Babaa the elephant, looking sadly as though he is about to jump into the sink!! Given him a wash, after being packed away for nearly 30 years, was going to give him away... changed my mind now, no thrift shop would ever give him the love... So, its back in the trunk Babaa...

Today at work, a worker bee was stuck in doors! So I caught him gently and released him out into... gale force winds!! Poor thing, but better out than in!! Maybe?

So windy today here, the mail box was tapping constantly and Pippa was getting too anxious! Meanwhile I was sorting through papers, shredding them, keeping important bits, the rest going going gone!

Books tidied and sorted out, a lot of my moms to decide upon, find a loving home for, maybe keep the special ones... Two of which I will, they are of more value to me than anyone else I think, both printed in the 1700's... Watching Poldark on catch up, set in the 1700's it really made me appreciate the two books all the more... Who were the people who read them? Names, professions, how were they dressed... My ancestors I know, but on moms mother's side or her father's side... Going to check out my ancestry tree, see who was who around 1740... Nearly three hundred years... 300... Whichever way I write it, its amazing to me...

I'll go through the other books in the week, more history... More decisions to make...

Another funny story! The other day Franco and I saw the post man's immanent arrival, and to distract Pippa, we started singing, loudly, I then went to get our post... Nothing there but him, still outside the door!! So on opening saw he was writing delivery notes!! He'd knocked, but our singing had not only stopped the Pippster from hearing him, but us also!! Doh!!!

Before I say cheerio for today... Briefly checked out and William Randall was born about 1717 and at 13 years guessing this wasn't his, need to find his father!! Only back to the early 1800's on mom's father's side... the hunt goes on!

TTFN
Marian

I think I should be in a drawing challenge this weekend, but lost the message to tell Veronica "I'm in!" Also can't remember what the title is...

So above... Today a café latte, and what appeared to be a little wriggly apple on the top, then I had a little play with the photo! All done a little too quickly as I suddenly realised the week had run away with me!

I have been very busy this week, at work, and out of it... I can't believe how much 'stuff' I am passing on, clearing cleansing, sorting, I have never done this before, things I have held onto for nearly all my life... Letters, broken things, junk, and then to add to my things, my moms things, although I really only kept her favourite things, which are exactly the same as my favourite things!!! So, bric a brac!!

I also bought 100 plastic sleeves which hold 8 photos, absurdly thinking these would accommodate my photo collection, so today, came back from work, spent a few hours getting rid of a headache and filled the 100 sleeves... I still have three quarters of the photos not in sleeves!! Guess this means I will have to buy two more lots!!! Thankfully the fourteen thousand photos taken digitally live in cyber space!

So funny the other day, I was sat here in on sofa the land line rang, I reached over the back of the sofa to the windowsill and the phone, knocked it off the sill, it dropped down behind the back of the sofa, I shouted "sorry, dropped the phone, hang on..." Reached down, really had trouble grabbing it, until finally managed to grip the phone... And couldn't get my arm back out!!!

I had to force my arm along between the sofa back and the window sills edge, until I reached the wall and could pull my arm up with the phone still in hand!!

No one there by then!! Unsurprisingly!! For a moment I thought I would have to just stay there trapped by my arm!!

TTFN
Marian
O&OE (written on my phone, and unable to actually see the whole page!! Lol).

Drawing challenge - Spring

Feel I may have flopped a bit today for the challenge, sorry Veronica....  Have been working and .... oh excuses excuses eh!

So, I bring dear friends Spring in life....

Coming forth among debris and destruction... a site brought down of old houses, the safety fence, the bottles and cans... but still the flowers bloom, in spite, or despite the surroundings... Life begins again as it should, signs of hope, signs of possibilities... And everywhere in our garden the same, the trees and plants all coming back into being from their long sleep...

I saw my first big beautiful bumble bee yesterday, a stranger coming into my life!

TTFN
Marian

Photo taken today in Jersey Park, pretty Spring flowers and a stream, how idyllic!

 It has been a very strange week so far... and its only Tuesday, I think!! Never know what day of the week it is anymore since I began working any of the seven days of the week or weeks on and weeks off!!

Yesterday, I didn't have to start work until 5pm... sounds good, free until 4.30pm eh!  But the clouds were low, damp drizzle and gray skies... and seem to waste the whole day doing something of nothing...  Then today, woke up at work... sleep in, that means! And was booked into an all day course, which I turned up at at 9am, for 9:30!  Waited and waited... no course, course cancelled, but me not told about it... I had gone back to the house after work, then left after half hour to drive to where the course should have been... so drove back to house, Pippa a second time excited to see me!!

I grabbed her and got her ready for a walk, she was ecstatic! Got out onto the street, crossed over to chat to neighbors when friend called "are you free for coffee... now?".... so took poor Pip back into the house and went for coffee, times two with friend...

Three hours later back in the house, back to Pippa, and this time we went out and stayed out!  Long walk down the road and up over the hills and far far away... and back through Jersey Park!  Trying to get some practice in before April 22nd and The Kings Walk! I'll never be able to do it otherwise, so much go out again tomorrow... repeat.... I must go out again tomorrow!!  Been up hours... Light through yonder window broke about 5:30am... don't care what it says on the net... the sky was light enough to come through the works staff room blind and wake me!  And yesterday was awake from 5:55am... Arh!!!

Decided the other week, randomly to give weaving a go!! LOL I know I know! Just call me Rapunzel! My hair is growing long enough soon for a small minion to climb!

So, with no loom hanging about the house, who does?  I used an old picture frame of my step-dads, and lo and beyond a loom took shape!  Not that Pip was especially bothered!  Tired from walk hopefully!

I have now completed about an inch, wahoo!  I found in my great grandmothers needlework basket a tool for passing the wool etc through and its great!  I need to find some different types of materials to use on this my practice piece!

Feel sure there is something missing I need to tell you, it will come to mind! Oh yes!  Went to Windsor last week, took some of my life with me and left it there, my step dads miniatures are, were, in need of restoration, I suppose they are.. 50 or 60 years old... veneer coming away, legs broken, discoloration, four years in Tony's garage getting mildewed, bent under weight of things on top of them... very sad, so very sadly I have passed them on, not the true value, as far as I am concerned, I feel it a direct criticism of my family hearing the words "poor quality" "basic" "not quite apprentice pieces" etc etc.... I would like to see these people make the miniatures, any miniatures...

Anyway, they will be duly restored, back to they're former glory, and sold with profit of course, but whats important is that they will be on display, loved, appreciated by many, used.... and beautiful for the world to see... It still hurt though, to lose them...

And being in Windsor where mom and I had been many a time, suddenly when we got there I thought for a minute I couldn't leave anything we had brought with us!  We looked like lookie lookie people, dragging our cases along LOL... or just tourists in Windsor I guess...

TTFN
Marian

Barry South Wales

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, no work either... so I took myself off early to Ikea in Cardiff, so early the coffee shop wasn't yet open... so 'did' the top floor first... all the furniture sections, walking in and out of each scene, took photos for ideas, was really good... And, before going down to the extras section!  Stopped for coffee and cake... very yummy!!!!  And a bit of internet time :-/ using the Ikea internet of course, registered with my Ikea card! lol, not sure if it was my Spanish or English one, but it worked either way!  Forgot I had it in my purse buying the coffee, would it have made any difference?

After Ikea off I went to Barry, lived here in Wales now for three years and not yet been, back to Barry!  Last there in 1987, when the boys were 7 and 5, and mom and I took them to the Butlins or Pontins that was there then... nothing now, and that area is out of bounds!

But I parked easily enough in a two hour spot, and walked down onto the beach, beautiful beach it is too!  Looking back towards the restaurant they used on Gavin and Stacy, British comedy series...

I got sad there too of course, knowing that mom had been with me last time I was here, but going there because she had in the first place... I needed to be where mom has been right now, can't tomorrow... on the fifth year anniversary of her passing, working till four, but that's probably a good thing... I think?

Mom's never been here, where we are now, and Barry is the nearest place!  Although we're going to Windsor on Thursday... to finally sort some more of moms things... so that will be a very emotional day, been there so many times with mom, and now taking some of her things with us and will feel very final...

Back to yesterday!!!  Was windy there on the beach, wonderfully blustery... I picked up a couple of random sea shells and two white feathers that appeared before my eyes...

Then I phoned Tony and burst into tears!!  Well, it had to happen... much as it is now as I write, and tomorrow I will be a wreck... I haven't read back to my Blog of those last few days yet, but I know I will right after I post this, I might as well be hitting myself with a stick or banging my head against a wall right?  But I can't stop myself.

My shadow... my best beloved parker coat making me look more like a weeble from the 1970's!

Me and moms shadows in Paris....

TTFN
Marian