Saw this on a friends blog ramblings of a rusty mind and so decided to join in and have a go myself.I bet out of everyone that does it my answers are the longest cos I do tend to go on. I've tried to keep them short but well you know me girls my short answer is most peoples long.
Right here goes A to Z of me



A - Age - 39 aarrgghhh !1 year away from 40

B - Bed size - Double, would quite like a king but anything bigger than double and I'm not close enough to nudge Mr Super snorer when he gets too loud


C - Chores you hate - All of them!!! I HATE housework but if I have to pick one ..IRONING ooh I HATE IRONING with a vengance


D - Dogs - Scared of them, prefer cats like my gorgeous baby Lucy

E - Essential start to your day - Tea, love it milk two sugars not too strong please, usually have it with bowl of cereal like special K


F - Favourite colour - Ooh dunno too hard to pick blue pink red purple green ....

G - Gold or Silver- Varied over  the years but mostly silver


H - Height - 5'7 ish used to be 5'7 and 3/4's but my posture has gone to pot now so prob at least lost the 3/4s if not more


I - Instruments you play - None properly but I do have a light up electronic keyboard that I like to have a tinkle on


J - Job title - Lazy bones and very lax housewife, also make stuff but thats not a job thats a pleasure


K - Kids - None, never been that lucky


L - Live - Barnsley, South Yorkshire

M - Mother's name - Ros or if you're being proper Rosalene


N - Nickname - Andie, much prefer this to my proper name which I have NEVER liked. Mind you as a child I wanted to be called Diane after Miss Diane off crossroads, I'm so glad now that mum and dad didn't take me serious and change my name cos I dont think it suits me and I don't know anyone named Benny now lol


O - Over night hospital stays - None, not even when I was born cos I was born at home, scared stiff of day I have to stay in one, hopefully never will


P - Pet peeves - Too many to mention, I'm quite a grumpy person I am, but I don't like people who act like what they own, or what jobtitle they have makes them a better person than someone else


Q - Quote from a film - Life is like a box of chocolates- you never know what you're gonna get, love Forest Gump


R - Right or left handed - Right


S - Siblings - Big sister Alison


T - Time you wake up - Usually later than I should


U - Underwear - Big on the bottom small on the top,


V - Vegetable you hate - Green beans uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh


W - What makes you run late - Panicking- have I forgot something, is everything turned off, do I look okay, have I locked up, I'm always always in a rush to leave

X - X-rays you've had - Shoulder, chest, don't think had any others

Y - Yummy food you make - I'm not a very good cook and use a lot of prepared food but I like to make stews in my slow cooker and enjoy the tarts etc I make at christmas


Z - Zoo animal - Monkeys chimps etc- gives me the perfect opportunity to joke that they want hubby back in the enclosure, otherwise not really a zoo fan.

Hi girls. Well my cold has more or less gone now, thankfully it wasnt too bad a cold either so I've still ahd a good week. Hubby is back to work tomorrow, boohoo for him bless him, and to make things worse he has to go in really early for two days too so he'll be up at 3 in the morning. It will come as a shock to him as this past week we havent been going to bed till well after midnight and some nights after one and we've not getting up till 10 ish.
We carried on taking life easy for the rest of his week off and didn't do much except laze around and relax. I did some more sewing and made some more christmas decorations on wednesday afternoon and thursday. On friday we did some housework inthe morning and had pauls mum and dad over in the afternoon, we usually visit them but they wanted us to look for something on the computer for them so they came to us for a change, they were here from about half two until nine and then we dropped them home so I had a day off sewing and crafting on friday.
I got back to it yesterday though and started a scarf in the afternoon for my sisters mother in law, I've still got quite a lot of it to do but in the evening I had a change from knitting and while watching xfactor I made a few christmas tree brooches.

Busy week

 Well its been a bit of a busy and exciting week, last week our nephew Matt who lives with us went off to Australia backpacking for a year. The few days before he went I was busy washing and ironing his clothes so he had plenty to choose from and then on thursday we took him to the airport to see him off. I hope he enjoys himself and keeps safe.

All loaded up and ready to go

A years worth of stuff in there??? not if I was packing lol

Last week I had a message from a lady interested in buying some of my Andies Accessories items for her to resell so after a couple of emails between us she placed an order and I set about making the things required. Most of the weekend I was busy stitching away and finished the order on monday evening and then posted it tuesday. Here's hoping she's happy with my items and they sell well and then maybe she'll want more.

I also had facebook order on Tuesday so made that up and posted it off today. 
After all this making I was running very low on felt and a couple of colours of thread so hubby took me and mum to hobbycraft yesterday afternoon and I went wild in the felt aisle and also bought a few others bits from the rest of the shop too, well you have to dont you lol.

Couple of dozen pieces of felt couple of meters of fabric some thread and a few other bits and bobs that caught my eye

Hubby and I had planned to start painting the kitchen this week as he'd taken thursday off to take Matt to the airport and decided he'd take friday and the whole of this week off too, because of my order we decided to postpone the painting for a couple of days and now I've developed a bit of a cold so we've put it off for a bit longer. I don't feel upto climbing up and down steps painting and also don't fancy the smell of paint which usually gives me a bunged up nose and sore throat anyway, luckily its not a bad cold so hopefully it will be gone soon and we can crack on.
So instead of painting hubby has been reading and relaxing today and after putting yesterdays purchases away earlier on I'm going to get my bigshot out now and cut some more hearts out from the new material I've bought.
Happy crafting girls xx

Hello Bloggettes,  I've done it again and left it ages before posting a blog, only just over a week this time inbetween posts but I just seem to have got out of the groove of writing them at the moment. So anyway here I am today, just a quickie though I think that my dinner will be ready soon.
I've been shopping this week. First off I bought a few cards from Chrissy  These are the designs I chose

They are amazing as they always are from Chrissy and Hubby and I will be very pleased to send them out this christmas.

Then I bought a cute little sign from folksy seller Handmade for you by Elaine

Then on wednesday we popped to our local b&m for a few bits and ended up coming home with a few more items than we intended, we bought 2 new ottomans for our bedroom to keep the bedding in,  the one we had just wasn't big enough so we've bought a couple of smaller ones that give us more space.,we also got some new cannisters and a decorative sign spelling BAKE which is ready for when we repaint the kitchen soon.

I've also been busy stitching this week as I've had a few more orders for some more christmas hearts and decorations. It looks like the robin hearts and rudolphs are the favourites as I've sold more of these than any other style. I've run out of the robin fabric now and also had to swap the ribbon on my rudolphs too as I ran out of the one I was using before. Hubby popped out to the range in leeds yesterday during his lunch break and bought me ten more roles of different christmas ribbons so I've replenished my ribbon stock this week too.

rudolph can you iron????

Just a quickie today as I'm suppsoed to be ironing and well everyone must know by now how much I hate that so I'm putting it off a bit longer lol. I know I shouldnt but I just cant help it. I've just been reading blogs while I pass the time delaying the ineveitable.  I just posted a comment on Chrissys blog and as usual have rambled on and on and on, I think my comment is longer than her blog!!!! I really must learn to be more succinct.
On a crafty note I made a couple more christmas decorations last night, this time round I made felt rudolphs. I've been meaning to make reindeers for a while but didn't get around to it and then earlier this week I saw Chrissys wonderful leaping reindeer card and thought ooh yes I was going to make some reindeers so last night I finally got around to it. It took me a while to find the right template for it. Inspired by Chrissy's card where she added a red pearl gem to her reindeer nose I decided to add a red bead to my little rudolphs. I do hope you don't mind me using your idea Chrissy.
You can view chrissy cards here http://www.chrissysforcards.blogspot.com/ and here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chrissys-for-Cards/

I would much rather be sewing more little rudolphs or other things than ironing this afternoon but I suppose I better go and get on with it. What a shame rudolph can't iron and then I could make a whole army of them and sit here watching them whizz through my ironing for me.
Anyway here's my non ironing rudoph to say hello to you all

Ironing you must be joking !!!

Some days you just shouldnt bother

Hello blogettes do you ever have one of those days where you think you shouldn't have bothered? I had one of those yesterday. I tried crafting but it just didn't seem to go right and hours after I started I had nothing I was happy with to show for it.
It was my own fault though yesterday as I woke up in a funny mood, I was still tired and bit dopey when I got up (no jokes there girls I know I'm always a bit dopey) and also in a 'cant settle and can't be bothered' mood. I don't know why cos theres no reason for me to feel like that at the moment but heyho, there I was in my funny mood.
I'd even struggled to get into the groove chatting online with Eily in the morning, so after doing a bit of housework that was bugging me because I knew it needed doing, I thought I know I'll get my machine out and have a go at a couple of ideas I've been thinking of making recently,  that will perk me up.
BIG MISTAKE  I think I would have been better off sitting quiety in a room n throwing material away then spending hours making the couple of things I did.
First thing I tried making was a little purse for when you have a small bag and don't have room for a big one, I didnt want to just have a simple coin purse so I added a pocket at the front for cards/ notes as well as a zip up coin section and a fold over button up flap to cover it up when closed.I used my Cath Kidston strawberry fabric and set about making a pattern and cutting the pieces out.
First go at stitching the flap I went too far in and didn't realise till after I'd clipped the seam alowance at the corners so it was too late to unpick and sew again which meant the flap was now narrower than I intended it to be. Next when stitching the purse together I got stuck on the metal zip end and broke my machine needle. Then the button hole didn't go right, for some reason the machine stitching was loose on the first section. In the end I wasn't very happy with the purse at all. I think it looks amateurish and I don't like the way the zip lies although I don't know how to get round that on something so small.

After the purse fiasco I decided to try another idea I'd had which was a magnetic pad and pen holder, I didn't have problems making this but I think I picked the wrong material as its too busy and send my eyes a bit funny. Also I'm not too sure of the idea at all now anyway even in another material so more wasted time.

Feeling rather deflated I took a break for dinner but then I thought I'd try again and finish the day with something easy. I decided on a blue felt cushion with the word 'love' appliqued on it.  

Felt christmas decorations

I've had the christmas tree up again today taking piccies of my felt christmas decorations. I had great fun playing with felt again last week making some more felt decorations. I've tweaked the pattern and decorations slightly from the first ones I made a few weeks ago as I didn't like the shape of my puddings and snowmen before and I've also changed the buttons and ribbons I used this time.

christmas tree

Christmas pudding

gingerbread man

Snowman

Stocking

Rather oddly while I've had the tree up taking photos our cat Lucy hasn't bothered about it at all but prevously when we've had a tree up at christmas she always chews and climbs it. It has been on a small table in the middle of nowhere so it's been hard for her to get to but normally she would have at least tried to find a way to it. If only I could believe she would leave it alone at christmas I would be so happy as I really miss having a tree up and buying pretty ornaments for it

Hello blogettes I havent been blogging too much lately I think I've only managed to write them about once a week if that, I just seem to keep forgetting about blogging or if I do come on I read other peoples and then run out of time to do mine. I seem to be spending most of my time stitching or online and on facebook lately.
I havent been doing much jewellery making lately as sales have more or less dried up and I have so much already made I think it's best if I have a little rest from it for a while. Although I did make a couple of chain belts for a customer request from the shop that sells some of my pieces last week. I forgot to take photos of them before I took them to the shop though.
At the beginning of this week I had an order delivered from Cath Kidston including some fabric and toiletries which I had ordered with the idea of making some gift sets including make up bags and toiletries. When it arrived tuesday lunchtime I just couldnt wait to get started and rushed to get my machine out and start making the bags. I still have quite a bit of material left and will be making more make up bags as well as other things from it later. I'll probably keep some of the sets I make to give as gifts to family and friends but the rest I have added to my facebook page to see if anyone is interested in buying them.  I've lined the bags with a white polyester wipe cean lining and added a zip fastener. The toiletries are either bluebell, wild rose or honeysuckle fragranced and smell gorgeous. 
The sets with a makeup/toiletries bag, shower gel, soap and a bath melt included I thought I'd sell for £10 plus p&p and also the sets with make up/toiletries bag, hand cream and body lotion included are £10 plus p&p then I have sets with soap and a bath melt included with a makeup/ toiletries bag that I thought I would sell for £7.50 plus p&p. Do you think this is a fair price?

Blue provence rose fabric bag with 30 ml bluebell hand cream and 30ml body lotion

Blue provence rose fabric bag with 30ml bluebell shower gel, soap and bath melt

Green provence rose fabric bag with 30ml honeysuckle shower gel, soap & bath melt

Green provence rose fabric bag with 30ml honeysuckle hand cream & body lotion

Shooting star fabric bag with honeysuckle soap & bath melt



Pic of inside of bag with lining



Blue provence rose make up/toiletries bag

I have my christmas tree up am I mad????

Well the answer to that question is yes most definately.... but there is a reason for my tree being out today besides me being mad. I've been taking photos of some of the heart christmas decorations I've been making to list on folksy and I thought it would be a good idea to take a photo of the hearts on the tree to set the scene.
We dont actually have a tree up at christmas nowadays as Lucy our cat tends to eat it and climb it so it took some finding in the loft as it hasnt been used for a few years. Luckily we managed to find it and keep Lucy away from the tree while I took the photos without incident.

So now I'm feeling quite christmassy which is a bit odd as its only the beginning of september but hey ho. I have actually bought a couple of christmas pressies already too, just a couple of little things I saw and thought would make nice little pressies for my family. I just hope I remember I've bought them and where I put them when it comes to christmas lol 

Having fun with felt

I think I've fallen in love with felt. I just can't stop buying and making things with felt.I have a little bit of a felt fetish  at the moment ;)
A little while ago I made a pink felt bunny hanging decoration from a craft magazine for Eilys grandaughter Summer and I really enjoyed it. I later made another one in blue, a bears face and a house out of felt and it got me thinking about other things I could make from felt.
People on facebook had started talking about making things ready for christmas and as I have always liked the idea of handmade decorations and last year made myself a felt mitten garland I decided to get a few sheets of felt and have a go.
In a craft magazine I'd just bought there was a template sheet of letters so using these I made a Noel banner out of felt and a set of tree decorations saying noel too. I also made a felt letter and added a button and ribbon detail which I thought would be a nice thing to hang in a childs room using their own initial.

Next I decided I needed more felt so I looked online at hobycraft and went a bit mad picking colours I thought I might use. I'd decided to try some christmas decorations like snowmen, gingerbread men and trees. Later that day hubby was going to staples for some bits for work which is next door to a hobbycraft and he rang and asked me if I wanted him to pop in and fetch me anything, well the temptation was too much, even though I had just ordered a load of felt online I asked him to see if they had any more of the star felt I'd used for my noel banner as my mum had asked me to make her one and i needed some more and asked him to see if there were any other different styles that hadn't been online.
He came back with more of the star felt and also some gorgeous red and white and pink and white polka dot felt which I fell in love with instantly, the red one reminded me of minnie mouse with her spotty dress and bow. He'd also brought me the big heart die cut for my bigshot that I'd had my eye on for a few weeks. So that evening I got my bigshot out and sat cutting out heart shapes from felt and other material too.

A couple of days later I received my felt order from hobby craft and set off trying out christmas decoration ideas. A tree, snowman, pudding, holly, stocking and gingerbreadman were made over the next couple of days.

Then talking to my friend Eily something was said about pacman and retro games and my mind went off onto pacman felt keyrings so I made pacman and the four ghosts blinky, pinky, inky & clyde as keyrings and then a few others designs too a bird, heart and flower. My favourite is the heart and bird and I'm going to make myself a bag charm with a heart and bird on soon.

Then wednesday evening I came up with the idea of making a large gingerbreadman to hang as a decoration, so after hubby took another trip to hobbycraft for more felt last night I set to and made him.  I must say I  love him, he'll definately be hanging up somewhere in my house at christmas. He's quite a big boy at 26.5 x19cm.

Next I'm thinking of trying a felt tree in the same size with buttons for decoration and who knows what else I'll come up with  but I think it might be made of felt lol.

facebook pages folksy and tagging circles

Hello blogettes I seem to be neglecting my blog lately I must admit I keep meaning to come on and blog but I forget. I've been busy online lately making a facebook page www.facebook.com/andiesaccessories for my sewing and knitting projects and also this week I set up a folksy shop for them too www.folksy.com/shops/andiesaccessories  although there isnt much in my shop as yet as I haven't got round to putting everything in but I'm hoping to do more soon. I'm not really expecting an influx of orders or anything from this but just thought I'd have a go its only a few pence to list things and facebook pages are free so why not.
I so love making things and for a while I thought I should only make things I wanted to use myself or to give to other people even though there were lots of things I wanted to make that I didnt have a home for. Then my hubby said why not make things you enjoy even if you aren't going to use them, the making is the fun bit and thats your hobby, making things. Just like some people spend money going to the pub, for a meal, snowboarding (in hubbys case), dancing etc they spend money on their hobbies without producing something they need except having a good time so why shouldn't I. So off I went cutting and sewing away and I can't seem to stop at the moment I'm either sewing something or thinking about sewing something.
I have a facebook page where I show what I've been making jewellerywise so I decided to make one for my sewing accessories too. I saw some other pages on facebook which people seemed to be using as a mini shop window to sell their makes and so hubby and I thought I might try the same just in case anyone wanted to buy something I had made so I added prices to things.
Now I don't have very many facebook friends who would see my page as I sort of joined without planning to (an old friend and my nephew signed me up one day while I was out the room) and I've not really done much to connect with many people on it. I'm not one of these people who sent a friends request to everyone I ever knew,I tend to wait for them to find me just in case they don't want to be friends lol. So apart from family a couple of old friends, a few people from busymitts, and a couple of friends made so we could be neighbours on facebook games I don't have a huge facebook audience so it was suggested to me to go on networking pages to get likes for my new page.
I found a page called 'uk mums who make' which you can use to promote your business facebook page. I wondered if I was allowed to use it as I'm not a mum (although I am an auntie 4 times, 1 of whom lives with us, and a godmum twice) but it said you didn't need to be a mum to use it, you could just want to advertise to mums so I joined in and liked the page and popped my page name down for people to see and hopefully visit. I also visited a few other peoples pages and saw some quite nice things for sale.
I got a few likes off people who saw my post but then I saw news of a silent tagging cirle and after reading about it decided to take part. Its a way of getting more people to like your page and hopefully see your products. At a specific time the uk mums who make page post a comment saying 'silent tagging circle' and people leave a comment with the name of their business page on the list. the idea is you then go down the list liking all the business page names on it and they like you. So you end up with lots of new likes for your page. Well the first time I did this I ended up with over a hundred new likes which was brill I thought, although I had liked all the pages on the list which was over 400 so I now like over 400 pages, obviously some people post their name but dont like everyone elses pages, still a quarter of them had clicked to like my page and that was still a lot of likes.
It had took a lot of my time to work down the list and then my personal page was full of posts from 400 pages, it was like wading through treacle reading through them all and I must admit I thought I had made a mistake astheir was so much to see it would take me hours each day to find read them and spot posts from my friends. I read that after liking your page a lot of people hide your posts if they think you are a page selling something they arent interested in buying so as my news feed was so full I did the same. I worked my way through the posts checking out the pages  to see  what they sold or did and if I thought I'd never need them and if not I hid the posts, their page names are still on my list of likes in case I ever want to look at them or buy from them in the future but my page is now not as cluttered.
Now knowing that and I and others have done this I'm not sure if this system will generate any business because if you hide the posts because you think you arent going to use them then whats the point in liking the page at all??, It seems some pages are obsessed with the number of likers they have but if the likers dont see your posts and look at your pages what is the point in someone liking it, its just a number otherwise.
Hopefully though some people will have kept my posts on show and may come and look at my page and like what I make. Some people come over and visit your page and leave a comment and like you that way so I don't hide their posts as they have taken the time to visit but a lot of people seem to like your page without even visiting at all, its just a number thing to them.
Only time will tell if joining in the tagging circle was a good thing or a waste of time but I did find a few pages I liked the look of and have ordered off 3 of them myself already so it was good for me in that way. 

Last day of hubbys holiday

Well today is the last day of hubbys two week off from work and I must say I will miss him when he goes back to work tomorrow, it's been a lovely two weeks. First off in the first week we had a little holiday in mablethorpe from monday to friday with My sister Ali, nephews William and Andrew and my mum, the weather could have been better but we had a nice time all the same and I experienced my first ever caravan holiday.
While we were there we visited skegness, mablethorpe seal sanctuary and the beach, sandringham house where the royal family go for christmas and cleethorpes.
This week hubby and I stayed at home but we have been out and about a few times. On monday we did some work in the house and garden, it hadn't been touched for a week as only Lucy the cat and Matt our nephew had been here and neither are too familiar with a duster and hoover lol.
On Tuesday Paul and I took mum to southport for the day, we'd been saying we'd take mum there for a while as she's never been before. Paul and I went a few years ago while staying near blackpool and had liked  it. It was a lovely day with nice weather for a change, it was so nice to walk round without a cardi or coat on and an umbrella at the ready. We must have walked miles along the beach, round the lake, in the park gardens and  round the shops. I'm sure we more than walked off the fish and chips and ice cream we had while we were there.
On wednesday it was rather dull in the morning so we just lolled around at home, but after lunch we were feeling tired and lethargic so we decided to go out and get some fresh air. We popped to nearby cannon hall to walk around the grounds. The sun had come out by the time we drove there so we were enjoying a nice stroll round with the thoughts of a sit down with an ice cream, or tea and a bun later when I suddenly noticed I had a group of little black flies following me, just to the left of my head near my shoulder.
No matter what we did we couldn't shake them off and we tried alsorts including Paul flapping his arms around like a mad man having a fit and me trying to walk slow and then rush to out walk them but nothing was shifting them. So a good walk ruined we decided we'd go back to the car and go home, it was quite embarrassing walking around with about 3 dozen little flies buzzing round my shoulder.
I don't know exactly why these flies had took a fancy to my left shoulder but we think it could be the smell of my left hand which I was holding onto my bag with  near my left shoulder. Just after we got to cannon hall we'd called in the farm shop where I had put my hand on some spilt ice cream on the counter and had wiped it clean with a wet wipe, so we think they may have been attracted to the scenty sugary smell of my hand.
Strangely though once we got into the car park they dissapeared so when we were sure they weren't coming back we decided to go across the road to the garden centre and have a piece of cake and a tea after all, luckily the flies didn't follow.
On thursday I went into town to change over my jewellery in Jan's shop and afterwards Paul and I had an hour or two looking round town and doing a little shopping. We had planned to go to home, have dinner and then go back out to the pictures that evening but once we got home we decided that rather than cook something ourselves we could go to the pictures early and get something to eat at frankie & bennys which is on the same complex as the pictures. We had a quick wash and brush up,got changed and out we went again. Dinner was lovely and the film 'horrible bosses' was really funny so we had a really enjoyable evening.
Friday we did more lounging, housework and popped to the supermarket.
Saturday Paul and I had a lovely day out at doncaster races. The weather was gorgeous and the racecourse was packed. It's a long time since we last went to doncaster races and we were surprised how it had changed, we knew it had been updated but we were surprised just how much, we hardly recognised it.
We had a fab time but we weren't very lucky, especially me, none of my horses won or got a place so no winnings for me. Paul won £11 on a race where he bet on the horse that came second. On two races I did pick the horse that came in 3rd but unfortunately they were both on races with only a few horses in so the bookies were only paying out on the first 2 places.
It seems lady luck was not shining on me yesterday. In fact one of my horses came in so far behind the others we thought it hadn't even run. It was a horse called Balandra which was a beautiful grey horse with speckles and black hair. When it came into the parade ring I thought it was gorgeous and was feeling quite lucky, that was until the jockeys came out and got on the horses. The jockey got on Balandra and they didn't seem to get on, the beautiful horse that had happily gone round and round the parade ring looking rather regal and calm suddenly started twisting and turning and pulling, then as the horses and jockeys were lead out of the parade ring onto the course mine went the wrong way. The other horses ran down the little path and as their handlers let go and turned away to the side the horses and jockeys carried on the same way out onto the course, but not mine, oh no mine followed the handler and so had to be turned round and more or less shoved in the right direction, by now I wasn't feeling terribly optomistic at all. 
The race started and the pictures came up on the big screen tv in front of us as the start was too far away for us to see. There was no sign of a grey horse at all among the horses racing, we kept watching and saw Pauls horse among the others but still no sign of my horse. Soon the horses were in proper view charging to the finish line and still no sign of my grey horse. Paul and I thought it must have pulled up or not come out of it's gate and hadn't run or something.  Everyone else went wild as the front few crossed the finishing line and then the rest with still no sign of my grey horse. 'I bet it never set off' I said to Paul
People had started to get up to go down to the betting area to collect their winnings when we heard the sound of laughter and there in front of us trotting along at a steady, but not really racing pace,was my beautiful grey horse with the jockey bouncing about on its back. By now everyone was either laughing or shouting 'come on you can do it' and 'you're nearly there'. The closer she got to the finish line though the slower she got, I thought she wasn't even going to finish, but eventually she managed to reach the finish post before stopping completely. Needless to say if I ever see Balandra at a race meeting again I won't be betting on her, although I must admit it was a rather funny race to watch.
So now it's Sunday and Pauls last holiday, he's back to work in the morning. This afternoon we decided to visit brodsworth hall and gardens, which isn't very far away but I've never been. The house is an english heritage property and has been preserved more or less how it was left when they took it over in the 1980's. Its an odd place really as its a mix of old georgian style with newer pieces and its in a bad state of decoration. As you go round you see things that give you a taste of how gorgeous and grand it would have been in its heyday but also get a sense of how hard it is to keep up and live in a place like that when the money dries up.
A lot of the rooms had obviosuly not been used properly for years before it was handed over and were basically left or used to store random item. A lot of the furniture and decor was in a bad state and to be honest I must admit it wasn't my favourite type of place to visit, I prefer to see houses that have been restored and look how they would have done in their heyday, but it was interesting to see and we enjoyed walking round the gardens where today there was a brass band playing which we sat and listened to for a while.
So there we have it huby and I's holiday fortnight we've both really enjoyed it but it's back to normal tomorrow though, work for hubby and ironing for me whoopeedoo.

My first ever caravan holiday

Hi bloggettes.
I've been missing from blogland this past week as I was on my first ever caravan holiday. I have reached the grand old age of 39 without ever spending a holiday in a caravan, but last week I finally stayed in one and I must say that despite my reservations it was actually ok. I had heard people say they could be a bit cold, damp and condensed up a lot and that they weren't the same as a proper building and I imagined this was right plus I thought they would be quite small and cramped.
Hubby was never bothered about staying in one either, especially after a few years ago when we had visited his parents for a day while they were staying in a relatives caravan. We'd all sat chatting in the living area for a while when I realised my back was wet where it was leaning against the condensed window and hubby said his was too. His parents said that kept happening and also it sometimes felt damp and quite cold at night and on a morning so that had helped keep us away from caravans.
Last week however my sister, my mum and two youngest nephews were going on holiday to a static caravan at haven holiday park in mablethorpe and as hubby is off work for a couple of week and we hadn't booked a holiday this year it was suggested we try and book a van too and join them. My sister said modern caravans werent as bad for coldness and condensation now and a lot had full central heating, hubbys relatives caravan had been really quite old, so on the spur of the moment, putting our reservations aside we went online and booked a van for last monday through to friday. 
Well I must say hubby and I were pleasantly surprised, our van had central heating in all rooms aswell as a gas fire in the lounge area and it was quite well laid out. The bedrooms were, I must admit, a bit snug by the sides of the beds but not too bad. Also I think we possibly had the worlds smallest toilet room (there was just enough room to turn and sit once the door was closed,) but the shower room lounge and kitchen areas were a lovely size. There was also lots of storage especially in our bedroom (important when you are a big packer like me lol) and the kitchen,  the furniture was in a good state and it was nice and clean. With the central heating set to come on before we got up in the morning it was lovely and cosy and never cold, not damp at all and we didn't condense up once.  So I must say my opinions on caravans has changed quite a bit. Also because we booked just over a week before we went we saved 40% so we got a prestige two bedroom caravan for under £300

Our van

Our bedroom

Fitted wardrobes in our bedroom, lots of storage space

Bit snugger in the other bedroom but we didn't need this room anyway





Shower room

Nice size shower with a seat in case you get tired lol

Our compact and bijou toilet

Most of the kitchen

Lounge area