The final day…..

of 2009.

I have finished my Christmas Journal which I’m pleased about but can’t upload anymore pics at the moment as my DD has gone off with the camera.  She’s partying the night away in Bristol with her friends (good for her!!)

My BIG news is that my husband and I have separated and he has gone to live elsewhere.  He says there’s no-one else involved but I’m not entirely sure I believe him….time will tell.

The ‘children’ have been very good about it but I’m expecting a backlash further down the line I dare say.  I feel a bit numb at the moment and am functioning on auto-pilot but there will be lots to do and think about in the new year.

  Therefore my word for 2010 is CHANGE.  What’s yours?

The Eve of Christmas…..

Back on my feet today after a whole day in bed yesterday with a stomach bug!  Every year this happens ~ last year I was in bed on Christmas Day!!  At least it’s over and done with before Christmas Day this year.

Adrian went and got the Turkey breast from Sainsburys yesterday and I thought we were all done with the shopping BUT (best laid plans and all that!) had word from my brother last night who we’re going to visit on the 27th that Gill would like us to bring a salad with us….do I have any salad stuff in???   No, of course not!  DH to the rescue again and off he goes to Sainsburys again this morning to get some salad stuff….now that really is it!

In the meantime, I’ve managed to do a couple more pages for my journal….

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If I don’t manage to get another post done before Crimbo…..have a great one everybody!!

Snow at last….

Dear Diary…..

So sorry for the long absence but have had my mind occupied with one thing and another just lately (more of which in the New Year) and didn’t think I’d finish this journal.  However, having giving myself a kick up the bum have decided to bring it up-to-date and finish it off this year!

Here are the latest pages….some good, some bad!

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In other news….. we’ve had a lovely little fall of snow during the night making everything look very festive.  Doesn’t impress my other half as he is a driving instructor!  Glad we’re not travelling anywhere either looking at the chaos on road, rail and airports!

Monday again….

Can’t believe it’s a week since I updated my blog….not very good am I?!

Weekend was good/bad …. had my cyst removed from the back of my neck on Friday and 4 stitches – ouch!  It’s still swollen and uncomfortable but the antibiotics should help I hope.

Went out Saturday night for our ‘girl’s night out’ – it was really good and we all had a fab time.

I’ve had a quick catch up with my Christmas Journal too – so the pages are quite plain ‘cos I haven’t got time to faff about too much.

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Smells, films and Secret Santas…

Managed to do three more pages for my Christmas Journal this afternoon as well as cleaning the bathroom and dusting around upstairs….so don’t feel guilty about a little crafting!  LOL

  

I also managed to make a carrot cake yesterday, which is now all gone bar one slice…..and they’re arguing as to who should get that.  So you could say it was a raving success (that, or else they’ll just eat anything!)

Candles and markets….

Here’s another two pages of my Christmas journal ….

 

I’m keeping it fairly simple and straight forward in the hope that I will actually get it finished this year!  The 2nd is about writing my Christmas cards and the 3rd is about the Christmas Market I went to in Bath.

I’ve been very remiss in visiting other blogs and leaving comments and I intend to get onto that over the weekend.

1st December …..

Well here goes then, 1st December and the countdown to Christmas is well on the way now!  I have just completed the first page in my Christmas Journal 09 and am quite pleased with it.  It’s about me putting on the Christmas hold music at work (I work as a Receptionist) and how we could really do with some new music on there.  

Christmas market….

Yesterday Megan and I went to the Christmas Market in Bath and although I enjoyed it there didn’t seem to be as many stalls there as last year.  That’s probably a good thing though as it was very busy anyway!  We only lasted ‘til 2.30 and were dead on our feet by then so caught an early train home.  Makes me wonder how my sister-in-law and her husband got on in Birmingham which is supposed to be one of the biggest Christmas Markets in the UK ~ don’t think I could cope, especially if it was mega-busy there.  Does anyone else go to Christmas Markets?  Which was the best one you’ve been to?

 

Thanksgiving Day….

I know we don’t ‘do’ Thanksgiving here in the UK but it’s a good day to blog about the good things in life isn’t it?

I’m thankful for:-

• My family’s good health
• Roof over our heads
• Parents still alive
• Good friends
• My part-time job

{Me and one of my 3 brothers having fun}

What are you thankful for?

Christmas journals….

I have mixed feelings on this topic, I tried to keep one last year but didn’t get very far with it. Anyhow I’m going to try again this year and have concocted a journal over the past week and will just try and pick up inspiration from the various blogs that are giving out prompts.

Christmas always used to be very special to me when I was younger or even when we were in our twenties bringing home boyfriends/husbands. Then when we started having children it was fabulous to share in their joy and wonder but now I’m afraid it means very little to me anymore. My husband does not want to be bothered with it at all, my ‘children’ are now 21 and 18 and although my DD is keen on all things Christmas my DS just wants money from everyone and where’s the fun in that?!

I’m trying to get into the Festive Spirit and am hoping that keeping a journal may help. Does Christmas still mean the same to you? Will you be keeping a journal this year?

Did I tell you……

It’s been a while (again) but I’ve not been in ‘a good place’ this week and am just now beginning to feel more like myself again.

So did I tell you it was my son’s 18th birthday last week?  Why can’t I get a half decent photo of him anymore?  Oh for the days of cheesy little grins!

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Have a look at what dropped on my doormat yesterday!!  Do I get a prize for the 1st Christmas Card??  It was from my brother in Australia…..why so early Chris?  LOL 

I was in the ‘zone’ yesterday when it came to crafting and managed to get this Christmas banner started Friday night and finished yesterday and I’m well pleased with it.  The idea came from here which is lovely blog full of great ideas.

I’m loving Google Reader and have been dipping in and out of various blogs but have been very naughty not leaving comments ~ so sorry everyone, will try harder now I’m feeling better.  Thanks to those that drop by and leave comments on here ~ it’s much appreciated.  M xxx

Down in the dumps….

A catching up post today, as promised.

I had a really good weekend as it was cybercrop on UKS and I managed to get 6 layouts done….some of which I’m quite pleased with.

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However, the real thorn in my side at the moment is money or should I say lack there of. My husband is self-employed as a driving instructor and has been for 4 or 5 years now but we’ve never known business to be as slow as it is at the moment.

Although there are ‘signs of green shoots’ in the economic world I’m afraid it hasn’t filtered down to us yet so it will be another grim Christmas/New Year although, luckily, I have been saving a bit throughout the year which will help.

Anyway, enough doom and gloom and I know we’re not the only ones in this position, I’m sure we’ll survive somehow.

We also have another problem to solve now thanks to Dexter the rabbit! I got home from work lunchtime yesterday to find a note through my door saying that our rabbit had escaped and he was now ‘resting’ at No.1. I dutifully went over there to collect said rabbit and deposit him back in the garden. 10 minutes later I went out to check on him and he’d gone again!! Luckily he hadn’t strayed too far and so I managed to catch him and he’s now ‘confined to quarters’ until we can build higher walls/fences…..the little bugger!

I went with DH to see 2012 last night and all I can say is…………………………..what a load of cobblers!! It was far too long and full of Hollywood clichés. The acting was wooden, the attempts at humour were woeful and the special effects weren’t that ‘special’. DH said if he had gone by himself he would have walked out after half an hour!!  Have you seen it yet?  What did you think?

Sorry….

A thousand apologies to any of my followers have been waiting for my next post but I’ve been feeling a bit down recently but am trying to drag myself out of the doldrums and didn’t want to inflict my woes on you.

I’m off our with DH tonight to see 2012 (I’m in the mood for a good ‘end of the world’ movie) LOL.  DH doesn’t usually do movies but wanted to see this one……I hope it’s good ~ will let you know tomorrow when I’m going to do a catching up post.

Five of the best

Today I’m reading…

I’m eating…

I’m watching…

I’m loving this blog…

Paperview           (I’m a big fan Nancy) 

And this photo…

 

The stationery cupboard ….

Do you ever look at things every day and not even see them?  They become part of the mundane that we don’t really notice until someone else comments on it.

The grey, boring, wonky stationery cupboard at work is like that.  I usually just open the cupboard get what is needed and shut the door again but every now and then someone will ask ‘any new pictures?’  We stop and have a look at the inside of the two doors on which are stuck lots of pictures of various members of staff, some in fancy dress, some with ‘celebratities’, some with their children/grandchildren.

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It all started with just one photo that got stuck on there for a bit of a laugh and somehow it has snowballed over the years ‘til now, when there’s hardly any space left.  Where will it all end I wonder?  Will the ‘boss man’ make me take them all down?  Will I have to take the old ones down to make way for new ones?  Who knows?  But for the time being it makes people smile……when they remember to stop and look!

Calendar girl….

Following on from yesterday’s post I can now reveal that the project I was working on was desk calendars as Christmas gifts for my family and here is the prototype….  

  

The template was bought from Peppermintcreative.com

The hardest part was sorting through the photos and trying to get a fair share of each family in there (I’ve got 4 brothers!).  Might do the same for DH’s family this year too, using photos of them.

Other than that I haven’t done anything too exciting today although I am attempting to bake a banana cake as we speak, with some over-ripe ‘nans that I had left from last week.  Haven’t baked anything in ages so wish me luck!  Will blog the result tomorrow…..unless it’s a complete disaster!

 

AND…. following on from Shim’s weekend bonus I have been messing with my blog again!!

Tis the season….

Must be the festive season because I’ve just had my first Starbucks Eggnog Latte!    I went into town with my daughter and couldn’t resist a Starbucks and muffin.

As it happened M&S have their meal for a tenner offer on this weekend so I bought two of them (well there is three of us for tea).  I do think they are good value and as we’re short of cash these days it’s a nice treat every now and then!  We’ve got mussels, chicken, potatoes, raspberry panacotta, melting middle choc pudd and two bottles of wine.  We’ll be sat in front of ‘Strictly’ with lap trays and a glass of vino ~ bliss!  (That’s DH starting on the mussels off).

I’ve started working on a Christmas project as gifts for   my family this year……more of this to follow.  Which means I’ve been sat in front of the PC for quite a while today ~ so when this post is published I’m switching off!!

 

The greatest concert…..

that never was!  I’ve just been to see the Michael Jackson film and although I’m not a mega-fan I do think he was a very talented person!! 

It was a good movie and talking of movies I’m going to post ‘my favs’ once a week as suggested on Shim’s prompt today so here goes…..

Five Fav Films…..

• Gone With the Wind
• Gladiator
• Shrek
• Alien
• Chicago

Thanks for taking time to pop by my blog!

Day two…..

of Shimelle’s prompts for a better, more informative blog!

This afternoon we had a rather nasty surprise or should I say Dexter did ~ poor fella!  Luckily Adrian happened to be looking out the kitchen window when he spotted a dog chasing Dexter around the back garden.  He went out to shoo the dog off and I managed to catch Dexter and brought him indoors to see if he was OK, which luckily he was.  After a little hug and some soothing words he settled down for a little  while on the settee beside me.  Adrian found out that the dog belonged to a workman working two doors down from us who wasn’t keeping an eye on him whilst he was working…grrrr.

I’ve decided not to go down the layout route for this project at the moment and just concentrate on the blogging aspect of Shim’s class.

Disappointed…..

I don’t know if it’s me being really thick or my stupid PC set up or tiredness or what but I’m just not getting on with the instructions for Google Reader and how to set it up.  I’m giving up for today and hopefully will have more time and patience tomorrow maybe.

Having just read the 1st prompt I downloaded yesterday.....I would like to add that my intentions for this blog over the coming weeks/months/years is to commit myself to blogging at least 3 times a week and to adding photos to each upload. 

Strictly Saturday….

You wouldn’t believe how difficult it is to order a few CD Calendar Cases on-line.  You can have 200 or 500 but if you just want 5 or 10 you’ve had it!  Anyhoo… got some ordered (20 minimum order)from a company called Jetcase, just hope Postman Pat can find it in his heart to deliver them before Christmas!!  Grrrr!

Was in town at the crack of sparrows this morning with Megz…..I hate Swindon town centre these days, they seem to be making a right mess of it everywhere you look.  I bought a new mascara, some jazzy tights and   some pretty papers!  Oh and also some sweets for the trick or treaters tonight……if we get any.  Didn’t have anyone come calling last year.

Can’t wait for Monday to roll around so we can start out Blogging for Scrapbookers class with Shimelle.  Thanks very much to everyone who has been leaving comments it’s much appreciated!

Finally Friday…..

Friday at last….woo hoo!

I went for a nice long walk with Milo to Avebury today (my spiritual home) and took some photos.  Felt a lot better for some fresh air and exercise. 

Finished another LO too – this is for this week’s challenge on UKS.   That’s it for today, just on my 2nd glass of vino….cheers!

Reasons to be cheerful….

I have been off work today and feeling very low and fed up (money worries) but having read a few blogs been for a long walk with the dog I now feel a bit brighter and have decided to make myself list 5 reasons to be cheerful today!

1. I still have my Mum and Dad
2. Everyone in my immediate family is healthy
3. I’ve just made my first birthday card in ages and am pleased with it
4. I have one or two really good friends who really care for me
5. I love scrapbooking

This is the card….it’s for my DD’s friend and she wanted me to us this photo of them.  It’s fairly simple but looks OK I think.
I took a couple of photos of our rabbit, Dexter, yesterday.  He was stretched out in the sun.  He’s only 3 months old yet so I think he’s gonna be a big boy when fully grown.


Forgot to say that the picture from yesterday is of our guinea pig, Roxy, who sadly has gone over Rainbow Bridge now.

Test post

This is to see if I’ve cracked inserting pictures yet….

The sun is shining…..

What a lovely day it’s turned out to be!  Started off quite murky and grey but the sun broke through and it was a lovely afternoon, very warm! 

 

 

 

Day started off with my dreaded sebaceous cyst leaking, so DH had a go at it and quite a lot of puss came out….yewww!  I can’t wait to be rid of the bloody thing!! 

 

Bought a copy of Scrapbook Inspirations today as I believe it is ceasing publication so I thought I’d get one last issue.  It’s not a mag I buy religiously (in fact I don’t buy any religiously) but it is a good mag and will be missed from the shelves I’m sure.

Have started to comment on Facebook again as I got out of the habit and it’s quite a good way of keeping up with friends and family (if I remember!).  

Tentative Tuesday….

Well here we are on the 2nd day of blogging and I have downloaded Windows Live Writer as recommended by fellow bloggers.  This is supposed to make life much easier in blogland and so I’m willing to give anything a go – so onwards and upwards.

Nothing much new to report today (as always)   because I live such a boring life, however I will try to post a couple of recent pictures to jazz this post up a bit!