective. Picked this one because I thought it looked quite easy, WRONG, I had forgotten me and rulers just don't get along, was very good about measuring for the eyelets (instead of guessing like usual) but even then I seem to have gone wrong! Oh well, I tell myself the more I do the better I will get.

Pencil lines sketch #26 and wkly challenge

Have just complted the latest pencil lines sketch combining it with april wk 1 challenge. For that you had to do a childrens' book theme, add some tartan ( the paper was called plaid ) use something new (the buttons) and use 2 brown papers.

259 - sudoku!

I can't believe it, I actually got under the 266 score, I didn't realise though and I couldn't publish my score as it was too low!

sunny day

It is 10pm and I am tired and off to bed soon. Have had a nice day, the weather has been sunny, feels cold now though. Ian and I walked to the library then down to the sea this morning, the sea glistened in the sun. I then got the housework done while Ian mowed the lawn and put the potatoes in, the garden is starting to look a bit tidier now.
I've been getting messages from shimelle and I'm looking forward to her class tomorrow along with the first class from the design collective, that along with the all the other challenges, should keep be very busy. Have been sorting out a photo for the children's story challenge but can't decide on the papers at the moment.
sudoku today - 340

How to make biscuits Ed!

Have been very busy this morning, got up and made Ian his usual cup of tea in bed,he is spoilt!! I then made a lemon flan for pudding hopefully today and tomorrow. After that having sampled some crumbs masquerading as biscuits that Ed had made I thought I would have a go at the recipe, which can be found in the latest Easycook magazine.The result you can see for yourselves, perfect biscuits!
Struggled a bit with sudoku today - 439