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.

France was FAB as always.....

This was our home for the week, a very nice pigeonnaire, part of a much larger beautiful farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Literally five miles down a windy road from the nearest village, a 10 mile trip for your morning croissants!

The silence was deafening you could hear the leaves falling from the trees and the beasts snorting in the woods.....something I've always craved but as a former city girl latterly a small town girl. it could be a wee bit scary if I was on my own (Herb having undertaken the 10 mile trip for the you know what) ...still,I would have  a go at getting used to it!

The pool was huge and gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves, we kept saying how the girls would have loved it.......

We stayed in the Tarn region not too far from Albi which did not disappoint, it has the biggest brick built cathedral in the world!.....loved it

wonderful villages,and it being September there were no hoards of brit's, no crowds, no 'hunt the parking space',we had these amazing places almost to ourselves....my,we are getting old and grumpy.

and finally this melamine plate in the gite inspired this piece of crochet so I was not completely idle.

and had a dabble at cross stitch too.....

All in all a great week, we survived our first holiday a deux....we missed the girls terribly, but on the positive side we could  suit ourselves more than normal and hey its something I will have to get used to.

The house was extremely tidy when we got back......smelt quite badly of a heavy use of oven chips and I suspect our house became the place to stay for the week, but that's OK all safe and well.

Work has been full on and quite stressful since I got back, its the time of year when its always that way, year end, new budgets and of course the coming of 'compulsaries'.....not great.

and finally thanks for the comments re my last post and the big falling out I had with an old friend. I had an extremely frank discussion with her, probably 30 years overdue on my part which felt very liberating. We have spoken since the holiday but have yet to meet up, its cost me some sleepless nights but hopefully our friendship will now be on a better footing.......

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

before eldest child packs up all the stuff we have bought, pots , pans, plates etc, all the photos she has printed of her pals, the university blanket and the box of tinned soups pasta, shampoo and loo rolls and various other bits and pieces and moves to york for university.............a new chapter begins.

another week another university

So its another week and therefore another university open day. Last week Leeds, not our part of the country but an acceptable few hours driving.....this week Lancaster! How much does this child want to get away from us! A very unacceptable 4 hours in the car each way. But did we complain....not much! but not within hearing of youngest child.

This one she liked. For those who have never visited this university(and why would you have) it is very near the wonderful lake district but in terms of its architecture

it is anything but wonderful. More of a dogs breakfast, a seventies new town look. BUT she liked it. The guy doing the talk for fine art was very interesting and the course seemed far more suited to her. Unlike Leeds which only really seemed interested in extremely modern conceptual art,

Lancaster lets the student follow the art direction that they prefer and fine tune it. Just what she wants.

Youngest was not allowing me to take many photos but i managed a few and it is in a glorious part of the world.

Despite the mishmash of architectural styles some of the accommodation was really tip top , very Scandinavian in design and well thought out. She liked that a lot and it wasn't even the most expensive....a mere £84 per week! A really worthwhile day for youngest...we shall see. Norwich next.

Friday I had a really fun day. Went to a friend who is a wonderful quilter(is that what they call themselves) and she gave another friend and me a tutorial on patchwork and more importantly for me, the correct way to use a sewing machine.I loved it and look what I produced.

Actually I know this is fairly unimpressive but who knows where it may lead on the crafting front. I really enjoyed all the quilting paraphernalia, the measuring and cutting and Jo said I made a pretty good job of my joins. So am all inspired now.

Have a great week folks

No I haven't been away........

nor have I been any busier than usual with work, but the reason I haven't written is that i didn't know what to say. Life here in the small town has taken on a strange atmosphere, preparations for university have stepped up a pace. There has been a trip to Primark for towels and bedding, I am buying all the deals on toiletries I see....all with more than a little disbelief and dread. Herb is keeping his feelings very close to his chest but I am becoming agitated and there is a certain tension in the house. This was compounded this week with a visit to the university open day in Leeds for youngest child. We did the 3 hours drive up north to see what Leeds has to offer for a 17 year old wanting to study fine art. We loved it but to be honest I think she was a little overawed by the campus and the course and it probably isn't for her. (Her with the purple bag)but again on the drive back, I pondered on the fact that this time next year the nest will indeed be empty.....and that doesn't make me happy. There was an article in the Observer last week whose tone was that this was an ideal opportunity for a couple to refind each other, to pursue new interests etc. Of coursed I pounced on this but it didn't make me feel any better. We have a lovely life which I appreciate very much , we enjoy each others company, have lovely friends, a nice home, a good work life balance , it will just seem a paler shade without the girls. that's all.

Enough.....its going to happen onward and upward.......I have plans to fill the space.

I'm going to turn the spare bedroom(it's so bad now i can't even bear to show you a picture) into a bit of a craft room.

I will go to the handmade craft fair in Cambridge in December and the knitting and stitching show at Alexandra Palace in October for inspiration.

I am thinking of starting a stitching group in the small town.

I have Herbs landmark birthday to sort.....and of course youngest will still be here for another year. No need to wish that away.

Speaking of crafting.....a little bit of crewel..I have run out of wool for the university blanket, so took the time to finish the black and green one. I absolutely love it. I know its a bit contrived colour wise but that's me I'm afraid. Only a few hundred ends to sew in!