Royal Wedding Street Party!

29.04.2011

Our first street party in our new home and it was great! We had to work for most of the day but the street party was still going strong when we got home! There was Union Jack bunting and flags everywhere! There was mountains of food, wonderful home made cakes, pies and sandwiches.

My hubby looking a little worse for ware after trying the Sloe Gin. By far the best thing was the Sloe Gin competition! I was really gutted as I really wanted to take part in this, anyone that knows me will know that I'm a sucker for making preserves etc. As we only moved in 2 months ago I was too late to make some as the sloes had come and gone.

The party went on until about 10pm when we were all so tired from the kids running riot (and rather drunk from all the Gin)!

So after our first ever street party we've decided that this street is amazing and the people are all wonderful! Thank you to Prince William and Catherine for the excuse to celebrate as a community and a huge Congratulations, they both looked so stunning and I know that they married for love which is so special!

V x

Long Over Due

This is way over due mainly because I hate pictures of me!! But it must be done. This was taken on the train on the way to Bath for a gorgeous day out. I hope you agree that I don't look too bad so I won't shock you into an early grave!

I have decided though that I hate my glasses. I think I'm going to have to go back to contacts, I stopped wearing them as I was advised to change from monthly to daily disposable which I just could not get on with! Maybe it's time to try again.

V x

Life Update

We had the most amazing bank holiday weekend. Four whole days off work but I have to confess I'm still tired! I blame it on the chocks having to let them out sooo early.

Monday we spent at home chilling together and recovering from the weekends antics.

Sunday the afternoon & evening was spent with some seriously great friends in the good pubs of Wincanton. On the way out of our house to meet up with people our neighbours saw us and called us over into their garden to let us try (make us try) some home made Austrian Schnapps! The first one was amazing, really fruity more of an alcoholic fruit juice but the second was clear as water and hell did that put hairs on my chest I felt like I was breathing fire! SO after the delay we made it into town to meet friends but found by the time we got there we were somewhat drunk! That stuff must have been so strong! Our night ended at 9pm we were too drunk to carry on and not make a tit of ourselves!

Saturday was another family BBQ day around my brothers which was really nice. Him and his partner are currently expecting a baby girl, Rachel's fully engaged so ready to go at any minuet which was scary! (But as yet on Wednesday morning still no change, she's obviously happy in there)!

Friday we had a 50th Birthday BBQ for a family member which was lovely as we sat outside in the sun all afternoon and camped over night. The camping part wasn't so fun although generally I love camping it was bloody freezing over night which resulted in hardly any sleep!

One of the guys there (Hubby's step brother) who is in the Marines made me feel super lazy though, he's running a marathon the week after he's doing a seriously hard core marines endurance course! So I'm stepping up my game, not to keep up with him as theres no chance in hell as it's his job to be that fit but because I want my fitness level back to how it used to be! So on Thursdays when I head to Zumba with my Mum every Thursday I'm going to cycle so that when it's finished I can take a detour rout home which will be 5 miles rather than the 5 minuets! I'm also going to start Aquafit again - sounds mega lame I know BUT I do it high tempo to get the blood pumping and get sweating. However I can only do this on a Monday night and due to the bank holiday on this Monday coming it's not on, so I'm going to go for a long bike ride with hubby instead - not that he knows it yet! I'll keep you updated with my weight loss as I'm desperate to get fit for the summer which is so nearly here! :-)

If anyone reading this is in the Wincanton area and fancies a bit of fun they must try Zumba, it's lead by Jonni who is simply amazing. I've been going every week (bar one as it wasn't on) for the past 6 weeks and I can really feel my fitness improving. I'm still sweating like a pig at the end but every week I'm keeping up more and more. Plus it's such good fun and I enjoy the excuse to spend some great time with my Mum!

We're currently planning our summer holiday and we want to save on the hassle of going abroad so we're going camping in Cornwall for my Birthday. Everyone thinks it sound boring but these people have clearly never been camping with me! The plan so far is to camp near Sennen Cove on the North coast just around from Lands End from the Saturday through to Thursday morning then head either to Newquay for some nightlife or all the to Windsor and get our fix of Lego Land and stay in a hotel for a couple of nights! We can't make our mind up yet. But so far I'm desperately looking forward to long lazy afternoons on the beach with BBQ's and beer, some serious surfing including some lessons for myself but mainly for my Hubby! Long country walks to blow the cobwebs away, some boat tours in the hope of seeing some dolphins and seals! A trip to the Minack Theater which is the most gorgeous open air theater ever, its built into a cliff face and as your watching the sea is crashing just the other side of the stage which is magical if you've not heard of it you must check out this link -
http://www.minack.com/
If anyone has any other ideas please let me know :-)

On the work front everything is so much better at work. I'm changing my roll within the company and moving over into sales but it'll be a different type of sales and in a separate office altogether from my Hubby. This will be happening mid to late May, I'll keep you updated as much as I can.

Here the positive little saying to end on-

I can't change the direction of the wind, 

but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination

Thats all for now.

V x

Chicken Update

Well I bought the rubber eggs and left two of them in the hen house all day yesterday whilst I was at work. When I came home the first thing I did was check on them and we have some good news - two eggs survived the day but the bad news is one still didn't!

I took the rubber eggs out for the night and left them next to the hen house which was a mistake for two reasons. Firstly is that when I walked to the hen house to let the girls out this morning one of the rubber eggs was missing! I mean what the hell! Secondly there was another eaten egg in the house! So today I'm going to leave the eggs in the house all day and all night to see if that helps any more. I'll keep you posted!

V x

Help Please!!

I have a serious problem . . . . . .

I was desperate to work out who was eating our eggs as were only getting one a day at the moment instead of the three we normally get. So this morning I after I let them out I sat on the wet grass and watched them for over an hour in hope of working it out. As Bottom was laying Dotty was in and out of the house and as soon as Bottom stood up Dotty had her head straight in there pecking the egg as it was a thin egg it took one peck to get into it then Bottom started eating it too. As soon as I managed to get them out the house I locked them out to clean it up. Once I opened it Dotty went into lay so I locked her in for 20 mins and she didn't touch her egg. Then Izzie went into lay and I did the same and she didn't eat her egg. So Dotty the top chicken is eating the others eggs!

They have enough space, food, water, nutrients etc.

I've spent all morning researching and there's only 3 viable options I can find.

1) Buying rubber eggs to put in the nest in the theory that they'll peck it a couple of times then get bored and hopefully leave the other eggs alone. The main problem with doing this is that it can turn the hens broody which would be a whole other problem!

2) Separate the trouble maker by putting her in her own hen house and run for a few weeks/months the reintroduce her. The problem with this is the expense of buying another house, feeders etc.

3) Turn her into dinner to exterminate the issue all together.

Today I'm going to buy some rubber eggs and give that until the weekend, if there's no improvement then I'll have to buy another house & run to separate her from the other girls for a while. As far as I can see if neither of these works I'll have to turn her into tea.

If you have any other ideas please please help!

V x

As promised ......

I bought this dress by Hooch in a charity shop up the road for £4.95 a little more than  wanted to spend but I saw where I was going with it straight away!

I turned this strangely styled but not so long ago fashionable dress into a wearable top.
Before -

The so called waist in orange colour actually went around the bum, not very flattering if you have a big bum like me!
Close up of the gorgeous retro/dreamy pattern I fell in love with -

This had the white based thin linen top layer than an orangy think cotton dress underneath. The whole thing was attached in random places all over the place. So the first job was to separate them -

I then chopped a section out of the middle and moved the entire bottom of the dress up so the 'waist' sits at the waist! Simply stitched the two together and hey presto a great fitting flattering top!

Wooo yeah!! I've already worn it for a family BBQ and to work, everyone has commented on how nice it and the great design of the fabric.

No this next little project, I have to confess I forgot to take a picture of before!! How stupid was I!! This was one of my vintage dresses I bought last year, it was a very short shapeless smock dress. It came to just below the bum, there was no waist definition at all and was quite clearly someones home made dress. The best I could come up with for this puppy was to turn it into a skirt and as the weather was so gorgeous I went with it. I chopped the upper part off, sewed a new hem at the top leaving enough space to thread some elastic through sewed it all together and that made my skirt!

Sorry about the bad picture - its hard to take a picture of your own legs! You can't tell in the picture but the fabric has the most gorgeous little pink and white flowers a really ditzy design.

Thanks for stopping on by. I'm off to Zumba tomorrow night but I'll try and blog when I get back from shaking my thing! :-)

V xx

Sorry Once Again!! Grand Naming of the Chickens

Argh I'm so lame at blogging at the moment, please my 1 trusted follower forgive me?!?

So to keep you up to date with my life -

Weight Watchers hasn't really been happening for the last week and works been a bit of a roller coaster - can't say any more on here for now. So eating healthy has taken a back seat due to stress but I have however lost weight!! Woooo - not sure how but I now weigh in at 13st 13 3/4lbs. Under 14 stone!! Wooo now that is so motivating!

Chickens - they're so very cute I love them to bits. One is named Bottom because of the lack of her feathers on her bottom, she's laying about 5 a week at the moment but the shells are really thin (I think all her energy is going into making new feathers) -

This one is Izzie, she lays gorgeous dark speckled eggs every day without fail -

And litttle Miss bossy boots is Dotty, she lays large pale eggs every day -

I'm getting near enough 3 eggs a day from my girls and they're so so good!!

In the world of craft I've just had some more polystyrene wreaths delivered to make some pressies for people. Also a gorgeous cross stitch kit of an elephant, which when finished will be a gift for my Gran who adores elephants! I will tomorrow without fail blog about the skirt and top I've made because I keep wearing them they've already been though the wash!

Thats all for just now! Catch you tomorrow!!

V x

Thank Goodness it's Friday!!

I'm so glad its finally Friday. First off I'm sorry I've not blogged for a week our broadband went down and the wonderful BT took their time in sorting it but I'm back online and all it great!

I've had a shocking week so far with work - can't say any more on here. But last night I did go to an amazing Zumba lesson with my Mum after I paid upfront for her to have 10 lessons for Mothers day. The instructor Joni changed her warm down music to this wonderful empowering semi classical piece that leaves you thinking you can conquer the world! It was such a warm day yesterday the hall was mega warm even with the doors wide open, I still gave the lesson everything I had so sweat was dripping off me.

Also I've been a busy crafty bugger and this week I've made a skirt and a top from two dresses, I'll blog about them over the weekend when I have a little more time.

On a slightly depressing note when I let my gorgeous chooks out this morning I noticed that the one we've nicknamed Bottom (due to her lack of feathers in that region) has either pulled out herself or her coop mates have pulled out her new feathers that were coming though on her lower back. Because new feathers have a blood supply she's a little bloody but I can't see that she's hurt anywhere. Does anyone know what would make her or the other two do this do her? It was a really hot day yesterday and I am wondering if that caused her to be uncomfortable and to pull them out thinking that they were causing the discomfort? I'm calling all chicken experts here to help me figure this out - I've barley had them two weeks and I'm already worried to hell about them!

Time to scoot and get ready for work :-(

V x