21 today......

I cannot believe my baby girl is 21 today. where on earth have those years gone!

She is in York and we are down south and it does feel really odd not to be with her but we have spoken and her house mates prepared her breakfast, I ordered a cupcake cake  from here which she says is gorgeous -all pink and glittery and she is very very happy. What more could we want.

We are all meeting up in Sheffield on Friday (our new favourite place) to continue the celebrations.

Back in time a bit....Turkey! what can I say. I had no expectation, no strike that I half expected not to like it. I don't like overly touristy places, little Britain's......egg and chips and Irish pubs with sun.

But it exceeded all expectation.......the perfect band aid for the year we have had.....and I have discovered that I really like lazy holidays.
The biggest decision of the day was where to have supper.......some days we got on the wonderful dolmus -taxis that will stop anywhere....we explored a little....but mainly swam in the sea, read, walked (sewed - me only) and ate!
The girls are a little miffed that we have somehow managed to have their perfect holiday without them after subjecting them (their words) to years of traipsing round french churches villages etc etc.

What can I say.....this is the life of us empty nesters! It was a lovely place, obviously not very busy because of the time we went,  in the 30s every day, low humidity, beautiful views and the most hospitable people (which after France was a revelation)....and not forgetting being outside the euro zone, incredibly affordable....long may it continue, will return in 2012 I hope.

 Lastly I believe I am probably officially addicted to buying fabric on line......well anywhere really but without close proximity to any  fabric shops on line is easy...well too easy(especially after a glass of wine or two).

Some of my latest acquisitions with a shed load more on the way from the states.......just a mention though for this site M is for make......ordered one day, arrived next morning......brilliant.

great to catch up with everyone.....after the holiday, life looks good again.

....and off to Turkey we go

A really strange time here in the small town........both girls have gone to uni, one for her 3rd year the younger for her 1st. Both to brilliant places in the north leaving us, in a very quiet house in the south (albeit cleaner).

As if that wasn't stressful enough, we rushed to get finished sorting my mums place as its being rented out. Herb did most of the hard work painting and cleaning , I did the sorting which was harder than I thought. but its done now(well I'm say done, most of it has been just stowed in my spare room for another day!)

the university quilt was finished. Rubbish snaps I know, as it was 11 pm as we were leaving 7 am the next morning. but I think she really likes it, a little piece of home . lets hope it fares a bit better than this...

.which limped home after eldest treated it with the same respect as everything else in her room....love her!

and so we are treating ourselves to a much needed and deserved holiday......Turkey.....never been but its been highly recommended. Herb wanted to swim.... that's his criteria......mine was too relax....so I have books , iPod with more audible books(Wolf Hall-the easy way) and of course a wee bit of sewing.
First 2 week holiday alone in 24 years....yikes

jewels from turkey........

Well not quite, but my super dooper brother in law was thoughtful enough to buy these gorgeous jewel coloured threads from the market in Turkey.The colours are beautiful and I will try and maybe do some embroidery on linen to show them off.
Meanwhile I have started another quilt.....university quilt mark 2.

You may remember that eldest got this crochet blanket to take to uni a couple of years ago....you may also remember that it was rescued some months later from the back of the wardrobe.....I shall save it for her.

I have higher hoped for mark 2. I'm a bit disappointed with my sewing.......not all the points go in the right place, so I'll have to work on that.

I have had two weeks holiday at home. My employers last year decided a 2 week shut down in august was the best for the business.... just when I didn't need annual leave in school holidays any more!
But I'm never one to make a fuss about time off and fortunately having been there forever I have quite a lot of holiday so it doesn't bite too much into my leave.
So we have just stayed here and pottered and I have loved every minute.......some days out, sewing, caught up with friends, Ikea trip for girl about to go to uni, visited a national thrust or two and just enjoyed being at home (oh and some nice food and wine).
I'm sure when I get back to work tomorrow people will not believe that I've had an enjoyable fortnight without leaving these shores...... but I have .

Mollie Makes and Jane Brocket

I try very hard not to succumb to the temptation of magazines. They are expensive and generally nowadays I see them as a treat, a kind of reward, if life is good or sometimes not so good.(much like food actually but that's a whole different blog.).
I have always loved to drool over other peoples homes, get inspiration from the stylists and have probably hundreds of living etc, Elle decoration and Homes and Gardens from way back that I can still pull out, so really I shouldn't buy more.

However when I read all the blurb about this new craft mag I had to buy it.......missed the first copy as couldn't get it locally so subscribed for the agreeable £5 for 3 issues offer. which has duly arrived as promised.

Am on issue 4 now but do you know what, I'm slightly disappointed. I settle down with the mag and good coffee and its over too quickly.....dare I say not enough substance to warrant the list price of £4.99. so I think I will probably cancel. What do other people think?

 I've saved the little freebies that come with the mag for a felt ring and felt necklace......if anyone would use them please let me know and I'll pop them in the post.

This on the other hand did not disappoint in the slightest...... Jane Brocket's book of quilting.....its beautifully presented and written. The quilts are fabulous and I love her writing. She really makes you believe it to be simple and achievable to make something so beautiful.....she also has a great blog.
If you like to quilt or look at a beautiful book, treat yourself.
Sadly( my family tell me) it is my current bedside reading however I have even caught Herb having a flick through. Gorgeous

I finished my first quilt...

and here it is......modeled by youngest who not only survived her 3 months away but had the time of her life and is very sad to be back.(especially when she is stacking those shelves at waitrose). I really really enjoyed making this and am chomping at the bit to start another one.

 as to other stuff.....I have spent these past two days clearing out my mothers home with my sister. Not a nice thing to have to do but obviously it is down to us. The personal stuff is tough and most we cannot tackle and have boxed up for another day.
This is the gorgeous David Austin rose Herb and I bought for the garden  for my mum. It has the most wonderful old fashioned scent and a delicate but dense petal.....its the Mortimer Sackler climbing rose.
It was so hard to choose at the garden centre as these DA roses are all fabulous. Not cheap but well worth it. I will treat myself to another .

 and of course we are all home again together.
There are no clean towels, no mugs or glasses in the kitchen, there are fake tan hand prints on doors and walls, makeup covers the bathroom and the dirty washing bin overflows. BUT I LOVE HAVING THEM HOME....

she's back today.......

cake and banner made.....just about to leave for heathrow.........am soooooo excited!

A big big thank you.....

for all the very kind comments left here and the emails I received,. I am fine.

For any of you that  have gone through this you will know what a surreal time it is....the world just shifts a little and everything is now viewed ever so slightly differently.

Youngest you may remember is on her travels on the other side of the world. She did a skydive on the day of Joyce's funeral, this from a girl who up to now would not go on any theme park rides.

She has climbed 'mount doom', has black water rafted.....been up a glacier and yesterday did a bungee jump in New Zealand. All a very fitting tribute to her grandma who would have done all that if she could have.
I think youngest may come back a very different person, to the one who went.

I have started a bit of crafting again but as I have no camera , cannot show you anything at  all!

This will be the first fathers/mothers day for us without any teen here in the house, so I am doing the breakfast in bed for Herb as a poor substitute. I will take him to a national trust this afternoon and it will be lovely....that's if we don't get soaked.

so again to all my friends that I have yet to meet....thank you very much, it meant ever such a lot x

a sad time........

because my mum died yesterday......its been an intense and tiring 6 weeks caring for her but with as many highs as lows.
We made our peace and its these weeks I will remember rather than what has gone before.

a new love.....

the pictures are poor.......but I have a new love. 

Its in its early stages but choosing fabric, colours, cutting, and sewing have kept me going in the past month. These were taken with a borrowed and broken camera, youngest took mine on her travels and of course it is now broken! (how many I told you so's have I had to listen to about that!) 

On that subject youngest is now in Australia, Noosa....which she is loving. She is in regular contact so I cant ask for more than that and she having an absolute brilliant time.(have only had one sleepless night when she sent an email to her sister saying they were staying in a hostel with no other girls just a great bunch of Korean guys that didn't speak English....mixed dorms.....felt better when she moved on!)

 No sign of elderly P going home yet so this quilt obsession could get verrry expensive!!

careful what you wish for...........

you may recall in the past few months that I have anticipated a time when the girls would not be here and it would just be me and Herb. We rub along just fine after 25 years and enjoy our days out and days in but I knew it would be much quieter and as I did a fair bit with youngest, I would occasionally find myself at a loss.

well  ha ha ha ha ha(slightly hysterical laughing) because we are not alone!!

As youngest went on her travels and eldest prepared to go back to uni...... elderly parent became  ill and can no longer live independently....so this is my new role, well it has been for the past 3 weeks and let me tell you I was not born for it! 

Luckily I had a fortnight off work so that has not been an issue especially as I am up a lot during the night.

We have not ever had a good relationship but what can I do.....carers starting tomorrow, herb is being the absolutely best, over and above the call etc and so we soldier on. 

I think I am mainly Nurse Jackie but alcohol is my prop not drugs.....which would you be?

I love this world.....

blog world that is....I have got so much from it in the last few years that it has become a really important part of my life. I love the friendship and creativeness of the people I have 'met' and the generosity  just goes to prove that despite what gets said in the media we still have the capacity to be thoughtful and kind towards our fellow man.
That said I am feeling neither towards the people at the beeb who have replaced my much loved BBC7 with something else entirely. Why mess with something that isn't broke......I loved all those rerun dramas from the 70's and 80's!
 I must show what a friend sent me.......it came beautifully wrapped (something I can never do)

 a wonderful handmade card

 with loads of detail

 and this beautifully adorned heart,,,,the picture doesn't do it justice. What a lovely thing to make for someone and we haven't even met......yet....check out the lovely Diane at  heartshaped

Thanks for the comments regarding the last post.....youngest has been in Thailand for a week and is now arriving in Kuala Lumpur. She has already ridden an elephant, been snorkeling, island hopping where 'The Beach' was filmed, participated in the national water fight that is the Thai new year celebrations and seen a mahoosive spider. We get a text every day so far and we are all thrilled she is having such a fab time.....but she is sorely missed.....I have one more day at work then am off for a fortnight when I will put my current self pitying state behind me and get on .....

only 3 days to go.......

until youngest flies off to the other side of the world........on the outside I'm excited and cool, inside I'm jelly and the darkest thoughts invade my sleep and wake me up........then keep me that way until the lights creeps in..... of course she will have a wonderful time and an amazing experience...........never thought i would feel like this about it though.

Bath...........

One of my favourite places in all of England

Dyrham Park...a national trust treat(or national thrust as H calls it!)

 Not one but two stitchy shows....one locally and one at Olympia.....not as good as the Ally Pally one in the autumn but a few purchases made ...of course

Liberty type lawn

Actual liberty lawn

Some blossom from a friend

..and a bit of stitching

Not a lot of words I know, but am a bit preoccupied as youngest going on her 3 month trip in 10 days to the other side of the world.....yikes!

Happy Sunday x