Wednesday 13th April 2011

Firstly, thank you everyone for your lovely cards, comments and gifts.  I’ve had a great day, especially as the girls are on Easter break from school.  Some of the wonderful presents I’ve received are a digital camera, a pampering hat box, chocolates, cake decorating tools, cake decorating books, pretty things for the house and spending money!  I am thrilled with everything and can’t wait to get some decent photographs taken and posted.

Other things that have been happening is that I have created another couple of cakes which were very well received and great practice for me.  I’ve managed to volunteer myself into making a key item for my British Sugarcraft Guild branch competition entry.  They’ve won golf for the last couple of years, so no pressure – yikes!!

We managed to get good enough weather to finally put up the new tent which we bought earlier in the year.  It’s fantastic and so big compared to our old one.  The living area is bigger than the whole of the old tent!  We had great fun sleeping in it last Saturday and the girls slept until 0730!  We’re all looking forward to hopefully many more campouts during Spring and Summer.

Friday 4th March

It’s been a nice and productive first week back into the routine.  Lauren and Martha have been working really hard and well at school – Martha received an award at assembly this morning!

We had a great trip to Scotland with Peter last week and actually spent some time relaxing as a family. We visited Beecraigs Country Park and Butterfly World as the girls had recently been on a school trip to Tropical World in Leeds so were very keen to learn more. We took the girls bicycles with us this time, which allowed us to cross nearly the length of the Forth Road Bridge and I impressed myself and Lauren at running alongside her.

We are starting to see the emergence of lambs again and I cannot explain how happy it makes me feel.  The curlews have also returned which is a lovely sign that Spring is getting closer.

I have  started running the pre-school library at the girls school which is quite exciting, although I have only had one new member as yet!  It’s a great way to get children involved with the school before they start as well as helping parents get to know each other.  I have a feeling that coffee, cakes and storytelling might encourage a few more!

The other exciting thing that has been happening is that I have discovered how handy hair straighteners are! I am really enjoying smoothing my hair and it really does help manage it – wish I’d done it sooner

Monday 14th February

Happy Valentine’s Day!

We spent last week going through several emotions, not all of them good nor enjoyable. However we also spent the week doing some really lovely things.

We hung the photographs of Martha, which we are thrilled with.

On Friday. as most Friday’s, I joined the girls assembly where Lauren received a pencil for being awarded three Dacre B’s (achievement certificates) since September.  Martha and Lauren were awarded another certificate, along with the rest of their class for excellent number work.  Afterwards I spent a lovely couple of hours in Pateley Bridge visiting a fabric store which for years I’ve always felt a tad initimated to go into, but was so happy I did so, it really is wonderful!  I went to the butchers where I bought Peter an exquisite luxury strawberry cheesecake for his Valentine’s present and stocked up on their award winning haggis – we’ve yet to try it but I hope it’s as good as it looks as we love haggis in our house!!  My last trip of the day was to the library which is one of the several under threat of closure.  The woman who is spearheading the campaign is fantastic – the coverage our little library has achieved is outstanding – a large article in the FT and coverage on the national BBC news together with a lot of local newspaper, radio and television coverage.  If it does close, it would be a minimum of 30 minute drive (one way) to reach either Ripon or Harrogate libraries.  The library serves a huge area, people higher in the dale already drive 30 minutes to get to the Pateley Bridge library so over an hour’s drive is not really an option for many.

We spent Saturday as a family getting the girls bedroom and playroom clean and tidy again – yes a whole day!!  It’s nice to be able to sit down and relax with them in both rooms now and even better I didn’t have to work alone!

On Sunday morning, we went to my friend Emma’s studio for a photoshoot (www.dalesviewphotography.co.uk)  which was a lot of fun and she’s captured some wonderful shots of us.  Emma took the ballet photos of Martha above.  Afterwards, we decided to have our lunch out at How Stean Gorge, where we bumped into several friends which was nice.  Sadly, Peter left not long afterwards to work away until Wednesday   The girls and I had a nice, relaxing night and I spent some quality time getting everything 100% prepared for school.  It’s nice to feel a bit more organised again!

My first cake delivered!!

I delivered my first cake order this morning.  Granted it didn’t have to go far (next door neighbour) but it was a bumpy drive down the lane!

I’m really happy with the sage green colour, it’s exactly what I had hoped to achieve.  A few bits and pieces that I’m not 100% with, but will keep practicing!

We’re very proud of Lauren who not only has achieved 3 awards at school since September but, today, whilst at a party where she won pass the parcel, she acted with maturity and passed the wrapped present to some boys who were fighting over it.  Well done Lauren!!

We have today taken delivery of the most beautiful framed montage of photographs of Martha at her ballet class – she looks absolutely beautiful.  Once it’s hung up, I will take and post some photographs. Thank you so much Emma @ Dales View Photography (http://www.dalesviewphotography.co.uk/)  (Not worked out how to insert links properly yet in WordPress!)

Hello Again to the World of Blogging!

I just thought I’d have a quick look at my blog site (spaces.live) and am thankful that I did!  It appears that as of March 2011, Windows Live Spaces will no longer be allowing updates on their sites but if you want to continue to blog, you have to transfer to WordPress, so here I am!

It’s been nearly 12 months since my last blog update and a HUGE amount has happened!  Martha started school in September and Lauren has moved up to Year 1 (Primary 2 for anyone in Scotland!).  They are both loving school and flourishing both educationally and physically!  Lauren has now lost several teeth and the tooth fairy has been very busy.  I have resigned from my work on the playgroup committee and thought I would be having a lot more free time, however the time has now been filled with other activities, as several people told me it would be!

We spent our summer holidays on Anglesey and had a wonderful time.  It’s somewhere I think we’ll definitely visit again, but have planned on a summer camping holiday in Scotland for this year – we are all  excited about it already!

Wednesday 3rd March

Hurrah, March is here!!  I always feel brighter with the onset of March.  The sight of the snowdrops emerging and daffodil stems getting taller and stronger fill me with a sense of joy and newness of life.  Monday was the most gloriously sunny day in a very, very long time.  It was a wonderful feeling to wear sunglasses, drive without thinking of skidding, towing stranded motorists out, de-icing cars etc.  I felt happy all day.  Tuesday morning I woke up after a really deep sleep to find…snow!!  What on earth is that about?!  Today although the snow is still around, the sun is yet again shining and shaming me into perhaps washing the windows.

Trying to think about what’s been occurring (thanks Gavin and Stacey!) since my last entry.  We had a lovely trip to Scotland during half-term.  The highlight was seeing the girls playing so happily with their cousins.  Lauren and Lucy both started school last year so it was great to hear them discussing the same phonics etc.  I think the girls are getting closer as they get older and are overcoming the initial shyness they had when they used to see each other (I think their memories are better too and they don’t forget who their cousins are as they did).  Although Laura was poorly, she still invited us over to visit for a couple of hours which was appreciated and much enjoyed as usual.  I always love visiting Jan, not only to see how her garden is developing (it gets prettier every time!) but just spending time with her talking about nothing and everything.  I often wish I lived closer.  Lauren is now back into the school routine which is a great relief to us all.  Martha is growing up so fast and it’s hard to think that she’s only got 6 months left at playgroup   We have however had a few issues with school and ourselves speaking to us like eejits which has been very frustrating and demanding on our emotions.  Sadly I identified our previous neighbour from CCTV footage aired on our local tv news bulletin as the body that had been found in Leeds so fairly sad time.  I hope that he has found peace.

Our thoughts have been turning to what vegetables we are going to sow in our patch this time around.  We’ve decided to move the potatoes into their very own tyre compound and sow less this time which ironically will probably result in more produce than last time.  I hope my strawberries have survived over their dormant time as they were fantastic last year (I just need to remember to get them covered up!).  We have also been looking at bulk buying some Spruce trees to plant on some land we have which isn’t too attractive to be honest – Peter and I are really looking forward to doing it!  Our lane has taken a battering with the recent bad weather and we are now looking at putting a lot of money into making it decent using concrete or asphalt.  It would mean that people can visit us nearly all year round in normal cars!

Thursday 11th February

On Tuesday, Martha and I drove to Pateley after dropping Lauren at school. 
It had been snowing all night and we were quite excited waiting for the bank to
open (0930!) in the snow.  On our usual route back home, I noticed a warning
triangle in the road.  Naturally I slowed right down and was about to make a
left turn when we saw the reason for the warning.  Two cars had collided and
ended up on either side of the road in ditches, one of which was balanced on
three wheels.  Thankfully the two drivers were not badly hurt but were fairly
shaken up and the road strewn with lots of debris.  The weather at this point
was horrendous with blizzards and sub-zero winds buffeting us.  We were about 5
minutes from home, so drove to get some hot cups of tea and brooms to clear the
road.  After 3 hours the second recovery truck had taken the final car away and
I drove one of the ladies back home, as the recovery vehicle took the other lady
home.  I’m so glad that they are both ok and were thankfully driving slowly
enough to not skid into the dry stone walls that surround us.  I think the
events took more out of me than I realised, by late afternoon I was exhausted.

The other thing that’s happened is I seem to have developed an allergy to
cats!!  I have a hat that I wear and have discovered if Harry (or any other
cat!) has been near it, my eyes become very, very itchy and sore and my nose
starts to run.  It’s horrible and I’ve now had to start wearing my specs as it’s
so painful

Lauren has had another positive few days at school, much to our relief.  I
don’t think I appreciated how good she was at going into school and
participating fully, until it wasn’t happening. 

We have booked our summer holiday!  We’re spending a week in North Wales, Trearddur Bay to be exact. 
It’s not an area I’ve been to before, so am really looking forward to it.

We’ve spent the afternoon, since collecting Lauren from school, making heart
cookies for Martha to take to a Valentine’s playdate.  I love having the base
nearby and being invited to my US friends houses, they really know how to make
events special and fun!  I sometimes wonder if I am living in the wrong
country!!