Christmas blog candy....

Some gorgeous Christmas blog candy on offer.

Take a look here to see what Gill has to offer....and here to see Jakki's offering.

Candy!!

Alison has some blog candy to give away.....take a look here.

Summer arrived.....

......here in Sheffield on Saturday. Sunday was a little cooler but fine and today has been definitely autumnal with a cold wind. My garden is covered in fallen leaves...I don't have any trees.....but the surrounding gardens do. More clearing up for me to do.

I'm off to the hospital tomorrow morning for a bone scan, and then to town in the afternoon for an appointment with my "back to work" advisor. A complete waste of time but I have to go.

I hope to spend a couple of days making some cards...I haven't made a card for a few weeks now, and I really must make a start for Christmas or it will be upon me before I know it. Every year I tell myself that I'm going to be more organized...yeah..right.

Theo is growing fast (almost 12 weeks old) and is becoming very mischievous. There's nothing that he wont investigate.....that's why I call him "Theo the Bold"....I can see him getting into some real trouble if he isn't careful. He's already found a way to get onto the kitchen work surfaces...and he managed to turn the kettle on. My son now remembers to turn the power off at the wall socket..something I've been telling to do for the last few years. Theo loves to sleep on my computer chair....a bit awkward at times, especially if I'm using the computer.

Here are a few pictures of him. The quality isn't very good as they were taken with my son's camera phone.

I shouldn't have ...

...but I did. The front garden yesterday. I know I told myself that I wouldn't...but it was such a beautiful day and I didn't want to waste it. I did manage to muster up enough energy to go swimming today....although I didn't stay as long. I was very weary on the walk back..all downhill I might add. Definitely having a lazy day tomorrow......promise! If the weather is nice enough I might just sit outside for a while and enjoy the garden that I have put so much energy into this week

Would you....

...like the chance to win some of the cutest little donkey stamps?....of course you would. Take a look at them on Michelle's blog....they are just sooo irresistible!

I'm having....

..a lazy day tomorrow. I've done too much this week and I need a day to rest so that I can go swimming on Friday. So what have I been doing the last 2 days.....well.....housework mainly. Yesterday was the downstairs and today the upstairs. I've been doing a bit of de-cluttering as well. It's amazing the amount of junk that adds up over the years....you know..."I'll hang on to that..it might come in useful one day......" and I don't even know what some of the stuff was for originally....anyway it's gone in the bin. Hope I don't regret it.

Some...

...gorgeous blog candy on offer on Elin's blog.

The sun came out...

...so I went out and did the rest of the back garden.....and some washing... got it all dried as well.
I've still got the front garden to do but I'm feeling rather pleased with myself.
Tomorrow I was supposed to be starting a10 week adult evening class for the ECDL (European Computer Driving License) but I've decided not to go for it yet. My reason?.....I don't really feel very confident about walking home in the dark. I have to pass the local shops which can be a bit intimidating with the kids that hang around. The classes are at one of our local secondary schools and not too far away..but they run from 7 'til 9. I could get the bus, but as they are only every half hour at that time of night and I would only be travelling 3 stops, I would be quicker walking. I'm hoping that the classes are held again early next year....the nights will be lighter then. I'm a bit disappointed as I was looking forward to it...but hey....there's always next year.

It just had to....

..rain! After the beautiful weather the last few days it has now turned drizzly dark and cold. I didn't get much sleep last night and finally fell asleep at about 5.30.....woke up at 8 and decided to have another half hour in bed....as you do. The next time I looked at the clock it was twenty to one!!!...its a good job my sons were at home today and remembered to feed little Theo his breakfast. Not that I think he would have let them forget....he seems to think that every time someone goes into the kitchen it means food. Oh well.....couldn't get out to do any gardening, so went to the bank then came home to do a bit of housework. Quite a lazy day really....and not much planned for the week except swimming on Friday. I think it might be a good chance to start on my Christmas cards...we'll see.

Bad pacing...

I am sooo tired. I did try and pace myself and thought I had done a good job.....but it wasn't to be. I managed the Thursday shop OK...and the Friday swim. I even got the 6 ATC's done and posted. (I will put them in my Picasa album when the swaps are made) This morning I didn't get up until 11.30...don't you just hate that when you have made plans? Anyway.....I decided not to go any further than local shops...and I did get some gardening done. The weather the last 3 days has been glorious, so I couldn't let the opportunity pass by could I? I've only done one half of the back garden..trimmed the edges, weeded the borders and cut back the iris. They should have died back by now but Mother nature is totally confused!....the grape hyacinth are already grown and look nearly ready to start budding....they are a spring flower and we are only in September.....the red hot pokers (don't know the proper name) are growing more leaves rather than dying back, and the fuschia doesn't look as though it is going to stop flowering at all.
I thought that I had been very good at resisting the temptation to do more....but now I am totally wrecked. My knees are really painful, so much so that walking upstairs is almost impossible, I'm having to crawl, and my hands are starting to swell. The rest of the garden will have to wait for a few days after I have had chance to recover slightly...depending of course on the weather.

Two more....

.....chances to win some gorgeous blog candy!! Take a look at Bev's blog......and Elisabeth's blog...some awsome candy!

I've got...

.....a few busy days ahead of me. Tomorrow I'm meeting with my friend, Anne, for a "ladies wot lunch "and then to the cinema to see The Duchess. If it lives up to the previews it should be well worth seeing. Thursday is fortnightly shopping with son and DIL...and Friday is swimming. I've managed to get both the back lawns and the front lawns cut today. The forecast was for rain but I decided to take the chance....and it paid off. I haven't done the edges or the borders..and there is quite a bit of weeding and cutting back to be done, but at least the main job is done....for now. If the weather holds for the weekend I might just manage to get some of those jobs done on Saturday. The days are definitely getting shorter so time for gardening has to be more carefully planned. In between doing all this I have still to make 4 ATCs for 2 organized swaps by the weekend. It's all go isn't it? I'm also now thinking about Christmas cards....and yes I know it's only September....but I need to get organized and at least think about it. Christmas is a busy time for me...card making wise....as my 5 grandchildren and my eldest son all have birthdays around that time.

They could've told me!

Who??..What?? The DWP (Department of work and pensions)....that's who!!!! That they have changed the day I receive my benefit...that what!!
I went to the post office to withdraw my fortnightly Incapacity benefit and was told that there was nothing in my account. When I rung the DWP they informed me that my pay day has been changed. Now why couldn't they have let me know?.....why wait until go to the post office to collect my money and pay my bills, do a little shopping, find nothing in the account and trudge all the way back home and have to ring them? Luckily my son got paid today or we would have been without milk and gas. Now I have to inform my electricity supplier and my landlord that my payments to them will now will now be paid fortnightly on Tuesday instead of Monday. Don't the DWP realize that us mere mortals have enough to deal with without them making decisions and not telling us? OK..rant over.

I went swimming...

It's been a busy week. I'm still trying to get used to 2 pairs of glasses. It's not too bad in the house...but going shopping is a nightmare! I either can't see what I'm buying...need near sight for this....or where I'm going....need far sight.
Little Theo is growing so fast.....and he is exploring at every opportunity. His new trick is to try and get through an open door faster than me....he's succeeded a few times. He's now decided that his bolt hole...where he goes to hide from anything he isn't sure of... is behind the computer. I think he's figured out that it a bit difficult to get him out....except that he's very easily bribed with a long shoelace..his favourite toy at the moment.
I went swimming on Friday and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would....and I don't ache as much as I thought either. Not bad...£1 for an hours session....it's local...and because there are never more than about a dozen people in there, you can stay in longer if you want. I managed to swim about 20 lengths.....quite good going, considering I'm very unfit, have M.E. and haven't done any swimming for about 10 years!

Christmas candy

Take a look at what Jak is offering.....Christmas blog candy!

Update on Adrian...

For those who have been following Adrian's story....there is now an update on his blog posted by his mum Kay. It contains details of a memorial and celebration service in his memory.

..and some more...

..blog candy. Take a look here to see what Nikki has to offer........and Crissy has some as well!!
We are being spoilt.

Some gorgeous blog candy!.....

....up for grabs. Take a look at Suzanne's blog here.

Got my glasses at last

The rain keeps coming...I'm not going to get any gardening done this week that's for sure....and the grass is growing ....fast! Little Theo is keeping us all amused and on our toes. I've had to move a couple of ornaments but other than that he seems to be very contented and has settled in very nicely. He has a good appetite and is fully litter trained...thank goodness. My 2 "boys"....19 and 24... are loving playing with him and and are very amused at his antics.
Yesterday I had a phone call that my reading glasses were ready.....nearly two weeks after my eye test. So I took myself off to town to fetch them. Wasn't sure if this was a good idea as I don't usually go that far on my own. I sometimes forget what I've gone to town for and can sometimes get confused in crowds. Anyway I made the trip ok...off the bus......into the opticians and then back on the bus home. The assistant wasn't very congenial.....perhaps they had been warned that I had made a complaint. Makes no difference to me now though.....I won't be using them again.
Now that I've got both pairs of glasses I have to get used to them. The readers are quite a bit stronger than my last prescription...and I'm still hating the fact that I have to keep swapping.

Introducing....

......our newest family member......Theo.

A very playful and sociable 8 week old. Isn't he adorable!? All black, except for a little frill of white under his chin. He's made himself very much at home....he's already picked out his favourite spots to sit and survey his kingdom.....those being the window sill and the back of the computer chair.

I will try and get more pics ...if he will stay still long enough.

The rain rain rain came down down down......

It's been raining heavily for most of the day....and it doesn't look as though there will be any let up. It wouldn't be so bad if it was warm, but the temperature has dropped considerably. Time to dig out the winter woollies I think. The garden is looking particularly bedraggled as well. Even if the rain stopped today it would still be a few days before the grass could be cut, it's just too wet.

Today was week four of the pain management course....only 2 more weeks left. Have I learnt anything new?.....no. I'm not going to attend the next 2 weeks.....it's a waste of time. Instead I'm going swimming at our local pool. A gentle swim between the hours of 12.30 and 4 and all for just £1

I received news about my long awaited glasses.........I'm still waiting. I did receive a reply to my email and a subsequent phone call. What it boils down to is that the lenses are still out of stock but they will try and get them done by tomorrow. Not good enough. They did try and shift the onus back on me by saying that I was told that they would take 2 to 3 weeks. Now I know that my memory isn't all it should be at times.....but I think ....I know....I would have had something to say at the time if I had been told that. Oh dear.....customer service gone badly wrong here.

There may be an addition to our household tomorrow.....but I'm not going to tell you about that just yet.

Candy...... and word verification.

Firstly.....Glenda has some stamps to give away..but with a little twist. Click here to find out more.

Secondly....Kristin ..check out the blog candy here.

Last but not least....Chris... this is some awesome candy!!

ARGUMENTS AGAINST WORD VERIFICATION
Everyone will have their own view, but in my case, I regard the removal of word verification as a basic courtesy to my visitors who are kind enough to take the time to leave comments. Being aware of their comments through comment moderation, but not hindering them with word verification is the very least I can do to reciprocate their courtesy to me.The problem with word verification is that it takes too long. The characters are very often hard to decipher, and it’s frustrating when you get them wrong and have to re-enter the little suckers!So this campaign is on behalf of busy bloggers. Please spare a thought for the poor bloggers who work so hard at getting round as many blogs as possible to leave sprinkles of blessing and good vibes wherever they go. The terrible proliferation of this awful plague of word verification is a blight on their efforts to make the Land of Blog a cheerier place.
I think most people don't realise that they have word verification on their blogs by default, or how easy it is to switch it off, and perhaps not realising how annoying it is for other bloggers. Either that, or they’re under the misapprehension that they will be bombarded with spam messages. This is not the case. I’ve had mine switched off now for three of the four months that I’ve been blogging, and have had two spam comments. The responses I’ve had from other bloggers to my earlier posts on this topic back this up. (You can see the comments in response to my previous post on this subject, HERE.)For safety’s sake, have comment moderation on for sure, but please consider canceling word verification on your blog. Maybe for a trial period, and see how you get on.Unless there are thousands of comments being left, comment moderation shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the blog owner, and other bloggers will also be more inclined to leave comments if they can see that you don’t use word verification.

I lost....

......my appeal for DLA. No surprises there then. All they seemed to want to know was how far I could walk..not how much pain I was in when walking, or at what pace. In my opinion they had made up their minds before I was even seen. Basically the rules say that if you can walk 50 yards on level ground you don't qualify for DLA. I will be making another claim but this time the CAB advisor will be helping me with the marathon form. It takes approximately 2 hours to fill in one of these forms. It's no wonder that most people don't get an award the first time.....the forms are so daunting.
I still haven't got my reading glasses...I'm a little annoyed with Vision Express. Yes I am naming them. Express service is not what I have received from them. They will be receiving an email registering my complaint.
They say that the lenses needed to make up my prescription are not in stock. There are 3 branches of the company in Sheffield...so why haven't they got them by now...a week later? It's bad enough that you now have to pay a fee of £5 for each pair if you want them within the hour...never used to have to pay that. I think I will be taking my ever so meagre business elsewhere in future.

Rain, birthday and wedding

Sunday saw me at son and DIL's as usual. It started raining during the afternoon but thought it would only be a shower. How wrong was I? I got totally drenched on the way home...had to squelch upstairs and change......totally. Would you believe that the rain eased off about half an hour after I reached home...that is just so typical!

Today is my birthday.....and I tend not to notice them too much now. I did get a beautiful flower arrangement from my friend. I can't take a picture as I haven't got my camera software loaded onto the comp. I'm rubbish at taking pics anyway.
Tomorrow is my DLA appeal. It's at 10 o'clock so that means a very early start for me....I have to be out for the bus at about 8.30. I'm not holding my breath for winning the appeal....but I can but try. If I don't win it I will just have to make another claim and go through it all again.

The weekend saw me making a wedding card. It was for an 80 year old lady to give to her grandson and bride to be. She wanted traditional and luxurious. The card was delivered to the customer today and the feedback is that the customer was very happy and it exceeded expectations.......so I am happy.



The card is gold embossed with a parchment wrap that I embossed on 2 corners and added a few self adhesive pearls.
The rose image is one very kindly shared by Jak that I decoupaged.
Apologies fort he pic being a bit dark..had to scan it...and decoupage doesn't like being scanned!!