Happy New Year

Yes, I know just a little late, but better late than never.
You may have noticed that I haven't been around for a while, lots of stuff has been going on, and the blog got forgotten, lots of things got forgotten in fact, my ability to knit, crochet and sew among them. Stuff has been happening, new jobs, yes I did say jobs, I am now spending one day a week cleaning for the lovely Leigh, what a treasure, more about her at a later date (yes I do intend on posting again soon) and a dream job for many, including myself, I now have my own set of keys for a charity shop. I am working four days a week for Age Uk at their shop in Midhurst, pop in any time we have treasures galore, the only drawback to working there is that I could spend my wages fifteen times over every day of the week.
There is also the possibility of being part of a co-operative in Billingshurst, the local parish council has secured funding for a shop for local crafties to sell their creations, I have only been to one very brief meeting about it and I must say it all sounds very interesting, my thinking cap is on and is getting red hot from all the things whizzing around the head.
I will be back very soon, I only have very limited use of the computer at the moment, mine gave up and died, and Mr Roadside needs this one for his business during the day (and for  playing jungle jewels most of the night).
X

Hayling Island

We had five lovely days on Hayling Island at the beginning of the month. My parents took their little caravan down to a beautiful caravan park on a creek (of which we had lovely views) and we settled in as quick as can be.

It was just Mr Roadside, Bethany and me, we did make up the little bed for Bethany but to no avail, she spent every night in with us, thankfully the sofas pull out into a very large bed, Bethany does love to spread herself out.

We packed so much into those five days, fishing for things in the creep with her little pink net, all we caught was seaweed but Bethany loved it all the same, fish and chips on the beach, (well we tried to anyway, there was such a breeze coming off the sea we sat a way back to get some shelter) The funfair was a must of course, and even better was the little train down to the funfair. 

We all loved the trip on the train, as you can see from the very happy faces.

 Myself and the rugrat had a trip up the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Mr Roadside declined on the basis that he is scared of heights (wooseburger) we had  a great time walking on the glass floor and looking down, it was a lovely day so we had wonderful views across the harbour and over to the Isle of Wight.  

 We had a boat trip around the Harbour to see all the ships docked around it, Bethany was so enthralled by it all she promptly fell asleep, so the next stop was for refreshments sitting in a boat is such tiring work.

Bethany then captained a little tug called Ella of her own, she had a rare old time and she didn't sink it once.

We did so much more, bowling, trips to the beach, Pepper Pig World (which was packed to the rafters) walking down the side of the creek, lots of ice creams and eating out. We even had visitors one evening, our neighbours popped down and we all went out for a meal. But the highlight of the whole time was at one of the houses across from us on the creek, there were pirates, honestly they had the Skull and Crossbones flying and we could see them coming and going in their very posh boat. ( and who says crime doesn't pay) Bethany was so excited every time she saw them and told everyone she could see about the pirates.
Next year we hope to take her away again and maybe take our Grandson away with us as well, isn't he a cutie.

Changes

I have been so neglectful of my little space here, so much has happened in the last month. I finally cracked at work, after the straws were piling on top of me and weighing me down to the point of insanity (Ok a little melodramatic, but that is how it felt at the time) so I called time on it for good. Great for me personally but not so good for the purse strings.
I now have a little cleaning job once a week and I have an interview tomorrow in Midhurst for a job I have found and adore. I have been filling in time recently volunteering in our local Age Uk charity shop and I love it and want to do it forever. You would be amazed at some of the bits that are donated, and sorry to say disgusted at others, everything from gold sovereigns to dirty underwear (shudder)
We did have a little holiday away, we borrowed my parents caravan and took the grandaughter to Hayling Island for five days, she had a great time and completely wore us out.
I will hopefully be back very soon with more news and maybe a photo or two. x

Memory Lane

Bethany was very excited this evening when a hot air balloon went over the garden, the usual conversation then ensued, could she go in a balloon, I explained she was too young to go in one, but when she was older I would take her. I told her that I had been in a balloon once and we came to look on the computer to find a picture of this balloon because the one I had flown in was very special, at the time it was the tallest air balloon in Europe.

Isn't he huge, if I remember rightly he was about 110 feet tall. I was on my way to work at a balloon festival a few years ago and I saw him flying over me at 5.30 in the morning followed by the support vehicle. At the festival I had a visit from the balloon team, they had seen my van that morning and noticed it again on site and had come to see if I wanted to go up in Bertie Bassett. Did I ! It was one of the most surreal things I have ever done, although you can hear things from the ground, the noises are almost not there, it was so peaceful. To make the experience even more unreal it had been announced that morning by Cadbury Trebor Bassett (the owners of the balloon) that Bertie was being retired so I was one of the last people ever to fly in him.
This got me thinking back to my old job so I googled to find an image of one of the cars I used to drive, not only did I find my car (there were five of them) but I found a picture of my van towing it. I do not recognise where I am parked, we toured with these for five years maybe longer all over the UK, so it could be just about anywhere. I had the best job in the world, selling, and sometimes giving away chocolate, I went to music festivals, the commonwealth games in Manchester after a fifty day tour of the UK on the Queens Jubilee Baton Relay, I went to football games, Rugby matches, the Battle of the Flowers in Jersey, supermarket car parks, you name it we did it.

Most time we towed these little babies, but every now and again we took them for a spin, I went to a wedding in the egg in Blackpool, a surprise for the bride arranged by her family, she was chocolate mad and her wedding was themed around Cadburys. I even drove it behind the hearse at my bosses funeral, he would have laughed his head off. One completely mad day when I had been at Legoland all week and I could not be bothered to go back to the yard to pick up the trailer and go all the way back to Legoland to pick up the creme egg car and load her onto it yet again, I let my colleague drive my dairy milk van (not something that happened very often, I loved my van and was very precious with her) and took her out on the road, this always caused a bit of a stir, people could never believe what they were seeing, but to really stir things up we went home via the M25. How we never caused an accident I will never know, people were trying to take photos of the car while they were driving, one couple nearly went off the motorway altogether, they were so surprised, it was fantastic drive home (not the near accidents obviously) the most fun I have ever had driving it, except maybe our little spin around Glasgow, we had people chasing us down the road, and a cyclist ran a red light overtaking us and nearly took out a pedestrian. (not that, that should be amusing, the pedestrian was ok in case you wondered, but I do have a seriously bad sense of humour) The stories I could tell you, but I will cease my waffling now, but I had such good times.

Poor Forgotten Blog

I could tell you that I have been to busy, that I just haven't had the time to blog, but I would be telling great big porkies. I have been far to lazy, naughty me.
Lots of pictures today.

I got these at a car boot on Sunday.

This was a charity shop find, only the one.

Another charity shop find, I got three of these.

This little set also included the larger sandwich plate as well as the side plate, saucer and teacup of which there are four.

I have had a day of playing with the magic box today, been off work, not the best photo I'm afraid.

A shot of the lining, lovely little mushrooms.

Last but not least, another charity shop find, working and in box with instruction manual, isn't it just lovely, Bethany was very excited when she saw it, shame she is to young. I can just see me and her in the future sitting together whizzing things up with our magic boxes.

 

Pretty Vintage

I have noticed a lot of bloggers and others have been searching out and finding pretty vintage crockery, from car boots, charity shops etc, I have been feeling a little left out, I love stuff like this and while I was doing my usual trawl through the charity shops yesterday I kept my eye out for some pretty bits to fly into my hands, nothing, not a thing, not a bean or even a tea cup and saucer. Oh I saw lots of very nice bits and bobs, but nothing that called my name, I came home feeling quite disappointed.

Now, as most of you know it is Fathers Day today and we had invited my father-in-law around for lunch, and I had a sudden thought as I was laying the table, we had gone to my Mums for dinner last Monday and she had gotten the 'best' china out, when I remarked on this, asking if it was a special occasion I had forgotten all about, she replied 'what was the point in having lovely things that got hidden away in a cupboard and were only bought out and used once or twice a year, why couldn't everyday be a special day'. As usual my Mum is a wise woman, with wise words, and no I did not rush around there and steal her best china, I opened up my dresser and got mine out.

Yes I know, how could I have forgotten about this, I have already got pretty vintage china that has sat all alone in my dresser for about six years, maybe longer. The set belonged to my Gran, she is still alive but suffers from dementia and has been in a lovely care home just around the corner from us for about six years, or maybe longer. When my parents cleared out her house as both they and my Aunt already had 'best china' sets, they thought I might like it.
So today out it came, it was given a bath and set out upon the table, along with some lovely crystal glasses which we do use, (alcohol does not taste the same out of cheap Ikea glasses) I did stop at getting the silver cutlery out though, I was not going to sit there for hours polishing that lot, maybe another day.
Anyway the picture is of one of the diddy coffee cups, the set is by no means complete (so if any of you spy out some Coalport Ming Rose china on your hunts, give me a shout) but it all looked so beautiful set out on the table. My project very soon is to clear off the junk on my dresser and get the china out on display and mostly to use it, as my Mum said, lets make everyday special.

I am Home

The South of England show was pretty good for a week off work, spent some quality time with my Mum and really enjoyed flogging cakes, we had another team (Mr Roadside and my Dad) down at the Royal Cornwall Show and each night we would compare takings, I am happy to say we beat their butts each and every day.
Not that I am competitive in any way shape or form !!!!
Granny Blanket had a lovely holiday in the caravan and kept me nice and warm at night, it was seriously cold in the evenings, not freezing or anything, but boy am I pleased that I was not in a tent.
Not much was done on the cot blanket, but I did crochet a hat while I was there, photo to follow another day, cannot be fagged to get it and take photo's tonight, too tired (back at work this week, yuck).
A couple of pictures follow of a some of the pieces of fabric that I have been collecting in the charity shops, just loving fabric of any kind. Catch up with you soon. xxx