Tidying up...

The garden has been looking a bit scruffy, it's that time of year when the pots are past their best and we've lost the colour from the summer flowers.

So  a spot of gardening was in order, a bit of tidying up, replanting, bringing back some colour to our neglected patch.

Something to look at through the kitchen window...

A little burst of sunshine...

I love a bit of ivy, it seems to look nice with everything, and hasn't minded being moved around from one place to another.

The garden looks much nicer and I'm hoping we'll still get quite a bit of use out of it while the weather stays so mild.

Of course there has been some crochet happening too, also in the tidy up vein! Our dining room table is looking a bit shabby around the legs, courtesy of some wee doggies when they were younger, so I made it some socks!

 The scruffy bits have been hidden, mission accomplished!

Time for a rest... after sorting out the laundry. Washing machine and tumble dyer doors must be kept closed while not in use, and thoroughly checked for pussy kittens before using!

Don't they look cute curled up asleep together...

Take care
xxx

A Bit of Prep... Crochet

There are a few things I'd like to crochet for my loved ones this Christmas. I've bought a couple of presents and hidden them away and want to make a start on the creative side.

I've seen a lovely minion phone holder that will look nice on Imogen's bedside table (and be practical) and how could I resist making this cute Olaf from Disney's Frozen.

Unfortunately my Imo isn't quite as enamoured by Olaf as she would have been a few years ago, but luckily my son's girlfriend has a 5 year old daughter who thinks Disney princesses and all that goes with them are the most wonderful things ever.

I've checked with her mummy that she doesn't have one yet, and can't wait to give her a new friend at Christmas.

I'm pleased it didn't take me too long to crochet him up, the best time is when Mitzi is asleep

Otherwise I have to fight her for the yarn...

Take care
xxx

Bye Bye Kitties

10 weeks have passed since we had the 4 little kitties come and live with us, and now the last one has left. The mother disappeared again a couple of days ago, but we managed to find good homes for all her babies - it's the last time though, it was a big relief to get rid of the litter tray!

I thought the last one was the cutest, she was very much a people cat, enjoying lots of cuddles and strokes. I would have liked to keep her, but stayed strong - we already have too many animals!

I spent the last couple of evenings making a cover for the arm rest on our sofa. It's a large sofa and does get grubby arms from time to time, so it seemed like such a good idea. It's finished and sitting proudly on the armrest. Just need to make one for the other side now. Why is it never as much fun making a second version of something?

Here it is being tested out by the kittie before she left us.

Andy went to the council this afternoon and picked up the key for the new allotment. Hopefully the weather will improve enough soon so he can go and make a start. Still so much to do here though, still decluttering and tidying.... yes, that's how messy it was to begin with... sigh!

Take care
xxx

Pretty Things

Here are some pretty cupcakes to go on the pretty cake stand I found the other week. Imogen piped our initials on some of them with delicious chocolate buttercream...

even the wrappers are pretty!

Yesterday we made the most of the last drop of sunshine with a lovely walk around the park, I love our local park so much, it has everything and it makes me smile just to be there.

Imogen looking pretty with the daisies

about to do a handstand

Well today is the first day of summer and it has poured with rain all day. Oh well, the grass looks nice and green, and hopefully it won't last too long. Andy's told me about someone who's been predicting the weather all year very similar to 1976... the year of the sun!! If he is right, the change should start next week... who knows!

Meanwhile, kitties are wrecking the house!!

Doing some crochet maybe!

Take care
xxx

Rainy Day Reads

It's the afternoon , but I'm having to peer to see my keyboard as it's so dark in here. The sky is very dark and it's absolutely pouring down... sigh.

Luckily we did the outside jobs this morning when there was some blue up there! Cleaned out the chickens (smelly job mainly done by Andy, Imogen helped me throw in lots of nice, clean and dry straw), planted a couple of Azaleas outside the front of the house and sorted out rubbish for the tip. That means we can settle down now, warm and cosy indoors and read our new magazines.

The wonderful Mollie Makes for me (with The Princess and the Pea on the front cover, one of my favourite stories from when I was young) and  Girl magazine for Imogen with some freebie rings :)  Andy has a magazine subscription to Knowledge. It only comes every couple of months and he really looks forward to it (there's so much in it about so many different things), it arrived this morning so I've been hearing all sorts of snippets that he keeps reading out, from wearing bands on hats to keep horseflies away to spiders protecting us to a massive tropical style island that's been built within an abandoned airship hangar!

Yesterday we popped out for a bit of shop mooching, and I found this lovely glass cake stand.

It just looks a bit lonely, needs something delicious on top of it, like some fondant fancies or some yummy home made scones!

Oh, and a quick update on the wee kitties. 2 out of the 4 are eating well now One of them is the one Imogen is hoping to keep (the one with the most white on it).

She is the most adventurous and friendly, and very cute!

Take care
xxx

The Royal Jubilee Flotilla

It's a dreary day, fine rain has been falling nearly all day, but what a marvelous day it is! It's the Queen's diamond jubilee, todays celebration was the amazing sight of over a thousand boats on the Thames.

It was a wonderful sight, though some were less interested than others!

Here's a picture of the kitties today, looking very cute before leaving their box to wreak havoc...

Take care
xxx