Bonus week Tuesday.

On my dream board there is a picture of hot air balloons and today I have booked a trip for next year.
I have been dithering about it for a few months, wondering about the landing but when I saw this offer I couldn't resist.

 

It's not a very good photo of the offer on my computer screen

but I've bought it.

Roll on next year

Sunday Quotation

It's been a quiet day for us today. We did go and buy MORE paint but, again , don't like the colour - too dark. This is getting to be a marathon.
The weather has kept us indoors and I've just been reading today. A book by James Lee Burke about an American detective called Dave Robicheaux. I am finding it a violent story and am not very thrilled with it, but I must admit the character is interesting and I will read to the end.

On the last day of Lynnes challenge I have had a good think about what makes me laugh.
I have come to the conclusion it is usually the absurd. Thing that make me smile are our little ones and the things they say and do. ( little Amber is convinced mummy and daddy went to the shop to buy her and Leo and wants them to go back and buy another brother.) and memories of times together, good holidays etc.

 

More stuff from Facebook

Something that makes me smile are good memories

 Just an add on for Anne

What do you think of these little clouds flitting across the park

under the dark clouds?

 

I hope you and Peter had a great holiday, Lynne, and have lots of memories to make you smile.

October quotation

It is Lynnes week this week and this is her quotation

My quote for this week in October are 2 quotes on Laughter. I liked them both!
“A laugh is a smile that bursts” ~ Mary H Waldrip 1907- 1998
“ Remember you don’t stop laughing because you grow old,
  You grow old because you stop laughing” ~ Anon

It says “ we are passionate about laughing. It illuminates life. It is refreshes and invigorates us, enhancing our everyday world. Laughter is the icing on the fruitcake of our existence and too good to leave to chance. 

Can you remember the last time you had a good belly laugh?”

What makes you really laugh? Do you laugh as much now as you did when you were younger?

Show us some photos of what makes us laugh or you laughing, not just smiling.

I saw this on Facebook and it made me smile

 

 With Roland around I am always smiling or laughing

There is always something in my garden that makes me smile.

I just love the winter pansies with their pretty faces.

My friends son Mark is a student in America at the moment

He is feeling a bit homesick at the moment

but he always make me smile - he is a lovely young man

 

 

Thursday Quotation

Saoirsa  seems to be a little better today. She still has a cough but she isn't going blue anymore, so that is a real relief.
Roland will be taking Oliver to nursery tomorrow so we are getting back into our routine.

We have spent the last couple of days choosing colours for the living room walls.
Tuesday we went for some sample pots, Bought 4 put them on the wall and didn't like them. Wednesday Roland bought 3 more, put them next to the others and then we decided to go for one of the colours we originally chose. Dulux Light and Space in Morning Light. Roland has painted one of the walls today and I think we are going to like it.

I just haven't had time to think about Lynnes challenge yet as I seem to have been at one meeting or another every day this week. I have a full day meeting tomorrow and have been sent 40 pages of paperwork to read before I go - I can see me being up all night.
So I'm looking forward to Saturday when I can relax and do Lynnes challenge.

Tuesday Quotation

On Sunday I went to Rosies house, she sells Stamping up stuff and had a new Christmas catalogue.
There were one or two things I liked but as I haven't time to craft I'm not sure if I should indulge - probably will though.
Yesterday I went and had my massage with Gail and discussed my nutrition. I have been so tired lately I need to get something sorted out and get back on track with my Perrin exercises.
Helen came in the afternoon and we had a talk about what needs doing next for the ME group.
Roland went round to look after Oliver while Roly and Lou took the baby to the doctors as she has a bad cold. The doctor gave her some antibiotics.
Tonight they had to get an ambulance for her as she was going blue when she cried. They have now gone to A&E with her. It is so worrying.
Oliver has gone to stay with his other Grandad and Grandma and is staying there overnight. 

No photos today but I will catch up.

Saturday Nostalgia

Yippee, The builders have finished

Roland and I have finished papering the lounge and Roland has painted the ceiling and round the windows upstairs.

 

 

Now for nostalgia

 

These cameras were my mums.

 They are Kodak Brownies

 I think the two on the left of the picture were her fathers and I know the little one on the right was her baby brownie

Such a difference from the ones we have now. You had to wind the film on each time after you had taken a photo or you got a double image and a ruined photo and of course all the pictures were black and white.

 

Now we just point and click and of course the picture is in colour unless you want it otherwise.

 

I don't know how our loft hasn't collapsed under the weight of our memorabilia as there is a great deal more up there. I'm terrible for letting things go.

Friday Nostalgia

 

 

We were looking for suitable blinds for the bathroom and kitchen window today

I saw this line of trees at B&Q car park and thought they were lovely

 Anne, I decided to try your recipe.

It was delicious

I had trouble not eating it all.

Nostalgia Thursday

Kathi, the more I do your nostalgia weeks the more I realise I need to declutter.

I took some photos up in the loft yesterday but they were rubbish - no pun intended.

Anyway I found myself crawling about up there again tonight, moving stuff about and trying to get these machines in a good position to photo.

Somehow I've got bruises on my wrists and sore knees.

Today I thought I would look at my sewing machines.

 This is similar to mums Singer machine but mums had a better tension gauge and was altogether a much sturdier machine. I couldn't photograph it as I'm hoping it is somewhere in Africa helping a lady to make her children clothes and to make a living.
Dad bought an electric motor for it so you could guide the fabric with 2 hands.
I did a lot of dressmaking at home on that machine

 The next machine I had was this one

I inherited it from my nana who was a great dressmaker

Another Singer

I bought myself a new Brother machine in the 70's from a catalogue and among many other things made my sisters wedding dress with that.

It had discs you fitted to it and each disc had a different pattern to embroider.

Unfortunately I had been made in Spain and when I wore something out on it I couldn't get it repaired

The next machine I bought was a second hand Frister Rossman, just a basic machine - all I could afford at the time.

My next machine was the one below

 a portable Bernina

this was inherited from my Auntie. She bought it in 1972 and the bill is still inside the case.

The foot pedal has gone on this but I'm hoping to replace it as the machine is still a good one.



 

 

I also have a Husqavana Orchidea.

It is a sewing computer and I bought this with the money that Uncle Stan left me.

I love that machine but the embroidery unit has broken and the machine is now obsolite

 

My latest machine, bought with my inheritance from my mum, is a Brother computer machine

which also has an embroidery unit

 

I hadn't realised before today that I have had seven machines in my lifetime. I'm sure I won't be buying another. 

 

Tuesday Nostalgia

KathiJos' Nostalgia challenge

 Tell us about the biggest lifestyle changes in your lifetime..

Tell us how things changed for you from how your Mum lived.

I think Technology has made the biggest change for our generation.

During my mums younger life time  and when I was little we used to walk or cycle everywhere, only the people with plenty of money had a car.

Mum passed on to me recycling and making food last for more than one meal, nothing was thrown away.

She did it before the war because her family couldn't afford to do anything else and during the war it was a case of everyone having to.

She used to make all her own jams and pickles and bottled fruit and veg to see us over the Winter. She even belonged to a group of people who shared a canning machine to can food.

We never left the house in the morning without a cooked breakfast - no cereal for us then.

The telephone box was at least half a mile down the road and the only reason it was used was to phone for the Doctor or to ring nana and granddad Hoten, who were posh and had a phone and a car. All calls were put through the operator so you didn't say anything private on the phone.

When we moved down to Preston, as it was in a town, they got their first telephone which was a shared line and you had to listen to see if anyone else was using it.

I got a phone quite a few years after we married, It was kept in the hall and was 2 tone green with a number dial.

Now we have a telephone in 3 rooms and can press a button to reach the person you want to talk too if their number has been saved in your phone.

Mobile phones have also changed our lives, mum never had one and I got my first one so mums carers could ring me wherever I was if there was an emergency.

 

For some strange reason we have kept our succession of mobiles

The first one is on the left to my 3 week old one on the right

A Samsung Galaxy S111 Mini.

I'm still trying to get to grips with this one

 

 

Tonight found me crawling about in the loft because I knew this was up there

Our First Computer.

 We've had quite a few others since then and haven't kept those or the ceiling would have fallen in by now. I've no idea why we this one is still there.

I also found one or two other thing up there I can use this week so watch this space.

 

 

Sunday Irresistible

Still feeling rough today but that didn't stop me "helping" Roland to decorate

 

 

Irresistible

One of the other things I find Irresistible is crafty stuff

At the moment cutting dies have been my fad. I have been buying them to make some fabric brooches as well as decorating my scrapbook pages.

 

 

 

Sunday for Stirfry

 

My stirfries consist of whatever is in the fridge at the moment

This one is diced chicken mixed with:

Grated carrot

Chopped runner beans from the garden

Sliced courgettes

A little chicken stock to moisten and

a few dashes of Hendersons Relish for flavour.

 Just in case you thought I was making it up
It's a Yorkshire Relish from Sheffield

 



Saturday Irresistible

Not feeling too brilliant today so a short blog.

Saturday for Sausages

 

I love these sausages from M&S

They are Gluten Free so I can eat them.

 

Irresistible

I find the books in the library irresistible.

I often want to take more home than I can carry or read in three weeks

Friday irrestible

I've been concentrating so much on a recipe for each day of the week that I almost forgot irresistible. For some reason I seem to be having trouble getting the spelling right as well.
Anyway First I thought I would do recipe.

Friday for Fish pie
Jennie, It is just like any fish pie only using Tuna. I'm sure you could add other seafood to it but I don't.
It is a recipe I used a great deal when the children were younger.

 

I use A tin of Tuna - these days I use one tin for 2 people.

I used to use I tin for the whole family

Pour on 1/2 pint of Parsley sauce per tin

Top with mashed potato

I like a bit of grated cheese on top but it is not necessary.

Eat and enjoy

I find it is irresistible

 

Thursday for Tomato Soup

Oliver and his mum were eating this for lunch

 

Thursday we went to look after Saiorse and Oliver while mummy went to the dentist
Irresistable

 

Wednesday Irrisistible

Today I went to a knitting group I have joined.

I joined it 3 months ago but have had to miss 2 months.

It was lovely to meet the ladies again and they very kindly allowed me to take a photo.

We meet in Winkleys, a café in Preston that has some lovely Gluten Free cakes and I forgot to take a photo of the Bakewell tart I had because it really was Irrisistible.

 

 

Today we decided what we would knit for Oxfams Christmas Window

This is what I chose.

Irrisistible Angels

I'm going to have to get cracking to get some knitted for the November Meeting.

On the way to catch the bus these leaves were twirling around on the pavement.

I couldn't resist photoing them but you cannot appreciate the way they were swirling from this photo.

 

As for Wednesdays food I didn't have Walnuts or Watercress

so I took a photo of the WINE that makes food go down so well. 

 

Irrisistible

We had a great weekend with the Hendersons

 

Photos of some of the family

 

 Annes challenge this week is I from Silver Lining 

This is what she wrote

For these last 3 months of the year, we are going to be even kinder to ourselves. This month, our challenge's word starts with I and it's going to be 
                                                     IRRESISTIBLE
This is such a positive word as it only has to do with the nicest things. 

You don't say bad weather is irresistible or catching the flu is irresistible, but a beautiful smile can be irresistible, a cake can be irresistible ( tell me about it ), that little dress or top in your corner shop is definitely irresistible.

So this month, we celebrate the arrival of Autumn and if you don't like it too much like me, we just think about the nicest things so we can go through.
So, what is irresistible for you ?
As of our photo challenge, let it be a bit more " challenging " this week : Let's take a photo of things we can eat, starting with any of the letters of the week days : M, T, W, F, S and if you want to (no pressure), you even can upload the recipe.

Irrisistible

 

I find fabric irresistible

I bought this while on holiday

I'm going to make some bags with it.

 

Things we can eat

Monday is Meatballs.

We don't usually eat prepared food but I bought this from Illumi for our holidays.

It's gluten free and very nice

 

Tuesday for Tarragon

I love this on my salmon

  And for Tuna

It makes a great fish pie and I love it with mayo in sandwiches

 

Friday View

Yesterday we had a walk down the cliffs to Cromer. The weather was really mild and it was a pleasant walk

Lots of bushes with these berries. I don't know what they are but the bushes were laden with the fruit

Does this mean we are going to have a bad Winter?

 

On the way back we found this section of wildflower meadow someone had sown.

Isn't it beautiful?

Today we have arrived in Southend on Sea. We are having a Henderson family re- union this weekend and it is Marions turn to be Host.
Roland has found us a lovely little Hotel with a room overlooking the sea/ Thames Estuary.
It was a lovely surprise for me when we got here.

The View when we arrived

 A small part of the room

Roland is reading the brochure

 The View 2 hours later

 

We are off to see Marion tonight. We thought we wouldn't be seeing her until tomorrow but when we rang her she said she has Shepherds Pie waiting for us which is unexpected as we thought we would be eating out tonight.