Home alone.....

It's Tuesday morning, little lad is at school, little lady is at nursery!! what on earth am I going to do now...BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm back, so so sorry for not being able to blog or leave comments on your wonderful blogs, I'll just have to let you all know that my time is so limited so I'll just get on when I can, I'll try to blog at least once a month and hopefully more once the routines settle down.

The summer holidays were lovely but I was very ready for little lad to start school by the end of it, he went off on his first day with a skip in his step and so far so good, little lady on the other hand had tears at nursery, pulled on my heart strings big time but I know it's for the best as this time next year she'll be starting school....EEK!!!

best friends (most of the time)

little lad doesn't wear his blue crocs to school (honest)

ministry of sound was playing.....

I haven't had any time for crochet either and to be honest I get very easily bored so I'm having a break away from my gorgeous granny squares and started to make some coasters, here's a sneaky peek

by the way, this is my new carpet (which I can't stop sniffing)

I think these are very sweet, darr doesn't like them,
 don't use them then Mr Miserable

I recently had an evening with some lovely friends down at Chesil Beach, Abbotsbury, we went Mackerel fishing, well Abby and I watched and drank wine and the boys fished, it was such a wonderful evening, a good gossip and lovely food, we took a bbq and the boys caught 7 Mackerel, Simon placed each one in some foil and then tucked in some garlic and lemon and a huge dollop of butter and then put them on the barbie for 30mins....delicious!!!!

our little set up

one of my dearest friends

gorgeous sunset

I have problems with the effin tabs, sorry!!

I hope you are all well my lovelies and ready for Autumn, my favourite time of the year, I've already picked loads of blackberries, apples and sloes, chutney's and sloe gin here I come!!! yum yum

Take care my lovely blogging friends and I'll catch you all soon, love Bee xxxxxx

Great British Bake Off, Crochet & Power Walking!!! phew...

I've just sat down on the sofa after a Power Walk/jog, I went to the doctors on Monday with a few issues, I always like to take a list with several problems, I build them up, she finds this very funny, I can't just go with one thing, I have to go with several, weird I know but that's me.  Anyway one of the things was that I've been dipping again, no not in the sea, with my hormones, alittle low and she suggested that I try to do some form of exercise but nothing to heavy as I can't, she suggested Power Walking for 30mins, 3 times per week and tonight was my first time, it felt quite good BUT I'm useless at sticking with anything, I always give up or can't be bothered anymore, so fingers crossed I'll stick with this, she said that exercise helps serotonin flow and naturally makes you feel happier so watch this space.

So I'm sat on the sofa as I've said, ready to blog, turn the t.v on and GASP!!! The Great British Bake Off is on...uuhh!!! no adverts on t.v, no one has mentioned it...oh ekk, I love this programme, thank goodness for BBC IPlayer I say, I'll watch it tomorrow night as it had already been on for 45mins, I love Mary Berry, I find her recipes easy and yummy, she's just great and I do like Mel & Sue, I think they annoyed Cuckoo on the last series, well I think it was Cuckoo, I find them really amusing,

Granny Blanket is coming on...

Cuckoo kindly assisted with these photo's, well actually I can't take any credit, she took them all, she does take a good photo, here's some more

I would really love to crochet some coasters for my new (if that ever happens...) living room, has anyone got a any nice patterns or suggestions, I was advised to use cotton yarn rather than my usual acrylic yarn and also to starch them but I'm just not sure as I'm still a beginner, so any suggestions would be appreciated.  

I was well chewy this weekend when I mentioned my crochet to some friends and their husbands at a BBQ, they basically completely took the mick out of me and called me an old granny, I felt so defensive, in fact I could have punched my friends husband who is a complete hob nob....gggrrr, it made me so angry, I really love it that I've found something I really enjoy, I've tried a drawing & painting course with my mum, who I have to say is very talented and I'm certainly NOT good at anything arty, Cuckoo even helped me with my Art coursework, I think she drew a mouse or rabbit....I'm sure she'll remind me.

Anyway, so to have eventually at 35yrs old find something I feel very passionate about, feels slightly relieving really, that I found a hobby I enjoy and can do!! 

The last few weeks has all been about keeping calm and carrying on, as they say, it's been a bit stressful trying to keep my little ones happy and on the go, I know I shouldn't say this but I'm looking forward to school term starting, it's hard work as Darr has had hardly any time off so it's all been down to me with the entertainment, although we did have a family day down at Chesil Beach near Abbotsbury on Sunday, we all had a go at fishing and caught 7 mackrel, great fun and the children loved it, if they are happy, we are happy.

It was great to see my gorgeous angel Cuckoo and the boys this week, just what I needed, we had lots of fun and I especially enjoyed cuddles with mini cuckoo, although I did make him cry at one point!!! precious time with my family, just lovely.

Off for more gorgeous crochet now, enjoy the rest of your week girlies, much love Bee x x x x

Cracking crochet...

I'm sort of going off my crocheting of Granny Squares, I got on with it tonight but still struggle with the effin first round GRRRRRRRRRRR, making me all cross and annoyed, so I've put the square to one side and am trying something else for a little break, snow flakes, that way I get plenty of time before..I can't say the word yet but you know what I mean!!! the 'C' word

They are very pretty and I quite like trying something different, I'll be back to the squares as soon as, I would like my blanket finished before the the end of Autumn (ha...yeh right...good luck with that Bee)

What a week so far, nursery is packing in a leaving concert, leaving picnic, leaving sports day, leaving top-table sale, phew!!! I'll have to do this all again next year when little lady leaves nursery for big school, they seem to be cramming so much in, poor little lad is exhausted and so are we.

It's little lads 5th birthday at the beginning of Sept and he really REALLY wants a party, so...I've handed out 8 invites today and the faces on the mum's whose child didn't get an invite....oh bugger off, for goodness sake I can't invite all 20 little ones, I felt like I had to explain myself, is this usual?? once he starts school will it just get worse??  I'm doing a little tea party at my house and there really isn't room for any more, it always seems to rain on his birthday so my idea about a picnic was brushed to one side, if I did invite all 20 and then it did rain then my house would end up in turmoil, am I being a bit unfair?

Off to bed now and I might just take my square with me (no not Darr, he is asleep on the sofa....and snoring!!)

xxxx

Rain, rain and more rain

As you know, we went on a family camping holiday last week to South Devon and it rained practically every day, we had some sunshine on the Tuesday but had torrential rain on Wednesday, all day, the sun did come out on Thursday but not for long so Friday we caved in and came home, wasn't the best trip we've had and personally I doubt the tent will be out again this year.....(I hope!!!) I'm thinking a cottage next year would be nice...although I have to say the children still loved it, the rain doesn't seem to bother them.

Anyway, on a brighter note my Granny Squares are coming along nicely, I do struggling with the first round, just after I do the first CH3 I need to do 2TR's in the hole I've made with the join and once I've completed the round I'm left with a bit of bump of yarn, think Cuckoo might need a wee look for me as I'm not doing something right but it's still ok for now.

Today I had to let a friend down and I feel terribly guilty, basically for her birthday her husband bought her two tickets to see Dolly Parton in concert and she offered one of the tickets to me, I was over the moon as I love Dolly Parton BUT the ticket would cost me £100!!! my husband and I are just getting back on our feet with our finances and I'm actually managing to save money which I am putting towards refurnishing my living room and I just can't justify paying out £100 for a concert ticket but to be really honest, I would love that £100 to go towards my new curtains, letting her down wasn't easy and she was very upset, I feel dreadful about it and hope she can forgive me.

Today we went shopping for little lads first school uniform, he looked so sweet trying on different sizes of grey trousers and suitable black daps, really pulled on my heart strings, he's growing up too fast.

Time for a cuppa and more crochet, once I've done a bundle of squares I'll post a pic

xxxx

My first ever Granny Square...

This is a huge achievement for me, I usually give up on anything like this, I get frustrated that everyone else can do it and seem to grasp it much quicker that I can, I'm always at the back of the queue, anyway, so I am chuffed to bits with this, in fact I could cry....how ridiculous is that!!! it would be tears of joy of course.

So this is a short blog too as I can't wait to get back to my Granny Square, I've fallen in love.

Luv Bee x x

Meditation time.......

I started this blog on Sunday and have been so damn busy and no 'me' time that I haven't had chance to finish it til now, on Saturday night I was practising my crochet (and had a glass of red too)while Darr cooked dinner!!! I know, don't all gasp at once, he cooked Red Thai Curry and it was delicious, I then cosyed up on the sofa with a nice cuppa while watching Camelot, I love anything like that especially now The Tudors has finished.  Darr had a lovely lie in on Sunday but two little people wanted to give their home-made cards to daddy so he was bounced on around 8.45am (which wasn't a bad lie in).  We then headed off to the new John Lewis in Poole as I wanted to try and find some curtains for our living room, I fell in love with all of them and eventually chose a gorgeous flowery pair, thankfully as I'm a J.L partner I get a 25% discount.

In the evening we ate scrummy roast beef after which I practised more crochet, it's looking much neater, just need to try my first project, my mum is over on friday night so I am hoping to attempt something with her help.

I've had a couple of moments this week where I have felt overwhelmed by the stupidest of things, like - to much house work, ironing, gardening, work, children drop off's and collect etc etc (you get my drift) and while I was cooking dinner I was listening to Radio 2, as I always do, and they had this guy on talking about meditation, well I looked up his website (www.getsomeheadspace.com) i'm trying out his programme and only a few days in I already feel like I can relax and breathe through those moments when I feel I'm loosing control, even if it's just physiological I don't care, whatever works I say.

I need to keep this short as I'm desperate to keep practising my crochet. Below are a few photo's of my family for you to see.

This is Darr taking a photo of himself, he was on route to join us in Devon, 95miles...mad man!!!

Little ones enjoying an ice-lolly at Paignton Zoo

Me and little ones enjoying a walk around Stour Head, Wiltshire.

Enjoying the Steam Train in Devon

Sorry if the photo's are a bit blurred and I also haven't worked out how to add a caption under the photos, it'll do for now.  Right, off to crochet I go...
xx

Cuckoo's birthday pressie & my crochet....

I ordered cuckoo's pressie ages and ages ago from her Wish List on Waterstones and it arrived this week, just in time for her arrival with mini cuckoo today, Cute & Easy Crochet (above).

I spent yesterday evening with my mum, who is amazing at crochet/sewing/knitting/crafty stuff etc, I last tried crochet in the autumn at the seaside house in Salcombe with cockoo and just haven't had the patience or time since so I really surprised myself at how well I remembered and how much neater it was compared to my last attempt, it's just rows of dc and tc so i get the hang of it and when I'm confident enough I'll have a go at making something simple (I would be grateful for any suggestions).  I feel myself getting completely absorbed when I'm doing crocheting, very relaxing and completely switch off, this is an exciting project and my mum made me a wonderful bag as a Christmas gift to store all my crochet work/wool/hooks etc.  One thing I find really frustrating about my little house is there is no space to keep my sewing machine and crafty bits 'n' bobs, at the moments it's kept in my wardrobe and because it's just stored away I never really use it,so in my living room (behind my sofas) is a play area for the children, well somewhere I store their toys and I think it's about time I had some room back, so I'm going to move all their toys into their rooms and purchase a table with drawers in and a pretty chair, nothing expensive, I might have a look on the Ikea website, that way I know I'll use my sewing machine more, I feel quite excited about doing that too.

Right, better get the dinner on as it's work tonight, I work two evenings a week at Waitrose, as well as housekeeping approx 8hrs a week and some ironing here and there....it all helps.

xx

Going a bit crackers......

Who on earth decided we needed hormones...ok ok, I get the baby making bit but who decided they can sometimes make you feel like complete and utter shite, I mean sometimes I go crazy in the head, completely barking mad and my mind does the strangest of things!!! I also have to confess..I talk to myself all the time and (oh god) out loud, it's obviously a family thing as my dad did it too, I'd often catch him talking away to himself, proper full on arguments and if he knew I'd seen him he'd get all embarrassed and scuttle away.  It needs to stop I think...but how?? I never fall out with myself and rarely answer back, it's actually quite nice to be right all the time but then there's the whole, she's going a bit mad!!!

This is where I've decided it's time I found myself some hobbies, to do something more constructive with my time (other than talking to myself), and also find out who 'Bee' really is, not the girl who always follows the leader, does as they do, wear what they wear, say what they say.  It's always, I wish I had that, I wish I could be like that rather than being happy with little old me, so a plan is what I need, oh and of course a list, I LOVE LISTS!!!

First thing first, get my head around this bloody crocheting, looks more like spaghetti junction so my wonderful mum is coming to help, she has the patience of a saint thank goodness, a hobby I want stick to but I keep giving up, but I am struggling on, it's the whole time thing so gonna give it another bash. I always give up at the first hurdle so this might be the first thing I follow through with...exciting!! and also, getting out on my bike and getting some exercise, might help with the (ssshhh...moods) and work on these extra loafs at the bottom of my back either side, just above my hips, I don't want them there anymore....yuk!!!!

So if you read this, little encouragement would go a long way.