I have a confession!......

Hello all you rather wonderful peeps!

Hope you all have had a good week, and I am so sorry if I have not been commenting as much, but I have been helping, visiting and getting my Dad's 80year old cousin to hospital for a hip op. It has turned itnto quite a chaotic affair, thus adding to stress levels here at Owl tree cottage!  To be polite... lets just say, to quote one of the nurses, she is an extremely strong minded woman. Enough said!  Also, I have been recovering from my last bout of incredible red expanding armitis!

Before I get onto my confession, here is a little drawing I have done this week, tis about the only thing I have managed to do all week on the old creative side! I will probably be turning her into a stitchery at some point in the future!

A confession I hear you ask, what could it be?  Oooh I feel so quilty!  Ok, here goes.... I am so far from perfect, and have been guilty of showing you all the best bits, the pretty bits. Just as I like soft gentle music and then the next minute I am listening to ear drum shattering heavy music, or wearing a pretty monsoon number and the next donning my scruffs, or worse still ... my pyjamas (oh yes!), I tend to live life in a constant state of everything!

I aspire to the idea of living in a gorgeous beautiful world, but sometimes it just doesn't happen, partly due to lack of money and deifnitely due to my personality! In my home, there is a huge pile of ironing, jobs that need finishing, jobs that need starting! Messy corners. It is a mix, just like me!  I also have a wonderful  Job Creation Team (see facebook!).  You see, the handbag I showed in my show us your handbag post, was my newest , most prettiest one. And as I have only just made it, I have filled it with pretty things. It just hasn't been contaminated by my haphazardness yet!

I would love all my handbags to be filled with interesting, lovely bits and bobs like these.....

 

My little compact mirror, sparkly earrings and an owl charm (which has fallen off my mobile phone!) and a sweet rose quartz heart!

But the reality is most of my other handbags are filled with this!.....

 

Yum, those minstrels were good! loose change, receipts, and free pen! Even an old poppy!

 

Oooh nice! Pooper scooper bags, now thats more like it! nice pen though! Old tickets...

Tickets to grand designs show (3 years ago!) , a small tube of toothpaste, an old ticket and some tissiues...probably so that I can wipe that dog's nose that I keep in my handbag too! hee hee!

Now! I feel cleansed of my blogging sins! Ha ha, I am sat in my pyjamas right now!

Each week, for a few weeks, I have decided that I shall share a George story with you all to cheer your days!

PUBLIC WARNING: No Georges were harmed in the telling of this tale! (I have his permission!)

This little tale is told to illustrate how at times I can be a bit daft and well,  frankly,  askew!

A few years ago, George was awaiting an important phone call from a possible future employer. He told me to expect the call and stressed how excited he was about the possibility of another interview.

Anyway, the phone rang, I picked it up and the man at the other end of the receiver, after a short introduction, asked for George. I replied in my very best and polite voice ....." I'm sorry, I'm not here at the moment". There was a silence, followed by a small giggle from me, followed by another stifled giggle,  followed by a full on wholehearted guffaw. I just COULD not stop! I manged to force out "I'm sorry", but he put the phone down. He was obviously not amoosed!

I think I have had this stitchery on before , so if I have... sorry!

George never heard from him again, he told me that he may have had the chance of an second interview, but the man had obviously decided that his wife was a complete nutter! Well, you know what they say... behind every successful man....sorry George, you have a buffon behind you!

He didn't mind really though, as it would have meant moving away, and we were not at all sure of doing that.

Coming soon.... George's hilarious car story! Its a good one, so stay tuned!

Until next week, a big thank you to all of you who read my silly blog, those who leave such wonderful comments, (some even comment every week!), no fail, and to all my followers too (I really don't like that expression, it is a bit weird! like I either have a line of people trailing behind me, or I am some type of head of a loopy cult!)  Anyway, I really, really do appreciate you all so much! Thank you!

Suzie. xxx

What kind of driver are you? And.. has your car got a name?

Hello all!

What a week! You get them sometimes don't you?  I know I do. I have been a bit stressed this week, but the trouble is I don't always know that I am stressed until I feel ill! For reasons that I feel I can't share, several different very personal situations have arisen these past few weeks which have been a bit of a strain.

 (Sometimes we just need some quiet time to reflect on everything. A time for inner inspection! A time to nurture the inner child.)

 Then after feeling like I have been juggling my emotions and my time, I went and got my first parking fine! I simply forgot to put my residents parking permit on show in the car park.  Of course it was because my brain was crammed full with people, emotions, etc., and I just wasn't thinking.

                  One of my stitcheries..Miss Happ. Very apt this week I think!

When I got home I found that Ralph the Old English Sheepie had stolen the pie which I had left on the side to defrost for tea, smashed a bowl and had attempted to eat the contents of the bin!

Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth!

Again, my fault, as 1.)   I know Ralph is a thief and therefore we never leave anything out and 2.)  I usually turn the bin round the other way when I go out.  In the evening I got one of my very sudden feeling ill sessions. boiling hot, bright red painful arm, temperature, and aching all over. I was giving off so much heat, that George got all happy, thinking we would get free heating from now on!  Finally, I realise that it must be when I am stressed, because the last time it happened was just before Christmas when I got stressed over getting my orders out on time, stockings, etc! It must cause a reaction in my Lymphodoema arm, (maybe because I get low and over-tired), as each time I get infection symptoms, but if I rest as soon as I get the first signs, it seems to correct itself without having to take the two weeks of penicillin!  I am a bit naughty, because If It happens and I get a temperature, and my arm goes red, I am supposed to go to the docs or the hospital, but I don't. Of course I would if the symptoms persisted though! I think I have to start being a bit stronger in myself when it comes to certain situations and people!  Anyway, getting a parking ticket got me thinking about the relationships we have with our cars!

 

One of my drawings, beep beep!

I am not the kind of person who's personality changes once they find themselves behind the wheel of a car. Ok, there have been occasional times when I may mumble under my breath... you could get a tank through there, or get out of the way! Generally though, no. What kind of of driver are you.... calm, cheery, grumpy, fast  ....slow?

I hate driving on the motorway, and every time I tell myself that I can stay in the slow lane if I want to, but every time I find myself over-taking everyone! I do like driving a bit too fast (nothing illegal!) and to have quite loud music on as I go along. Is it just me, but doesn't music sound really good in the car?

Yes, I have to admit, I have named my car, she is called Poppy. Anyone one else going to own up?!!! I bought this big daisy for her the other day, to brighten her (and my!) day.

 I love her, I really do, but I am thinking of selling her soon.  I don't really drive her enough at all, and I am seriously thinking I would be better with a bicycle!  If I can still remember how to ride one that is!  Why have a car you hardly use sitting in  the driveway, when you could have some much needed money for the house? Or what about this form of transport? Much more fun I think......although purely seasonal!

 

My brother and I in Nova Scotia, Canada.

At night, George won't allow me to drive, as I become as blind as a bat! Move over Mr. Maggoo! The on-coming head-lamps just dazzle me and make it so hard to judge widths, etc. Quite handy though when going out to an occasion though, as I get to be the one who can have that glass of vino or two!  George wonders if I have been putting it on all these years!

I have done some pretty silly things over the years too on the old driving front! Have you ever parked the car, and then on your return, have you got into the passengers seat? I have! And I had to do it when there was a man parked in front of me watching my every move! Hmmmm I thought, this isn't going to work at all! He was visibly amused as he watched me casually getting back out of the car and getting into the drivers seat.  I felt a right twit!  Another time I drove off after doing some shopping, and as I slowed down to leave the car park, a policeman rushed up to the car and knocked on my window. Oh  no I thought, what have I done now?  He smiled at me like I was a simpleton...." Do you know you have a cabbage on top of your car?" he asked me!

What about you? Any funnies or car names out there? I would love to hear them!

It is interesting how so many things now seem to be status symbols.....what type of car, mobile phone, label on clothes, seems to be so important these days to so many people. How sad. What happened to the worth of a person being dependent on character, actions and love, and not on silly superficial nonsenses! Yet, we see people more and more competing to have the latest fad!

What difference does it make to the person what kind of car they own, after all they are all still only  pieces of  metal on wheels, and one day will be rotting in some junk heap.

I love my car because it is cute, but a bicycle or a small runaround will do me fine!

Before I go this week I want to thank Jacqueline at Once upon a Fairyland  for sending me this beautiful card, pretty valentine token and a lovely tag. Pleas visit Jacqueline..she is a wonderful imaginative story teller. You really should write a book Jacqueline! Thank you so much, you made the end of a trying week turn into a more happy one... you can not imagine how you have cheered me up. It is so nice to find such kindness pop through your letter box!

 

 

AND! I was just about to publish this post when I have found out that I have been tagged by the very lovely Tracey at Tracey's crafty scraps to show the contents of my handbag, so I have just rushed to grab my camera!  Thank you Tracey for thinking of me!  Probably not very exciting , but here goes!

 

Umbrella, purse, lip shine, stamps,,cd (listened to in the car),  bus ticket, perfume, a button that had fallen off my jacket and of course a tissue!

Now I tag Ro at Bitchin' Witch

Valerie at For the love of Pete

Kay at Finding My Way

Sharon at My passport To Style


Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Huge big smiles and big servings of belly laughs to each of you!

Suzie. xxx

Valentines Day! Can you remember your first love?

Ahhh, Valentine's Day! Love is in the air!

 

One of my cross stitch designs!

 It is only a few days ago that it was 26 years since I met my husband George. Where did you meet him, people often ask me. Was it at a pub? At a family do, or a friend's? Or was it at the ideal place to meet your future partner (according to my Mother's advice!!!), at the library!? No, it was not..... It was in fact in a car-park. I know ... how romantic! ahhhh!

Ahhh somebody loves me!

 

Bertie!

Do you remember your first love? I most certainly do remember the mix of torture and love! I do believe being in love (or infatuated, Mum's words again!) is akin to mental derangement!! You can't eat, or sleep and the object of your attention, said spotty boy, has taken possession of your mind like a whirling devil that will not get out of your head! Your head is crammed full of this obsession, until you think you can see him everywhere and when you do.. legs go to jelly, your heart skips a beat and you feel slightly eurthoric!

Ah, my first love was 3 years older than me, I was fifteen , and by todays standards I was very innocent and naive. I day-dreamed constantly of what the first kiss would be like and how it would be to go out with him. Oh yes, in my head it was going to be perfect, he would be my knight in shining armour, and with his magic sword he would cut through my terrible shyness  to uncage and free my true spirit and personality.

At last! He asked me to go to his works do with him. Panic! Panic!, "Mum what can I wear to such a grown-up function, and what about my feet???"  No I haven't got some terrible foot odour! You see, he was so short! I am not over tall at just under 5' 4", but he was shorter than me! Yes, I do wonder now, how he, the knight ever got on that snorting steed!  Don't worry says Mum, we will go shopping! And shopping we went! My lovely Mum bought me a gorgeous long black velvet dress, very simple with a princess bodice, and we searched and searched for some flat shoes that were suitable.

The big much dreamed of night finally arrived, and he pulled up in his mini to whisk me away in his strong and confident arms. What fun we would have! .....What fun?    No really, what fun? ........Errrrr none!

It turned out that he was as painfully shy as I was, and all the way to the venue (which started to feel like the longest journey of my life!) not a word was spoken. At the dance, the conversation really began to flow. "Would you like a drink" ... "yes please"... "thank you".  What witty company we were! On the way back, I desparately tryed to look interesting, but failed miserably. I kept thinking to myself, "say something, for gawds sake act like you have a brain!"  We pulled into my driveway, he leaned towards me. Oh my goodness I thought, the kiss! The kiss is surely on its way. He hasn't gone off me after all, my shy boringness has not put him off!  He looked at me, tilting his head, he gave a small peck, and then just as he was about to deliver the much longed for kiss.......I ducked! Yes, you heard me right, I ducked right out of the way!  He said goodbye, I said goodbye. then trying so hard to keep my decorum I walked into the house, shut the door behind me and then burst into tears, ran upstairs and cryed myself to sleep! I felt such a fool! It had turned out to be a painful experience and in no way did the evening match all those old romantic films that I loved so much, such as Doris Day and Cary grant!

Years later I bumped into him, I nearly walked past, not recognising him at all. After I had finished talking to him and was walking away, I really could not see what I had seen in him at all!

Was your first love a wonderful experience or a painful affair?  Is anyone doing anything exciting for Valentine's Day?  Do you get flowers and roses, or nothing at all!!! We don't get each other anything, but we will have a special meal in. Any excuse for a celebration hey!  You bet!

One thing that I don't love is doing the ironing! So Look what I bought to entice myself to the board.....

 

Gosh! It does make me feel much better about the ironing ...... A bit of an unashamed pretty extravagance, a Cath Kidston ironing board cover, but it was part of my birthday money, so....!

I have been busy trying it out, once I had climbed to the top of  Ironing Mountain that is!

Anyone care for a sweet? No not you Ralph! Look at that beautiful big black nose!

 Have a wonderful weekend all you lovely Peeps!  If you are doing anything nice for Valentine's,  have a lovey dovey time! Thank you to all of you too for taking time to visit me and leave all those wonderful comments, I really, really enjoy reading them all!

Oooooh something else is happening this weekend too! Happy Birthday Penny for Sunday! Hope it is a lovely, lovely day for you! xxxxx

Lots of love to you all, Suzie xxx :)

My birthday week! Whats your perfect birthday?

Greetings Earthlings!

What a lovely birthday week I have had! Thank you to all of you who have sent me birthday wishes! George has had a few days off this week, so it seems like my birthday every day, so I am sorry if I haven't been keeping up to date with all your wonderful blogs! How would you like to spend a dream birthday?

This week though I have squeezed in enough time to make something for Lissylou's good cause. You can find further info about this here! I hope this is the kind of thing she was thinking of, I designed it specially for her, so she will be receiving the prototype!

 

Now then, what have I been up too?  Oh yes!  One evening we decided that we would go for a drink at a local pub and then try out a new Thai takeaway..... so I set the table with a Thai (ish!) theme, well more Chinese really! Our brother in-law is chinese mandarin, and our niece brought us the lovely chopsticks.......

 

  

....... but the Thai was closed, so we drove to Blackpool (4 miles away) to look for a Thai, but the one we found looked a bit iffy! What to do?  Well go for greek of course! So Greek we had, on a thai table and very nice it was too!

My birthday was lovely, one of the nicest ever, lots of birthday wishes, this lovely card from Penny at The hen house, isn't it gorgeous?  Penny made it, she is so clever! 

Next to it you can see a card from my lovely friend Ro ( I can't leave a link, as her blog is acting up, well it is for me anyway! sorry Ro, I have tryed to read it a few times now!) who also sent me a wonderful scrapbook made about 27 years ago, about me and her and our time working  in the Civil service.

I was a very lucky birthday girl and got these beautiful flowers off one friend....

And from another friend this fab cushion.....

 

This book and cd too ......

 

  

Very good cd!

While George has been off we have been attempting to sort out insurance.... so George was on the phone answering some ( a lot!) of questions about his health, after which he was accepted on the spot. He was giving me the thumbs up from across the room.  Next was my turn for the interrogation! Now, since my diagnosis I have not really had any insurance because a) It is almost impossible to get any company to insure me  ( I remember being told that after five years you can be, not sure though!) and b) the ones that are willing are ridiculously expensive. I am considered a high risk. so, George smiling to himself as he hears me saying no, I haven't had that, and no not that either. Question, cancer, erhhhh yes, hmmmm, any breathing problems, or chest complaints, errrr yes, very mild asthma....hmmmmm,  any heart conditions?  Errrrr..... a heart murmur, but!   I say in a jolly voice, only when I lie down!  Hmmmmmm.....have any of your parents died before the age of 65?  Errrr.... yes both, from cancer. Hmmmmmm.....! By this time George is trying to hide his laughter, and stands up and gives me a ......

  

What a wonderful likeness George!

Needless to say I was not accepted on the spot, I will be getting more forms and questions! And then an expensive quate, no doubt!

Quite funny really!   I think I will concentrate on something much more pretty and pleasant!

Ahhhh thats better! Back in La la land where I belong!  The land of sweet imaginings, and beauty! 

Well, I am off now, to enjoy the rest of my birthday week. How greedy is that, to make your birthday go on all week!  I don't mind being one year older at all,  I am just so happy to be allowed to get older! 

What is your perfect birthday, how would be your ideal way to spend it?

I will try so hard to catch up with all of the blogs this weekend!  

Have a wonderful happy weekend everyone!  Love to you all. Suzie. xxx

Oh where did you get that hat, where did you get that hat!

Happy Friday to you all!

How are you all, did you have a good week? I hope so!  What have you all been up to since last Friday? I have been quite busy, thanks for asking!!  I know you all really want to know! Hmmm... maybe not, but I am going to tell you anyway! Ha ha! You can't escape that easily.

Hmmmmmm....... what's this then I wonder?


I have been thinking of what to make for LissyLou for her Red for Heart day which is on the 26th February. Some of us, like myself are helping Lissy by making or giving red items for her to sell on the day. This is a worthy cause, so if any of you are interested , then pop over to Lissy's blog and take a look! I was thinking that I may make something like this heart.  What do you think?

This week I have been busy creating. No, not creating havoc! Oh, ok then, maybe just a bit! First of all I made some curtains for my bedroom. I made them out of a sheet and used the lining from the old curtains. What do you think hey?

 

 

An open and shut case really!

I made some curtains for the living room last week, but they are not finished yet, so you are not allowed to see them yet!  They are actually up at the window.... unhemmed and unkempt, and may stay that way for quite some time, until I find the drive to finish them off!  Remind me not to attempt curtains for large windows again! I was worn out hoisting all of that material around!

Also this week, I picked up my knitting needles to attempt to knit myself a hat. Yes I know, I am not the most experienced knitter in the world, but I though, hey! Why not?  I rooted out some yarn which I have had since the year dot and found a pattern, and off I went, clickety clack, clickety clack all evening until I made this.....

 

So sorry about the model! I tryed to get one of the dogs to don my creation, but they weren't having any of it! Just ignore the bit underneath, avert your eyes people! Aghhhhhhh! Wrinkles! No, not wrinkles... lets call them laugh lines! I know, I know, I have done an awful lot of laughing! Hmmm, maybe a little too much!  I don't know why it surprised me that I can knit a hat, I did, after all, knit a tea cosy. Actually I could have used that pattern! If I kept the slits at each side for the handle and the spout,  I could have had my ears sticking out of the hat! Now then everybody... do you think it needs a bobble?

Before I say Ta ta for another week I must say thank you for two lovely sunshine awards from two wonderful bloggy friends! One of them is from the lovely Sharon at Bliss Knits. Thank you so much Sharon , you are so kind! Go and visit her, she has a wondeful blog.

 

 The other is from The Girl, who was worried on her blog, that I may mind her thinking of me as her blog Mum! I actually think that is lovely, and at least she doesn't think of me as her Blog Gran! Phew! Mind you after seeing the photo... well!  Please go and check out her blog, it really is well worth the visit!

I am hoping that all who visit will take the award and pop it onto your blogs. Many of the blogs I follow now have this award, but I wish them all to have it, as I love them all! I hate having to choose! I really don't like it, they are all so good, that is after all why I follow them. Also I have made a few lists lately about my loves and my happys too!

Finally, please go and look at these two blogs, Dolliedaydreams and My Passport to Style, they are both having a virtual Tea Dance fundraiser for Haiti aid. Get your dancing shoes on and head over to join in the fun!

Thank you for visiting me today at my humble blog! Until next week, have a happy weekend and enjoy whatever it is you are going to be doing!  It is my birthday on wednesday next week, so I shall tell you what I have been doing next week!

Love and hugs Suzie. xxx

Haiti, It could have been any one of us!!

Halo again!

No that wasn't a typo..... Yesterday morning I was sipping my warming early morning cup of tea, tucked up in my cosy bed, safe and sound, when on the radio I heard a man telling of a rescue he had carried out in Haiti, He heard a noise coming from underneath the rubble of people' s homes and lives, and he quickly set about digging and pulling the debris out of the way... he saw a hand of a woman reaching out to him, and he said when he grabbed hold of her hand it was like holding the hand of God.


A woman who has just been rescued from a collapsed building is smiling and joyful to be found alive!

In amongst the grief and the suffering comes a miracle to show us once again how precious the gift of life really is. It is a reminder of how we are all so vunerable and no one is ever promised an easy time of it. Those of us who are tucked safe and sound in countries which are not prone (yet) to natural disasters or severe poverty, or any kind of extreme hardship or suffering are truly very lucky to have been born in such a fortunate place. Any one of us could have been born elsewhere and could be right at this moment undergoing the emotional and physical agony which has befallen the people of Haiti.

So it cheers me greatly to know that there are living angels in this world of ours, people reaching out at times like these to help others in need. Hence my greeting to you all! I know that not enough is getting to Haiti, but still there are many people donating and trying in many ways to help. There are even tiny ways that can help, like on Ebay for instance, when making a payment at the moment there is an option to add £1 to your payment for Haiti. Ok! It doesn't seem much, and some may think well I can't give enough so it won't make any difference. But just imagine if everyone using Ebay added that £1 each, that would amount to quite a sizeable sum!

I have copied and pasted this from Theresa at Faerie Moon Creations, such a good idea for such a good cause!
"In case anyone is interested, there is a lovely group on etsy~http://www.etsy.com/shop/HeartsforHaiti~which is a collaborative of etsy sellers who have donated items to be sold with 100% of the funds going to Doctors without Borders. Over $10,000 has been raised so far! I posted about it recently:
http://faeriemooncreations.blogspot.com/2010/01/heart-for-haiti.html"

Can any of us imagine suddenly losing everything, relatives, homes, community?  The only slight understanding that I have of it, is from George's family's story. His parents came over during the war from Poland. But before they arrived here they had had to leave their homes, land,  possessions... just leave... families split up for ever. Georg'es Mum had to travel across Siberia, she watched her Mother and Sister starve to death, and her other Sister went to America. So who can even contemplate the plight of the poor souls in Haiti right now as I write this.

Yes, we can become very complacent when all seems to be ticking along nicely! People moan and complain about the most ridiculous things, like being stuck in a queue ( I think.. you are lucky to be able to stand in a queue! Look at the looting going on in Haiti!), at least they are not in a hospital waiting for some awful procedure! Can you imagine the terror of being buried in the rubble of a building?  It makes the plane being late a little trivial doesn't it? The times I have seen impatience and rudeness because people are in such a rush, no smiles for anyone, just grumpiness and unpleasantness. Thank goodness that there are many, many lovely, pleasant , kind and patient people out there too! The trouble is I am afraid to say, that many people now are just plain spoilt!  We in the west generally have everything  we need, sometimes to abundance... too much food, too many possessions, and yet people don't seem to be very happy about it do they?!

 I am a extremely lucky person! Yes, I know like many people  I have had many, many sadnesses in my life, (many I can't even bring myself to talk of),... but gosh I am darn lucky!  Do you know why? Because so far in my life, my home hasn't been destroyed in a natural disaster, I haven't been through a world war, or tortured, nor have I  been without food or water, clothes..... or love. I wasn't born in Haiti...but I could so easily have been.  If that isn't lucky, then I don't know what is!

Watch out for angels!  They don't always have wings.

Sorry, not a very cutesy post this week (except for that adorable kitten pic!),  but a post to reflect on my blessings and all those angels without any wings, wearing their halos and walking this earth. Can we have some more please!

Until next Friday lots of love and blessings to you all.

Suzie. xxx