Staying out for the Summer and Serendipity......

Playing games in the rain and sun and wind and well.............. you get the picture.

Firstly, thank you so much for the lovely comments on my last post. The support from my family and friends have made me feel my glass is becoming half full again. Sometimes things jump out at you and turn your world upside down and now I'm in the process of coming to terms with what's happened and moving on.

So did you enjoy the hols? We had a super time but only seemed to manage about half the things we'd got planned. Mr Twigs has all the photos on his computer, so when I can get hold of them I will give you a whistle stop tour.

Here's the serendipity bit. Mr Twigs was going out to our old high school today - about 20 miles from where we live - so as me and Twiglet fancied a trip out I said, we'll come, drop us off in the nearest town and we'll have a mooch and meet you when you've finished your call out.

So we had a look round the little market town that was my old stomping ground when I was growing up, a mile from the village I grew up in. We bought some fruit and lunch, then Mr Twigs met us. We were just heading back to the car and I felt a tap on my shoulder, there in front of my was my best mate from school, who I haven't seen for 8 years, since my Dads funeral in fact !!!! We both burst into tears, laughed and hugged and hugged, passers by probably thought we were barmy. How amazing, she lives miles away and was back to visit her parents and had decided on a whim to look round our old haunts - Twilight Zone music time.

S and I were like sisters, I first met her when we were 5 and her family had moved from Skegness, our teacher said, this is S, will you look after her and be her friend. We were friends throughout school, junior, middle, high school, first boyfriends, marriage and then apart from birthday cards and Christmas cards we lost touch. It was so, so, lovely to see her and I've given her my email address and we've promised to keep in touch. How fabulous that we both acted on spur of the moment whims, we have so much catching up to do and I can't wait.

Right, off to sew labels into Twiglets new uniform now, back to school tomorrow !!

Twiggy xxx

PS I've read the comments you left on Twiglets post and he enjoyed them !!!

Post number 2 by Twiglet

I like my big pumpkins and my parsnips and potatoes. My peas and beans are lovely too (Mummy didn't take any photos of those though!)

Here is a big marrow.And one of daddys really big onions.

Daddy is making a lovely fence made out of doors.We have put up a greenhouse.We have picked some tomatoes.
We have had a fun week, I will tell you about it later.
Twiglet

Signing off

Righto, I'm signing off for a bit. I've had some very horrible medical problems this week and want to go and lick my wounds with my boys and try and get over it all. So bye and I'll be back probably much later.

Twiggy x

What a lovely week we're having.

(The Stargazer lilies are through now, I love them!)

I'm sneaking on here as Twiglets mate from school has come for tea and they are currently playing upstairs, it's gone very quiet, hmmm....

Anyhoo not only has this week been lovely, it's been cheap too. Frugal living rules ok!!
I already told you about our at home day on Friday. Well we spent the day up at the lottie on Saturday and it's looking great. We spent Yorkshire Day at lovely, lovely Filey and Twiglet walked out on Filey Brigg with us for the very first time, what a big boy!! The last time he did it he was up my jumper, so I don't think we can count that :) We took a picnic and played on the beach and took a net and spent ages examining rock pools, just lovely.

At the beginning of the week we spent a couple of days over at my Mums and had a sleepover.

It was so nice, My Mum has a fab garden in a smashing quiet spot, I must confess I did fall asleep with a book on my face in the summerhouse while Twiglet played with Grandma :) We had a little walk up to the lake nearby and hit the local charity shop, look what goodies I found. This single duvet set is by Monsoon, isn't it gorgeous? great for Twiglets bedroom. and I couldn't resist these curtains, (oops sideways pic, but you get the idea). might use them for a project. I'm not telling you what I paid for them cos you wouldn't believe me!!

The lady in the shop took a real shine to Twiglet and gave him a free book and a Jeremy Clarkson DVD (he is VERY into Top Gear). The funny thing is she gave us the video as it didn't have a label on the actual tape and apparently this has happened to her before. Unfortunately a man stormed into the shop and told her off for selling a porn film to his 5 year old son - oops!! thankfully it was a car video :) We then noticed the local youth club was celebrating National Play Day so Twiglet had a good old play again for free. The next day we had a little bus trip and the bus driver said oh just pay for your fare love, the little one can have a free ride - how kind is that??

He obviously has the sort of face that will ease his passage through life!!
Well he is a beauty!!

Here he is on his bike, his Daddy forgot to pack his cycling helmet, so he improvised!!!
We live across the road from a very old house that has just been sold and they are practically rebuilding it (our neighbours are having some building work done soon too - yikes) so there is constant drilling and hammering at home at the moment, so it was so nice to get some peace and quiet !!

We did a little baking today, Twiglet made Thomas cakes. I made lasagne yummy - I'm a big cheat and chuck in a tin of ratatouille, very nice it was too.So that's all from me for now, a little catch up.

love Twiggy x

Happy Yorkshire Day

We spent our Yorkshire Day in our most favourite place, the most lovely Yorkshire resort, Filey!

What a super day we had.
A Happy Yorkshire Day to everyone.
Twiggy x

Easy days are lovely days

Aren't these lillies gorgeous, they just starting flowering today.

Well we are getting into the school hols groove and enjoying later nights and later mornings. We've had a hectic week what with my Mum staying over, swimming and going out with friends etc. So today we had a Mummy and Twiglet day and it was soooooo nice.

Incidentally, it was very odd last night but Twiglet woke up around 2am to go to the loo and came into our room well none of us could get to sleep, too hot, couldn't get comfy, the smallest sound was annoying (do you get them too?) Anyhow we ended up eating cornflakes in bed at 2.15am. Mr Twigs said, well I was going to have to go into the office this weekend, but I'll go in now and do my work on the network and it'll be quicker !!!!! He was back home and in bed by 3.30am - barmy !!!

Look at these spring onions, we pulled them up out of the garden today and they are soooo tasty!!

So back to today. I love unplanned days that are just cosy and fun. We had to wait in this morning for the grocery delivery, so made a castle out of cardboard boxes and tubes after drawing a few designs and doing some internet research. Twiglet says I'm not allowed to show you it until it's finished!!

We then put the shopping away. I had one of those moments when I thought ha ha your reading is getting too good young Twigs. When he opened a bag and said, ooo what's this, erm tampons, sounds lovely :) He was then instantly distracted by a punnet of strawberries so no awkward questions !!

Had a little walk down to the village post office and had a chinwag with the postmaster - a mine of info. Twiglet purchased his customary Milky Bar, he is a man of habit. Had a nosey at the village allotments.

We then went to the duck pond and fed the very greedy ducks. They like cinnamon and raisin bagels VERY much.
Onto the little playground, can you remember posts from a couple of years ago, I had to lift him onto the climbing frame then, he stepped off the top of it today, no problem!!!

Had a little walk and slide down the field barriers, or slide rides as Twiglet calls them.

Walked home and it started raining, so I got soggy as I didn't take a jacket - doh!! We heard an alarm going off, Twiglet said hope that isn't ours, yes you've guessed it we'd had a power cut while we were out and of course it was ours - oops!!!

Came home made a rhubarb and apple crumble for dinner with rhubarb we picked from the garden.

Finished the day by watching The Wrong Trousers and having a cuddle on the sofa whilst scoffing FAB lollies - you can't beat a bit of Wallace and Grommit.

What an unexpectedly nice day.

Hope you enjoyed it.

I'm not working for the whole of the Summer (and maybe beyond - argh!) so I'm hoping that the heavy rain we're having this evening will clear as I fancy a good weeding session up at the lottie tomorrow.

Have a great weekend.
Twiggy xxx

PS Thanks for your lovely comments on Twiglets first post, I read every one to him and he loved them. There will be more missives from him soon.

PPS I'm amazed to say someone actually bought one of my brooches from my MISI shop this week, think it had been there for over a year !!!

Post by Twiglet Number 1

I am Twiglet, I am 5 years old. This is my Mummy's blog but we are going to share it over the Summer holidays so I can tell you what I'm doing.

I love going to the park. I like playing on my climbing frame and I love collecting engines. Here is a photo that have taken of my new engine called Mike.
Twiglet

Aren't Mums brilliant?

My Mum stayed over last night, she's played with Twiglet ever since she got here, made some scones and let me have my first lie in for ages !! Hooray for my brilliant Mum.

Twiggy x

School's Out !!!

(Our first sunflower this year !)

Hooray it's the holidays!! Twiglet finished school yesterday. His school had a Year 5 leavers assembly at the village church which was just lovely, lots of sniffling parents and grandparents and our children weren't even leaving :) There were only 7 Year 5 pupils moving on up to middle school as our village school is small but perfectly formed :)(Home grown raspberries - or as Twiglet has always called them raspbabies- picked this week - yum).

Twiglets class then had a party in the afternoon and he came home with a spider painted on his face. It doesn't seem two minutes since I was blubbing because he was starting Reception in September. Time flies.

Anyhoo, we wanted to give his wonderful teachers and teaching assistant a little gift as they have been a tower of strength. Particularly when he first started last September and was very poorly, it was a rough time all round and they were fabulous.

I didn't think they'd want another mug to add to their collection and wanted to make something a little personal. We dug out Twiglets bead box (thanks Auntie Vicky, hope you approve ;) and made one of his teachers and teaching assistant a bracelet, which they wore straight away so I think they liked them. His main teacher has piereced ears, so I made her a pair of earrings which she popped on straight away. We finished off the gifts with tiny boxes of Guylian seashell chocs and homemade cards. The gifts didn't cost a lot but time, love and effort were put into them by us both which I feel reflects their dedication. Wrapped in pretty paper with Swirlys lovely cheeky chicken tags !!

I am so pleased to have the weeks ahead of us but unfortunately have started the hols with a pretty unpleasant cold, so felt rough today. We were going to go over to my Mums but had a Twiglet and Mummy day instead. Started the day with Twiglet making a jet pack :)Played with the Moon Sand.Made some cheese and onion bread and I made some buns yesterday with a view to Twiglet decorating them.
What a fab job he made, all his own technicolour work !!

We also managed to pack in some handwriting practice and watched some TV and Magic Roundabout DVDs - blimey !!! hope he doesn't think every day is going to be so action packed !!

He is taking me to the dentist for a check up tomorrow morning then out with our pals in the afternoon, snotty nose permitting. Back to work for me this weekend, but then two weekends off, so not too bad. It looks like my job might be finished soon anyway as the housing market is slowing right down again, I'll miss the cash but not working weekends !!I'm actually making something. It's to avoid doing that blardy wedding sampler, must get on with it, anyhoo there's my distraction project, so far!!

I'm actually feeling the stirrings of my crafting mojo, so hopefully over the Summer I might be able to fit a bit of making and doing in. However, I must say I'm enjoying going and having a good weeding sesh at the allotment after work - crazy woman. Due to the rain everything is growing like mad at the moment !

Righto, Mr Twigs is home now and playing train simulators with Twiglet the kind man has made me a Lemsip, so I'm going to have a little lie down with Reginald Hill. (I'll probably fall asleep with my book on my face :)

love
Twiggy x

PS Caithness Rare Breeds Raffle is now up and running, so do pop over and buy a raffle ticket or two, it's for a great cause and there are some terrific prizes.

My own little random act of kindness and other stuff....

Cor have you had the rain? we're having some spiffing thunderstorms up here, the garden and lottie are loving it. Do you like our first crop, lovely plum tomatoes and a mini cucumber. Twiglet insisted we make a face and take a photo.

Before the rains started we managed to spend most of Saturday purchasing plants and actually digging on the allotment (my poor old dodgy back can still feel it!)
Sunday saw more gardening and kite flying at lovely Cannon Hall. Well worth a trip to Cannon Hall at the moment, the walled garden is bursting with fruit and veg and looks lovely.

We had a school sharing achievement evening this week. Twiglet took us to his class room and showed us his portfolio full of photos of what he's been up to this year, observations by his teachers and his work. It was so sweet, I loved the photo of him and one of his little girlyfriends sat in Santas sleigh wearing false beards. Apparently he was adamant he was a Santas helper and NOT AN ELF !!! All lovely stuff.

An up and coming young chef made most of the dinner this evening, we had some swede and cabbage bought from the school allotment, he then made Toad in the Hole for us and we finished with lottie raspberries and ice cream - yummy !!

Here's my own little random act of kindness. I popped the names of all the lovely folk that left messages on my last post into one of our lurid Ikea bowls. (Thank you for your kind comments about my boy:) My lovely assistant pulled out a name and it was..............................................................................................

Smilernpb.

So send me your address missus and I'll send you a random act of kindness in a random manner in the next couple of weeks.

I'm working this weekend, bleurgh!! but looking at the weather forecast it doesn't seem too bad.

We're meeting our mates at a local soft play area for tea tomorrow - Twiglets end of the year/good report treat. (It's purely co-incedence that the places does very nice cake!).

I actually made something this week, but more on that next time.

Have a great weekend.
love
Twiggy x