Thursday 30 November 2023

Loss And Heartbreak๐Ÿ’”

Hello Honeys, 

You don't have to read this ok?  I just need to get some thoughts and feelings out and have no where else to put them. We lost our sweet furbaby Jade, almost five weeks ago, in the early hours of October 28th and I'm not coping at all well dear ones, I'm really not.  

She was the best wee dog in the whole world, a gorgeous little Staffy cross with the most beautiful, softest black and tan fur and the sweetest, gentlest nature you could ever hope to meet on life's journey.๐Ÿ’–

Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby

We were blessed to have been able to adopt Jade from a local rescue when she was (the rescue told us) "a few months old."  and, like all Mums, I wanted my baby to be able to have a birthday every year.  

Off we went then, a few weeks later, to her first vet's appointment, where we'd arranged for her to have the first of her puppy inoculations. 

During that first appointment, I asked the vet if there was any way she could tell us Jade's age, even a rough guess would do.  She'd asked why and I explained that I wanted her to have a birthday.  Our lovely vet, after looking Jade over carefully (and her teeth in particular) told us that as a (very rough) guess, she thought Jade was possibly no younger than five months and no older than seven months old, since she still had all of her baby teeth.

With this precious nugget of information acquired then honeys, I did the math in order to work out an "official" birthday for our baby.  Well, why shouldn't our baby have an official birthday? As I said at the time, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth had one, and I was sure that as a furbaby parent herself, she would understand how precious furry family members could be and certainly wouldn't begrudge our wee one a special day.

So, since Jade had come to live with Mummy & Daddy on the 17th of October, and if the oldest her vet thought she might be was seven months old, then her official birthday would be... March 17th.  Yaaaay! Our baby's birthday would be St Patrick's Day!

Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby

We were blessed to have our baby as a part of our family for 13 years honeys, Jade would have been 14 this coming March, bless her. She was the absolute centre of our world and our home, she was everything to us. There isn't anywhere I can look without seeing some part of her.

Her little sofa is still sitting in front of her toy boxes across from where I'm typing this....

Loss and heartbreak - Losing my furbaby

Her jackets are still hanging on her own wee "doggy tail" hooks at the front door. I was making the bed upstairs and found one of her tennis balls just under the bed and I swear it felt like someone hit me the hardest blow. My baby is everywhere but not with me and I can't bear it.

Every year I've always said I wish I could hibernate, like a wee grizzly bear. Jade didn't like winter either, bless her, the cold and damp and the almost constant darkness, so we'd mostly just snuggle on the sofa together, sharing a huge sherpa blanket, till spring. This year I really do want to sleep for the next few months, just till I don't feel like I'm being punched all the time.

As furbaby parents, we always know this day will come honeys, we know right at the beginning, but it always feels so far away. I remember losing my first furbaby, many years ago. I had no idea pain like that existed. My dear Granny told me that losing somebody we love is "only as sore as how much you love them, hen. Time will make it better."

It doesn't of course. We just get used to the loss. Like all of the bereavements we suffer through life, we get used to having a piece of ourselves missing I suppose. It's going to take a very long time for me to get used to how I'm feeling right now, I think.

I don't want this to read like a warning not to give your hearts to a furbaby honeys, quite the opposite! Is the pain of loss, the pain of heartbreak worth all of those years of cuddles and wet noses and one sided conversations (as if! Of course we learn to understand each other. It doesn't matter that others can't understand those snuffles and barks and tail wags, because pet parents do๐Ÿ’—) Of course those years of love are worth the tears and there are so many furbabies waiting for their human to find them.

If you've read this, if you've kept me company, thank you so, so much honeys. It means more than I can say. Thank you for being such dear friends. For anyone else missing a piece of their hearts right now, please be kind to yourself. You're not on your own.๐Ÿ’– Till next time, dear ones, hugs always x


Hugs always, Rosie xx

Monday 23 October 2023

National Mother-In-Law Day And A Little Advice For Newlyweds๐Ÿ’

Hi Honeys, 

Do you love your Mother in Law?  I do. With all of my heart.๐Ÿ’ She was funny, loved coffee and a Jaffa cake. She loved roses, she could knit absolutely anything, she was so smart, she gave the best advice and she was the best listener too.  

Yesterday, our lovely American cousins celebrated National Mother-in-law day.  How wonderful is that?  Now I have another holiday I wish we could import and adopt in the UK.๐Ÿฅฐ  The other holiday being thanksgiving - a whole day devoted to being thankful for the blessings we're lucky enough to have, how fabulous is that?๐Ÿ’–  

So, even though I'm a day late,  I just couldn't let it go by, without paying tribute to, in my humble opinion, the best Mother-in-law there's ever been.๐Ÿ’–

Happy National Mother-In-Law Day And A Little Advice For Newley-Weds...

My Selfish Hubby - The Parent Hoarder!

For years I've joked with my sweet hubby about his complete and utter selfishness and the hoarding of his lovely parents. I should probably explain. Hubby and I grew up in the same areas, we lived reasonably close to each other throughout our childhoods. Who knows, we might potentially have passed each other in our prams/strollers several times a week at the park, or at one of the supermarkets...๐Ÿ˜„  

I've always said we could easily have met long before we did, in our late teens, and then I could have shared his parents sooner.  But oh no! He had to hoard them all for himself... Is it asking too much for him to have waved a mitten at me from his pram or thrown a rattle?๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’–  

The Best Mother-In-Law...

On the night my beloved Granny, the woman I loved more than life, died, hubby phoned his family and my wonderful Mum-in-law immediately booked a train ticket for early next morning and travelled the 450 odd miles to be with us, staying over the weekend.  She was undergoing chemo at the time and had to then travel back on the Monday for her next chemo appointment on the Tuesday morning, only to travel back to us on the Wednesday morning to be with us for the funeral.

Mum was, like my Granny, such an amazing woman. She was always there when she was needed and always there even when she wasn't and I loved them both for that.  I swear honeys that I don't wish any ill or harm on anyone. Not ever, but it's never made sense to me that the world has so many bad people in it.  People who hurt others, who do wish others ill, and yet, "the powers that be" in the universe decided that two of the most loving and giving, least selfish women I've ever known, couldn't be in it anymore. I'm sorry, but that's just not fair. 

The Gift Of An Extra Mum... 

It's always saddened me to never have met anybody else who truly adored their "second Mum" as much as I did, and still do.  Really though, I never have and I can't understand why.  How can you not love an extra Mum?  What a fabulous gift! Of course, through the years, I have heard stories from co-workers about some less than loving Mothers-in-law too.  I can't help thinking though that, like most of life's problems, maybe it comes down to communication?  

Because of this, I thought I'd share a tiny bit of advice, given to me by my beloved Granny.  Advice that helped me to understand why my sweet Mum-in-laws attitude towards me had, ever so subtly, changed a wee bit since the wedding. So, for any new brides (or grooms) thinking they'll never get on with their new Mother-in-law...

Some Genius Advice From A Wee Scottish Granny...

I was so sure, in the run up to our wedding that I was on very good terms with my soon to be Mother-in-law, but it seemed to change after the wedding.  Nothing specific, she was never unkind to me, it just felt different.  A couple of months after our wedding, the phone rang.  I'd just made some tea and my Granny was there, hubby wasn't, he was outside.  On the phone was Mum (as my dear Mother-in-law had become.)  She asked to speak to Hubby and I said "he's outside, Mum.  I'll give him a yell for you..."

Mum: "Don't bother, I'll phone back." <click as the phone went dead> 

Me: ๐Ÿ˜ฏ <looks at phone> "That's it!  I've had it! <paces back and forth in our living room> What is that woman's problem? What have I done?  I'm a nice person, I have manners, I really like her, why doesn't she like me?"

Granny: <watches me pace while having a mini rant, sighed, sipped her tea and fed our wee dog a biscuit while waiting for me to run out of steam. I did of course.>   "Finished now have we?  I can tell you what you did.... if you want to know, and it's a terrible thing as well.  The worst, most painful thing any woman can do to another one actually..."

Me: ๐Ÿ˜ณ <wind knocked out of sails.... sits down>  "What? What'd I do though?  Should I phone her back and say sorry?  What'd I do? Oh no! What'd I do Granny?"

Granny: "Like I said. You hurt her hen*(see below), you went and did the worst thing you could possibly do to her. You took her oldest son away."  

Me: <confused now> "No I didn't!  He's outside, with his head under the bonnet of a car! He's fixing some wot-not or whatever.  I haven't taken him anywhere!" <points at window to make the point> 

Granny: "Aye, hen, but he's no her wee boy anymore, is he?"      

Me: <blinks rapidly> "That's daft though! How can I fix that?"

Granny: (and this right here is why she was, God bless her, the best Granny the good Lord ever put on this earth) "Oh, it's easy enough to fix. She's same as any woman, scared she's lost her son, so all you have to do is show her she's no lost him, and that she won't." 

Me: "What?" <never thought about it before, but I might not be the smartest grandchild in the family๐Ÿ˜Š>

Granny:  "Both of you, go for a walk over to her house on a Sunday, after dinner. It's a good wee walk for the dog.  Take her a box of chocolates or some flowers.  Every now and again, send him on his own.  Make sure he doesn't miss a Sunday, even if you're no always with him." 

Me: "But she works all week, she's got two jobs, what if she gets fed up seeing us every single Sunday?" 

Granny: "Nae mother ever gets fed up seeing her weans hen, but she'll no worry about losing him anymore, will she?"  

So, there it is honeys.  A tiny piece of genius advice from my wee Scottish Granny.  I hope that it might help somebody out there on the internet break the "fear of losing her wean" barrier that might exist between them and their fabulous, absolutely awesome, wonderful, best pal (even if you don't know it yet) Mother-in-law.๐Ÿ’–

Last Thoughts And Counting Your Blessings...

To anyone lucky enough, blessed, to still have their Mother-in-law, their Mother or their Granny still with them.  Life is so, so short honeys.  For all of us who wish, with every fibre of our being that we could see ours again, even one more time.  Please give them a call, or even better, if you can, go visit and give them the tightest, squashiest, so full of "love you" hugs, like the ones that we all wish we could give?  I guarantee, it'll mean the world to them and you'll be so glad someday you did.

Wishing you the best week dear ones, till next time, thank you for keeping me company.  It means more than I can say, hugs always x


*Note: Just a wee note for anyone who may not know.  The word hen in Scotland can indeed refer to a bird who supplies eggs, but in most cases, is a term of endearment and will be used when speaking to a (usually younger) female. 

For example: "Would you like a cuppa hen?" if addressed to an (again, usually younger) man, the same statement might be "would you like a cuppa son?" Used whether you are the mans mother or not, it's just a term of endearment, just slang, hugs x 

Happy Mother-in-law day, hugs always, Rosie x 

Thursday 5 October 2023

Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years...

Hi Honeys, 
How are you today? All well I hope?  This morning I was in the kitchen, watching two adorable collared doves at the feeders on our little apple tree when it dawned on me how many leaves there are all over the garden.  It was pretty windy, and rainy, during last night so, it's officially autumn then I suppose.๐Ÿ‚

Poor Hubby.  Every year he spends hours in our back garden, cleaning up all of the leaves only to go back inside and in no time at all, you'd swear the trees wait until he closes the back door and give themselves a good shake, because it's just as "leafy" all over again.๐Ÿ‚๐Ÿ˜Š 

Rosie's Adventure: My First Trip Outside In Almost 4 Years...

I'm so sorry I've been missing for so long.  Things have been happening.  Not world ending things, but they've certainly made life challenging.  Yes.  Challenging is a good word for it.  

I have no idea how long this post will be, but I get the feeling that this is probably a post to get comfy for honeys.  It might be a good idea to go grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or two... no, bring the pack๐Ÿช๐Ÿ˜Š) and I'll meet you here after the break?  See you in a few minutes...

Monday 14 August 2023

Test.

 Ignore this please honeys, blogger won't let me sign in to reply to comments. Sorry x 

Wednesday 31 May 2023

Coping, Comments And Apologies...

Hi Honeys, 
I noticed something this morning and just wanted to post an apology, lots of apologies actually.๐Ÿ’–  

Coping, comments and apologies: Just a few thoughts and catching up honeys x

I'd noticed recently that a lovely comment had been left under one of my posts (weekend musings and finding smiles) but before I could reply it disappeared.  Actually a bunch of comments, under lots of different posts, have been deleted but as far as I know the rest were "spam" comments (not related to anything in the post but including a link to a website, or sometimes just a link itself.)  

I have no idea if it's Google who've done a "clear up" of some kind, (although I don't remember them ever having done it before) or if whoever left the lovely comment (it mentioned the roses๐Ÿ’–) came back and deleted it, thinking I couldn't be bothered to reply?  I do hope that's not what happened honeys, I really do.  I had noticed the comment but just wasn't able to reply at the time. 

Scroll past this next bit honeys, life's too short x

Anyone who has read any of the posts in this blog will know dear ones, that I dislike "pity parties" and try really hard not to let myself wallow in any "woe is me" time.  I've battled depression for too many years and know how easily it can take over.  Far better to be positive, to see the best in situations and to count my blessings, of which there are many I know and for which I really am very, very grateful.  For the last, almost two years though, it's been incredibly difficult to find my inner Pollyanna, my always happy, always "it'll be fine" attitude.  I'm still looking for her though x

This has had a domino effect on other areas of my life too, making it more difficult to cope with (or put up with) worsening health issues including stubbornly high blood pressure, asthma and arthritis (rheumatoid and osteo) that's trying to take away what little mobility I have left.   Apparently the osteoarthritis in my spine may have "progressed" they won't know for sure until I have another MRI scan.  I'm due back to the hospital clinic in the autumn so might find out then.  I don't sleep honeys, most often I have two to four hours broken sleep every night.  

You can see why dear ones that I try very hard not to wallow. I'm trying to find my way back to the sunnier me, some days it's just so much harder is all.  Now, that's enough complaining, really enough and if you just read all of that, thank you dear ones for caring.๐Ÿ’ž  It means more than I can tell you๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿค—  

Comments and apologies...

Back to this post then.  I just really wanted to apologise to whoever had written that lovely comment (there wasn't a name, I think it just said unknown) I'm sorry that I wasn't able to reply before it was deleted.  If you should ever get to see this post, thank you for taking the time to comment and for being so sweet.๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿค—๐Ÿฅฐ  

I'm sorry honeys that I haven't been posting so often for such a while, I am trying to do better, but thank you for still keeping me company and making this little corner of the internet less lonely.๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿค— 

Coping, comments and apologies: Just a few thoughts and catching up honeys x

I hope that you're having the best week and looking forward to the weekend, till next time dear ones, sending you mountains of hugs always x

Hugs always honeys, Rosie xx

Wednesday 24 May 2023

Easiest Ever Cheese & Onion Pasties...

Disclaimer:  I haven't been paid to promote any products or shops/stores.  Just sharing our adventure in meal prepping.๐Ÿค—

Hi Honeys, 

How are you today?  All well I hope and having a fabulous week๐Ÿค— The temperatures are starting to rise a little, it's supposed to reach the dizzying heights of 15C today with no rain forecast at all!๐ŸŽ‰ I know, it's a silly thing to get excited about but here I am, happier than anyone has a right to be.๐Ÿฅฐ

We're still finding things we can meal prep, batch cook and freeze ahead of time for dinners later in the month.  This is month three now of meal planning for the whole month and it's not just getting easier, it's saving us money on our food budget too.   

Today I thought I'd share one of our latest little experiments in meal prepping for our freezer๐Ÿ˜Š Today's is one of my favourites, although we've also been prepping Hubby's favourites, such as sausage rolls and the most awesome (Hubby says so๐Ÿ˜Š) homemade beef & onion burgers.  

Back to todays little savory treat then honeys.๐Ÿ˜Š I've never been a huge fan of meat based savories preferring cheese & onion pasties instead.  I think every Scot has a favourite from the menu at Greggs, the now famous bakery/take-away chain and their cheese & onion pasty has always been mine. I once waved at Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother while clutching a little paper bag containing my Greggs cheese & onion pasty, I would have shared it with her too if she hadn't been in her car... oh well.๐Ÿ˜Š

   
Easiest ever cheese & onion pasties: So easy to make they (almost) make themselves๐Ÿ˜Š

This post has quite a few images, as usual, so it might be worth fetching a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or two๐Ÿ˜Š) and making yourself comfortable, dear ones.  I'll meet you back here in a few minutes with our cuppas, see you after the page break...

Sunday 30 April 2023

Weekend Musings and Finding Smiles๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–

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

Hi Honeys

How are you today?  I'm having "a day" of it.  A week of it more like really.  My arthritis is trying to turn me into a human pretzel, the lovely spring sunshine did appear for a while but left again when the rain clouds appeared and because it's a bank holiday weekend (extra days always throw me off) I got mixed up and forgot to take the chilli out of the freezer for dinner tonight.๐Ÿ˜ It's fine, we took the chilli out when I (eventually) remembered and will have that tomorrow.  We raided the freezer for homemade burgers instead.     

You know, I think it's my own fault.  I dislike winter so much and I spend so long counting down to spring every year that maybe by the time it gets here I'm expecting too much from it.  Do you mind winter dear ones?  It's the almost constant darkness that gets me.  For months on end, really months, we have between 5-6 hours of not-really-darkness and the rest of the day is midnight.  I've always known  the stork got it wrong and I should have been delivered somewhere with lots of lovely sunshine.๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒป๐Ÿฅฐ  

I need to find a few smiles dear ones.  I have our furbaby, Jade, hugging me on the sofa as I write this, she always knows when her Mum needs a cuddle, bless her.๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿถ๐Ÿ’–

Weekend musings and lots of smiles๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–

Of course Hubby, our furbaby Jade and other loved ones are always first on my list when I'm trying to remind myself how lucky I am.  Finding smiles (or counting my blessings as it was called when I was young๐Ÿ’–) is something I try to do often honeys. It helps on not-so-great days.  

Apple Blossom Means Apples Soon๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ

Weekend musings and lots of smiles๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–

I love to see the apple blossom appear every spring.  It's so pretty as the tree bursts into an abundance of pink tinged white flowers.  Through time the flowers wither away and are replaced by the apples that we later harvest and turn into apple crumbles, apple turnovers and other tasty treats.๐Ÿ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ˜‹

Watching the garden burst into life...


Weekend musings and lots of smiles๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–
Of course the beautiful apple blossom (and yummy Bramley apples๐Ÿ) aren't the only beauties that appear every year in the garden.  There are my much loved roses, lavender and the tiny bees who visit them and sometimes buzz past me. Once, when I was pegging out laundry, a little bee landed on my shoulder and stayed a few minutes.  I stayed very still to let him rest, which he did and then flew off again.๐Ÿ๐Ÿฅฐ  

Laundry๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’–


Weekend musings and lots of smiles๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–

I've always loved laundry day.  Every little bit of it. The washing, drying (outside on the line is always best) folding and even putting it all away.  Over the past few years, osteoarthritis in my spine has tried to take it away from me but, bless him, Hubby helps me keep going by helping peg out our laundry and helping me fold sometimes too (thank you sweetheart๐Ÿ’–)

It would be wonderful if I could just hop online and order a new spine, hip and... well, a new body really.  This one creaks and makes loud cracking noises when I move and is pretty much worn out I think.  Do Amazon sell new Rosie bits do you think honeys?๐Ÿ˜„  I joke but I really am so grateful to be able to still do what I can still do.  I know it can be (because it has been) so much worse, so for any good days I have, I thank my angels๐Ÿ‘ผand am truly grateful.๐Ÿ’   


Best mugs ever ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿถ๐Ÿ’–


Weekend musings and lots of smiles๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’๐Ÿถ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–

I can't end a post full of smiles without sharing a beautiful gift from a sweet lovely friend (thank you Sarah, hugs honey๐Ÿ’–)  Sarah got me a mug (shown above) which proudly proclaims I'm a dog mum and even has a little paw print on it.๐Ÿพ It's wonderful and I love it!  

Well, we found out there were dog dad mugs available too, so we had to have one for Hubby.๐Ÿ’–  He took it to work with him and it's now his official mug in the office and he's had so many co-workers ask him where he got it.  I don't remember seeing mugs like these, but they're just fabulous! They also have cat mum (and dad) available too.  If you'd like to find them you can see the dog ones here and the cat ones here.  I'm not being sponsored to promote them but I love mine and thought I'd share in case they made anyone else smile too.๐Ÿค—๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–   

I Hope you're having the best weekend honeys.๐Ÿ’– If you're in the UK, do you have plans for the bank holiday Monday holiday tomorrow?  Hubby brought home a huge bag of planting compost yesterday and is going to help me plant some more seeds tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to it. 

If you're not in the UK,  I wish you could have a day off as well, but am sending you mountains of hugs.๐Ÿค—๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–  Have a wonderful new week everyone, hugs always x

Hugs always, Rosie x

Saturday 29 April 2023

Easiest Ever Sausage Rolls: Only 3 Ingredients Needed...

Disclaimer:  I have not been paid to promote any brand, shop or product.  Just sharing one of the ways we've reduced our grocery bill a little by home baking instead of buying pre-prepared items.

Hello Honeys, 

How are you today?  All well I hope and enjoying the changes happening around us.  Lighter mornings (and evenings) and everything bursting into life in the gardens  Not so spring like this week but I did enjoy the beautiful sunshine we had the week before and even made a start on planting a few herbs and bulbs in the garden.  The bulbs will be beautiful when grown, they were a gift from a very dear friend (thank you Sarah, huggles xx)

Hubby was on holiday from work all of last week so he spent the week pottering about and catching up with some odd jobs needing done around our home.  Two posts were replaced in the back garden fence and a new gate was made, then painted with wood paint to match the fence and is now in place at the side of the house, leading through into the back garden.  

For my part, the sun had appeared so, other than planting, on went the washing machine for lots of laundry being done and (helped by Hubby, thank you sweetheart x) it was all pegged outside in the glorious sunshine and fabulous breeze, perfect weather for drying.  It's so, so good to see lovely, long sunny days after such a far-too-long, grey and dreary winter.๐Ÿ’– 

Back to today's post then honeys.  It's all to do with sausage rolls...  

Let's make some super easy sausage rolls - ready to bake (or even freeze for later)

My dear Hubby is a fan of savory pastries like sausage rolls, steak bakes and pasties. Loves them๐Ÿ’– Now he doesn't have them often, they're a very rare treat in fact, and being Scottish there's only ever one place for Hubby (and lots of others) for sausage rolls. Greggs of course.  We don't eat "takeaway" meals anymore, haven't for a very long time, but had discovered some time ago a frozen, ready-to-bake version of Greggs sausage rolls on sale at Iceland. 

Naturally, they became a regular addition to our monthly "big shop" and Hubby was chuffed.  Since then though, this same box containing eight sausage rolls, went from costing £3 to now costing £5.75!  How is that even possible?  Well, since we're now running our home on one salary (I lost my job during the lockdown) we're having to watch our pennies and where they go, but I didn't want Hubby to lose out on something he likes.  He works so hard for us and deserves his wee treat.  

Why not home bake some sausage rolls I thought? Maybe freeze them too?  Hubby still gets to have his savoury treat, we get to spend time together in the kitchen having a laugh (as we always do) it's a win-win.๐Ÿ˜Š  

This is definitely a post to get comfy for honeys, so why not grab a cuppa (and maybe a cookie or two๐Ÿ˜Š) and I'll meet you back here after the page break?  See you in a minute...

Friday 31 March 2023

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

Disclaimer: I'm not being paid to promote any products or shops honeys, just wanted to share some adorable, tiny gifts from Hubby that just made my day and thought maybe they'd make you smile too๐Ÿ’–

Hello Honeys, 
Happy new year๐Ÿฅณ๐ŸŽ‰๐ŸŽˆ๐Ÿค—๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿ’– Yes, yes, I know dear ones, we're at the end of March really (as I'm writing this, it's 31st March but it might be April 1st by the time I press publish)  I've been stuck.  Trapped.  For quite a long time.  I still am, sort of, but I'm working on an escape plan...   

"Escape from what or where Rosie?" I hear you say.  Well, from a place that isn't on a map honeys.  For me, it can be far too easy to find my way there and far more difficult to find the way out again.๐Ÿ˜ž  

I've been working on a post for almost two weeks now, trying to explain what's been happening and I can't get it to say what I want to say. Maybe now isn't the time to talk about it, dear ones.  

Now is the time for positive things, happiness, anything that brings smiles with it because smiles are sorely needed right now it feels like...๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring

Every year I dread the arrival of winter, to be honest I'm not even all that keen on autumn actually, but winter... yuk!  Even when I still had my job, winter brought with it a giant, heavy blanket of ick and the beginning of months of cold, grey nothingness that's only filled by me counting down to the arrival of spring.  If you've ever experienced a Scottish winter, you'll know what I mean dear ones....

Spring though, while it hasn't exactly sprung yet, according to the weatherman it's officially arrived and that's good enough for me.๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿ˜Š

Spring Cuteness Overload...


To celebrate (slightly) brighter days outside, baby birds in the garden at the feeders and just an all round need for smiles๐Ÿ˜Š I thought I'd share the latest, smiley additions to our home.  Almost all of them have been gifts from Hubby (thank you sweetheart x) and each of them made me smile๐Ÿ˜Š 

Spring arrives in the kitchen...


New cookie cutters!๐Ÿ˜ Hubby appeared with these a couple of weekends ago and I was so chuffed!  How adorable are they honeys?  I already have a bunny and an egg cookie cutter in my baking collection already though so I think I'll add the existing ones to my crafting things and these new wee cutters can join my baking collection.  I just love them!๐Ÿ˜ 

What could be better than new cookie cutters?  Only a carrot shaped whisk๐Ÿฅ• 

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

This has to be the best, coolest, carrotiest whisk I've ever seen and I just adore it.๐Ÿ˜ A couple of years ago I spotted something similar in a shopping haul video on Youtube.  It was in an American shop called Target I think, but I couldn't find one anywhere (back in the days when I went outside) and I really didn't think we'd ever see them over here.  It's definitely a smiley addition to our kitchen. 

Next is the cutest little salt and pepper set in the shape of a little bunny and, you guessed it, a carrot.๐Ÿฅ•  There is definitely a carrot based theme emerging here but it's adorable, it's making me smile so I'm fine with it.๐Ÿ˜Š

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

Next up is the sweetest little ceramic plate and yes, it's a carrot๐Ÿฅ•

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

It's so adorable!  Perfect for filling with spring and Easter themed cookies or cupcakes and since I haven't baked in a while it's a great excuse to get back into the kitchen again.๐Ÿ’– 

Last of my spring themed gifts from Hubby was this pack of tiny crafting carrots๐Ÿฅ• I didn't even know there was any such thing as crafting carrots but here they are, in all their cuteness.๐Ÿ˜  Now I just have to break out my other crafting supplies and see if I can figure out a project in need of tiny, adorable carrots...

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

In case anyone is curious and wants to add any of these wee smiles to their own kitchens, I asked Hubby where he'd found them and he said Home Bargains and Poundland, hope that helps honeys.๐Ÿค—

Garden Smiles ๐ŸŒฑ๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ…๐Ÿ


Last item is something I spotted on Amazon honeys.  Do you remember last year I had asked Hubby to add some rails to our back door so that I could grow some herbs there?  If you missed it, you can see the post here.๐Ÿค—

Well, this year, in an effort to make myself go outside, even if it's only as far as the garden, I ordered this pack of assorted seeds...

Spring Cuteness Overload! Adorable Smiles To Welcome Spring๐Ÿฅš๐Ÿ‡๐Ÿฐ

There are ten different things to grow, with their seeds all sorted into tiny individual sachets.  There are seeds to grow cabbage, parsnips, aubergines, red onions, leeks, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes and.... carrots.๐Ÿฅ•๐Ÿ˜„

I've no idea if I'll be able to grow anything, other than my herbs, but Hubby says he'll help and I've been told by a sweet friend that tomatoes are quite easy to grow on the kitchen window ledge.  

I really do want to get back out into my garden, my poor roses have been totally neglected for the past two years.  I need to make an effort.  

What are you planning for the spring and summer honeys?  Are you off on holiday anywhere?  What are you doing over the Easter weekend?  Till next time dear ones, thank you for keeping me company, hugs always x

Hugs Always, Rosie xx