So much for trying to keep up to date!

Yes yes I know, I said I was going to try and keep updated, but life has a nasty habit of creeping up on me unawares.

I have hardly done any stitching over the past couple of weeks, I just can't be bothered at the minute. I should really do some though as I have a couple of round robins to get finished and posted off. And one to start too! YIKES! I also have a HAED on the go and a photo chart for my friend Sue in Kent. Not to mention the Ozark SAL and a hardanger SAL too. Must try to catch up with everything.

It won't be next week though as we're off to Ayr for a few days with Mam and Dad. We're staying half board on a Haven caravan site, one of the Sun Specials from the newspaper. We've been on a couple of these before and they're usually quite good. I've never been to the west coast of Scotland before. Mam and Dad haven't been to Scotland since their honeymoon in Edinburgh eons ago.

At long last Dene has got a job. It's just an apprenticeship through the Chamber of Commerce, as a Business Administration Trainee, and the wages aren't all that good to start off with, but anything is better than being on the dole and at least he'll be getting some work experience and a bit more money than he gets now. The company where he'll be starting a week on Monday is on the next trading estate to where Kate works, so nice and handy for dropping them both off and picking them up when they finish.

I had my hair trimmed today. I'm trying to grow it and it was getting on my wick, so I toddled off to the hairdressers where she put it into some sort of style for me - it's my dragged through a hedge backwards look - and generally sorted it out. I then had to invest in a hair dryer and some mousse and hair spray, though I don't hold out much hope in being able to recreate what the expert did. I've also bought a hair dye to try and cover some of the grey. Just got to try and convince Kate she really really wants to do it for me.

Craig won some vouchers from Jet garages, £250 worth to spend in B&Q, Comet and Woolworths, so we've been to use some of them up today. Got the new hairdryer from Comet, then we went to B&Q where we spent another £125 worth on stuff - you know, man stuff - and the rest will probably get used on paint when we come back from holiday.

Easter Sunday

It's almost 8.30am and I'm the only one up in our house. The meat is in the oven and in about an hour I will wake the kids up as they are preparing lunch for us today. Mam and Dad are coming over and my brother Kevin will be here in time for tea, after he's finished work.

I tend not to bother much with Easter these days, although when the kids were little I always bought them some new clothes and chocolate (eggs are a huge waste of money!) but now that they're older I don't. Mam and Dad still usually buy them an egg each.

When I first got up this morning at 7.30am, the sun was shining, but it's gone a bit dull now and it looks more like it could rain - typical English spring weather. It's quite a bit cooler now too and I may have to shut the sitting room window again. Don't think I'll be hanging the washing out to dry today either. Bummer!

Visitors

Today I had a visit from Lynn from Shropshire. I met her on the Aion message board and we've chatted on MSN for a while too. Her Mam lives in South Shields so she's been up visiting her for most of the week. We arranged for her to come over here to use for the afternoon and I would take her to a couple of needlecraft shops.

Lynn and her daughters, Cindy and Janine, arrived at our house at about 11.30am, and after hugs hello we swapped over into my car and I drove us to Kate's Kloths. Lynn was in heaven in there, oohing and aahing over everything in sight. Can't say I blame her, it's a cool little shop, filled to the rafters with Kate's own hand dyed fabrics and threads...and that's just upstairs. Once we were finished in there, and Lynn had spent a suitable amount of money, we went along to Jayne's Attic. Again, Lynn thought she'd died and gone to heaven. She bought me a lovely Judy Dixon design called Gentle Touch. I've just been trying to find a picture of it but can't find one anywhere. After a glass of bubbly with Jayne and some other customers to celebrate Jayne winning a couple of awards in the recent Origin Publishing awards, we headed off to the Cherry Tree pub for something to eat, as Cindy and Janine were starving.

After returning home about an hour later, we had a bit of a natter and I showed Lynn some of my current projects. She was gobsmacked when I showed her my stash collection. LOL. Lynn and the girls left not long after that, once she'd chosen which two ORT bags she wanted to buy from me to. I've started making these to order, and have done quite well so far. I had a splurge over the last couple of days and made a whole load up, although only actually finished 6 of them. The rest have been machine stitched, but need finishing off by hand.

More Photos

I've found the missing photos that I was talking about in my last post. Knew they would be here somewhere...LOL.


Billie Piper, stitched for a friend of Kate's


Amazing Bugs - The Calico Cat


Grandparents stitched for my Mam


Hearts & Flowers - The Calico Cat


Buttons & Lace - The Calico Cat

It's Been A While...

It's been a while since my last post and lots has happened in that time. For one thing I passed my driving test and even managed to do it before my 40th birthday which was at the end of January. I had such a great birthday and received some wonderful presents...I've decided I'm going to be 40 every year from now on. LOL.

The stitching has been going well and I've had a few finishes so far this year. This picture of my grandparents was finished a tad too late for my Dad's Christmas present, but it's now framed and up on the wall.

This San Man Originals design was, as you can see, made up into a small cushion and I think I sent it as a gift to my friend Sue in Kent. It's a while ago now, but I haven't got it so I must have sent it to someone!

I have also finished a picture of my other set of grandparents but don't appear to have a photo of it on this PC. Or the other designs I've finished. Will post more pics when I get on the laptop downstairs later today.

I joined Weight Watchers in the middle of March and so far have lost 9lbs. I received my first Silver 7 on Monday night for losing 7lbs...I was really chuffed. It's been hard work but Craig is keeping me company on the diet and Kate is trying to lose some weight too. Mind you, I seem to be the only one who is losing anything!

Today I'm meeting an online stitching friend from Shropshire. Lynn is visiting her Mam in Shields (can't remember if it's South or North) and is coming over for the day. I'm taking her to Kate's Kloths first and then we're going to spend a couple of hours - and some money - in Jayne's Attic. Can't wait to meet her, she seems really nice and friendly.

Another friend, Kathy, who lives in North Somerset, is visiting us for a few days next month, and she is bringing her twin boys with her. They'll be 6 by then. We chat all the time on MSN and on the phone and she is a right laugh.

We're off on holiday to Ayr at the beginning of May with my parents. We're staying in a caravan park but will be half board for a change. It'll give Craig a rest from cooking and I've never been to Ayr.

I'm planning a road trip in the summer holidays to visit a few friends. I'm going by myself, which will be an adventure in itself, just me and the trusty Sat Nav. I'm starting off my visiting my good friend Sue in Kent. Hopefully she'll be all settled in her new house by then. After a week with Sue I'll be off to North Somerset to stay with Kathy for a week and finally I'll be having a week in Shropshire with Lynn. Can't wait!