Yeah, yeah. I know. You haven’t been anywhere have you? I’m the one who’s been missing these past few months. I have been around – mostly on Facebook as it happens. I love FB as *real* friendships have been refreshed and I’m nosey by nature anyway, so I enjoy the interaction with others.

Still, I’ve come out from hiding and I’m here. Is anyone still there?

As a family, we’ve had a pretty eventful few months which have been extremely emotional and hard to keep together at times. But all is okay now.

Life hasn’t all been hard as we’ve had fun along the way too.

My birthday has been and gone we celebrated with a Retro party ( a girly one) and it was fun.

I’m planting lots of home-grown goodness in my inner-city garden, crafting is coming out of ears and I can’t stop inhaling books on a regular basis. I just might get some writing done in between the parenting, helping out at school, gardening, crafting, decorating our now very large house, the domestic side of things and Facebook (of course!)

I’ve missed this bloggin’ thing and have lots more to share. Soon.

For some months I haven’t being able to craft – sew, scrapbook, knit or cook properly. Yes, I consider cooking to be a craft. My kitchen was at times, incognito, apart from opening the odd tin of beans, burning some toast or to set the microwave on fire with something I forgot about. I’m easily distracted!

My stash has been stashed away, shoved under armchairs, crammed in the odd cupboard or put somewhere that I forgot about entirely. Let’s not talk about the wasted minutes, hours, or even days, when I trailed around the house wearing my crafter’s angst expression, looking for those scissors that I must only use for fabric. Or that 12 X 12 paper which I must find because no other will do. All I can do is stare at some goodness and wish for the day to come so I can get crafty. The irritablity will surely wear off then? And I’ll sleep better surely? This may all seem quite dramatic but I assure you when a project is whirling around in our minds, we don’t sleep like a log cat.

You creative types will know what I’m talking about! Or maybe our loved ones will perhaps?  In our angst, we walk around the house wearing that forlorn look, just listen to that slight sigh in our breath, or the ever-so-quiet wailing. If they listen carefully, they can just about detect it! But our loved ones are used to it, so they sigh along with us, in sympathy. And just maybe, if your partner is like mine, he/she will tut-tut-tut and shake his/her head knowingly, in just the right places.

My time has come; I have been found. Or rather my stash has been gathered up, organised, stuffed put in its relevant slot/basket/tub. This was two days ago and I’m on the crafters edge. For various reasons, I haven’t been able to make a start.  But I’m all organised for goodness sake! Harry isn’t well and the outside world seems to want a huge slice of my time at the moment.

Tuesday, is a day I’ve set aside to create something.  As I look at my sketch pad, I know I have hundreds of ideas floating around or indeed, sketched.  However, I’m up early writing this post as Harry has been awake most of the night with earache, so it’s off to see the GP for us a little later. Poor Harry.

In the meantime, I’ll wail a little (only a little!), I won’t sigh too much and will take some evening primrose oil for the irritability. I promise.

I’m too picky for my own good. When it comes to home furnishings anyway. I agonise over the right style of dining table – too big, not big enough, can we accommodate the new table so we can pull it out for extra people? I lose sleep when it comes to choosing just the right shade of green paint. Or maybe I should stick to a shade of yellow? No…no…that would make the room too hot looking. But what about when the sun isn’t shining? I know, I’ll just buy a couple more sample pots to try. Please, don’t ask me if I prefer eggshell over a silk matt finish. I’ll lose yet another night’s sleep. Do you empathise with my agony? Do you feel my pain?

We converted a through lounge and a tiny little room into two good sized rooms – a fun family room which opens straight onto the garden and the other room where we can relax in in the evening. Makes sense right?

For two months, I’ve agonised over just the right sofa for our new family/dining/eat-and-be-merry/whatever-we-feel-like-doing-in-there room. This room is going to be for eating in, crafting in, doing homework in and just chilling during the day. I like it. It’s sunny, airy and very bright. So guess what sofa I chose? Yep, you’ve guessed it! A red one!

Just like this one:

I’ve trawled websites, shops, ebay and antique shops. It had to be right. We like to lounge while we read, listen to music and nap, so this one seemed right. It won’t show up the dirt like the last biscuit coloured one we had and easy to sponge down if it gets grubby. And, wait for it…a chenille fabric feel. Hmm. I had to have it delivered before Christmas so it was getting to be a close call. It’ll arrive real soon…

I agonised over just the right dining table and put my family through my self-inflicted torture.

‘Do you like this one, Joe?’ ‘What do you think, John?’ ‘Sara, couldn’t you just die for this colour?’  I’m pretty sure if I’d listened more closely to their answers, I would have blushed at the expletives in their replies . Ooops!

I did chose the just-right dining table after the same long-and-drawn-out decision making and it arrived last week. I like it! It’s just right.

For years, we made-do-and-mended and that’s all good but for the first time, I can pick and choose and I’m having a ball! Once the room is finished you can see it all for real. But for now, it’s a closely guarded secret. Well, not really but I don’t want to show the swishes of different coloured paint on the walls, the patchy samples of flooring or the piece-meal curtains while I decided on the right fabric.

Two windows, a whole floor to lay, four walls to paint and oh, I am undecided on just the right interior door!

And don’t mention table-lamps will you? Please?

Hello all,

Long time, no write. I got lost in the everyday stuff of life; birthdays, a holiday in Spain, some building work done to the house and oh, you know, just stuff.

Our summer didn’t stay summer-ish for long as the weather in the UK didn’t hold. Sadly, we never got to go in the pool again during the boys’ summer holidays. However, the boys started their new schools and I entered a new phase in my life with my youngest and last child gone all day.

Our building work that I mentioned in previous posts was delayed and we’re doing it all bit-by-bit. It’s much easier to chew and digest that way. For me at least.

Joe and Harry celebrated their 12th & 5th birthdays, and John celebrated his **th birthday.

We decided to take our first holiday abroad since before Harry was born in early October and it was needed. I looked forward to only having to think about what to wear and what to eat for the first time in a while. It was bliss. We booked a hotel on the PortAventura theme park near Salou. We had a lovely time just relaxing and because Halloween was coming up the theme of Halloween was rife. And I mean it was everywhere! But all good fun and the boys had a great time, making new friends. And so did we!

Oh, how I miss that blue sky! We came back rested and ready to face the rest of 2008 with some renewed energy.

Once back in England, we had a Halloween party to organise and the building work had to start. We managed to organise the party despite the building work. I hid everything behind cobwebs and a little imagination with Halloween decorations!

So, here we are in November! We haven’t celebrated 5th November yet but will on Saturday, at my cousin’s house. Apparently, we can use his new hot-tub too. The thought of that makes me go…brrrrr!

I’m in the crafting mood for scrapbooking, knitting, sewing and crafting for Christmas, but I have to wait as everything is packed away. I’ll manage somehow I’m sure. When the need is great…

Posted in Around The House ]]> http://northernaccent.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/holidays-and-birthdays/feed/ 4 Diane hol08-073 hol08-188 hol08-047 halloween08-0491 http://northernaccent.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/thrift-is-my-name/ http://northernaccent.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/thrift-is-my-name/#comments Sat, 09 Aug 2008 08:55:16 +0000 Diane http://northernaccent.wordpress.com/?p=434 ]]>

I often trawl the charity/thrift shops and car-boot sales on a regular basis. In fact, it’s an important part of my life. I don’t know whether it came about because my grandma was a great make-do-and-mend person and this was passed down to my Mum also. It must be in the blood. I remember my Mum darning my Dad’s socks for work, patching a pair of jeans and make me the odd skirt from a dress she no longer needed. My fondest memory (although I didn’t think so at the time!) was when I came home from work and found she’d made a favourite faux-suede top of mine into a lampshade!

In my twenties, my friend and I would hop on her Kawasaki motorbike, and trawl my hometown for all the well-hidden charity shops. And my, did we get some bargains! But it just wasn’t vogue/hip/correct or whatever the right word is. I was spotted hunting down the bargains in town by work friends and family and they thought it was weird. Why would I want to sift through mountains or other peoples’ cast offs when I can go to Chelsea Girl (a very trendy clothes shop in the 80’s)? I didn’t care.

Over the years, I would take off on my little moped – basket on the front and top-box on the back- and come back loaded down, thrilled with my treasures. Eventually, the more up and coming charities, caught on that they could make some serious money by making their shops more appealing and user friendly. The sniggering stopped then it joined in. I often see an old friend of mine in the very same shops that she would deride me for daring to enter. Ironic really! She laughs about it too.

Of course, when I became pregnant with my first boy this kind of shopping opened a whole new world for me. I get twitchy if I don’t go hunting at least once every couple of weeks for my bargains: books galore, fabric, clothes, shoes, bags, games for the boys and even furniture.

Although, these days I’ve learned not to bring any old junk home and only really shop for what I do love, need or use.

And so, I still shop. In fact, here’s my lot from a lucrative weekly haul. The light is really bad in this room where I had to take the photo, so I had to resort to using a flash.

• Tablecloth – 50p ( I think you can just see it)
• Linen flares – 1.00 (I’ve been looking for some that I *just* like for ages
• Shoes – £1.00
• Two t-shirts for Harry – £1.20 for both
• Salad stirrers – 10p – brand new and sealed
• Two photo frames -£1.50- for both
• Light pull – 30p
• Lonsdale zipped hoodie/sweat top – £1.00 – never worn
• Two pack of candles – £2.00 for both -some pebble shaped and some in little pot holders sealed.
• Combat trousers that actually fit -75p
• Through the Kitchen Window -A delightful book about the changing of the seasons around the home

Oh, and I did include some new fabric in this picture! I’m curtain and cushion making today.

One of the things I love about summer is all the reading I get to do. In winter, I love to curl up by the fire, cocooned in a blanket, and while away the dark evenings knitting, sewing and reading while sipping soothing, warm fruit/wine cocktails.

In summer, there’s no end to the choice of places to read; on a sandy beach after playing ball or crabbing with the boys, or in the garden at dusk with a chilled glass of white wine in my hand. Now and then, I sit on the front door-step reading whilst my youngest boy will play in the front garden. There’s nothing like it. Usually, I buy books in bulk and stock up with the ones I’ve had my eye on for ages. Love it.

As I was gathering my list of books I’ve read this summer and some I have yet to read, I thought I would share them with you.

• the creative family – How to Encourage Imagination and Nuture Family Connections by Amanda Blake Soule of the Soulemama blog. Lovely blog, written by a lovely person. I highly recommend the book if you have children, would love to establish rituals, traditions and encourage natural play. I often dip in and out of this book. Each time I reread Amanda’s book I feel as though it’s the first time I’ve read it!

• the home guide to CRAFT by Katherine Sorrell. I haven’t read this yet as I only bought it today, but it looks delicious if you’re the crafty type, and wish to have a go at lots of different creative projects you can use in the home

• If You Could See Me Now by CECELIA AHERN. I loved this summer read so much, that I read it lounging on the garden cushions whilst the boys swam in the pool – in one afternoon! If you’re always losing things around the house, then this book is for you! The full synopsis is on the Amazon website. Cecelia Ahern is my favourite novelist at the moment. I have read another three of her books.

• Wife in the North by JUDITH O’REILLY. Judith is a journalist by profession and her blog was spotted by someone in the know. She was offered a book deal. I believe she’s in the process of writing a second book. Judith aka Wifey, is sharp-witted, loaded with acidity for good measure. She’s a transplanted Londoner (though not by birth), tryin to cut it in the North.

• Anybody Out There? by MARIAN KEYES. I don’t know the blurb on this book as it was given to me. It came highly recommended.

• IF I WAS by MIDGE URE. I love this man! I liked him when he sang with Ultravox and we went to see him play and at a small, local venue last year. I took myself right back to the 80’s! Midge has taken the name of his book from a top selling single he had in the 90’s. I can’t wait to dive into this book!

• The Writer’s Journey -FROM INSPIRATION TO PUBLICATION by Julia McCutchen. Another one I haven’t read yet but so many people have recommended it, I just couldn’t resist. Julia is a lovely person and a great teacher.

• CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS CHANGE YOUR LIFE by Dr Wayne W. Dyer. I love Wayne Dyer’s books and audio CD’s. I am an avid listener of his on Hayhouse Radio. I’m looking forward to diving into this one.

• wannabe a writer? by jane wenham-jones. I’m half-way through reading this book. I like the down-to-earth and a no-nonsense approach on the craft of writing. Starting with; thinking about it, procrastinating, drinking tons of coffee and alcohol and facing the fact, a book just doesn’t write itself.

• Hip Tranquil Chick – A Guide to Life On and Off the Yoga Mat by Kimberley Wilson. This book does exactly what the blurb suggests. It truly is a guide to being a Hip Tranquil Chick. It’s a girly book through and through. Kimberley has a great podcast that I’m a huge fan of.

• natural superwoman - the survial guide for women who have too much to do. I haven’t read this one yet but I think the title says it all…!

My addiction to reading doesn’t stop there either as there are five library books to get through, and of course, I’ve read many more books through the past couple of months, which I haven’t listed here.

Of course, the summer reading list has to include magazines too!

And then came blogging…!

Imogen Howson writes because she can’t help herself. Her passion is apparent within her creative writing. Also, Immi talks passionately about the subject. So much so, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to conduct this interview with her!

In July, 2008, at the RNA conference, Immi was presented with a trophy: winner of the 2008 Elizabeth Goudge Award. Congratulations to Immi!

Her beautiful prose speaks for itself – as does her blog! You can visit Immi’s website at Imogen Howson.com

In Immi’s words:

‘Born with a near-pathological hatred of criticism or rejection, Imogen Howson took up fiction writing and found that this ensures she receives plenty of both.

Nevertheless, she continues to write—mostly so she can play with re-imagined fairy tales and myths. Her stories are populated by shape-shifting panthers, mutated teenagers, malevolent sentient shadows, and heroines with beautiful names.

Imogen lives near Sherwood Forest with her partner and two daughters. Fortunately, none of them seems disposed to reject her. Training them not to criticise is taking longer, but she feels confident of eventual success.’

I’m back in the blogging world much earlier than planned as the house renovations are postponed for a few more weeks until we untangle yet more red tape!

Are you enjoying your summer? We are soaking up every single moment without having ventured anywhere special.

After the headiness of the end of term; lots of activity in the way of open evenings, sports days, leaving parties and much more, I was ready for the school holidays. If only to turn off my early morning alarm for five weeks and three days. Heavenly. So far, summer hasn’t disappointed me. Mind you, it wasn’t looking so good for the first few days but we decided to think positive and unpacked the pool.

And the sunshine obliged and so did the boys.

As we go into the second week of the holidays we are relaxing more and more; pyjamas days, grabbing the garden cushions to sit out late at night and enjoying long drawn-out conversations. Home baked cookies and bottles of beer (for mum & dad!), help mellow the mood too!

I’ve let go of the Mother Guilt that I must keep them occupied or they may just get bored. Yay, for boredom! We haven’t lacked company either as we’ve had more than our fair share of visitors joining in our afternoon swimming, impromtu meals (mostly because I can’t be bothered to cook), and late night feasts in the garden. Bliss.

Today, the boys happily occupied themselves  while I got some work done and then we decided to have a picnic, rest for a while, and then dive in the pool before tea.

***Tomorrow, I will be posting a short interview I did via email, with a writer friend of mine. I’ve known Immi for about nine years and I’m delighted that she agreed to be interviewed!***

I’ve made the decision to stop blogging for a while. I only get online about once a week if I’m lucky and life is getting busier with the house renovations. I won’t have an online connection for about a month either.

Everything is fine and dandy, but real-life, so to speak, is taking over.

Have a great summer! I’ll see you in September, complete with pics of the finished house

I’ll keep in touch either through your blog or email…

take care,

Di

xxx

We had a good weekend at the caravan with lots of walking, thinking and enjoying. A relaxing time was had by all! Sometimes, that’s all it takes. Just being grounded for a little while.

A good friend, who thought I needed this, was right on the button.

Thank you!

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!

You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’ t
Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so
but, sadly, it’s true
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,
you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place…

…for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape
all that waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. there are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don’t.
Because, sometimes, they won’t.

I’m afraid that some times
you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win
’cause you’ll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul
On you will go
though your enemies prowl
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike
and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3 / 4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So…
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

*Dr Suess*