Time for tea ~ January 2014 x

Hello and welcome to the first edition of Abi's monthly meme where we invite our blogfriends around for a lovely beverage and some chat.

Do come in, if it's anything like the rest of the month it's probably raining and you could do with warming up and drying off. Here's a lovely soft towel to dry yourself off, do sit down and relax while I put the kettle on. Would you like tea, we have all sorts: Redbush, Normal PG, Earl Grey and some herbal choices? Can I offer you some fruitcake? Sadly that is the main offering as my dad brought me over several as I fancied some when he came over to visit. Let's sit down and get warm, and have a catchup.

I do hope you are enjoying the new year and have made some goals for this year, nothing too heavy I hope. I have set myself a few goals myself some personal and others professional:

• I would really like to get fit this year and lose some weight, this is very hard for me because I am not sporty at all and I find it tremendously difficult to lose large amounts of weight because the drugs I take make you gain weight annyway but I really do want to make a concerted effort this year,
• I need to rethink my career prospects as I am still off sick and unsure where I belong. I am trying hard to think carefully about my options and whether I should give up nursing completely,
• I have signed up for some crafting classes online, primarily scrapbooking, but I really would like to get into quilting properly and make something for my home, I am going to be doing One Little word this year and my word is REBUILD. Have you made any crafting or other activity class choices?
• I really want to get going with Project Life and I am going to share my work with you,

What sorts of goals have you set yourself?

So this months crafting has included making wedding anniversary invites for this young and attractive couple.

Yes that is my parents Gary and Liz in March 1964 getting married and don't they look amazingly young and slim. My mother keeps saying that she wishes she were still as slim. Apparently she had a 20 inch waist. Personally I have never had one of those and when you look at her wedding dress, as she still has it, it is very tiny. We bought the supplies to make the invites in April last year but the parents have taken until now to decide what they wanted to do to celebrate and where so it's been a little fraught. Anyway, the cards are simple squares with scalloped edges and I printed out the photograph at 3 x 4 approximately then mounted them on gold mirror card. I then made the inserts for the invites on Word, printed them and stuck them in and added some gold ribbon. My parent's liked them so off they went and I am compiling the attendees list using my new Spreadsheet skills.

I spent a few hours in hospital last week having a procedure for which my sister, her boyfriend and cat sent me these beautiful spring flowers. Aren't they beautiful? They smell more lovely each day and are opening out nicely so give my flat a lovely look. Do you like flowers? I do love receiving them myself especially lilies.

Here is my photo of my poor hand with my cannula in ready for my anaesthetic, nurses and doctors do look at you funny when the camera comes out in hospital. I have terrible veins but thankfully it only took two goes to get in and I went under anaesthetic watching the sunrise over Bristol. How amazing.

My amazing friend Ronnie sent me my Friend Movement mug which is getting alot of use for tea drinking in general and is the perfect size for a good drink. It arrived I day I came home form my parents and is being used everyday. I love that a little piece of Hollywood is sitting in my home and that everytime I use it, I think of my wonderful friend and all the plans for Friend Movement this year. I will keep you posted. There is some crafting activity linked to Friend Movement going in my shhhhhhhh he doesn't know that. Secret squirrels.

This year has already seen the return, and sadly very brief stay of Sherlock. I love this programme and wish they did more than 3 episodes but hey, it was so great to watch the boys solving crimes and being slightly barmy. Alot of the filming was done in Bristol behind my sister's office, I was most miffed they didn't get to meet the stars but maybe next time. What programmes are you loving at the moment I wonder. I am looking forward to some new and old favourites coming back

I have again set myself a reading challenge of 60 books this year. I am aiming to read more diversely but my current book pile is mostly crime, I'm sorry. I am excitedly awaiting the publication of this book by one of my favourite authors Jay Bell at the end of this week. It is the fourth novel in the series and sadly, the final one. The books begin with Summer, then Winter and Autumn. The stories all include the same key characters, Ben and Tim who met at High School, fell in love but parted for many years, moved on with their lives and were then thrust back together as adults. Each book is written from a different perspective each time so you see the story from a different point of view. This final book will introduce a new character completely but Jay has promised that our heroes Ben and Tim will be in it somewhere.

Do you have any books you're anxiously awaiting publication? I wonder whether we love the same authors or if you could give me tips on new ones to try?

I feel about now it's times for another drink and perhaps some lunch, How about a lovely warm bowl of soup, Broccoli and Stilton or Thai Curry? All with some warm crusty bread.

Photography wise, we are ever so slightly obsessed with sunsets and we've had some beautiful ones recently.

This one was on the way home from hospital but was too good to miss as a passenger. Aren't the colours incredible.

 There are also strange things going on in my local supermarket car park. I feel they need to address the issue of their chickens having to be brought in on foot, heehee

They keep escaping from the farm next door and love scratching in the flower beds outside the supermarket.

I'm now back at school again completing my European Computer Driving licence. I have passed the course components in Word processing and PowerPoint and am now onto Spreadsheets, which are the spawn of the devil in some moments. I end up pulling my hair out some times when I don't understand what it is going on about. There are Maths problems to solve, yuck I hated Maths. Never mind though we're making progress.

I go to this cool old Victorian building which has beautiful old windows and stone masonry.

Oooh it's getting a bit darker outside, we've talked for ages. I think maybe it's time you drove home before it gets too late. I would hate for you to drive in the dark. We will say goodbye and I will wave you off with the hope of seeing you again next month more tea and chat.

Everything stops for tea x

Good day blogland and welcome to another edition of Abi's meme where we invite our blogfriend in for a lovely cuppa and a chat.

So this month has been full of interesting activities, well I think they are, and new adventures. So come right in, sit yourself down on the sofa and I'll put the kettle on and bring out the cake. I think we'll have coffee and walnut today, what do you like?  I'll cut you a lovely big piece so you can recover from the journey and give you a fork as it is usually rather moist.

I will ask how your journey was and perhaps what you might have seen on the way. I would ask about the colours as I love autumnal shades and the trees are certainly looking lovely although many of them are already losing their leaves.

As it is half-term I would ask if you have any plans with your family for days out or activities. It is always fun to do things and I remember many fun activities from my childhood holidays which include blackberry picking, collecting berries and flowers for my grandad to make wine, going for long walks up on The Downs when we lived in Sussex or going to Beeston Castle when we lived in Cheshire.

I tell me about this young lady who I looked after when she was a tiny baby and look her now, all certified as a Solicitor and being admitted to The Law Society. She said she looks a bit Harry Potter. It seems amazing that she is so grown up. One of my other charges got married the other weekend which scares a little, it makes me feel so old but super proud I helped them get better and grow into such incredible young people.

I would tell you a little about the European Computer Driving License class I am doing. It is amazing how much I have learned all by myself and in a few short weeks I have been able to develop more new skills like mail merging which I excitedly used the other day for my dad. I was so chuffed to use something I'd learned to help him out.

I would ask what sorts of crafting activities you are working on at the moment. Perhaps we would talk about our ideas for Christmas presents and crafts to decorate our homes. I'm still humming and hahing about Christmas  presents myself but have a few ideas I want to consider. I will be doing Journal your Christmas again this year for about the 6th year I think.

 I am really excited this year as Kristin Tweedale is holding her weekend Holiday Extravaganza  on November 29th - 30th and I pitched a couple of ideas to her and she wants to include them so I will be sharing 2 projects over there, please do come and see all the guest posts that weekend. This is what a love about blogging, meeting new friends, finding fun activities and learning.

By now I think it's time to have lunch and maybe some homemade soup would be a great idea. Lovely Chicken broth with warm crusty bread and then more tea and perhaps seconds of cake?

I would tell you that AT LAST! Yes, it it is that exciting, my friend Luke is coming to stay this week and we are going to see one of our fave bands The Feeling. Do you remember the original dates got reshuffled and I went to the band's studio for an intimate concert with my friend Louise? Well on Wednesday night Luke and I will be watching them again live. We've seen them together 3 times and I've seen them another three by myself or with other friends. They are amazing live.

That's the gorgeous Luke, he'll probably kill me for sharing this but I think he looks like he's having lots of fun.

 and this is me with the amazing Mr Dan Gillespie Sells the lead singer( it's blurry because Louise was videoing us not photographing us so it's a screen shot from her video clip oops Louise x)

and somewhere in the crowd was me and my friend Louise.

We would probably talk about these two lovely men Ronnie and Elliot who put up this picture the other night. It all looks a bit Blair Witch Project to me but seeing as how Halloween is this week why not? They are doing amazingly well and are heading across Pennsylvania state as we speak.

I might show you the brochure for Cats which I saw last week with my sister and we might talk about the theatre productions we would love to see. Would you like a comedy, musical, thriller, drama or perhaps ballet or opera? I would love to see War Horse and Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake next year. Perhaps we might have similar tastes or completely different.

By now it will probably be getting dusky as the clocks went back in the night, hope you remembered. We will sadly say goodbye but promise to meet again to share our news and adventures. We would share a hug and I'd send you home with some cake, because why not. Safe trip home. See you very soon.

Time for tea x

Hello and do come in for a lovely cup of tea. Today we are joining Abi in here monthly meme where we share a cuppa and stories of life, the universe and everything, sorry Mr Adams I couldn't help myself.

So this month I am obviously at home. If you come to my door you might notice a slight chill in the air and the feel of Autumnal sunshine on your back. You may here the sound of babies cooing  as we have 2 newish arrivals here. There has been alot of change as many residents have moved to new homes far away. The environment here in South Horrington has changed too as the the autumn nature changes have begun, in fact before we have a cuppa, why don't we go for a walk?

we might spy this naughty kitty as we leave

 ooh anyone want to play conkers?

is that a dragonfly or a damsel fly?

 fancy scuffing through the leaves?

yummy blackberries 

When we come back I would put the kettle on and we would sit and sip our tea while chatting over some yummy carrot cake. I love carrot cake. I would ask how you have been and what you have been doing with yourself. I would tell you I am feeling a little better although I can begin to feel the autumnal changes in my mood and could be heading for a period of depression again. I would show my special lamp which I have to sit by to help prevent this from happening. I would offer you another cup of tea and more cake and maybe tell you about the exciting news my friend Elliot and Ronnie will be sharing today. They are going to be doing a 921 mile walk to raise awreness of bullying which will take them from Chicago to New York. I would tell you how very inspiring they both are and how very proud I am of what they are going to do in just 29 days.



I would tell of my secret project which I will be doing for them shhhhhhhhhh. Don't say a word. I might show you some of the lists I have been doing for 30 days of lists and the big mess of stuff in my craft room I really need to sort out. I mean it looks bad at the moment, anyone fancy coming to aid me? I would get excited by the projects you have been working on and listen with awe at the number of pieces of work you have completed and of the classes you are doing.

I would ask how your family are all doing and tell you I will be seeing my sister this weekend for her early birthday celebrations. I might share that we are going to see the musical Cats as part of her Xmas gift to me from last year and that I can't wait to see this show again. I last saw it 20 years ago on Broadway with my friend Louise. I would tell you how excited I am to be seeing my friend Luke next month when he comes to visit me. We haven't seen each other in 2 years so it'll be amazing.

I might share with you that some of my fave programmes are back on TV like Downton Abbey and Whitechapel, and that I have been catching up on some old movies I love like Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn. Ah the joys of Autumn. I would say how excited I am for the 50th anniversary of Dr Who and how we are looking forward to another 50th next March when my parents will celebrate their Golden wedding anniversary.


By this time it will be almost time for you to leave for your journey home. I would hold you close and say how much fun I have had and how lovely it is to see you again. As I walk you to your car, I would hand you a piece of cake for your journey and wish a safe trip home and hope to see you again very soon.

Everything stops for tea ~ June xx

Hello and welcome to another episode of Abi's tea and visits to our homes. So do come in and let's catch-up.

Would you like a cup of Earl Grey, Red Bush or common and garden Tetley? Do help yourself to a piece of Passion cake, yes I made it and it is very yummy. Have a fork though as it is not a clean cake to eat.

So how have you been since we last met? I hope you have been well and enjoying some sunshine and fun activities. Me? Well I have done some lovely things thank you for asking. The other week my friend and I went to Brighton to see a play and on the way we stopped in Storrington where I spent my teenage years. This is my old house and it hasn't changed at all. I wonder if the Holly Hobby wallpaper is still on the walls of the Dormer room which was my sisters? One of our cats is buried in the back garden.

We used to play in this field, we had a den in those trees and if you walk down into the fields I would get to my friend Dawn's house and the farm. I once studied a hedgerow in this field for  school project.

Once we got to Brighton Alan took me to a wonderful cake shop where they have the pinkest meringues and the most delicious hot chocolate...............look at the size of those marshmallows.

I would tell you that this play is the first one I have seen since I went to the Theatre Royal to see ''Another Country'' in the 1980s. I would tell you that although the play came first, Alan and I fell in love the film but the play was even better as it filled out the missing elements of the story which sometimes films do. It was supurbly acted and will be available to watch online next month as part of a program of digital theatre. How clever.

We might go outsdie and sit in the sun or shade just like Willow, she does love to watch the world going by.

I would tell you about my friend Ronnie who is now not just my #friend as in cyber friend, but my proper friend and that is something to celebrate. He lives in the USA and is pretty famous out there so it is amazing to have made a friend who I never expected in a million years to make.

the above picture is one I borrowed from Shawn Adeli who took it, hope that's ok x

I would tell you his anti-bullying campaign has now gone live and is progressing from a dream into the realities of photographic mayhem across the US and there will be a big gala concert next month. I would tell you that I try to send the team positive emails, tweets and post as often as I can because it's hard work struggling to raise funds and enthusiasm for something like this, but I have faith they will succeed.

I would tell you that while you are reading this I am making a solo journey to meet up with some friends I haven't seen for about 14 years and how I'm hoping to go back to where this all started.

When you come to leave I would say to drive carefully and avoid Pilton as Glastonbury Festival is starting and the roads may be busy. If the wind is in the right direction on Sunday I hope to listen to Rufus Wainwright performing in the garden while I read.

Everything stops for tea x

Hello and welcome to a post linking up with the lovely Abi who on the 27th of each month invites us all for tea. Well today is the perfect day here in the UK as it is a public holiday. Usually that means it rains but I hope not  today as it the South Horrington fete.


So do come in and take the weight off for a while and I'll put my shoes on and we can walk around to the front of the building where on the cricket pitch and pavilion there are lots of stalls, a big BBQ, plants, and games.


If we're really lucky we'll spy some of friends and neighbours and I'll introduce you to them as we walk around. We might be lucky enough to see the pets children have brought for the competition. I would have brought Willow but she's far to precocious. We would walk around and look at the stalls, if we're lucky we'd get the chance to make a willow butterfly like last year, for a £1.00 which is a bargain. We would be able to see lots of beautiful plants for hanging baskets and pots, and if you garden you might buy some. We might also see some handmade crafts and stop to explore. In the background we'd hear the jazz musicians playing and stop to listen, before going for some tea and cake. Maybe even a burger from the BBQ.

We might stop and watch the children learning how to play cricket and see whose pet won the competition. Then we'd stroll back to my flat where we would sit and have a long chat. I would probably tell I have been feeling better for a couple of weeks again and that my mood seems slightly more stable. I might show you the theatre programmes for Rocky Horror which we would laugh at and the ballet which we would ooh and ahh at. I might even show my costume I made to be Magenta at RH.


 I would show you the lovely happy mail I received from Lizzie last week, she's such a sweetie and so clever. I received a lovely multi-coloured book with a beautiful owl bead bookmark attached, a handmade stamp of an owl and my nickname and the lovely heart with an owl motif.

I would tell you about the excitement there is around the safe arrival of seven cygnets on the Bishop's Palace Moat. Wynn and Brynn are proudly showing them off although there is much hissing and chasing away of unwanted duck friends. If you look closely you can just see a swan hiding under the parent's left wing. There are definately seven because I counted them yesterday whilst taking a huge number of closeups for posterity.

I would show you the patchwork quilt I have made, more like a lap quilt really, and I might show you the Youtube site I found which showed me how to make it. I might tell you about the book I am reading at the moment and show you the pile I have still to read.

 

 I would make us more tea and maybe some cake, if I've managed to the Hummingbird cake Deb told us about on her blog last week. We would then sit and drink our tea and I would listen as you told me all the news about yourself and your family. I would smile as you told me the funny stories and cherish your honesty in sharing the ups and downs of life.

All too soon it would be time for you to leave and I give you a hug and wish you a safe journey home. We would plan to talk soon and meet even sooner because we are friends and I love to see my friends.

Everything stops for tea x

Today I am joining in with Abi's monthly meme where you are invited in for tea and maybe cake and to share a little bit of my life as my friend. So without further ado, please come into the flat and sit yourself down. Move Willow if she's sitting in the comfy chair and she might even sit on your lap. I'll go make the tea and put out some cake.

Today I will tell you that I am hoping one of the most exciting things I have ever doing has happened. If everything went to plan, I was here

with these guys

 

doing this

The band are called The Feeling and Luke I should have been seeing them last week in Bristol. Sadly for a variety of reasons, they had to cancel their whole tour in April and it's been rescheduled for October. Because they are such wonderful people, they have arranged to do some extremely intimate acoustic gigs for a few fans and I am one of the lucky people who got invited. Sadly Luke has to work and I am gutted for him, however my friend Louise was going with me because she loves them too and also I feel better but not completely sane yet so a supportive friend will have hopefully prevented me from having a massively embarrassing panic attack on them.

Louise and I will hopefully have been to this exhibition at Tate Modern during the day too. We first saw his pictures way back in 1993 when we went to the USA for three weeks. So hopefully we had a gr8 time reminiscing about that visit.

I would tell you my latest crating exploits and perhaps share my crochet blanket with you. I might take you into my craft room where we could ohh and ahh over the fabric I have stored away to make a quilt and show you my new desk and storage. While we there we would smell the beautiful blue hyacinth bulbs which are in flower and providing a feeling of Spring in this small room. If you were feeling up to it, we might even get out some patterned papers and make a layout or a card and play around with the sewing machine to add some stitching. If I was feeling really naughty I might show you my Pass the Page layout which is going live here tomorrow and we would talk about how it all came together.


If the weather is nice, we would go for a walk around the grounds of the hospital and I would take you to my favourite tree and we could sit and enjoy the peace and quiet and the view across the lawns. Then we would come back and I would put the kettle on for more tea. I might play you my favourite song by The Feeling and if we were up to it we might have a boogey in their honour.





When the daylight faded, you would sadly say goodbye and I would give you some cake to take home and wish a you safe journey back to your loved ones. I would put on my favourite song again and wave you off probably with a fluffy cat in my arms.