Happy New Year And Counting Down To Spring...

Hi Honeys,
How are you today?  I hope you've had the best time during the holiday season dear ones 💖

We've been hit by another cold snap with a frost on the ground all day today.  Winter is still making her presence felt unfortunately.  Is it awful that I dislike winter so much?  It just pulls all of the life out of me.

Never mind honeys. It'll be spring in no time really.  I'm still counting down to the arrival of spring, as I do, much to the amusement of co-workers, every year...
   

I've done it for so many years now that they smile and even ask me each week "how long now then?"  As of today dear ones, we have 79 days till 20th March and the arrival of spring.  If you prefer counting in weeks, it will be exactly 11 weeks from this coming Friday 😊 I can't wait!!

I even have a little badge I made to wear on my lanyard at work and it seems to make others smile, and me too actually 😊

I've always thought that January can be such a harsh month, and not just because of the cold, damp weather either.  During the months leading to the new year celebrations, we have all of the fun and excitement of so many holidays honeys. 

There's Halloween in October of course, then Guy Fawkes Night here in the UK on November 5th, Thanksgiving for our cousins in the USA on the last Thursday of November, then Christmas and New Year itself.

Then we have January.  January is a long (it often has almost five weeks) cold, dull month that always feels truly endless.  It's like we've had all of these fun holidays and then we're forced to come back to the reality of work and a home that feels so depressing after all of the decorations have been taken down and put away.  Just ick!

Of course, if we take the time to look around us there's still beauty to be found...     

I love to watch the birds, and our little squirrel, visiting the feeders in our back garden, to hug our furbaby Jade on the sofa in our lovely, warm living room while watching favourite box sets on TV and, of course, by counting down to spring 🌼

Why not join in honeys?  Scroll back up the page a little, save that little spring-seeking badge graphic and then print it off onto card, laminate it if you'd like to, and join me in counting down to spring 🌼

There is a wonderful "count down" clock, which skips through the most beautiful floral images, that you can find here.  I visit it quite often, it's so calming to watch all of the stunning spring images. 

Whatever you're doing "at the bells" as we say in Scotland, I hope you have the best time honeys, till next time, smile lots and hug even more, lang may yer lum reek! hugs always and see you next year x   

Harry Potter Heat Change Mug - Which House Will You Be Sorted Into...

Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote this mug or the store it came from.  It's a gift from Hubby (thank you sweetheart x) and I was so excited I had to share x

Hi Honeys,
How are you today?  Only a few days till Christmas and, as of today, exactly 13 weeks till spring 🌼  I can't wait! Winter pulls all of the life out of me dear ones.  I dread it all year long, feeling every minute of every cold, damp, awful day and constantly counting down till it's spring again and I can watch the garden begin to wake up and burst into life.

Hubby surprised me with a gift and I love it so much I wanted to share 😍  It's a sort of magic mug I suppose because when it's filled with your favourite cuppa, for me a lovely hot chocolate in this weather more often than not, it magically transforms itself!

In a transformation worthy of Hogwarts itself, the heat from your favourite beverage changes the outside of the mug... sorting you into one of the Hogwarts houses... 

So, here it is then honeys.  The Harry Potter heat changing mug from Primark.  I'm not sure if anywhere else has them but that's where Hubby got this one (I asked him.)

It's in a cardboard box with the newer grey and gold Wizarding World packaging seen almost everywhere now that's replaced the older blue packaging...

Sunflower Lanyard Scheme For Hidden Disabilities...

Disclaimer:  I'm not being paid to highlight this wonderful scheme, I just recently discovered it and having health issues myself I just wanted to help raise awareness of this amazing resource. 

I know how frightening it can be to try to navigate the world outside our front door when also trying to cope with a disability.  Wishing you more spoons than you can ever use today and everyday dear ones, hugs always x

Hi Honeys,
How are you today?  All well I hope?  Our furbaby Jade & I are doing laundry today and, while waiting for the washing machine to finish it's first cycle of the day, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share a little information about a wonderful new resource I recently discovered that I thought fellow spoonies (those who, like me, live with a chronic or long term illness) might like to know about too...

Before we get started honeys, this post might well be a good, maybe 10 minute read, I would go fetch a coffee, and maybe a cookie? and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes.... just click on the read more button below to read the rest of the post...

What's Inside The Soap And Glory Wonder Woman Fab-U-Stash Gift Set...

Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote or recommend any products or shops, just sharing my latest S&G smiles x

Hi Honeys,
How are you today?  It's been all go here in the run up to the holidays and we've had a fabulous few days with my much loved brother in law who's been visiting.  I made some more of those yummy, healthy doughnuts and Hubby's manage to collect (almost) the last of this year's leaves from the back garden. 

Our little apple tree, and the blueberry shrub, both look so bare now honeys, but it won't be long till the garden is waking up again from it's (too) long winter nap.  I so miss my roses 🌹

Hubby was in town a few days ago and brought me home the sweetest gift (thank you sweetheart x) It's a Wonder Woman themed gift set, by Soap and Glory, and it's so perfect I wanted to share 💖 

There are lots of photos in this post dear ones, so why not go grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie) and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes. (just click on the read more link below x)

Christmas Crafting: Fun With Air Dry Clay And DIY Tree Ornaments🎄

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any shops, nor gifted any products, just wanted to share my latest little crafting smiles x

Hi Honeys
Well, here we are in December.  I really can't believe how quickly this year has gone by.  I'm so sorry I haven't posted before now, the cold and damp weather are causing my arthritis to flare, so mostly I've been camping out on the sofa with our sweet furbaby.  Bless her, she never minds keeping her Mum company and sharing a fluffy throw💖 

While staying warm on the sofa with Jade and (to try) to battle the aches and stiffness in my hands, I decided to attempt to make some Christmas tree ornaments from air dry clay.  It was such a lot of fun and I'm so pleased at how they turned out...   

Air dry clay, because there's no need to bake your creations, really is the perfect crafting medium for fun craft projects for little ones in the run up to Christmas 🎅🎄

Why not go grab a warm cuppa honeys and meet me back here in a few minutes and I'll share some crafting smiles 💖

Latest Harry Potter Mini Haul

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any shops, nor gifted any products, just wanted to share my latest little Potter related stationery smiles x

Hi Honeys, 

How are you today?  Our furbaby Jade & I are sharing the sofa and a large sherpa throw today to battle the chill.  We reached -7C yesterday!  Today was (just a little bit) warmer thankfully, so I thought, while Jade is having a nap, I'd share my latest Potter smiles...

Does anyone else adore stationery as much as I do?  Go on, don't be bashful, dear ones.  It can't just be me who immediately finds the stationery section of every store she's in and collects note books like they're never going to be printed again 😍 💖

Now, I mention my being a complete (and unashamed) stationery addict because most of this latest mini haul is made up of lovely, fabulous, stationery items.  Apart from the first item that is, which is a very practical "pop into your bag till its needed" type item but it's also adorably cute 😊

I'll share all in a few minutes but since there are quite a few photos in this post (as always) why not go grab a cuppa, and maybe a cookie, and join me back here in a few minutes (just press the "read more" link below to read the full post...)

Crafting Forever Roses...

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops, just wanted to share my latest crafting smiles x

Hi Honeys,
How are you today?  It's been so cold this past week or so and we now have at least another two trees full of leaves scattered across the back garden.  Hubby & our furbaby Jade are going to spend Sunday afternoon clearing them (again) which Jade will absolutely love.  She adores being out in the garden with her Dad and loves running into huge piles of leaves even more 💖

The cold has been making my hands (and other bits) ache by irritating my arthritis so I've been fighting back by crafting 😊  The phrase "use it or lose it" applies perfectly honeys, unless Spoonies keep those joints moving, the arthritis wins and we'll seize up, like an old engine, until our mobility is lost to us.  A chronic illness can't be allowed to win dear ones. Not even a little bit.

You know how much I love our roses honeys?  Our front garden is very small, but it's home to our beautiful rose shrubs, planted in memory of my dear Gramma and beloved Mother in Law who both adored roses even more than I do 🌹 

Losing our precious roses is the main reason that every year I have a countdown to spring (125 days to go!) because I can't wait to see our garden start to wake again after it's (too) long winter nap.  I do have artificial roses dotted around our home, gifts over the years from Hubby (thank you sweetheart x) but I never thought I could make beautiful roses myself!   

I'm so excited honeys!  I craft, whether it's knitting, sewing (machine these days, my days of needlework are behind me I'm afraid) or making little things with clay, I love to create things and it also serves as a sort of physiotherapy too I suppose, in that it helps to keep the movement I have in my hands. It helps battle the stiffness of arthritis. Enough waffle about painful things and on to fun things instead 😊

Why not go grab a cuppa, I will too, and meet me back here in a few minutes and I'll share how I made those pretty little clay roses. There are lots of photos in this post, so a lovely cuppa, and maybe a cookie or two, would be perfect ☕🍪 See you back here in a few minutes honeys...

(click the read more link to see the full post)

Our First Attempt at Halloween Decor & Holiday Smiles...

Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote any shops or products, just sharing some smiles and our first actual attempt at Halloween decor x

Hi Honeys,
I'm sorry I've been missing all week, it hasn't been the best few weeks health wise (as all fellow spoonies will understand, the cold and damp are playing havoc with my arthritis) if you're being tormented by the elements too dear ones, please be kind to yourself and rest when you can. Sending you gentle hugs 💖

I'm also trying to recover from Blogtober 😊  I did it honeys, 31 posts in 31 days, it was exhausting but it was also just the most fun 😊 I've done blog challenges before, there was the fabulous Blogtember in 2014 (my first year of blogging) in 2015 and in 2016 and of course the wonderful Picture Perfect Project.

The Picture Perfect Project was designed to help Bloggers work on their photography skills and so I spent the whole of 2016 recording the changes in our beloved Garden.💖  With the exception of the Picture Perfect Project, the other challenges, the Blogtembers, all had daily prompts to follow, which suggested a topic for each day.

I originally thought that the lack of any writing prompts for Blogtober might make it more difficult but after the first few days I didn't give it much thought and just wrote and wrote 😊 If you joined me for any of those Blogtober posts dear ones, thank you so much for keeping me company and I hope you had as much fun as I did all month.💖

Speaking of fun, this year's Halloween was the best in ages!  It was so, so much fun and so many of our neighbours joined in, some even decorating their front gardens and windows.  For our part, instead of just making up lots of treat bags for visiting trick or treaters, as we do every year, we decided to decorate our little entryway too...

Why not grab a cuppa honeys and meet me back here in a few minutes, there are lots of photos in this post, it's really chilly today and a lovely cuppa sounds fab, and maybe a cookie or two as well 🍪😊

Blogtober Day 31: Harry Potter Dark Arts Collectables Tin & Happy Halloween 🎃

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or store, just wanted to share the sweetest gift from Hubby x

Hi Honeys,
Happy Halloween 🎃😊  Can you believe it's the last day of Blogtober already?  This month, and in fact this whole year, has passed so fast!

Yesterday, when he got home from work, Hubby brought me a beautiful Harry Potter themed gift set (thank you sweetheart x) and, since it's Halloween, what better time to share a Dark Arts gift set...

There are a lot (really a lot) of photos in this post honeys so, why not go grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie) I will too and will meet you back here in a few minutes?

Blogtober Day 30: Caring For Our Garden Guests And Why We Need To...

Hi Honeys,
I was in the kitchen earlier and glanced out of the windows only for my heart to sink.  What a mess (again!) with all of those leaves scattered everywhere.  What a mess!

Hubby recently spent a couple of hours in the freezing cold cleaning up but our neighbours trees, and the trees that line the lane behind our home, all seem to wait until he's finished and goes back into the house before.... whoosh! The garden is covered in leaves again.

At least now he has his huge leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher type thingie but he'll tidy it all again and you can bet it'll take no time to need done again.  Hubby never even complains, bless him. He just puts on a jacket and off he goes into the back garden with our furbaby Jade, his assistant gardener, and gets to work 💖 

While thinking about the work Hubby (and Jade) are faced with again I spotted some garden guests happily eating a little food I put out for them this morning and my frown turned upside down in a heartbeat. 😊

We've been blessed with so many beautiful garden guests all year long honeys and I've loved watching this year's baby birds grow and our tiny squirrel friend visit each day for his peanuts and seeds.  Jade has been desperately trying to make friends with this little chap all summer long but he's too timid to play with her, even when she tries to share her toys 💖 

It's so, so important that we all try to help our garden guests.  Why Rosie? Well, because they need us.  It's that simple, dear ones.  It's getting colder now and their food sources will be getting more difficult to find.  The bare branches in the photos above belong to the blueberry shrub we planted in our first Spring in this house, specifically to act as a food source for visiting wildlife.

Luckily it's not at all difficult to give a helping hand to our tiny garden guests and with just a little effort you'll be able to help them survive through the long winter months.

Teaching children how to care for garden visitors is also a wonderful way to encourage them to see and to appreciate the natural world around us and teaches them empathy for other living creatures too that they'll carry into adulthood with them.

Blogtober Day 29: Halloween Preparations Continue 🎃

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to recommend any products or shops, just wanted to share a little peep behind the scenes at our Halloween prep 😊

Hi Honeys,
I'm playing catch up today, so I thought I'd share a little glimpse of our preparations this past few days for Halloween...

I do love Halloween honeys, and one of my favourite bits every year is making up lots of treat bags for visiting vampires, superheroes, witches & wizards 😊 Hubby & I make a great team every year 💖

We usually fill containers with each of the different treats or toys (such as balloons and spiders and glow in the dark skeletons) to be included in the treat bags and we set to making up little bags of (hopefully) holiday smiles 😊   

This year, as you can see in the image above, we had (from the top left hand corner) 1. marshmallow biscuit treats, 2. a cauldron full of lolly pops, chews, Addams Family sherbet packs and other little packs of sweets, 3. more packs of those little marshmallow biscuit treats, 4. two boxes of mini bottles of Halloween bubbles, 5. sandwich bags to use as treat bags, 6. a container full of Halloween toys and balloons, 7. mallow "wands" 8. mini bags of Skittles, 9. mini bags of Haribo sweets and 10. boxes of Casper the Friendly Ghost candy sticks. 

Hubby and I set about making up treat bags, adding one of everything in the containers until we ran out of treats.  It's always such fun making up these little bags and I always hope they make our tiny visitors as happy as they make us creating them.

When we eventually ran out of treats we had, as we do most years, around fifty treat bags...

Blogtober Day 28: Ghostly Smiles For Halloween

Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote any products, it's Halloween week and I thought I'd share my favourite ghostly smiles x

Hi Honeys,
How are you today?  All well I hope?  We've been hit by a cold snap ⛄  It was so cold this morning, it was -1c at around 7am, that I half expected to see penguins running around in our kitchen! That'll teach me to wear slippers before stepping onto the chilly tiles of our kitchen floor 😊

I recently shared some favourite TV box sets, both British and American, and today, since it's Halloween week, I thought I'd share a few ghostly smiles 👻

"Smiles Rosie?" I hear you say, "isn't Halloween a time for scares and frights and things that go bump in the night?" Absolutely!  It's also a time for fun 😊 I adore Halloween honeys, it's probably my favourite holiday 😊 

Blogtober Day 27: Reusable Produce Bags: Avoiding Single Use Plastic In The Produce Aisle

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops, we're just trying to live a healthier, more sustainable life with less waste.  This is our latest little tweak to our kitchen and we're loving these little bags. Just wanted to share x

Hi Honeys,
Welcome to day 27 of Blogtober, where did this month go! Today's post is a subject close to my heart.  Hubby and I have been trying to live a healthier life dear ones, so there's been far more meal prepping going on, which really started in earnest earlier this year when I began making salads on Sundays for us to have through the week and for Hubby's lunches at work.

After reading that the plastic lunch containers Hubby used could actually be leaching toxins into his carefully prepared, healthy lunches, we switched to glass instead. 

Around our home too, we're trying to make healthier choices and to live as sustainably as we're able to.  We've always tried to recycle and to re-use wherever we can, but now we actively seek to use less.  Just a few simple changes really can make a difference honeys and I'm so happy with our latest little tweak to our grocery shopping... 

I know we might be late to the party, but we've swapped from using those thin, single use, plastic bags that produce items, such as fresh fruit and vegetables are packed in, to a longer lasting, wash-and-use-again alternative and I'm so, so loving these little reusable produce bags 💖

Blogtober Day 26: In Search of Stillness..

Hi Honeys,
Do you ever wish the world would slow down just a little? You remember that earlier this week I was musing about living on an island, away from the hustle and bustle and noise of daily life.  I'm almost certain I could so easily make a wonderful hermit.  Really, all I need is Hubby & our furbaby Jade and I'd be happy no matter where we were I think💖

Our home is my calm place.  I work in a very busy, bustling, rarely-quiet-for-an-instant retail environment and at times the noise can be deafening.  Somehow, over the years, I've learned how to tolerate this sometimes cacophonous environment, even though noise is actually painful to me because I actually enjoy my job.  My time there is really, other than doctors/hospital appointments the only time I leave our home.   

I know from talking to others at work that I'm not alone either in my (almost) isolation from the world.  In fact, it seems to me that the more connected the world has gotten, with wifi everywhere, face-time and skype replacing being in the same room as friends and family and many people working from home,  the more isolated many people have become.

Blogtober Day 25: Friday Smiles & Butterflies..

Disclaimer: I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops, just wanted to share some smiles x

Hi Honeys
How are you today? Staying warm I hope?  It's gotten so chilly this past few days, at the moment we're into the afternoon and have reached the dizzying heights of 7C.

I thought for today's Blogtober post (can you believe there's only a week left!) I'd share some past air dry clay shapes I'd made, and hopefully a few smiles too 😊

I so wish I was able to make some of the fabulous things I've seen on Pinterest, but I'm grateful for the fun I have with some cookie cutters and a large pack of air dry clay...

Blogtober Day 24: Could You Live On An Island? Who, Or What, Would You Bring?

Hi Honeys
Could you live on an island? Away from the world?  I could.  I'm actually quite an awesome hermit. Seriously, for most of the week our furbaby Jade and I are here alone while Hubby is at work and we can go days without seeing another person unless the postman knocks on the door.

Do I ever get lonely? Oddly enough no. I chat with friends online and Jade & I are very happy in our little world.  I suffer from anxiety honeys, and as much as I adore my part time job, I'm not at my best out in the world and I really do prefer being at home with my little furry buddy all day until Hubby gets home too.

I know from talking to others at work that I'm not alone either in my (almost) isolation from the world.  In fact, it seems to me that the more connected the world has become, with wifi everywhere, face-time and skype replacing being in the same room as friends and family and many people working from home even,  the more isolated people have become from each other. 

So, if cast adrift on a tropical island... what? It would have to be warm honeys, seriously! Cold and damp are not my friend since arthritis decided to befriend me and if I'm even going to contemplate isolated island life I'm going to want some sunshine and warm temperatures 😄 

Being a Scot, I'm the first to admit some of our tiny islands are stunningly beautiful but even the peace and quiet, far away from a too loud world, wouldn't make up for having to wear three sets of thermal underwear in June. 

OK, so if cast adrift on a warm, peaceful island, or in fact it's equivalent, our cosy little home where Jade & I (unless the postman calls) are castaways until Hubby gets home each evening 😊  Who or what would I want with me? 

Well, first on my list always are Hubby & Jade of course.  Our little family may not be the most exciting in the world, we're all carpet slippers and quiet evenings in our living room either reading or watching TV, but for me it's perfect 💖 I'm blessed honeys, our wee home may not be fancy but it's a very happy one 💗

Secondly, I'd like a way to keep in touch with online friends, so my laptop and wifi would make my list.  As would our book & DVD libraries (along with a way to watch them I suppose.)  Really though, I could stop at number one on my list, just to have Hubby & Jade with me would make me happy.  Even in a place that's cold and damp.  Like Scotland. 💖

If we are allowed a tiny luxury though, maybe we could have a tennis ball for Jade, she'd like that 💖  What would you take to an island with you honeys?  Do you ever long for an escape from the noise and the bustle of the world?  Do you crave tranquillity like I do?

Till next time dear ones, stay warm, smile lots and hug even more, hugs always x

    

Blogtober Day 23: Sharing A Midweek Smile With Some Origami Animals

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops, just wanted to share a sweet surprise gift from Hubby that made me smile x

Hi Honeys
How are you today?  It's day 23 of Blogtober and there's only a little over a week left.  Today I thought I'd share the sweetest little surprise gifts from Hubby, and hopefully a smile too 😊

Do you remember the beautiful ceramic origami design birds I was lucky enough to find on sale recently honeys?

Well, Hubby came home with these adorable little guys as a surprise for me 💖 (Thank you sweetheart x) He spotted them in Poundland, in case you love them too honeys 💖

They're just perfect and I adore them honeys 💖 The origami birds are a part of my "chill wall" upstairs and this beautiful little penguin and polar bear will look just perfect sitting on the picture ledge on that wall 💖

What's making you smile today dear ones?  I hope you have a million reasons to smile every single day 💖  Till next time, stay warm, it's getting properly chilly now, hugs always xx

Blogtober Day 22: Easy Halloween DIY To Help Keep Trick or Treaters Visible & Safe

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops, just sharing a little Halloween DIY I made last year for work x

Hi Honeys, 

Welcome to Blogtober day 22, today I thought I'd share a fun little DIY I made for Halloween last year because it occurred to me that it might be a good way to keep trick or treaters safe in the dark?

Every year at work in the week of Halloween, I usually have a little cauldron at my workstation.  In this little cauldron will be balloons and lollypops or sweets of some kind.  I buy these while shopping for the contents of our Halloween bags we make up every years for visiting trick or treaters.

Well, last year I thought I'd do a little DIY on my little cauldron and so I did 😊

OK, I just smiled when I saw this photo, and it did actually make a lot of people smile at work last year too 😊  I had wanted to add a little magic to my checkout honeys, it makes people smile and tiny humans seemed to like spooky balloons and sweeties.  Mostly their parents seemed to like that too because it would distract wee ones for long enough to let them pack their shopping in peace 😊

I was looking out Halloween decor for this year though honeys and it occurred to me that my little light up cauldron might actually be useful to help wee ones stay visible while crossing roads/streets while trick or treating on Halloween?

Those little LED lights are quite powerful in the dark as you can see...

These useful battery powered LED lights really don't have to be either Potter themed or even very expensive though honeys.  You'll find lots of different designs, such as light up pumpkins, bats etc in shops like your nearest pound shop or dollar store.

I found these cute light up ghost LED lights in Poundland, they only cost £1 (well duh Rosie, lol) and two small batteries for the little battery pack.  The plastic cauldrons can be found in most shops too honeys at around £1 or less (I think I've seen them for around 50p). 

In order to attach the lights, and the small battery pack, to the inside of the cauldron I used some black electrical tape...

In case any fellow Potter fans are curious, I bought the Hedwig lights last year in Primark..

I haven't seen them this year (although I never go into the City so they might be available again in larger branches?) but I did find this set, with all of the House crests, instead.  I bought these for a future DIY project for our book nook upstairs.

Potter themed lights are very me honeys because most Halloweens you'll find me in a Hogwarts school uniform, complete with my House robes.  One year I even managed to convince a little visitor to my checkout (who was with his mum) that Hogwarts was a real school, it still makes me smile 😊

This little DIY doesn't have to be expensive though, as i said the little cauldrons can be found almost everywhere for £1 or less, and pound/dollar store lights are fine to decorate it with.

Our light up Cauldron will be filled (and re-filled all evening) with lots of trick or treat bags this year and will be sitting by our door, shining brightly for visiting Trick or treaters 🎃 

Do you adore Halloween too honeys? Whatever you're doing, stay warm and have fun dear ones.  Till next time, smile lots and hug even more, hugs always x 

Blogtober Day 21: Favourite TV Series Worth Binge Watching - UK Edition

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products, just wanted to share some of our favourite box sets to pass the cold evenings with x

Hi Honeys,
Welcome back, it's day 21 of Blogtober and I thought today, after sharing some of our favourite American TV box sets in a recent post, I'd share some favourite British series too... 

This might take a while dear ones, why not go grab a cuppa, and maybe a cookie or two, and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes...

Blogtober Day 20 : Meal Prepping Breakfast Or Lunch Rolls

Hi Honeys,
Welcome to day 20 of Blogtober, I'm playing catch up today, posting what should have been yesterday's post on our latest fun kitchen experiment 😊  Hubby & I had decided to try to meal prep some filled breakfast or brunch rolls to store in the freezer...

As you might have read in earlier posts dear ones, Hubby & I have been trying to include meal prepping recently to make life a little easier.  I only work part time but they are odd and long shifts.  So, on days when it feels as if my arthritis is winning the battle, and I just don't feel able to cook, having meals waiting in the freezer can be a huge help.

Having had some success all through the summer months (mostly with meal prepping the week's salads on a sunday) we've been making double oven bake recipes etc and freezing one for later that week or early the following. 

This has worked so well that Hubby & I decided to see if we could organise some of these breakfast rolls ahead of time too.  Off we went to the kitchen then and spent a fun hour or so one evening recently attempting to meal prep some breakfast rolls. 😊

Why not grab a cuppa dear ones and I'll share what happened, I'll meet you back here in a few minutes...

Blogtober Day 19: Saturday Smiles & Crafting Fun..

Hi Honeys,
I hope you're having a great weekend 💗  How can we have reached day 19 of Blogtober already?  It's another rainy, cold day dear ones and I have to dash out the door soon to work but first I thought I'd share a little smile or two 😊

I've been having fun with a little crafting honeys and I just love these little guys...

I know 😊 I'm under no illusion over my lack of painting or artistic skills, but it's such fun trying to turn some tiny rocks into something else, in this case a couple of tiny ladybirds 😊

I also tried to paint some tiny pieces of fruit, as you can see..

There's a lemon, a strawberry, a couple of little pears and a little red apple 🍎  Above them, in the photo, is a small trinket dish I made from air dry clay and then (tried) to paint into a piece of watermelon.  

I know I'm pretty much rubbish at painting and I'm so in awe of all of the talented people who paint all of the beautiful painted rocks I've seen on Pinterest, but I'm having such fun honeys, and it's keeping me happy while the weather's so cold and rainy outside.😊 

Do you like crafting honeys?  I have to dash to work, such a long day ahead, but tomorrow I can rest a little, keep our furbaby Jade company on the sofa and maybe paint some more tiny rocks 😊

Till next time dear ones, have a wonderful weekend, smile lots and hug even more, hugs always x 

Blogtober Day 18: How I Deal With Stress And Find My Calm...

Disclaimer:  This is not medical advice in any way.  If you have problems dealing with stress or sometimes feel overwhelmed (like I do) please consult a doctor or medical professional. 

Hi Honeys,
Here we are at the weekend again.  Time is passing so fast, we'll be celebrating the holidays again before we know it 😊   Today is also day eighteen of the Blogtober challenge, where bloggers attempt to write thirty one posts in thirty one days.

I have to dash off to work soon but for today's post I'd share something very precious to me.  It's how I've coped with some very stressful situations, it's how I always find my calm place and it never lets me down... 

It all started a few years ago when I saw a lovely canvas online.  Have you ever just immediately connected with something honeys?  A connection so strong, it almost defies words?

The moment I saw this perfect, tranquil scene, showing a flight of sandy covered steps leading down to a beautiful beach, I made that kind of connection.

I immediately ordered it and ever since it arrived it's been at the centre of what has, over time, grown into what I call "my calm wall."
 

The wall immediately above the headboard of the bed in our master bedroom, is my calm wall.  For some years now it's been my "safe place."  I suffer from anxiety dear ones, I used to have the most terrible "panic attacks" but (touch wood!) those have been mostly controlled over the past couple of years.  I learned, no matter where I was, if I closed my eyes and just concentrated on my breathing, block out the noise or whatever was causing the overwhelm.

It helps, I think, that my calm place isn't just on the wall of our master bedroom, it's also in my head too.  Whenever I feel as if I'm not coping very well, I go upstairs, sit in the middle of the bed and stare at my canvas.

It took quite a while, it certainly didn't happen overnight, but I have stared so long at my precious canvas that I can now, mentally at least, step into it.  I can feel the steps under my feet, the salt air on my skin, the wind in my hair and I can walk down the steps and sit on the beach to watch the waves. The ability to do this, even when I'm away from home, has helped me so much in dealing with stressful, even frightening situations.

Two years ago, when I had to attend our local hospital to have a CT scan done, I was genuinely frightened honeys.  I had no experience of this scan, I had to have an IV put into my arm (another unfamiliar and frightening experience) and I have to admit, it became almost overwhelming at one point, but my little canvas came to the rescue, just as it always does. You can read what happened here. 

I don't have any kind of experience in, or knowledge of, coping mechanisms for stress dear ones, I only know what has helped me.  I'm not even sure I understand how it helps, only that it does.

Maybe the secret is to find something, not necessarily an object, like a canvas, maybe a piece of music, a phrase or poem, something that has a similar connection to the one I have with my little canvas?  Once found, it can, over time, become your calming aid too?

As I said honeys, where there was once only my little canvas on my "calm wall," it's been joined over time by other items and my tiny oasis of calm now looks like this...       

The latest additions were these beautiful ceramic origami birds in flight. On the wall they are flying towards the beach scene in the canvas.  I like that.

There is also a lovely framed print, a gift from Hubby this year as part of my birthday.  Again, I saw it online and just couldn't stop staring at it.  It shows the prettiest cottage by the sea, there's laundry blowing in the breeze in the garden of the cottage and I can so easily imagine Hubby, our furbaby Jade and I living very happily there honeys 💖

Find something that you connect with honeys.  You'll know it when you find it, or maybe it will find you, as I believe my little canvas did with me...

Even looking at these sandy covered steps now makes me feel immediately calm, happy even.  I so wish that everyone could find the same sense of calm, that same happiness.

How do you deal with stress honeys?  Do you have a calm wall? Do you meditate?  I suppose that's what I'm doing when I go sit upstairs, when I concentrate all of my attention on the beach in my little canvas and on my own breathing. 

Wishing you calm in a busy, noisy world dear ones, and so much happiness 💖  Till next time, smile lots and hug even more, hugs always x

Blogtober Day 17: 10 Favourite TV Series Worth Binge Watching - USA Edition

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products, just wanted to share some of our favourite box sets to pass the cold evenings with x

Hello Honeys,
How are you?  Staying warm I hope?  Our furbaby Jade and I have been sharing a large Sherpa throw on the sofa. Jade happily goes for a nap and I've been trying to keep up with Blogtober, the yearly writing challenge for Bloggers.  We are challenged to write 31 blog posts in 31 days during the month of October.

Here we are then on the 17th day, and today I thought I'd share a few of our favourite TV box sets. What better way to pass a chilly evening than disappearing into a favourite movie or TV series 😊

Hubby and I have always been collectors of our favourite movies and TV series, first on VHS (how old does that make me sound lol) and then on DVD.  I know that everyone streams and stores things in the cloud these days but Hubby & I are old school.. or maybe just getting old 😊

We don't tend to go out socially any more, our furbaby Jade doesn't like to be alone and my increasingly limited mobility makes it difficult too.  Even sitting in the cinema is too painful now, at least at home I can pause a dvd to get up and move around when the pain in my spine gets to be too much.  Enough moans from me dear ones! I don't do pity parties and if truth be known I don't like to be away from Jade either. 

So, having decided to write this post, of favourite box sets to pass chilly evenings, I started rummaging through our dvd collection trying to pick out some favourites and discovered it's far more difficult to only pick a few box sets than I thought it would be.

Long story short dear ones, I ended up with too many favourites! Even being really, really tough with myself I ended up with too many for a single post.  After taking a minute to be thankful that this is even a problem, I decided I might need more than one post. 

We do love our box sets honeys.  We both, Hubby & I, often say that if it weren't for watching dvds, our TV would never be switched on and that's pretty much the case.

You'll notice immediately that most of our favourites do go back in time a little ways.  I think we were blessed to grow up when we both did.  We got to watch some fantastic programmes and while our favourites may seem "vintage" to some, we do love each and every one of them.

I've chosen to limit myself to ten box sets in this post... I cannot even begin to tell you how difficult that was for me.  Also, it became very apparent that we do love a lot of American TV shows.  Really a lot.  For that reason I thought I'd devote an entire post to ten (of the very many) wonderful series that travelled across the pond and made us love them 💖

I will write another follow up post listing our favourite British box sets too honeys, who knows there might even be a couple you haven't seen and might like to?  I'll do that early next week I think, since I have two long shifts ahead of me tomorrow and Saturday, and just taking and editing the photos will take a while.

Back to today's post then, why not go grab a cuppa then dear ones, I will too, and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes to see if you agree with any of the shows I chose...

Blogtober Day 16: Counting My Blessings...

Hi Honeys, 
How are you today?  I'm trapped in a low mood, if I'm honest. I've been battling acute arthritis pain in my spine for the past week or so and I'm getting increasingly fed up with not being able to move without the devil's minions stabbing me with their pitchforks. 

I've always found on days like this, nothing helps more than taking stock of the good I'm blessed to have in my life.  So, that's what I thought I'd do dear ones.  Far more helpful than allowing those minions to set the pace of my day. 

So, today is day sixteen of Blogtober and today I'm counting my blessings...    

Be mindful of what you tolerate.. 

It's so easy for life's day to day problems to overshadow everything that would normally make us smile honeys, and we simply can't allow that to happen.  Nothing, and no one, else should ever set the narrative of our happiness for us. 

The world isn't always kind, even when you are dear ones, so taking stock of our lives now and again, appreciating, and being thankful for the good we find and taking note of any troubling issues is so important. We need to be mindful of what we tolerate in our lives.  

That in no way means cutting people and things out of our lives just because our relationship with them might require a little effort on our part.  It does mean though that we should never allow ourselves to be abused or bullied or pressured, no matter how much we care for the person doing it.

Life really is short, the years pass far too quickly and you owe yourself the same care and kindness as you treat others with.  For over twenty five years, through school years and beyond, I had two friends who were less than kind at times.  I was reminded almost constantly how unattractive I was, how stupid, how.. well less than I was. 

Why did you put up with it, I hear you ask.  I don't know what to say honeys except it never occurred to me not to.  I've always been a solitary person. I'm happy with my own company and maybe I was happy to have a friends?  I'm not sure.  Whatever the reason, they weren't always unkind but they were more often unkind than not.  Be kind and understanding in your dealings with the world dear ones, but do try to be mindful of what you tolerate. 

Counting my blessings...

Here they are then honeys, my blessings, my smiles 💖                 

My Sweet Hubby & Our Furbaby Jade 💗 

Whenever I think of the good in my life dear ones, Hubby and our furbaby will always be first 💖 Our furbaby is the sweetest, loveliest Staffy cross with the gentlest nature.  She adores walks with her Dad and snuggling with her Mum on the sofa, napping under one of her blankets.  

Every day she makes me smile and she's my constant companion when Hubby is at work.  Currently, she's trying to make friends with a little squirrel who visits our garden 😊 This has been an ongoing project all through this summer, bless her.  

One afternoon, while pegging out laundry, Jade ran past me across the grass and I turned to see the squirrel run away from her and scoot up the fence and into the tree immediately behind the fence.  Jade stopped at the fence and sat down, staring up into the tree where the squirrel sat looking down at her.  After a minute or two, Jade went back across our patio to fetch one of her favourite toys, one of her tennis balls, and took it back to the fence where she dropped it and backed away and sat down again, wagging her tail 

She so desperately wants to be friends with the little squirrel, and who knows, maybe one day the squirrel will want to be friends too.💖  

Hubby and I met in a queue outside the cinema and got chatting.  It felt as if I'd always known him honeys but even if Hubby & I had been born on opposite sides of the world from each other the fates would have found a way for us to meet.  I know that in the marrow of my bones.

We were absolutely destined to be together. We are so alike!  I can remember in our dating days, when we both still lived at home, I sent a card to him once and his Mother, my beloved and much missed Mother in law, commented that when she picked up the post she wondered why he'd written himself a letter because our handwriting was so similar 😊 

You know those matching salt & pepper shakers that look very odd on their own but look so right when side by side? That, dear ones describes Hubby & I to a tee and I'm fine with that.  Our natures, our hobbies, thoughts, and interests are so in sync.  Even after all these years, over thirty, we can, and often do, laugh and talk for hours. He is a constant support in everything I want to do, from trying out recipes, to organising our home, whatever I want to do, he's right by my side saying that sounds like fun honey, let's do it.  He is a part of me, my other half 💑 I am blessed. 

Our Home

It's not fancy and you won't find it in a magazine but our little semi detached house with the apple tree in the back garden and the much loved roses in the tiny front garden is my safe place away from the noise and the bustle of the world.

Mobility and health issues mean that I rarely venture outside anymore honeys, but when I do, either to my two shifts each week or to doctors or hospital appointments, our home hugs me as I walk though the door.  It's my happy place and it's where Hubby & Jade are 💖    

 

My Job

I know honeys, who counts their job among their blessings, right?  I work two days a week, in retail, on a checkout. My shifts are quite long and cover hours that not everyone would want to work, but for us that's fine.  Hubby works in an office all week and my shifts being on a late Friday and late into Saturday means that our furbaby Jade doesn't ever have to be on her own.  

Jade came to us from a rescue, she was young but had already been badly treated, bless her, and as a result she has anxiety issues and doesn't cope well with being on her own.  I feel blessed that I am still able to work and that my job allows me to be with Jade when her dad is at work, while Hubby is with Jade when I'm at work. 

More than allowing us to work our rotas around caring for our furbaby honeys, my little job is (even if it's only a tiny bit) helping us to pay our mortgage and bills and is also a vital connection to the outside world.  I look forward to seeing regular customers and co-workers who have become friends.  I love my job and you know the old saying dear ones, a man who loves his job never does a day's work. 

It isn't always fun, shifts can be exhausting and leave me in pain but my little job is helping our little family and it's helping me by keeping me a part of the world.  For all these reasons, it's one of my blessings.          

This Little Blog

Just like my job, this little blog is my connection with the world outside our home.  It allows me to have a voice and it allows me to write.  I've always written dear ones, even as a child.  When I started this blog I intended it to be a place to keep a record of our organising projects in our home and over the past few years it's evolved into what it is now, a little collection of my thoughts, hobbies, recipes and day to day life.  

My blog is very important to me and, at some point, I'd like to give it the attention it's importance in my life means it deserves. Initially, I think I'll try to figure out how to move to a self hosted platform.  I adore my little blog honeys, thank you so much for visiting, and for making this little piece of the internet less lonely.  It means more to me than I can say 💖     

Our Garden

I can't imagine not having our garden honeys.  It's home to our little apple tree, which gives us lots of lovely bramley apples to bake with every year, it's home to our much loves roses, planted in honour of my beloved Gramma and Mother in law. 

Our garden is visited by precious guests all year long.  Jade's favourite squirrel of course, so many beautiful birds as well as ladybirds, butterflies (sadly so rare now) and of course my much loved buzzy friends too...  

I know how precious the gift of having a garden, a window on nature, is and I'm deeply thankful for it honeys.  

What are your blessings dear ones? What makes you smile?  I hope you're having the best week and looking forward to a wonderful weekend 💖  Till next time, smile lots and hug even more, hugs always x