28th February

Monday
The WI run a Soup and a Pud lunch at their hall once a month and today was the day. Mum and Janis and I had a table to ourselves and surprise, surprise we won a prize each in the raffle - a little bowl of crocus (smell delicious), some hand warmers and a jam pot shaped like a strawberry.
There was a choice of four soups and a table full of puddings with custard and cream. Obviously a place for neighbours and friends to get together and catch up with the gossip it was cosily noisy and very friendly.

Thursday 
Jackie, my niece from Texas, arrived yesterday and Stu and Toni met her up at the airport and brought her down.

First thing in the morning it was grey and a little wet, by nine the sun was shining and it was glorious, at twelve the heavens opened and we had a sudden and heavy hailstone shower that left the ground white.

By the time the London crew arrived the sun was out again and we went for a wander around the village with the dogs, giving mum a moment or two of peace.

Rather than nibble on salad we went to the Trengilly Wartha Inn for dinner. As usual it was a great meal and a wonderful atmosphere.

24th February

Made this card using Crafters Companion CD Paintbox Poppets for their February competition.  I used backing paper from my stash and printed off the picture on Photo Paper to give it that lovely professional look. Both the stamped MUM and the picture are on a dark blue mat which i think makes them both pop out. I also printed off a |Mothers day sentiment for inside the card.

I have called the card Thinking of Mum

23rd February

Sunday

I have been busy this week making cards in the hopes we can find a craft fair or car boot sale where i can start selling them.

On Tuesday the builders came to take out the old shower and put in the new one, which has been in the garage in cardboard boxes since Christmas. Those who stayed here and used the old shower will know how much of an obstacle course it could be squeezing in and out and negotiating that step.

They had to smash the old one to pieces to take it out.

bright and sparkling and all that needed doing to make it usable was some tiles at the bottom.

On Wednesday Janis went into Truro to sign on with an agency and to see what is happening with the rental property by visiting their agency. There appear to have been a few confusions in that we have already cleared with the landlord that we can have two dogs and the woman in the letting office said they didn't take people with pets....ah well fingers crossed.

In the evening we went to the Tolmen Centre and had a lovely meal and watched a Danish film called HiJacking. It was about Somalian pirates taking over a danish ship and the negotiations between the company that owned the boat and the pirates representative with an amazing portrayal of the affect on all - the crew and the men in suits. I was enthralled even though it mixed English and Danish and Somalian to get the message through.

On Thursday I used the new Argos Catalogue Janis had picked up in Truro to photograph all the cards I have been making. It is an excellent height for that.

As you can see i have been having a lot of fun, although these are again using ready made bits which isn't what i want to do really, i know that i individualise them like the one above, but i would like, more than anything to create something unique and that is what i am working on at the moment.

I took Mum to her pottery class in Mawnan Smith, with the tall vase she made covered with carved in Elephants. It is amazing, hope it fires ok.

On Friday  we took Mum to her art group in Manaccan and saw the empty restaurant which started the whole what if scenario of a cafe of Coffee, Cake and Craft. I still love the idea though i wouldnt look to open it in Manaccan which is off the beaten track and very small.

Janis went to the Club to have a beer and talk to some villagers and Mum and I went to the Tolmen Centre and watched a show called Carmen and Mimi by the Cube Theatre Experience I think the group is called. It was about two young women and was done in a series of sketches which were so funny and sometimes so sad they had you hooked. Most amazing were the voices the girls had, full operatic range and so beautiful...... The first time they broke out into song we were all totally amazed.

Oh and this is the shower looking great and believe me it is great to use too. Thank you brother John for such a great Christmas Present.

18th February

We went to look at a bungalow yesterday afternoon. It is in a quiet no through road about a 10 minute walk from Mum's house. The agent who met us there took us into the house and showed us around, which considering its size and open plan took no time at all.

The kitchen is good but the living area is very small and there are two small bedrooms alongside. W

We came home and thought about it and thought about it and slept on it and then decided that we would apply because it is so handy and there are ways round having people to stay in such a small space. I suppose really the balancing factor was the damned dog - no house no Ed back and Janis cannot live without that dratted dog.

This morning we woke to thick mist. it was like being in a little bubble. Certainly couldn't see the farm on top of the hill which is always our landmark.

and then it rained
and now the sun is shining bright and sparkling.

11th February

This is the view I wake to every morning, between gales and hailstones that is;

isn't it lovely?

we had such a nice day today with a lot of sunshine in the morning.  Janis and I did the 

Asda shopping, sorted Mums cupboards out then he took dogs for a walk and i wandered to post office to post letter and then down to Children in Need shop to volunteer to help. Nice to see that three of my four cards have sold   

 

16th February

Sunday

What a week we have had weather wise. On Thursday it was a bit wet but we were so pleased the wind had eased that we zoomed into Truro to visit Hobbycraft and Range to stock up on crafty goodies (I know I have a room full but there is always room for more. Isn't there?). We came home for lunch and buried ourselves in paintings and crafts for the rest of the day.

I am trying to design a box to decorate and I have made a prototype which I will photograph and add to this at some time and whilst in Hobbycraft we found a pack of three round boxes so I will see what I can do with them.

These are the cards I have made in total from the free pack from my magazine (beautifully posed on the dining room table), and I still have some bits left over, including three whole sheets of adorable scorable backing paper. Some of which are too pretty to cover over. Although i want to make cards i have designed, including the toppers, putting the card together from these packs is certainly quicker and impressive looking so I now have a number of cards ready, I just need to find someone who will sell them for me.

On Friday the wind was horrific. We cowered in the house all day. Charlie wouldn't go out in case he got blown away and we had to force him into the garden in the end. Those who know Charlie will picture him skulking out tail between his legs, ears down belly as close to the floor as he could get it. Ahhhhh

Friday afternoon the wind came down the chimney with such force it shook the screen in front of the fireplace. It was a very scary day but despite that we escaped without any injuries at all. One of the panes of glass in mums conse has shifted so that is Janis' job today, to fix that so that when the gales come again the whole structure doesn't take off.

On Saturday just after breakfast the power went off. Sara from across the road told us that it could be off until 6pm so Janis had a lesson in laying a fire and dashed off to the Spa to get some coal because the heating wont work without power and the only cooking is electric. Ali, mums next door neighbour, came round with offers of tea from her Rayburn and with tales of having to take a camping gaz stove to the people putting up the stands for the Save the Children coffee morning, which was supposed to be in the Church Hall but had to be moved to the WI hall at the last minute because tiles came off the roof of the Church Hall in the gales and the rain was coming through. It meant that everything was a bit scrunched up, but we wandered around and spent our pennies and had a cup of coffee and a slice of cake and chatted to lots of people and if the only things I won on the tombola were a bar of soap that looks as though it has been to many coffee mornings, and a pencil case I did manage to find a very nice handbag for the princely sum of £2 to make up for it. The pictures on the walls had all been done by the children in the village school.

We went to Trebah gardens after the coffee morning because the sun was peeping through the grey clouds and even though we had only been trapped inside for one day we all felt as though we had been inside forever.

It was wonderful to walk through the gardens despite the fact the paths are very steep and quiet often stepped. I chose not to walk as far as the beach and Janis stayed with me while Mum went hopping off with Poppy. Instead Janis and I walked through the water gardens and followed the steps up to the feeding pool with the metal heron looking ready to catch any unwary fish. The path snakes back and forth across the water and at one point Charlie actually had to get his feet wet, lots of huffing and puffing about that.

We had a very nice lunch and came home to a fully heated and electrically working home.

This morning the sun is shining fit to burst, has melted all the light frost from the grass and there is a slight mist rising from the dip in the fields below. These are the two pictures i have taken from our bedroom window early this morning showing the mist and the garden resplendent in bright sunshine.

9th February

Sunday

We decided not to bother cooking today and so off we trekked to the Norway Inn for lunch. They do a lovely carvery and it is always packed even at this time of the year. The trick is to find a table out of draught of the many doors.

Whilst there we discovered that part of the bar is resting on an old apothecary chest

Its surprising what you find if you really look isn't it?

Saturday 8th Feb

Mum not so bright today, having problem getting her breath. Worried it might be all the stuff we cleaned her carpet with yesterday after Poppy's accidents. 

Think the plug in we bought to calm Poppy is working - on us as much as her. 

Janis and I walked up to the Church Hall for the farmers market and bought organic bread and home grown veg and home made cakes, drank a cup of coffee and chatted to one or two people then wandered down to the Spa and home. A lazy strolling sort of morning. 

7th February

Friday

What a beautiful morning. The sun shone and we were so fed up of rain and wind that we dashed out to Pets at Home in Truro and bought something to help Poppy who is having problems, either because we moved in, or moved all the furniture, or bought Charlie, or because of the high winds and storms. Then we dashed off to Swanpool for a walk on the beach. The sea was coming in, which Mum and I discovered when we got drenched - in fact one of my shoes went for a sail all on its own. Luckily i managed to catch it but wearing it again wasn't much fun.

Janis found the whole thing far too funny.

Then we walked up the concrete path that climbs the cliffs alongside the beach although we didn't stay there too long in case Mums feet froze, besides which the grey clouds were starting to gather.

It was a lovely walk and it really set us up to survive the winds and rain that were back in force before the evening.

Cornwall has certainly thrown some weather at me since i arrived, but it is so beautiful when the sun shines that I forgive it.

6th February

Thursday
Well it is an odd sort of day weather wise, but calmer than it has been for a long time.
We decided to go in to Falmouth and go through Trago's, always a mistake because they are such a browsable store. I bought some card and card blanks and one or two little bits, it was nice to wander and check things out.

Then we went in to Northern Harbour and had the most wonderful fish and chips looking out into the harbour. We watched a traffic warden giving a car a ticket, taking photo's and walking all round but we didn't see the driver and where we were sat we couldn't see why he got the ticket either. A little excitement to go with the lunch.

I did manage to do a couple more cards in the afternoon, though i made a hash of trying to do a stepper card, i need to find more tuition on that.



In the evening Mum had her book club meeting here, so we set out cheese and crackers etc and lined up the bottles of wine and glasses ready. Once we had done that Janis went out to the Social Club in the village to see what it was all about.

The book club had been reading A Possible Life by Sebastian Faulks and it generated a lot of discussion which then spread out to other books people had read. I was pleased to see that i am not the only one who forgets the plot of a book once they have moved on to read something else.

We wont go to the next meeting because Jackie will be here, which is very exciting.

5th February

Wednesday.
 The weather is still appalling and we are starting to wonder if there will ever be a day without rain - somehow it doesn't seem likely.
Spent the day in the craft room, or as much as I was allowed.
Janis took my cards, just the four of them, down to the Charity shop to sell, my first venture into commerce. Very Scary.
I decided I would make cards out of the free pack from Cardmaking and Papercraft and made six cards one after the other. I must admit they made themselves really, nothing to do with me. I love working with Adorable Scoreable it just works so well and the images have a real sheen to them.
These are the 5 cards I made using the free kit.

In the evening we went to the cinema in the Tolmen centre. This is quite an event and includes a meal (fish bake and pavlova), a bottle of red wine, a comfy sofa and a rather cold room. The film was called Broken and was about a young girl about to go to senior school who witnesses violence and slowly all sorts of ugliness come to the surface. I felt very sorry for the girl and some of her neighbours. Although the language was earthy the overall feel of the film was good and it made me sniff a little in places.

I love the fact that the cinema is now down stairs instead of in the theatre upstairs, much cosier and the seats are more comfortable.

As I said - the room was a bit cold.