Sledging and a trip to the zoo

Hope you are all keeping warm.  We had more snow on Friday night (this was the canal as we were heading up north) 

 

On Saturday morning as there was still lots of snow we took the chance to give little L her first go at sledging.  Lots of fun for mummy but not sure she was impressed or could even see the point of it. 

 

Then Sunday as all the snow had thawed we all set off for South lakes Wild Animal Park another first for Little L as it was her first ever trip to the zoo.  This is a great zoo near Ulverston and best of all it is free entry during the winter (I think this ends 7th Feb). 

 

It was very cold but she loved it.  Lots of animals and fun with her cousins.

 

Saying hello to a crocodile (please excuse random gloved hand)

 

A monkey of some sort

 

A rhino

 

Back home now and just having a well earned glass of vino and getting my knitting out ... rock n roll

Bye for now

A year of change

Just over a week ago we got the news that we had been dreading.  My other half is being made redundant.  The possibility of this has hung over his head for the last 18 months and then last Friday his boss dropped it on him.  Happy new year you are going to lose your job!  Seventeen years of hard work and bye bye.

So this year will be a year of change, changes to our plans, our focus, jobs etc. 

I saw this on Tina's blog the other day and thought it quite fitting for us:

"I welcome change, and regard it as a friend. This present uncertain situation has more power for good than for evil. No matter how complicated the plot, it can be the opening sentence to a new rich chapter in my life."

~ Thomas Bartram 

We are trying to see this as a challenge and count our blessings for all that we have. 

And finally keeping me sane this week has mainly been our very supportive family but also:

This is a brilliant book, I got it for Christmas and I definitely recommend it for novice or expert knitters.

Some exciting new knitting on my needles, will share details soon promise

A mini snowman made by my sister, I love the snow but I'm glad its nearly gone

Bye for now

A slow start to 2013

Happy New Year

After my last post about my plans of clearing out the excess stuff in our house I got ill.  Little L was already ill since boxing day ish with a really bad cough and cold and then I got it.  So the Christmas hols (well P doesn't really get time off except for Christmas Day and New Years day) were filled with tears, coughing, being sick, and for nearly two weeks Little L slept in my bed. 

 

Exhausting .... so we didn't over indulge with christmas food or drinking too much.  Last night was the first night that she slept in her own bed all night for what seems like an age.  Today we are both feeling a bit better.  So this afternoon during nap time instead of doing some cleaning I began backing up photos on my laptop.  I don't seem to have backed up since 2011 arghh very bad I know.  But I have started doing it now. 

It is so nice looking back over photos from when we brought Little L home from hospital, packing up the house, moving into our new house, her first Christmas.  Time just flies by.

Note to self though try to edit photos when you upload them as it is taking me ages going through deleting multiple copies of almost the same shot!

 

ps - no photos on this post as blogger won't let me upload them!

Decluttering

Hope you all had a great Christmas.  We did and I managed to cook a turkey and no one got ill from eating it!

Anyway with the influx of new toys and general chaos around the house I have started thinking about a major declutter. 

I haven't done much selling on Ebay since last summer but I think its time to get some things listed.  Our house feels full.  So my main aims:

• Ebay - little L's hardly worn old clothes and toys.  Some of my clothes, bags and shoes.
• Music Magpie - going to give this a try.  I think I could get rid of lots of CDs and DVDs without P even noticing Ha ha
• Freecycle - Be a bit more ruthless, maybe 2 or 3 attempts on Ebay then Freecycle or charity shop
• Wool - arghh must use up or give away some of my stash
• Fabric - ditto I seem to have tons of the stuff everywhere, half of it I don't even like much.  
• Work stuff - having spent most of the last 10 years or more studying and working in research I have a lot of papers, files, books etc.  Not sure what to do with it.  Even if I get back to all that one day when Little L is at school I probably wouldn't need it anyway. 

This list is making me feel ill.  Maybe just put the stuff in the loft/garage ... loft better because you can't see it! 

Bye for now x

Happy Christmas

I will be taking a break from blogland for a few days but wanted to wish you all a Happy Christmas. 

And please spare a thought or even better a few pounds for those less fortunate over the festive period x

 

http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki

 

Knitted Humpty Dumpty

After a really busy morning of general jobs, making mince pies and a visit from our friendly builder who kindly went on the roof for me to remove our chimney cowl I managed to just make it to Knit and Natter this afternoon.

The lovely ladies are always very pleased to see Little L.  And she is usually very well behaved as we knit she plays with toys, looks at books and is a little charmer.  And today she came away with two Christmas presents, one which is a surprise for under the tree and the other is a beautiful knitted Humpty Dumpty.

 

 

 

The lady who knitted humpty is such a fast and skilled knitter.  She has really made some lovely things. 

So a big thank you to her I love my Humpty Dumpty er I mean little L does!

Happy 1 Year House Anniversary

It is one year today since we moved into our house (we moved over two days but slept in it for the first time on the 21st).  Where did the year go?  Our first year in this house and in a new area has been full of ups and downs. 

• Relief and happiness to have finally got our old house sold  (after 18 mths) and be living in a different area a mere 25 miles from home and family. 
• And the year, well last 18 months, has been full of constant worry about P losing his job.  So yes a mixed year and the job/recession situation seems to be worsening in his line of work so not sure what the New Year will bring. 

I don't really like to mention money etc on my blog because it is too depressing and I know we are very very lucky to be healthy and happy and have a beautiful daughter.

 

So we have achieved a lot in our first year with little money or time.  In no particular order we have:

• Taken cupboards and units out of garage and shelved two walls, painted and put up a sheila maid.
• Installed new consumer unit and started rewiring upstairs (Thanks Mick)
• Decorated office (first and maybe last time I will ever do wallpapering)
• Decorated Little L's bedroom  
• Decorated bathroom
• Insulated the loft
• Shelved out the airing cupboard
• Decorated the front room
• Put wood burning stove in front room (Big thanks to Mum and Dad)
• Drained part of the back garden
• Major pruning of some trees (lots more to do)

All this done with the help? of a toddler. 

 

Next year we want to do a lot outside like re-flagging, sorting drainage issues, chopping down leylandii, plus inside hopefully fixing rotten floor in kitchen, more rewiring, maybe tackle the red!!! kitchen, green!! hallway .... that's plenty to think about for now.  Tonight we will certainly be having a glass of something nice and a mince pie to celebrate (I have only eaten about a dozen this week so far).
 

Hope you are all having a good week and are ready for Christmas