The Christmas Cake...

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
Today I would like to share the fabulous giant Christmas cupcake that my very talented daughter made for her friend at Christmas....

Before Brogan went off to university she baked alot and she made quite a few of these beauties some of which she has shared on her blog The Happy Little Cupcake. Although her blog is now somewhat neglected due to being so busy, she still likes to bake when she gets the chance.
The only thing she didn't make was the snowflakes but the flowers and everything else are her own work...
Even Grandad was impressed.....!!!
And I'm a very proud mum....

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.

First Finish Of 2016

Good evening everyone.
I hope you are all well.
A few months ago I bought a magazine (I can't remember which one) and there was a small free gift attached - a floral fabric brooch kit...now I haven't crafted for a while but I thought I would give this a go as it was quick and simple and it would get me started again....my physio is still not too keen on my returning to my hobbies but I thought if I keep it simple we'll see how it goes.....and I can let him know how I get on when I see him again in a fortnight....I'm hoping to return to work at the beginning of February so I need to start doing something....
And here it is....my floral fabric brooch.

And I'm thrilled with my little flower brooch. I have never made anything like this before and I quite enjoyed making it too....so I can see more of these rearing their pretty heads in the future...especially as I tend to hoard small scraps of material which are just perfect for this little project and I managed fairly well...without too much discomfort.
I now know when enough is enough and I'm being sensible in my expectations and what I can now achieve without making my symptoms worse...
Little by little and one step at a time....

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Mindfulness - My Word For 2016

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
First I would just like to say a very heartfelt 'Thank you' for the lovely comments about the loss of our beautiful springer spaniel Stella a few days before Christmas...you are all so kind and thoughtful.
I have noticed that a lot of bloggers are choosing a word for 2016 and I have thought very hard about what mine would be...
And have decided that it has to be 
MINDFULNESS
and to practice Mindfulness.
I am fully aware of all the definitions of Mindfulness and have to say I have been practicing, although not always successfully for the last year...but I have noticed a change in myself...more calm, more aware of the moment and I take time to think a little more before reacting or saying something...which is a start I suppose....
Also I have a colleague at work who has been studying a Mindfulness course and as part of her study has taught me about Mindfulness using relaxation and meditation which I have to say has helped immensely with my Fibromyalgia and of course my neck and shoulder problems.... 

So 
MINDFULNESS 
is my word this year.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Stella....

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I'm happy to report that my neck and back are still improving although I had a set back over Christmas probably due to the sad loss of our beautiful spaniel....Stella.
A few days before Christmas we had to make the sad decision to let our beautiful girl go to sleep for the last time...it was all very sudden but we know it was the right thing to do, even though it doesn't feel like it at the moment...the vet thought she had a brain tumour and looking back 'as you do' we think maybe she had been unwell for a while....

So here are a few photos of our beautiful, bossy, mad but gentle lady....
Stella (Lady Stella)

After a run in the park

Stealing the boys chews...there are three in her mouth...she didn't want them...she sat on them so Bertie and Daz couldn't have them...they never challenged her...her grumble was law!!!

Keeping the boys in check...they are on leads...Stella never left her bosses side so rarely walked on a lead when out in the fields or woods.

Chasing squirrels....but she never ever managed to catch anything or even come close to it...'Thank Goodness'

She did a whole hours walk in those antlers....mad as a hatter...

The chew bone was a change...it was usually a shoe or slipper...we never had a pair in one place and often found the other shoe in the utility or often in the garden....It's strange to actually find our foot wear in pairs now and where we had left them.

Poor Daz...yet again Stella has stolen his dog biscuit and stowed it in the side of her mouth like a hamster...

Stella always got the best spot to sleep and Daz had to make do with the this bony pillow.

We all miss her and her mad cap ways but we have some wonderful memories and some lovely photographs too....and we all loved her very much.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

The Weight Game.....

Good morning everyone.
I hope you are well.
It's pouring with rain and blowing a gale here and it's getting colder so I think the best option is to light the wood burner and settle down for a day of crafting and a spot of reading.
We're still in Christmassy mode as Christmas lasts until twelfth night in our house so we are planning a lazy weekend....well I am anyway.
But and it's a huge but....I popped on the scales yesterday and what horrors I did see....160lbs....surely not...'The scales MUST be broken...but they are not and it is true.....
And I am shamed....
This is the heaviest I have ever weighed in my entire life...I know I have had 5 months of enforced inactivity due to ill health but I am shamed....so much so I have placed a weight watcher thingy in my sidebar to remind me I must lose weight....and everyone can see my progress.....or not!!!
Yesterday I said I hadn't made any New Year's Resolutions more of plans, improvements, aims and aspirations and this is one of them.,,,probably the biggest one I think....to lose my excess weight.
One of my other aims this year is to take the time to learn to crochet...I look at everyone else's crochet creations out there in blog land and I am in awe of your talents so this is another big aim...in the past I have tried and failed many times to learn but this year I am determined to try....
So to this end I have joined 

Amanda from Crafty in the Med who is having a lovely giveaway

You never know it may start something new for me....

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.

Hello 2016...

Good evening everyone.
Happy New Year To You All
I'm starting as I mean to go on....trying to blog a little more .....so we'll see how long that lasts then....!!!
Mum and dad have been for New Years Day lunch and we gave the Raclette Grill an outing....we kept it very simple, just lots of boiled potatoes and various cheeses with a sprinkling of Paprika....nice and easy....followed by strawberries and profiteroles and several bottles of a good red wine....with us all sat in front of the wood burner....perfect....
Today I signed up for this years Good Reads 2016 reading challenge....Last year I over estimated my ability to fit in so many books and failed miserably, only reading 36 books of the 52 I set myself. This year I am being a little more realistic and have challenged myself to read 26 books....

Here are a few of the books I have chosen to read....I daren't show you the piles of other books that I haven't photographed that I want to read.
I will keep a record of my progress and what I have read in my sidebar.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Goodbye 2015...

Good afternoon everyone.
I hope you are all well.
I just wanted to pop by and wish you all
A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR
I haven't made any New Year's Resolutions more of plans, improvements, aims and aspirations I think.
Lots of lovely things happened in 2015 for me and lots of not so lovely things happened so here's looking forward to 2016 and whatever it may bring.
I would also like to 'Thank' everyone who has stuck by me on my blog over the last year...I have been a very poor blogger due to house moves and ill health etc....but that is one of my plans...be more consistent with my blogging and commenting.
Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

I really do appreciate your visits and lovely, encouraging comments.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
And 
Happy New Year To You All.