Shadows and light.
Obligatory Poppets shadow shot.
Castles are often surprisingly surprised.
Hmmph.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Castle hopping in Wales
We left home at 8am feeling the call of adventure, drove 130 miles into Wales and hopped around four castles in various states of ruin before tea time. We got home at 8pm and the kitteh's weren't best pleased with having their day disrupted and proceeded to disrupt our evening.
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Five good things
A gift for us from my Mum
Sally's good news email.
Ray's brother's son arriving safely... nephew. Good news but also really difficult news. We haven't seen him yet.
Finding bluebells we didn't plant in the garden.
A lovely sunny day out castle hopping in Wales.
Sally's good news email.
Ray's brother's son arriving safely... nephew. Good news but also really difficult news. We haven't seen him yet.
Finding bluebells we didn't plant in the garden.
A lovely sunny day out castle hopping in Wales.
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Five good things
The absolute awesomeness of you lovely people who know George.
Finishing spring cleaning. Not the cleaning itself, ugh. Which is probably why the spring cleaning is more like a deep clean disinfection process. Hmmm.
Sharing sadness.
A new teacup, just because.
A riot of forget-me-nots in the garden
Finishing spring cleaning. Not the cleaning itself, ugh. Which is probably why the spring cleaning is more like a deep clean disinfection process. Hmmm.
Sharing sadness.
A new teacup, just because.
A riot of forget-me-nots in the garden
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Something is dreadfully wrong
When your supposedly developed country has one of the highest stillbirth rates in Europe.
The UK had about 4,100 stillbirths in 2009 and, with a rate of 3.5 per 1,000 births, (USA rates; 3 per 1000) was ranked 33rd in a list of 193 countries - down from 26th in 1995.
Stillbirth is the 5th highest cause of death in the world.
11 sets of UK parents every day will take home their newborn baby in a coffin
link
link
And George isn't even included in those UK statistics as he was born still before 24 weeks.
It's not good enough.
The UK had about 4,100 stillbirths in 2009 and, with a rate of 3.5 per 1,000 births, (USA rates; 3 per 1000) was ranked 33rd in a list of 193 countries - down from 26th in 1995.
Stillbirth is the 5th highest cause of death in the world.
11 sets of UK parents every day will take home their newborn baby in a coffin
link
link
And George isn't even included in those UK statistics as he was born still before 24 weeks.
It's not good enough.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Five good things
12 tiny tags buyer being happy with her 12 tiny tags
A new tool in the post.
Tonsillitis. Well, no, not really, in fact not at all, it's rather horrid; but the extra loving attention is nice.
Nothing electrical or electronic breaking for a whole week.
The safe arrival of Toby.
Please join in; what good things found you last week?
A new tool in the post.
Tonsillitis. Well, no, not really, in fact not at all, it's rather horrid; but the extra loving attention is nice.
Nothing electrical or electronic breaking for a whole week.
The safe arrival of Toby.
Please join in; what good things found you last week?
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Technologicalnightmare
I hinted at our technological nightmare of late in Sunday's Five Good Things
It happened again! We were plugging a brand new second hand Blu-ray player into the TV and it broke! The TV broke! Well ok, the HDMI socket stopped working. But bloody hell.
We phoned the shop and as the TV is only 3 weeks old we could take it back for a replacement. It was 4.15 - shop closed at 6.00 - shop in nearby city 30 miles away. Nearby city that we always get lost in. Thereby ensuing a mad dash with a 50" TV shoved in the back of the car, sofa cushions piled around it and tied down with rope. Aargh! Rush hour! A mad dash around countryside shortcuts and only one wrong city turn later and we arrive with 15 minutes to spare.
We get the TV into the shop and it's plugged in and... the HDMI plug works!!!! And then it doesn't and then it does.
We finally took a more leisurely drive home, a brand new TV in the car. Phew.
Oh gods of Technology, enough already. If it wasn't enough that we are being variously bullied and ignored by the gods of Abundant Fertility and Happy Birth, you have to get in on the act? Puh-lease.
TV ordered from internet company and not delivered in the promised 2-3 days and not delivered in a promised week and actually, just not delivered at all. Three weeks to get a refund. Poo.
Ray's monitor flickering, flashing and breaking. Promised one week repair turning into three weeks and a new monitor because it couldn't be repaired. Complaint about lying toad of a salesperson. Brand new bigger better monitor, old-new monitor sold to friend. Trip to North Devon to collect new new monitor because "the courier company has been losing things" and we were sick of waiting. (Nice day out though). Phew.
Small but expensive netbook. Stopped working. Kaput. Broken. What! Taken off for repair by the very nice De.ll people.
USB dvd drive. Broken.
USB cards (2) knackered.
And then the TV not bought from a crappy internet company who lost a huge TV but bought from a real person in a real shop. Thank goodness we bought it from a real shop and didn't have to get it collected.
Right then. Listen up you idotic Technogods and listen good. Piss off and leave us alone. Mmkay? And take your stupid mates with you.
It happened again! We were plugging a brand new second hand Blu-ray player into the TV and it broke! The TV broke! Well ok, the HDMI socket stopped working. But bloody hell.
We phoned the shop and as the TV is only 3 weeks old we could take it back for a replacement. It was 4.15 - shop closed at 6.00 - shop in nearby city 30 miles away. Nearby city that we always get lost in. Thereby ensuing a mad dash with a 50" TV shoved in the back of the car, sofa cushions piled around it and tied down with rope. Aargh! Rush hour! A mad dash around countryside shortcuts and only one wrong city turn later and we arrive with 15 minutes to spare.
We get the TV into the shop and it's plugged in and... the HDMI plug works!!!! And then it doesn't and then it does.
We finally took a more leisurely drive home, a brand new TV in the car. Phew.
Oh gods of Technology, enough already. If it wasn't enough that we are being variously bullied and ignored by the gods of Abundant Fertility and Happy Birth, you have to get in on the act? Puh-lease.
TV ordered from internet company and not delivered in the promised 2-3 days and not delivered in a promised week and actually, just not delivered at all. Three weeks to get a refund. Poo.
Ray's monitor flickering, flashing and breaking. Promised one week repair turning into three weeks and a new monitor because it couldn't be repaired. Complaint about lying toad of a salesperson. Brand new bigger better monitor, old-new monitor sold to friend. Trip to North Devon to collect new new monitor because "the courier company has been losing things" and we were sick of waiting. (Nice day out though). Phew.
Small but expensive netbook. Stopped working. Kaput. Broken. What! Taken off for repair by the very nice De.ll people.
USB dvd drive. Broken.
USB cards (2) knackered.
And then the TV not bought from a crappy internet company who lost a huge TV but bought from a real person in a real shop. Thank goodness we bought it from a real shop and didn't have to get it collected.
Right then. Listen up you idotic Technogods and listen good. Piss off and leave us alone. Mmkay? And take your stupid mates with you.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Busy-ness
12 Tiny tags, cut, sanded, stamped, sanded some more, polished and shined and shipped with some new mini-business cards.
My biggest order yet.
And I'm very glad it's finished.
Phew.
My biggest order yet.
And I'm very glad it's finished.
Phew.
Did I mention that I've changed my shop name and address?
And badge?
You can add it to your blog by copying the text heretobelowwithin:
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Five good things (mothering sunday edition)
Happy Mothers Day, or Mothering Sunday as it is traditionally called over here in the UK, to all of you lovely mamas, whether your children are with you or missing from their lives.
We decided not to take my Mum out this year; she never really enjoys it, everywhere is too noisy and too crowded, prices are put up especially and service isn't good. So I made veggie lasagne with garlic bread and salad and bought a home-made Victoria sponge from a farm on Dartmoor. Both our Mums got freshly cut daffodils from our garden. (Must show you photos of all the forget-me-knots that finally flowered this year).
I had a few pangs of, "it should be me" but for the most part it was a lovely day.
So, five good things from the last week:
My Mum. Who supports us beyond anything we can ever thank her for, who loves Ray as if he were her own son, who cooks chicken for our kittehs just because, whose love for my Dad "in sickness and in health" is an inspiration. Today and every day.
Ray's mum. Who sat with me when they bought George back for a final goodbye. Who wanted to see her grandson and remarked on his long legs. Who told me I was "a world of good for Ray".
Ray's all clear.
TV/monitor/conflict/flickering/stress/cables/repairs/complaints about lying salesperson/apologies/exasperation/purchase of new bigger/better monitor/sale of old-replaced-with-new monitor - over and done with.
An adventure to the north coast. Wide beaches. Big waves. Sea mist. Breathing space.
Please join in. What good things found you last week?
We decided not to take my Mum out this year; she never really enjoys it, everywhere is too noisy and too crowded, prices are put up especially and service isn't good. So I made veggie lasagne with garlic bread and salad and bought a home-made Victoria sponge from a farm on Dartmoor. Both our Mums got freshly cut daffodils from our garden. (Must show you photos of all the forget-me-knots that finally flowered this year).
I had a few pangs of, "it should be me" but for the most part it was a lovely day.
So, five good things from the last week:
My Mum. Who supports us beyond anything we can ever thank her for, who loves Ray as if he were her own son, who cooks chicken for our kittehs just because, whose love for my Dad "in sickness and in health" is an inspiration. Today and every day.
Ray's mum. Who sat with me when they bought George back for a final goodbye. Who wanted to see her grandson and remarked on his long legs. Who told me I was "a world of good for Ray".
Ray's all clear.
TV/monitor/conflict/flickering/stress/cables/repairs/complaints about lying salesperson/apologies/exasperation/purchase of new bigger/better monitor/sale of old-replaced-with-new monitor - over and done with.
An adventure to the north coast. Wide beaches. Big waves. Sea mist. Breathing space.
Please join in. What good things found you last week?
Friday, 1 April 2011
Phew.
Ray had an MRI last week because his Meniere's symptoms are atypical and they wanted to rule out abnormalities and anomalies.
They found a brain but no tumours. Phew.
So, on to more in depth hearing tests and an afternoon in the "dizzy room".
Between the two of us we're gradually making our way through each hospital department. And although we're skipping Oncology thank-you-very-much, we'd really like to visit Maternity again. For happy things... please... dear universe?
Oh, and enough with the worry, mmmkay?
They found a brain but no tumours. Phew.
So, on to more in depth hearing tests and an afternoon in the "dizzy room".
Between the two of us we're gradually making our way through each hospital department. And although we're skipping Oncology thank-you-very-much, we'd really like to visit Maternity again. For happy things... please... dear universe?
Oh, and enough with the worry, mmmkay?
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