Sunday space

So, as well as putting up the picture I've washed my autumn coat and chilled out in the kitchen for a while.

The power of distraction is amazing. My tooth is hurting less and I've been very productive.

Two batches of cakes...



One with a regular recipe and the other using flax seeds instead of eggs. Thank you to Sayward for the 'f-egg' (fake egg) recipe, and the tip to add in some spices. The cakes are just as yummy as regular fairy cakes. Success.

After that I was still feeling kitchen-y so I've prepped some chocolate truffles mix to make later. There was also time whilst all that was going on to try another dahl recipe.




It's turned out yummy but *very* dry and thick. Hopefully when I reheat it with some more liquid later it will transform into perfection.

Any body want the recipes for any of my creations?

And now on to more of the day

Dee Eye Why? ... Because I gotta!

Today I finally had enough. The picture present, given last year, perfect for the bathroom, wrapped in bubbles, leant upright against various corners had stared at my subconcious *enough*.

It was going up.

A chair to stand on. A pencil and spirit level. The drill. Enthusiasm outweighing ineptitude I (very) proudly present...






Colour to lift the white bathroom!

In other news, I'm still having a bad time with my teeth. The DIY-burst is probably a reaction to it, because otherwise I'd lie on the sofa and moan quietly. And that would add guilt at 'wasting' time to the mix. I am master of the mix, and will not be beaten by an inflamed nerve. Not yet anyway.

Today I have...

• made super yummy dairy-free biscuits. Thank you Rach for the recipe.



• juiced two big bags of carrots, and a bag of oranges. Its hopefully freezing nicely to be a winter pick me up when the weather turns cold



• explored Dunham Massey with my husband (who *loves* chickens)



• got on top of the chores so I feel prepared for the week (lunch food made, washing done, house clean-ish) A big tick in the sense of acheivement box.



• given the cat much much fuss. She loves it, she is wise.


• listened to a bunch of seminars from the World's Biggest Summit. Thank you for organising it Leonie!

Cat nip soup

It seems my cooking skills appeal to cats. Well, our cat at least. She's fascinated by my mug of chilli-lentil soup.

Climbing up to sniff it. Following the spoon from mug to my mouth. Watching my every soup related move.

Then refuses to taste it when I offer her some. Typical cat!

Thoughts

Currently there are a lot of thoughts going round my head, but very few of them are words. It's hard to get them firmed enough to express them.

I'm hurting, not for myself. I'm 'fine' by any measurable standard, life is ticking along. I'm hurting for my friends, because life is hard for so many of them at the moment. It seems to have been hard for many of them for a long time, and they don't deserve the raft of crappy things that keep happening.

Anyone who I say this too nods comfortingly and says something along the lines of 'yeah, life's tough', 'that's terrible' or 'you can't fix that, it's good that they know you care'. The thing is that I'm not just worried about my friends, I don't just want to comfort them. I am hurting. When I think about them and the challenges they face it makes me start to cry.

I'm not saying this to get people to run up to me and give me brownie points for being such an amazing friend or having so much compassion. Because my conflict is that I don't, not always. Shockingly enough it hurts to feel pain, so often (too often) I withdraw. I let the connections and relationships I value so highly, that I feel are the reason for being, fade and grow slightly distant to avoid the horrible intensity of sharing my friends' pain.

I don't want to do that. When there is already geographical distance I don't want to be the one who adds 'emotional' distance as well. Suddenly I've had a moment of realisation and my prayers have stopped being just for my suffering friends and started being for myself as well.

I love my friends. I want to be there for them. They are amazing people who have the strength to get through the crap life throws at them. I have the strength to be right there with them. And when we need a boost, more strength, God has promised that he will provide. I need to remember to ask.

Today I have...

Sewn long long seams on deep rich blue curtains

Realised how quiet my creative soul has been, shushed by daily trials

Breathed and taken space for myself

Revelled in the transformation of our bedroom

And drunk tea, of course

So much stuff!

Oops

I forgot about posting pics this week. I've been getting ready for the inaugural august meet up. A whole bunch of my best friends from school, college, uni and life are spending the weekend together. I've been looking forward to it for ages and last night had that kid before Christmas excitement as I was falling asleep.

My mother in law is coming to mind the cat and I like to say thankyou with garden gifts. Thing is I also haven't been out in the garden much this week...




Killer courgettes! It's like day of the triffids out there, especially with the sunflowers as well...





(that's the few I picked, there's a jungle outside)

Here's to lovely weekends. I good yours is gonna be great too x

13/31

Hmm, didn't notice this one getting so big.




I had to get creative to fit it all in the frame. The mug is there for scale.

8-12/31

So, we went camping earlier this week and here are a few pics to fill you in...

Meet my husband, happy the tent is up and the rain didn't come down





We were busy walking, exploring huge bookshops and eating pub lunches so didn't take many more pics whilst away.

Since our return...

I've tidied the bedroom. No longer a tribute to teenage sloth


Discovered our first ripe tomatoes




And realised how much tea I have in my stash.





And, for this morning, a picture of the cat cos she's cuter than me cleaning the bathroom.

7/31

Off on our way for a few days holiday.




Photo posts for 8/9/10 will be all together when I get back. We're camping, without electricity so I'm going to be smart phone less. It'll be interesting to play with a phone that's actually designed primarily for calls&texts again for a few days!

6/31

Creativity :) it makes me feel alive.






I made these booties as a present for a lady at work's new(ish) baby. Small and cute just like him, so hopefully they'll be a hit.

5/31

Nothing leapt out at me visually today, apart from the cat draped asleep over my husband draped asleep over the sofa. Unfortunately no camera to hand, so one from the archives.




I did bake this eve, a version of the oat cookies in the back if this photo. The verdict so far is yum.

4th of August

The sun came out again, so ... Beer!




Well, a beer cocktail called 'blue moon'. Apparently the orange brings out the flavours. They were nice flavours.

August break the 3rd

I was going to post a pic of my car today, but this piece of humorous scouse graffiti has changed the plan.

August break #2

Meow!



(i post a lot of pics of my cat)

Tonight

Tonight, there is no rush
I will do things in the time they take
Breathe
Relax
Cut myself some slack
It's ok to do that



And I'm starting with dinner. Brown rice, cooked long to be yummy with dahl.

Wedding!

Morning? Already?

Rosa's still not convinced it's really necessary to have a new one *every* day.

TiLt

Super fresh home grown tomatoes

Playing boggle together

Yoga (and a last minute chance to try out a class my friend was teaching)

That Hubster and I have a four day week...the weekend started about 5 hours ago!

What are you loving this week?

What I've been doing with my evenings

I have a confession to make... I've started running. And there's no-one chasing me.

It feels as if I'm letting my 14 year old self and all her friends down (as well as the inner girl of my current friends to) because exercise is something you're *supposed* to do, but don't really enjoy.

And now I'm a "grown up" it seems there are some types of exercise that are less "exercise"y than others, and running isn't one of them.

I know all this is in my head, my interpretation, a construct and no-one else cares if I run or cycle, do Zumba or lie on the sofa eating pies. I still felt the need to act "cool" and reluctant when I was asked to join in a team race work is doing in September though. Those teenage habits die hard.

So on the 4th of September I will be running a 5k team race around Liverpool dock front. I'm aiming to finish it in less than 40 minutes. Not a fast time, but I haven't really ever run so it feels realistic, yet still challenging.

Go team me! (our team name is actually "jog on")

Refreshing trip to work

I *want* the licence plate. That is all.

Pre August warm up

Does a sneaky shot of a spider monkey brighten Monday morning?




Taken at the south lakes animal park, by moi, with my phone camera. The monkey then noticed me and dropped his banana. Sorry monkey!

I've been reading a lot of blogs about 'finding you voice' and 'how to gain followers.' I havent done it on purpose, but the topics kept coming up in the usual pages I read. It's given me a little boost, a reminder that I have been neglecting my little corner of the internet. So here I am still not sure exactly what my motivation for writing here is, but back again because I want to be.

I like having my 'blog' to write in, to share pictures and thoughts with whoever wants to call by.

My excellent friend Rach has joined in a monthly challenge to post a low key, no pressure picture each day in August. After a conversation with hubster today (during our holiday-at-home day out to Liverpool, museum, mooching, cocktails, lunch out...lovely) I've decided that it would be a good to do something similar.

Hubster and I both have pretty high mobile phone plans (mini computers that they are now-a-days) that we dont use all of. A big part of mine is many many picture messages. And I send about 4 a month. So the plan is that we will send each other a picture message each day, and I will post mine up here as well. Hubster doesnt have a blog (yet, I'm working on him) so his messages will remain a mystery. It's probably best, as he works in industry, and had to sign the offical secrets act or something similar when he started with the company.

So look out for some brief but hopefully pretty posts coming soon x

Gratituesday

I've been having a pretty sweet evening, taking care of me by carving out some focus time.

Yummy sweet potato curry for tea.

Tidying the larder and doing new labels for things. The tins are rotated by date and everything's facing the right way *organisational bliss*

Exploring adventurous walk around some new-to-us fields with Hubster, and making it home just before the summer rainstorm hit.

Evening snuggled and chin rubs with Rosa cat (though it does mean I feel guilty about getting up since she's asleep on my knee)

Grati-wednesday

Last night we went on a bike ride along the local canal/nature reserve so my expression of gratitude is slightly delayed.

Along with everyone else round these parts I am super grateful for the sunshine and light evenings.

Tea! I'm sensing a theme, I always love tea. At the moment tho I'm experimenting with the additives in my diet, so only one dose of caffeine each day. I've just got home and made myself a 'proper' cuppa, excellent beverage.

Chocolate as well. I'm nibbling a couple of squares with my tea. Since Monday I've been focusing my eating on food with as little processing as possible. Lots of salad, fruit, veggies, brown rice and potatoes. So I'm extra aware of this choc-o-treat. Everything in moderation tho, including moderation!

Super gratitude for the chance to see many good friends I don't see often enough.

My bike, and living close enough to nice places to ride it.

Last on my list this week is how thankful I am to have a yummy trip away to look forward to this weekend. Especially as it includes a half day on Friday!

How's your week been so far internet peoples?

Lavender-ade

Another discovery this weekend, inspired by sunshine and the need for cool refreshment.

Lavender-ade

Ingredients;
small handful of lavender leaves
sprig of leaves and a lavender flower - to decorate
caster/icing sugar to taste
hot water
carbonated water (cold)
ice (very cold)

How to;

1. put the sugar and hot water in a pan and disolve the sugar (only a teensy bit of water, just enough to disolve the sugar)



2. chop the lavender leaves into small pieces (wash them first if you're worried about bugs or animals wander about in your garden!) and add it to the pan



3. mix it all up for a good few minutes so the flavour comes out of the leaves



4. turn off the heat and leave the mixture to cool



5. fill a glass with ice cubes (pick one that's good for relaxing in the sunshine with)



6. pour the cooled syrup over the ice



7. add fizzy water (again, to taste)



8. stick the sprig and flower in the top at a jaunty angle



9. sit in the sunshine and enjoy

Wow, 9 steps. It's really not that complicated I promise. No pictures though, the camera wasn't within reach and I wasn't getting up once I was down this afternoon!

Simple weekending

My garden is becoming my life. Today has blasted hot, sun, balmy breeze, glorious deep breath feel better, thank you world for smiling on me today. And I have spent as much of it as possible outside. I'm still sitting out here now, being all cafe culture via our wireless. It could be my dream farm in france (or spain/portugal/bulgaria...any warm europen country with relatively cheap small holdings to be had).

Apologies for the blogging absence, I've been thinking about why I write on here and the thinking is taking time. The rest of life is taking time too, and inspiration to write hasn't been strong enough to actually make it into typing after everything else that fills my days. I want to write when it fires me up and makes me feel alive, not becuase I feel I 'should'. I'm feeling a lot of 'should' pressure in life at the moment; should have a clean/tidy/finished house, should be motivated, should be looking for career progression, should be making new friends, should be doing more, should be doing different, should, should, should. I think a lot of it is internal pressure that I'm putting on myself without consiously realising at the time, expressing internalised ideas about what is 'doing well', 'good', 'proper'.

What I have been doing is spending two lovely relaxed days with many of my favourite people in this world. There was tea, cake, an art cafe, curry, films, chat, laughter, chilling, bubbles, fairy lights, wine, almost fireworks and more tea (always more tea).

I've also (finally) treated myself to Gala Darling's Love and Sequins, by taking advantage of her celebratory half price sale (Same sex marriage was legalised in New York State this weekend - it seems fitting that she chose to celebrate by making it easier for people to get her ebook about being yourself and living the right life for you).

I actually have a heap of books and ebooks and links and podcasts about figuring yourself out and being ok with who you are. Unfortunately I've been finding it hard to take the time to focus on it all and see if there's anything useful (another 'should'). Love and Sequins comes with mp3s, which are burning on to CDs for my daily commute as I type. It starts tomorrow :)

So thank you to all those who visited this weekend, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Look out for the fireworks in August!

Look what the garden grew

Tonight I came home to a lovely surprise...peas! So most of tonight's stir fry is justthisminute fresh from the garden.

There are big plans for the weekend too. Poetry slam tonight if we get ourselves organised enough. Then a picnic tomorrow, at a secret location, rollers by a bbq with the church group i've kind of being going to for a while (more off than on).

In amongst all these things I've been thinking about what I do, why I do and what it makes me think and feel about myself. Watch out for an introspective piece about that soon, that will hopefully give some thoughts to think about too.

Grati-wednesday

Argh, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!

I've been working my way through a little patch of funk but that just makes it more important to think of what I'm grateful for...

Homegrown salad picked every day from our garden

Time spent with amazing friends, and plans to do it again soon

Everyday adventures with my husband. On Monday night we explored a lovely local-ish park and wandered over a heap of fields. I live near countryside (if you look in the right direction)

My cat, she's been giving me lots of kitty cuddles

And now hopefully back to our scheduled programming

Dinner, in a windmill!




Schitzell, no noodles

Latvia!

Hey all (though many of you are here with me). The hostel we're staying in has WiFi, which is good because my phone's not actually working as a phone. It's wicked mad skillz as a tiny computer mean I've been able to keep in touch with home, bonus.

Look...vaguely touristy pictures




Please ensure you collect *all* your belongings.





And it's always good to check the rules of the place you're staying.

If our little friend makes it to any landmarks i'll be sure to have photographic evidence.

Now, time for tea.

Up up and away!

I'm heading off to Latvia tomorrow, very early tomorrow, so won't be around next week. A group of us are combining a little break with a visit to a children's charity our friend is involved with out there.

Two of my favourite people are already here and the catching up has already started. Hopefully the rest of the week will leave us feeling refreshed and wonderful.

I'll tell you how it went next week.

Tilting at the hump

Only a week in and the schedule's already slipping! The mountain of mid week felt very steep this week. I'm trying to get ahead/stay on top of things because I'm off to Latvia next week. That can be the thing I love...have plans to spend time with my favourite people.

Gratituesday

I am grateful for my husband. 'Nuff said. He's an lovely man and an excellent balance to me.

Hello weekend!

I'm very glad to be here. Oh yes.

This morning the garden gave me a lovely surprise




Rocket, basil and radishes picked about 3minutes before use.

The eggs and tomatoes are local too, just a bit less local than my back garden. One day, hopefully soon, the eggs will come from there too.

Here's to a happy weekend.

TiLt

Thursday again! This week I have been loving:

Our cat. The way she seems pleased to see me, the way she curls up in unexpected places and sleeps, the way she chases a coat hanger...she's soft furry sunshine who makes me smile

How tidy the garden looks with the lawn cut. I have inverse pride that the grass was so long we scared a frog out of it before cutting.

New challenges at work. I'm trying my hand at event planning and pr.

Feeling better about how I use my time. I've started an accountability journal for myself, to note down when I've done things that make life feel more complete, that is helping me have a more realistic view of what I get up to.

The bloggeroid app I've been using. Most of my recent posts have been tapped out on my smartphone (mini laptop!), curled up in bed. It's a very useful luxury, and feels like a real treat.

What are you loving this week?

Getting over the hump, just

Wednesday is "hump day", its downhill to the weekend from here.

I'm not sure why I picked Wednesday as the day for a texty post as its pretty much the busiest evening of the week(exercise class and church group). I'll see how this part of the posting schedule goes as the weeks go on, it may just not work.

So climbing up the slope this week and making me glad to be past the halfway point has been the head cold I've been fighting and the fact that I've been feeling stressed and pushed for time (nothing new there).

The cold is clearing (yes!) And I had a revelation about the time thing on the way home...Madonna! It would really help if I got a set of those headphones talk pieces and some speech recognition software. I do a lot of thinking on the way home (which led to this idea, of course) but most of it is lost cos I can't write stuff down whilst I'm driving. The wonders of modern technology could make a huge difference I think.

The thought of me driving home from work kitted out like a retro Madonna was quite entertaining too. I tried out the speech recognition on my smart phone when I got in to see how viable the idea was. It thought "apples" was "letter" and "hopefully" was "andrew", so maybe not quite the time saving miracle I imagined!

For the rest of the week I'm going to practising cutting myself some slack (guilt is *not* good, the important things will happen and it doesn't matter if they're a tad late) and trying to snarl less whilst driving. I can be shouty, its not big, clever or pretty.

This weekend I am looking forward to a Macmillan charity party a friend from work is hosting and getting my bike fixed. Have you got anything planned that you're looking forward to?

Ps, if you're around Liverpool on Sat and would like to support Macmillan cancer whilst having a whole heap of fun at the same time leave a message and i'll give you details.

Gratituesday

Hey all, it's tuesday time (though all day I've not quite believed that it is *only* tuesday. Hurry up week and clear off to the weekend!)

Today I am grateful for;

• New cookie recipe from rach - yum! and my lovely husband (phobic of anything vaguley 'healthfoody') liked them too!


• Flexi time at work - mostly because it meant that I could could ease into today as my sinuses cleared


• A Doctor Who audio book to listen to on my way to work


• A very lovely long walk with my husband to explore more of the local area. It turns out that there is quite a bit of countryside hidden away not far from our house at all.


• A potential opportunity that is helping me think about what I really want and why (cryptic but hopefully I'll be able to be clearer sooner)
  
  What are you thankful for so far this week?

Domestic Monday

So I'm starting the new blog schedule well (fingers crossed for the rest of the week).

I abandoned exercise class tonight (I think Zumba and a blocked nose would not make a good combination) and used the time to make some oat cookies. Lovely Rach over at goplacidly sent me the recipe with high praise.

Her directions were much more useful than mine will be...

Step one:
Get stuff,; convince the cat she doesn't like cookies


Step two:
Mix all the stuff together. I had to do some bakery magic and swap the flavour ingredients (dates&walnut) because I didn't have any. So my approximation is almonds and raisins...



Step three:
Bake them, and make sure to take them out before they burn.



Success! Also, it turns out the cat does like cookies.



It's actually only just the time I would leave for exercise class...way to go me. Time for a *little* yoga stretchiness then curling up with a book. I know the best medicine for this pesky cold.

Sunday snaps

Dashing, dastardly, debonair...if you catch him at the right angle




Just a little sewing project last week (literally). Clothes for toys!




What did one snail say to the other? Probably "I hope that giant with the big light doesn't stand on us", the life and times of a doorstep dwelling snail.



And finally, our (long term) temporary living room Scrubs up alright

News Flash - there's a new plan

So a month long break? that wasn't intentional, and my first reaction was that I haven't even been that busy. On reflection though I think maybe I have, especially since my 'normal' is quite full on anyway and as I'm used to it I tend to feel bad if I do less than everything. This came up in a conversation with a good friend recently...it's time to give up on the do everything guilt and cut myself some slack (including going easy on myself if I feel guilty!).

I do think a bit more regularity online is a good thing tho, and combining structure and acountability is the way to do it. To that end I am proposing a regular(ish) posting schedule for Keep Breathing; looking something like this...

Monday - anything goes day, and quite possibly nothing will (to be fair monday tends to be exercise or sewing club and as such is usually pretty busy, but if you're lucky I might get a picture of my latest project up)

Tuesday - Gratituesday, or maybe recipes since we're hoping to try new ones on a tuesday as soon as we have a dining room back.

Wednesday - Hump day (a teensy bit of thinky though reflection on the week so far and what else I'm hoping for now we're all over the hump and heading down to the weekend)

Thursday - Things I Love Thursday (of course)

Friday - anything goes day

Weekends - house projects as and when they happen

Of course this is only a guide, though I do intend to do my best to stick to it, but I won't be letting myself feel guilty if it doesn't happen either!

Dress to impress!

Here is my attempt at making a dress from scratch, with a bit of help from the cat...and a *lot* of help from the ladies at sewing club.

Lay out pattern


Organise and neaten up bargain fabric (sale bonus from IKEA, and great fun was had ripping about a mile of seams apart)



Straighten it, fold it and measure to make sure its even



Or try to, Rosa cat was very keen to 'help'



So now I have a pattern laid out and am working up the guts to cut it out. I'll keep you posted.

Sewing for pleasure

Every so often I try my hand at sewing, and I have been going to a social group twice a month on and off for a year or so. The people at Liverpool Sewing Club keep on helping me to try new sewing-related things, and although I haven't actually finished a project yet I've got a lot more done than I would have on my own.

Yesterday a few of us went down to Birmingham and visited the Sewing for Pleasure exhibition. After a couple of workshops (that I need to finish off the creations from) and a *lot* of walking I came across an amazing installation in support of the RNLI...a whole knitted undersea walk through tunnel culmanating in a life size knitted mermaid. She is very impressive, although slightly unsettling. See?

No pictures of the little workshop projects I did, as I haven't finished them off (and one is going into a package I'm planning to send so I don't want to spoil it).

Today I spent many hours really properly sorting out the back room. I've done a lot of the clearing out in the past, and so the stuff in there really needs to stay and be organised. After a break for lunch out in the sunshiney garden, Rosa came upstairs to 'help' by checking out every box, bag, shelf and newly revealed corner. The sorting's still all not done, but the room is getting there. The long term plan is a reading/sewing room with space for an airbed for people to stay on when they come to stay (and a new carpet). Today's sorting included bringing a general sense of order to the bookshelves (I should have waited for Rach's next visit and taken advantage of her librarian organising skillz)...*big* job as it turns out. We have a lot of books.

To recover I watched the second half of back to the future and drank lots of tea. Which always seems like a good plan.

Hope your Sundays have been relaxing and light (Summertime is here, in daylight hours at least).

Rosa and I are sitting on the back step, listening to jazz and drinking cider in the sunshine. Well, I'm drinking the cider, and she doesn't seem too fussed about the jazz either to be honest, but she's happily curled up by my feet sunbathing. I want every Friday to be like this...sunny, relaxed and creative.

Creativity today has included

• Rejecting every mother's day card in the shop as too cutesy and mother-as-definition focused for my mum - who is very much not defined by the fact she's my mother, although it is something she's very good at. I'm calling it a creative decision, as it'll mean I need to be creative about her gift/card.
• Making a HUGE pot of stew from freezer finds...if I don't recognise it and I don't remember putting in the freezer then it goes in the pot. Sh*tmix stew is usually a hit. It's not the focus of this evening's planned romantic dinner though. We're having steak (also from the freezer but don't tell hubster) with home made chips.
• Putting bread on in the bread machine - fingers crossed for the well past the best before date yeast.
• Creating piles of clean fresh laundry
• Discovering a more active, happier me by riding to town to get the things we need the bathroom
• Authoring a blog post from the lovely warm sunny washing filled garden

I have a query/pondernace about the apostrophe in Mother's day btw. Would you go for Mother's Day - a day for your mother, or Mothers' Day - a day for all mothers? (despite the fact that it is in fact the traditional day to return to your parish's mother church, and not originally anything to do with mothers, biological or otherwise). The card shop had a fascinating array of mother-in-law, mother-to-be, you're like a mother to me and 'from the cat/dog/hamster' type cards. My mind boggled. Though I did want to buy my mother a card from the dog, and my Mother-in-law a card from her cat - an animal which she tolerates and appears to enjoy bemoaning the effect he has on her house (hairs, scratching, being in it generally). Entertaining ironic humour or just plain mean?

Ongoing creativity plans for the rest of the day include at least one of the following (if I ever get off this step);

• painting the bathroom and sealing the bath
• stripping the wallpaper off the living room
• making some kind of cake or biscuit
• reading one of the many books on my 'to read' pile
• winning the lottery or inheriting a fortune from an unknown relative so I can always spend Fridays like this

Rosa's gone off to explore, so I'll just *have* to stay here for a while, since she's scared of being outside on her own (literally a scaredy cat). Oh well, think I can cope!

Lovely Saturday

Today has been lovely. I've been enjoying an almost perfect balance of getting things done and relaxing. It started when the cat woke me up by purring in my ear (then standing on my head because I wasn't quick enough to fuss her), then I chilled with her for a while before getting up and sorting the kitchen and a load of washing.

Once that was done I got myself up and dressed properly, then rode my bike to the library. I felt very boho chic, and that I should really have had the chance to be photographed for a style blog (in my mac n jeans combo with a bag of books). Books back to the library, a few bits from the shops and ride on home. I got hubby a bit of apressie, because he's been working so hard to tile the bathroom (and he had a really good appraisal at work).

The tiles are on the wall, and have all stayed there. Tomorrow the plan is to grout. Hubster's plan is to grout. My responsibility has been finishing off the kitchen cupboards, which was going well. They were all ready, handles on and only needed to be fastened on before the in laws come over to visit this evening.

When I went to put the cupboard doors up the handles were on backwards. And I didn't even notice until I fitted them on, screwed them in and then tried to close to the doors...I hate to reinforce the girls are rubbish at DIY sterotype, my apologies to the feminist cause.

After an emergency trip to B&Q for a new door (there are three cupboards and no way to move the doors around to fill all the gaps since I put the handles on the wrong side of all the doors) the kitchen is now finished. It's also clean, wiped, tidied and prepared to act as showhome to impress the visitors.

Who are coming round at 7ish, so I should go and make myself as ready as the kitchen. There will be plenty more DIY distasters to share in the future I suspect.

Pic of the day

A sunny Sunday...

Waking up with a happy cat



Seeing flowers coming out all over the place





And making progress on the bathroom (actually Hubster's work, though I had a central supporting role). No pic until the last tiles are up and the grout in place.

A sunny simple Sunday, with space to think and just be. Lovely.

And here she is

all curious and affectionate and totally unaware of the stress she's caused us