Lost a pound and gained a year!

Last week I thought I was turning 43 - turns out I was 'only' 42! 

Maths has never been my strong point but I was thrilled to find myself younger than I thought! 

Most bizarrely when I went for my annual eye test my eye sight had improved too...

what are the chances??

(apparently reasonably high - the lovely optician told me it was fairly common in one's 

'middle age'. Goodo)

 

Naturally my day was special as the boys all still love making cards and helping to wrap presents. Well, they love it for 5 minutes, leave Cleggy locked in the dining room for hours... then take all the glory during the grand opening!

Cleggy has earned himself the unenviable reputation of being a 'good wrapper of presents' (see here, here,  here and here and here for wrapping ideas!) and this year was no exception. It was an eclectic mix of print and charms finished with my new obsession - little vintage ceramic dolls called 'frozen charlottes'.
Apparently so called because Charlotte refused to wear a coat when going out in bad weather and froze...a lesson in vanity. 

(Little bit sinister)











 

We did of course manage to sneak off for a cheeky night away (thanks Granny) and drove further South into our own county (Cheshire) to part of the world we don't visit often enough. It's a very pretty part of England and has castles galore.

The weather was less than promising but who cares...a night away is a night away right?!







We stayed at The Cholmondeley Arms, a converted school with a separate B+B in the original Headmaster's house. 
 

I chose it for 2 reasons...the garden (complete with games) and the gin. 






The weather was SO grim we didn't even see the garden but the gin was brilliant. They have 130 different types and do a 'gintroduction' which is three very different varieties with a range of mixers and garnishes. I had no idea they would taste so different - lush!

Rubbish photos - had drunk a little too much already!

 

It's a great place to stay and the pub is lovely - 

good food and service too.

I share my birthday with Cleggy's Dad who turned 70 this year! 
As a surprise we all travelled to The Lakes to spend a day together.

The village was called Wasdale and it was 

THE most beautiful scenery.

 

We found a good spot for a picnic and a couple of hours of football, Frisbee (natch) and paddling in the stream.

 

 It was lovely to catch up with everyone - 

the boys love seeing their Edinburgh cousins....

  ...and Cleggy doesn't see nearly enough of his big brother.

 

We have made some big decisions recently 

(around swapping work for time!) 

and it was really good to discuss it with him and my sister-in-law Alice, who then posted me a book about 'finding time' (which I haven't had time to read yet - ha ha)

Thanks for organising us all Alice - you are a very special lady.

THEN, as if that wasn't enough excitement for one week we celebrated The Granny's 67th birthday with a family tea in the garden. I can't actually believe we had 2 sunny days in a row!

This time all the little local cousins came...Cleggy had made some dens and created some 'water exploration stations' 
(you can take the man out of teaching.....) and it was lovely to see them all playing together. My big boys even managed to part with their screens for the day!

 WHO in their right mind would give a hose to a 2 year old!!?

GB still loves bubbles...who doesn't?

My little brother and his wifey Janet

On the work front I've been back in the workshop for real for the first time in months. Unfortunately I haven't yet tidied it but I have found my desk...a good start.

Here are some of my recent makes:

crochet coasters for Teachers 

some 'words to live by' blocks

 Single blocks for teachers using Cath Kidston papers

 Christening blocks using Beatrix Potter images

 Lots of wedding blocks

  

A christening box

(I no longer make these :(  

The blanks and postage are just too expensive)

Some blocks for a little girl called Emily Brown, using images from an Emily Brown book!

and some new designs for the shop when it reopens next week

Lastly - the couch-to-5K run update. I am on run 11 and can't believe I'm still doing it. 

Any hopes of losing weight have been dashed by....THE SHEER AMOUNT of food and drink I've consumed over the last fortnight!  But I have lost ONE POUND!

The runs are now much harder (intervals of 5 minute runs) which I'm finding very challenging - but still kind of enjoying it and hoping to see some results in the reduction of my lardy arse in the near future. 

Thank you again for all the encouragement (and on Instagram) 

I'm glad I went public!!

fee x

Mirror Monday (again!)

So this time last year I took a photo of my fat face to link up with my blogging friend Roos, who does this every single Monday. Today she is celebrating 100 'Mirror Mondays' 

but also the journey of the last 12 months. 

Despite everything she is still strong, still sane, still funny and still chic!

And despite being faced with just about every bug going her man Kenji is here too. I'm not sure how sane or how chic or even how!

It's a good time for reflection this Monday morning thing - and thinking back over the last 12 months you (probably) know I have so much to be grateful for. 

SO much.

Between last years photo and this, a little friend lost her battle with cancer and died at home with her family around her. 

Lydia was an absolute inspiration - and so are her parents and big brother who, despite unimaginable grief, have shown us all what it is to celebrate someone's life, no matter how short.

Roos, and Cheryl, you are an inspiration to me. 

fee x

Big Fat Round Up

Ok, I know we've kind of half celebrated this before 

but this week we had emotional and physical closure as Kenzie's ear drum was finally fixed and he was given the big heave ho by Royal Manchester Children's hospital. 

(sorry - I know I've already said this on Instagram - fast forward to GB's birthday if it's dull but I need this for my blog diary!)

It's really bizarre that all those years ago (when he was 2) during a routine operation to remove what they thought was a polyp from his left ear, lots and lots of tumours were found in Kenzie's skull. Many years after he finished treatment 

(he was discharged from Oncology last year) 

the only thing that seemingly refused to be fixed was a hole in that very ear...the one the polyp (that wasn't a polyp) grew out of.

The operation I blogged about (here) last year was a partial success in that it was 90% closed - but there was still a hole. This meant there would be a high chance of recurring infection if he ever got even the tiniest bit of water in it.

 We were advised that there was little chance of it ever being fully fixed - but a chance meeting with the main ENT man changed that.

He completely understood why Kenzie would want his ear fixed - 

and said 

'why, I'll do it myself'.

And he did. And it worked.

(it involved an operation...he didn't just fix it in the corridor!)

Then he discharged us. For good.

Whoooop!

And that's that. And I don't think we can say often enough how fortunate we are.

us out celebtrating...on a school night!

Amongst other things that have happened recently - 

our littlest boy had his 9th Birthday.

Birthday breakfast..."any 9!"

Geordie Boy is addicted to MineCraft so it was a 

no brainer for the cake:

pre printed icing sheet from Ebay

 He chose the cinema and sleepover with his mates - 

so was all partied out the next day!

 I saw a great book on Yvestown IG recently which made me smile - especially as I have recently met another local blogger Victoria (yarnaroundhook). It's a funny thing meeting someone you've 'spoken' to for a couple of years - and as expected we found we had plenty in common, not just mutual frustration with the Manchester weather and a love of complicated crochet!

I love how blogging allows you to 'meet' people from all over the world who share something in common (be it crochet, love of food, a sick sense of humour, a cancer journey, crazy genes, love of photography...) but it's even better when you meet them in real life.

(you know we're going to Australia/NZ next summer - 

you ladies better be in!!!)

Anyway, Victoria and I took tea and cake (OK, only I had cake...) at a lovely little teashop called The Teahive in Chorlton. Must do it again soon new real life pal!

Cleggy and I had a cheeky night in Belfast. 

(to be fair Cleggy was working)

We only had 24 hours but man we managed to fit in a whole lot of eating and drinking!!!

We started at Mourne Seafood

I was glad I'd done my research cos it doesn't look much from the outside - but fantastic food and service inside.

seafood chowder....Mmmmmm

We stayed at The Merchant, which is a beautiful building, previously the headquarters of The Ulster Bank.

It was BEAUtiful. Don't get me wrong - I appreciate the sleek lines of a sharp modern building as much as the next girl - but I love when the fabrics are sumptuous pink and orange, the mirrors large and gilt, the artwork paintings of real women 

with their knockers out!! 

(my boys would LOVE this hotel)

 Our room was a rich mix of taupe and orange  - not a colour combo I normally like but it worked here

 and with wonderful attention to detail

 It had perfect magazines

and the sort of turn down service that included a weather forecast and a quote of the day!

 

The public areas were dark and quirky - with original art work galore

We ate in the restaurant - possibly one of the most ornate rooms I've ever been in

 

 check out these toilets:

 ...but we didn't eat much because we couldn't WAIT to get back to the cocktails!!

The cocktail list was immense - and the cocktail waiters amusing and very slick. I could have watched them all night 

(ooops, I did!).

I bloody love a cocktail, and am not proud to say there's not much on the menu I wouldn't drink! Cleggy on the other hand is very discerning - and managed to find a couple to his liking. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.






 
The next day Cleggy went to work, then we went a trip to St George's market - on recommendation of a blogging and IG friend (DMAC76) who lives just outside Belfast (we almost met up - but my lack of organisation meant we missed each other...next year!)

It was fab - loads to browse, live music and a food opportunity (well, it was food from all over the world -rude not to)

THEN, unbelievably, we managed to squeeze in afternoon tea 

back at the hotel! 

And I'm so glad we did - it was special.

We went for the selection of cakes 

rather than traditional cream scone.

and look at this - a choux pastry swan! brilliant.

Back at home it's work work work.
We have been running our own series of ABC Does conferences

(Cleggy's Early Years Education consultancy business)

The first day was in Manchester - at a fab venue called thestudio. It was such a fun building - with great views across the city.

It's been fun meeting lots of the lovely people who follow Cleggy's blog and share his passion for teaching.

In stark contrast....my own work has taken a back set of late. Partly because we've been too busy with the above - and partly because my workshop LOOKS LIKE THIS:

 Yes, I am ashamed. But nowhere nearer having the time to clean it.

But I have managed to make some commissions! Here are some of them:

Run update: I have stuck to the program (couch to 5K) despite 
a) hideous weather
b) a tummy bug 
c) being nipped by a small West Highland Terrior!!! 

What? who gets nipped by such a small cute dog? I felt slightly better when another dog walker told me he was a 'devil dog' (!) who bites all the runners. RUNNERS! ME!! he he.

I haven't lost single pound in weight - but then if you've just read the above you'll know why!!  

THANK YOU for all the encouragement and advice after my last post. I replied to everyone that I could - but you know if you are a 'no reply blogger' it can be impossible to get back in touch? I didn't realise that until recently - and have thought I have sent messages to loads of people who will never have received them (doh)
 
I think that's covered all areas of life - apart from a couple of photos from the garden. The apple blossom only lasted a week or so (before being battered by rain and wind)  but looked and smelled divine. fee x