Dear me..

Goodness it has been 5 months since I last wrote, it has been such a busy 5 months, I hope you are all well and happy and have had a very lovely Christmas.

We had Christmas here again, but this time my eldest son, who is a chef, cooked the Christmas lunch here for us…..9 of us, it was lovely and there are left overs, which means I don’t have to cook for a couple of days…he did a great job in my dodgy oven and dodgy hotplates.  Only parts of both work, so it is always a hit and miss to make sure food cooks on time and cooks without burning 😦  I am going to ask if the oven and hotplates can be replaced next year.

I have settled into this home and am very happy here, the landlord is great and slowly over the past 6 months has fixed or replaced things.  My work has expanded to 4 full days and next year for a while I will be working 4.5 days a week as the work share girl left just before Christmas and we may not replace her, it has loaded up my working days somewhat, although I don’t mind too much, makes the day more interesting and goes quick.

I have been crafting a bit when my eyes and tiredness allow, have done some embroidery, cross-stitch, knitting and crochet in the past few months….

A little dress and shoes to fit 3 month old.

A little cross stitch for the ever so lovely Cuckoo

Embroidery for my granddaughter for Christmas, she asked me months ago if I would make it for her.

We had a very girlie High Tea here a few months ago, with family and extended family, we had a lovely day chatting and laughing.  I went around all the charity shops for months prior and bought lots of vintage cups, saucers and matching plates, serviettes and table cloths, I had so much fun looking for them, the anticipation of finding something beautiful in every shop….

New Spring life, that little hole in the dirt was home to tiny little baby birds called Silvereyes, I could hear tiny teeny little cheeps, so sweet.

Two days before Christmas I received this lot of wonderful gifts from the ever so gorgeous Cuckoo such a generous girl is cuckoo.

I made the little Robin Red Breast button into a brooch and wore him Christmas day.

Hope you and all your loved ones are having a lovely Christmas break, much love from me xoxo

I’m back :)

Well what a journey I have had in the last few months, suffice to say I am so glad it is now behind me.

I have moved into a new home and it has not been the smoothest or cost efficient exercise, but was forced upon me by the landlady who decided to up and sell her home without notice to me.  I received a letter informing me that the property had changed agents and within two days I was rung to say it was on the market.  I was abused by the selling agent, I had people go into the house without my knowledge (I rang the police) I did not receive any written notification of anything that was happening, the garden I planted out was mostly ripped out by a gardener who just showed up one day when I was at work……it goes on and on.

I looked at many properties, all filthy dirty broken down heaps of CRAP, luckily the agents that managed the house prior got me the one I am in now, it is more expensive, my daughter is co tenant and is helping pay the extra.  I had to do a lot of cleaning of mould etc. but was cleaner than the ones I had looked at.  So here I am two and a half months later fairly settled into another house for two weeks now, still have a few boxes around as I need to buy some shelving or cupboards as the storage here is light on.

The photo’s are a bit dark as it was night when I took them.

Kitchen meals area, the sun pours in here in the mornings till just after lunch time, glorious.

Dining area which is now the reading room

Lounge room

Looking from meals to dining room which I am using as a reading area.

Paved area in front of back door from meals area

More of the paved area, will be lovely in summer

My lovely friend of over 30 years is turning 60 in a few days, we had an early celebration at a beautiful nursery garden/cafe, amazing garden

that was our view from the window and the food was delicious.

I am on borrowed internet thanks to the kids dad, he gave us his remote wireless ‘thingy’ as we don’t get hooked up till Monday..we have been two weeks without internet, I have lots to catch up on as I was busy looking, packing, working and generally stressing out over the past months, I lost 3 kilos in the process and the ones that know me know that I cannot afford to lose weight…I am liking my flatter stomach tho, now if only it would stay that way and the 3 kilos go elsewhere 🙂

Hope you are all fit and well, I will slowly catch up with you all, till then, take care and keep well xoxox

Gifts

We are having some lovely Autumn days at the moment, in the low to high 20’s, we have also had some good rain and so the ‘lawn’ has gone from burnt brown to mostly green again, everything looks a little brighter.

I received a gift on Friday from my lovely bloggy friend Cuckoo

Cuckoo is a very generous and thoughtful girl, I have got to know her a little from afar and I love how much she loves her family and friends and would do anything for them and I know they would do anything for her as well, I cannot wait to meet her, actually there are so many lovely UK ladies that I want to meet and have a cuppa with, if it includes a cream tea then I will surely be in heaven.

Four material and ribbon wrapped presents, what a lovely way to gift wrap.

Two packages of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino and Rowan Kidsilk Haze in greys and blues, so soft and warm, they will be knitted into Alice Caterpillar wrist warmers from the lovely Suzie

Some gorgeous heart and crystal ‘bunting’ and a Robin Redbreast mug.

There is a story behind these gifts, I have lusted after the mug for ages and couldn’t afford the  $45 – $50 for a mug, I searched on ebay and a few other sites and couldn’t find a cheaper one so I decided that it was not meant to be.  Deciding the yarn color combos was a big thing and lots of back and forth with Suzie.   Long and short of the story is…….cuckoo bought the yarn for me, and not just one color combo BUT two, oh my lord I was so surprised AND the very mug that I had given up as ever being mine and the gorgeous heart bunting.  I am unable to express just how grateful I am and how much I love everything, I just want to be able to give her the biggest warmest hug that is in me. It also makes me feel rather humble and teary.

I have to say the tea tastes so much nicer 🙂

A closer look at the yarn, so luscious, will be knitted as soon as I finish the two pairs of Edwin Cream wristwarmers (from Suzie)that I am knitting at the moment, one pair for me and one for mum.

And the bunting, it is hard to take a photo that is clear enough, it is gorgeous.

Us girls could teach the leaders of the world a thing or two about giving, sharing, mateship and love…all unconditional.

Hope the snow is thawing and the sun is getting more warmth in it for my lovely friends in the UK.

Melissa  thank you, I’m still here and reading your blog my friend, I don’t comment as much as I should/would like to tho’.

On that note I am off to do some more to the Edwin Creams

Lots of love to you all

xx Sandi xx

3 years

March was the anniversary of my first ever blog post 3 years ago, that time has flown, lots of lovely memories and friends have been made here and on Instagram, am so grateful to you all.

Can you believe it is the first of April today, it has been 4 months since Christmas, really! it feels like it was only yesterday that we were tucking into Christmas dinner with the family.  The weather has ‘turned’ and we have much cooler temps, down to high teens low twenties,  I am hoping the UK get some much needed sun and Spring weather as it has been bitterly cold for far too long.

I have been a little absent from here as I have been busy with my needles and have knitted up these….

Wristwarmers for my daughter

wristwarmers for my daughter in law, pattern from Suzie I am about to make two more pairs, one for me and one for mum for Mother’s Day.

  It was my daughter in laws birthday last Wednesday, we had a little family afternoon tea yesterday, Easter Sunday.

Little Lemon Cupcakes

I crocheted these little bunnies one for my grand-daughter (on the left) and one for her cousin, wrapped up with some eggs.  They were a lot of fun to make and were well received.

Received these lovely bits from the very lovely Colette

I met her on Instagram, she was showing a jar of caramel spread, well one thing led to another and over it came to Australia, along with a lovely little notebook, card and magazine.  Thank you so much Colette, so generous xx

Hope life is treating you all well.

Hugs Sandi xxxx

And still it continues………

I am talking about the heat….it is Autumn and we are having hot summer weather still, weeks of 30+ temps, unbelievable, just like the UK who are still having snow in Spring…crazy weather.

I have slowly been sewing up Janet Smith, it is slow going, but almost there

Not the best photo sorry, her dress is pale pink and white stripes, of course it isn’t finished and she hasn’t got any arms yet or a face, but she was impatient to try the dress on.

It is my grand daughters 6th birthday on Tuesday and we are going to have morning tea next Saturday morning at a cafe in a boat shed on the river, should be a beautiful day, so I have to have her ready for then.

Last Friday we finally got to have our Christmas breakup, we didn’t do it last year as we all attended the fathers funeral of our lovely Office Admin/PA (I do her work on Wed’s).  We had a bbq lunch at work which was lovely then went and played a couple of games of 10 pin bowling.  There was much laughter as some of us, including me, had only played once or twice before.  I actually got two strikes, I was so happy I did a little dance, then our lovely insurance man ran up and grabbed me and swung me up into the air, the second time he danced with me.  They are a fantastic group of people and we do tend to laugh a lot, makes for a very happy productive office.

I received this award haha!

I did receive an injury tho, my thumb nail broke off right down to where it joins the skin….ouch!!!!! I also sort of did the splits, very inelegant!  Lots of fun tho.

Have been out for dinner twice this week and worked one night and have worked 4 days so am happy that today is a public holiday and I don’t work Tuesdays so have 4 days off for r&r.

Ok, off to do more to Janet…see you!!

Keep safe and happy.

xxSxx

Edit:  here is Janet Smith finished…..am very happy, hope Belle likes it.