Thank you year

Hello there!

I didn't really have much chance to write about the end of term (apart from Sad Frog! Thank you so much for your sweet, lovely comments on that post.  You give me far too much credit. I am not as lovely and kind all the time- I wish I were but I am human!) 

As you can see from the table below, I received A LOT of gifts from my pupils. I am embarrassed and guilty about this.  I don't deserve and need all this but I appreciated the gestures! There were 5 bunches of flowers in total, not all pictured!

My favourite present was the crocheted duck but I also loved the Monstera cuttings in a beautiful mini vase that a parent/child gave me- I added water and I am happy to say that the cuttings have already grown roots so I have now potted them!

The most random, but very useful, gift was the rose gold travel hairdryer!

The tastiest were the handmade brownies and biscuits.

Most useful is the ceramic bowl with lid!

There were some really pretty cards.

I have put all the messages into collages for my own memories- it's not always possible to keep every card so I appreciate having my blog to save these.

I am grateful  for all I have received!

xx

A lazy weekend for some!

Hi,

How are you? Well, I hope. 

Well, I spent today at school cleaning/sorting/tidying out the music room (and the cupboard of doom in the hall)- stayed for about 5.5 hours.  Was glad to get it done at the start of the holidays and indeed, I HAD to do it now as the cleaners need to do the deep clean and that frankly wasn't possible without this! 

BUT, the weekend was a nicely relaxed one!

I got up around 8.45 to water the garden and then we headed to see the piano. We met my Piano technician friend L there who gave the piano the once over and said it was a good piano so we are going ahead with buying it (Friday).

After that, CBC wanted to head to Leigh-on-Sea to go and fetch a birthday present for his sister. I had already purchased her a cute Tatty Devine notebook and a pretty Citronella candle in a teal ceramic pot but he wanted to get something.

We went into a very fancy florist where he bought her a money plant in a pretty pot (very expensive though!) The florist was arty, fun and quirky and very hip which is very Leigh-on-Sea.

After that, CBC wanted to stop somewhere for a drink/brunch so we went to our favourite cafe, Stop The World, where he had Eggs Florentine, coffee and a smoothie. I had just a smoothie because I didn't want to be spending lots of money  on the first day of the holiday.  It's a very lovely cafe though and I LOVE their veggie breakfast usually which consists of Halloumi, grilled tomatoes, tomato salsa, spinach, broccoli, asparagus oh and mushrooms but I swap those for avocado!

 After that, we headed towards home but CBC decided we should have a walk and so we went to Belfairs woods which are a very pleasant place to walk- I've walked there once before but it was very muddy that time!

We ended up walking on the golf  course as part of our walk and sat on a bench and watched someone teeing off which was hilarious from behind!

In the woods, we saw this very pretty Green man carving.

 There was also vast quantity of Speckled Wood butterflies around. There were some other varieties but they were very skittish so I didn't have the chance to identify them.

The woodland parts of the walk very pleasantly shaded.  Out in the sun wasn't soo cool as I hadn't put on any suncream as we were originally just out to see a piano!

 The grass is very parched everywhere.  Maybe just one day of rain might be ok?

 Back home, I had some leftover sandwiches from the staff tea party as my version of lunch/breakfast and watered the garden and put some washing in.
I noticed how happy my Aloe Vera is with life at the moment.  We recently bought it a new big pot to live in and it has spread out and grown profusely up and outwards.

 Plus, several babies have been born!

 After that, we headed over to CBC's Sister's house where his Mum was also. She's pregnant at the moment- due in 2 weeks and has a 23-month boy who was having a meltdown when we arrived.  Luckily, that was instantly abated as he was curious about us!  I ended up going off with him to inspect the hoovers - he likes the hoover and he seemed very happy. We gave her her presents which she seemed to like and then took his Mum out to dinner at Prezzo so they could do the Bed time routine in peace.

When we returned home, I did some more work on Another Day of Sun (part of my list) and CBC prepared for Sunday's cycling ride from London to Southend.

CBC set off at 6am to London and I slept on!
At around 11, I rode to the station on my Brompton to get the train to Southend Victoria to meet him at the finish line.

Unusually, Abellio Greater Anglia were giving away free ice-creams to everyone who travelled on the train so I had a 99 before leaving the station.  Here it is with my bike!

 I cycled down to Priory Park and waited at the Finish Line for CBC.

 There he is at 12.10ish!  I then stood around for 2 hours or so as he and his two cycling pals had some beers and chatted and tried not to get too impatient!
We rode back to Southend Victoria, irritatingly missing a train by 2 minutes which meant 28 minutes wait.

 Back home, I decided I should really tackle the bag of present from school, most of which hadn't been opened in the hurry on Friday.
18 boxes of chocolates is perhaps a bit much for one person to receive and not very healthy though I appreciate the gesture.  1 box had already been given to my piano pal.

 These were the non-chocolate gifts

 My favourite was this pair of cat-themed gifts which I DID open on Wednesday when the boy gave it to me.  I said, "Oooh, I love them! Did you choose them?" to which he replied affirmatively and when questioned how he knew to choose them, he commented, "You wear a lot of cat-themed clothing so I thought you might like them!"  How utterly thoughtful for a 9-year old boy!

Here are most of the cards minus one or two that were upstairs already.

There were three bunches of flowers. I gave one to my neighbours as I don't have enough vases for 3 and it seemed nice to share the joy (which I also intend to do with chocolates).

It's nice to be appreciated.

Later that evening, I cooked a dinner of pasta with green vegetables and passata and then finished Another Day of Sun!  

Task 1 completed!

How was your weekend?

xx

10 (or maybe 11) reasons to be thankful

After the horrid day I had yesterday and the start of today, I cannot believe the blessings and lovely things that happened despite all this.  I am thankful for these.

1.  I truly believe all the prayers of yourself, colleagues and friends helped. All the positive message you left and the compassion and sympathy, thank you.

2.  So many colleagues sent me kind text messages, people were so kind to me today.

3. The caretaker left me 2 bunches of flowers flowers and a lovely note on my chair, 

4. I had decided to be pragmatic and be calm and still try to do nice things and I'm glad I did, I had a curious serenity over me today which was much needed, it was God with me.

5.  All my lessons progressed well, most of the children really concentrated and listened.

6. As part of my Year 4 lesson, we were comparing a piece of Japanese Gagaku music to  Balinese Rindik.  Having to listen to these over and over again was lovely since these were the two types of world music I loved the most at University. Also, children have this real delight and fascination with anything to do with Japan. It is curious and sweet.

7.  As I left school, I turned my phone on and was greeted with 14 delighted and thank you messages from the some of the 20 friends and family I decided to send a "have a lovely day" message to.

8. On the way home from school, the Student loan company contacted me just now and told me

they owe me a rebate of £531 (I paid it off over 2 years ago but somehow this only happened now).

9. I came home to a late birthday parcel from my lovely penpal Lucy which was just a joy and delight accompanied by such thoughtful and fun cards and a really kind and interesting letter that I want to reply to instantly!!!

10.  As I walked home from the station, I felt really hungry and wanted to pop into the chip shop to grab a sausage or something. As I went in, there was a queue of 4 people AND 20 elderly folk seated who were eating in. I stood for a few minutes waiting as the staff there were trying to juggle the dishing up of the people's orders from the large party.  I decided that I should probably skiddaddle and I walked home, slightly wishing I could have got something! I came through the door and discovered that CBC had left over chips for me as he'd been peckish on the way home and got fish and chips!!  So I got chips for free and saved CBC's from going in the bin!

11. And the best of the lot- the conclusion to the horrid thing was a compassionate, generous one with all the things I prayed for being as hoped. 

I cannot tell you how much I am feeling blessed. It just felt like all of that was a complete Godincidence. 

THANK you to YOU!

What are you grateful for?

xx

The universe upon my wall

I've been so remiss in posting this!  I am incredibly lucky with how many kind friends I have made through blogging. I currently have 5 regular penpals and a few blog friends who have sent things or I have sent them things over the years. I often think that through constant reading of our tastes, that our blog friends sometimes know us better than our IRL friends!

Anyway, that is a little preamble to share this beautiful painting by the lovely Tasha at the Happy Larkspur.  Tasha is one of my penpals and one of the nicest, most genuine, creative and appreciative-of-life people I know in Blogworld. It is a privilege to be in her acquaintance.
A while back, she posted a canvas she had painted like a galaxy and I commented and asked her if she would sell them?   She talked about not being sure and then a while later, one arrived through the post to me which was so sweet of her.

It's been sitting on a shelf for a while because frankly, CBC and I are not to be trusted with the electric drill (disaster trying to put up a mirror in the bedroom) so there was no place on the wall to currently put it and window sills are at a premium- there's a whole load of pictures just propped up leaning against the wall in the living room until we move house.   BUT, doing the tidying up on Sunday, in the kitchen, I suddenly noticed what looks like a light switch box with no light switch on our boring kitchen wall.

And voila, it had a new home and made the boring kitchen wall look good!!!

Such a lovely picture and WHEN we finally manage to buy a house (grrr, stupid estate agents just putting up prices- BECAUSE- and there are some horrid houses out there!) , then it can join the quartet of TARDISes!!!

Thanks Tasha!

xx

Creating a festive outfit

Creating a festive outfit doesn't have to be about wearing a Christmas jumper or even a Christmas dress, it can be about whatever you want it to. I am not a fashion or style expert and I have always done my own thing and you should too.

The end.

However, how I did that here was in the cunning use of bright colours and patterns.

 This beautiful dress is from Palava Folk (once called Poppy England, then Bryony&co) and it is handmade in England.  100% cotton, pockets, lined. What's not to love. Even better, I bought it in their summer sample sale at about 70% less than the normal price.
I thought it worked as a festive dress because the lolly pattern was quite synonymous with Christmas baubles and also made me think of the Land of Sweets from the Nutcracker ballet

 The gorgeous skies in Blackmore as I took these photos.

 I took the bauble idea and wore this personalised Christmas decoration as an oversized pendant. This was a free gift from Punkypins which I received last year with an order.

 I added these wonderful parcel bow earrings from Hazel which were a simple touch without being too overpowering...

The final detail was my Croc shoes. Although turquoise wasn't an obvious choice, I felt it worked well!

And that's how I created a festive outfit! How would you have created one?

xxx

The newest addition to TARDIS corner

I am privileged enough to have received 3 TARDIS art prints as presents from blogging friends.

Gemma James bought me the one on the left and Janet bought me the other two. I love them.

Then, look what came in the post this week... 

The lovely Alison who blogs at two Fatdormouse locations- here on Wordpress and here on Blogger is the most amazing Zentangle artist (I've included her Zentangle tag so you can look)- she made me a musical one once before.  I suggested that a TARDIS Zentangle might be interesting and she created this beautiful one. Even the calligraphed envelope was an utter work of art.  I am really thrilled with it so thank you very much Alison! Using the Time vortex for the Zentangle was really clever!

xx

Bright colours to brighten a mood

I often love the story of an object. I'm verbose, it's my way, I'm afraid.
This blanket has been with me since I was about 9.  It was one of the first homely touches I did with my new home, spreading the blanket on the sofa. It looks better now as it has cushions also. You can see boxes on either side on the sofa! They are still there until the plasterer comes to fill in the old plug holes BUT I have put away a lot of items.

So...to the blanket.
We have a dear family friend who we knew from church when I was young. She worked for the BBC and one of our greatest joys was to go and meet her in half term holidays at Broadcasting House for lunch in the BBC canteen and see some famous people pop by.

She was and still is excellent at crafts of all sorts. In fact, she was the one who helped me with my Dalek dress and she made me my Tom Baker Doctor Who scarf. I have her to thank for my Terry Pratchett introduction and for allowing me come round and practice for all my piano exams on her piano. She is the quintessential mad cat lady (but highly intelligent- just with lots of cats!)

She was crocheting one of these blankets and a relative saw. Her son, who had issues keeping his bed covers on decreed that he would like one of these as he would feel cooler with it. She made him one.

I saw her crocheting it and kept commenting (in that unsubtle hinting-child way) how much I liked it and how I'd love something similar.

And it so it foretold that I received one for Christmas.

My sister commented how much she liked it and how she'd like one in black, white and red,
And so it went on!

This has remained with me through the years.

When CBC saw me arrive with this to our house upon getting married, he objected to its 'gaudy granny chic' (his words not mine) and declared it useless as it had holes in it-how could it keep you warm.

And yet...

CBC has slept under this many a time and now knows its powers or warmth. Whilst there are subtle digs at its visual qualities, there are no calls to move it or send it on its way (good thing too!)

It remains and disguises our new pink velvet sofa!

It is double the size it appears- it is folded. Do you have such an item? Is there a story you can tell me about an object. I love this type of anecdote, so please do leave me a comment if you write about something like this!

xxx

Advent day 9 - A carving in memory

Today's Advent picture comes from last year.  One of the parents ordered me a beautiful present from Bethlehem last year from a charity. A beautiful nativity scene carved out of one piece of wood. On the reverse is the rest of the log.  It was SUCH a thoughtful present from this lovely, kind Muslim parent who knew I was a Christian.  She told me that she had seen them and knew she had to order one for me.  It sits on my mantle-piece now and I think of that boy and his lovely mother now after he has left- like they are carved in my memory.   I never expect presents, but every so often, a child will give me a memorable present like this. The best one ever was a sonic screwdriver!!! But that wouldn't make a good advent picture!

I hope all is well with you and you are having a lovely day!

I don't have a lot to say today, am rather tired. I haven't managed to visit everyone today or the day before. Sorry, have been out rather late and rather exhausted! 

I did think I should share this beautiful sky we experienced one morning last week.

Today, I had to go to town to return a product to a shop and pick up my Secret-santa gift for school- I was pleased to get my Headteacher as mine and I got him some posh socks from his favourite shop in TK Maxx.  As I left, I saw a lovely large group of people from the local Baptist church there singing outside Sainsbury's. It was lovely to hear them as I shopped. Then, as they finished, I heard a fine  Brass band playing further down the street. At the station, the Scouts were singing carols. How musical was that town today!

xx

When the world is going mad, do something good

Hello All,

I hope that you are well, safe, contented and warm.   Usually, I live in a bit of a news/media bubble- I don't have a TV, I don't read the newspaper or internet news, listen to radio news or really know what is going on in the world.  I prefer it this way.  Yet, of course, I know about the atrocious events of Friday in France.  CBC told me as he was reading the news.  And another attempt to frighten, intimidate, threaten, maim, hurt, terrorize and try to spread dischord, fear, xenophobia and hate.

Our reaction has to be loving, kind, reaching out, doing what we can, trying to keep to the things we do whilst acknowledging, sympathising and doing what we can.

Thus, on Saturday morning, I headed off to the church hall where it was time for 'Operation Christmas Child' shoebox packing. If you don't know the premise of this, Samaritan's Purse, a charity, organises the transportation of filled shoe boxes, full of presents to children in poor countries who might otherwise not know love and receive a gift at Christmas. I came across this many years ago through My Weekly magazine and took great delight in sending off a shoebox, decorated in cheerful wrapping paper filled with gifts for a child which was then sent to Romania, to children in orphanages.

It is the custom of the church I go to, to offer people the opportunity to contribute individual gifts as well as or a filled shoe box. I've been having fun over the last month or so, buying little bits and dropping them off in the boxes at church- a cuddly unicorn, a pack of rubbers, a box of African toy animals, a pack of toothbrushes, bright soaps, necklaces, pencils, colouring pencils, toothpaste and the suchlike.

I turned up to the hall on Saturday (late!) to see a hive of activity.  Gifts had been organised into tables.  (these photos were taken an hour in)

Toiletries and hygiene essentials:

Toys:

Stationery:

Sweets:

 The leaflets for labelling the age of the child the box was intended for:

 Hats, scarves,gloves:

And then there was a production line of wrappers of shoeboxes.
An amazing collection of shoeboxes was piled up in the corner and sheets of wrapping paper, scissors and sellotape were laid out.
I decided to join the production line of box wrappers and left the filling of boxes to the kids.

  I joined the lovely Pip, organiser of it all, and had a lovely, jolly time wrapping the boxes.

 Anyone who has ever received a present from me knows that wrapping is not my forte. You can guarantee your present looks like it's been through a bush backwards, twice.

My first box was rather ramshackle, particularly as the paper was too small and I had to do an extensive patchwork job.

 We had a giggle over trying to get this T-rex into a box- he was huge and awkward but we found a box that he fitted into!

 After my first box, I decided to get mathematical over it and found a ruler and measured the exact dimensions of my shoebox, drew dots for positioning  and then found 2 identical-sized boxes and cut around my template so the next three were super neat.

 After we finished, there was not quite enough items to totally fill the last few boxes so I headed off to town later when CBC was back and bought a selection of items from Poundland for a boy aged 10-14's box.  I decided to go for this as I know that girls are easier to cater for at this age so I grabbed a calculator, pinball game, thicksocks, soaps, notebooks, pens, pencils, sweets, toothbrushes and toothpaste and handed them over to Pip today at church to fill one of the empty boxes.

 Here's the pile.  There were 150 boxes filled yesterday by the volunteers before today.  It was nice to get involved in this, particularly given the timing, to be able to do something for someone, when otherwise it is easy to feel helpless.

Today's service was led by the Youth-worker Liz.  The bible reading was on Psalm 37:

By the waters of Babylon,

there we sat down and wept,

when we remembered Zion.

2 On the willows there

we hung up our lyres.

3For there our captors

required of us songs,

and our tormentors, mirth, saying,

“Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

The river of Babylon, the Euphrates, was laid across and the children were invited to build boats to sail on it with messages of thanks for the things were are grateful for.

 and stones too.

I am grateful for being safe today, and I hope and pray that we can continue to do something good if we cannot know what to do to help.  One small bit of good done by many people makes the world better somewhere, even just for a moment.

xxx