Another mixed bag......

More delay in adding to this, probably as each thing isn't newsy enough for its own post and not many photos to pad things out, but actually when I think back quite a bit has been going on.

Eventually cleared all the washing from before and during our holiday, haven't done much of the ironing though as I'm very good at finding alternative employment, even to the point of completely defrosting the freezer rather than plug the iron in, did need it though, and Daughter, O and R arrived just as I'd started that job so understandably it took longer as I kept stopping to chat.

My niece and her new man had an engagement party which was noisy disco fun with lots of dancing. Hubby and I took Daughter and O so just the one car. Unfortunately many family members couldn't make it but it was lovely seeing the ones that could. My brother took this opportunity to tell me that he was now separated from his wife, he said that they have now settled into an amicable friendship. The next day I messaged them both with my support.

Hubby has had lots of SERV (blood runners) charity meetings. He has also bought both a new car and a new bike

Well he is getting his pension now so guess it's another late mid-life crisis hahaha. 

After picking up the car we had a lovely run out to Southwold for some lunch. 

I've had another craft day at Acorn Village. Each time we attend we add just £2 each to the kitty tin and this time we saw what to donate it to as the recent Storm Doris had done some irreparable damage to the cover of their polytunnel, hopefully our donation will get them a little nearer replacing it. 

We've had all our usual social stuff, eating out with friends, hubby ten pin bowling and I'm filling up the diary with future meet ups with friends too. At this rate we will never catch up with all the tv we've recorded! 

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Lull before the storm......

Always lovely coming home however good the holiday and O made us this

Home by supper time Saturday and Hubby was out fundraising Sunday so I got everything unpacked and put away and all the laundry done, even did a bit of gardening as the grape vines grow frantically this time of year. 

Monday was going well until the kitchen totally flooded and it took us both nearly an hour to mop it all up. Seems the water purifying system we have was to blame and Hubby immediately turned that off and bypassed the water back to mains then phoned our maintenance man and left a message. Times like this I realise I wouldn't have known what to do so I'll need a full tutorial when it's all fixed. 

Thankfully after mopping and removing cupboard kickboards it has all dried well and not seeped under the flooring. I noted our mishap on facebook to get lots of sympathy as one should, Hubby is most determinedly not on facebook, so he got a couple of odd messages from friends who knew before he knew that they knew (did that make sense?) The maintenance man rang back when Hubby was out of course (swapping blood-runner bikes with his mate) and asked what the problem was and said he couldn't pop round just yet as he's in Tenerife! So with it all switched off and not a problem he'll come Wednesday next week. When Hubby came home and I was about to update him he already knew as his mate had seen that on facebook too hahaha.  Hubby also phoned the water board as the mains stopcock under the sink won't budge and they were coming Wednesday but didn't, Thursday but phoned to postpone till Friday but didn't then either! 

Also on Monday the gas people relaid our patio slabs and removed all the barriers from the patio and the drive revealing some ugly patches in the tarmac which Hubby seems quite happy with, I'm not happy! 

Meanwhile late Monday I heard from my niece that her teenage daughter had been rushed into hospital in the early hours that day which really worried me. We managed to get to the hospital (about 60 miles away) for a visit on Wednesday and thankfully antibiotics worked and blood tests fine and they were sent home Friday afternoon.....I say "they" as my niece stayed the whole time barely sleeping on the reclining chair beside the bed, so she is now unwell too from a stressful week. 

And today is quite a bit cooler and windier and wetter, but no actual storm (artistic licence in the title sorry). Hubby is out in this fundraising again so I'm heading to the kitchen now to make a large and warming cottage pie for him to come back to, he's spoilt eh? 

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#DOI.....

No not a twitter post but a whole day out for the Dancing on Ice Final Tour.
Hubby and I took R and E to the show five years ago and when it was announced that this would be the very last tour we asked if they wanted to do it again and they did. My niecesS&L were booking so we did it all together so we could sit together.

I've no photos, sorry, far too busy enjoying ourselves :-)
Hubby picked up the girls from home at midday, back here for lunch, set off just after 2pm and got to Wembley and our pre-paid yellow carpark just after 4pm. After a bit of a walk round the Designer Outlet Shopping Centre we went into Prezzo for dinner (my discount card effectively got the girls' pizzas for free).

As we were finishing we were swapping text with my nieces who had found a dodgy kebab shop to eat in. We all then met up in the Starbucks right by the Arena entrance, they had a friend with them so seven of us walking through the crowds to our seats struggling to keep together.

The show was really good of course.
The celebrity line up was Gareth Gates, Bonnie Langford, Suzanne Shaw, Beth Tweddle, Jo Pasquale, Kyran Bracken, Hayley Tamaddon and Ray Quinn of course as the untimate winner of the final TV series.
The judges were Robin, Karen and Nicky.
And Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean did all the comparing as well as a lot of skating.

Jo did a very funny performance of teaching us the basics and stripped down to pretty skating dress to show us what it's like for the girls. There was a beautiful dance by the professionals with the three girls wearing huge swan wings. Everyone performed a lot and so well.
The show ended with Jane and Chris performing their Bolero!

Very late home and all straight to bed happy :-)
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Another busy week....

Had a lovely evening meal out with my usual Tuesday friends on Tuesday of course, always good to catch up with gossip haha.

Wednesday morning hubby and I drove to friendsL&K's (hour and a half away) and after a quick coffee I went with friendL to meet the coach leaving the men with their plans of computer buying and installing and moving huge wooden sleepers in the garden. FriendL is an active member of her local WI group and had arranged a coach trip to the West End to see Blood Brothers. Just 16 of us piled into a small coach and were deposited near the Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road. FriendL had really kindly bought me a sandwich and bottle of water so along with others from the group we went into a little park area to sit and picnic in the sunshine (a bit chilly though). It seemed like community gardens with little paths and small areas where brick walls or large stones had been arranged for seating. We did get a couple of odd-bods walk directly into our semi-circle and start chatting but they didn't stay long and I don't think anyone felt too intimidated by them!

The show was brilliant. Marti Pellow (formerly of Wet Wet Wet) was a lead role as narrator and although I didn't actually recognise the other actors they were all brilliant. I laughed and cried!!!

We got back about 7pm(ish) and the four of us then went straight out to dinner. When we finally got back to their house to settle in the lounge we had all their cruise photos and our Florida photos to bore each other with.....then definitely ready for bed at midnight.

Thursday up not too early and lovely bacon sarnies for breakfast (thanks FriendK), then we bid our fond farewells around 10:30am(ish). On our way home Hubby and I stopped off at B&Qs to have our first look at kitchens - yes I've finally given in and letting him give ours a makeover!

Thursday evening was an art-group night. So nice to see a few more people there. I think there were 10 of us :o)  Then onto the truck stop for live music and a bit of dancing and a lot of chatting to friends. And Friday was our usual Daughter and children here for dinner day. E was doing a lot of sewing and made a full set of clothes for the rag doll she had made, clever girl in both design and execution. R spent a lot of the time sitting around not sure what she wanted to do. O was his usual cheeky self and Daughter and I cooked between us and pegged out washing and brought it back in again between us too.

Today is a relax day for me, recharging my energy levels because I've a full house again tomorrow with NieceL and her family along with Daughter and hers......off to do the shopping list now!
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