What's Going on in Our House at the Moment

Spent yesterday afternoon at the beach, sitting on a deck chair, in a hat, knitting warm socks!  Consequently children still not speaking to me!

However ...

The Runner is at work so, wey hey, I have the remote control and a new set of True Blood DVDs to watch.

Oh Eric ....

I have a walnut whip, Eric and a brief respite from getting up at the crack of dawn to get students out the door.

Oh heaven!

Monday Madness

As usual, Monday has been rush, rush, rush!

Work - busy.
Shopping - heavy, and husband couldn't pick me up cos the car wouldn't start!
Kitchen - untidy.  Doesn't anybody else SEE the washing up?
Husband - in a dither cos the car wouldn't start and he needed to go to work tonight.
Students - changing their minds about whether they want to go to the disco or not.  (In the end, one did and one didn't.)
Youngest daughter - badgering me about World of Warcraft until I finally gave in.  Peace at a cost.
Oldest daughter - shut in her bedroom making videos!!!  Don't want to go there.
Students - hogging my computer and closing my game of spider solitaire (no longer 100% stats).
Kettle - buggered.
Last week's student - left a load of stuff behind which I will have to send on.
Crafting - foiled.
Student (the one that went to the disco) - ended up in the sea so now needs everything washed.

Can I go to bed now please with a couple of paracetamol?

Maybe I'll dream of Eric ...

Tis December

Pinch, punch, first of the month and all that.

Just an update to let you know WE HAVE HOT WATER!!!!!

No heating yet, but hopefully tomorrow ...

Off to wash my face with a Warm Flannel!!  Woo Hoo!

AND have had a Very Tasty Apprentice to look at all day!

Not as gorgeous as Eric,

but very nearly.  Even Scary thought so too!

Freezing

Wow, 30 days in a row!  Not much crafting done this month but I have managed to blog every day.

The Runner has just been up to the attic to get down the Advent Calendar, I've found the chocolates (Thorntons) I bought a month ago to put in each individual pocket and Scary says that she wants to fill it this year.  I still cannot comprehend how it's December tomorrow!

And, wey hey, The Newly Married Boilerman is due tomorrow!!!!  Not sure what time to expect him as we haven't heard anything so I suppose I'd better get up early and tidy the utility room, so that he can actually get in the door!  We probably won't have any heat until Thursday or Friday but at least the process has started.  Even with the open fire in the living room, I don't think I have EVER been so cold.  We have several electric heaters but unless you are actually standing right beside them, they don't seem to make much difference.  And certainly, as soon as you turn them off, you are freezing again.

Poor Starfish has moved into the small office on the put-you-up bed because her room is so cold.  (It's the biggest bedroom at the front and has three outside walls.)

Oh I am so looking forward to being warm.  Having a shower without shivering all the way through.  Washing my hands without them freezing.  Being able to wear less than 6 layers of clothing.  Maybe even having a bit of hanky panky because I can bear to take my clothes off!!!!  Shhh don't tell anyone.

And Having A Bath!!  Do you think I might persuade Eric to share it with me?

I Love Eric

OK, OK, I think I'm obsessed.  A while ago, by mistake really, I found this programme on Channel 4 late at night which caught my fancy.  True Blood.

My girls go all goo-goo eyed about vampires but they've never really tickled my fancy until Eric (and maybe Bill a little bit to start with).

Please don't watch it if you're at all offended by sex, blood, drugs, devil worship, swearing, gay relationships; well, just about anything really.  But it is such a good story.

And Eric is so gorgeous.

I'll grant you he's a bit on the skinny side; nothing a few good pies wouldn't sort out.

I suppose they would have to be blood based.  I could do that.  I can cook.

The books are a rollicking good read too, although not very much like the tv series.

Give it a go, if you're not easily shocked.  I'm sure you'll find someone to fancy on there, even if you don't like My Eric.  No more wishy washy vampires.  These vampires are dark, evil and sexy as hell.

Sorry, it must be my hormones!

Manic Monday

Well, just another manic Monday!  I work on Mondays and Tuesdays so not a lot gets done other than that.  Today I had to take poor Starfish to the chiropodist again (remember she had to have two operations on her right toe earlier in the year?).  Well, now she has to have the same operation on her left big toe!  She's not impressed, to say the least, especially as it will probably be scheduled for just before Christmas so that she doesn't miss any school!  Poor love! 

I have been frantically trying to finish the Bright Ripple Blanket for Scary for Christmas.  I know she's gone off the colours but she's always cold, so hopefully she will be able to make some use of it.  I worked out that I needed 90 stripes (2 rows per stripe) and I've done 73 so I might just be finishing it on Christmas Eve!  At least I am warm whilst doing it!  I've also been taking the time to listen to my Sookie Stackhouse books on my MP3 and they are soooo good.  Crochet and a good story - you can't get much better than that!

Well, I'm off to make myself a hot water bottle (can't wait for the heating to be fixed!) and to jump into bed as quickly as possible!

See you tomorrow!

Too Much Choice

The Runner is at work. 

I have control of the remote. 

Spooks is on the telly.

I have two new magazines.

I have downloaded a new book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

I have an impossibly hard game of spider solitaire to win.

Or shall I do a bit more crochet?

Life is hard sometimes.

Lazy Day

Today is the first day in months that I have had completely to myself.  So let's start with some brioche please and a nice milky cup of coffee:



The impending celebration of Halloween makes me think I should be starting some creative processes:

We do like to scare the children and make the neighbours tut.

I always used to buy Country Living, but recently I have changed to this magazine:

I shall also be listening to my MP3 today.  I have just downloaded the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire Mysteries.  These are the books that are dramatised as True Blood, currently season 2 is on Channel Four.  Oh, it is Good!  (Not for people of a sensitive nature though!)

This one might also feature in my reading today.

 and maybe a little bit of this:

in my favourite spot on the couch (see the dent?)

looking at my seasonal mushrooms

in my beautiful new shelves

looking up at my very own autumnal tree

and steadfastly refusing to look at the Guide badges that need sewing onto the uniform



and this wretched file which is Really Starting to Annoy Me



and even though it is overdue, I will try not to let that worry me when I look at this library book:



Better go and reheat that coffee in the microwave!

What I've Been Up To

Well, where have the last five days gone?  There's been a little bit of this:

Followed by a bit of this:

Some cutting out, some baking, some cleaning (!), some working and some viewing:

I'm not overly into vampires, but I stumbled upon this a few episodes into the series and got hooked.  When I ascertained that no-one was rushing around getting me a Mother's Day present, I decided to buy it for myself!  Oh err, not one for the children, however, much as they are into the undead!

Spring has definitely sprung and the weather has been lovely, although we have had a little rain tonight.  It's quite nice to be able to go out in a light coat.

Many thanks to you all for the lovely comments lately and, please keep reading, because I'm coming up to my 100th post and also my birthday, so who knows what will happen then?

This fellow has been hovering around a lot lately:

Do you think they have come to take me away, ha ha?