Not a well bunny!

Sadly been off work for the last 3 days with the dreaded lurgy and feeling pretty grim. Been coughing like a 100 cigs a day smoker and now started sneezing for England. I can't believe the amount of snot/phlegm/mucous I'm producing - especially when I do both together - it's like something from a horror movie! Can't see my self being able to return to work until next week and just glad I've got Pepsi and Max for company, who are being positively angelic, it's almost like they know I'm really poorly and taken the decision to not hassle me. Talking of whom, we got the good news yesterday that Max's biopsy results showed there was no cancer to be found in the lump they removed from his chest last week, and it was just a benign histiocytoma. So to get that news was a huge relief, as the alternative outcome was just too scary to contemplate!

New Invitation Cards

Got a lovely new Birthday Party Invitation Card in my Kaleidoscope Kreations store now, it's completely customisable so wording for dates, location etc., can all be changed to suit. It's in a stunning purple and gold color combination and would make a very striking statement for your own party.

Royal Purple & Gold Birthday Party Invitations by CharmaineZoe
Shop for invitations and announcements on Zazzle.com

Got a marauding Wren trashing the Hanging Basket!

Aargh! The wren is back with a vengeance, got home today to find a generous sprinkling of soil on the path below the hanging basket. I've seen him disappear under the foliage on at least 5 occasions tonight, he's a real cheeky little thing. Even tried putting some netting round the area he's most interested in - to no avail. He's so cute though, I have to admit to not trying too hard. I had a look on the internet to find they are quite prone to nesting in baskets, but I'm fairly sure it's too late for him to actually be nest building, just burrowing for insects - one burrow goes a good 6 inches into the middle of the basket! so I don't feel guilty chasing him off - but I have a feeling I'm fighting a losing battle :-)

A Great Idea for Conservatory or Sunroom Shading!

We've been sizzling here at between 28C & 30C for well over a week now, and although it's been lovely to get a Summer at all, and I don't suppose it can last for more than another week (not at these temperatures anyway)I can't say I'll be sorry to get somewhat cooler temperatures! Now I know that a lot of people around the world on reading this will laugh their socks off, but trust me when I say these temperatures are remarkable for the U.K., and we're just not used to them at all.

We recently moved house (one reason I haven't been blogging recently) and gained a lovely conservatory to sit in and enjoy the garden.

The thermometer has been showing 45C until I open the doors when we get home about 5pm. We are having to run two fans to keep cool, one is a large pedestal fan and the other is a smaller floor fan.

We have rigged up a couple of colourful sarees that I found on eBay to give us some shade. They shimmer with gold decoration and beadwork and are lovely either in the sunshine or by candlelight in the evening. We've just draped them from an expanding net rod at either end and over the center stantion. They are long enough that they fall almost to the floor at the back and I have made tiebacks from the sleeves of the matching blouses that sarees traditionally come with, and which were trimmed with the fancy ribbon fabric on the edge of the sarees. A great idea if you have a conservatory and need shading.

Celebrating my 60th!

Enjoying my 60th Birthday. Wow, I can't believe I'm saying that! Not so long ago that would have made me a pensioner, but now I have several more years to go. But at least I get free prescriptions now :-) I look on growing old as a privilege so many people never get to have and consider myself lucky to have reached this age with not too many trials and tribulations through the years and very lucky to have the love and companionship of my lovely Ian for the last 13 years. Looking forward to the next 20 years with joy and excitement :-)

Also looking forward to my super stepdaughter Caitlin, together with her lovely husband Dan and my absolutely amazing grandson Jonah, all coming for a special birthday lunch of roast leg of lamb, which Ian has been preparing all morning. Caiti is supplying the pudding, which I don't know what it is so that will be a nice surprise. ( I hope, she once made banoffee pudding which had to be dug out of the dish with a hammer & chisel!) Only joking :-)

I'm feeling very lazy today as really we should be doing a lot more packing today as it's only 4 weeks at the most until we move house. But frankly as today is not only my Birthday but Easter Day I'm determined to just relax and enjoy it, and not worry too much. Will just have to put in an extra effort in tomorrow as we're back at work on Tuesday! I can feel that old Tempus Fugit even as I write!!!!

Love this new 3 Ring Binder!

I've been busy working away creating some new stuff for my "Precious Things" Zazzle store and came up with this great Tropical Paradise design for a 3 ring Binder cover, It's based on an old vintage wallpaper catalogue cover from 1915 and I think it makes a great journal cover, although the wording on the front can be changed to anything depending on what it is used for.

Tropical Paradise Personaliseable 2" Ring Binder by preciousthings
Check out Personalise Binders online at zazzle

Adventures in Moving Land!

Sorry I haven't been very visible recently but I've been so busy with organising our house move (should be in about 5 weeks!) I've had no time to keep up with the blog for which I apologise (you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find somewhere that will take 2 dogs!), we had to get a full service done on the boiler (and then discovered it has a cracked valve that will need replacing!). Also arrange a new certificate from FENSA for the double glazing we had done when we first moved in and having to get the council surveyor out to sign off the building work we had done when we put in the new downstairs toilet - to name just a few of the things that have raised their ugly head before we can exchange next week. And I haven't even begun to pack It just seems never ending! But if we can get contracts exchanged next week we can complete at the end of April - or even sooner - which would really put the cat amongst the pigeons! We are looking at what seems a nice place on Saturday, so I'm hoping that will be OK and we can get it without too much trouble. If so I'll regale you with more of our exciting adventures in moving land.