a week in the life . . .

this has been my week:

sunday: i) a little much-needed gardening: cutting the grass

ii) reading art history stuff

iii) went to cat and david's for dinner (which was delish!!) frankie, alex and lucia came too. here are lucia, freddie and james:

and imy and freddie:

monday:
frankie and lucia nipped round in the evening for a cup of tea. nicola knitted this lovely little teddy bear suit for lucia - doesn't she look cute?

tuesday: governors' meeting in the evening

wednesday: day off and more reading

i did a little knitting too: finally sewed the ends in my grey scarf and did some more on 'mr pink'

here is 'big mr grand-dad teddy' modelling my grey scarf:

thursday: ??? it is getting pretty bad when one can't remember what one did 2 days ago!!!

friday: i) stella rich and the pies have come for the week and are staying at jackie's. met stella and the pies and had lunch at barracuda. i was very disappointed!! stella and i often had lunch there when she was working at the town hall during her uni hols and it was a great little cafe: good variety of tasty snacks, efficient service and very clean and bright. i was sorry i had suggested it - it is sadly changed!

ii) called in on frankie in the evening for a cup of tea and we looked at some of her wedding magazines for ideas. lucia was still up and i got to hold her for ages. she is lovely - and very alert!!

today: this was a nice day!! did a little ou work in the morning and then collected stella at 1.30 to go up to crowland. stella had bought 4 dining chairs on e-bay and needed to collect them so i went for the ride. crowland is only about 10 miles from where we used to live and is a lovely little town with an interesting old church (croyland abbey) and an unusual triangular bridge in the centre of the town. after we had collected the chairs we went to look round the abbey. we were really lucky because there was a 'wedding dress' exhibition inside. about a couple of dozen women had lent their dresses which were beautifully displayed on mannequins down the nave. the oldest dress was dated 1927 and there were photos and dresses through most decades up to 2006. many of them had veils, jewellery etc set up too and with the beautiful flowers throughout the church made a wonderful display. some of the ladies had also lent their wedding albums and it was fascinating to realise that many of the families were related. one lady turned up as bride in 1963 and as m.o.b. in 1987 and 1991!! we then had a quick stroll up to the bridge and then drove home. the only annoying thing was that i forgot to take my camera so sadly i don't have any pics of the day

the parish centre

i have just returned from mass with edna

after mass we went into the newly refurbished parish centre to 'inspect' and have some refreshments

it has taken over a year to do but well worth the time because it looks great!!

frankie and alex have booked their wedding reception there and it was a bit of a concern that it wouldn't look that good - it used to be really grotty!! - but i needn't have worried - it looks fabulous!!

i haven't done too much else today - bit of ou work and i cut the hedge - grrr!!! i hate that job!!! i keep cutting it back a bit more each time and hope to get it completely taken out and ask alex to build a nice wall for me

struggling . . .

i am struggling to think what i have been doing the past week or so . . .

• finished tma8 and handed it in - only one more tma and that's the end of this course
• signed up for another course - but only a 10-pointer this time - wasn't going to plunge straight in again but i have enjoyed myself so much i don't want to stop!!
• frankie, lucia and jess came over for lunch last saturday - which was very pleasant!
• met pauline for a drink in the essex
• ??
• well there must be other things i have done but i can't remember them right now

back later!

4 things about me!

FOUR JOBS I HAVE DONE IN MY LIFE:
1. Saturday girl in John Lewis
2. Census Enumerator
3. Waitress
4. Market Researcher

FOUR MOVIES I HAVE WATCHED OVER AND OVER AGAIN:
1. The Great Escape (who hasn't?)
2. Doctor Zhivago
3. Ben Hur
4. Father of the Bride

FOUR PLACES I HAVE LIVED:
1. Liverpool
2. Buckinghamshire
3. Lincolnshire
4. Hertfordshire

FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH
1. Midsommer Murders
2. New Year's Day Concert from Vienna
3. Period Dramas
4. I only really watch TV about twice a month

A FEW PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:
1. Cornwall
2. Sailing in the Caribbean
3. Austria
4. Switzerland

FOUR OF MY FAVOURITE FOODS
1. Butterscotch Angel Delight
2. Crispy Tuna Bake - Boogy's recipe
3. Tiramisu
4. Fat Baguettes

FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. Hillsborough, Sheffield
2. Gillan Creek, Cornwall
3. Rose Cottage, Lincolnshire
4. Thetford Forest, Norfolk

i've been 'up lunnon'

two trips to london in 3 days - good going for me!!

thursday evening: went with a group from work to see 'mary poppins'. i must be about the only person in the whole world never to have seen this film! i probably have seen it all in bits but never all the way through - though i did have a pretty good idea of the plot!! this stage version was SUPERB!!! the set and the props were incredible - the singing and dancing were a treat - and the actress who played mary poppins was amazing!! we could hardly see her feet for the speed at which she danced!! the chimney sweep didn't have that AWFUL fake cockney accent that poor old dick van dyke has in the film - and the children were lovely - and very talented - altogether a very enjoyable evening

saturday: met a group from my tutorial class at the tate modern and went to see rothko's seagram murals - took at while to really aclimatise myself but well worth it! then we went to look at some warhol - a bit easier!! i really like the other members of my group so it was a good morning - i had a great time socially and certainly found the trip useful - i am sad now that this course is coming to an end!

we had finished by 1.30 so i wandered about by myself for a bit and looked at some more paintings and then strolled along by the river until i reached the globe and picked up a couple of brochures in the hopes of going up to see something this summer

i crossed the millenium bridge and decided to go into st paul's for half and hour or so - and came out pretty smartish when i discovered it costs £9.50 to get in!! - will have to go back some time when i have a LOT more time!!

came home and decided to get 'pan's labyrinth' video from blockbusters - this was a film which diane (who is on the course) had recommended - watched it after going to mass with edna

a busy day all told!!

freddie's baptism

yesterday:
what a fabulous day!! the baptism went like a dream - fr. paul made it very special and freddie was so-o-o good: no crying and, like clara at hers, was only curious as to where the water was actually coming from!!
here are imy, freddie, david, cat and james in front of the beautiful holy rood altar:













then we all went back to cat and david's house for the party. they had borrowed jackie's big marquee and decorated the inside with voile panels, ribbons and balloons and it looked magnificent. we had wonderful food: lots of curries, samosas, salads and tasty things i don't know the names of - but it was all delicious!! it was warm and sunny and all my family and lots of my friends, too, were there - who could ask for more?

here is a photo of me with freddie and peter - my fellow god-parent and also, of course, freddie's uncle:

most people had gone by around eight so a select few: cat, david and family, eric, jane, lizzie, bronnie, graham, claire and i sat round a sort of wok-type fire on the patio and chatted and laughed - and drank wine!
because o and g were there we decided to try for a photo of them and all 5 of the great grand-children - this was not an unqualified success as none of them were prepared to sit still long enough - and some of them were decidedly unhappy about the process!! but i think they results are very funny:

everyone just wants to escape!!
















the 3 littlest ones:that's frankie, lucia on g's lap, o, stella holding clara and cat with freddie
then stella decided she would like a photo with 'oldest siblings': mum, stella, kezia and i are all eldest in our families - so all of us are 'big sisters' and consequently all of us are very bossy!! lol!!










and finally:
cat and david gave me this lovely mug for being freddie's god-mother. it is a lovely spotty design:







and

not only is it specially for me:











but:
look at this:




how clever is that??

a walk in whippendell woods

wednesday evening: we are very lucky to have these beautiful woods right on our doorstep - and the bluebells look magical every year. this year was no exception! anne, jennie, tassa, jan and i went for a walk early in the evening and then stopped for a 'light bite' at the essex arms.

it's been a busy week alright . . .

i don't really function terribly well if i don't have time on my own at home and this week has been busier than i would have liked. trouble is, of course, all the evening things i went to were events i just didn't want to miss!!

monday: i met pauline for one of our regular chats and drinks in the essex - always very pleasant

tuesday: women's group had a 'pamper evening' at katrina's house - we all had a foot soak, drink and chat - and some of us had either a manicure or a pedicure (i had neither - too busy chatting!!

wednesday: book group at jean's. we had read 'dreams of sleeping' by gail jones (an australian author). i thought this book was wonderful - loved her turn of phrase, the images she presented and the little pieces of biography dotted through the novel. i would recommend this book and would love to read more of her work

thursday: tutorial - took me an hour and a half to drive the 20 miles to luton!! grr!! that m1 just gets worse!! it was well worth the effort though

friday: was going to have quiet evening at home = then frankie and lucia came round about 7.30 (this of course is a GOOD THING!!) and then we zoomed over to uxbridge to collect alex sister from her flat (alex was at the rugby club dinner - 'nuff said!!)

today: day school at hitchin on our current block which is 'the sixties' - fantastic day which i thoroughly enjoyed - and lots of help for our next tma!

so i have had a good week this week - but i am glad that i'm not doing quite so much next!!

here's . . . tully!!

i herewith present my lovely cat, catullus, or 'tully' as we call him
he has been resident for 3 years now, arriving as a tiny bundle of fluff one bank holiday week-end - and i can't imagine my home without him now

he is, admittedly, not the brightest cat in the world and despite having had one of those magnetic cat-flap openers attached to his collar since he was a kitten, still hasn't really got the hang of it!! i hear him scrabbling about each time he wants to come in having presumably forgotten since last time how to make his entrance. he usually gets in eventually (more by luck than judgement!) but when i do hear him i go and let him in.
he gets rather skinny during the summertime as all the other cats in the neighbourhood come and eat his food (i always have all the doors open) so i have to stand over him a bit to make sure he gets enough and then he fattens up during the winter
what he likes to do best is sit on the arm of the sofa and look out the window and keep a supervisory eye on proceedings in the road - that's what he is doing in these photos
hmm! i see it is a quarter to ten - better go and give him his supper!

this time last week . . .

. . . i was in sheffield visiting stella, rich and the pies and i had a lovely lovely time!

thursday: stella kezia and i went to see the new house - it was very exciting! the roof is on now and all the windows are in - yay!! - hopefully it won't be long before it is finished and they can move in

friday: we all went for a walk (scramble more like!!) to the top of win hill in the peak district - it was very enjoyable and the view from the top was fantastic - both kezia and jago walked all the way up and all the way down (clara hitched a ride in the sling!!) and then we went to 'aunt sally's' to celebrate

saturday: in the morning stella, kezia, jago and i went to the weston park museum - which is wonderful!! it is a fantastic place to visit with littles as there are heaps of interesting activities for them - well worth a visit!! and in the afternoon stella jago and i went for another walk - very short this time though - it has been a good couple of weeks for walks!!

ruda 2007!

. . . was good - even though i was only there for just over 48 hours

friday: arrived around 5 - and joined janey, eric, lizzie, peter, cat david, james, imy and freddie for dinner 'chez awks' - then everyone else turned up soon after nine for chat and drinks - and a toast to jude and john on the birth of their grand-daughter, catherine eve, - hoorah!!

saturday: janey, eric, lizzie and i walked 'up baggy', over the fields and down into croyde for drinks and cheesy chips at billy budds. walk back to ruda and then dinner at my van before nipping round to the de braux for the rest of the evening.

here we are after finishing dinner:

david and cat

imy, eric and janey

peter and james (freddie was fast asleep in his buggy and i don't know where lizzie had gone!!)

sunday: awks, elliotts and self went over to mortenhoe and walked to the lighthouse (i was very ill unfortunately - though no one else affected so at least it wasn't my cooking - lol!) - round to cat and david's in evening for 'sunday dinner' - jackie arrived around 7.30 so there were 10 of us round the table - we were very noisy!! it was 'all round at the whitmore's' that night but i left to come home at 10 - and made in the door by just after 2 - so good going

i was having a great time and would have liked to stay for the week, but it was strange not having either of the daughters or families there - so i came home only to find that frankie has gone down to portsmouth with alex!! - never mind she is back tomorrow - so will see her and lucia then

in the pipeline . . .

. . . are lots of good things - however, being of a superstitious turn of mind i am unwilling to blog them just yet - but will update as soon as i can

meanwhile . . . frankie and alex have booked a venue for their wedding - the parish centre right next to the church - phew!! - it will be fully refurbished by then and with brian offering to help decorate i'm sure it will look magical

i have had a good 2 weeks since last blogging - but too much to blog in detail really

day school: for my course - a great day!

comic relief night: stella rich and the pies came to stay and arrived in time for dinner (mushroom stroganoff) and frankie and alex left lucia with us while they took alex's car back to reading. then we all watched comic relief . . . and laughed!

mothering sunday: a tray of cafetiere coffee for me in bed courtesy of stella and the pies - and then the pies, the pip and their parents all here for lunch

last saturday: frankie asked if i could sit for lucia while they went on the marriage prep course but i had already arranged to visit o and g for the day and go to jean's focs afternoon - but it was ok - i took lucia with me! yay!! she was very good, o and g had a great time watching her while i was at the meeting and the meeting (fortunately just round the corner and only for 2 hours) was extra-ordinarily enjoyable - lovely women and a good time was had by all

back soon!

my camera broke . . .

. . . and i kept thinking i would blog again once i had worked out how to mend it . . .
took it to the camera shop this lunch-time . . . it's mended now!
however, i'm somehow not really in the mood for catching up . . .
so i think i will go and find tully and see if i can get a few decent shots of him . . . then i can post some of them here and you can all admire him
back soon

a good week-end

saturday:

spent most of the day doing my latest assignment. it wasn't my favourite block on the course so i am pleased it is over with!!

sunday:

frankie, alex and lucia popped round early afternoon which was lovely . . . and then, as we were chatting away - and marvelling over lucia - cat, david and freddie arrived too. freddie is lovely - he is such a smiley baby. good excuse to crack open a couple of bottles of vino . . . and then . . . cat asked me if i would be freddie's god-mother!! wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! what an honour!!! i am very excited!!!

frankie, lucia and alex laughing:















tully and freddie:

today:

was tiring and very busy at work . . . and i was on the last counter slot . . . and then went round to liz and david's for the 'holy nation' session. it was good but now i think i will head off for an early night

february 2007 . . . and some exciting events!!

we don't get snow often enough . . .
here is my garden looking magical (lol) . . . and kezia enjoying herself:
(this was just 2 days before lucia put in her appearance - and we all thought there were weeks to go!!)


















frankie and lucia the day after they arrived home (lucia 11 days old):


















meet the cousins: the stripey gang!!
















and . . . 'little lucia':

back on form in the 'grumpy' department

nothing much to report really . . .

stella and the pies went back to sheffield last week but are returning tonight so stelps can spend some time with frankie and lucia - nice!!

lucia, frankie and alex continue to thrive - more photos when i get around to it

in the meantime - and just so you don't think i have stopped being grumpy - here is one of my all-time hates:

front doors which have no shelter above them so that when you call on someone and you are waiting for them to answer the door, you have to stand in the rain until they come! i mean what is that all about? you would think the occupants would want somewhere to stand out of the rain when they come home and have to get their keys out, manage their shopping etc etc!! It really is very inconsiderate of these house-holders!!

. . . and of course it always IS raining in Britain!!!

cpie's baptism and christmas

sadly i don't have any photos of cpie in her lovely dress - this is the dress which o made for stella when she was baptised - this is mainly because i was too caught up in the actual ceremony - and then she changed into 'ordinary attire' for the drive to the restaurant where we had a meal - never min! - hope you like these:

the star of the show:

oma with lizzie and f'ster:


cat and janey:


g and me (looking typically stressed!!):




. . . and then it was christmas:

this is our crib - we have had the figures well over 20 years - most of them are a bit chipped now and poor old joseph's head has fallen off a few times and been glued back on - boogs made the stable 8 years ago when he was recovering from his throat op:


christmas eve: me, g, o, kpie and rich:


jpie:


and cpie:


and last of all: my tree - this fell over just after i had finished doing it the first time and i didn't have the heart to start all over again so just chucked the dec on after that!! - still it doesn't look too bad - though there is a decided tilt!!

cpie

i did say i would post december pics - but i'm a bit pushed for time tonight so i'll do them next bloggins

i will just add this pic of cpie last march: she was just 2 days old . . . and it was the first time i met her . . . in the words of stevie wonder 'isn't she lo- o - v - ley?'

look!! photos!!

Yay!! Cracked it!!
now to update with photos of the last few months:
LAST JUNE: we went to Austria:

It really IS this beautiful!


g, janey and eric in berg

We also went to Helen and Geoff's Pearl Wedding Celebrations - I forgot to take my camera but a friend mailed me this shot of eric in his weskit:

JULY:

F'ster as we first knew him

David and Becky's Wedding:

In the chapel

Tony, Kathy and Anna with Jess

and here are anna and jess with claire who was one of the bridesmaids.
claire also has the honour of being my one-and-only god-daughter . . . and she is LOVELY!!

SEPTEMBER: Anna and Ricky's wedding:

Anna and Ricky at the Reception

anna and claire with kpie

stella concentrating on her camera, kpie concentrating on? mischief?

my kpie! . . . and if this isn't mischief personified . . . .

back next time with photos of cpie's baptism . . . and christmas

more luck than judgement!

i'm not sure which of the photos i have uploaded here - it should be (l - r) cpie (in the customised t-shirt Auntie Mary made), jpie, kpie holding lpip
hope you like it - if i have been successful, more to follow!

my news since last time . . .

it has been an exhausting and emotional 2 weeks!!

stella and the pies are still here - rich travelled down by train to help out with jpie and cpie for a few days (kpie nipped off to cornwall with jackie and company for a week's hols) when stella went down with flu - and then i caught it too which didn't help!!

little lpip is doing well - she was transferred to the brompton hospital when she was 4 days old and frankie and alex stayed with her there for a week. but now she has been discharged and they are all home - hoorah!! - stella and the pies called in on them and kpie, jpie and cpie were all delighted to meet their new little cousin - with f'ster included, that means 5 cousins born within 4 years - what fun for them all as they grow up!!

pipkin has arrived safely!

and she is doing well!
weighed 7 lb 14 oz
real name: lucia-rose collette
mummy daddy and all the family thrilled to bits!
another instalment some time soon . . .

this life, this week

I have hardly touched base this week - it has been very busy

but briefly:

wednesday: met pauline in the essex for chat and drinks - really enjoyable evening!

thursday: zoomed up to luton after work for tutorial -it's ahassle getting there but well worth the effort

friday: party at liz and david's to celebrate OFSTED - another great evening

saturday/sunday: to janey and eric's - arrived for coffee, then after lunch we went for a good walk around the grounds at calke - cold but beautiful sunshine - janey cooked a fabulous dinner of duck and trimmings . . . and we sat around the table (peter joined us) and, as usual, we laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed! more laughing and talking this morning . . . and eric made a terrific 'hearty'.

frankie: is still bearing up - only one more week of work. spoke to her this evening and she sounds well but looking forward to finishing work next friday and (hopefully) a well-earned rest before the baby

this is what is says about a canna!!
"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."

i am this flower!

I am a Canna What Flower Are You?

Burns Night

had the most fantastic evening at the rose and crown, rickmansworth, with a group from work.

this was the first Burns Night i have been too and, lord!!! what fun it was!!

this was the programme of events:

piper outside to pipe us in

first course of salmon/or scotch broth (i had salmon)

piping in of the haggis - with poem!!

toast to the haggis (with whisky)

main course: haggis (yumm!! - this was totally delicious!!)

toast to the lassies

toast to the laddies

pudding - not sure what this was but it was marvellous

then a space was cleared and we had a tutored ceilidh - which was HUGE fun

at some point people from different tables got up and read a burns poem each but i forget when, exactly, this happened - david was the brave soul from our table!!

we all had such a terrific time that we resolved to come again next year - hoorah for matt who organised it all with such enthusiasm!!

if i were clever enough to know how to put links, i would do one for the pub as it is well worth a visit: fantastic atmosphere, welcoming staff, lovely old building and wonderful food! - please go if ever you find yourself in the area - i'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed!!

grrr!!! car parking!!!

i have just written a very moany entry about car parking in watford

but then i read it through and it really was so very boring that i felt it just didn't deserve to be published

so i deleted it

and all i can say is:

don't attempt the shrubbery car park by the town hall

today it took my money, let me through the barrier and then: there were no spaces!!

it's rubbish!!!

wheeeeeee!

phew! well what a week that was for weather!!

stella phoned on thursday to say that a tree in the park over the road from their home had fallen towards the houses, just missing the windows of next-door-but-one and blocking the road. fortunately no one was hurt though it did cause disruption for some hours and missed s and r's car by inches!!

fran and alex's area lost most of their fences and numerous twigs and branches came off my trees though everything else survived intact. there used to be 3 large pine trees in our garden but 2 of them were damaged in the hurricane of 1987 so the previous owner had those 2 chopped down to stumps. i was a little worried about the remaining one - it is too far from the house to do any damage but didn't fancy all the clearing up!! but it's a sturdy old thing and is obviously good for a few years yet.

other than that it has been a quiet week:

went to janine's on wednesday - and then as soon as i came home, started to make myself a cheese roll - and sliced through the top of my left thumb!! (it is only a little cut - that was a bit over-dramatic!! - lol!!)

eleanor phoned on thursday to say tutorial was cancelled because of the storms and disruptions on the roads - so spent a cosy evening in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate, a blanket and a book - mmm - bliss!!

a temporary (january-related) low

well it's been an absolutely dire week at work - totally totally dreadful!

thank heavens for lovely friends:

book group on wednesday: which was here and we discussed 'the abortionist's daughter' by elisabeth hyde

women's group on thursday: which was at cathy's and we decided on the programme for the year

evening with the neighbours on friday: which was at tess and richard's - and lara and ricky came too and so did tess from no 10 (whom i had not so far met)

and thank heavens for lovely relatives too:

stella, frankie, janey and eric who all (wittingly or unwittingly) managed to cheer me up when i was more than a little despairing

oh yes we did!!

no prizes for guessing where i went yesterday evening!!

janey, eric and lizzie came to stay and we went to the aladdin pantomime at the palace. kezia, jago, rich and most of rich's family (almost the whole of the front 2 rows!!) were there too - and a jolly time was had by all!!

it's years since i last went to a panto - since the girls were small in fact - and i really enjoyed it!! - it was a lot of fun!!

both thomas and daniel (k and j's cousins) were invited on stage to sing, mime and (in daniel's case) tell a joke!! and it was lovely to see kezia shouting and doing the actions in audience participation

we were supposed to be going to 'much ado about nothing' at the novello but, because i stupidly left it too late to get tickets, decided to say nothing and just turn up 'behind you!!' at the panto. i think james and imy were suitably aghast at the sight of us there!!

and then we all went back to jackie's and had a cup of tea and saw stella and clara, who can now walk (!!) - at least she does when she feels like it!

janey, eric and lizzie left around 10 this morning as they had to get back to ashby, load lizzie's stuff and take her back to sheffield

ricky came round and made short work of digging up the stumps of hedge along the front of my garden

and i've been doing my latest assignment most of the day

. . . and now that 2007 is here . . .

. . . this is it so far:

new year:

the meal at jude and john's was super - the whole evening was great fun - and we watched the 'fireworks on the green' from the back garden to the accompaniment of yowling foxes in the undergrowth

i dobbed out on the new's day walk and lunch at the clarendon as i really had too much to do at home - but called briefly on fran/alex on the way back and met alex's younger brother patrick who had stayed the night with them

wednesday evening:

met pauline in the essex - and saw the photos of sophie - she is lo-o-o-ovely!! babies eh?? they're just so-o-o exciting!!

yesterday (thursday):

to london after work to see the 'alice in wonderland' ballet at the coliseum. as a small child i had a book with the 'tenniel' drawings and at that time i found both the drawings and the story itself rather frightening. the plot was difficult to convey in dance and i think that if one had not read the book it might well have been confusing. that said, it was very enjoyable with some superb balletic sequences and i was impressed by the way the costumes and the make-up were so true to the original drawings - very clever!!

today:

stella, rich and the pies arrived this afternoon at jackie's - hoorah!! but i haven't been round to see them because

a) i woke very early this morning after a late night and have double vision from tiredness and

b) i have to get all the decorations and christmas tree down tonight . . .

altogether now . . . . aaahhh!!