Introducing........

Finley aka Fin,fat face, puppety mcwupperty, fluffety wuffety.....you get the picture!!!!!


It was a bit of a trial......but I think he can stay ;)

We have quite taken to him and I think he quite likes it here.

Going back to my roots......

Complaints been acknowledged for not updating this............

Good Xmas, good New Year, theres my update.

Got myself a bit stressed out over a literature review for my degree........shouldn't have though cause I got a FIRST !!!!! Yee-haa!!!! Problem is that I tend to do my best work when I cram.....need to get a handle on that cause otherwise I am going to burn out BIG stylie. Only 2 essays, a presentation, a research project, child observations and exam revision to get done now.

So, with all that I obviously have got no time to do anything else?? Whatever - who needs sleep?? I can't go through a week without making something.......and as much as I love all things crafty: playing with paper, making jewellery etc etc there is nothing like going back to your roots, for me knitting and sewing, what I learnt to do first, thanks mum :o)

Jo has been creating some woolie gorgeousness and after being over-run with requests has set up a new website HERE..........she wanted some knitted stuff so have created a couple which are winging their way to her now. Then, I decided some shoes would be nice, but I couldn't quite get the pattern to balance, quick discussion with Mum and a search on the t'internet and this is my first 'trial' effort........vintage pattern, old wooley jumper felted by moi (which is also vintage in the fact that it has been around for about 15 years!!!) - what ya think?


They make me smile :o)

I am quite chuffed if I say so myself and now have a million ideas running round my head, mostly at night when I should be sleeping. Have now created a new pattern for my next pair.......now I just need some more wool jumpers, anyone???

Nothing like a needle and thread.







Finally, here is a quickie of my new friend. Can I call it a collection yet because I have 2 ???

This little lady came from America....via Jo :o)

Kev doesn't particularly like them because he thinks they are watching him........so I have strategically placed them so they stare at him from both sides when he is watching the TV.......

Ain't the chubster in the background cute too !!!!!

Off to make shoes..........

yo yo yo.................

It is 12.20 am......and college is in 9 hours time - this is how my days work out at the moment. After spending the last 9 hours sorting out a chemical quarantine collection, racing around on a fork lift truck and staring at a computer, I need to unwind !!!!!!!

Rest of my time is spent writing a literature review (which I am just NOT getting the hang of - it's hard!!!!), reading college books, child observations, writing up a 12 month project and dealing with every day stuff..............'me/us' time is sparse to say the least, but I am fitting in a bit of knitting when my head just won't take any more :o)

My motto when I feel like collapsing is if you want something bad enough you will work hard for it. Very rare I put myself first but with this I am (well, I am trying to)!!! My man is fab and understands why I am doing this to myself (even if he does nag that I am trying to do too much)- he cooks my tea every day and brings it to work (the only time he sees me Mon -Fri, some may think he is lucky?), he cleans, shops, washes and keeps house all week for me {xxxxxxx}

Off for my yearly trip in a couple of days to see my little man who is 5 next week - never missed one yet and not about to start now.

Fully laden with birthday and xmas pressies......about 20kilo's at a guess........!!!!!

So happy watching him grow up - I may be biased but he is a lovely little man ;o)

So, am I chilled enough to go to sleep yet ??? No. Oh well.

YAWN.........................oooooo maybe.....

AWOL

I am back.

Life is still the roller coaster it always is for me......you tend to get used to it after a while.

So in brief..............

1) Good news, after all my worrying and hurdles I passed my exams. Overall results for my first year was a FIRST !!!!!!!! Started back last week........quite missed it really!!!! Have to blog on my college blog (new techno homework!!!!!) hence I am not here as often cause I am there talking about........erm....stuff????

2) Bad news, our Becky Boo went off to doggy heaven. She has been with us for 8 years and was the ripe old age of about 15 so she did well. But the house is empty without her .......I am sure she is still here, following us around - just not leaving hair everywhere.

3) Had a lovely weekend in Southwold, beautiful place, relaxing and some lovely fish and chips.

4) Fab week in Wales camping, no phone reception, no internet, no tv just beautiful surroundings, me & mr Kev (I won't mention the rain or trying to walk up a mountain in a storm!!!!) This time we took the train up Snowdon.....walking it last year was enough !!!!!

6) Looking forward to my trip for Samuels birthday, one person who can make me smile and laugh when the rest of life is falling down about me.

7) Missing my grandad and my other grandparents. Lots of things would be different if they were here. I could always go down my grandads and have a good moan and he would too, we would moan together.

8) Dad has a new shop....The Bookmark - with that name it is obviously a bookshop !!! Lovely little shop with lots of prospects.

9) Making stuff - knitting cardis for my friends little girls doll's - making bags - xmas decs for the shop - blankets

Lots of hard work coming up and some decisions to be made.............life eh!!!!!

Waiting room....

We have finally taken the plunge and sold the sofas. We do not have the largest lounge and there are not many 'available' walls to put stuff against and we have the largest sofas you could imagine!!!! The 3 seater could actually fit 5 and the 2 seater could actually fit 3......and there are only 2 of us in this house. So we decided that we were going to find some space. Off to IKEA as usual !!!!

My friend from work bought my sofas and I planned it right ~ so I thought ~ I checked and thought the new chairs were in stock.....whoops-a-daisy. Not available until the end of the month.

Here they are........1.5 seater chairs......gonna take a bit of getting used to 'cause we are used to a sofa each.

We do need a spare chair but I was going to wait till I found something I really want but when we cleared my Grandads house I decided that I would keep my grandma's chair. I miss her every day and I can still see her sitting in it and it still smells of her and now it will have a little space in my lounge :o)

Quite lucky I kept it really since they picked my sofa up last weekend......so I also saved my grandads orthopaedic chair for a while so we actually have 2 chairs. Picture it, me in my nanas chair, Kev in grandads.............lets just hope we don't get visitors who actually want to sit down!!!!!

Off to get my slippers, bed jacket and knitting...............

The last one.....

....exam that is, on Monday. Hopefully I can manage to scrape through, as long as I get a pass I will be pleased.

Grandad's funeral has been and gone, it was extremely emotional but totally what he deserved. Guard of honour, standard, last post - he would have been proud to have received it. One of his cards read 'farewell old soldier' and that is how he went. He is now with my Nana and all the others he has missed since they have gone and he is hopefully happy.

The rest of us are just trying to deal with what has happened. It has been hard, emotional and exhausting - very little sleep is being had.....which doesn't help with revising and acheiving those passes that I want !!!!!

On the trying to cheer ourselves up side.........my fab husband has got me a greenhouse. Unfortunately it is an extremely wet weekend so still some work to do on it but hopefully the rain will stop soon ?? It is a bit late to get much going but at the moment we have courgettes, aubergines, chillies, lettuce (lots of), tomoatoes, rocket, herbs.....all things we love to eat. I will prove to people - particularly my husband - that I can grow things !!!! and they will taste oh so lovely !!!! Gonna call it Grandads greenhouse after both of my grandads who loved to garden......then maybe it will be filled with their aptitude for successful growing !!!!

Right, signing off now, HAVE to concentrate on some revision.The phones are off/hidden because they haven't stopped for the past week or so and it doesn't help my concentration with so much distraction - I need to focus.......you don't want to see my phone bills for this month!!!!!
After Monday I should be able to relax a bit and get a grip on things.

Bye x

Happy Birthday

A fuzzy photo but who cares. Me and grandad Sam on the carousel.

Happy Birthday grandad

xx

It was a sunny day....

Sunday 24th, the sun was shining bright and my grandad went to sleep and began his journey to meet up with my Nana.

I have lots of memories to keep and will miss him very much.

x

mmmmmm.....

A nice night at the theatre was had yesterday - we went to see Gervais Phinn at DeMontford in Leics - he is an ex teacher/examiner/school inspector and now writes and lectures with anecdotes about the people and students he has met along the way. Very amusing, I didn't find it quite as funny as some that seemed to be crying with laughter, but he was amusing. We actually thought we had turned up at the wrong show, 5 late 20-early 30's girlies in a theatre where the average age was, well, about 50.....maybe higher.....and the running commentary from 2 rows back was delightful - not!!!!
Anyhow, he reeled off a couple of poems, here is one I have found so far, called 'Anyway' by Mother Theresa:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;Give the world the best you've
got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;It was never between you and them anyway.

Isn't that beautiful ?

Late night tonight, gonna wait up for the teRaa's to get here. 3 days off work, a curry, a trip to Warwick castle to see some real knights (one little 4 year old will be jigging with awe me thinks!!!!) await us and also, hopefully, a start on clearing my loft of 30 plus years of toys and memories. Managed to entice my Blyth obsessed sister into a night of sifting through boxes with the lure of many many boxes of Sindy accessories. How sad, all of our childhood belongings are now classed as vintage......how old will we feel digging through that lot !!!!! Be prepared for her to show lots of various Blythe poses.....Blythe on a horse, Blythe in the salon, Blythe in her jeep, Blythe on a camping trip........I am sure the list will be endless, apologies in advance !!

Grandad is poorly at the moment, a couple of days in the hospital now looks like it may turn to a couple of weeks unfortunately. He has some plants that he bought just before got ill, still in pots so think I may go and do my Percy Thrower impersonation tomorrow to cheer him up when he comes home :o)

night y'all

yoo hoo....

hi....still here....?

There has been a lot going on of late so not been around much.

On my own tonight cause man is out being social and for some strange reason I have the Eurovision song contest on.......not usually done in this house but out of 400 plus channels it seemed like a good idea at the time. Must say, Mr Wogan takes some beating but Graham Norton is making me laugh.........what a life I lead - life on the edge, bring it on.

Want to hear a good song ? Click here....Empire of the Sun - We are the People, the video takes some getting used to, very 80's and slightly strange but the song is fab.

One more lecture left and three 2 hour exams and my first year at college will be done. Waiting for some work to be returned but at the moment I am averaging a 2:1 with a few firsts in there too so quite chuffed with it all. I don't always have the belief in myself and I think the perception I get of what others think I can (or can't) achieve is not always what they actually think(?). But I am getting the hang of this learning game again and I actually amaze myself sometimes with some of the stuff I can remember and discuss - just got to get the 'arguement' side of my writing polished up.......it is a noted fact, I am not great at argueing and teacher said I need to 'argue' more.......kev-man might disagree????

Creativity has ahd to take a back-burner but have managed to knock these out.

Acetate of my nana and grandad in soldered glass with a flower stamping and a vintage bead.

A crochet bobble bracelet (loved making this)

and finally a charm bracelet.....vintage buttons, locket and bells.


Think I need to get an etsy or the like because I love making stuff but there is only so much one can make and store :o)



Off to chill, big spring clean today for the iminant arrival of the teRaa's next week so totally knackered.


Bye

Life is pretty crap at the moment.........thats my update for today. Then again no-one said it was easy.


Life is no straight and easy corridor along
which we travel free and unhampered,
but a maze of passages,
through which we seek our way,
lost and confused, now and again
checked in a blind alley.


But always, if we have faith,
God will open a door for us,
not perhaps one that we ourselves
would ever have thought of,
but one that will ultimately
prove good for us.

(AJ Cronin)


Now I just need to figure out which door to go through.........................xx

Wednesday

Hi......just passing on something I got from one of my lecturers......can't pass up on a good poem.

To laugh is to risk being a fool
To weep is to risk being sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement
To show feelings is to risk showing yourself

To place your ideas, your dreams
Before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure

But risks must be taken because the greatest
Hazard in life is to risk nothing
Those who risk nothing, have nothing
And are nothing

They may avoid suffering and sorrow
But they cannot learn, feel change,
Grow, love, live

Chained by their certainties, they are slaves
They have forfeited their freedom.
Only a person who risks......is truely free.

(Anon)

Monday

Finally......have signed my contract for a permanent job.......at least now I can take a day off on holiday and be paid for it......yeah. Just need some good news about Kevs redundancy now, ie he isn't !!!!

Managed to get back to school last week after my poorliness........getting a bit worried about the exams. Once we have had one lot we will sort of know what to expect but there is sooooo much to remember which is where I doubt myself. There are acts, policies, theorists, politicians and important writings all with their relevant dates and times........I really need a flip top head to pour all the info into !!!! One of the teachers told us to try exam cards to get the prominent points down.....so rather than them getting all tatty in the bottom of my bag and because I do not know where to get a flip top head from I have made this instead.

Anyway.....don't know why I am actually worrying about the exams.....got 3 essays to write before then. The questions are interesting and I can answer them I think (that is if after the 20th time of reading I have actually understood them finally!!!)....my problem is pen on paper making sense sort of stuff..........practice makes perfect I suppose - so why am I here rather than essay writing??????? Answers on a postcard please :o)

Other news....

Ma fella had a birthday last Thursday.

....and my nana's is on Wednesday. I miss her.

There are lots of photos of her when she was younger but not many later on 'cause she didn't like photos of herself........about a year after she had gone I found a roll of film in an old camera and this was on it. Grainy I know, but a good find.

xx

I am ill ill ill.....and a bit more ill. Viral flu. OOOOOOh not nice.

So that why i have been awol.

My news.....short but good

Jo-Jo got into the Prima DT wooooohooooo !!!!!!!!

I may have a permanent job....fingers crossed.


I can already drive one of these
















and in 1st week of March I will be able to drive one of these......


how totally brill !!!!

Yeah, I know it is not very girlie



but if you knew me then you would know that neither am I



always wanted to drive trucks.........

....oh, and mine will have doors on it :o)

Finally - HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my grandad.....92 today....way to go !!!!

Off to take my medication so I can actually get some sleep and wake slightly human?????
xx

Update on the life of Noo Noo.

UP's:

Mum is out of hospital & doing better

Been very busy studying & getting good grades (so far....sssshhhh don't jinx it)

Had fun on facebook - posted some school photo's which started some relivin (20 years ago.....ouch)

Day off work tomorrow (but I do have to spend it studying and finishing a report.....second language acquisition of bilingual children.......sound kinda smart don't I !!!!!!)

Bought a gorgeous new cupboard for my study....bargain price too (especially considering I nearly bought it at full price a few months ago - but I am tight so I didn't - see, my thriftyness pays off sometimes)....me loves a bargain peeps.

DOWN's:

No sister to talk to (cause she was off having fun with her other friends)

Want to go and see said sister but need time - oh and a bit of money wouldn't go amiss either.

Had a gas leak......I have been complaining about the smell of gas for a while but no-one believed me....correction, Kev didn't believe me. Today gas man came and mended the gas leak that is not there.....loose connection to new cooker.

Increase of 500% on my water bill (like 100 to 500 pounds!!!!!)- all because of a little leak inside the toilet - fabbo.

They are shutting down the whse where kev works-anyone got a job going....thought not.

Right....this list is getting a bit long so better stop before I thoroughly depress myself.

Here is said cupboard (except mine has stuff in it)...it is fab - big too !!!!!

And something finished....yey.....lots of sassafrass lovin going on.

And finally.......this is possibly gonna get me in to trouble.....oh well......just another number to add to the 101 reasons why I don't like noo noo list eh?.....lol.....I enjoyed making it (weeds and wildflowers digi stuff)

Have fun all x

Ok I admit it.......

I listen to Radio 2. Love Jeremy Vine show.........actually quite informative sometimes.....yes it is now official.....I am old. Where are my slippers??
Anyway, whilst listening to Terry Wogan this morning...............I know...............I heard this. They do a 'pause for thought' section on the show and this is a cut down version of todays (here is the full version)........just thought it was nice and thought I would share. Relates well and happens to link to a convo I was having today. Confirms what I tell myself each day, something I learnt from my Nana.....everything happens for a reason and I was meant to hear this today and also I was meant to share it. I hope it brightens your day too. i will shut up now. Thanks Terry. Enjoy y'all.

The Rt Rev'd Stephen Oliver, Bishop of StepneyWednesday 7 January 2009
'Today’s my birthday, and at this time of year I find myself thumbing through the old diary for 2008 wondering where the year went. Some pages remind me of people or occasions that bring a welcome smile of pleasure. Some pages bring a twinge of regret. I put the diary away. It’s all in the past. Or is it?
George Eliot, the novelist, has a clever saying: “I looked behind for my past and lo, it had gone before me”. There’s a real sense in which the past is never left behind. And it can be a wonderful thing. Giving children a secure and loving home will be for them a source of inner strength and confidence in the years to come.
But the past can be a burden.'
'For good or ill, the past goes before us. It can be hard. But it can also be full of hope. If our past lies waiting in the future there is still the chance to deal with it. That’s the measure of real hope for those trapped in the prison of their history.'
'Yet God who creates and recreates, never tires of giving us a new day, a new year. There is always the chance of a new beginning. Whatever lies before us this year, let’s pray for the courage to deal with it, to face whatever comes with fortitude, patience and joy.'

fresh as a daisy.....

....nice fresh new colours.......all digi bits from the Weeds and Wildflowers site.......seriously fabulous things over there, can't believe that I have not seen it before!!!!!!! (and they currently have 30% off so even more of e reason to go shop!!!!!!)

Back to school tomorrow.......already dreading my exams - and they are not until June!!!!

bye

2009....here we come

Hi all. Hope you all had a fabulous christmas and new year celebrations have not left you all feeling too 'ruff'. We had a fab christmas with the cloggies.........lots of nice food (and take outs!!-more about that in a mo)...........lots of nice presents..........i even did a bit of scrapping and made a year book. One deal I have made with myself is that I am going to try and write in it often.....not every day cause that deal would soon be broken, just often.

We did not do anything for new year - I am not really a new year celebrator...........starting a new year with a hang over does not appeal !!!!! I actually find new year a bit scarey and depressing - no reason.

Anyway, lovely new year ahead what does it hold??

The big problems for 2008 are coming with us to 2009 but hopefully we will see and end to them - I have faith......so fingers crossed for a good one !!!!!!

and........we have a new kitchen.......finally !!!!!!

In true Katja style nothing went to plan. The schedule date of 19th came and went.......we had no cooker, sink, cupboards....anything. Delays in electric work and due to the cold weather the floor took 2 days to dry the sealant........the builder was without his assistant for a day - get the picture? Finally, day before christmas eve we told him to just get certain jobs done and come back after christmas........everyone deserves a christmas break, right? He was most pleased:o)

So last 2 days the finishing touches have been made and I now have my kitchen that I have been longing for over the past 12 years. Ok so the wallpaper still needs hanging but apart from that we are done. And if I say so myself.....it looks fan-bloody-tastic!!!!!!!
Will post some pics later or tomorrow.
Also, whilst I was at work one day last week my sis got everyone into gear and got my lounge painted for me, the floors scrubbed and all the furniture back in place all in 8 hours !!!!! So I have a fab fresh lounge too.

Off to study.......no rest for us academics you know....lol xxxx

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!

....15/12/08....

Today.........very tired after only 6 hrs sleep........rough morning at the hospital........lots of stuff to do at work (but at least we had a laugh towards the end of the day)........the house is still a tip.......the paint I chose is SOOOOO not the right colour........done lots of moaning at Kev {poor Kev} and he hasn't lost his patience 'yet'..............and to top it all off the builder is now not expecting to finish until Sunday - how fabulous!!!!! Luckily I have a fab sister who is happy to clean with me {and I am sure I can get Sam on the case with a feather duster} :o)

My bed is calling.............sleep........lovely sleep...........x

.....12/12/08.....

No, I haven't fallen off the edge of the planet......still here.....stressed, busy, stressed (repeating myself, yes....just so you get the point !!!!! I have lots of excuses......

Mummy is poorly sick and in hospital, 4th week now so I am spending as much time as I can there.

School, lots of work done and to do. We have finished for xmas now but unfortunatley my attendance had to take a bit of a nose dive last week cause of the above and generally being exhausted!!!!!

Kitchen renovations.........as per usual I do not do things the easy way. This week we have the builders in to fit my sparkly new cuisine !!!!!!! Fabulous thought but the reality is we are living in a......not sure what best word describes it without obsenities.....basically a building site !!!!! First the kitchen innards are all upstairs, some in my scrap room, some under my bed, some in the spare room.....in other words everywhere apart from the kitchen where it is meant to be. We are having a newly plastered ceiling in the kitchen so in our wisdom we thought we would save a job in the new year and have the lounge done too......what a great idea......NOT!!!!!!! Therefore the whole lounge barr the sofas are in my scrap room, some under my bed, some in the spare room.....get the picture???? NO???? well here is some proof, this is my study/scrap room......'WHERE??' I hear you cry....'exactly' I answer. And this is just one room......the only place I have to sit is my bed which is surrounded by school books. And don't get me started on microwave food.....which to be honest has not been too bad but can't wait to cook something 'proper'.

I wish I was better at the before and after thing but I forget the before bit so here are some of the during.........

Nasty cupboards are no more.....

Nasty textured ceilings are no more.......

Once there was a door....but now no more (it has settled a bit more since it was done so doesn't look quite so obvious!!!!!)

Today they made my cloakroom into a temporary a utility/laundry room (if you can call 3 years temporary.....we need to save for an extension!!). Well, that is one less toilet for me to clean....yeah.

Tomorrow the floor goes down and then the units can go in........and it all needs doing by Friday.....cause then the cloggies arrive and at the moment they would have to share their bed with a dinner service, half a welsh dresser and some flat packed kitchen units.

And I need to paint at some point too.

Will show you the finished result....... :o)

Back at the hospital first thing in the morning so off to try and find the shower........?????

Night x