My Lovely Dad............

Would have been 78 today if he had still been with us. Sadly he spent his last birthday (his 70th) in hospital. Anyhoo, we think about you and miss you every single day Dad.

Me and Mum have spent today smiling about the holidays and laughs we had, sitting outside in the sunny garden which I know you would have appreciated.Even though he never had the chance to meet you, whenever we pass the crematorium, Twiglet waves to Grandad Trevor in the flower country :)

Lots of love

Sarah xxxxxxxx

Oooo isn't the sunshine smashing, an appeal and thanks.

We've spent loads of evenings out in the garden this week (Twiglet was outside having a chitchat with his pal who lives next door this evening, like a couple of old fellas chatting over the fence:)

Hasn't the weather been lovely? I'm making the most of it as I'm back to work next weekend, working 3 weekends on the trot, so please prepare yourself for my grumbles :)

We had a lovely Easter break, here are some of the photos as promised. Mr Twigs has some more on his laptop, so they'll have to keep for now.Firstly, a trip to Filey.
There were loads of children in the sea in their cossies - blimey !!

Lots of time in the garden. (Do you like the cowslip at the top of the page?)

Can you see the big fluffy bee?

Mr Twigs lovely rhubarb.

I love our water feature.

We also went to a very jolly birthday party at the Kirklees Light Railway with 10 little boys, noisy but fun :) the noise in the train carriage was deafening.

Here's the appeal bit.

Tracy over at Cupcakes@Home is doing a very lovely thing to help some very sad, neglected sheep. Please read about them and help in any way you can whether it's donating a raffle prize, buying raffle tickets or giving through Everyclick which won't cost you a bean. Here's a link Cupcakes@Home

So that's me for now, two posts in one day, don't get used to it and do let me know your favourite British things on the post from this morning.

Last but definitely not least. Thank you for all your VERY lovely comments on my post about feeling blue. Blogland is indeed a lovely place - but I already knew that.

Have a fabulous weekend.
Twiggy x

Happy St George's Day !!!

Let's celebrate being British today.

Here are my 10 top things.

1. Seaside resorts.

2. Victorian theatres.

3. Beautiful parks with wonderful municipal gardens.

4. Sunday roast dinners.

5. Brass bands.

6. Real ale.

7. Allotments.

8. Beautiful rolling countryside.

9. The National Trust.

10. A cracking sense of humour.

That's my list, what's on yours ????

Twiggy x

The Power of Positive Thinking and Award No.2

Considering what's happened recently we've had a terrific fun packed Easter break. I'll post about it later in the week as all the photos are on Mr Twigs camera.

Well my boys are back at school and work, so I have things to do, I'm doing a bit and resting a bit as I tend to go at things like a bull in a china shop, not very good for the old back.

Now then, this is quite a serious post for me, I LOVE blogland but sometimes think hmmm how much to share. Life isn't really all, look what I bought in a charity shop, check out these pansies and look at my new Cath Kidston tea towel. So the question is should we be truthful? I like to think I'm pretty honest, keep my private stuff private but keep things lighthearted. I always think that folks read blogs for entertainment so if you're having a bad day - and who doesn't? you probably want something jolly to read.

I am usually a glass is half full type of person which I must admit is because I feel very content with my lot and dropped on very lucky when I met Mr Twigs, he is Winnie the Pooh to my worrying, anxious Piglet, I have never met anyone so laid back and grounded and thankfully Twiglet appears to be picking up his Dads excellent personality traits as well as a positive outlook on life.

I have suffered from depression over the years and had a couple of courses of counselling in my early thirties. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy really worked for me, I really think that mental health is just as important as physical health and so I'm currently giving myself an MOT using the skills I learnt from a very lovely lady. Next step is a physical MOT I m determined to sort my darn back out. I think all these thoughts have come to the surface as the accident we had shook me up more than I care to admit. It is so important that we take care of our minds and bodies.

Right, if you've got this far well done, just indulge me as you'll probably not get another baring my soul post again. Ok, so here's the power of positive thinking bit. I went out on Saturday to the next little village, Twiglet went for a v.cute haircut. Anyhoo I thought oh stop moping Twiggy, went to the librry signed up to join a book club. Saw an advert for a part time job in the Post Office, which I've just phoned about. Finally and most amazingly, I've been trying to summon up the courage to ask if they'd consider selling my earrings. I just blurted it out, and the lady concerned said, keep asking me as I'm seriously thinking about having a craft section !!! Not a bad hours work, I thought.

Lovely Taz very kindly gave me a lovely award recently, here are the rules :
I have to:

1. List the top ten things that make me happy. (Oooo how did that photo get in again :)

2. List 5 trivia things about me.

3.Share with 5 people and ask them to do the same.

4. Link the blogs you choose and link the blog of the person who gave it to you.
Here we go.....................
1. Obviously - my hubby and my beautiful boy and my Mum!!

2. Having a good laugh........
3. Reading.4. Gardening and walking.5. Music. All kinds, especially the loud stuff. I do like a bit of Frank Sinatra and Judy though, pretty ecletic tastes.6. The sea, I LOVE it, I swim in the sea at every opportunity, living nearest to the North Sea I swim in my wetsuit :)

7.Sewing, mainly embroidery and cross stitch.8. Watching animals have fun, living where we do, there are plenty to see, cows running from one side of the field to the other, horses rolling round on their backs, dogs chasing their tails,Annie the goldfish flicking about and loop the looping.

9. Blogging and the lovely blog friends I have made - wish we lived closer to each other !!

10. Cake and Beer. I LOVE a nice pint of Timothy Taylors Landlord - nectar !!

5 bits of trivia - I'm running out of these

1. I wanted to be a journalist when I was at high school and worked at our local newspaper in the school hols. We were given free press tickets to see Bruce Springsteen at Roundhay Park. Was a brilliant experience.

2. The first band I ever saw was The Alarm at Sheffield City Hall when I was 14 - fabtastic !

3. I've never used hair straighteners - Im scraping the bottom of the barrel here.

4. I have very small hands.

5. I've never eaten a McDonalds

Now, I'd have passed this onto Taz as she is definitely a glass half full type of girl. I know I always seem to pass these onto the same folks but you are my regulars that I ALWAYS read so there we go.

Pam @ White o Morn
Vicky @ Anglesey Allsorts
Ilona @ Life After Money
Louise @ Home is Where the Heart Is - I know I'm keeping you on your toes.
Solsticedreamer.

Phew, I'm done. Well done if you got to the end. Better go and do some ironing.
Ta ta for now
Twiggy x

Hello Campers !!!

Spring is definitely here as a couple of tents and caravans have appeared at the farm campsite across the valley.
Well I'm still resting up, praise the Lord for my fantastic Mum, she came over for 3 days this week to entertain Twiglet and has now gone home for a well earned rest. I would be lost without her. We've had a lovely time, restful with lots of chit chat and giggles. My back isn't great but is on the mend, so thanks for all your good wishes.

I've been lucky enough to receive a couple of awards recently so thought I'd pass them on, before I forget - doh !!

The first one is a Beautiful blogger award from Diane over at Tales from Baggins Bottom many thanks Diane. I have to pass this on to 10 fellow beautiful bloggers - hey you're all gorgeous.
Here we go:-

Lovely Taz @ Ratbag
Vicky @ Anglesey Allsorts
Juicy Fig
Louise @ Home is Where the Heart Is
Sal @ Sals Snippets
Solsticedreamer
Josie @ Sykessillysite
Pam @ White o Morn
Daisie Days
Indigo Blue

Blimey, will have to do the other one next time, I'm spent. Have you noticed though that after hundreds of posts I've finally figured out how to do links. Yay me !! Go take a look at these fabulous blogs and have a nice weekend.
Twiggy x

AWOL

Thanks for the lovely get well vibes folks. I'm going AWOL for a bit as my cocking back has gone now, so I won't be starting work for another month and I've got to rest. So ta ta for now.
twiggy x

That was bang out of order !!!!

I couldn't agree more, we were on our way for a jolly day at the seaside this morning and were parked up at some traffic lights. A car piled into the car behind us doing around 50 miles per hour in a 30 limit, resulting in car behind shunting us forward.

Thankfully Twiglet and Mr Twigs are fine. (so was everyone else involved). I, on the other hand just happened to be leaning forward on impact so after spending 3 hours at A and E at York General have been diagnosed as having a painful case of whiplash :(

The car has had its fog lights knocked out and a few dints - thank God it's built like a tank.

I must confess I got out of the car and told the prat concerned my 4 year old son is in the back of that car you (erm lets say) freaking idiot - I didn't really say freaking. Twiggy is like a crazed loon when anyone threatens her boy.

Thank goodness nothing worse happened. Twiglet was an absolute trooper and I packed him off to the train museum in York with Daddy while I waited at the hospital so he had a lovely afternoon in the end and we stopped for tea on the way home.

I never ceased to be amazed at my boys resilience. Just after the accident, he piped up.

THAT WAS BANG OUT OF ORDER. MUMMY AND DADDY I AM VERY CROSS !!
He had a little cry about the cars fog lights and that was it!

My neck and back blimmin hurt though, so please send healing vibes.

Twiggy x

Busy times, fun times, and freebie magazines.........

Here are some of Twiglets lovely Easter makes from school :)Well we arrived home yesterday after much fun at Grandma Twiggys. We had a great time on Saturday with Mr Twigs family on the Easter Eggspress (see top photo) and then out for dinner it was lovely for Twiglet to see his little cuz and they are so sweet together.

We spent Sunday and Monday at my Mums while good old Mr Twigs put down a fabby new wooden floor in the lounge. Poor thing is proper knacked and he still has the dining room to do, it looks a treat though in the lounge. I'm trying not to look in the dining room where all the stuff out of the lounge is piled up - yikes!!! I won't tell him about our Easter Egg hunt on Sunday (check out the sinister bunny masks :) or the fact we stuffed our faces with choccy and had homemade scones, jam and cream for tea :) I LOVE staying at my Mums !!!

We've been busy bees today Mr Twigs assisted by Twiglet :) laying the boards while I have a decluttering bee in my bonnet at the moment!

So did you have a jolly weekend? I hope so. I watched Gene Hunt on Friday, jolly dee !! I even watched Dr Who without crying, Mr Twigs reckoned Matt Smith and his new assistant were very good and the writing was excellent - I suspect he has the hots for the new assistant :) she is my double obviously - tee hee. I grudgingly said well it was OK but he's not very pretty and stuck my DT on a stick in front of the telly............

Now then, back to the decluttering bit, I have two carrier bags full of Period Living, House and Home cottagey type magazines that I need to pass on. So if any of you lovelies live nearby and can collect them this week drop me a line. I also have a carrier bag full of cross stitch mags, some with freebies still attached, however, some are a bit ahem, dated. Do let me know if you fancy them though.

I've also got to mention the blog candy at Tiptoppers - but don't want to cos I want it, but I'm VERY kind.

Is it me, or does it feel very Springlike now? I've just replaced my primulas on the kitchen window ledge with teeny little tomato and chilli plants. I love watching the little seedlings grow.

Righto, must go to bed.
Bye for now
Twiggy x

Happy Easter Folks

As I said in my previous post we'll be busy bees tomorrow and then away at my Mums for 2 days (well me and Twiglet will, while Mr Twigs is laying the floor) so have a very Happy Easter, however you choose to spend it.

Mr Twigs has cooked a lovely roast chicken dinner for us (yes I know it should be fish, but we're having Easter Sunday a bit early:) it smells delish.

I'm gearing up for a fix of Gene Hunt this evening :) look something has got to distract me from a David Tennant less Dr Who tomorrow.
Catch you later.
Twiggy x

Not a dry eye in the house........

How's the weather with you it's perishing up here and rather wet, but we managed to trot down to school and back in between showers this morning.

Well, it was Twiglets Easter Service complete with Easter bonnet parade yesterday. It was gorgeous. They started with all the children wearing their fantastic hats and doing a little turn around the church. Then the littlies in Twiglets class shared their work - walking up and down the aisle showing us all their collages of Easter eggs :) the bigger children read a few poems with actions and then they had a jolly sing song. I ahem had something in my eye quite a lot. Even Mr Twigs cleared his throat manfully a couple of times :) Twas very funny when Twiglet spotted Grandma Twigs and inbetween the actions to the songs he was waving and giving us a thumbs up !!!!
Back to the school afterwards for a bunfight and Easter raffle and what a tiptop time we had. As ever our camera played up in the church, it must be the cold so, we only have one semi decent pic of our boy. Here he is in his fab Easter bonnet - well top hat actually inspired by the Fat controller.

So what are you up to this Easter weekend? We are going on an Easter Eggspress train on Saturday and then out for dinner with Mr Twigs family on Saturday. On Sunday Twiglet and I are having a sleepover at Grandma Twiggys leaving Mr Twigs at home to lay new flooring in the lounge and dining room - lucky man.

As we've been so busy I haven't done any Easter crafting or decorating - might pop a little Easter display in Twiglets bedroom, he's insisting we don't go to Grandmas until Sunday as the Easter bunny might not know where we've gone :)

We did get time to make these pacman biscuits though!!
Like most children Twiglet is breaking up for Easter today, I'm really looking forward to having him at home. Mr Twigs has next week off so we're hoping we might squeeze in a few days out inbetween the flooring project. The thought of mooching round in our pjs is lovely. Twiglet has yet another party during the hols too - social butterfly- and we hope to catch up with our friends, so should be quite lovely.

He wanted me to show you the rock pool he's created for his lobster called Lobsti, he looks quite at home doesn't he?

I am bracing myself for Dr Who, here's a pic of DT for you to attach to a lolly stick and hold over your TV every time Matt Smith appears, just in case you need it. See, I really do think of you, dear readers all the time.

Righto, must go and clear the decks before the house gets trashed. I will be back later with more photos.

Twiggy x