Saturday shopping

The girls were snug this morning

 We popped to town and then a quick fly through Sainsbury's

A few yellow sticker items, these cost just £5.20 for both

iPad cover and wallet. Josh loves Star Wars

 Two of these for £15.00

Logan and Sam love Lego

 These £3.69 each

All of the above are now in our new this year, present box

SIL will love the shed, youngest son the other book.

Our kids grew up learning to read with ladybird books. 

 On the down side, why does ink cost so much

£28.50 for black and 3 colours for my new printer

I walked to a nice haberdashery for some ribbon, I was good just got the ribbon and came away, hubby was watching all the time, but I am sticking with my not spend just because theme.
A new spice shop has opened in town, we did have a look and prices are much cheaper, plus they have loads of new to us stuff. We purchased a couple of items, we will go back with a list rather than buying loads of stuff we might not use. On the plus now when hubby see's a new recipe with different ingredients, he has some where to shop.
We also popped back to the local reclaim yard we visited last March when we purchased a pair of lovely chimneys as seen here. I wanted a tall round chimney, but all he had this time was this square pot. I have a corner in my back garden where nothing grows. this is going to be perfect.

 I have worn this bracelet for over 15 years, I love it.

Last November a link broke and it cost £40 to repair. I was warned the links might start going because of the age, there are over 50 links. Another broke this week, and I  decided it was not worth the risk of having it repaired as soon the repair cost would be much higher than the value of the bracelet.  Hubby has repaired it with a round link, giving me a little more time, I won't be able to do this again as anywhere else would stand out. 

I have just had cheese on toast for lunch, it was yummy, with Worcester sauce, I love simple food, soon I will pop to my shed and put my plants in bigger pots.
Tomorrow we are having a family roast dinner, just six of us, it will be nice to all be together.

Mix it up

These are doing well

I wanted them settled in their new conditions before potting them up

Busy time this weekend

 New shoot on our Amaryllis

probably just leaves, but I live in hope
I have another Orchid in bud, so more flowers inside

 Another good book finished
I enjoyed it to the last word.
We had a TV free night, another from my list of 52 in 2016,
enjoyed reading and listening to music.

 The white rose is done

I am also trying to fill the stripes.
I am a bit further along with this project,
but there is lots of simple blocks of colour. 

I have delayed posting this week I was hoping for some happy news, 

but maybe next week. 

Work is busy, they are still telling us nothing, we got an email late this afternoon after we complained, just saying bear with us, we were promised a meeting today but they don't want to speak to us, our boss was on a day off.
Wednesday we had fun with Josh and Sam after school, they again were in a great mood, they both enjoy having tea with us. Sam and I made a huge floor puzzle a map of the world showing all the animals and where they lived, Sam was very good at understanding why certain animals lived where they do.
We have walked every evening this week, and I have lost another pound, it's pleasing, we are not on a diet, we have stopped snacking and cut back on portion sizes. I am also not eating before 8am and eat nothing after 5.30pm, I saw a programe on TV which suggested this was a better way to aid our digestion. With the extra walking I am hoping this spring to remove another stone, I have done it before and put it back on when I was ill, so I know I can do it, it's just getting my head in the right place.
We don't have much planned for the weekend, it's going to be a see what happens two days. Saturday is promised to be very wet, which is a shame it's been dry for a while.

Candlemas Day

Crocus in our front garden

My little hedge plants are doing well

I want to make a low box hedge curved around here. 

New life Peony buds. 

plus growing back from last year, poppies

Today 2nd Feb is Candlemas day, and the weather has been lovely, which if you believe the old wives tales, that means winter will come back and get us.  It's the mid point in winter, halfway between the shortest day and spring equinox. If for any reason you still have Christmas decorations up, today they must come down.
My mum always said March was the month to watch, but that's weeks away.
February is so promising, after the lull of January where everything shiny has been packed away, we ate so many leftovers, the gardens are bare, February is new beginnings, the promise of the year ahead, planning what to grow,  looking forward.

Green fingers

Our poor Magnolia tree

it simply does not know what season it is

it should recover it has in previous years

 We have a bit of colour in the garden

Daffodils are in bloom

 Hubby has requested more Fuchsia's in the garden

so these were £1.99 each, I will grow them on

plus a couple sneaky Geranium's

 Coleus is another favourite of his and mine

I should have 3 great plants by the summer 

 African violets are doing well

just need to see some buds soon
 I don't have anywhere to start too many seeds inside this year,
 but I am hoping to start chilies and cucumbers soon.

The weekend was very restful, we popped to a garden center, we did then go to Lee on the Solent, but it was breezy and cold so we did not go for a walk. A brisk walk to the village and post box, made up for the walk we missed.

So 1st of Feb, great news on my craft spend, last year £122.06 ( to be fair a Christmas present of Xyron cutting machine gave way to purchases of dies at reduced prices) this year £24.29 so I spent £97.99 less than last year, a great start.
I am on target for 52 things in 2016. I got the car washed yesterday for £5.00, just too cold for the bucket and sponge. We have been for our walk this evening, so I'm feeling good.
I have not done much stitching, I have started reading The Angel Tree by Lucinda Riley, I'm enjoying it, it was lovely to curl up in a chair most of yesterday and read, plus lovely hubby made scones, with cream and jam.