just a quickie!!

I went back to the doctor's today and my bloodtests were all ok although my cholestrol was a bit high, 6.7 instead of 5 so back on the diet in the new year!! I was told to take walks and watch the birds to de stress something I do anyway and carry on taking the tablets.

Made the stuffings and brandy butter this morning and put in freezer, two less things to worry about. This afternoon I wrapped up all the presents whilst watching Roswell. Have finished Battlestar Gallactica which I thought was the last series so that was a bit of a surprise still don't know who is the last cylon!

Catch up!

I've had a busy week with christmas cards to make and send, presents to buy and wrap and finally, pages for my journal!!

I still have a few more to do to catch up but hopefully will get them done over the next couple of days now that most of my cards are made.

I finally gave in and went to the doctors on Thursday, she sent me for a blood test and I have to go back to her next week. Hopefully I will soon be fighting fit.
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More pages

Some more pages for my christmas journal, very simple, very quick and done!!!

Have had a bad back so not up to doing much, managed to send off a few cards and make a few more plus buy a few pressies online.

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It's so cold!!!

Here is the next page of my album, about the weather! The last few years it has been very mild right up to Christmas so this cold weather has been a big shock to the system!! I took a photo of the garden but the light wasn't very good, but that's what it was like so I am not going to stress about it.

Have bought the ingredients to make my christmas cake so hope to get that done soon. I've made several more cards too so feel on top of things at the moment. I know how soon that can change though!

Jamie is coming round this evening to watch spurs play and I am still cheering after Burnley beat Arsenal yesterday, we're still supporting them for you Dad!!

First page

Here are the first pages of my christmas journal, it takes me so long deciding how I will do these journals but I am quite pleased with the new, funky, me as I usually opt for a traditional style!
Jenny and I have decided to go for a gatefold album so will have to make the cover later I think.
I'm trying to keep it very simple this year and may add extra photos and recipes etc as the mood takes me.

My Christmas Journal

Today I started shimelle's christmas class, you can find it http://www.shimelle.com/classes/389/journal-your-christmas/

I love Christmas and I am determined to do this journal again, you can see last year's pages here http://www.flickr.com/photos/10730448@N04/page4/.

In a determined effort to get fit and well for Christmas I have gone back on my iron tablets and I can already feel the difference. I so dislike taking any form of medication that I have not taken iron for several months, sometimes you have to give in though!

Jenny and I went round the shops this morning and I bought a couple more presents. I was really looking for some chocolate to put in the advent calender I had made, you wouldn't think it would be so difficult, I finally came back home and opened some mints to put in it! Being me however, that wasn't easy as I couldn't pull out some of the drawers, they had got stuck to the DST, thank goodness Jenny was here to sort it out as the whole thing came close to being put in the bin, all this because my DS3 moans I don't get him an advent calender anymore!!

Scrap your day!!

I thought I had better write something down quickly as a reminder of the 25th!

The day started with a phonecall to mum who was getting in a panic about clearing the house ready for the decorators. As we were going to Lakeside which is halfway to mum's we decided to carry on to her and get her paint and tidy away her ornaments etc.

We met up at Lakeside with Maureen and John to exchange presents but I felt so unwell over our coffee I couldn't look round the shops so we left and carried on to mums.

We tidied everything away, got the paint, wrapped up some presents and helped her write some christmas cards so we felt we had been quite helpful, she has probably forgotten now though!!

We won't see her now until she comes here for Christmas. We got home at 9pm and I went straight to bed exhausted. I've still got a bad headache so I'm taking it easy today.

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Must get organised!!

Have just done my pages for shimelle's scrap your day class, just in time as the next day is tomorrow!! I really must get more organised and finish what I have started. I have done quite well with some classes but need to put the finishing touches on some others, I think I take on too much. It hasn't helped that I have not been well for a couple of weeks and just want to lie down and read or watch a DVD!!

I've lost 12lbs since I started my diet and have decided today to be really strict up to christmas and try and lose another 7lbs at least.

I watched strictly on Saturday but the magic has gone out of it for me I don't really care who wins now.

Have started making soup, did a very yummy butternut squash one which we all enjoyed, might start experimenting with different veg.

Disgusted!!

Have just heard the news about John Sargeant pulling out of Strictly Come Dancing, it has so annoyed me I don't really want to watch it anymore. The judges have been so out of order this year, they have totalling failed to realise that it is the public that make this show work. They spend their money voting for their favourite each week and if it happens to be John, who I know can't dance as well as some of the others but has much more personality and entertainment value, then that is their choice. The judges should judge the dancing and leave the public to vote as they wish, soon there will be no public vote and it will be a purely professional dance competition and the BBC will be the losers.

Busy Sunday

Have been feeling a bit better at last so managed to do these layouts. Dribbler is for the Blue Brads Scraplift challenge and Siblings is for the weekly challenge on UKS.For that we had to use a sketch, pink, green and white, brads and rikrak. I used two different kits from Sarah's Cards.

We went round Jenny's yesterday to see the new chickens, I would like some but there's no chance of that!! Jenny had their first egg this morning which was very exciting.

My diet is still going well, will get weighed tomorrow, hopefully I will have lost more.

I enjoyed SCD last night, I felt like they had all upped their game, Austin was best for me. John should go out but you never know!

Sick, fed up and miserable!!!

I have not had a good couple of days, Andrew has given me his cold and it is a stinker!! Couldn't sleep at all last night and got up at 2am and watched Die Hard 4. Yesterday I also watched the Battlestar Galactica film Razor so I am ready to watch the last series.

To cheer myself up I went on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog and saw the latest class. I dusted down my kits and got to work. I wanted to do the sketch for last week but was not feeling well enough so will probably have a go later on in the week. I do love their classes.

It's SCD tonight and I have a sneaky feeling it is time for John to go.
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Who messed with my camera!!!

I have been getting very fed up with my new camera lately, whenever I took a picture of my layouts the colour was all wrong, even messing about in picasa didn't solve the problem. Today I had a good look at the settings and came across an effects one using different colours, and then I remembered. David!!!! He was showing me different things on my camera on my birthday but didn't think to put it all back to normal, why am I not surprised!!

Anyway, have retaken some of my layouts for UKS along with my latest one. This was for the weekly challenge set by the Bijoux Belles. We had to use a sketch, a french title, red, white and blue and also some bling, which I forgot, I used some lovely kaiser papers that Jenny and Ed got me for my birthday and some stamps Peter got me. I'm determined to use up some of my stash and various stamps etc that I've bought but never used. No more stash buying for me!!

Ian and I played bowls this morning and I won by about 10pts!! The diet is still going well, need to go round Jenny's to weigh myself but I know I have been good.

Happy Birthday Jamie!

It was Jamie's birthday today and we went round early to give him his presents. Being Jamie they all seemed to have a football theme! I thought he looked very handsome in his new goalie kit and he had lots of spurs things to go with it. To end the perfect day for him, Spurs beat Liverpool!!!

It's cold!!

It has been another miserable day here today, the rain stopped briefly to allow us to go for a walk by the sea but on the way back it started again! I wish I had taken my camera as the waves were quite spectacular, starting tomorrow I will take my camera out with me again and get some good shots.
My back is a little better and I managed to get off to sleep ok last night. During the evening the power went suddenly for a few seconds and when it came back our tv wouldn't work, there was no sign of life at all. Ian went into the garage and got an old one out for us to use and we started planning getting a new flat screen one, this morning he tried the tv again before taking it to the dump and it worked!!!
Good news yesterday, Ian got the Post Office job he went for last week, 3 weeks over christmas, that will pay for the presents!!
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Good old Harry!!!

Jamie came round for a sleepover last night and to watch the spurs game!! He wasn't dozing for long as the game was very exciting and had everyone on the edge of their seats!! Hopefully with an ex West Ham manager they will soon get off the bottom of the table. They'd better or Jamie might not like some of his birthday presents!!!
I've been in a lot of pain with my back over the last two days so can't sit at the computer for too long. I've been reading a lot though and have just finished my second James Patterson library book.
I'm now reading The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney.
I've also been making some birthday cards. Over the weekend I hope to do some scrapping.

9lbs!!!!!

Ian and I popped into Canterbury today for some christmas shopping, it was such a lovely, sunny day. We also did a lot of walking which helped when I went round Jenny's to weigh myself as I'd lost another 3lbs!! That makes 9lbs in two weeks. I am being very good despite Ian coming into the room last night with all sorts of goodies and Andrew getting a chicken dhansak which is my favourite.
I've not done much scrapping and really need to make a few cards, tomorrow we are playing bowls and then I will definitely get down to making something.

A good walk!

Yesterday was the 25th and time again to take photos for scrap your day. Ian and I got up early and went into Margate to sort a few things out. We then went for a lovely long walk along the coast, going to a part we haven't been to before. There were lots of good photo opportunities.

My diet is still going well, I'm hoping to go to Jenny's and weigh myself on her scales as they are more accurate but judging by mine I have lost a couple more pounds.

SCD was a bit average I thought, no one shone out for me, hopefully Mark will go out this time.

Today I have cooked my christmas pudding, I'm dtermined to get things done early this year, next will be the cake!

Don't forget!!

The 25th has almost come round again and I must remember to take lots of photos for shimelle's class.

Feeling positive

Firstly, here are my pages for shimelle's scrap your day class, some of it was on the 24th when Sue and Rog were here but I wanted to record the war graves visit.

Secondly, I lost 6lbs in the first week of my diet and I am feeling very positive. Sometimes, about every 7yrs it seems, something clicks and I can diet!! I have been very strict on what I eat and have been exercising every day, long walks or a workout, and IT IS WORKING!!

A challenge!!

My mojo seems to have disappeared this week so it took being challenged by Sue to get me going!! That and the latest challenge on the scrummy stash cafe. This week we had to use graphs on a layout. I tried for ages to print a graph on a transparency but my new copier wouldn't have it so in the end I found some graph paper and cut out some squares unfortunately it isn't very clear in the photo but I like the effect IRL.

It has been another lovely day so we went for a walk this morning by the sea, I must keep the exercise going! Ian is cooking a curry and we have SCD to look forward to, I predict Don will go out. sudoku - 361

Friday fun!

Just a quick update as I have been too busy to come on the computer much. Today Ian and I played bowls with our friends Barby and Paul. I knew it wasn't going to be our day when I did my bit and was holding the jack and then Ian bowled and knocked it on to the others! It was good fun though and we are booked to play them again.
This afternoon we walked to the library for some exercise and I managed to find several books to read. I'm trying to keep busy so I don't eat, have managed to lose 4lbs this week and feel quite positive about my diet.
I'm hoping to do some scrapping over the weekend, I promise.
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New Class

http://www.jessicasprague.com/

http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/



Have been doing a bit of browsing too and came across this free online class, looks like my sort of thing!!

Lazy Day

Got up early today and did the washing and made some bread. Ian went off to play bowls and I seem to have done nothing except play Sims!! I've also been reading a library book, The Heart of the Dales, by Gervase Phinn, which I'm really enjoying and so did Ian. It has lots of anecdotes from his job as a School Inspector.
I really need to sort out and scan lots of mum's photos etc, sort out my own photos, do my cross stitch and do some scrapping but instead I have just been LAZY!!
Watched the first two episodes of Damages yesterday, this was recommended to me by sister Jude and I was hooked straight away, can't wait for the next episode on Saturday.
Still haven't forgiven Peter for lending me a film that made me cry, Finding Neverland, didn't think I would like it at first , but it was very good and so sad.
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Advent calender

have had great fun making this advent calender from a class by Tracie Hudson, now all I need to do is fill the drawers.

Ian and I have been busy in the garden over the last few days, the weather has been so nice, there is still plenty to do though!

Watched SCD and thought the worst one definitely went out, it will be interesting to see what happens when they join together next week. Don't know how much longer John Sargent will stay in though.

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Wedding Day

Did this layout this morning using my Sarah's Cards September kit, I'm not used to scrapping such bold colours but was pleased with the result using a black and white photo.

I really want to get going on more heritage pages and have lots of information to copy and scrap.

The weather is dull today, Ian has been cleaning and painting the bird table ready for the winter.

I have planted my sweetpeas and collected more seeds for next year. We really must get on and plant the bulbs too.

We watched the Big Cats programme last night, those cheetah cubs are so sweet I hope they survive.

Stash stroking with Jenny!!

Jenny came round for lunch today and to show me her lovely new stash, the cosmo cricket offer of the day on QVC, it was yummy!

After lunch I did this LO using a kit from the scrummy stash cafe and copying the LO by Maria McPherson. I am so impressed with their stuff.

It has been a miserable, cold day here today, it feels like winter has come.

Finished!!!

I've actually managed to finish my Learn something new every day class by Shimelle, can't believe I've done it and it's only October 1st!!
I'm so pleased I have done this class but so pleased it is finished now, that's two years in a row I have done it, how good am I!!
I'm feeling a bit better now, was able to go out and do the shopping without feeling faint, hopefully I can get on with things again and not feel to tired.
Ian is making a curry for tea and we have It takes two to watch and I HAVE FINISHED!!!

Craft Day!!

Here are three more pages for shimelle's class, a DLO for the weekend as I was really not feeling too well and a SLO of my bed for the same reason!! I'm starting to get boring now, must try and get better!

Have been watching craft day on QVC but have not seen much to rave about, will have a nose at Kirsty soon. I find there is too much of the same thing and a lot of it is aimed at beginners, don't I sound snooty, I am too advanced now, lol.

Ian has been out and paid our yearly subscription to the bowls club, just need to get fit enough to play now.

On a happier note, I was well in budget last month, just shows what a bit of effort and planning can do.

Not well

Have not been feeling very well over the last few days so have not been blogging. It was a good excuse to catch up on reading though and I have read two books!

Did manage to finish off these pages for shimelle's class though still have some catching up to do.

The third page has a photo taken when we visited the WW1 war graves last week. Having three sons it made me so thankful not to have been around at that time. So many young lives lost, such a terrible waste, hopefully they will never be forgotten.

My girly boys!!!

Here are my next two pages for shimelle's class, after a phonecall with both David and Peter I was pleased and amused to be discussing S.C.D. with them!! and after last weeks visit I can at last play my sims without the awful lag, thanks David!

After a beautiful weekend it has been miserable here and quite cold, our weather, at least it gives us something to talk about!

Nearly time again!

It's nearly the 25th of the month again so I thought I'd better do August's pages quickly.

Apart from that, I've had a very lazy day, reading a very good book by James Patterson called Cross which David lent me and watching Morse on tv. We did go out for a long walk this morning after I had a soak in the bath, it's a hard life!!

I watched SCD last night and was imressed with a few of the men, the first two were very good but I also have a fondness for John ( Jo Brand ) Sargeant, I hope he doesn't go out.

Can't wait!

Here are my next three pages for Shimelle's class, I can't believe I'm up to date with this!!




The 17th is about me doing my good housewife bit by making chutney with my homegrown tomatoes. When the children were young I used to watch Little house on the Prairie every week and liked it so much I read all the books too. My favourite one was about the long winter when it snowed for about 6 months, thankfully that doesn't happen here. After watching the programme I always had the urge to bake my own bread and grow my own vegetables and be just like Mrs Ingalls!! Reality is I am just too lazy, but I like to dream!
The next day's page was about a moment in a busy day when I walked outside and saw about 10 beautiful butterflies, it really lifted my spirits standing still and watching them.
The last page was yesterdays when I was feeling a bit stressed about doing this class so had a break and did another layout instead. I have to remember that I do this for enjoyment and shouldn't put pressure on myself to do things it is ok to do something different if I want to.
Today I am happy, I have already watched Mark and Karen, my favourites, winning again. We are having pizza as it is buy one get one free, and I can't wait. STRICTLY COME DANCING is BACK!!!!