New Years Eve

This morning I am getting the house ready for a party with friends.

2010 was not the great year I had hoped for personally with my health, but with all treatments now over I am looking forward to a smoother ride in 2011. I still have had good holidays, done some great stitching and made plans for more. Loads of BBQ's with friends and family.

2010 was also a great year, Samuel was born a brother to Joshua, both a great joy to their Nanna and Grancha. Su married her partner Gav, with a beautiful summer wedding. Both my daughter's are happily married, Fliss has her boys, Su loves her job.

As I am looking forward to having friends around for a fun evening and to show our thanks for their support, I also hope everyone in blog land has an enjoyable evening with someone they love.

Happy New Year to you all,
I hope you have a great year
I look forward to hearing your news.

OK I'm ready

With just a couple of days left, I am now officially ready for the big day.
Shopping done, presents wrapped, and house shining and clean.

My last task was to decorate my home made Christmas cake.

I normally only make one cake per year, and this is it
It's a rich fruit cake
Kev loves them, most of it will be gone within two weeks.

But also Christmas has to have one of these,
never home made, always brought from Marks & Sparks
It is the most wicked taste
and this will not last the day.

I hope where ever your Christmas moment is happening, you have health, fun and happiness with those around you. Here we will have family, fun and loads of laughter. I am keeping my fingers crossed every one traveling to their families will make it safe.

As for 2011, for me it's going to be a strong new year, putting most of my health problems behind me, watching our ever increasing family thrive, and enjoying time with hubby.

Merry Christmas to you all
and thank you for popping in!!

Party time

Today is a very good day
I have had my last major hospital treatment

No more early morning visit's to our local hospital
just time to recover and gain my strength
as I said in October more people are living after cancer
I have the most wonderful family, friends who support me.

On another note, the snow has returned in the north
It should hit the south by the weekend
I saw this joke below and thought it most appropriate

We are in full swing towards Christmas, it's going to be a fun time this year, and I am not bothered if the tree is wonky, if any part of the dinner is not perfect, I don't even care if there are no presents under the tree for me ( but there are 3 there already)

I am fed up with the magazines showing the most perfect setting for Christmas, why does every thing now have to be so spot on, when did it change? all the TV chef's showing how to recreate their perfect food, all that matters in this house is all the family are happy and having fun.

The postman has been

Today I had a parcel from Denise
I knew it was coming
its almost as good as Christmas morning

I love your christmas card, so jolly and seasonal, it hangs with the others, I have not yet had many cards, which is a shame, I love Christmas cards, I know we use alot of card, but if we recycle them then it has to be worth it, and it helps keeps the postal workers in their jobs!! So lets keep up the tradition.

I love this tree on the front page, and the christmas ball on page 49, and the splendor of floral's, November mums is my birth flower. Denise loves the blue Santa, but I love Santa in red, I also love the bird on page18. I have subscribed to this magazine for next year, we can't purchase it here in our shops, so it will be sent direct to me.

There are also loads in this magazine I love, your American patterns are very different from our English ones, so such a simple gift to me is a pure delight, thank you Denise, and I do so hope you enjoy the one's I have sent to you.

I still have not done much stitching, my hands will not allow me to do much, but I finish my radiotherapy on Thursday, and then is just getting myself back together again.

With Christmas so close, I have wrapped all the presents and finished all the main shopping. I have two presents to finish this week, I have also to royal ice my christmas cake and then that's it. I sure there are things I could do, but this year it's about family and not perfection.

Here it comes

Welcome to our Christmas house

First we have Santa, who sings as he rides his bike,
this being Josh's favorite thing.

I love a pagan style, loads of holly, ivy and berry's, also candles

and finally I have found a project to stitch, I will check my silks this weekend, and then shop for the ones I don't have. I will make it into a cushion for my new grandson Sam.


All is well here, managed to do some Christmas shopping yesterday, will try and wrap every thing this weekend. I have seen hubby's present and will get that later, so I am feeling happier.

1,2, Tree

We had a busy weekend, Kev spent Sunday in the garden picking up the fallen leaves from our tree and I decorated our Christmas tree. We do have lights for the tree in the garden but Kev will put them up next weekend. I am left on my own to dress the tree and house.

We also went with Josh to see Father Christmas, who was the jolliest person we have ever met, Josh was shy but remembered to tell him he wanted a camera, a real one. Sam slept all the way through.

This is the first year for us to have this tree, it's bigger than our other tree, but I have so many baubles to go on it, the angel on the top is years old. I do not have tinsel I use strings of beads. Our house is full of festive candles, which I love.

Below is the ornaments form this years swap, they look good on my tree.

I did start to wrap some presents, but Fliss, Josh and Sam popped in, so I shall have to finish them this week. All our cards are in the post, so we are progressing well. I have a few presents to get, and have planed a day shopping with Fliss on Thursday. The main bulk of the food shopping is done, our cupboards are full.

I have two presents to finish, and I want to print Kev's card today, so all in all I feel good, I have not made every thing I was going to, and still I have not done any cross stitch!

All our snow has gone, it rained most of Saturday and it all went then, it's a nice way of getting rid of the snow, all clean and no slush. It is still very cold here -3 in the car a short while ago.

Late to the party

Last night the snow arrived, our garden looks just great, all our bird feeders are full with loads of different treats, we are snug and warm inside.

Most of the country is snow bound, we are lucky, here along the south coast and normally miss most of the snow.
Our street looks magical, shame it's three weeks early, would have been perfect for Christmas, the weather forecaste is for it to get warmer over the weekend, so I expect most of it to be gone.

Family are all well, Sammy is growing each time I see him.

I have just had my 6th session of radiotherapthy and I am feeling OK, just another 8 to go. Still not done much craft, but I am looking for something to stitch, and I must start wrapping my christmas pressies.

Getting ready

Well it's late November and our thoughts turn to Christmas.
I wanted to show you my stitching, it's a few years old
But I love to have it on my wall each yuletide.

It is stitched on 18 count Aider
using DMC silks (floss)

I love the colours

and the sentiments

I can't wait for this weekend, when the tree will go up and the place will look festive, I will do a post with photo's once every thing is in place, having down sized our house I have loads of things, so not every thing will go out.

I have not done much craft, I am feeling tired alot, and I'm having a bit of a block, I have a few things to finish for presents, so I will have to get going soon.

Sam is growing fast, he's 5 weeks old today, Josh his big brother is a darling and is getting excited with his christmas list for santa, we are all going to see santa this weekend with Josh, Fliss is healing well, and soon will be able to drive again. Su is doing well in her interviews for a new role within her company, so all is well here in Hampshire.

SNOW, not here in the south east of England yet, but we should see some by the end of the week, but boy it is cold here, fingers crossed it won't be as bad as in Scotland and the north east.
We normally do not see this type of weather until well into the new year, and often we miss having snow at all.

Sparkly beads

We have had a great weekend, Fliss, Steve and the boys popped in on Saturday afternoon, Josh was very entertaining, Sam slept the whole of the visit, so no cuddles. Fliss is looking well and losing weight.
Su and Gav came in the evening for tea and to watch X Factor, we all love this programme.
Sunday Kev and I spent the day together at home, relaxing.

I managed to do some craft, I have more christmas puddings, and gained another fan, Gav's sister has placed a request for some, I think it's best not to pack my knitting needles away yet, I think the beads I am using at the moment make them look so good, I will have to get some more.

I also tried a beading pattern from a mag, it's so easy, which it has to be I am a novice with beads. The beads used are Swarovski, I can't remember the size, these were left over from Su's wedding dress I have made 3 so far, but need to make a couple more. I want to add a halo, and a hanging ribbon. The design does not add features to the face, which is good, I'm not good at faces. The pearl bead is from a bracelet I no longer wear.

I have nothing planned for this week, today I want to do housework and ironing, boring I know, but it's great once it is done, the rest of the time is craft time, I have loads to finish to wrap for christmas. I also want to spend time with Fliss in the day, I am feeling well enough to drive again.

I am also planning to start my cross stitch family sampler, I have not planned all the designs, I do like to add as I go along, I have the basic design worked out, with a patchwork block in each corner. I have also decided on the centre alphabet design.
On 24th of November I start 3 weeks of radiotherapy, which is much better than chemo, but still tiring, hence starting my sampler. So all my treatments will be over by christmas, much earlier than I thought.

A tourist in London

I am feeling alot better again today, just so very tired, I do not have any energy, which is so unlike me. I have no creative urges, I have not done any craft for a couple of days.
Our weather is so up and down, either heavy rain or sunshine with more rainy days, which does not help me.

After my quiet birthday with my family, it got me thinking about the trip Kev took me on last year, I was unable to show you then we had no internet access at the time, so here one year late is the fantastic birthday trip we had together.

We took the train to London, a nice treat no driving and we were able to watch our beautiful green and lush countryside roll by, it was a sunny crisp day.

We boarded a river cruiser for a trip and our lunch.

We sat inside but had the following views of London,
our lunch with champagne was fantastic.

The views

Tower bridge

Houses of Parliament

London Eye

The pods are a good size, I am a bit scared of heights, but I did feel comfortable in here,
This is near the start.

Looking towards the city

Just past the top looking down on the pod before us

We did not do any shopping on the day, it was fun to be a tourist in the city,if you can well worth doing both things, our train journey home was good, it was dark for most of the trip, which is fun as you go past houses and shops with lights on showing a glimpse of their lives. Kev had no reason for the trip last year, it was not a major birthday just something he wanted to do. We spent the other evening looking at the photo's remembering a good day.

We are planning a family weekend, with both our daughters popping in, Kev will be on the golf course on Sunday morning, I plan to cook a Sunday roast, not done that in ages, if it is nice we will go out in the afternoon, a drive and a short walk. I hope you all have a good weekend.

Woosh bang

That best describes our weekend, it was bonfire night on the 5th, all evening there were fireworks going off, all around the house. Saturday we went to Josh's firework party, it rained heavy and most of them would not light.
On Sunday it was my birthday, we had a very quiet day, but Josh, Sam, mummy and daddy came for tea and cake, Kev brought some fireworks and we had another party in the garden, Josh was so pleased, it's the first time I have had a firework party on my birthday. Both Saturday and Sunday there were fireworks going off all night.


I have only managed to do a few stitches, I have been very tired this week and picked up an upset tummy,but I feel so much better today.

Last night we had a weather warning for rain fall, it rained heavy all night and it's still raining here, we are lucky we do not flood, but there is alot of standing water everywhere. we have also had thunder which Grace our cat hates, but she is settled here beside me as you can see.



It's November but yesterday I picked three roses from our garden, I thought the rain would finish them off, so I have picked them and they are in the jug on my kitchen window sill.


I plan to stay in today, I have a plumber coming to service our boiler, I'm not sure what I might do, it's so dull ever where, I need lights on in rooms I'm in, and I'm not in a creative mood, might just spend the morning reading all your blogs, I follow so many now!

I need to cross stitch

No cross stitching
makes Marlene a grumpy lady

I have been slowly doing things this week, I have done some work on my dolls house, moved the shelves in my office, they were far to high, and yesterday I tidied the decking in the back garden, all good task to get finished. I also had the plumber in and now have all my radiators working, we are having our boiler serviced next Tuesday and the cavity wall insulation topped up later this month, so the house should be much warmer for us.

I have not finished Samuel's cardi, I hate sewing up and knitting the button bands, but that is my task this morning.

Then this afternoon coffee pot on, nice shortbread and cross stitch, all afternoon, just the thought of it puts a smile on my face!!

Mid week catch up

Knitting for Samuel has taken over cross stitch at this time, all I have to do with this first cardi is sew on the arm and do the button bands, my least favorite jobs! The ball of wall not used is for a second cardi, Fliss loves home knitted items and has not blue ones yet. Mum and Sam are doing well as is Josh, who is a very good big brother and Steve is looking after all of them, he is such a good dad and husband, a perfect little family, Nana is proud of them all.


Well it's November and will someone please tell my garden, in the photo below, my mini rose has two buds on it, the daisy is still flowering, but the maple has lost most of it's leaves.

The frost got to the flowers in my small front garden so I have planted some primroses and bulbs for the spring. My other front garden is doing well the fuchsia and other shrub I replanted has survived.
My back garden is still in full flower, the dahlia has been taken by the frost, I am waiting for this area to stop flowering so I can get to the ground and plant my spring bulbs and then cover the whole area with bark, I am hoping this will happen before the ground gets to hard.
Today is my last chemo, and I am feeling good, I have to take double tables for three days which stops me sleeping, but last night for the first time in my life I took sleeping tablets and I am feeling really good, I will only have them for three nights.
I am hoping my hospital visit will go well, I have loads to read in the waiting room, no appointment is ever on time, Kev gets upset for me if the wait is too long. I have further treatments in the new year but nothing as bad as the chemo.
I feel I have been lucky, whilst having side effects, being a stay at home lady it has helped me get over every thing, and Kev is a wonderful husband and is my daughters who have been there for me.

Thursday's update

I have been busy doing loads of different crafts,
but I have got out my WIP, Kittens and done some more,
I have a itch to finish this one !

I have knitted some more Christmas puddings for the tree.

I made two hearts, using an old skirt which I can no longer wear,
one for me, one for Fliss
everything here is scraps from my work box

I finished my squirrel heart,
the colours are my design,
I loved the random browns

I have also packed puddings to send to Denise for her tree,

I have stitched another ABC, heart in red again on a larger canvas, I will back it with the red linen, and show you next time. I started knitting a cardi for Samuel with wool we brought before he was born, but as it's a mixed fleck colour, including pinks, so I'm not that happy with it. I am going to the wool shop and buy blue wool for him.

Fliss and baby came home yesterday, which was great, Steve has two weeks off to ensure they are all well looked after. Josh is very happy they are home, and is being a very good boy.

I am very tired at this time, I was hoping I would be feeling a lot better, my brother Martin is coming to visit this weekend, which will be fun, I have brought some primroses to put in the front garden, now the saliva and marigolds have been killed by the frost.

I will pop in to see Fliss and the boys (that sounds good), tomorrow, so today I will knit.