How to slow down, that is the question!

This week, Bert threw me a curve. He has to have chemotherapy and decided against tablets because they cause a lot of nasty side effects, and he opted for the drip - a one day course - but the date was bang in the middle of the week he was supposed to be in Devon. I was a bit (very) upset so he compromised and said he would come down this Friday and travel back with me when I visited my mother next Tuesday. That was OK with me until I realised what a lot of work I had to squeeze into 4 days less than I had before. I threw a wobbly, like you do, and ended up talking to my wonderful daughter who soon put me right. So I cancelled my Thursday at the market (I didn't want any orders anyway) and finished my project for her without the lessons I had booked (but I can now join in the class with no pressure to finish). I finished the project for Phil too, so today I am cleaning and clearing in readiness for Bert's arrival tomorrow. I can also relax and enjoy the weekend with him.

I was also going to make an outfit for a gala ball at my eldest sons' army camp next week, but I decided to see what was available in the shops - not an easy task when you are my size - and found something that fits and is almost to my ankles, but not to the floor as requested...hey..ho...I just hope they don't throw me out for the sake of 4 inches. I'll have to find some ballet shoes so it doesn't look so obvious.

I finished Fiona's ball gown for her birthday and made a stole to match, but she is not sure about the feathers, I only used a few so I'm hoping she'll relent and leave them attached. The silk is shot pink with yellow and looks lovely made up.

Well, I'm off to shop for the big man (or "slim jim" as he calls himself) and get ready to feed him up.

Harrassed!

Such a lot to do, so little time, so many things dropping off the edge!

Last week I went to my first scrap booking evening at the local craft warehouse. I took all my stuff I collected from my holiday at the Isle of Wight and was given several sheets of paper to set out my first page. The paper reminded me of the trip to see Queen Victoria's house and the rich wallpapers in the rooms, so I used the pictures and brochure and a map of the island to make my display. Not bad for a first time, but I have the feeling that I will do better as I progress through my holiday and make other pages.

On the Saturday, I was back there for the full day, but only managed to make it to 1pm. My back was in two by then and I had to bring my last project back and do it at home. We were given 3 packs at the start and instructions on how to make up the projects; No.1 was a sketch book which had to be painted round the edge, papered and embellished. Then we punched holes into the pages for adding between the covers and added the ring closures and ribbon ties.

The second project was little folded card holders, such as we can buy for vouchers or gift tokens - dead easy and I made two, but having no velcro sticky dots I had to scour Barnstaple to find some to finish them off.

The third project was a photo frame, which I really wanted to do, but had to bring home with me. It was two pieces of board that were covered with good quality paper, one having an appature cut out of the middle and some acetate glued to the back of it. The cut out was used to make the stand for the back and we added two magnets between the covers so that when you put your photo between them, the magnets held everything together.

That just about finished me off strengthwise, so I spent the rest of the weekend recovering. During the week I made up my waistcoats for the market on Thursday and spent a very cold day sitting huddled over my crossword puzzles. I picked up 3 more orders so all was not lost, one being for a woman (why don't they listen?) who wanted the front to match one style but be like the other!!! Well, my designer head came up with the idea of a curved edge that should do what she wants (hopefully).

This weekend my dungeon, where I work, really did my head in, so I got going on stripping everything out, throwing away stuff I'm sure no-one wants, and hitting myself on the head with some metal bars. I now have a lovely bruise that makes it awkward to sleep at night. I rearranged everything and now have a clear cutting table to set out my fabrics on. I hoovered up all the spiders webs and spiders who got in the way and the rubbish from the floor, so it feels a lot better to work in. However, during this mega clean, the phone went - twice - but by the time I got there it went off - always the way, isn't it. Eventually I answered it and a lady asked me if I was alright - "yes, fine" I said, "well" she said "you should be here at Step2Step, you booked a book cover course today". My anguish was forcibly yelled. I had completely forgotton this course and apart from the embarrasment of not turning up, I really needed it to complete some projects. Woe is me!

Yesterday, I went to flush the loo and found there was no water, so I got onto the Waterboard, who said I should have received a letter to say they were cutting off the water between 1 and 5pm. I hadn't received any such letter, and when I asked my neighbours, neither had they, so someone's telling fibs, and my loo is decidedly unwell and making some very funny noises.

Today, Wednesday, I bought some print cartridges at the local Tesco's and the assistant took them away to have the tags taken off but when I got home they were nowhere to be found. So back I went with my receipt and complained to the Customer Services desk and after much trolling around they found an assistant who had retagged them and put them back on the shelf! Marvellous. AND tomorrow is back at the market, being frozen and wondering if I'll sell any waistcoats. I'm not a happy teddy this week.

A new addition to the family

Well, welcome to tiny Nancy who arrived like a rocket on the evening of bonfire night, November 5th, an easy date to remember.

Isn't she a little sparkler?

Also on Wednesday I went to the card making group at our local card factory and learned how to wet emboss a mandala and made a Christmas dangle. I'm there again tonight and most of tomorrow to try out the Scrap booking workshops.

Also this week, I attended the local market and got orders for 4 more waistcoats which will keep me busy for the next week. My altered journal course was delayed for two weeks, so I'll have to steam ahead with that one to get my projects finished in time to post abroad. Something I could have done without as I have to learn techniques before I can make a good impression on my project. Still, as my mother said, "you don't like things easy", I just wish they were sometimes, when I'm pushed for time. How did I ever have time to go to work?

Digger has picked up an infection or caught a cold. He has a smelly running nose and needed a course of antibiotics to finish him off, I mean make him better.

I have started my project for Phil and Wendy which I hope works out or else it's down to Mothercare and a safe present for them.

Well onwards and upwards, as they say in the best circles.

A good day today

I have been making crow dolls today for my youngest (at the moment) granddaughter, Edith. I started out on Sunday with no idea of how to put them together but following instructions (always hard for me) soon made it easy to get to grips with.

They are a bit punk rocker but cheeky with it.

Here are some pictures of Gareth getting to know Digger for the first time, in spite of posessiveness from Peggy, bless her.

Update on Bert

Last Tuesday I got a call from Bert to say

that the surgeon was letting him go home that afternoon. I felt sucker-punched, in a

nice way and it took all day to recover - silly me! In the evening Gareth phoned in reply to my message update and let

me know that he was not going to Iraq - second great info of the day, but I never did get the third...I wonder why?

It took a lot out of Bert to get to his sister's house and he was glad to get back to bed, I know the feeling well. During the past week he has been taking short walks, going a bit farther each time and visiting his other relatives. He seems to be improving slowly (what can you expect at his age?) but he had the last drain

out before he left and it is taking time to heal and causing a lot of pain. I'm hoping this means he is healing and not storing up infection but we just have to wait and see.

I just got a call this afternoon from a course in South Moulton (about 5 miles away) to say they had a cancellation on a book binding course and would I like to join them? Would I ever!!!! So that's 15th Nov taken up, and it seems all the good courses are starting this month. I've bought Maggie Grey's latest book which had free lessons with it and joined her group called "catalogue killers"! Basically we were asked to put a catalogue out into the weather for 3 months after scoring it with a craft knife, we are all wondering what we will be doing with it, but so far there are no hints from Maggie. She is teaching us other wonderful stuff which will go a long way to making lovely Christmas presents. Several ideas I had have gelled into one big one and I just hope I have the ability to pull it off and will post some piccies if it does. However, if it doesn't a piccy of the dustbin will be substituted.