A productive day

Have you heard of guerilla gardening?



It's the anonymous gardening of public spaces.



It's quite established in London where guerilla gardeners meet at the dead of night and tidy and plant up an area of public land - maybe a roundabout or some waste land along a public footpath etc.



Well I am my church's guerilla gardener - lol!



Very occasionally, I turn up when the church is deserted & plant up some bedding and just smile when people wonder"whodunnnit?" !!



Today I planted tobacco plants, bizzie lizzies, marigolds, lobelia and dahlias. One pot is "for" my dad and has a plaque I made "But with God all things are possible" Matthew 19:26

It was hot and humid. The air hung heavy and silent. I was totally at peace with the world :)




Then I came home and planted up areas of my own garden and mowed the lawn.

I am still battling with Mount Washmore ........

And then I had to battle with an ants nest in the living room - yuck. Have killed 'em and cleaned up after 'em and tomorrow I must seal the hole that accommodated 'em. It's all go isn't it?

It has been incredibly hot.

Attempts to find voluntary work have not been altogether successful........... I thought folks would be crying out for help? Maybe I haven't yet approached the people God thinks I should
be helping ~ smile~

Hope you are all ok.
L.x.

Down came the rain and washed the spider out........

.......washed me out too - I just stood in it getting refreshingly soaked.

Not for too long though - it was thundering and lightenng too :)

Happy Monday :)

I have never known little ol' England be this hot - I am not a hot weather person but........ I'm loving it!


It's been a busy few days.


Welcoming an unexpected (gulp!) house guest............





I made some body wash cloths from Tina's wool gift and made some squares from it for my white & cream texture throw. Thanks again, Tina!





I also made a new cushion to go on the newly re-vamped Lloyd Loom ottoman (found in a skip/dumpster!)

I visited a charity shop and bought a new notebook in which I am going to make some notes on a new me..........






........... and a 50p yellow dish which now holds new soap in the downstairs loo - am planning a lemon toile make-over in there :)






I also visited a possible voluntary work post which I think I could do ok and enjoy!


And I decided to re-stock my old Etsy shop.


So busy, busy, hot, hot round here .......... & set to be busier & hotter :)

This was apparently written by a US lady, Regina Brett aged 90............

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the lessons life taught me.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
34. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come...
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Home again :)

Hello there!

We got home this morning; watered thirsty plants, did laundry and then had a nap this afternoon :)



Yesterday we had 8 hours of cruising to do to get back near the boat yard. Then an early start this morning to get the boat back by 9:30am. So a nap was welcome and did the trick !


I had a lovely welcome home from Tina at Cinnamon Whirls - thanks Tina! Lovely soft cotton wool with a nice lettercard too - don't you just love snail mail?





A library book that I had ordered had come......

(Sorry you can't look inside - I copied that by mistake !)




So there you go - you know what I'll be doing this weekend!!


My friend had her op brought forward and is now home and very cheery.


I've also caught up with my two older sons - both off on holiday this week too. What a coincidence; we all booked our hols independently but ended up going the same week. One was with friends in Tenerife, one rock climbing with his girlfriend in the Lake District. Can you imagine my worries - one of us on a 'plane, one up a mountain, and three of us in a boat - and I hate water, heights and flying - lol! I must be getting better at this "mommy letting go stuff".


Thank you for your lovely comments after the hols posts - sorry I couldn't respond I was on a timed internet connection and thought I'd be "cut off" - bit like when "the pips go" on a pay phone so you talk louder and faster - lol!


It's good to be home again.


Whilst we were in a tiny village store I picked up & bought a copy of the parish magazine - wow what that vicar wrote really "spoke" to me - answering questions I had been posing of myself which together with my holiday Bible study has shown me a way forward. So this afternoon I arranged a visit next Monday to our hospice's charity shop to look into becoming a volunteer.


It's strange (but comforting) how things work out :)


Love to all,
L.x.

Ship's log :day 3

Hello! Is this getting a bit boring? Do you feel like a dinner party guest who has to admire the hostess' millions of holiday snaps?!!
"And this is Aunt Muriels' brother's dog ..........." And you just nod, having lost the will.....!!





Before you can knit, read , relax or even drive the boat, come to that:)





........... you have to do this.....



......... the daily engine test - oil & coolant levels, any rubbish in propellor? any water in boat? and then you have to wind this thingy up which tightens your seals and stops water getting in (gulp!)
And then you're off!

Every boat that passes, the crew says hello. At every lock & mooring some-one stops to chat & they all help you out if you're stuck.

This is how life used to be & how it should be. The pace is slower, the community kinder.

Hope you are all ok.
L.x.

PS Ang we passed a boat today where the owners were drying laundry - Alex said, "oh dear Mrs Vicar's missing knickers - they should be warned" LOl!!

Life on the ocean wave...........

.......... has its ups and downs :)

I was not "All things bright and beautiful" at 7:30 am this morning when a barge went past us far too quickly and the boat was shoved around like a kiddies pooh stick model. It took a while for the swell (and my stomach!) to settle.



So we had an early breakfast & got going.



This was the view from my kitchen window as I washed up the breakfast dishes and made us another mug of tea whilst we cruised along.

This stretch of water is called the narrows - just one barge wide.

And then another boat came in the opposite direction and forced us into a passing bay - bit naughty as we are learners and he wasn't but we did it!!!!!

This is a bit scary too............

And the bridges are so so narrow. Steve says he wants a car sticker "I've bumped into every canal bridge in Shropshire"!!!!!

The scenery is very pretty - banks swathed in honeysuckle, flowering lily pads, draping willow offering dappled shade and then we were in the open with poppy fieds to ooh aah over.

Lunch was at Brewood (pronounced brood)

We sat with the crossword and took our time.

We managed the locks ok and then we had to fill the water system up for our washing, cooking etc. What a laugh that was as I hadn't a clue about the lingo "starboard side, bow etc etc " what?? Luckily the skipper & his mate (Alex) know what they're doing.

You know a golf handicap - well I am a boater's handicap :)

I can not believe we are doing this holiday - it is so lovely. Weather gorgeous.

See you tomorrow - broadband permitting.

(un)Able Seaman Lynn.

x

Ahoy there!

Hello!
This is where we are spending the night.

All I can hear is birdsong - Oh and Mr C singing!



Have unpacked & it all feels very homey. Have drunk loads of tea, bumped into loads of banks, seen loads of bird life and had supper at the pub and a walk.

The locks lesson was confusing to say the least and the test will be tomorrow after breakfast when we approach our first lock without Michael our mentor.

As soon as we dropped him off we crashed into the bank:)

Love to all,

See you tomorrow (batteries permitting)
L.x.

Messing about on the river

Well canal boat anyway :)



This is going to be our home for a few days - am excited and a wee bit scared. I have visions of us not tying the knot sufficiently................ losing our mooring................. It is being so optimistic that keeps me going - lol!!

My kind of maths

Some hand sewing whilst sitting next to hubby

plus

some Miss Marple (must be Joan Hickson)

equals

bliss (and some "new" towels for the "new"bathroom)

ie old towels edged in new fabric!

I love my kind of maths :)

I love bunting.......

........... but I never thought it would be such a bother to make.

Diet week 4

(piccy by Jennifer Brinley available on Allposters.com)

Week 4 of our diets and I lost a further 3lbs so I now total 12lbs lost!

Steve has lost 16lbs over the 4 weeks!!

I am finally learning self control which is great because when I used to read about the fruits of the spirit I used to groan when I got to that one :)

Thank you all for your kind comments.

L.x.

You'll laugh about this on your blog later....... perhaps, hopefully.

Well that's what I told myself :)

I decided to update the bathroom a little. I started by peeling the seal from around the bath - it took an age - it was welded on, underneath was yukky gunk and of course a HUGE gap.



I then realised that this was more than I could manage but I was at the point of no return. I was scared I might even swear :) So I decided to keep my mouth & mind fully engaged and sing a hymn or two - All things bright and beautiful, actually!

The seal was mouldy so I figured that anything was going to be an improvement and managed to re-seal all around the bath. It took another age.

Then I got rid of some mould around the window (I know, yuk - too much information) and re-painted the wall. I also re-sealed the window sill.

Anyway - after my hymn solo sing song I went to the garage for some tacks and found this "cross" ...............




........... as you know I have de-junked the garage & this wasn't in the tack drawer when I tidied. I didn't even know what it was but I just thought how strange to find it like this, out of the blue. Greg has since told me that it is a tool for his remote control car - which is kept in a separate trunk. "Well I think it's like a cross and I found it after I'd been praying that I be able to finish the job I'd started"

And finish I did. (Took me all day).

I put up a new window dressing (there's a blind behind it) collected some stuff from around the house and gave the room a Spring clean & de-clutter.

The ensuite ..................




.........now matches our bedroom.




With a new piece of free artwork from my fabric cupboard.



A picture frame that Daley was throwing away, retrieved and filled with scrapbook paper and fabric.




And new towels - a Christmas present from my Mother - in - law.




I used stuff I had from around the house, a little of yesterday's fabric and a tube of sealant - so decorating on a budget - with a hymn and answered prayer :)
Thank you , Lord.

"That's life and we get on with it"

I have to tell you, dear bloggy friend, that today has been a !"*&% kinda day.

Today was the day for my annual mammogram - just routine. Before I went my friend said "Oh I'll see you at the clinic - I'm getting my biopsy results but they've already told me really."

It was a shock as I didn't know she'd had tests. So I prayed all the long way there.

After my test I sat with her and her daughter. And yes, she does have cancer.

She is so brave "Oh well, that's life and we just get on with it, don't we?" she smiled.

I left her to go for a girly lunch and shopping trip with her daughter and then they are off to break the news to an elderly relative. I am seeing her again later.

Once I'd left them and no longer had to put on a brave face about how she has caught it early, wonderful treatments these days etc I just felt as heavy as lead.

Normally after my check up I always go to the local fabric store for a treat. My friend said "Enjoy your treat!" cos she knows that's where I go after hospital. I just wanted to come home but I didn't, I remembered what she'd said and "I got on with it" but the joy in my treasures found is somewhat lost but they will keep me busy ~smile~

The store had a half price sale on so I should have halved the budget I had set myself before entering the store but hey no - not today.

So if you have time to spare a prayer - I have a lovely friend who could do with a few right now.

L.x.

A scrumptious tea

I cooked fish in foil in the oven - a piece of haddock for each person.

When cooked I put a slice of ham on top, some sliced spring onion and some grated cheese and put it under the grill.

Served with new potatoes, salad and crusty bread - it was a dream & voted a keeper.

And a bowl of strawberries to dip into for pud as we all chatted.

Tomorrow is Alex's last exam and I am thrilled never mind him being thrilled lol! Poor boy has a throat infection - the dr has given meds and said to go back if needed for further tests for glandular fever. So that kid (ok young man - he towers over me, after all) is going to have plenty of TLC.

If he is ok we are going out for a meal tomorrow evening - all of our boys and one girlfriend to celebrate exams end for all of them and Father's Day -we won't all be together on Father's Day so gifts have been bought early and the table booked :)

I finally finished the new cushions for conservatory/garden the other day....

I managed to squeeze 4 out of the fabric and I have enough left for a small table runner - not bad for a fiver or so.

It says "My heart always comes home to you".

I've felt this immense feeling of gratitude that I am a housewife today. I'm always happy at home but today even more so, if that is possible :)

50's housewife and Tina at Cinnamon whirls (both on side bar) have posted lovely home-making posts today.

Hope you are all well and have had/are having a good day.

L.x.

Free wall art

I had three embroidery ring frames sitting unused in my sewing drawer so I clipped in some fabric and some paper to make free wall art.

Toile for our bathroom........



........and roses and china for the kitchen.

Thrifty skewers

I love the way skewers can make a little bit of meat look like a lot more.

Similarly they make expensive Summer fruits go that bit further.

Fruit skewers drizzled with white & milk chocolate............

To go with these, I mixed icecream that had vanilla pod/seeds in with apricot compote to make a yummy ice-cream that looked and tasted posh but was a fraction of the price.

I always liked this colourway on Greg's T shirt.



So when he decided it was to be recycled, I decided to do some recyling of my own...........




My new bag :)

Necessity is the mother of all invention?

Is that the saying or have I got it wrong?

Anyway, now money is tighter than in days of old I am trying to be inventive and resourceful but it's scary when it comes to water!

A tap wasn't working in our bathroom so I looked it up on the 'net and had a go. God bless all those men & women who give answers to DIY stuff on these websites - they are so generous with their time.

So I followed the instructions and voila ........a mended tap and a plumber's bill saved and it cost me nothing but my time and angst. I was so scared I'd flood the place - silly seeing as I had turned the water off - lol! (And I'd also said a prayer or four or more!!)

Diet news

It is the end of week 3 on our diet and the scales are moving in the right direction.


Steve has now lost a total of 13 lbs!

And I have lost 9lbs ......... which is good but not as good as my husband :(


"I must not covet my husband's weight loss, I must not covet my husband's weight loss, I must not covet my husband's weight loss.............................................."


It was so much easier when it was only my neighbour's donkey that I had to remember not to covet :)

A Kitchen Make-over

At lunch-time today I decided, on a whim, that a kitchen make-over was long overdue so out came ladders, paint & brushes.

The kitchen cupboards were battered and scratched with the paint peeling off - lovely eh?! I mean there's shabby chic and then there's just plain shabby and the only one distressed was me - lol!

So all the cupboards got a sanding down, a wash & a coat of white washable emulsion.

Many of the door knobs were broken/cracked. So I pondered what to do and then realised that they came apart.



So I covered the tatty centres with gingham.

I had a set of wooden knobs that came off a chest of drawers years ago but which I had saved. So they went on the drawer unit to blend with the work top & floor.

The exposed side of the wall cupboard had also seen better days so I covered it with my vintage advert collection which I laminated to make it wipe clean.

Really, we need a new kitchen. But when you think that, across the world, many women's "kitchen" is an open fire on dusty clay soil then I am very blessed and more than happy to "make do and mend"; especially as the cost of my make-over was £00000 - yeah my favourite price: free! All the stuff was left-overs and make-do's from other projects.

And Steve was pleased about that :)

All change!

I loved the new patio table cloth but it's not in use much - just a few fine summery days so..........




Ta da...............




It is now a cover up for my rusty old washing machine; the sight of which quite frankly depressed me. But it's still working (just, albeit noisily and the tumble drier bit has broken) and won't be replaced until it is completely broken. And I don't care so long as it's covered :)

This is the fabric that has been a duvet, a set of curtains, a patchwork quilt, a table cloth (for a fortnight) and now back to being a curtain.

Happy recycling!

Did you know you can oven bake risotto?

I didn't; so consequently I tend to steer clear of making it because you're just at the "add the liquid gradually whilst stirring" stage and the phone goes, the doorbell goes, or my mind goes and I start doing something else and the wretched thing starts drying out :)

Anyways last night I cooked an oven baked risotto and it was voted a keeper. I served it with a roasted mediterranean veg flat bread (home-made!)

Oven baked risotto (serves 5) About 500 cals per portion & about £1:20 per plate

11oz bacon - chopped
2 onions
1oz butter (I used low fat spread - I'm such a good girl !)
12oz risotto rice
5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 & 1/2 pint chicken stock
grated cheese - your choice how much! (I suppose I used 3 or 4 oz)

Heat oven to 200c
"Dry fry" bacon pieces til going golden, add onions & continue frying.
Add butter and when melted add the rice - make sure rice is coated with the butter. Add say a cup of the stock and "swoosh" it round the pan a bit :)
Add the tomatoes & the rest of the stock. Stir.
Transfer to a casserole with a tight lid and bake in the oven.
Recipe said for 18 minutes - yeah right - it took mine nearer the half hour.
When cooked - stir in your grated cheese and serve.

Yum!
I bet you all knew you could bake ris0tto, didn't you?
It's just me who didn't know, isn't it!!

Quiet time.

I have spent a lot of quiet time reading just lately.

At the moment, I am enjoying reading this...........




I like the way the Duggar family write about how prayer has been answered in their lives, problems they have faced and their description of their business life as well as their famously large family life.
The book reminds me in many ways of Laine's Letters.
I find both are, for me, the calm in a crazy world.

A sermon of flowers?

This rose is "rambling rector" and is happily taking over the gazebo.



Sweetly scented, it is a shame it flowers just the once. This is one sermon which is going to end all too soon - lol!!

Now I know I didn't ask you to send out a search party but.................

............ I have spent much of the week buried in here!

Digging my way out was not feasible so I had to tidy my way out.

It is now spookily tidy. There is an echo. I go in there and think I'm at the wrong address.

Everything is labelled...........

I even attached the tool hooks which had languished in their box for three years.........

Beneath all that junk there was a floor.

Two car loads of stuff - boot and back seat full - have been recycled.

And to stop it all happening again there are crates for recycling and charity shop donations.

I even have a workbench for my furniture painting/wood working etc.

I agree this is all utterly sad and just a wee bit OCD?

But OCD is nothing to be worried about - it just stands for "Organising Clutter Diligently" lol!!

De-cluttering the garage - honest!

What happened? It was nowhere near this bad when I started.

Me doing maths ? - must be love!

Over the weekend Alex was struggling with maths revision so I said I'd help - I know - me - doing maths - wotta laff!!

Anyhows my street cred has gone way up round here I can tell you - I may be rubbish at balancing the church accounts - sshh don't tell the vicar ;) but if you've a quadratic equation to factorise then I'm yer gal!!

I have to say I had no idea that I was factorising a quadratic equation but the computer programme kept saying we'd done it right so who are we to argue?

Now wouldn't you just know it - we spend 3 hours over the wretched things and they didn't come up on the exam paper - !"£$%^&*

Anyway Alex is relieved the exam is done - and so am I!

Oh & guess what - I had another light bulb moment over the weekend. I was feeling a bit stressed (funny that seeing as I was "doing" maths!) about some life stuff and thought to myself well you're just gonna have to pray about it and leave it with the Lord. And I did and then found myself where I always find myself when stressed.......... sniffing around in the pantry.

And then I thought - but I'm not hungry so why am I in here?

So I went out into the garden; weeded the strawberry pots, mulched them with shredded paper and fixed up the netting to protect them from the birds. Then I earthed up the potatoes. By then it was time to start cooking supper (lamb kofta - yum!)

This is a big big momentous occasion for me - I might just be done with comfort eating ????

Today I've done a big grocery shop, sorted out church bill payments and done laundry. This afternoon I shall be gardening, ironing and sewing new pillow slips.

Supper is cod & scampi with pepper & mushroom rice.

I have brought in a jug of scented flowers and foliage from the garden - philadelphus, lavender, rosemary and two different types of roses. The jug was a £ charity find - so an almost freebie bouquet and I feel as rich as the Queen!

Dress code today - floral & floaty, flip- floppy pink :)

Happy Monday!

L.x.