Evening all

Well the rain missed us again today so i was able to get out and plant lots when i got home from work.I'm so excited about seeing what i have planted grow and hoping for a bumper crop.My garden is definitely full of life from the frog and newts in the pond to the cucumbers which are started to form in the greenhouse.

Well i know at least 2 of you were desperate to know of my recent win.
As i said before this is one for my daughter she is going to go with her boyfriend.I won weekend tickets to the Glade festival.I must be getting old as i don't recognise one name
.http://www.gladefestival.com/stages-2/

I have just started entering comps again , don't really know why i stopped as i was really successful a few years ago, i ve won some brilliant prizes.So hopefully this is the first of many.

We are going to get a few new additions to our family over the next few days.We are getting chickens.I'm so excited.Chicken Coup being delivered tomorrow so we will be going to look for a few Chickens soon after that.I will keep you all posted.

Welcome to my new followers really appreciate everyone that clicks follow or even reads my ramblings.

Until later
x

How times change

Before i started my long and very lonely journey to become debt free i never really kept proper records of payments.Now i enter every payment i make on my Snowball account.On Friday i phoned to confirm the balance on my the car loan and was told a figure about £350 more than i had.Now i would expect maybe a few pounds different but not £350.A statement for the account was sent out and received today. The statement showed the figure i had but the covering letter showed the figure i was told over the phone.I phoned and was told that the statement was probably wrong and the figure quoted would be correct.I went through every payment on that  statement and matched it with every payment i made.I then added everything up and came to my original figure.The company then rang me back and she said she had also added it up and my figures were correct.A letter is being sent to me with the amended amount on it for future proof.

I'm so glad i was able to back up all my payments as in the past i probably wouldn't have known and just overpaid.So moral of this story is to always keep records.

I'm still fighting a loosing battle with my OH because he worked Saturday and my son is away he decided not to work today,first i knew of this was when i arrived home from work.He does work hard and i know it is hard working out in this weather but how much time did he loose in the wet weather.....

well rant over...
I had 1 good bit of news today i will fill you in more when i know more but i won a competition today.Not really one for me but DD and her boyfriend will hopefully make good use of it.

Morning all

I had another early start this morning,up at 5 am to get daughter to work at 6am.I am the only person in my house that will do this.her boyfriend is still in bed as is my OH.Saying all that its a lovely morning to be up the sun is shining and the birds are singing.
I haven't posted for a few days not much to say. I'm keeping quite about party for OH and hoping it will go away,he really isn't a party type of person so it amazed me when he suggested it.Thank you so much for all your comments about it i have taken everyone of them on board and definitely know i wont be spending a fortune.

We had the grandchildren to stay Friday night.They came around with my son for a BBQ and a play , I with the help of my daughter put the tent up to give them somewhere different to play and shelter as it was really hot.

Saturday OH went to work for the morning so the girls from next door came over to play for a few hours until the granddaughters had to go home.

I n the afternoon we headed for a local ford for a paddle.

Hope your all enjoying the sun,im missing using my hosepipe,noticing how long my garden is having to go go back and forth with the watering can.

What do i do?

Next month my OH reaches a milestone birthday of 50.He has grand ideas of what he wants for his birthday.It started off a year or so back with him wanting to go on an all inclusive holiday for a week and the family coming too.Then when he realised holidays are off the agenda he wanted John Otway to come and play at our house.( i didn't even bother to look into the price of that one,)
Now as of last night for someone who didn't want a party he wants a gathering at our house.Well he go to 20 people without us and my children and partners.This is all well and good and I'm not a kill joy(well maybe i am)
but even with everyone bringing a bottle it would cost at least £150 to cater and provide rest of drinks.
If this was the only thing going on that wouldn't be too bad but the week before is fathers day,we are going away to a hotel which was paid for by DD .We still need to spend money on food and fuel. The week after is DGD's birthday and her last weekend with us before leaving for Scotland.DS wants us all to go away for a few days to celebrate her birthday.

So I'm in a pickle lots going through my mind,i  cant see any of this fitting in with wanting to pay off my debts this year.DD (youngest) says we have to do something special for her dad to mark his birthday and all this doesn't even include going in with her to get the present.

DD came down this morning and said when she woke it felt like she was on holiday.I said that's the only way i get a holiday is in my dreams and was accused of being negative...


What should i do?

Fact or fiction

On a previous post i showed this picture.

The lady Hannah used to own a little grocery shop in a little road near the railway.
The layout of the property was the shop was ground level and the living quarters were first floor level.within spitting distance of the railway track.Apparently at the same time every day the train would go by and sound its horn and Hannah would wave.Over 100 years later drivers still go by that spot and sound the horn,they do it for no other reason as it is a story that has been passed down to all new drivers as something they should do.

It would be interesting to find out if this is fact or fiction.

Those lazy,hazy,crazy days of summer

Today has been glorious only been spoilt slightly by having to go to work.DD had her History exam today and it wasn't worth going home in between, so i sat and completed one of the cross stitches that New Beginnings sent me.

This evening the little ones came over to play and we had a BBQ We had to settle to having a little water fight as we couldn't use the hose pipe.It was great fun and so much nicer because the sun shone,

Hope your day has been good as well,
x

Family Tree

This afternoon we went with my husbands parents to visit a cousin of my mother in law.Hes 87 and a font of knowledge.He has some amazing photos of my OH's Great great grandparents if i remember correctly it was taken in about 1890 ish.My photos of the photos don't do them justice.We spent 5 hours with them listening to stories of days gone by.
He has some amazing stories of the 2nd world war and his boss obtaining Mussolini's car and even knowing where the names of roads near where i live came from.As you normally find in families his children have no interest or sentiment in keeping the tree going or preserving it.I hope their grandchildren are interested as i would hate to see it not go to a loving home,

the below picture is my OH's great great grandparents

You have made my day,my week,my month

Thank you so much Mrs Thrifty for my lovely Secret Sister parcel.
I knew as soon as Postie knocked the door it was going to be my parcel.
I carefully cut the packaging and eased the contents out and how lovely they all are.You have got me spot on.
I already follow Mrs Thrifty and shes had her package not from me i hasten to add.Mine is winging its way to another blogger who will hopefully get it mid week next week.

Here's my goodies and thank you Carla, its a simple but wonderful idea and i want to do it again.
link to Carlas bloghttp://halfdozendaily.typepad.com/my-half-dozen-daily/about-me-1.html

Im like a bus...

Don't post for days than do 2 in the same morning.

Just popped back on to post pics of my super fast Raspberry Jam

It takes 15 mins if preserving sugar is used,definitely not cheap jam to make but the taste must out way the cost(well fingers crossed it does)

Lastly add a bit of water and washing up liquid and press self clean mode(well it gets worst of it off)

Happy Birthday

Today is my granddaughters 10th birthday.so Happy Birthday.As my son has the girls over to stay on a Friday night he wanted us all to go out for a meal to celebrate her birthday.
We met a pub close to where he and my in laws live and had a lovely time.
Birthday girl was using my camera to take lots of pictures and unfortunately for me managed to format my memory card and delete 100s of photos.Stupidly on my part i hadn't backed these photos up.I have some on here and my daughter has some so i have a selection of the important ones.So please learn from my mistake and back your photos up.
After the pub we went back to in laws for tea and birthday cake and then i gave everyone a lift home,this is where it comes in handy having 6 plus seats .
Today i am going to make some Raspberry jam, i managed to pick up a few punnets reduced yesterday in Asda .jars are currently being rewashed in dishwasher along with the pan part the jam is made in.I cheat ( only slightly and use an electric gizmo made by Tefal i think its wonderful.I will take photos as i do it to show you.

So until later heres birthday pictures that were taken after formatting.

I know this one looks quite random but a duck keeps coming back to FIL pond,We thought she was lovely FIL not so keen on her visiting.

x

It got me thinking

A lovely person who reads my blog and has a diary i follow on MSE asked me today what i was going to do once my debts are paid off....
and the simple answer is i don't really know.

Sleep peacefully for a start.Not having the worry.
None of my debts are being chased arrangements have been made for 2 of them and i have stuck to it.The other is the loan for the car which we are ahead off and the aim is just to have it paid off.But as you are all away through my blogging despair we are totally governed by the weather and finding our own work,which in this current economic climate is difficult to say the least.So not having debts will ease the financial burden we are under of how much we have to find every week/month.
Savings i would love to have something behind us .

I have become accustomed to living frugally and that doesn't bother me but i cant stand the worry anymore,I must be getting old.

What would you do if you were debt free or what does being debt free enable you to do?
Over to you
x

Making the most....

Of the time we have with the girls still being near us.
I was asked by mum if i could pick the girls up from their respective schools.Little one was very excited that nanny had come to pick her up.
Once home we had to quickly get to the post box before the collection ,its not far to walk but boy was it a cold walk.It felt like November.

It was indoor play as the weather was so rubbish.Talking about rubbish weather,i looked at the BBC monthly outlook and it looks like this weather is going to continue into June.Its hard to believe mid summers day is in less than 6 weeks time.

I did a bit of decluttering tonight a lady came and collected a big bag of wool that i wont use and that i had advertised on freecycle.I will try and declutter a few things every week .

Apart from these normal things happening ,family life has been chaotic.I'm looking forward to a nice simple and easy life.

so until next time
x

there were 3 in the bed....

Little one stayed last night ,shes nearly 4 but doesn't like sleeping on her own,
She fidgets and snores nearly as much as OH but its delightful to see her little face next to you during the night.
She was asleep by 8 and didn't wake until nearly 9 this morning.
Granddad played with her this morning as i had to iron.

After i finished ironing we loaded car and went to eldest daughters where we were all invited to Sunday lunch all cooked for by the people she lived with. A lovely meal in lovely company.

I left earlier than everyone else as i had to take little ones home and bring youngest daughter home as she had to carry on her revision.
Everyone else will stagger in later probably a bit worse for ware.

Hope everyone has had a good day and the sun has shone brightly on you.
until later

x

All things nice

Its time to focus myself,i have some wonderful things happening in my life later in the year .
So i must concentrate on the good rather than the bad,Debt seems to be the many reason for all my woes even though when thought about logically my total debt is  probably less than what most people have on credit cards.That said its a burden i don't wish to carry anymore.

I read some brilliant inspirational blogs on here and learn new things every day.I'm not the most talented person but I'm a trier.Today i tried the recipe posted by Lavender Attic
http://lavenderattic.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/lemon-curd-recipe.html
and its yummy,the bad news is that I'm the only one that likes lemon curd so i will have to eat it all by myself isn't that a shame...

i even made a lemon cake and spread some in the middle.

Did any of you watch the programme on hoarding? it actually scared me ...i keep things and I'm comfortable having my things out ..but how easy would it be to keep things just in case....Just in case could be my middle names...It has given me the push to recycle that paper and throw things away that cant be freecycled.How many baking dishes does 1 girl need......

The weather was nice today so i planted up some baskets and tomatoes and tonight we have the little one to stay she is so adorable and so easy to care for ,

So now I'm back to my cross stitch.

Until later
x.