Schedule Shmedule!

I've just been running the vacuum around upstairs and thinking about stuff I previously considered in a sad kind of domestic way. (You may need a few minutes and a cuppa for this post!)

I am a planner, there is no getting away from it. I like to do things in advance and Jon will say "do it when you need it/make it fresh". I like spontaneity but I also need to know what I am doing at certain times for various reasons. With the boys I have to know if I need the car to take them somewhere, I need to try and do a number of things on one day when I take a trip to Aber etc.

Our previous house, I think, was roughly the same size, maybe slightly smaller, but was laid out totally differently. I used to have a cleaning plan for the week and normally would stick to it. I have just started to come to the conclusion that if something needs cleaning clean it and if it doesn't why make work for yourself? This house is older than our previous one and I think it makes its own dirt in a way. The slate floors in the bottom kitchen and hall have years and years of dust in the cracks between them and this comes out each time I sweep them. I don't vacuum them to get them any cleaner as that is the way they are. the same goes for the floorboards in our bedroom. Is this making sense to anybody?

I also think part of my getting things done is to justify my staying home. Jon would NEVER asks me what I've done in the day, he always asks if I've had a good day. How could I not have a good day when I am lucky enough to stay at home where I am able to cook, bake and make a home comfy, clean and cosy for my family? I know it is definitely not everyone's cup of tea, and would drive some women to drink, but I love being the one to make a home for me and my family.  I think my pay of tax credits, if you look at it this way, works out at just over £2 an hour for a 7 day week at 8 hours a day. There we have a whole other discussion about whether or not being a stay at home mum is a valid occupation. I have never looked at it like that because for most of my married life I have just counted my lucky stars that I have been able to take up that occupation.

If anybody has got through the mire of this post and would, perhaps, like to comment congratulations!

Lou.xx

Love Is All Around Me And Mine.

I saw a similar post to this the other day and thought it was interesting. A photograph of in front and of behind me and to my left and right. The world around me just now and all the things I see make me so very happy. 

Our home is something which we have dreamed of in lots of ways for so long. I never thought Jon, or the boys for that matter, would love the house as much as he does but he does! We all love it for different reasons and there are reasons why we both love certain things.

Always difficult to take a nice photo of a window!

My sister, bruv-in-law and niece came to visit this weekend and I was so pleased they said the same thing as others have done, which is that the house is just us. I don't think I could wish for a nicer thing for somebody to say because we have put things together in the rooms that I think have been in our minds for longer than we know. It has all come together so beautifully and for that I am so grateful we are so very happy here. I think that will be my entry in my Journal of Gratitude today.

Bye,Lou.xx

Project Pebble, Well Stone Cold Super!

Green for nearly Spring!

Last Sunday Jon began a project in the bathroom which we have had in mind since we moved into the house. Last Sunday he and the boys went down to the near by river bed and collected lots of lovely grey stone ready to recycle for the bathroom refurbishment. the bath surround had already been tiled but we were really not happy with it and were looking to do this much more interesting project.

Well, on Friday it was finished and here it is! 

I asked Jon to make me a little plinth from one of the drift wood pieces we still have from the beach at Aber; I wanted something for the soap dish, shampoo etc to sit on because of the stones not being level.

We are unreservedly happy with the whole effect in the bathroom - we absolutely love it! So much so that Jon is considering doing the same thing on the floor of the guest room outside.

Oh and one more thing. The people who used to own Bronllan asked me if I wanted an old sewing machine or they were going to throw it out. I said yes please and this is what arrived the same day.

It looks like but isn't a Singer, it was made by Reed; I understand they currently make knitting machines. It doesn't work but looks very pretty and it came with a wooden casing which we have put on the top of the wardrobe for decoration. I now have the machine sitting on the low window sill in our bedroom. Love it!

Bye, Lou.xx

Changed my mind about picking daffs!

I was waiting a little before I picked daffs from the garden but whatever. I love love love daffs in the Spring and so grateful, along with the snowdrops, that we have so many. Thanks for spuring me on Dawn.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

The cake tin was empty this morning so I have just baked chocolate brownies and await the look on the boys' faces when they get home later!

A Little Catch Up.

Hi!

I have a couple of photos to share with you to hopefully brighten up the wet and windy day we are having today. 

In said weather I had to go to Aber today, bbrrrr, in order to get Mothers' Day cards and gifts, do a couple of jobs at the bank now we don't do online banking anymore, pick up a new school sweater I had ordered for Alfie (he is shooting up!) and to attend the dentist, yuck! The dentist was running late so I had to leg it home and pick Jon up for a doctor's appointment and they were running late, too! Dropped him at work at about 12.40 o'clock then got home 10 minutes later in time to fill the log and stick boxes before the Oil4Wales man arrived - you guessed it he was late, should have been here yesterday!

The fire is now lit in the living room, I have had my lunch, caught up with a few blogs and downloaded the photos I wanted so here they are.

I mentioned I was intending to make a cushion cover for one of the new chairs and it came out ok, if a little wonky as I'm rubbish at cutting out fabric when it comes to sewing, but I love it.

On our usual pop into Craft last Saturday for some reusing and recycling shopping I came across this. Contraband was a card game we used to play as a family when I was young. It is about bluffing your way through customs with items you haven't paid duty on. The boys loved it, trying to keep a straight face, maybe tell a white lie and not laugh! Check out the cool, vintage images!

 

We also came across another fab thing for the sideboard. This laminated wood ice bucket which I think is from the 1950's but I'm not bothered. 

Well, I had better get on. The boys are at a friend's house after school today but need to collect Jon from work at 4.20pm then them at 6pm and still have Lasagne to make for our tea.

Very excited about the Stationery Shop being hosted by Tracy at Mad About Bags.

Lou.x

Parental Guilt, aaarggghhh!

I sent both my boys off to school this morning, even though the youngest was saying he didn't feel well. He hadn't been sick, had eaten a little something for breakfast but was cheery enough to play draughts with his brother after breakfast.

Today, as I said in my first post of the day, is Sta David's Day, or should I say 

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!

The boys are taking part in a celebration with songs and poems which I am going to watch after lunch. I think Alfie was worried because he didn't know all the words to one of the poems and he had a bit of a meltdown so I think this was more of the problem than anything else.

I still had a knot in my stomach feeling bad about sending him. I called school and explained saying I had put a banana and his fruit money in his bag should he be hungry before lunch. I felt sure if he had stayed at home he would have been jumping around by 10.30am and I cannot have the boys pulling a fast one. Call me harsh but I would rather send them and then fetch them home if they deteriorate. I have the car today only because I am going to school for the thing, otherwise I cannot fetch them early. Ho hum. School hasn't called yet so I suppose all is well.

Duh. Not So Tecky!

Bore Da and Daffodils this morning to you!

For those who have won prizes in my Giveaway please use the contact form I have added to my page to give me your postal address.

Sorry for the confusion. Not done this very often!

Lou. xx 

Giveaway Winners

Morning.

Need to eat breakfast and get a few jobs to do this morning before heading out for coffee with a friend at 10.30am.

Because I didn't have that many entrants I have decided to split the dress patters between two people so the winners of the sewing patterns are....... 

Kimberley and Mendingmakingcrafting!!!

And the winner of the crafty kits is ........

Ann.

Congratulations to you all.

Louise.xx

!!!!!Last Chance Saloon For My Craft Giveaway!!!!!

Hi. I don' think I'm going to need a big hat from which to pick my craft giveaway winners!

If you still would like a chance to win just comment on this post.

Good luck!

Do You Watch Or Catch Up?

I was listening to a discussion on the radio this morning about how people access their TV nowadays.The chat basically seemed to say that people do not sit down with the TV guide and see what is there to watch on a certain night. We do!

We have Freeview TV so have lots of channels but we don't have Netflicks or Amazon Prime and we rarely use the BBC I-Player - I have watched Midwife on it once this year. We do tend to stick with programmes that are in a series, on the night they are broadcast, and make use of the + channels if we should watch something that clashes. 

Since we moved to Bronllan we have the TV in a separate room and we just adore spending time in the sitting room where the fire is and just talking or reading; once in there we sometimes can't even be bothered to move. Children will be children and the boys do sit and watch something on their own but they do like the non-TV room, too.

I have previously commented on the way things are now so immediate and always available in life. I cancelled my Twitter account because it removes the anticipation of news sometimes, which is why I love receiving letters, but I do like Google, even though it is seemingly taking over the world, for certain kinds of information searching.

One of our aims when we relocated to Wales was to slow down the pace of our life and we are not doing too bad but we have some ways to go but it is our aim.

What are your viewing habits based around?

Lou.xx

Crafty Giveaway Extended.

Just to let you know I have extended the crafty giveaway and won't be picking the names until Monday morning. 

Lou.x

Touching Wood That All Now IS Fixed.

Hopefully all is now fixed and we are back on track so I will now reply to all the lovely comments I have received recently.xx

Help!

Ladies, and anybody else reading this. I have to apologise but I seem to be having a little problem when I want to reply to comments on my blog, and I have commented on a couple of blogs over the last day or so and they do not seem to show up either. Anybody tecky out there who can tell me if there is something in my settings I need to change? 

Feel I have been rude when I know my comments have not shown up.

Lou.xx