So Where Do You Live? - Updates

Morning bloggers

As I mentioned in Friday's post, I've got a little bit of a challenge for you. Through our various connections via forums, blogs, chat rooms etc we get to know a bit about our online buddies.

I'm by nature a very curious person and thought it would be nice to know a bit more about each other.

Specifically, I thought it would be nice to know about where we all live!

I posted this idea on the DoCrafts scrapbooking forum last week and already we have an eager beaver in the form of Joanne, telling us about life in Camberley in Surrey. Thanks so much Joanne!!!

While doing a quick bit of blog-hopping at lunchtime I see that Donna a.k.a. Doodles-Dumpkins has done a fab post on the wonders of Swindon.

So come on ladies and gents, have a look at their entries and take it from there. I will have my entry up by the weekend hopefully - one special photo I need to nip out and capture!!

TTFN

Gillxx

Just had a quick blog hop and I see that Vaslerie-Jael has just taken part in this challnge. Val writes in a wonderfully entertaining and informative way but this is NOTHING compared to her crafting - go see. Thanks Val!!!

What's Rocking Your Friday?

Good evening bloggers and Rockettes alike.

Well, what a busy old week it's been since we last met up! My first and most obvious grateful is that DS arrived home last Friday for an extended stay of 6 days and he was sooooooo excited, believe me. His normal stay is Friday to Monday every other weekend. This time he stayed until Thursday (yesterday) to let him have his birthday at home on Wednesday. He loved being at home, as you would expect, but boy were we all exhausted by yesterday. Autism is really hard work, but combine it with an energetic thirteen year old and you really start to feel old! Thirteen years - where have they gone?

This was my second week off work and still no crafting was done until abut 7.30 tonight when I summed up the energy after an after-dinner nap! More on that next week as the work is intended for one of my fellow bloggers *wink, wink*.

When Ross is home, he's not really keen on venturing out much. The staff at school are the first to remind is that he's under constant and quite heavy pressure all the while he's at school and that's why he's happy to have his own "me" time and do as he pleases. Fortuantely his doting Dad and my wonderful OH is quite happy to be wherever Ross is which is probbaly just as well.

To my darling daughter, Alexandra, or "Wubbs" as she is known often - don't ask my why, the history of that one is far too old and silly and would take be half an hour to explain. At school her friends call her Alex but if I'm talking to her in any seriousness, or about her, I always say Alexandra. She started back school on Wednesday - early start for us up here in Scotland. So needless to say we had the mad last minute rush to pick up all the odds and ends she needed as well as nipping into school to collect her new blazer. It seems to be on the first day of each new autumn term that I notice more than at any other time how much she is growing up and she is definitely becoming a young lady - and not even 15 yet - a few weeks to go. Love you gorgeous girl!

A big grateful to my hairdresser Scott. My hair was getting way too long and I decided it was very unbecoming to a woman of my advancing years. So, yesterday morning I had an appointment with Scott and asked him to take it up from halfway down my back to something more reasonable. I would always trusdt his judgement so asked him to cut it without no mirror for me until he was finished. The only stipulation was that it wasn't to be too short. Long story cut short (pardon the pun - none intended), I now have a jaw length curlyish bob which I absolutely adore. It is so so different and makes me look so much better and so much less tired. Even my darling dad, who isn't known for his opinions on female matters, was heard to comment, unprompted "Who's the dolly bird?" when I stuck my head round the door after my appointment. Praise indeed from one of life's most important men.

SO here I am with only a couple of days left before I go back to work. It's been a good couple of weeks and I have more time off in September so that's not so bad. Thanks to my OH for surviving us both being in the house for a whole week and more precisely coping with the ensuing shopping trips LOL!!!

A photo-free blog this week as Alexandra, like her mum, hates having her photo taken, Ross's self injury to his face isn't something I'm ready to share yet and so precluded any photos of him and no crafting to show for my time away from work. Next week will be different I promise.

On this note I'm going to go before we head into Saturday. I feel the need for a little Team Edward fix before bed-time!!

HAve a safe week all and look out for my blog challenge which I'll be posting about this weekend. Nothing too serious - just a bit of fun.

Gillxxx

Friday - where has the week gone?

Good morning Rockettes and bloggers alike, and welcome.

This morning finds the skies clear with just a few clouds although I gather it's not so great in other parts of the country,so fingers crossed it reaches you all this weekend. Good weather always makes me feel that little bit brighter, sort of lifts the spirits a bit, despite whatever else is going on.

First on my list is my fab few days up in St Andrews with my mum and Alexandra. We had decided to take the big tent (6 man) for just the three of us and we eventually set off with the car packed to the gunwales on Sunday lunch-time and got there just an hour and a half later. We booked into a gorgeous site just three miles outside of St Andrews in a small village called Strathkinness.



It's a small but very pretty village, beautifully maintained with flower baskets and tubs everywhere. It's a common feature of these East Fife villages and make driving around this area a real pleasure.

Anyway, we had a few fab days and St Andrews was looking at its best for the many,many tourists who were thronging the place.








We had a fab few days wandering around, visiting the usual attractions, doing some shopping (more on that shortly!), eating and generally just chilling.

On the shopping front, some of my crafty buddies will know that if I have a real weakness in life, other than for stash, it's for handbags. On Tuesday I found myself standing outside a shop called Ness. Now, I'm proud to be a Scot and love tartan in the right context but wouldn't sell my soul for it. However ........ must to the amusement of Mum and Alexandra, I was literally stopped in my tracks by a bag and knew that I had to have it, right reason or none.



Needless to say the bag came home with me and I adore it. Each to their own and all that.

Well, we had a fab time and came back on Wednesday, more out of necessity than desire it has to be said.

Today, a big day. My darling some comes home today and will be with us until next Thursday. During that time he'll have his 13th birthday. Where does the time go?

Yesterday was spent finalising my daughter's courses for her Highers (Scottish term, not sure of English equivalent), collecting her new school blazer, catching up on housework and the dreaded "i" word - sorry if you're reading this Sue-Bubbles! However, it's all done now so I can settle to the joys of the day with a clear conscience. For one day only I am, to all intents and purposes, a domestic goddess!!!

Another grateful, and a really big one, is to my darling husband who stayed at home while we girls went gallivanting. He was well aware that I wouldn't go away while Ross was in school and have no-one on-call at home for the school. Although we were only another hour and a half further away from the school, I just wouldn't have risked it. Thank you Jim - you spoil your girls!

Facebook - I know people have mixed opinions on this subject. I personally love it for the ability it gives me to maintain relationships so easily over distance and time. Facebook on mobile web is even better when you're travelling and arranging to meet with friends.

Right - crafty stuff planned next week when I'm not dancing attendance on my darling boy. Alexandra starts back school on Wednesday and other than the trauma of finding shoes for a child who has ankles like a sparrow at the age of 14 years and 11 months - I think we're all sorted.

This post's been a bit of a ramble so if you've made it this far, congratulations and thank you for sticking with it.

Until the next time, and don't forget to pop over and visit Virginia at the Celtic House. Even better - why don't you join us - it's good for the soul!!

Gillxxx

So What's Rocking Your World This Friday?

Good morning Rockettes and bloggers alike!! It's a very dull, grey and damp Friday morning up here in Stirling, but do I care? Not a bit!!!!!!!!! Why - because I finish up work today for two whole weeks of R&R - YIPPEEEEEEEE I suspect that if life goes along it's usual pattern then there might be slightly less of the R&R than I would like but it'll be nice to spend time with my darling daughter before our schools start back on 18th August.

First thing on the agenda is a girlie camping trip up to St Andrews - how much do I love this place!!!!!!!!! My mum, daughter and I are off tomorrow for a few days and we'll come back when we feel like it.









This place has all the things which are important to me on holiday:

1. Good beaches
2. Fabulous ice-cream
3. Lots of history

We will be back mid-week next week at latest as Ross comes home on Friday for 6 days, and Alexandra and I are helping out here in Stirling at the University's first Scootathlon next Friday - more on that one later!

Crafting has been non-existent this week as I've been feeling a bit under the weather with swollen glands and just being generally exhausted. I do however have a not inconsiderable to-do list forming so hopefully I can make a start on that at some point.

For now, I must go and get on with some work if I want my desk cleared by 5 tonight. So I will wish you an safe and happy week until we meet again.

Gillx