~*~ Atishoo.........bless me ~*~

I am feeling very miserable with myself, I started a ghastly cold last Wednesday afternoon at the FQ's and it is still bad, lots of snotting and sneezing and coughing.
So nothing much is getting done, sewing or otherwise.

Alex is in Hanoi at present, not much more info than that!!!

~*~ Sunday ~*~

At present I am working on small, portable, easy packed away sewing projects. This little "Button" stitchery is a great way to display those 1 off, too special to use buttons.

One of the little iris bulbs in the teacups has very quietly come into bloom.



and as much as I dislike Tesco, there are sometimes bargains to be had.....4 English Lavender plants at 60p each, which will line a path in my new garden.

~*~ Beijing calling.....over ~*~

A bit of catching up to do...........

Firstly belated Valentine's hugs to everyone.This was my card from a "secret" admirer!

How do you like this little fella who will be joining our family in a couple of weeks ? He is 5 weeks old here.


but just how many chins do I actually have !!!!!

The packing continues but all this and work as well has put the scuppers on my sewing.I don't want any large projects on the go at present because they take up too much space. I am therefore just doing some small stitcheries.

>





I arrived home from the FQ's later than usual on Friday evening after trying to get a quilt finished and Verity was on the 'phone to Alex!!! He was calling from Beijing where he had just arrived after a week on the train from Moscow.It was absolutely fantastic to hear his voice after over a month away.He seems to have had a few adventures,nothing too serious, but has met loads of friendly people who have helped them, especially with the language problems. It is so heartwarming to think that complete strangers are putting themselves out and helping these teenage boys. I hope I would do the same. There are now 4 of them, Will and Rowan flew out to Beijing on Friday, Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors here they come.

Calum arrives home from the Art Dept school trip to Barcelona tonight.

~*~ The Sap is Rising......~*~

It has been a truly beautiful Spring day here today- warm sunshine and the birds singing...!
Verity and I went for lunch in "Truffles" in Corbridge and had a stroll around a few of the nice shops.I bought a 25m roll of pink ricrac for £5 which is just ideal for my new Rosalie Quinlan BOM.

When we got home,I got to work outside, Clearing gutters,cleaning out stables and henhouses. Spring must be in the air because the hens have started laying and the cockerals are strutting their stuff !!

I have a date for the new house - 28th February, the recent central heating discussions have put things back a full month.

The quilt shows an example of the Gammill's handywork at the FQ's



Calum has been in London this weekend with the English Lit dept of the school, They are going to see a production of Othello staring Ewan McGregor and then visitng the Globe Theatre and the infamous "crack" at the Tate Modern.

Alex is on the Trans-Siberian railway as we speak, so is incommunicado for a week until he gets to Beijing.

Molly, the Great Dane, seems well again and all in all things seem to be coming together.

Think I might have a P&P marathon on BBC 4 tonight !!!!!

~*~ Packing up...... ~*~

I have taken a few days off work to try and get the packing well under way, to be honest, I never really settled in this house, so a lot of my things are still packed from over 2 yrs ago.
I have been packing kitchen china and emptying my dressers and plate-racks; boxes and boxes of gorgeous spongeware !!!!
In the midst of this chaos, a huge box containing 2 dinner plates arrived from the Bridgewater factory, seconds, but just ideal for everyday use.No photo cos they are in the dishwasher being prepared for tonight's tea, that is a second also, left over shepherd's pie from yesterday.

The postie brought me a beautiful cushion made from vintage fabric and backed with a piece of old Welsh blanket, the colours are lovely and soft and "lived in "





Alex has emailed from Moscow today where he is spending about a week before boarding the trans-siberian railway to Beijing, this train journey takes a week.

I had a surprise visitor this lunchtime, Ann Davison is a fellow quilter at the FQ's and has just moved to a farm in Bellingham. She was picking up some patterns she had ordered and dropped in to see me on the way home.
The new house has a nice big garden and I am taking a couple of my fave hens but there is no place for a noisy cockeral, Ann offered to rehome a trio and so picked them up today , to save me a trip. Catching them this morning was great exercise, normally you catch hens at dusk when they are dopey and sleepy.They arrived safe and sound and are getting used to their new surroundings.

~*~ 17 TODAY !! ~*~

Happy Birthday Calum, xxxxxxx M, A & V

~*~ Back Online ~*~

No, I haven't been lazy, my telephone line was brought down by those gales we had last weekend.For 5 days I argued with BT, via Verity's mobile , that the fault was outside while they argued that the fault was inside the house !! It was outside !!!!

It was quite nice to be beyond reach for a short time.

Molly, my very elderly Great Dane, was poorly on Monday night and required a visit to the vets on Tuesday. I am doping her up with antibiotics,anti-inflammatorys, and some gut settling paste stuff.She seems to be better now.

The hiccup with the new house has been resolved and it's all systems go again.
Packing and sorting is quite exciting cos I keep finding things I'd forgotten about but I tend to get sidetracked and sit leafing through old photos or books instead of wrapping and packing.

It snowed here again on Friday but I managed to get to the FQ's no problem. There was nobody else there, so I helped Kim with the Gammill.

Alex has left Poland now and is heading up to Moscow. He visited Warsaw and Krakov and went on a tour of Aushwitz which was very harrowing, as you could imagine.

Calum , middle child, is 17 tomorrow, all his friends threw him a surprise party last night in a local pub !!

I am taking a few days off work next week to continue packing.

~*~ If it's Tuesday.......... ~*~

If it's Tuesday.......then Alex is in Krakov. The boys have taken the train to Poland and are staying in Krakov where the Christmas deckies are still all up!!!! Alex is having a great time sightseeing and meeting the locals!

Rural Northumberland had a fall of snow on Monday but it has all disappeared now.

The postie had a nice haul for me today:

A Bridgewater mug from the new Valentine's range,
The latest Elm Creek Quilts novel and
Warm Fuzzies by Betz White with some great felt designs.



Off to pick up Verity from Dance and then there is Youth Theatre tonight and the latest production is to be Grease.

~*~ Is it going Pear-shaped ? ~*~

Alex arrived safely in Prague and says they are having a fantastic time, Doing What ???, I am not sure ? He has emailed a few times and "spoken " to Calum on MSN. They are staying in hostels and most of them offer online facilities.

I set about Alex's bedroom this morning, cleaning, tidying and packing up.

We have hit a glitch with the new house, the very expensive survey has revealed a few major problems so I am going to try and get the price reduced, to help towards the repairs.

Craft- wise, I am just finishing off a few things;
1. A needlepoint I bought at Harrogate in November and I am going to send it to the company "Jolly Red" to be professionally framed.( Finished )

2. Calum's fingerless gloves that were supposed to be in his Christmas stocking are just about finished.

3. January stitchery of " Ring in the New" by Kathy Schmidt. (finished ).

Calum and Verity are in London this weekend, visiting the Terracotta Warriors, due back tomorrow night and on Tuesday evening I am going to see " STRICTLY COME DANCING" at the Arena in Newcastle.

The photo is of a glorious tablecloth I bought from "Louise Loves ", before Christmas.

FQ's on Friday, in the morning I helped Kim load a quilt onto the Gammill and then I was late for the lunch we had arranged and then spent a couple of hours on the above projects. Well its back to the gloves...........

~*~ Romeo and Juliet ~*~

I love hand embroidered table linen, especially crinoline ladies, and just recently I bought this gorgeous cloth - Romeo and Juliet. It is beautifully worked by hand and the colours are clean and fresh.
The iris bulbs were planted up in a little Minton cup and a sugar bowl by Julie Oswald who always has a fantastic stall at Hexham's Antique Fair.

Calum has an AS English exam this morning on the Great Gatsby and requested a bacon sandwich for breakfast, isn't fish brain food!!

Anyway, the bacon was sizzling away nicely under the grill when there was a flash and all the lights went out. I checked the trip switches and nothing had flicked.
Calum and Verity ate their breakfasts by candle-light and I called in the electrician.

He pulled the gas cooker out, not a great idea at the best of times,and revealed the most diabolical wiring job done by the previous tenants - bare wires etc.
Cooker was safely rewired and a trip switch installed within an hour.
I put in my beloved Aga when we moved in and therefore use the gas cooker very rarely,thank heavens this wiring didnt start a fire when the kids were cooking or when I was at work.
I can't wait to get out of this house !!!!

~*~ Tuesday 15th January 2008 ~*~

Alex set off on the second stage of his gap year yesterday. The first stop being Prague (£15 by Easijet ) and then Warsaw and Krakov.

Alex and his friend Stephen have planned and saved hard for this trip and have done all the organisation, bookings, obtained the visas required (for later on )and the jabs and malaria meds themselves.

Yes, I admit there were a few tears at Newcastle Airport but the umbilical cord is very stretchy.
So for the next few months, Alex's progress around the world will be reported on here, and when he starts his own travel blog, I will post a link.

~*~ I'm still here..... ~*~

Verity came home last weekend after a holiday in Paris with her Dad. She seems to have had a marvellous time, sightseeing, eating in lovely restaurants and, of course, shopping.

She brought us all back lovely presents including a moulin roty jug and a gorgeous crocheted "Wendy".


I bought the cow creamer in the EB sale when I took Alex up to Edinburgh at New Year



"Wendy" is sitting on a new stitchery project I've just started ;"Ring In The New " by Kathy Schmitz. These are 12 little stitcheries , one per month , worked in black cotton.Perfect to do in the evenings.

The new house purchase is approaching completion and I have started sorting and packing. I am a bit of a hoarder so there is a lot to do.
I am working on some little projects that do not involve spreading out loads of fabric, tools, machines etc.

Alex, my eldest ,sets off on the second stage of his gap year next week. He is visiting Poland, Russia, China, etc etc, this will take about 6mths. I am proud and excited for him but also frightened.

~*~ Ring in the New.....2008 ~*~

A Happy and Healthy New Year !!!!!

It must be my age....I spent a good deal of Hogmanay running teenage children around to parties and then staying sober in case I needed to drive.

Verity, my 15 yr old daughter, has set off for Paris today, with her Dad. She will be away for 5 days. I am sure she will have a marvellous time but she has borrowed my camera, so no new photos from me for the next week. I haven't any new projects on the go anyway and I really should start packing up the house as the house purchase etc. seems to be going along smoothly so far, touch wood !!

Taking Alex and his friend Stephen up to Edinburgh tomorrow, to get his visa for China.
I know I am a bit of a sad so & so but this also coincides with the start of the Emma Bridgewater sale in Edinburgh.

~*~ Eating and Stitching ~*~

Hope everyone had a happy and holy Christmas with family and friends.

The children go to their father's at lunchtime on Christmas Day, so we have our Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve- turkey, ham,and ALL the trimmings. I like to attend the nine lessons and carols at Hexham Abbey in the early evening but this year because Alex had been at work all day, we ate in the evening.I listened to R4 from King's College Cambridge but ,although beautiful, it wasn't quite the same.

Now the kids are teenagers, Christmas starts more gently than years gone by, 8am instead of 5am !!
I love watching them open their stockings and presents and everyone was delighted with their gifts.
After the children had been collected by their Dad and set off for another meal (kid this year !!!) and present giving, I got my gladrags on and went to a hotel in Bellingham for dinner with a group of friends. This is the first time I have done this and it was great fun and soo relaxing but with no guilt cos I had already cooked the traditional lunch and the kids were having fun with their Dad.
Home by 6pm, after 4 courses,wine,port, coffee, christmas cake and chocs. (have not eaten much since ) and an invite for a 4 day wine tasting holiday in Tuscany from a local Romeo !!
Overdosed on Eastenders and Strictly and a good day had been had by all..........

To go back a day or so....I dropped off Julie's prezzies last Sunday and admired her tree, on the dresser she had hung a gorgeous little stitcery. I needed that pattern and pleaded with her to lend me it and completed 2 in three days !






Have included a couple of fave photos of mine.

~*~ England calling Switzerland....over ~*~

MERRY CHRISTMAS AMANDA !



Thank you so much for the gorgeous chocolates for the sewing group, we all tucked in on Friday afternoon at the FQ's.

My snowman is really cute, it was really kind of you to think of me and it was so funny to see Margaret trying to finish her's in time for Christmas. She couldn't get the legs the same size and thickness and he looked like he'd had some dodgy orthopoedic surgery!

When are you coming over for a visit, I would love to meet you and your family
Have a great Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year.

~*~ FQ's Friday Girls Christmas Lunch ~*~

The lunch, with a visit from Santa, had been arranged for weeks but at the last minute, I thought I was going to miss the fun.

I had to get a plumber in 'cos the downstairs loo was blocked and leaking all over the bathroom floor - nice!! The only time he could come was between 10 and 12 yesterday. Anyway, he arrived on time and fixed the problem, and after driving like a mad thing I made it to the lunch and sewing afterwards.

The others had big meals but there was just enough time for me to have a scone and mince pie.

L to R Janet, Margaret, Dawn, Pauline, Julie and Kim


The secret Santa was great fun and I did really well- a Betty's bag, a gorgeous cupcake deckie and some beautiful Caroline Zoob notelets.






Dawn also gave me a cute little box which contained some tiny, handknitted mittens to go on the tree.

~*~Happy 15th Birthday Verity ~*~

Monday was Verity's birthday.She had a lovely weekend, a small party, visiting her dad, going to a Maximo Park concert and a pile of lovely prezzies from family and friends.



The Christmas tree was put together over the weekend and is not yet leaning at a precarious angle.The mantlepiece has still to be decorated.



I have spent the morning wrapping presents and finishing off a few projects.

~*~ Walking in a Winter Wonderland ~*~

It has been really chilly up here for the last few days, about minus 3 at night.Yesterday, Verity took Wendy for a long walk through our field and the nearby bridal way,to collect some holly for decorating.

~*~ Mmmm......~*~

And then there were three..........

~*~ BRrrrrrrrr.............~*~

It's snowing up here in rural Northumberland!! Ok not quite as much as in the photo but still heavily, unfortunately,turning straight to slush.

I love the run up to Christmas, making gifts, decorations, wrapping, cooking and shopping but this year I cannot get into the groove, possibly because I cannot shake off this B..... cold.I have been coughing etc, etc for almost 2 weeks now and am really fed up.There is so much to do and I can't be bothered and then it will be all a rush and no fun at all.

It is Verity's 15th birthday next weekend and we like to have the decorations and tree up just before.

I have been making a few bits and pieces for presents and have some gloves to finish.

Julie has bought me some mince pies from "Betty's" and is bringing them up this afternoon.Should I freeze them or just eat them now !!!!!