The day before New Year's Eve 2012

Well it's almost the end of yet another year. I can't believe it's been 12 years since the Millennium! Time certainly does fly when you're having fun......and even when you're not!
This year has been a particularly bad one for family issues and fall outs so I am determined that 2013 is going to be as stress free as possible, and I'm going to make the most of the time I have left with my beloved Mum. Who knows what's around the corner at almost 79 years old? Although she beats me hands down in the fitness stakes! We went to town just before Christmas and she was practically running! I had to keep telling her to slow down because I couldn't for the life of me keep up with her. I am making her and my family my priority this next year and am determined no-one will use me when it suits them and drop me when it doesn't.....again! I have done more than enough for certain people only to have it thrown back in my face big time! Well no more....... It will be very hard to let go but I must and should have done a long time ago.
My New Year's resolutions are as above...........plus
To find a job and get myself out of the rut I've been in for the past 6 years.
To get a little bit fitter than I am.......
To be a better daughter, wife and mother than I already am.
To not be used and taken for granted by anyone again
To take Mum to visit family up and down the country
To have a mini holiday
To sort all the stuff out that I've hoarded for the past 57 years!
To try and get my sister back on track with her life
To never say a bad word about anyone again even if they pee me off big style
To take less photographs ( or at least delete the rubbish ones)
I will probably think of lots more so I'll come back later

STOP BITING MY NAILS!
Learn to paint

Oh and to add my voice to the campaign to save the old Hippodrome/ABC/Syndicate building  from being flattened and the site made into yet another car park!

Ciao for now x

A few photo's from yesterday

Rough Sea

 Old tram

 New tram

Yet more bird photo's!

I've been busy again today, knitting, taking pics and sorting the back bedroom out for Iolanda's stay (she's arriving tomorrow) Yay! :)
I made some fab fingerless gloves yesterday and decided to make another pair today. I've worked out that if I make a pair a day from now until Christmas I'll have 76 pairs to give away as Chrissy presents! Do I actually know that many people? I haven't actually taken a photo of the gloves yet......now there's a surprise!.....but I'll take some tomorrow. May even have another pair finished by then hehe.
I love that the birds are back. My garden's been so quiet for months I was beginning to think they'd never be back. I took some nice photo's of the starlings but no sign of the Tit family that came the other day :(

Nom Nom 

Look out....the rest are on their way!

The Eagle......sorry Starling!.....has landed ;)

"What you looking at?"

" Mama! Where are you?"

"I'm here baby bird" :)

"Kiss my botbotdingding!"

Aniello called me out to the garden this morning to look at a Skein of geese flying over (I thought it was a Gaggle of geese but apparently a Gaggle is a group of geese that aren't flying, hence the word Skein) You learn something new every day don't you? By the time I got downstairs and grabbed my camera they were way off but I still managed a shot of them (not one of my best but heyho)

And that's all folks ;)

Making stuff!

I've been busy the past few days sewing and knitting. My hands feel as if they're about to drop off. In fact last night I had to wear my wrist splint for the first time in ages because I overdid things. I want to do so many things, and it's hard when your mind is as active as ever but your body lets you down! Anyway, here are a few photo's of what I've been making.

First up is a case for my kindle. I love this licorice allsorts material that I found in Blacks in town. I actually made it a bit too big for my kindle but it's fine. I love it anyway :)

I've also been making  baby's comforter's. I think they're cute and I'm becoming slightly obsessed with making them! Just wish I had a baby to give one to :/

I'm going to have a go at making some heart and cube shaped comforters but need more materials now so a trip to Grace and Favour in Thornton is on the cards. They have some absolutely stunning materials and it's a gorgeous shop. Wish it was mine! Can't wait to see what new goodies they have in :)

I've been knitting leaves! A theatre company  http://www.lipservicetheatre.co.uk/ are putting on a play at the Grand Theatre in October called Inspector Norse. Parts of the set will be knitted and they asked for knitters to knit leaves and Icicles. I've made a few but am going to make more. I'll also be joining some more knitters at the Grand Theatre soon and we'll be knitting parts of the body! Wonder what I'll be making? Can't wait ;)

Lucia's new bag

A few months ago daughter number one came home with a bag knitting kit that she'd bought for £2 in a charity shop. She asked me if I'd knit it for her......as if I had much say in the matter! Anyway, it was a challenge I was up for so I knitted it. That part was easy peasy but the rest? One of the worst things for me is the making up of the garment, toy whatever it is I've had the pleasure of knitting. It's taken me ages as I kept getting it wrong. I wish now I'd taken my good friend Sylvia up on her offer of me doing the knitting and her sewing them up!
I hope Lucia actually uses the bag now that it's finished because if she doesn't it'll be the last thing I ever knit for her ;) 

Here are some photo's I've just taken. She's not seen it yet because she's taken her Nana out shopping. She's a good girl so she's well worth the hours and sweat I've put in to make her happy x

A grand day out!

Had a lovely day out with my old friend Sylvia today. We went to the Barn in Scorton for lunch , then took a trip to Barton Grange. On the way home we de-toured to Marsh Mill and called in a lovely shop there named Grace & Favour. I'd never seen it before and it was packed full of goodies. A feast for my eyes!

I'm going to be knitting a few of these because they're so cute and because I can!

I also just bought this knitting pattern to make a baby cocoon. Sylvia saw it on a Facebook page and thought I might like to have a go at one. Definitely! They're very cute.

I've just seen this too and think it's an amazing idea! A little matchbox suitcase to put sweets or a tiny gift in. I love them! Another project to get my teeth into ;)

The link to instructions on how to make them is here

And that's all folks! Off to the Lakes tomorrow for the week-end. Just a bit worried about the weather but whatever happens we'll enjoy it :) 

Yuku blog

I just decided to log in to my Yuku blog after I don't know how long and it made me sad to think about how many groups I've been in over the years and how they're not flourishing anymore. I was in so many tagging groups on the MSN boards and when they all closed a lot of people tried hard to make their groups on Yuku and other sites but they were never as popular again. I used to love to go into my groups to say hello and have a chat or make and receive tags. Also doing tutorials for making the tags. It was so much fun and makes me very nostalgic thinking about how great they all were. Just thought I'd have my say on here about it. I also always loved Myspace until I found Facebook ;) Myspace was the place that made me want to learn how to make tags because People used to post the most beautiful glittery tags on my page. That's what got me into searching for how to make them and how I found my groups. Happy days :)

Daniah and the girls will be on their way tomorrow :)

My beautiful niece Daniah and my great nieces Lina and Layan are flying in on Saturday from North Carolina. Can't wait to see them all. They're staying for a couple of months and we have some fun times to look forward to. It's been almost 2 years since we last saw them so they'll be looking so much more grown up now. Excited much! :)

The week-end

We had a wonderful time in the Lakes at the week-end courtesy of our lovely son Mario. Our Christmas present from him was a two night stay at the Keswick County House Hotel with breakfast and dinner on both days. Thank you so much baby it was just what the Doctor ordered!
On the drive up we de-toured up the Kirkstone Pass and stopped for refreshments at the Kirkstone Inn. It is the highest Inn in Cumbria and very quaint.

 The Kirkstone Inn 

When we arrived at the hotel we checked in, then had a little walk in the garden.

The Keswick Country House Hotel

A bit of Wordsworth (The Daffodils were in the garden of the hotel)

 After a little rest we decided to have a drive into Keswick town centre and have a wander around.

 It's such a lovely place and has very happy memories of a couple of holidays spent there with my best friend Linda and her hubby years ago.

The Moot Hall in Keswick

Shemara.....The guest house we stayed in years ago

 After our walk we drove down to the lake. It was just so peaceful and I took some nice photo's of the lake. Here's one of my favourite's ;)

Derwent water at sunset

I also love this one of a cheeky goose sticking his tongue out!

The photo's are here

FTW's video

My niece Waseela's best friend Kyle is in a boyband called FTW (which stands for For the Week-end) and their Love Shot video premiered on youtube this evening. I love it and I'm sure they're going to go far.....maybe even to the top! Good Luck lads you deserve it. Here is the video and I can't wait to see Kyle and Jake again. May have a long wait though ;) ♥

The lads did a twitcam just after the premier of their video and here it is ;)

Mario's birthday

Yesterday was my boy's 8th birthday although really he was 32. We had a nice meal at Nunzio's to mark the occasion. It's so scary to think it was 32 years ago that I brought him into this world. Where does the time go? I must say it's a very different world now than it was back then and not necessarily a better one!

Our story in the Gazette 29th February 1980!

Mario's birthday pics

Sad news about two Davids :(

When I arrived home after our meal I came online and read the very sad news that Davy Jones of the Monkees had passed away from a heart attack. I was so in love with him as a teenager as were most of the teenage girls back then I would think (and secretly maybe even a few teenage boys). That's one good thing about the world today..........people don't need to hide their sexuality the way they did back then although sadly some prejudice still exists. Anyway R.I.P. Davy. Gone far too soon :(

In yet more sad news on my boys special day I heard that PC David Rathband who was shot by evil Raoul Moat was found dead at his home after apparently commiting suicide. He tried so hard to carry on but I guess he'd just had enough of trying to cope with losing his sight, having to rely on others and the strain it put on his marriage and family life and also the flashbacks of that awful day. R.I.P David :(

Here is a link to the story 

It's St David's Day today so Happy St David's Day to all with Welsh heritage. My mum is a thoroughbred so that makes me half Welsh ;) How strange that two Davids passed away the day before St David's Day. Really makes you wonder doesn't it? :/

Here's a link if you want to know about St David 

Today the sun is shining and I'm going to go out for a nice little walk so enjoy your day everyone :) x