The business of business

I used to work for a company but now I am working for myself.  And it's great but when I was sat at work I could surf on a lunchtime and post blogs and generally catch up with the world for an hour whilst cramming in a buttie.

Now I'm sat at the dining table tapping away on a laptop I find myself struggling to find the time to do that stuff.

I have a list in my 'work book' of things I need to do, phone calls to make, emails to send.  So I'm doing that and not looking at things that I like.  This is also partly because I could spend hours looking at the things I like and then I would never get anything done.

And I don't put the heating on because the business is new so I'm not making much money, so I feel guilty about putting it on.  Thankfully we got a multi-fuel burner installed and I don't feel bad about lighting that.  But when I do I have to keep an eye on the thing as it knows when I leave the room and it dies, so I find myself sitting and staring into the flames doing nothing.  Which is not very helpful...

It's all part of the transition.... and I have some work lined up so that's good.  And once I've made some money I'll maybe put the heating on (rather than extra clothes and fingerless gloves).  Although I'll still light up the stove as it is just so nice to have on... and so very warm, if a little tricky.

Any hoo in the interest of providing an update I went back to the river in town to see what the water level was like and it had gone down, so although this is not the river at its lowest, you can see just how much water was coming down over Christmas (left photo).  The newer photo is looking the opposite way but you can see from the legs of the bridge just how much water there was.

In the right hand photo you can see the barge, used for transporting goods, that came loose from its mooring upstream many years ago and which crashed over the weir and got itself stuck.  Cormorants sit on it from time to time to dry their wings. 

 

Anyway I must get on an do some work.... and I might take off the fingerless gloves, heating comes on in five, hurrah!

My favourite flower (of the moment)

This is my favourite flower of the moment  

The humble alstroemeria 

A bunch in the local supermarket is only £2

I have them in my bedroom 

I like the pink ones best

The colours are so delicate

Enjoy.....

Down to the Woods

I have lived in this house for 18 years and never entered the local woods.

I heard tales of needles, heard people on dirt bikes and at one time the police helicopter spent a LOT of time hovering over the woods.

A wood has the capacity to be a very scary place, think of Grimm's tales.  Bad things happen in woods..... or so the tales go.  So although the wood clearly provides an excellent habitat for the local wildlife I have never felt the urge to enter it for some reason.

Until this weekend.

One of my goals for this year was to make some sloe gin and for that you need sloes.  I did some research and found that sloes are in the wood.  I asked my husband whether I should go sloe hunting in the woods one day.  His response was to wait until the weekend and we would go together......  that says something I think.

So on Sunday we went off like an aged Hansel and Gretel into the woods to search for sloes.

And do you know what it was nice, really nice and not at all scary.

The sun was shining, which always helps and although there was a lot of rubbish at the point where we entered the wood once you got some way in the paths were clear and the dappled sunshine through the trees was a delight.

We saw a family out dog walking and some girls on horses.  We did some tree spotting, saw some butterflies, scared a bunch of rabbits at the edge of the wood and generally had a lovely walk.

When we came home I said that I was sad that we hadn't gone into the woods before.  It genuinely had not entered my head before to do so and that is all about the myth of the wood and the tales that people have told both locally and historically. So now on a nice weekend morning we have vowed to have a walk in the woods, to see the changing of the seasons on our doorstep and enjoy this space that is visible a stone's throw from our door.

Oh.... and we collected a small bag of sloes as well so a result on all levels don't you think?

Circle of life

Last weekend when out in the garden we saw a sparrow hawk fly quite low overhead.

It was circling, clearly looking for prey.

Just before it got to the wood it plummeted down like a stone.  We waited but it didn't come back up so it must have caught something.

It was quite exciting and something I haven't seen before.

Then this morning I went into the front garden and in the corner there were feathers, not in a ring, but all in a small area. I knew straight away that the sparrow hawk had taken the blackbird that frequents our garden. I speak to him (or her) when I'm hanging the washing or weeding, or I did.

I know it is the circle of life and all that but I feel really sad that my little blackbird friend is no longer.

On a happier note next door's sparrows are providing some excellent entertainment.  The sparrows have a nest in next door's loft and at this time of year they are roosting in the bushes in our garden. They are like a bunch of kids squabbling and sending bird feed everywhere and doing a great line in teasing the cats by flying by just out of reach.

I think I will take a cup of tea into the back garden to hear them chattering to cheer myself up.  And the garden is looking pretty good at the moment so all in all some warmth from the sun and the sparrows should do the trick and lift my mood.

Honeysuckle

In the evening the scent from the honeysuckle is heady and delicious

It is right outside the back door and if the door is open it wafts in 

and fills the kitchen with its warm fragrance

I love its quirky flowers

And so do the bees

Whoops..... how to increase your blood pressure

Yesterday I bumped my husband's car.

I was driving as he was wearing a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours...... no don't laugh....

We approached a roundabout there was nothing coming and so I accelerated.  Unfortunately the chap in front of me didn't move.  I think he was on the phone.

Husband yelled "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?",

I slammed on, everything in the boot crashed into the back of the back seat.... and I nudged the back of the car in front.

I fully expected him (other car driver) to pull over and accuse me of all the usual.  However, he didn't, he just kept on driving.

When we passed him on the motorway he had a phone thingy in his ear and was clearly speaking to someone.  The first thought that went through my head was "did I actually hit him?"

But when we got home there were marks on the front of the car. Not major dents but evidence none the less.

My husband returned the heart monitor......

He is expecting a call from the hospital any time soon.........

The New Regime..... part 2

I have discovered what it takes to make me happy at home..... music and sunshine.  Not much to ask now is it?

I have managed to connect the ipod to a music box thing in the living room and so now a selection of songs can blast out at me and the cats as I pootle about doing jobs (what am I saying...... I'm working really hard....obvs).

My husband has also sorted me out my own itunes something or other..... identity ...... profile ...... whatever.  I can now do my own playlists and buy music and just generally have fun with the tunes.

So now when I am at home doing anything I can sing my heart out and nobody can complain because cats just don't have a vote.... no sir....I've heard them sing and they are way worse than me.

Today the sun is shining, the bedding is on the line and I am enjoying a bit of Ed Sheeran.... who is asking me to 'Sing'.  That boy knows me too well........

The new regime

So I have finished work.  Well, I say finish 'work' I haven't worked so physically bloody hard for ages.


Day 1 -

• Cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom, literally (daughter walked in and said "Oh, it's bright in here!") You've got to ask just how mucky it was before..... no don't ask that.
• Mowed the lawn at the front, put weed and feed on the back and blitzed all the dandelions with spray.
• Sorted the house insurance.
• Chased the car insurance
• Did two loads of washing
• Cooked tea
• Hoovered all round

Felt saintly and full of the joys of being at home

Day 2 -

• Ironed for two hours (felt like about 5)
• Changed the daughters bed
• Did more washing
• Sorted my wardrobe (winter coats to the back, summer stuff to the front)
• Went out and bought more wooden coat hangers
• Sorted the flowers that I received last week into new smaller vases with fresh water
• Sorted some magazines to give to a friend
• Chased the car insurance
• Thought about doing some crochet
• Hoovered all round

Felt out of sorts and fed up with being at home

So that's it, the highs and lows of the new regime after two days. 

At least the flowers are cheering me up!

(Can't get blogger to upload a photo so this is a tiny one of one of the bunches I received.)

I discussed with my husband the fact that I felt guilty about doing something that wasn't a 'job'.  He suggested I make a list then aim to do two jobs a day.  After that take time to myself.


Luckily there isn't 'point gable end' on the list but there are some biggies.  I might sneak 'knit a cardigan' onto the list or 'crochet a shawl' or even 'read ten chapters of current fabulous book'.... It might make being at home a bit easier I think.

Lets talk cars.......go on you might enjoy it

Are you into cars?

I am.  I always have been.  As a small child on the long car journey too and from my Grandparent's house in Blackpool I would try to name different makes and model of car.  We spent a lot of time in the car and I got quite good at it.

My first car was a mini - old style - the colour of Mr Bean's mini.  It cost about £700 and I loved it.

More recently I have been lucky enough to have a company car and when I chose my last car I decided that it would be all that I wanted.  I love it and it goes like stink (105bhp in case you were wondering)..... This is it in all its stylish loveliness.

But now it has to go back and I am looking for another car. 

I had two requirements of the new car:
1) Buttons on the steering wheel
2) Alloy wheels

Simple enough.  Oh, and I had a budget as I will be out of work so we couldn't go mad.  I have spent hours looking at used car sites and in the end I have chosen this baby. 

Fiat 500 twin air (85bhp), but a much lighter car.  Isn't it gorgeous?

So now I may be leaving work and leaving behind my lovely little A1 but I am looking forward to having fun in my Fiat 500.  I did a test drive on Saturday and it sounds just like the original 500 when you hoof it......

After the test drive I couldn't stop smiling.  My husband said that when he saw my face he knew we would have to have it, I looked so happy.

I pick it up in a couple of weeks and I can't wait!

Counting Sheep....

What do you do when you can't sleep?

 

A combination of age and circumstance mean that I am not sleeping.

 

I asked around......

 

Sally counts sheep

Brenda steps into the en-suite for 5 to re-set her head

Sue makes a cup of tea

Elaine reads her ipad

 

None of these are working for me.  But I read somewhere that

regulating your breathing with a sleeping person helps, so that was my plan.

 

I'm awake, husband is obviously asleep.

Ok, here we go

 

In..out..in..out..in..out............................

 

Hang on he's stopped breathing?

 

I do a further 4 breaths in and out before he breathes again.

 

So now I'm even more wide awake.  Bother. 

And now I'm concerned about him. Double bother.

 

Not such a good idea then..........roll on 6.30 am.

 

 

 

 

 

It's all gone a bit Pete Tong

Visiting blogland is tricky right now.
 

The place I have worked at for 19 years is closing.
 

It is playing on my mind a bit.
 

I am very busy at work.

I am pre-occupied at home.

Sometimes it seems like a great opportunity.

Sometimes I feel like I never want to work again.
 

I'm lucky in that we no longer have a mortgage to pay. 
 

It is not the case for many of our employees and I worry about them, all 101 of them.

However, I did find a CV that I wrote about two years ago and it looks pretty good.  It needs updating but thank goodness I actually wrote one then because actually putting one together now, when my head is a shed, would be hard indeed.

It is times like this that I am thankful for crochet and knitting.  The counting and rhythm of these pass-times is just enough to take me away from all this.

Just Do It....

In the spirit of 'just bloody do it' I have:

• Cleared the washing basket that was on top of the washer for two years with a pile of clothes in it.  My husband has five more t-shirts, I found a top that I thought I had donated and the charity shop has a bag full of teenage girl clothes as a result.  Happy days

• Emptied the medicine basket and chucked out ALL out of date medicines (oldest was a tin of muscle heat spray from 1997 and there was Sore mouth Gel from 2004 that I used recently.  And there were some herbal sleep-aid tablets that smelt like cheese - urgh).  Now we can dose ourselves without fear of making ourselves even more ill.

• Sorted my wool projects, thrown out ball bands galore and written details in a book of which yarn I have used for each project.  Even my husband was impressed with this one.

• Put photos onto a memory stick (just purchased) that we took on holiday so that I can give them to my daughter's friend who came with us.  We went on holiday in August...

• Taken the trousers that I have been moving about the bedroom since September to the dry cleaners and then hung them back up in the wardrobe.  They are summer trousers but at least they are ready to wear now.

• Sorted out my scarf box - I have LOADs of scarves and they were all mashed and wriggled together like sleeping snakes in a fabric storage box.  Now they are sorted in order of wearing - popular ones at the top, less popular at the bottom, all folded.  Quite smug about that one.

• Walked for 20 - 30 minutes each day.  Well, almost every day, but more than I thought I would when I started (so not beating myself up is working as well).  Really appreciating the local church on this route and the gravestones against the skyline.  It is at the highest point of the walk so nice to stop for a breather.

Finally....... I have bought my summer sandals.  I have small feet and usually by the time I get to thinking about sandals all the best little ones have gone so this year I have just done it and bought some..... and it's only January.... and there's snow on the way.  But my sandals are looking lovely in my shoe drawer (don't ask). 

The thing I must just do is just keep doing stuff......  Now where was that To Do list?

(I would have put in more photos - before and after type thing - but I was so busy sorting and doing I forgot to take them)

Spring mantlepiece (in winter)

This weekend in M&S there was a gorgeous bunch of spring flowers and so despite it being quite a lot of money I bought it.  (That and some iced buns; I love their iced buns)

When I got home I just could not get the flowers to look nice all together in a vase, those tiny weeeeny daffs were so chaotic, hanging around all over the place looking messy and the tulips were too big and droopy.  So I raided the sideboard for vases and inspired by Gillian ( http://www.talesfromahappyhouse.com ) I decided to change my mantelpiece......

So here we have Spring Vintage.  Difficult to photograph as there is a mirror behind.  Flowers spread over a couple of little vases.  You can't see it but the little green jug has a parrot handle. The majority of the daffs are in a water vase/jug thing on the bookcase and I forgot to photograph them.

Yes, I know it's winter but I'm looking forward to spring. 

Colourful Crochet and some Knitting

Apologies for the quality of the photos but here are some of the

items that have been on my hook....... and needles

 

 

My Granny Stripe and the start of my crochet journey

 http://attic24.typepad.com/

 

 

My colourful squares car blanket.

 

My Elmer squares baby pram blanket using the pattern

from this lovely blog www.littletinbird.co.uk

I love the colours of this and the best thing was I didn't have

to think 'random' because it was rainbow stripes.

 

My ripple baby cot blanket, again using Lucy's pattern 

(but not the coastal colours, just what was in my stash)

I should have taken a photo of this in good light but the baby

 was imminent so I had to get it packed up and handed over.

 

My chunky sampler picnic blanket which is still a WIP...

Inspired by Little Woollie blog   http://littlewoollie.blogspot.co.uk/



And finally my knitted baby blanket.

I made the pattern up.

 

No reason for this other than I am showing off...... there, I've said it.

Halloween

Tonight is Halloween.

I have not carved a pumpkin.

I have not bought synthetic cobwebs.

I have no fancy dress outfit.

I am not organised......

 

 

But I have got sweets, in packets, ready for the children on our estate.

 

 

I'm hoping they will be suitably dressed for the occasion, even though I will not.

 

I can't wait.....