Holy Rood part 3

I had to drop S off at a party in town this morning and as there wasn't really time to go home and then get back again I decided to take a wander in the sunshine and find the latest art work on the Holyrood estate. 

Whilst taking my lovely friend Lynn on a whistlestop tour of our City centre  when she recently came to visit I took her to see these sculptures and just by the sculpture of Dama Claramuda we saw this tiled picture of the lady herself along with the Bargate.

After a bit of investigating online I found out there are 7 of these tiled works of art on the blocks of flats.

So here we have the Titanic Stevedore. 

Two different pictures featuring the HolyRood church from which the housing estate takes it's name.

This one depicts the fact that Southampton is indeed the gate way to the world through it's long tradition of seafaring through emigration, trading and the cruise liner business. The white building is the Royal Pier which is just by the docks and would be seen by anyone arriving or leaving by sea and is now a Thai restaurant.

The last one is for WW2 and shows the iconic Spitfire which has very close connections with the City. It's designer RJ Mitchell lived in Southampton and many of the first planes were constructed here, in fact very close to where we live.

The final tiled picture shows four maps of the Holy Rood area in different centuries, but there is so much detail in them that it got lost in the photo so I haven't blogged that one. If you want to see it, then come and visit and I'll take you on a tour!

Playing at Happy Families

Actually playing WITH Happy Families would be more appropriate.

Last week whilst rummaging in the 10p toy box in the charity shop I found a pack of Happy Families playing cards and when I opened up the box and saw the pictures I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.

Make bunting of course!

It wasn't a full pack of cards, some of them were a bit too dog eared and torn and by using the pictures I didn't like so much to practise on with the hole punch to see whereabouts I preferred the hole for the ribbon I was eventually left with my favourites.

I do love Mr White and Mr Sole's moustaches! 

There were 8 left over which are up for grabs if anyone fancies them for their own Happy Families bunting or another craft project. 
I shall pop names in a hat if more than one would like them and if no-one does then I'll keep them for spares.

Happy Days.

Edit-the cards have now found a new home. 

Our weekend

On Friday evening, to help ease us into the weekend, we all snuggled down on the sofa (with popcorn) to watch Bewitched. I had no idea what to expect as I hadn't read any reviews but it was entertaining, just not up to the normal Nora Ephron rom com standard. I think that had something to do with Will Ferrell as although he was funny in parts I just don't see him as romantic lead material, his eyes are too small!

Saturday we had a picnic in the park and then S spent ages playing in the playground. Her teddy from T has now been put to one side and the current favourite is this one accompanying her on the seesaw and wearing her cardi.

On Sunday morning I prepared this french toast bake for us to have after our roast beef and as there were lots of crusts left over S and I took a wander down to the local pond to feed the ducks where the crumbs were also very much appreciated by the water rats. 

In the afternoon I set about with this to change the porch from the peeling white paint you can see here

to the Hot Brick painted porch you can now see here. 
Not sure G likes it as he has only commented on how dark it looks, but I really like it. I think it feels quite cosy and welcoming. It needs another coat and the door needs a touch up of varnish too. Also the window sills need to be painted as these now look even grubbier. One job just leads on from the next doesn't it, but I don't mind, I've made a start and it'll all get done.

One thing that can now be put to use is this cream and pink flower bucket I bought in a charity shop last week, it's going to be handy for wet umbrellas.

Stitchery

There are two things I have mentioned on this blog a couple of times before. And will no doubt mention again.

1. I'm not very blessed in the clever crafty department

and

2. We live in a fairly small terraced house.

Not really related to each other.

Until now.

When I saw this cute stitchery picture on Pinterest I instantly knew I wanted to re-create it.

I changed the house to resemble the setting of our door and windows and raided my button stash to use hearts and circles for each of the o's.

And I am really very pleased with the result.

A cough and some cakes

By the end of the first week at school S had developed a sore throat. Every new school year when she is back mixing with new people and all their bugs and germs S gets a cold or a cough and this year has been no exception. She was ok to go to school but by the time I had collected her that evening, from a friend's house where she had been invited for tea, she was pretty much worn out.

When she woke up on Saturday she was very croaky and quite listless and not feeling up to much. We did venture round to the church hall briefly for a jumble sale, very slim pickings there, and on our return she changed back into her PJ's and even managed a short doze on the sofa until the postman knocked the door very loudly.

T was happy to be indoors taking it easy and whilst S watched Scooby Doo and cuddled her teddy T suggested we play a game. Up to his room we went and after a bit of a debate he chose Break the Safe.

The four of us have only played this once before and I remembered the rules took us a while to read, but it was a lot of fun to play.

You have to play as a team in order to get around the board, avoid the guard and the guard dog,  make booby traps safe, collect four keys, all return to the start/finish room and then place the keys in the safe. This has to be done against the clock. 

And it's really tricky to get it done in time!

I'm not sure now how many games we played before we managed to actually Break the Safe but as you can see from T's face here he was mightily pleased when we were successful. Really, really, good fun. I recommend this game a lot, if you see it by it, or want a board game for slightly older children.

Thankfully by Sunday S was feeling brighter and as the sun was out we felt a walk was in order. Nothing to far or too strenuous, just something that would get us out for an hour.
We parked the car near to the Infant school I went to in the mid 70's. I love this school so much. I had some amazing teachers which I still remember with affection, the only down side was the evil dinner lady and head teacher who were mean to me over my food issues. To the right of the playground is a path which now borders a housing estate, when I went to school it was all open fields and I can remember playing there and going on picnics with friends.

The reason for a walk in this area was to see if we could gather any blackberries. To start with things weren't looking very hopeful but we did manage to fill a couple of small tubs

which once we were home again S and I turned into Simone's recipe for blackberry and chocolate chip muffins. 

Back to School

All weekend S had been looking forward to Monday morning and the start of Junior school. A big day for our little girl. G took the day off so he could take S in and meet her at the end of the day too. Something she was very happy about.

As well as new uniform there also had to be a new lunch box.

I wouldn't mind one of these myself.

S was pretty laden down when she left yesterday, as well as her new book bag, with new lunch box safely inside, there was also her PE kit, a water bottle and her Hythe project. 

I think it's fair to say that T was considerably less excited about his first day back today, although he was happy with the fact he didn't have to go in until 11.30. He would be happy to have short hours every day!

One thing I know he is very pleased with is his new school bag. And as much as I covet S's lunch tin G would like T's new bag.

Going way back to the time before our introduction week with S the social work team suggested it would be a really good idea if T sent her a present in the form of a cuddly toy. T chose a little bear wearing a pink dress.
According to her foster parents S loved it on sight and carried it with her EVERYWHERE. One day whilst they were out shopping it got lost, they only realised once they were home and S's foster dad had to immediately go back to Tesco on a rescue mission and thankfully it was found, S was distraught thinking she wouldn't have her little bear anymore.
Although her overwhelming feeling about Junior school has been excitement I think she has also been a little nervous as this weekend the pink bear has once again been her cuddly toy of choice at bed time.
Security and comfort with big brother's bear.
When I went into S's bedroom yesterday this is the sight which greeted me and it made me smile so much. 

And I will admit to a little tear too.

Days 39-42

The last instalment from our school holiday.

S went back to school, first day of Junior school no less. T goes back tomorrow.

Back to Thursday now though and it was time for our summer trip with friends to Netley Abbey. I am lucky enough to have met, (20 years ago now!) through us starting at the same workplace within a few weeks of each other, a lovely person who became a good friend. She has 3 equally lovely children and we meet up each holiday at Netley Abbey. The children run around and play hide and seek, we sit and chat. It's a good arrangement. 

Instead of the usual photos of the Abbey the ones I took this time were of two very smiley gargoyles.

I always pop into the churchyard on a Thursday to check on Dad's flowers and as we were leaving S and I spotted this squirrel sat on a headstone. Thankfully he stayed still long enough for me to quickly whip out the camera.

I was planning on a day of doing something on Friday but the children just wanted to mooch so that's what we did in the end. No photos of anything we did so instead I am showing off my new mixing bowl which I bought with some birthday money from my mum. 
A crown motif with LET THEM EAT CAKE. In a lovely deep red. Perfect.

I'm not sure how many times our plans for the weekend changed. Salisbury was the plan for Sunday, then it changed to Saturday, then back to Sunday and then not at all.
In the end we went into town to listen to a free music event in one of the parks and took a picnic with us.

The forecast for Sunday had been dry and reasonably warm so we had planned a walk on the Common, a picnic and possibly if the sun did appear a splash around in the paddling pool up there.
Sadly the weather didn't live up to the forecast and it turned out our plans had to change! Fairly typical of the holidays this year I think.
It did give us chance to finish off S's homework though.
She had to make a poster about 'a fantastic day out' from over the course of the summer break and she chose our trip to Hythe.
Good job she has a mum who takes photos of just about anything and everything and so had plenty of things with which to decorate her poster with!