Merry Christmas to All

Christmas is nearly here! With only 9 days to go, presents are being wrapped and college has finished for the holiday. The Buttons family may get their christmas tree up at the weekend and my room is decorated with purple fairy lights and a few lovely decorations.

With college finished for now, despite a couple of essays which i will be 'forgetting' for a few days, there is finally the time to do all of the things that seem to have piled up. My room will be tidied, books including 'The Host' by Stephenie Meyer and 'Things I Want My Daughters To Know' by Elizabeth Noble will be read. There may even be some cooking involved. Plus lashings of hot chocolate and evenings spent in front of the fire.

For now though, i'm off out babysitting so no fire or hot chocolate.

But tomorrow... well you never know.

An Exciting Business

Following on from my last entry, I have had some very exciting news. A couple of the items I had taken to Hexton's Country Matters... sold! And another item - a cupcake toilet roll cover - was ordered, as two people wanted the same colour. I never thought any of the things I had made would sell so quickly. Having the ordered cupcake toilet roll cover to deliever on Friday, I decided to take over a few other bits and pieces as well - this time button jewellery, mobile phone charms and even a button bookmark! I hope people like them.

On Wednesday, I had a wonderful time - I am a large group from a charity I belong to, travelled to London's Palladium Theatre to see Sister Act. Now, I love the film but this was so much better! The singing was wonderful and the sets and the way they moved and were put together was fantastic. I was also one of a pair that managed to get seats in the Royal Circle, rather than the Upper Circle - a much better view.

This morning, the leaders of the Cake and Craft group from my church put together a 'Cake and Craft Group Sale of Work' and what a success it was! The main room of the church was filled with tables full of craft books to buy, cakes, jams, watercolours, doilies, cards, crochet and knitting and lots more besides. I had a thoroughly good time wandering around and chatting to the many many people who had also come to look round and have a cup of tea and piece of cake. In my church, nothing happens without food coming into it in some fashion, be it eating it or (in certain cases) wearing it.

I also managed to find a few crochet books which I am beyond pleased with!



I can't wait to get started on a few of the projects i've found within their pages!

Outings Galore!

Well this (long) weekend has certainly been a time of fun and friends! Friday morning, Lucy of Little Blue Door and I finally made our trip over to Hexton's Country Matters treasure trove of homemade goodies, pot-of-tea and homemade cake-filled wonderfulness! I had made a few items to see if they could be sold there which they agreed to do - i was so excited! So far its only 2 cupcake toilet roll covers, 3 ipod socks and a miniature hot water bottle and cover, but it is certainly a good start. Hopefully i should have a few more things to take over there next week.

Friday afternoon was spent with my little sister, watching The Princess Bride. A film that, in my many years of life, I had only seen about 5 minutes off. This was swiftly remedied and I certainly enjoyed it! We made up a big pot of tea and some lunch and spent a wonderful afternoon watching the film and the rain, all too glad to be out of it!

This evening was spent again, with Lucy and faily at their (now) annual Sausage Sizzle - complete with fireworks! Fortunately the disgustingly wet and windy weather held off long enough for us all to go outside and watch a couple of the men have fun lighting all the fireworks. I'm not sure of the end number of people there but there wasn't nearly enough room for half the people to sit down! My little sister spent most of her time under the kitchen table with one of her best friends... a 3/4 2 year old. The faces of some people when they heard the disembodied voices and saw the moving curtains next to the table were hilarious!

Tomorrow at church we have a double baptism - very excited about that, and then we ave been invited to one of the celebrations in the late afternoon to celebrate.

But far more importantly...


Doctor Who - The Waters of Mars

We have invited two other Dr Who-obsessed families to join us! Really looking forward to it.

For now though, I suppose it might ne a good idea to get some sleep ready for the long long day tomorrow. Good night all x

(Fireworks picture does not belong to me and can be found here: http://disneybear.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/FIREWORKS_2_L%5B1%5D.JPG)

Bressingham

We live about 120 miles from my grandparents and so, unfortunately, don't get to see them too often. Last Saturday, we met up close to halfway between us both at Bressingham. There, there is a train museum, garden centre, gallopers and Dad's Army museum - plenty for everyone to see and do. First we had a lovely lunch in the garden centre - for me it was a ham quiche! Not had any for sooo long but will have to make some soon. After that we had to try to figure out how many of the group wanted to go on the trains of just look around. After a long five minutes we made it in, only to split up so that those who wanted a ride on a train could, and those who wanted to wander around the museum could as well. I went for the museum where there were lots of posters and memorabilia. Then it was through to the Dad's Army museum with Frazers Funeral Directors and Jones' Butchers. There was also lots of BIG machinery which looked very fun to drive. Unfortunately there wasn't the chance.

Then it was time for a go on the Gallopers - unfortunately i don't have any pictures so thanks to The Victorian Peeper (Blogspot) for this photo. I will try to upload one from my sis when i manage to wrestle one off her!

After that there was just enough time for a ride on the small steam train through the gardens attached to the museum and garden centre. (Smaller than the one photographed - I only had my mobile phone camera with me)

And then it was time to admire my grandparents new car, play around with the bluetooth thingy attached to the stereo, totally embaress my grandma but playing things too loud and then it was off home.

A long day but well worth it. I wonder what we will do next time.

For now, it is half term. A few bits of college work to do and a planned trip over to Bletchley Park if my entry card is still in date are on the cards for the coming week. I may have to have lunch out in MK somewhere though.

For now though, its time for bed so goodnight all x

Catching up

The past near-fortnight since my last update has been spent catching up with life. I've been out doing Open the Book (taking the bible into lower schools), crocheting my now cosy and bag-filling sea blanket
as well as sorting out the car and its problems, joining my first prayer triplet and plenty of college work. And of course a girlie evening watching Pride and Prejudice... not for Colin Firth you understand, but because it is a piece of outstanding literature and the six hour version sticks best to the original book. Yes.


Poor Poppy has, this past week or so been having a few problems which will, by the weekend, hopefully for fully sorted out. This morning she was stripped of her back wheels and the tyres have been replaced for brand new ones. Tomorrow she goes to be re-MOT'd! Odd yes, but thats what happens in this household.

Another little project i've worked on in the past fortnight has been a corsage pin for a friend from college - its now been sent and she loves it! Unfortunately i don't have an end picture but here is it pretty much finished - just minus the littlest button:

I love all that button-y wool-y lovliness! I managed to find a ball of Rowan Spray wool in the local charity shop last week for only 99p! I have no idea what to do with it... perhaps a lovely warm scarf for the winter. I also want to make a pair of gloves for myself if i can find a good pattern. The ones in the shop look good but not quite right! Anyone know of any good and easy patterns? Or have experience of making any themselves? For now though, its back to my blanket - perfect crocheting work for the cold weather - keeps you snug.

Country Matters

This afternoon I had a lovely outing with my mum to a nearby village which contains a very packed shop containing all the little handmaid items you find at craft shows and sale of goods stalls; Country Matters. There were cards, jewellery, blankets, toys, books and all manner of other goodies to browse and buy. My favourite place though was the little tea rooms attached, sweetly called 'The Lavender Tearoom'. In there my mum and I indulged and had between us a cream tea with an accompanying pot of tea, complete with tea cosy! After our long time looking through all of the goodies we certainly pounced on the tea and scones! I came home with three balls of wool - Bigga made by Sirdar.

Usually retailing around the £5.00 mark I was very excited to find they were on sale for only £2.00. I bought a few, though i'm not sure yet what will be done with them.

After a delicious pancake tea the town I live in had a powercut. Now, having had quite a few in the past few months I had a candle and matches all ready nearby just in case. Having lit my candle and a few others, my sister and I persuaded the parents that a game of Powercut Monopoly was surely in order. However the power came on and it looked as though our game would be abandoned before it was started. But then came the idea - why not just turn all the lights off, light the candles, turn on the torches and pretend! And what a fun time we had, with giggles and cheating galore. I don't think half the money that was meant to be paid actually did but it probably evened out in the end. As for who won? My dad I think, with houses on the reds. Things were starting to get expensive.

Books and Reading

Unfortunatley, for many years I have been living off the books of only a very few authors: Terry Pratchett, Agatha Christie and J.K. Rowling. This has been for the simple reason that I haven't had the concentration to read anything else - thanks M.E.

Before I became ill in October 2001, I was a voracious reader. I loved the library, discovering new authors and new tales. Having adventures without having to step outside and be adventurous. One summer I read over 100 books! But then things changed.

M.E. gave to me exhaustion, achiness, headaches and 'brain fog', a complete inability to think clearly, remember what happened short term or long term or even be able to think of the correct word in a sentence. Or even put the words or letters in a sentence the right way round. Some of this is still going on now but fortunately not at the level that it was in the past.

But now I am starting to be able to read again! I may not be able to do more than a few hours of pretty much anything without needing a lie down, but I can read again! I'm reading Stephenie Meyer, Agatha Christie (rather than listening to audio books), Margaret Atwood, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Goudge, Jostein Gaarder, Jerry Spinelli and so many more and I love it!

And now I look forward to cathing up on all i've missed over the past 8 years.


Some of my time this evening has been spent clearing out my hard disc. This was a picture I took in July 2008 at Woburn Safari Park - can you spot anything odd about it?