A thank you from me

I was so touched that so many of you took the time comment on my last post and I do apologise for sounding quite sorry for myself! Anyway as I said I have already given myself a good talking to and those teddies will soon be finished! Thank you so much for your support.

To give myself a project I have signed up to Pay It Forward Exchange. Anna had said she was going to do it so I jumped at the chance of getting a present from her, she is a lovely lady and I love everything she makes. So here it is:-

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week... LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.


One of my favourite bloggers is Sue over at vintagetovictorian I have just bought some of the Perle Cotons she has available. I asked for 10 colours I could use for embroidering roses and look what she sent me! I was so pleased - they are perfect for what I had in mind. Thank you Sue! Here they are together with a couple of very pretty plates I got yesterday.

I had a bit of a scary time today, as I have said my daughter goes to school in Tenbury Wells and after more torrential rain at midday there was a flash flood. There was literally a river raging down one side road into the main street where there was about 3ft of water. I managed to park up and walk all the way round to get her, but there were fire engines rescuing people and police everywhere. The amazing thing was that in the 45 minutes it took me to get her the whole thing had receded, just leaving people standing in shock and bewilderment. I feel so dreadfully sorry for the shopkeepers who were flooded out a couple of weeks ago and were just getting back on their feet. I've just seen it on the 10 o'clock news.

When I got home the rain had stopped so I went into the garden for a breather and snapped my Lucifer which is in full bloom, my black Geum and my greengages growing bigger - just look at that sky!

Rain

My hubby and younger daughter are doing a paper round at the moment - in torrential rain! and my eldest daughter has gone on a post A level camping trip with friends - probably in torrential rain. I cannot make up my mind whether this is stoic undefeated spirit - or just a tad stupid! I meanwhile am in the warm, at the computer with a cup of ovaltine - nice!

The last week has been dreadful. We are very fortunate to be free of flood risk at home, however I work and daughter goes to school in Tenbury Wells which was very badly hit and constantly on the TV along with the poor folks in Yorkshire. What utterly amazed me was the speed at which small, teeny tiny streams became raging torrents. We could not get into town and the school was closed and used as a refuge centre.

The atmosphere in the town was a bit surreal afterwards, people cleaning up after the waters had gone were all pulling together and jolly, but it was a bit quiet as well, like a morning after a really heavy night. The bridge was closed until it could be assessed so there was hardly any traffic, so the only noise was from the fire engines pumping out all the cellars in the high street.

And now there is torrential rain yet again.

In a small sunny break in the weather this week I went next door and harvested the lavender. The house is empty and the owner is ok about it but I still felt a bit 'naughty'. The bunches are now hanging in the conservatory and drying nicely.

Two of the shops to be stranded in the flood were my charity shops! The Sue Ryder is closed but the Hospice fared slightly better and was open for business yesterday - well I had to buy something didn't I? To show my support. A lovely bit of lace, two egg cups, a book, a pair of shoes and this little chap.

I must now get on with some housework so that this afternoon I can sit and sew - some faces I think are badly needed around here!

More Treasures

It's been a really busy week and I haven't had time to keep up with everyone, but I will endeavour to have a good read tonight. In the meantime thank you to those who commented on my last post, yes I am perfectly recovered, as for watching my op I do have a strong stomach - not alot can make me queasy thankfully.

No matter how busy I still find time for charity shops, these were my finds this week. The china brooches and necklace will be used for crafting, I won't copy but loved the photo frame that Niki showed recently. The little vase will be for WI 'flower of the month' and I couldn't resist the cross stitch hankies.

This adorable picture came from the Cats Protection League for £2! You can't tell here but it is really quite big.

A fortnight ago Ian took me to Worcester as a birthday treat i.e. an amble down the antique/junk shop street and lunch at a lovely little organic cafe. I did not spend all my birthday money but I did buy this - isn't it gorgeous?

The cloth I am using as a backcloth is my first ever cross stitch, done 21 years ago in my first year of marriage. Hubby being in the military was away alot in the first year, and I was a long way from home, so this kept my sanity. It has a heavy crocheted border too which I did during my lunch hours at work.

Now I was tidying up the garden, but the predicted Bank Holiday weather stopped me, I must get rid of the rubbish before a yellow patch appears on the lawn. I commented a couple of weeks ago that my Wisteria has never flowered - well it has now, a few feeble small blooms - lets hope it's better next year. Being rained off I shall try to spend some time this weekend clothing my rather naked ladies! Hope you are having an enjoyable/exciting/relaxing/content weekend, whichever is needed. I may hit the Ludlow Antique Fair tomorrow, or the Burgage Car Boot on Monday choices choices!

I love my local hospice charity shop. I must spend a fiver in there every week. This was a steal at £2.00 don't you think? Already up on the wall in the sitting room.

This cactus is indestructable! I'm sure it's the one that flowered at Christmas and now again it is a show. I thought they were either Christmas or Easter cacti. I had the brainwave of putting it on one of my glass cake stands to show the flowers off, I just hope no one knocks it off.

Our next 'dance out' is at Upton On Severn next Sunday and I have one more cord to plait on my trollen. I have to admit it is getting tedious now. Due to the success of our Market Hall appearence we have a slot on local radio tomorrow. I won't get to hear it because I will be driving to work, but the sound effects should be good - lots of bells and stomping!

I've also recently finished a jumper for my eldest, it is lovely wool called 'Click', and being on huge needles it was very quick to do. However being really stretchy and holey it was a s**** to sew up so cannot face knitting another for daughter number two. She will have to have something else.

With the left over wool I am attempting to crochet a beanie for my daughter, but I haven't got a pattern so don't know where this will end!

A Good Weekend

Well our first local dance out happened on Saturday. It was not very good as one of us (not me thank goodness!) had stage fright and completely blanked out on all the moves. However, inspite of that (or perhaps because of it) we had a lovely applause and a good laugh. I may get some photos later this week and if I feel very brave I shall post one. Our next appearance is next Sunday for a 70th birthday party and then the week after at Upton On Severn for a Morris Dancing Festival.


Sunday dawned damp and I nearly decided not to attend the first Car Boot here. But by 1.30pm it was a bit brighter and so off I went and very pleased I am that I did. I got a beautiful embroidered tablecloth which I will boil up and see what happens. Some paperweights to re-do, a sweet cottage picture (I offered a pound for this one but the lady said no, have it for 50p because the frame is tatty! Didn't need to be told twice!). I also got this little embroidered picture because she looked lonely in a box under a table. A lot of work went into this, does anyone know a 'U' who would appreciate it?


I came home to attend the tommy toes, yes they are growing in buckets this year. Gardeners Delight and Ailsa Craig, 9 in all. I haven't grown Ailsa Craig before so don't know what to expect from them. Finally, thought I would post a piccy of the local free range eggs, they are double yockers at the moment. The farmers wife keeps an honesty box at the farmgate, £1.70 per dozen, utterly yummy.

Decisions

I had a wonderful Easter break with visits to garden centres, farm shops and car boots - I managed to find time to get in the garden, and I finished painting my shelves as you can see.

I have had some time to think as well and I have decided that I must stop trying to be a superwoman and accept that I can no longer do as much as I could. Two years ago this May I had major surgery (and a dreadful few months). The energy has not come back as I had hoped it would, so somethings have got to give. I have reduced my working hours, (by changing my job) and I have come to the reluctant decision to give up my allotment and also grass over my vegetable garden at home. Hopefully one day I will feel better, who knows? In the meantime I must be kinder to myself rather than beat myself up about it all.

On a more cheerful note, here are two photos of all the things I have bought from my local hospice charity shop in the last month. I boiled the pillowcase which was very grubby and yellow, it came up snowy white but as you can see I had not ironed it yet! (20p), likewise I boiled the table cloth, it is so pretty (50p), a paperweight which I altered (50p), a lovely 'scoop' (what are they called??) for sweeping the table (£2). The picture was £2. I will take photos of this weekends car boot finds for the next post.

Saturday Pleasures

We went to Bridgnorth this afternoon which is always a pleasure. The church there has a funny top to the tower, it always makes me think of another church perched on top - can you see it?






After Cream Tea at the Museum of Childhood I picked up a tatty set of shelves to revamp for my lentil jars in the kitchen, and a little Easter postcard.





Curry for tea and then see what my evening has in store! Hope you are having a good weekend.