2 things

2 things that have made us smile this past week are this incredibly cute card T received from his cousin

and a heart shaped crisp found during our taste test of the new Walker's crisps for Comic Relief.

I have to say for once my to do list may be cleared. Shouldn't speak too soon but it's off to a good start.

Sort out flower tubs in front graden

Photographs for blog- done

Read SATS info

Read through SATS test ready for working through with T.

Sort out thank you's. Due to arm breakge T couldn't complete his so I've taken over!- done

Sort plastic ready for recycling- done

Sort clothes ready for recycling and charity shop- done

On line banking

Sort glass for recycling and walk to recycling bank.

Sew on Cubs badge

Put on washing machine- done

Ironing

Sort through a months worth of receipts and shred

Sort out handbag

Rearrange contents of chest of drawers

Walk to secndhand furniture store tolook for sheving units

Drink tea and eat a hot cross bun- currently doing.

Bursledon

Yesterday G and I decided our walk was going to be around a little village close to us named http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bursledon. It was used as a location quite a lot during the filming of the BBC series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howards'_Way

I have a leaftlet, the children just love it when I say that!, giving details of various walks around the area and using this we explored part of the area and saw some great sights.



I would just love it if you followed this sign which was at the end of a long lane and found a picturesque cottage with 24 windows!

Daffodils on the rise, a sure sign of Spring.

The wildlife ranged from handsome sheep

to scary stone gargoyle lions

the very rare (for this weekend anyway) lesser spotted smiling T

and a deer.

This was definitely the highlight of our walk.

There is a working windmill in the area too and a country park so we plan a return visit in the summer complete with picnic. Now where did I put that leaflet for safe keeping?

Advert

I first heard the new Co-op advert on the radio and then saw both of them on Tv over the weekend.
I have to say I think it's quite a clever marketing campaign. It taps into the way a lot of people are thinking about choosing how they spend their time amd modern everyday living.
I'm sure for everyone who likes the ad there is one who doesn't, see them here at http://savetime.goodwithfood.co.uk/

wedding dress

First off I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have either left a message here for T or sent me an email about him. He was absolutely chuffed to receive so many messages wishing him well. Each one really cheered him up.

So, back during our trip to Winchester last weekend I snapped this shop as we wandered past as it's where I bought my wedding dress nearly 14 years ago.
As we were getting married in a registry office I knew I didn't want a 'meringue' dress but wasn't sure exactly what I did want. I had looked in a few shops and nothing had grabbed me, apart from a £90 dress in Monsoon and as our wedding was being done on a very tight budget because we were buying our first home together too I had to think about the cost of everything.
Each year myself and my (then) best friend would go to the Ideal Home exhibiton on an organised coach trip and one of the drop off points was Winchester. We were chatting away, as you do, when I just happened to be looking out the window as we drove past this shop and there in the window was the dress for me! I rang them as soon as I thought they would be open again and asked them to put it by for me. Then on my next day off I went with my dad and my sister C to try it on.



I loved it.
The underskirt makes that wonderful swishing sound when you walk!
The way it hangs from just under the bust and flares out is very flattering which was a plus

and the detailing on the top was just enough.

The lady in the shop told me the person who they were selling it for had bought it for a cruise but had never worn it, all the labels were still attached. I'm so glad she didn't and that it got to be mine.

Sticks and stones

may break T's bones, but so will running and then tripping over in the playground.

Yep, T had a bit of an accident at school on Wednesday lunch time and managed to break 2 bones in his right arm.

After a couple of frantic phone calls G went up to the hospital with T, my sister C coming to the rescue and driving them up there, just after 1pm. Just after 3pm I had a text message to say T needed to have an operation that evening to have a couple of K wires inserted. Well it didn't happen due to more pressing emergencies and so T stayed in over night and I went up to the hospital for 8.30 Thursday morning as he was scheduled to have the op between 9 and 10. Eventually he had his op at 3.30pm.
I was so proud of how he handled the wait. He was bored, hungry, thirsty and oh so fed up by the time he was able to go to theatre but he didn't moan or whinge, (well not too much!), just accepting that the wait had to be done and that was that. The nurses praised him and other parents commented on how well he coped.

He didn't want me to accompany him to the theatre, I was only allowed to go to the end of the ward with him and give him a big hug and kiss there.

He did make me cry at one point too. T was in the same hospital, a couple of floors up from where my dad died in 2008. T said 'thanks for coming up and being with me mum, I don't know why you wanted to come, cos what with Grandad and all, but I like having you here.' Bless his heart.

Day trip

We've had the most fun day out today. It's been a very happy day.
Our destination today was Winchester.


It was me who picked Winchester as I really wanted to go to see the 1920's dress exhibiton at the Discovery Centre which is due to end next week and I also thought we could go to Winnall Moors for a bit of fresh air.

Our first stop once we had arrived actually turned out to be Cath Kidston. I've never been to one of her shops and although I would have liked to have soaked up all the visual treats for a bit longer I did manage a quick scout round and a couple of purchases.

We wandered down the high street and found a sign directing us up to St Giles Hill. So after walking up many steps

we had great views over the City from this high spot. Clicking on the link will show much better photos than the ones I took of it. Instead of those here's one of my tribe having a sit down!

Back down to the city centre again we decided it was time for lunch and went to an American themed diner called Buddy's. The walls are decorated with famous faces from film and music from the 1950's.

Me and my completely gorgeous boy.

When we finally left the diner it was gone 2.30pm and we were struggling to find the nature reserve as there wasn't a sign post to be found. We did however find 2 things which caught our eye.

Watch out!

A doorstep outside a restaurant.

Eventually we did find Winnall Moors and the walk around only took us half an hour or so which is probably just as well as by then, as you can see from the photos, the sun was getting low and it was becoming nippy.

And this was the view over the park just as we left and began walking back to the train station for a hot drink in the cafe.

Such a lovely family day.

La Befana

Yesterday was very exciting here at the J&J home as we had a surprise parcel arrive from the lovely Michela.

Inside for T and S Michela had sent this wonderful La Befana. Remembering what I could from Michela's blog post last year and from Michela's card I told the children the story of this old witch who leaves sweets for children. Hidden under her skirts is a container which was full of sweets. They haven't all been eaten, just shared out fairly between the 2 of them!
Thank you Michela, I think you have started a new tradition for our family.

Michela very kindly included a couple of things for me too. This fabulous felted brooch which is sat on a huge kilt type saftey pin is going to go onto one of my handbags and this ring made up of little beads in the most pretty colours.

Thank you Michela. I love them both.