♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (44/52) ♥

Snapshots of the week

Ben (aka Son1) phoned home from Uni this week.  Just for a chat.  Nothing unusual about that you might think.  Well it was unusual.  It was a very welcomed surprise as I hadn't spoken to him since Friday 20th September. I've been trying to give him 'some space' so haven't phoned him and I really wondered how long it would be before I heard from him!  He's in his final year at Uni and says he has been snowed under with work - he thinks he's crammed more work in the last month than over the last year - it's probably (and hopefully) not the case but it can feel like that when you've got your head to the drawing board.

Guy (aka Son2) has had a busy week this week too.  He has been for an interview (and been called back for a second - fingers crossed) and he has... big drum roll please... passed his driving test.  Fantastique.  Both he and his driving instructor walked towards me looking glum and his instructor said "never mind he'll do it next time" but when I turned to Guy he couldn't keep a straight face and he said "of course I passed".  I am really chuffed for him.

I enjoyed the silence for 20 minutes.  I sat in the car and read my book while Guy was in his interview. The view from the car window was stunning too...

MissG was off school this week so we went down to Kendal to do some shopping while waiting for Guy to have a driving lesson and take his test.  We also had a lovely lunch in Farrer's olde-worlde Cafe.

MissG went to her first party with friends from her new school, another sign that she's settling in.

She spent ages crafting this pumpkin.  It looks nothing until lit up in the dark.

Our dog, Alfie, was up to mischief too this week.  Look what he did to my newly crocheted granny squares!

I have made loads and loads of granny squares this week.  A total of 64.  I'm deliberating how to join them as I can't decide whether to edge each one with a double crochet in dark grey or make a final round with the dark grey before joining them.  Decisions, decisions.

I have also started a little foxy broach from the Mollie Makes magazine.  I find it hard to sit and watch TV without something to do with my hands.

I started this while watching Strictly Come Dancing. I must admit I'm not enjoying the programme as much this season.  I love the dancing but think the presenters (yes both Bruce and Tess) should move on - I usually turn the sound down when they're waffling on as they make me cringe! Is it only me? 

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (43/52) ♥

My happy moments this week include:

We came home on Wednesday afternoon to find we have new neighbours.  We have some herdwick sheep in the field next to our house - they have cute little faces.

I bought some wool for a new crochet project.  I treated myself to some Rowan Pure Wool - it's the first time that I have spent so much on wool but I'm hoping to make something stunning!

I made a start with some granny squares.  I'm loving the colours.

This week I also made my first ever quiche.  Well I probably made one at school in the '70s but haven't made one since so I count this as a first.  Salmon and broccoli quiche - yum. The photo makes it look quite burnt but it wasn't really!

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (42/52) ♥

Oh boy what a week.  I feel shattered.  I have been feeling as if I have a cold coming on over this last week and I've had a sore throat, headaches, achy neck and shoulders.

Apart from going in to the office a couple of days I have tried to stay cosy in the house all week.  I have been keeping myself busy with some craft projects though.

It only took a couple of evenings to make myself this hot water bottle cover and I am so pleased with it that I may attempt to make a couple of colourful covers for Christmas presents.  I have threatened my family that they will all receive a crocheted item for Christmas!

I also had a go at making Christmas cards - they are so home-made looking that I may not actually send them!  The thing is I love cards and I'm sure to see some that I just have to send instead.

On Friday I had to go out to attend a course.  *Big Confession *  I had to attend a speed awareness course after being caught speeding.  Naughty me!  I have no excuses for doing 34 in a 30 zone but I would just like to say that I was on a straight open road approaching the village and hadn't reached the houses where I would of course have slowed right down.  I am such a cautious driver and have driven for 30 years without any offences so I was quite upset.  My son, who hasn't passed is test but is currently taking driving lessons said there are no excuses and said "it's 30 for a reason", which is true of course.  Slapped wrist for me.

It just so happens that the hotel where I attended the course was right next door to Hobby Craft so I met my sister and we enjoyed some retail therapy.  Today, she came round with her felt and we made the Needle-felt Robin from Kirstie Allsopps Craft book.  I am really, really pleased with my little Robin.

On my drive too and from work I pass a lady's house that has a little stall at the roadside with plants, cut flowers, jams and chutneys for sale.  Last week I pulled over for the first time to take a look.  It was the bright orange lanterns (Physalis) that caught my eye.  A bargain I think at £2.50 so I popped the coins into her honesty box and came home to play with them.  I say play because I spent quite some time deciding what to do with them.  I tried hanging them along the beam in my dining room, then I tried arranging them in 3 different shaped vases until I finally found one to keep them upright.  They have been in my kitchen/dining room for over a week and I have enjoyed the bright cheery colour.  Today I decided to have another play with them and arranged the lanterns around a hoop and made this wreath for my front door.  

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (40-41/52) ♥

I am almost up to date with my blogging backlog.  Here's a quick summary of weeks 40 and 41 of my 52 weeks of happiness...

I don't know if you remember but I attended an interview back at the beginning of July, before we had even moved house.  You may remember that it was my first interview in over 20 years.  Well surprise, surprise (as Cilla would say) after not hearing a word for 3 months I received a phone call to offer me the post.   I'm pleased and anxious in equal measure at the moment but I'm sure everything will be fine! Doesn't everyone feel apprehensive when starting something new?

MissG has coped really well with her first few weeks at her new school.  I'm really proud of her as I know it's been hard for her.  We had our first parents evening and her teachers said some very positive things about/to her.  She is taking A'levels in Media, Art, Sociology and English language.

Another first for us was having our chimney swept!  We had a gas fire at our old house and always wanted to replace it with a wood burning stove but we never got round to it - maybe it was the cost!  So we love the fact that we have one here in our new home.  We thought we'd be sensible though and have it swept before lighting it.  And look... isn't it lovely.

And another first.  This cushion.  Now look at it closely.  Isn't it lovely?  Well I know to you it's just a pink cushion but... well to me it's a major achievement.  It is my very first attempt to do two things - making piping and inserting a zip.  Woohoo I did it.  I am chuffed to bits with it - it looks so much more professional than my other hand made cushions.

I should also point out that this chair, this gorgeous chair, is my long awaited make-over chair.  This project has been on the go for months and months.  In fact I mentioned it here in May when I bought this chair and matching stool on ebay for just £53.  Since then my chair (and stool) has had a make-over by the fabric fairy - well, no not the fabric fairy but Trish at Trish Hart.  She has made a fantastic job and I am delighted with it.  It stands pride of place in the dining room and is mine, all mine - permission must be granted to sit on it!

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (36-39/52) ♥

A quick summary of September

Birthdays come around very quickly once you're in your forties!

I was totally spoilt and received some lovely presents - but unfortunately didn't photograph them all!

New starts - New 6th form for MissG

I know Santa's in September!  I dropped MissG at school on the first day and popped in to the shop for some groceries and these were adorning the shelf - unbelievable.

New College for Son2

He has just started a Horticulture course so needed steel toe capped boots!

Back to Uni for Son1

He happened to turn 21 this month too.

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (32-35/52) ♥

A quick summary of August...

MrG and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary

A'level and GCSE results day

 An abundance of apples from our apple tree

An array of apple pies, puddings, tarts, cakes

And new carpets and curtains

The weather was fantastic - just how a summer should be.

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (28-31/52) ♥

Well, well, well.  Where did I disappear to?

I really didn't expect to be away for sooooo long.  I knew the house move and the 'settling in' would take some time and I knew I wouldn't  have much spare time to sit down at the computer and keep my blog up to date but the weeks have just flown by and I have fallen so behind with my ♥ 52 Weeks of Happy ♥

I have wasted some time too by dithering and deliberating - do I just jump back in to blogging or do I try to do a quick catch-up?

Well, I have now decided that I would like to so a quick summary for my own record as much as anything.  So much has happened over the summer and I've taken so many photo's that it would be a shame if I don't give them a quick mention.

So here goes... July's happy moments include...

MissG's 16th Birthday

MrG's 49th Birthday

A house move (lots more photos to follow in a separate post)

A job interview - the first in over 20 years!

I have had quite a few jobs but I've just never had to go through interviews.  My last formal interview was in 1986 (now that is showing my age) and was with the Regional Council Education Department where I went on to work in the Further Education Bursary Department and then the Special Education Department.  When MrG and I moved house I left my post and returned to work for my Dad in the family business until I left to have my 3 babies.  I was very lucky to be able to stay home to look after them and I enjoyed that time so much. My first job after that was covering maternity leave for the receptionist at the design studio where MrG worked so I didn't have to have an interview.  My next job was doing a part-time admin role for my friends husband so again no interview required - we just met in a cafe for a chat!  When MrG then went on to set up his own design business I joined him to do the admin and I'm still there doing a couple of days a week. I just felt it was time to do something new - so new house - new job?  Well we'll have to wait to see...

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (27/52) ♥

Well I'm still here, trying to post my weekly '4 happy moments'.  Some weeks it's actually quite tricky so I'm pleased with myself for reaching week 27.

We will be moving in 10 days time so it may go quiet here for a while as it will probably take BT an age to get us connected at our new house.  I will  try to blog from my computer at work - but I may be too busy working!

I am getting quite stressed with the whole 'house move' thing as there's so much to organise.  I've just paid the solicitors, estate agent and insurance company so that's left a large hole in our savings.  Today, I'm applying for student finance for Son1 and travel passes for Son2 and MissG.  There's been a lot of form filling and paperwork to do over the last few weeks as well as packing boxes.

1.  As a welcome rest MissG and I took Alfie out for a lovely walk along the canal and back through a quaint village.  Doesn't this cottage look pretty?

2.  My collection of granny squares is growing daily.  I think I've done about 37 so far.  It sounds a lot but when I lay them out it is only about quarter of the amount I need to make a small blanket!  They're so easy to pick up and put down and they don't take much concentration.  I'm able to do about 2-3 per day when I snatch a spare moment and while watching TV in the evening.

3.  While I was packing the contents of my wardrobe I came across my collection of necklaces.  I thought I'd share this little idea with you.  Do you have lots of necklaces?  Do they all get tangled up? Well try one of these - a simple coat hanger.  I can't remember if I saw this idea somewhere or whether it is one of my own ideas but hey it's a good one!

4.  Last night I went to the train station to collect MrG and MissG.  They had been down to London for MissG's birthday treat.  They went to the Summer Stampede to see Mumford and Sons, Vampire Weekend and Ben Howard.  It was a scorcher of a weekend and they both came back a bit sunburned.

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (26/52) ♥

A tour, a walk, a climb and a trip.  My four happy moments this week...

1.  A tour round Newton Rigg College.  I will write a separate post as we took loads of photos of the stunning gardens.



2.  A walk along stone jetty at Morecambe.  MissG took some photos so I'll add those in a separate post too.



3.  A climb in to the attic.  The actual process of emptying the attic wasn't a happy moment but it does mean we're a step closer to moving so that makes me happy.  The whole house is littered with boxes and it looks like the home of a hoarder.  I can't wait to have everything in its place in the new house.



4.  A trip down memory lane.    While up in the attic I found a box full of old exercise books from primary school.  This one is dated 2003 - when MissG was 5.  She's now 15 (going on 25!) and will be celebrating her 16th birthday later this week.  Happy memories of my little family.

♥ 52 Weeks of Happy (25/52) ♥

My happy moments of the week include - 

1.  A lovely lunch with my sister followed by a trip (only a 5 minute car trip from my sisters house) to Talkin Tarn Country Park.  The tarn is set within acres of farmland and woodland and is a great place to enjoy a leisurely stroll.  

There were lots of school children walking round the tarn, limping and looking totally exhausted.  They were halfway through a 50 mile sponsored walk - 36 laps of the 1.3 mile track around the tarn!  Ouch, I did feel for them.  One lap was enough for us.

2.  My sister then mentioned that just up the road in Brampton, there was a shop with a half price sale.   She mentioned Cath Kidston so we just had to go and check it out!  These two pretty mugs came home with me.

3.  MissG went to her school prom.  All dressed up and looking glam!  A proud moment.

4.  MrG went to Holland on a business trip - it was on the same day as the prom so I couldn't go with him this time.  He came back with the most enormous cheese bomb.  This photo doesn't quite capture the size!  He has a bit of a 'thing' for cheese so he was very pleased with himself.

He brought me back some chocolates - because he knows I have 'thing' for chocolate.  It was very nice of him but I wish I had a 'thing' for something a bit healthier as it's not helping me waistline!

4.  And finally... on the home front.  We have finally signed contracts and have a date for moving house. Yippee