Wallpaper Strip part 8

Something had to change didn't it! Which room do you think went first?

If you said the downstairs room or 'snug' as we call it, then you're not wrong.  It wasn't a change through choice mind, there was a bit of flooding and the walls just peeled off.  We kept one wall, which I was quite pleased about but Jam was very happy that the others went.  It did make the room look a lot bigger. 
Unfortunately half the wall started to crumble as well and there is a big crack right down it, so a bit of work is needed. 
In the meantime Rowan's artwork cunningly covers up the cracks and I bought some plain paper to redo the walls with, but that hasn't happened yet - I am waiting for a visit from a willing friend...!

Friends and Birthdays

I'm still chuckling at this - 'What?! Someone's had a slice of the cake?!

 

When that someone has driven all the way over to Box, near Bath, from Bosville, Normandy, braving severe weather warnings and tonnes of snow and that someone has her baby girl of only 7 weeks with her (that's me holding the little cherub, nothing more precious than baby cuddles, what a smartly dressed baby she is too!)...

AND she made the cake herself, yes, that's right, made it herself before leaving, as well as making sure her boy and man were catered for, I think she's excused and who can blame her? It was also her birthday, which she actually forgot about in all the preparation! Thank you RA!

Now I thought we were going for a quiet-ish weekend. We arrived on Thursday night, so as not to get snowed in. Film night on Friday, our friend in Box has set up a brilliant rural cinema, children's show on Saturday morning then a quiet night in for dinner on the Saturday...

We woke up to this on the Friday and that meant we had to go sledging and build snowmen!

The film night was postponed, due to the snow the film couldn't be delivered, but the children's one arrived for the Saturday morning and that was a great experience - hungover watching Madagascar III in a church on my 'significant' birthday, drinking hot chocolate and eating rocky road! 

I was totally bowled over by all my lovely friends making such an effort to get there and have so much fun! We chatted, cooked, laughed, drank, danced, cried, oh and of course - clothes-swapped! Here's Rowan getting into the spirit and trying on the shoes! Boys are not normally allowed to these events mind...

Bit blurred that photo, as were all the ones of the evening, which is probably a good thing, I don't want you getting the wrong impression of me!

Thank you Jam for being such a wonderful husband too, keeping it all secret, getting us there safely, getting the children's breakfasts ready, with beautifully drawn signs showing them where to go and how not to wake up the Mummy's, letting me have a lie in, a bathrobe, breakfast in bed...xx

Snowdrop Valley

As the name suggests, it is indeed a valley of snowdrops.  Jam decided he was going to surprise me and take me there, although he shouldn't have downloaded the info onto my phone if he didn't want to spoil the surprise!

So we arrived at the carpark where you leave your car and take a bus down a very steep hill into the valley...

That was as far as I got with this post around this time last year! Shame I didn't finish it, but I can still remember how beautiful it was to be surrounded by a blanket of snowdrops, so deep in the valley. In fact I think I shall have to take Jam and Rowan this year, as a surprise!

I will report back with photos and a proper tour guide sense of it all.  I wonder if it's the same ladies driving the bus, trying not to spill their coffees, chattering away and will there be a few bargains to grab from the stalls in the village hall opposite where we stopped for a cuppa afterwards?  I know, the suspense is too much...

Small stone Jan 31

One pair of slightly worn
Hand-knitted socks,
Incredibly warm and cosy,
A pattern playfully skipping
Along the rows: orange,
Black, cream and brown.
What are they, what do you
Think they are?
'Tigers, Mummy tiger and a
Baby tiger' says my little boy.
I'd never looked at my socks
Like that before, 'but Mummy'
He says, 'can't you hear them roar?'

small stones Jan 17

What are you? A gift of love
With cloves for your eyes
A smooth round wooden belly
A satisfyingly pointed nose
Little penguin of wood,
You remind me that life
Needn't be black and white
There's love and friends
And dreams to make happen
I love your green felted bottom.

small stones

It's a big year, I need a challenge and not just a New Year's Resolution type of challenge! I know I'm only finding this halfway through the month but better late than never.  It's a great idea and I used to 'brain-drain' every morning when I was following The Artist's Way, in my own kind of way, so now is a chance to do it again.

'That little boy came from me. I still find it hard to believe. He sits opposite me now with smiles in his eyes, tapping his toe and licking his lips as he watches an episode of Pingu on the DVD.  It's as if he understands exactly what they are saying as he giggles every now and then.  My little boy, growing up each day. I love you and all of our discoveries that lie ahead. Let's go and explore that world now!'

Moving on

I've been away from here for a while.  Life became quite hard there for a moment, it was dark and not just because we're in a small cottage with neighbours that park their car right up to our window...

Making a big move out of the city into the country is bound to have an affect on you, even two years on. I thought I had a handle on it but maybe I didn't quite have such a tight grip.

So hello there 2013 - I'm taking hold of you very tightly and am going to run, run, run!