when all through the house, the dusters have flown
The cats are curled up and the dog chews a bone
The Christmas tree, still tied in its net outside
The baubles in boxes since the last yuletide.
The girls all grown up, still get excited as ever
my husband wonders what he will get for his dinner,
with a hoover in one hand, sellotape in the other,
I try so hard to do everything better.
The girls out with their boyfriends enjoying festive fun
while I slave in the kitchen trying to get everything done.
My mum visits for the holidays, enjoying the rest
I want everything right and just at its best,
The night draws in, we are settled by the fire
A tap at the door, carols sung by a choir,
The temperature is dropping, we hope for some snow,
But will have to wait till tomorrow before we will know.
We wake to the silence and brightness of snow,
The sun on the horizon with a bright orange glow,
To the kitchen for toast and a cup of hot tea,
then through to the lounge and what is under the tree?
A couple of presents, not a massive great pile,
just one for each person, I look on with a smile.
One day without telly, just good fun and chat
Silly games and good food that might make us fat.
I wish we all lived closer like we did when I was small
Aunts, uncles and cousins, grandparents and all,
Lived close enough for us all to get round and visit
Having fun, and getting into the Christmas Spirit
Times change, things move on, we can't always stand still
Christmas is for family and all they fulfil.
There is nowhere I would rather be at this special time of year
But with family and friends and all I hold dear!
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Alls well, that ends well!
Tomorrow is our builders last day, I cannot believe the amount of work he has done, all the little extras we kept throwing at him. We are thrilled with everything! I can't recommend him highly enough. 'Johnson Home Improvements' Chippenham
He has finished the path having hand dug it out in just 2 days!
His daughter was his labourer and she is so petite, but wheels a loaded barrow like a good un!
here is the finished result! It is so lovely to walk down a really solid path
although we think it looks a bit like a runway where it is 2 slabs wide
but this has solved the problem we had of what we called hubbies office, the shed and the greenhouse.
The girls bought us walkie talkies for our wedding anniversary, so we could talk to one another whilst he was in his office. So the house is now 'Control Tower', the office is 'Terminal 1' greenhouse 'Terminal 2' and the shed 'Terminal 3'. Works well and we know exactly which building is which. I am sourcing name plates as I type!
K is now home and ensconced in her super duper room, as soon as its tidy I will take a pic. It is working well, she enjoys the company and goes out to work each day which gives me the space I need too. She is loving her new job!
Everyone happy here!
He has finished the path having hand dug it out in just 2 days!
His daughter was his labourer and she is so petite, but wheels a loaded barrow like a good un!
here is the finished result! It is so lovely to walk down a really solid path
although we think it looks a bit like a runway where it is 2 slabs wide
but this has solved the problem we had of what we called hubbies office, the shed and the greenhouse.
The girls bought us walkie talkies for our wedding anniversary, so we could talk to one another whilst he was in his office. So the house is now 'Control Tower', the office is 'Terminal 1' greenhouse 'Terminal 2' and the shed 'Terminal 3'. Works well and we know exactly which building is which. I am sourcing name plates as I type!
K is now home and ensconced in her super duper room, as soon as its tidy I will take a pic. It is working well, she enjoys the company and goes out to work each day which gives me the space I need too. She is loving her new job!
Everyone happy here!
Friday, 11 November 2011
Grotty Day, so have to work indoors!
No rest for the wicked, so they say.....
today rather than being out here....
can you believe the amount of leaves still on the trees! Middle of November and I'm still wearing a T-Shirt outside!!!
I digress............ I am in here
K is returning home to live and so her room which has been an amazing storage/dumping room has had to be emptied. We had planned in the long run, to decorate and take down the cabin bed, (built by her uncle a good few years ago) which had the most amazing storage capacity beneath it. But this has now been brought forward.
It is an enormous task, but I have managed to empty the contents of this room to various other places around the house
dismantled the bed,
now I have to lift carpet, sand windowsills, pull out rawlplugs, fill holes, paint and all around the mattresses!!!!!!
I used to enjoy decorating, now I just find it hard work, does that mean I'm getting old????
today rather than being out here....
can you believe the amount of leaves still on the trees! Middle of November and I'm still wearing a T-Shirt outside!!!
I digress............ I am in here
K is returning home to live and so her room which has been an amazing storage/dumping room has had to be emptied. We had planned in the long run, to decorate and take down the cabin bed, (built by her uncle a good few years ago) which had the most amazing storage capacity beneath it. But this has now been brought forward.
It is an enormous task, but I have managed to empty the contents of this room to various other places around the house
dismantled the bed,
now I have to lift carpet, sand windowsills, pull out rawlplugs, fill holes, paint and all around the mattresses!!!!!!
I used to enjoy decorating, now I just find it hard work, does that mean I'm getting old????
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Lots done, but lots more to be done!!!!!!!!!!
We had a break in the proceedings last Friday, for K's graduation.
This was her second graduation ceremony for her Post Grad. Certificate. My sister came this time, as mum had come last time. For some reason it was so much better. All we can put it down too is the fact that she has handed her resignation in, as she has a new job and it sort of finalised her time at Worcester. She is very sad to be leaving, but there was no chance of advancement for her there!
Afterwards we out for a very splendid meal, which topped the day off really well.
Saturday we moved hubby into his 'Kennel', this is my name for his office lol! The shelving was finished on Friday, so the day was spent carting boxes down the garden.
He spent hours down there, sorting everything out, these next 2 photos, I took without the flash and he didn't even know I was there. lol!
He used to get quite frustrated, when his things where moved around in the house, I think now this is his domain, he is very happy as everything should stay where its is until he goes to the 'kennel' next time!
The girls bought us Walkie Talkies for our wedding anniversary this year and he and I have been having lots of fun with them whilst he is down there!
Just some other pics of the finished work.
e
Our next challenge is to see if we can fit four adults into our house. K has been gone 5 years. Her new job brings her back to Wiltshire, unfortunately she hasn't found suitable accommodation, so is moving back in.
Although we had planned to dismantle her cabin bed, with copious amounts of storage underneath, one day, we hadn't planned on it happening so quickly. So my challenge is to find new homes for everything!!!! This is a challenge in itself as our cottage was built in the 1860's and in those days you didn't have storage!! We still don't! So I am struggling badly, just trying to find spaces for everything! The ironing board has flummexed me as I just don't know where to put it!!
So if you are good at this sort of thing and are passing, please call in, I need your help!!!
This was her second graduation ceremony for her Post Grad. Certificate. My sister came this time, as mum had come last time. For some reason it was so much better. All we can put it down too is the fact that she has handed her resignation in, as she has a new job and it sort of finalised her time at Worcester. She is very sad to be leaving, but there was no chance of advancement for her there!
Afterwards we out for a very splendid meal, which topped the day off really well.
Saturday we moved hubby into his 'Kennel', this is my name for his office lol! The shelving was finished on Friday, so the day was spent carting boxes down the garden.
He spent hours down there, sorting everything out, these next 2 photos, I took without the flash and he didn't even know I was there. lol!
He used to get quite frustrated, when his things where moved around in the house, I think now this is his domain, he is very happy as everything should stay where its is until he goes to the 'kennel' next time!
The girls bought us Walkie Talkies for our wedding anniversary this year and he and I have been having lots of fun with them whilst he is down there!
Just some other pics of the finished work.
e
Our next challenge is to see if we can fit four adults into our house. K has been gone 5 years. Her new job brings her back to Wiltshire, unfortunately she hasn't found suitable accommodation, so is moving back in.
Although we had planned to dismantle her cabin bed, with copious amounts of storage underneath, one day, we hadn't planned on it happening so quickly. So my challenge is to find new homes for everything!!!! This is a challenge in itself as our cottage was built in the 1860's and in those days you didn't have storage!! We still don't! So I am struggling badly, just trying to find spaces for everything! The ironing board has flummexed me as I just don't know where to put it!!
So if you are good at this sort of thing and are passing, please call in, I need your help!!!
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Busy Weekend!
We have made good use of the mild weather this weekend, and have decided to lay some turf. Unfortunately I have the most awful sore throat, I haven't had one this bad for years and years so my lovely hubby has done all the hard work, bless him, he is definately not used to the hard digging work.
He got one side done and the ohter side part done, I will finish it off tomorrow.
I think it is looking really good! In fact just how we hoped it would.
The water butts are fitted, all very posh with bends and everything. Before I used to get a downpipe and angle it out! lol!
The plasterer was in Thursday so it looks like a proper room now. Friday saw the return of the Electrician
so we now have some lights. Doesn't it look amazing!
Decorator is coming in Monday and Tuesday
then floor will go down Wednesday.
So with any luck we can start moving hubby in next weekend! He is getting very excited!
He got one side done and the ohter side part done, I will finish it off tomorrow.
I think it is looking really good! In fact just how we hoped it would.
The water butts are fitted, all very posh with bends and everything. Before I used to get a downpipe and angle it out! lol!
The plasterer was in Thursday so it looks like a proper room now. Friday saw the return of the Electrician
so we now have some lights. Doesn't it look amazing!
Decorator is coming in Monday and Tuesday
then floor will go down Wednesday.
So with any luck we can start moving hubby in next weekend! He is getting very excited!
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
In the Nick of Time!
We have been so, so lucky with the weather! The doors and windows where finally delivered, having had plastic protecting the window and door openings, our builder managed to get them all in yesterday, just as the heavens opened.
How lucky where we!
They look fabulous, we are thrilled.
What is left to do, well the floor is down we just need to get the walls plastered, painted, then the laminate flooring down, finish off electrics, then guttering, water butts and a few bits outside.
Hopefully this should all be done by the end of next week, then we can move 'himself' and all his clutter in, lock, stock and barrel! Woo hoo!!!
In the meantime the pond is doing well and overflowing exactly where it is supposed to be.
One veg bed has gone, here I will extend the flower bed
and the other veg bed is to follow this will be put back to grass.
Now I have 2 of these do you think I could make them into 3 compartment compost bin?
How lucky where we!
They look fabulous, we are thrilled.
What is left to do, well the floor is down we just need to get the walls plastered, painted, then the laminate flooring down, finish off electrics, then guttering, water butts and a few bits outside.
Hopefully this should all be done by the end of next week, then we can move 'himself' and all his clutter in, lock, stock and barrel! Woo hoo!!!
In the meantime the pond is doing well and overflowing exactly where it is supposed to be.
One veg bed has gone, here I will extend the flower bed
and the other veg bed is to follow this will be put back to grass.
Now I have 2 of these do you think I could make them into 3 compartment compost bin?
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Surprise!
We realised that we would need more space to get the windows and doors round the back of the greenhouse, so we actually unglazed and unscrewed it!
Anyway whilst we had the access we decided to make a few further changes... more than had previously planned. Something we have wanted to do for years but just couldn't do with out assistance. So we negotiated a price with our builder and commenced on Tuesday 11th October.
Things started off looking like this
we emptied the pond, caught the fish and started digging. Yes I helped, because we where working on a daily rate!
This is all the soil that was dug out, unfortunately we couldn't get a skip till the following day as we wanted one with a drop end! So this was all moved to the skip the next day!
The water butts, bins, buckets etc are all filled with pond water, we put all the fish in one of the big water butts and popped the lid on.
After lining the whole pond with sand, then like a fleece layer we lay out the liner. as it filled I paddled round pulling and folding so we had quite neat corners etc.
It was then left overnight to settle and the following day we began the beautifiying bit!
here is the finished pond. The slabs came from another part of the garden. The pond filter on the other side of the pond has had a water fall created using to roof tiles we had.
Around the gunnera we have used the rocks that where around the edge of the old pond. The overflow is also here so any excess water will flow to where its needed!
The hose has to be reduced. But is for the log waterfall feature we have created.
and the fish are also very happy!
I made my hubby, promise not to go down the garden until it was looking good. W managed to get the decking done in front of the office as well and the grand opening took place last night.
All I can say is that it looks amazing, far better than the photos show.
We still have some tidying up to do, planting etc. But the hard work is done and all in 4 days. I am thrilled to be able to say I played a substantial part in its creation. Our builder is amazing and so inspirational, and even when the going got tough he still kept laughing!
This weekend, we shall be paying a number of visits to the tip. So no rest for the wicked lol!!!
Anyway whilst we had the access we decided to make a few further changes... more than had previously planned. Something we have wanted to do for years but just couldn't do with out assistance. So we negotiated a price with our builder and commenced on Tuesday 11th October.
Things started off looking like this
we emptied the pond, caught the fish and started digging. Yes I helped, because we where working on a daily rate!
This is all the soil that was dug out, unfortunately we couldn't get a skip till the following day as we wanted one with a drop end! So this was all moved to the skip the next day!
The water butts, bins, buckets etc are all filled with pond water, we put all the fish in one of the big water butts and popped the lid on.
After lining the whole pond with sand, then like a fleece layer we lay out the liner. as it filled I paddled round pulling and folding so we had quite neat corners etc.
It was then left overnight to settle and the following day we began the beautifiying bit!
here is the finished pond. The slabs came from another part of the garden. The pond filter on the other side of the pond has had a water fall created using to roof tiles we had.
Around the gunnera we have used the rocks that where around the edge of the old pond. The overflow is also here so any excess water will flow to where its needed!
The hose has to be reduced. But is for the log waterfall feature we have created.
and the fish are also very happy!
I made my hubby, promise not to go down the garden until it was looking good. W managed to get the decking done in front of the office as well and the grand opening took place last night.
All I can say is that it looks amazing, far better than the photos show.
We still have some tidying up to do, planting etc. But the hard work is done and all in 4 days. I am thrilled to be able to say I played a substantial part in its creation. Our builder is amazing and so inspirational, and even when the going got tough he still kept laughing!
This weekend, we shall be paying a number of visits to the tip. So no rest for the wicked lol!!!
Friday, 7 October 2011
About the Garden!
I have been so wrapped up with nails and office conversion, that I have not been really looking at the garden, I am not sure what changed today, that made me look.
I was surprised with the amount of colour/flowers I have
this Black Eyed Susan has been totally amazing. Will Giles at the Exotic Garden Blog gave me the idea and I have been thrilled with how well it has done.
In the back ground you can see another of my Bromeliad's that has flowered!
Jungle area
My neighbours 'Kiwi' isn't it amazing, for some unknown reason it loves growing into my garden. I love it! Thanks S!
This is the best ever Rincus I have grown, I love it. I will definately get this one again.
My Maurelli's where very poor this year, no idea why, I don't think I did anything differently?
My Trachy has gone balistic this year, it has sent up so many spears its unbelievable
and there are still 3 to come!
Meanwhile I still have flowers everywhere!
Meanwhile at the bottom the decking is underway.
The greenhouse has been screwed down, so I will be able to get the glass in this weekend.
I hope to get the compost bins set up, I may even build some. I am planning the planting around the pond, plus I have dismantled one of the veg beds, so am in the process of extending the flowerbed and replanting some grass.
So much to do and so little time!!!
I was surprised with the amount of colour/flowers I have
this Black Eyed Susan has been totally amazing. Will Giles at the Exotic Garden Blog gave me the idea and I have been thrilled with how well it has done.
In the back ground you can see another of my Bromeliad's that has flowered!
Jungle area
My neighbours 'Kiwi' isn't it amazing, for some unknown reason it loves growing into my garden. I love it! Thanks S!
This is the best ever Rincus I have grown, I love it. I will definately get this one again.
My Maurelli's where very poor this year, no idea why, I don't think I did anything differently?
My Trachy has gone balistic this year, it has sent up so many spears its unbelievable
and there are still 3 to come!
Meanwhile I still have flowers everywhere!
Meanwhile at the bottom the decking is underway.
The greenhouse has been screwed down, so I will be able to get the glass in this weekend.
I hope to get the compost bins set up, I may even build some. I am planning the planting around the pond, plus I have dismantled one of the veg beds, so am in the process of extending the flowerbed and replanting some grass.
So much to do and so little time!!!
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