New toy!

This morning I spent a couple of hours hoeing and tidying the front garden, getting difficult now as I keep managing to hoe out bulbs!

After lunch I went for a bit of a walk and took this photo while I had a hot chocolate sitting at the dog walker cafe.

The soft leather gardening gloves I use are great, in fact Tina and I would both grab them when we went out together so we got a second pair. The original pair have become more and more caked with dirt so today I decided to try and wash them, fingers crossed they are still useable!

I sent off a subscription to a card making magazine and the free gift, allegedly worth £40, was a set of  gel pens. I had cut some circle dies so got them stuck onto cards and coloured them on this afternoon. They are sparkly which doesn’t really show in the picture.

I did have a coffee sitting out in the summer house earlier and managed to finish a crossword. It has been a lovely day if a little windy.

I have a course to go to in the morning to make a Christmas tree decoration with art straws so that will make a change.

Very nice day.

This morning I showed Isobel the die cut machine and all the dies and embossing folders. She picked some and the colours she wanted them and we set about getting her ready to make some cards which she really enjoyed.

Then Anya, Isobel and I all got ready to go down to the memorial garden for the ceremony and the two minute silence. Lots of people turned out and she didn’t actually see the laying of the wreaths as we were well back, but it was very moving just being three. We did look at the memorial after we had been down to the front, visited the amusement arcade and had fish and chips. Walking to the front we came across an interesting building and a plaque.

Tina and Darren joined  us for fish and chips and we walked back together, going in to look at the wreaths on the way.

Anya and Isobel wanted to go in the summer house before they went home so we sat there for a while when we got home.

They are on their way home now but will finish with some of Isobel’s card ideas, good work from the little artist.

Short entry, lovely visitors

Anya and Isobel drove up last night so we didn’t have a lot of time but we had a whole day today. Isobel looked my robin hadn’t warmer!

This morning we had a walk round the town, had hot chocolate and cake and also visits the folly.

We went swimming this afternoon which was fun and have had a quiet evening and watched Strictly.

Loved the program about Prince Charles

Not a big entry today, I spent all morning doing housework and a bit of washing and making sure the guest room is ready as Anya and Isobel are visiting this weekend.

I had arranged to go round to Marjorie’s house at lunch time, after eating we were going to sit and watch the program about Prince Charles at seventy.we found out recently that we were both great fans of his so it was good to watch it with someone who felt the same as me. Another friend, Eileen came too and of course Tommy, her husband who made out sandwiches. It was a truly delightful program, showing him in many situations and highlighting his charm and humour. May have to watch it again.

When I got home I decided to tidy up the walled garden a bit which has been sadly neglected of late and was a real mess.

I worked for under an hour and have a long way to go but it does look a lot tidier.

Was getting quite dark by the time I came in. Not planning to do much this evening, might go to the shop, and ther are some comedy programs I like tonight.

Red sky at morning.......

Just from my sitting room window, but an impressive sky this morning.

Tina and I went up to the garden centre just after 9 am, had breakfast and then we got plants so that I could redo the pots on the front lawn which were looking very sad. When we got back I got ready to brighten them up, making sure I didn’t make  the gravel too mucky of course!

It was very windy, the flower pots were flying al over the place when I emptied them. I spent an hour or so and they look a lot better now.

Last night I was making cards and was having real trouble with one of the dies so this afternoon I caught the bus up to Freeport again as I was pretty sure Mags would be on duty. On the walk up to the outlet I passed this really naff nativity set, I had seen them yesterday but they weren’t set up then. They were of course accompanied with Christmas music.

I bought an embossing folder of peacock leaves yesterday, I did a few sheets and wasn’t sure how I would use them.

After those I experimented with some chalk ink pads I had and made a quite funky background, that was when I had the problem cutting the die I wanted to use. I finished off another card and this morning assembled the on with the different background using a different die to put on it.

I missed the last bus from Freeport so walked home, my knee wasn’t feeling good today so I took my time.

Not quite so boring!

Last night I assembled three cards I had been working on, fairly simple but I really like them.

I did go out into the garden quite early, and managed about forty minutes before rain stopped play. I did give the area I did yesterday a second turn and hoed it. I also got the brown bin round behind the gate that we didn’t know was there! As the weather changed I caught the bus up to Freeport and was sat next to a delightful little boy called George who was four yesterday. He was delighted to have a picture taken with his new dinosaur squishy!

His mum was down th front of the bus but knew he was sitting with me and I had pictures.there are traffic lights on the route at the moment which rally hold the traffic up, but the journey passed quickly with this little ray of sunshine as company.

Aimee was on duty at the craft outlet today, she made me a cuppa and I bought a few bits then I had lunch before going into the Gift Company shop. Got another fairy house, that is it now!

There was a great poppy display in the wedding shop and I took a couple more as a I walked home.

We have had uite a few comments about the display in our front garden too. As the day had brightened up I did go back in th garden but jarred my knee uite badly when trying to pull these routes so had to call it a day.

Th copper beech in the garden looks lovely in the sunlight, it will soon be bare now.

Have got this far without the machine freezing so will call it a day now!

Another day another dig!

Not a lot to tell today, another on mainly in the garden. This morning I moved th brown bin and finished off the front of the bed near the wall. Got my tamarix tree planted and a few other plants we had been given and bulbs in, so fingers crossed for a good display next year.

After lunch I went out again and started on the area where the huge green plants are. If I thought I had battled with the roots and runners before I was mistaken, the hold these plants have is something else. The runners are several feet long and split when you try to pull them out, and the roots a big but do break reasonably easily.

I removed all but two of the large plants, they were sprouting up everywhere, the area has only been dug once, but a start is made.

I made a tasty sausage casserole in the slow cooker for our tea, very enjoyable after my labours. If it doesn’t rain it will be more of the same tomorrow I imagine.

On a different note I have the exercises now to try and sort out my lower back pain. Started last night and had a very funny turn and felt quite poorly afterwards and went to bed early. Have managed to do them today without difficulty. After a while I will let you know if they are helping.