A Busy Week!

Sometimes life feels a little like a roller coaster - not just in terms of the ups and downs but also in terms of how time passes.  Do you know that feeling?  When at times life seems to trot along at a slow speed and you don't need to rush or plan to fit things in?  And then other times it's like you're suddenly rocketing down hill and time just seems to fly by - not because you're having fun but because there just aren't enough minutes in the day for all the commitments you have?

Well, that's been my story this past week.  Lots of rushing fast hobbling around; mainly to lots of different physical assessments by different teams within the local hospital.  Lots of tests, manipulation, questions... and so far not a lot of answers.  It seems there is something awry with my central nervous system too but those questions don't give a lot of answers - just more tests.  But we will keep calm and carry on in the typically British fashion!!




All this means there has been very little time at home this past week and I've missed my pottering time.  Milo has been slow to recover from having two teeth out (bless him) and we are all very much ready for the half term break this week!!










I was productive though in the little time I had last week.  Not a slow pottering of time - more a sprint to a finish.  A close friend was looking to recover her conservatory chair cushions - the rattan kind - and was struggling.  I offered to have a go and after an offer of payment and some "Oh no, I couldn't possibly" and "But I can't let you if you don't let me pay" type of conversation, we settled happily on a trade of time.  My time in doing her cushions and her time in looking after the children for one afternoon one weekend in the not too distant future!!  Win: Win.  I do love it when a plan comes together.  It did lead me to think down the whole money verses trading skills economy.  I do so like the idea of trading something personal rather than coin based!

So I set about making these cushions.  They took a while but that was largely because I hadn't used my sewing machine for an age and so was re-familiarising myself with that too.  The cushions came on a treat - the spotty fabric is from Dunelm and coordinates with her dining table oil cloth so I think they will look lovely.  I'm going to tackle the back cushion covers which are slightly larger the week after half term!

It was good fun actually and made me wonder why I'd neglected my faithful sewing machine for so long in favour of the crochet hook.

It also made me question why I procrastinate so!  I have two chairs of my own which I have previously recovered - ooh, some 5 years ago and which now are crying out for another cover.  Do I get round to doing it?  Hmmm.

Well, yes by the end of November I will have made new chair covers for the two armchairs in question - and have completed my chair mission for my friend.

Time will not get away from me.  Oh no, I shall invent some manner of controlling it so I actually manage to create something tangible.  Hopefully when I do see what I have managed to create, the idea of me eluding time will feel more real!

I won't be around in cyber world for the rest of this week but take care and we'll catch up soon,
J9 x

I am / I try to be / I am not

Thank you all for your kind words of encouragement and cyber hugs over the past month.  It has genuinely been helping knowing that some wonderful people in the world I've not physically met would take the time to show they care.

I don't have a lot to post about at present as the lack of camera is frustrating - soon to be resolved though.  I've seen both Jennifer from thistlebear and and Leanne from Today's Stuff do this and I enjoyed learning a little more about them individually in this way so I thought I'd join in.


I am

• a chronic chocoholic.  It is my 'go to' for all emotional traumas or celebrations.  I can always make up a reason!  Maltesers are my favourite (although it is not the lighter way to enjoy chocolate as there are LOTS of calories in them).  Or Dairy Milk.  Yum.  I will never be a size 10 again and I'm OK with that.
• a bit naive.  I'm in my mid thirties now and life is showing me that sadly the real world is a darker place than the little world of my childhood.  I aspire to shelter my own children from very many horrors in the world yet give them age appropriate awareness so that they are not vulnerable in later life.
• a hoarder.  It's true I have hoarding tendencies.  I can see a future project or a use in most things and have to manage my actions to prevent stuff entering my home - it's the reason I've gone cold turkey on charity shops.  Don't get me wrong I don't live in a house stacked high with rubbish but there is what many people would call clutter!
• concerned about Ebola.  I think this is a worldwide issue which fills me with worry.
• cooking a roast chicken with all the trimmings for tea tonight and an apple and blackberry crumble with custard for afters.  Yummy.

I try to be

• a patient, attentive, consistent and calm mother.  I don't want to rule as an autocrat or through fear but aim for my children to feel they can talk to me about anything.  
• a good wife and friend.  I am blessed with having some wonderful people in my life which is something I'm eternally grateful for.  
• a good listener.  I'm naturally an introvert and have quite a quiet personality.  I have a few close friends with great personality traits and I think if you asked them mine they would say that I'm a good listener.
• kind to myself.  Since my accident I tend to overcompensate for many of the things that I can no longer do and when I can't achieve what I aim for it leads to feelings of guilt which can be overwhelming.  I'm learning to be kinder to myself.
• organised.  I'm not a naturally organised person.  My lovely mother's idea of filing was to simply put things in a drawer.  Which drawer and where was never important until we needed to find something and it would lead to a frantic search and stress.  I'm trying to minimise all sources of stress I can influence and so gradually my home - room by room is being organised and everything is finding its home.  It's working!
• creative with our weekend times.  Time together as a family is so precious and I'm conscious that we make the most of this time.  In so doing I've perhaps over planned trips or family visits and we need some creative time at home to relax together and do the much loved simple things.  I'll try harder and keep evaluating that this is right for us.

I am not

• on top of the laundry.  Rainfall has been so heavy and so consistent this past week the laundry basket is full.  I'm waiting for dry weather to help dry it before it becomes a mountain.  We don't have a tumble dryer but I'm even beginning to consider putting the heating on to dry some on the radiators.  I'm trying not to as I can manage without the heating on at the moment and quite frankly the cost of energy is an issue!
• currently 'on plan'.  I've been a member of Slimming World since February and have very slowly lost 10lbs.  It's taking forever because I can't exercise much at present due to my health and when I feel in pain my resolve weakens!   I think I may have eaten that weight in ginger nut biscuits over the last few days!!!
• naturally tidy.  Chaos makes me stressed though - even when it's not on view but I'm trying hard to work on this trait.  I'm teaching myself but it's a process!
• a girly girl.  I was a National Park & Wildlife Trust Ranger post graduation and pre kids and have always lived in trousers etc with minimal makeup.  I had a part time job once in Monsoon and had to wear colourful dresses and was so uncomfortable!!  Over the last few years I've started wearing dresses during the summer as I've overcome my self consciousness and even wear a little foundation and mascara!!  But that's about it - ooh, I love a good pedicure though.
• enjoying being alone at home without my little dog Milo.  He's currently at the vets having his teeth cleaned!!  It feels very quiet here without my little shadow.  

This was quite fun to write so thank you for the inspiration.  Take care until next time,

J9 x

To Bee or not To Bee?

Way back in July, we experienced an exciting phenomenon of a swarm of bees actually 'swarming'.  The scale of this was such that we actually heard the bees swarming before we could see them.

We later learnt that this was a Prime swarm meaning that there was a good number of bees (upwards of 30000) present around the Queen bee.

I've seen three previous sets of bees swarming but none on this scale.  The Hubby was a bit freaked out - it being his first swarming event to witness.  It really is an impressive sight.  I was too busy watching to run and grab my camera so I missed catching the cloud of bees to illustrate but they did physically dominate the space at the front of two large detached houses, the whole main road and front gardens to the opposite houses.  An awesome sight to behold.

As we watched, the bees gradually settled on a tree opposite our house.  I know from previous experiences that once they've settled they aren't dangerous being heavy with honey and it was at this point I could get up close and photograph them in their banana shape around the Queen and a chosen branch of the tree.

I called up the local Bee Association and they sent a Bee Keeper out to me.  This was initially complicated by the American Brood Disease restriction being placed on the movement of swarms within 5km distances but the Bee Keeper had a contact that would mean they could relocate the swarm into a newly managed hive locally - fantastic!!

The process of getting the swarm into a collection chamber wasn't too technical - the keeper simply knocked the heavy swarm from the branch into the box hoping that he'd knocked the Queen into the box.  He then left the box at the foot of the tree for the remaining bees to move into - following the pheromone of the Queen.  Then it was a bit of a sit and wait - watching to see whether more bees moved into the box and whether indeed he'd been successful in collecting the Queen or not.

Once it was established we'd collected the Queen they returned at around 8 pm when the bees were less lively to move them to their new hive.  Essentially the slides were stretched with fresh bees wax and were literally dripping with bees - they were so large in number.

This whole event literally felt like a sign to me.  Not one week before I'd been sat with the Hubby talking about a Bucket List of experiences that we'd each like to achieve while we are still able.  His contained things like: parachute jump, run New York marathon, exotic travel etc.  Mine included: starting to sell handmade products at craft fairs, going to Yarndale and bee keeping.  Yes - I have a huge desire (and have done since childhood) to manage my own Hive.  Due to this swarm I made the connections to start my journey along this path. Indeed, if I had had the right equipment I could have started with this very swarm back in July!  

So, my pledge to myself is that I will allow myself the time, give myself the confidence to attend Bee Association meetings and start an apprenticeship so that I will bring about managing my own hive within the next two-three years.  

There.  A definite pledge to myself.  I don't often prioritise myself - we don't as mums do we?  But in this case myself with my Little Man (who is an avid bee lover) will be proactive in making this actually happen.  What a sight to witness so closely though.  The inspiring magic of nature.

Ooooo the excitement!  Hope you have some excitement - in whatever form - however diverse - wherever you are in the world!

J9 x

August

The summer holidays have passed in a happy blur of giggles and bouncing, Lego construction and picnicking, beaching and crafty creativity.  It has been a good holiday time for us - despite some challenges on the mobility front!

We cancelled our planned family trips to London and Cornwall and decided to take multiple day trips.  Much of the time it was the Littlie's and I - the Hubby's ruptured achilles required elevation above his heart for the majority of the day due to excessive swelling, but we jumbled along through our days in a largely content manner.

The first few days of the holiday were perhaps the most challenging - primarily managing multiple hospital appointments and understanding Hubby's new injury was difficult - plus the children took a couple of days to adjust to being together again 24 / 7!!  This happily settled down after the first 2 or 3 days and the children spent the remainder of the holidays being each others play pal.  This is always one of my favourite things to observe - they are usually each others best advocate and supporter and it does fill me with pride to hear the conversations they have and the games they create.

My camera malfunctioned during the holidays (much to my horror).  I only have a point and shoot camera but in my experience they just don't seem to last much beyond the warranty period.  I'm on my third model now and have loved my current one with it's WiFi connectivity (especially useful to transfer pictures for this blog) but am now researching new options.  I don't have a smart phone so that instant camera facility isn't available to me elsewhere!!!  Enough about this but I write this partly to justify the 'quality' of images!!  Memories captured none the less.  I also found myself being much more in the moment this holiday period; either part of the play with the children and trying to record the scenes to my physical memory rather than watching through a lens - which can sometimes be tempting.  I kept a handwritten journal throughout the holidays and whilst we stayed at home we did get out to a whole range of parks across the county (always with a picnic) and the weather was stunning for much of it!



We also had lots of water play.  Either in the paddling pool, Marine Lake, the sea or Water Parks.

The children had chore charts for the first time too - with daily jobs to complete in return for a little pocket money or a specific treat day (like Puxton Park).  This helped us balance the extra mess that happens in a family home and reduced the need for nagging!!

My Mum - 'Granny', came and stayed on a couple of occasions for a few days at a time which was a great help.  It meant adult company on days out for me and a doting player of board games for the kids.  I loved spending these relaxed times with her and the children - especially Little Lady are so appreciative of her time it is an equally rewarding relationship.

In short, August 2014 was a wonderful month.  It was challenging in many ways - yet these times do help you to appreciate the good - and gladly there were plenty of good moments.  We could have easily done with another couple of weeks of restorative rest and child filled fun this summer.  The children were still able to fill their days and not once complain of boredom.  Other than the first couple days of readjusting there were no kiddie cross words and the sunny days of summer were just that.  For once our English summer was full of sunshine; our days in Somerset were long and warm full of outdoor opportunity...and our little family was happy and content.

The achilles heel is now into its 7th week of healing so lets hope that September is Super too!

This post has been drafted awaiting photos for over a month and he is now about 12 weeks into recovery - hence the down turn of my own health during September is not reflected in this previously drafted post.  I liked the post as it read when I came back to it today as I was clearly still on the high of good times with the kids... reading it helped me to reconnect with those times and so with only this adjustment and the addition of photos it has stayed the same and I've hit publish.  What a difference a month can make!  Problems with my own camera has meant that sorting the photos for this post has been tricky - hence it now being October before my record of the summer is complete!!  Better late than never!

J9 x

Oddie - A Moshi Monster Birthday Cake

With the start of September came the ninth birthday of our firstborn.  Our gorgeous girl celebrated at home in the morning and then went to a friend's birthday party in the afternoon!!  It was a little strange for us grown ups to join someone else's birthday on her actual day but it was her choice to go and the kiddies had great fun!

Regular readers of this blog will know that birthdays in this household are celebrated with homemade cakes.  With the absence of her own party tea (food was eaten at her friend's party!) we had a small celebratory lunch completed by our traditional rendition of Happy Birthday and blowing out of candles.

Little Lady is an avid collector / fan of Moshi Monsters.  Lots of our play is centred around them whether it is pretend play or craft.  So the request for the birthday cake could only be one such character!  The Moshling of choice was Oddie (a donut shaped monster with big eyes and little legs).  Mmmm I thought, not too tricky... so ta dah!!

I made a double batch of sponge batter, divided it into two and added cocoa powder to one of the mixes.  When spooning it in I alternated the different batters and then smoothed it to create a 'marble' cake.  I didn't have a special tin with a hole in the middle so simply put an empty washed tin in the centre of a round tin and voila - it did the job tremendously!

Once covered with butter icing I simply mixed the colours of fondant icing and Oddie came to life quite quickly.  I was a little disappointed with his eyes as they cracked as they dried but the overall look was quite effective and Little Lady was delighted.  Add a little edible glitter and all was well with the world!

It was eaten ridiculously quickly and was much enjoyed!  Little Lady has a couple of friends over at the end of October to celebrate her special day - there's been so much ill health in this household we needed a few quiet weekends to restore some energy before and thus we hope to be thoroughly regenerated for her celebrations when they do eventually happen!

The cake hit the spot though!

J9 x