Coffee Ladies

Our Coffee Ladies group started when our children moved up to Secondary School five years ago. We used to see each other in the playground and chat when they were at Junior School but once they went to Secondary School we weren't taking or picking up from school any more. We missed our chats and decided to meet for a coffee instead and we now try and meet once a fortnight. It doesn't always work out and there are times when one or more of us won't make it but when we do all get together it's good to catch up.

We go for a Christmas lunch each year and today we had our lunch at the local Arts Centre, Chequer Mead.

 L-R: Carol, Sarah, Karen and Carol.

 Sarah and Karen

 Carol and Carol 

And finally, a group photo of all of us. Unfortunately it's turned out blurred but I'll still be using it in Project Life :)   Unfortunately, Kathy couldn't make it today as she was unwell and Pam works at the school and wasn't able to make it either.

xx

Catch up Sunday

I started writing on the blog again with very good intentions of trying to post at least every couple of days. Unfortunately, sometimes life has other ideas about how you spend you time and this week was one such time. However, here is a quick recap of our past week.

 

 Emily turned 16 last Saturday.

I can't believe my "baby" is now old enough to work and has her National Insurance Number.  Jon did print out a list of all the things she is now able to do - not all of which I would want her to do ;o)

 She got to open one present first thing in the morning before I headed out for a short while. She had decided to keep opening the rest until I got home again.  This one is a lovely little silver bracelet with a heart charm.  I did mean to get a clearer photo but forgot until I was putting this together (oops!)

 Alice and Claire came back to the house with me and Alice was more than happy to help Aunty Em open her presents.

Emily's birthday balloon was a big hit with Alice and she carried it around for a good part of the day.

 Emily probably won't be thrilled that I've posted this photo ;o)  The one I took when she was blowing out the candles was way too dark so I asked her to blow again - this was the look she gave me lol!

 Sunday saw me meeting up with Claire and Alice again for a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  I guess funny faces run in our family.

 The weather has certainly been cooling down recently but, if I'm honest, I'm actually enjoying the cooler weather and being able to cosy up in warm jumpers.  When we first moved back to the UK I might not have been quite so excited.  I was so chuffed that I managed to get a shot of this spider web in focus.  It looked so pretty from the kitchen window so I'd gone outside to take a photo but it just didn't work.  I came back inside and tried again and managed to get this shot.

Tuesday certainly didn't begin the way any of us expected.  I was woken by the phone at 12.50am and Mum telling me that Dad had had a stroke and had been taken to one of the local hospitals.  I spoke to the paramedic who was with Mum who confirmed this but advised that we wait and phone the hospital in the morning.  Fortunately it was a mild stroke but it has affected the left side of Dad's body and he wasn't able to feel or move his left arm and leg.  Fortunately, each time we go down to visit we are seeing some improvement which is very encouraging.

I've still been having Alice while Claire is at work and she does wonders to take my mind off the more serious issues.  I love watching her play and playing with her ;o)  She really is a little ray of sunshine and so funny too.

 She loves my iPad but did make me laugh on Friday.  When it's time to go and pick Claire up from work Alice helps to collect all her things together - her dummy, her bunny, her blanket (which should stay here but she likes to take it) and then on Friday she said "my iPad!"  She wasn't very impressed when I told her it was Grandma's iPad and it was staying here. 

 

And finally a photo of Dad, taken yesterday.  He was in good spirits and was making us laugh with some of his "stories".  When it came to taking photos he had great fun making faces at me. I did manage to get this one which I really like. 

The good news is that yesterday Dad was able to lift both his left arm and leg off the bed - something he wasn't able to do at the start of the week.  He did make us laugh when he told us the Physio lady said they were going to move him to a bed in the Rehab ward as soon as one became available and he told her he wasn't really that keen on going to the gym or exercising!  So funny!! He was enjoying not having to do physio over the weekend but was sure they were going to make him work twice as hard on Monday.  It's good to see the improvements, they may seem small to him but they are all steps in the right direction and we're hoping they continue. 

My thoughts and prayers this weekend are with Deb (Paper Turtle); Deb's Mum, Marti; Carrie (Rosalind Revival) and their family. Love to you all. xx

Kidnapped ;)

Last night Emily was "kidnapped" by her friends.  Saturday is Emily's birthday but she didn't know what she wanted to do for it so decided she would just have a quiet birthday this year.  Her friends had another idea!

I love that these girls wanted to do something for Emily and planned a surprise birthday sleepover without Emily knowing a thing. One of her friends contacted me in a private Facebook message to make sure it would be okay for them to go ahead with the plans and to ask me to pack a bag for Emily so she'd be ready to go when the arrived.  They got here at about 9pm (they had a half day at school yesterday and have today off too) and Emily couldn't take in what was going on. I think she was still in shock by the time she left ;o) The girls had brought a blindfold for her so she wouldn't know where she was going and one of the Mum's was ready to drive them to the friend's house. Such fun and I'm so glad she has such a great group of friends.

At this stage we're not sure what the moustaches & sideburns were for but I dare say we'll find out when she gets home.  I bet they'll have had a fantastic time!

xx

54:365(+1)

After coffee with the ladies I meet up with once a fortnight, it was back to Puddleducks this morning to show another friend where the shop is.  We spent a pleasant hour looking at all the fabrics (and maybe buying a few) before making our way home again.

Myung San suggested we stop off at the Wiremill Inn for a sandwich and coffee for lunch because the weather was beautiful.

 We chose to sit outside on the deck and this was our view. So peaceful and the sun was quite warm so I was able to sit out without a coat or jacket on. It felt like a little taste of Spring :)

These geese came over to see if we had any food for them. I love the way the sunlight was caught on the water. Tomorrow's not meant to be too bad either so I think Alice and I may go out for a little walk.

xx

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Korean pancakes

This afternoon Emily and I had Korean pancakes. I have a Korean friend, Myung San who lives a couple of minutes from us.

I met her when our children were in Primary school. I was sitting in my car, doing some patchwork, while I waited to pick Emily up. I'd just joined my first patchwork and quilting class and was making a sampler quilt by hand. Myung San saw me sewing and came over and knocked on the window. We got chatting and she told me she'd been quilting for a number of years and asked if I'd like to go round and see some of the quilts she's made - which are absolutely beautiful and all made by hand. We've been friends ever since.

Last year Myung San's friend, Young Lin, came over from Korea to stay with her and to do some studying in the UK. When she heard that Emily was teaching herself Korean she offered to give her some lessons when she got back from her Christmas in Korea. Emily started the lessons last week and is loving this opportunity (she wants to teach English in Korea for a year or so after University. We're talking 6+ years from now but she feels if she starts learning to speak the language now she'll be that much more fluent by the time she goes) but she wasn't able to go today because she has an exam tomorrow and needed to do some studying. Myung San had promised to make her some Korean pancakes today so, instead of making them at her house, she brought the mixture over here and showed us how to make them. 

I think they're probably more like American pancakes as they are thicker than pancakes I've made before and the one Myung San made was big enough to fill a small side plate.  I tried mine with lemon juice and cinnamon & sugar.  I don't know if that's something they would normally have but it was very tasty :o)

xx

Day 8

We attended the Christening of my friend Pam's granddaughter. It was a lovely service and we were able to take some photos afterwards.Unfortunately my photos didn't turn out very well and I wish I had taken my bigger camera instead of my point and shoot. Never mind, the occassion has been captured and will be going in my Project Life album :)

Photo posted by Craig on Facebook just after her fall :o(

Unfortunately, a little while before the Christening Alice had a fall and went into their glass TV unit and cut her eyebrow. She was obviously upset and no doubt shocked but Claire and Craig managed to stop the bleeding and Craig put a bandage over the cut. She seemed okay by the time they got to the Christening. Poor little thing, I hope she doesn't end up with a black eye!

xx