SNOWWWWWW!!!!!!!

Well its true to say that we have had more than a little bit of the white stuff today!  Yippee!!  We have had so much fun today.  Snow balls, attempted snowman (failed as the snow was too dry), hot chocolate, DVD's and playing with toys.

Mini Man is totally transfixed by icicles.  He really is resisting every effort that I'm making in explaining that ice melts.  Poor chap has his heart broken on an almost hourly basis. 

So pretty.  The long suffering rose bush in my garden.  Clearly planted by a tenant many moons ago and been left to fun riot ever since.  I must make an effort to tame it this year.  Its over 9ft tall!

Oh how very appropriate!!!  Its a bit of snow.  The world is not ending.  Be sensible, take your time and you'll be fine and dandy.

My Moo dog.  Its the heaviest snow that she's known in her little life.  I've never seen her happier.

The view from my upstairs window.  There is a village over there somewhere!

Injection of colour very much required today.  Working on a cover for my new hot water bottle.

Brew stop!  Such a busy day, needed a break.

I have the best recipe for using up bananas that are past their best.  Search for the BBC Banana Muffin recipe.  Super yummy.  My trusty phone doubling up as my cook book!  Please note the scales, a very romantic christmas gift from my hubby!

Amaryllis as promised.  Growing at a rapid rate of knots.

Must absolutely always have flowers in the house.  The place feels very sterile without them.  I have very few actual vases but a wonderful collection of jam jars bedecked with ribbons and crochet collars.

Banana muffins, the end result!  Very yummy as breakfast or a pudding when warmed up and smothered in custard.

Finally, mini man presents me with treasure!!  Such a shame, I was growing that one.

Boo!

So the count down to the husband coming home with a kit bag full of washing has begun.  I should be running round like a mad loon possessed getting the house ready but the boring truth is that I've been that organised that its pretty much up together.  I did think about having a hot date with the ironing pile tonight but I'm honestly pooped so I plumped for an evening on the sofa with a G&T and a bag of revels.  Yummy.

Super cold here at the moment (by UK standards).  Last night was due to get down to -9 degrees C.  Which I accept in Russian is positively balmy.  In the UK its enough to send us mad!  We instantly run about bulk buying bread and milk, roads become impassable and schools close at an alarming rate.  My thoughts immediately turned to my lovely piggies.  Thats just too cold for any pet.  Action stations!!  Box located and a new home was found in the downstairs loo of all places.  Heres the thing, my husband is actually a very clever chap.  There he is 7500miles away and still being helpful.  "Use the fire guard lover", he said.  God bless the Army, providing us with such items even though its been in the cupboard for 6 months.  Voila..........................

Perfect emergency piggy home for Jeff and Bungle.  Safely in our storage cupboard, nice and snug but not to warm, peaceful and not likely to cause death by freezing.

Crafty news!!!  I decided that I must have a new set of russian dolls in my life but that these should be crocheted.  I can report that the crochet has now been completed and that I'm now on to the felt work.

I also treated myself to a new Hyacinth and Amaryllis.  I promise to take some photos of them tomorrow.  They are delightful and they haven't even flowered yet.  Such a heart lifting moment when these plants start hitting the shops.  It means that spring is on its way!!!!  It signifies the end of the short dark days.  Don't get me wrong, I love the short dark days that allow us to snuggle and wrap up warm but there does come a time when the excitement of new life and the promise of new colour and vibrance is very much the order of the day.

Looking forward to the promise of 10cm of snow on friday.  I can say that I'm looking forward to it as its my day off from the kitchen and I don't have to travel anywhere.  If you don't have to travel in the up coming weather, DONT.  If you do have to travel make sure you have a fully charged phone, blankets,  a flask of a warm drink, shovel, warning triangle and old carpets pieces to increase traction beneath your tyres.  Yes I know thats all very grown up advice but the district nurse in me is issuing a lecture to my staff.  I have dusted the sledge off, got the wellies ready and will be moving my car off of the road to prevent those who have no idea what so ever, sliding all over the place and parking in the side of my car.

Have fun and brace for photos!

cabin fever

So we've gone from being back to normal to cabin fever in a matter of days.  Deepest joy.  The weather hasn't helped at all.  Its neither rainy nor sunny but it has been grey and generally miserable.  We've spent so much time at the park this week that I've taken up squatters rights.  I actually took a flask of tea with me yesterday.  To say that the hours are being counted until Monday would be an understatement. The children are desperate to get back to school and nursery and I cannot wait to return to my work kitchen, to switch on my radio and to create many little meals for many smiley faces.

At the start of the year I set my resolutions.  I don't smoke so I don't need to give that up.  I'm not a sadist so theres no way on earth that I'm giving up my Gin or Chocolate!  From my years of writing care plans I have learned that you keep your goals achievable and measurable so this year I decided to teach myself some more skills that may not be useful but that will be extremely fun.  So far I've taught myself to make balloon animals!!!!  Loads of fun and of no practical use at all unless in find myself trapped in a room of children with nothing but a bag of balloons.  Or indeed my two at the back end of the Christmas holidays.

Check this out...........

Not at all bad for my first attempt.  I would take a photo of the elephant, dog and giraffe but I cant get them off the kids and I'm not posting their angelic little faces.  Leave it with me and I'll try and get them off them in their sleep.  I'm mortified to say that the pink panther blew up as I was attempting to finish his head, so sad.

Gloop also made an appearance today.  So simple to mix corn flower and water together but it quite literally had my two entranced for an hour.  Nice bit of home science for my eldest.  Hopefully I can break his brain in for his teacher to give her a head start.

So the side effects of todays fun are a kitchen covered in a substance that goes solid every time I get near it and a right index finger that has sustained serious balloon tieing injuries that have rendered it almost useless.

What time is bed time???

Back to normal :-)

I cannot tell you just how happy I am to be back to normal.  This year has been extremely difficult as my lovely husband has been playing in the sand pit.  We're extremely lucky as its been a very short tour but its taken its toll none the less.  Fortunately, whatever I felt or however many trips to a room alone for a bit of a sob had no effect on the boys and they had a great time.  Mission accomplished!!  My family have been amazing and have supported in ways that they'll never know.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

The tree came down yesterday and after very nearly breaking my neck on several occasions and going horse with asking, I packed the boys new toys into their room.  I kid you not, 4 sacks between them!!!  Thats from all of the family mind you, we are very strict that they don't get spoilt.  Its too easy to throw money at children at christmas and especially when one of the parents is away.  The upside of all of this is that my house is yet again spotless, we can see where everything is and I can relax with a candle and my mountain of ironing, the joy!

We've had a great week actually.  We've recently found out that we've been posted so its given us the impetus to get on and do all of the things we wanted to whilst we lived in the Winchester  area.  Yesterday was Winchester cathedral.  Such a wonderfully serene and delicately beautiful building despite its vast dimensions and gravity defying arches.  In the crypt was a very unexpected but completely enchanting sight........

This is Antony Gormley's "Sound 2".  The contemplative lone figure stood silently in the flooded crypt.  This has struck me in ways that an art instillation never has.  I think I may be a new groupie.  I must find more!!!

So many other beautiful objects have help me welcome in the new and very exciting year.  I've been busy and lucky in equal measure.  I have to admit to still needing to finish several christmas presents, partly down to poor organisation and partly down to being Mum and Dad all through the craziness of Christmas with a dash of working again.  Fortunately I have very forgiving and understanding family.

Firstly let me apologise for the pictures being so dark but I couldn't wait for a bright day, I may never have posted another photo again!

This wise little chap was a gift for my lovely Mum.  Owls were a favourite of my late Granny so he has special significance.

My love of all things spotty is well known, it seems that Santa knows of it too!

My little treat to myself for surviving the first half of hubby's "holiday".   I might have also accidentally purchased some Uggs too.  The way I look at it is that I have all angles covered, very happy toes and a massive smile on my face!

My mini man had a slight addiction to removing the knobs from my coffee table and other matching doors so I decided to wait it out and replace when I could.  Today was the day.  Not often you get to tell a chap that he has an impressive array of knobs!

So cute! I'm so in love with this coin purse I cant tell you.  Goodness only knows what I'm going to do with it but I know that I love it.  Thank you Santa.

I'm a massive fan of Lucy at Attic24.  She's always waxing lyrical about the joy bought from a simple cup of coffee.  I agree but for me its more about the vessel that contains it.  This simple mug can lift my heart and make me smile like a post box!

Gift from the hubby.  Nice try love but the thinking step works much more effectively!!

I'm really not a materialist person which may be contrary to my posts.  I'm normally just as happy to be out in the fields with the kids or watching the sunrise but these simple objects have bought such joy that I just wanted to share.

For my newly appointed blog prompter.

So there I was, plodding through life with the hubby 7500 miles away and two boys tearing up ugly and I've been reminded by a loyal follower that I have neglected my blogging duties.  That's backfired badly on her as she has now been appointed my Chief Blog Prompted (blogter for short).

To be honest I've been tardy as I have taken up a new post as nursery cook!!  I love it!!!!  I work 3 days a week and feed all of the lovely little peeps of our Garrison nursery.

I have been busy finishing crochet commissions and Christmas presents.  I promise to post pictures as soon as I get myself together.

We've also gone through the last 2 months without the hubby as he's been on duty in the sand pit so I promise I have lots of very good reasons for being absent.

We have had an amazing year and I will also share al of the wonderful things that we have done and our plans for the new year.

So if you don't mind I'm going to go and get sloshed and sing badly.  Have a wonderful evening, stay safe and stay tuned for regular posts in the new year (at least once every two weeks as a promise to my blogter).

HaPpY NeW YeAr!!!!!!!!

xxx <3 xxx

Completely knockered!

My delightful son had given me the most precious gift that any child can share with his mother............the rotten snots!!!!!  Yeah, thanks for that!  Here I am with a weekend full of craft shows, fund raising and cooking ahead of me and boom! knocked sideways but the aches and the pains.  Not best impressed.  Still, I've managed to get some lovely bits together for sale and finished some projects for delivery as well so not to shabby.

My whole day has been a bit of a blur if I'm totally honest with you.  Woken up by the mini beast at 0530hrs (gggrrrr).  Coffee morning with the girls with the addition of my famous gooey chocolate cake.  CV writing as I need to remember what my brain is for and prep for tomorrow.  Chilling with a glass of vino now.  Was going to dye my hair to remove the badger streaks but I honestly hurt too much to lift my arms that high for that long so badger streaks will have to do.

Looking forward to catching up with the ladies tomorrow but for now I'm off to bed.  Sorry its a short post but i'm totally pooped.

Back soon. :-)

Yes, I know. Slacking again.

I can honestly say that the reason that I haven't shared all sorts of awesome stuff with you for so long is because I had no awesome stuff to share with you.  I know, it almost never happens but I have been so busy with all of the boring but very necessary things in life and I know you don't want me to blog about the height of my ironing pile (which has just taken me 2 hour to scale thank you very much for asking). Son one killed his brand new school shoes in the first week, NOT COOL!  Son two keeps threatening to bring the nursery Giant African Snail home for a holiday.  I have advised nursery that if such a thing should ever happen, it would be returned in a bath of garlic butter!  That seems to have done the trick. He he he.

This weekend however, we decided that the normal hum drum was getting right on our wick and so we blew it out of the water!  I am the voucher and half price queen but this time hubby trumped me totally. He did FREE!!!  Epic, my favourite price.  We are within half an hour of Paultons Park.  This place is well worth a visit if your in stones throw of Hampshire.  Now what makes this place even more amazing is the phenomenal support that they show to the families of service personnel.  Every year they give thousands of free tickets to kids of serving members of HM Armed Forces.  How wonderful are they?  We've been 3 times now and it never gets old.  The only down side to todays trip was that the rain was coming in from side ways and the wind was blowing a demi gale!  No amount of hot chocolate was going to restore heat to our withered limbs and lifeless peripheries.  Never has taking my jeans off for a wee been such a challenge!  2 hours was quite enough for us and we bugged out for hot baths, more hot chocolate, grannies home knit blankets and every fluffy item of clothing that we possessed.  Proper job.  It was so wet that I refused to take my beloved camera so no photos of our misery to show you, sorry.

I am however delighted to share with you our tip top saturday.  Yet again the voucher queen struck and off we went to the Hawk Conservancy.  We love this place and its worth every single penny of its full entry fee.  We were delighted to share a random act of kindness on the lady behind us in the cue, we got her in for free with our tickets.  Happy days :-).  Now you don't necessarily be into birds of prey to love this place.  The mark of a good attraction in my opinion is that the staff care about what they do.  It always shows.  Now the staff are passionate about their birds and demonstrate them with such energy.  I have to say that I've never seen it so busy but the staff just took it in their stride and made sure that everyone got their monies worth.

This is the place, Google it and Go! 

Throughout the park they have pieces of art from local artists.  I could have spent as long looking at these as I did the birds.  Stunning and such talent on display.

This guy is a Hooded Vulture.  I am now a fully confirmed member of the Vulture fan club.  I just think that they are super cool.  Anything that spends most of its day with its head in a dead body and yet still looks that beautiful is OK by me.

This chap is a King Vulture and the picture doesn't show just how boss eyed he is.  He looks perpetually confused.  I can sympathise.

For my American readers.  This little lady is Cheyenne.  No words necessary I think, she says it all.

Finally, this is brilliant.  Now the fella is flying a Black Kite.  Now apparently the Military have a fondness for this bird and used to send the new recruits across the parade square with their lunch in a mess tin.  The poor recruit would then get dive bombed by the resident Kites.  This is what he's recreating here.  Love it.  Beats "left handed hammers", "tartan paint" etc into a cocked hat.

Generally a fab weekend.  I haven't even touched on the massive amounts of home cooked food, baked yumminess, laughter, hugs and family time as the full 5 of us.  Roll on the next time.