Taking shape.

A while back we were lucky enough to be given a greenhouse, it just had to be dismantled and then rebuilt.Its a bit of a whopper and hubs loves it. We were a bit late off the start line this year but finally things are looking green.

Hubs is now tidying up around the sides, there's a membrane to put down and then I would like some blue gravel, no flowers in garden due to mad dog and teenage boys! and we need some colour, I'm hoping it would look a bit like a little stream ! the poor pot plants were eaten to death within days..

Inside its gone crazy, its a fabulous green oasis, I cant take any responsibility for it, hubs has done all the hard work..We still need to get some fixtures and fittings, but for now the drawers are doing the storage job..

Behind the greenhouse there's a veg patch starting to come to life, we have had a hot few weeks and the ground is dry, plenty of watering to be done here, but again hubs is doing a bit each night, hes even grown some sunflowers for me, which have now been planted in the veg plot, what a sweety, I love them and had sunflowers as my bridal bouquet ! I am hoping the good weather continues as last year it was so wet most of the root veg rotted, keep your fingers crossed for us...

We are starting to harvest some things now, mainly lettuce and cucumbers, given the price of salad stuff its a bonus, as its his homegrown produce hubs decided to start building dinner tonight

The tomatoes are shop bought, we have some growing but they are not quite ready yet, and the cucumber has a rather dubious hole, but by the time the prawns, not home grown, are placed atop I am sure I wont notice !

Evening update:

Hubs just finished laying the membrane:

Cant wait to get the sparkly blue gravel and find some more colourful hardy potplants....

freeing up the weekend ....

My weekends have always been spent completing household chores, its a bit of an obsession with me, I have routines you know! It drives hubs mad but at last  I have come to realise its a waste of a weekend!

Hubs tentatively asked if I wanted to go for a picnic on Sunday, expecting the response, ' I have too much to do' especially as I had worked Saturday. But blow me down I said YES! Well why not? The sun was shining and it was too darned hot to be busy cleaning.

Much discussion was had, where to go, what to do, negotiating with teenagers, no 1 son declining to join us , and off we set.. We headed into Wales, making the most of the last free bridge crossings as my season tag is due to expire this week, I shan't be needing it after next week ! [new job back in England]

The day was glorious as we set off, hardly any traffic, but soon we discovered everyone else had the same plan as us, boy was it busy, as we had the dog we had planned on finding a nice spot by the river, settle down to a picnic and while away the afternoon.After an hour of driving to the usual haunts we just couldn't park, any where ! we decided to cut our loses and head to Monmouth for a walk around the town, then try and find somewhere to stop and eat the picnic. I was pleasantly surprised..

we found a river walk in the town

explored the old parts of the city

climbed some steps, rather overgrown

 to cross a bridge, to find we could get right down to the river

maxy boy loved it

unfortunately there were cows in sprinting distance so we couldn't risk letting him run free, he loves a good chase !

We did a full circle walk and came back into the town through a lovely old archway

The town had history in abundance, I could have walked for a while, wandering through the little streets full of fab little shops, but it was Sunday, most were closed and we were getting a trifle hot and bothered,

so we went to the town square to partake of a very cold beverage !

Feeling refreshed we headed back to the car  to try to organise our fabulous picnic..we drove a short while and found a little spot, it was an in car picnic, nowhere to get out but we did have a view of the river, just! and then it was homeward bound, the remainder of the day was sat in the garden reading and partaking of some Pims.. bliss..

I have thoroughly enjoyed my weekend and really didn't miss the housework at all, unfortunately the housework missed me and is still waiting patiently for my return..Housework and I are currently negotiating new terms, my offer is 1 hour a night, week days only and time off for good behaviour at the weekend.. I think I may just win this one..

Hogs in the hayfield !

Yesterday was a work day, but not a typical work day. The local Harley Davidson owners group [hogs] have chosen us as their charity of the year, so we were invited to go along and set up a stall!

We arrived at 9.30 am and wow it was hot already, we had absolutely no shade, and the day was set to be a scorcher.we got ourselves organised and was ready at 11 am to go and watch the ride out, wow, that was a sight, Harleys are beautiful bikes and the sound! I think I am a little in love with them,  When the ride out had gone, it was quiet so I was able to take a break and find a piece of shade, luckily I had bought my knitting , I also had a very cold beer! just the one, I was driving..

The riders came back from the ride out mid afternoon, and boy did things start to liven up! Don't get me wrong, they are a fabulous group of people, very friendly and welcoming..But they had just returned from their ride, it was a hot day and there was live music, so lets just say, spirits were high!

I particularly liked this beauty..

I had an amazing day, it was an experience that I am never likely to have again, leaving the job means I will not be part of any further adventures with The Hogs !, I wish we had planned to camp over, I did not want the day to end..This wonderful memory cost me nothing except giving up my Saturday and a little bit of hard work, I am so glad I did it...

Rainbow day.

Today I'm feeling glum. Working notice on a job sucks. I just cant feel it now, I spend all day clock watching.Its a long day. Don't get me wrong I love the people I work with, but the job? its just not happening. So what to do? grab a little colour, that's what !

Today at work we bought a kit for the service users to make elastic band bracelets!! well you just have to have a go don't you? how fab are they and so easy to make, of course I chose a rainbow bracelet.. it certainly cheers me up..

These are super easy, super quick and there are many variations of what you can do with the loom and the kit, they are reasonably cheap, we paid £5 for our kit and there is hours of fun to be had. I wore it for the rest of the day and kept glancing at it on the commute home, smiling.

A quick jaunt to FIL's to help him celebrate his 81st birthday then back home to more rainbows..

knit picks yarn  +, simple sock pattern = happy me. what a lovely way to drive away the glumps!!

Walking.

I love to take photo's, natural life, flowers and views, there are so many surrounding me everyday, today I took them all in and savoured them. After work I walked with no 1 son, our lovely dog max and no 1 sons walking dog.We walked the river walk at the back of our house, whilst we live in a city we are lucky to be on the outskirts backing onto the river, a little peace of heaven in a mad busy city.

I dont have a fancy camera, but am lucky to have a decent phone which takes good photo's. I dont do anything with my pics, I just love to capture moments..

Want to take a peak?

We have lived here for 13 years, the boys have grown up here, I can not recall the number of times we have walked this path, but each and every time I do, it relaxes me.It also gives me the opportunity to talk to no 1 son, just us, no one else and for that I am thankful. Hes 16 now and before I know it he will have flown the nest, teenagers don't do talking, but this walk seems to relax him, I catch up on his life and we talk through issues he may have, and for that reason alone its priceless, I am a very lucky mum. xx

Care for a cuppa?

This week was carers week, and as I manage a day service for adults with a learning disability, we decided to do our bit. I have an amazing team of staff and service users who always give 110% so once the idea was there off they flew.

We decided on a tea party with a them, Alice in wonderland! love it..wow, what can I say everyone pulled together and set up an amazing afternoon for all the carers/parents of our service users, it was the hottest day of the year and spending 1.5hrs pouring tea and coffee with an amazing hat on my head wasn't an easy job! but it was fab...

I took some pics of the different things they made to make the day fabulous, sadly I was too busy serving drinks to take pics when the mad hatters tea party table was set up, but lets just say all the amazing cakes were eaten at a speed of knots...

I really will miss working there, there is no other job like it..