Its been a while...........

but I couldn't stay away any longer especially when I had such a lovely comment from Diane .

Eldest child has been home now for 5 weeks from uni. Its been lovely having her home, the only downside being the fake tan on the white towels and the once more squalid state of her bedroom, but that's not that bad is it? Tonight she is cooking us all a lovely meal with 'come dine with me recipes' and its all looking highly professional so far. Back tomorrow.

We picked her up from York before Easter and stayed overnight which was a real treat. The three of us had a real lovely afternoon walking round the city before a slap up meal and then back to the hotel ( I love staying in a hotel, mainly because of the laundered sheets!)..........next morning early Herb and I did the city walls and he showed me his old school which is now St Johns uni.




However the real high of the past few weeks was the Yorkshire sculpture park.....it was an amazing day out and I don't believe it would have to be just a love of modern sculpture for this to be a real treat. We were a mixed group, 6 to 60 and we all really enjoyed the day. True the weather was glorious, like summer, which helps any day out along but also the sculpture was fab (my favourite was definitely the wonderful Sophie Ryder and Henry Moore pieces). The 'bunny 'pieces as my niece called them are really amazing, made I think from galvanised wire and the kneeling sculpture stands probably 25 feet. Wonderful.



the park, views, exhibitions all a real treat....and its free to get in (£4 to park) how much better could it be. We took a picnic but there is a cafe. ....As you can tell, I'm a real fan of the place...please go if you're near Wakefield you wont be disappointed.


The low of the past month is that I've not felt great and am awaiting the results of a whole range of tests. It really brought me down, so much so that creativity has gone out of the window unusually for me. I've started and abandoned lots of projects(except this little experiment which is now with the other half started pieces dumped behind the sofa). However I am a lot more positive now and am sure all will be ok. Those few words D made a difference...thank you

she's gone.............

Life has been really hectic here in the small town of late. We have visited two more universities for youngest, one far afield and one a bit nearer and then of course this weekend we took eldest child to York university. Which of course was extremely exciting and more than a little sad. The process for moving in couldn't have been easier. As we parked the car outside the accommodation, a mob of students descended and unpacked the car in a trice (love that word!) and deposited everything in her new home. The bed was made, the tins squirreled away (herb was aghast at how much food i had actually bought) and then we left, really quickly.
Of course that wasn't my idea, I would probably have hung out for the dramatic goodbye, but herb was having none of that (and quite right too) and so eldest disappeared without a back ward glance and left me to have a quick weep. Of course I knew she was crying too.....but after we had a walk round the campus and returned to the car, we spotted her on the grass in a big group all getting to know each other. I have phoned, I couldn't help myself and she is have fun meeting nice people.

Last week we visited Norwich university of art and Newcastle! I have never been to Newcastle before and we all loved it. Great campus, fantastic art department, the space for the students was the best we've seen and the course seemed just perfect, but of course it all comes down to that wretched portfolio, so youngest is busy trying to get that up to scratch.

On the way home I asked the man in the car park how we could get to see the Angel of the North as we had left the A1 too soon to see it. His reply was that why on earth would anyone want to see that rust bucket, it was a terrible eyesore, he could see it from his house and loathed it!

But we loved it. We only saw it close up but its a magnificent structure and when you stand at the feet and look up its imagined movement is more that a little scary.

Norwich was really good too, but it is specifically an art uni and is quite small, but its a great little city so she could do worse than end up there. The building and facilities are excellent and it all felt very exciting and creative.

On the crafting front the bargello is coming along a treat and I had a play with the hook and came up with the beginnings of this little scarf. both I think will become Christmas gifts as 'handmade is the way to go this year I think...............now that we are supporting a student and are poor, well that's what I'm telling herb when he wanted a new golf club, its going to be a cheap Christmas ha ha.