365project Week 39 Round Up

Is it officially Autumn?
I can only suppose it is because all my photos this week seem to have taken on either an autumnal theme or an autumnal glow. You know, that perfect cold crisp sunny morning when you can't wait to don an unfashionable jumper.

Woolly jumpers for scooter riding.
The crochet needle has been dusted off and dreams of cosy gloves are coming true.
Cheese on toast is the only way to go.
Wood perfectly adorned with iron and ivy.
Indoor games on a wet afternoon.
Cupcakes to accompany comforting tea.
A is for Autumn.


Joining in with The Boy and Me.

If you would like to see any of this weeks photos in more detail, head over to my 365project.

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day

Stamford Museum is hidden away in the library and is a little gem. We even have our own tapestry which I'll blog about next week but for now you have the delights of the Wee One investigating an exhibit.

Feeling witty? Then feel free to sprinkle some witty words in my comment box.

Now shimmy along to Mammasaurus for more funnies.

Keep Calm It's Only Christmas

How many days to Christmas? There is probably an app I could download to tell me the answer to that question. It must be less than 100 because Christmas cards are in the shops already and I spotted mince pies in the supermarket (can you freeze mince pies?).

I could start to get myself organised and think about those must-have presents the kids are going to want, the 'that is so them' presents I spot whilst window shopping, make a Christmas cake and start feeding it a bottle of whiskey, start crocheting tea cosies for my tea drinking friends, knock out a few personalised hand crafted and printed Christmas cards, take some photos of the children to make into calendars for relatives, scavenge hunt for stocking fillers, actually make some new Christmas stockings, start buying store cupboard treats to stash away (and then eat over the weekend), repaint the dining table in time for a pre-Christmas dinner party, lose 2 stone so I could feel glamorous in my Christmas apron and party hat on Christmas morning, crochet some Christmas tree angels to sell at the school Christmas fair, but I'm pretty sure that I should have started in June and it is all too late.

So I'll continue to to watch the days pass by, the afternoons get darker and the nights colder, I'll admire the store decorations going up, and be impressed by the wrapping paper designs. I'll praise everyone who is planning their Christmas menu already and has picked their bird. I'll carry on pinning decorating and baking ideas for Christmas day and then panic on Christmas Eve.

It would be stupid to break with tradition.

Are you planning already? Have you already started your Christmas shopping? Go on. Make me feel even more inadequate.

8pm

On a school night I aspire to be sat downstairs, eating my dinner, with a glass of wine in hand at 8pm.
The reality varies between being sat on the landing, guarding the bedroom door to prevent the Wee One escaping or lying on my bed with the Big One negotiating 'just another 5 minutes'.

But this photo was taken during the school holidays when bedtime slipped about an hour for everyone and fortunately our mornings did too.

The children were playing on my bed, throwing themselves backwards and then hyper-ventiliating because of the hilarity of it all. This went on for some time and I got bored of taking photos of them, switching my attention to the cracks in the ceiling or was it last Sunday's paper abandoned in the loo? I forget. I probably had time to go downstairs, get my proper camera and take a much better photo, but thinking time was of the essence, I grabbed my mobile and quickly snapped this.

I love the expressions on their faces (which you can decipher if you squint a bit).

Any guesses what time they finally wound down and went to bed? Let me just say dinner was very late for me that night.


Joining in with The Gallery at Sticky Fingers.

Silver Quill Award

*opens trophy cupboard*
*clears a space*
*Places Silver Quill Award center front*
*beams with pride*

Thank you very much BlueBirdSunShine (who has a fabulous blog which you should visit) (and a fabulous blog name) who has bestowed upon me this rather splendid award.

In time honoured fashion I have a little speech prepared, cunningly disguised as the answers to the qualifying questions thus:

1. Do you prefer rhyming or non rhyming poetry?
I love the ping of my inbox.
It means that my readers care.
A lovely comment on my blog.
a comment compelled to share.


2. Favourite Shakespeare play?
"To be or not to be" he said,
but beyond that I forget.
Shakespeare's not my bag baby.
Should have read more I regret.

3. Favourite author?
Matilda, Charlie and James or
Tales of the Unexpected.
Can't get enough of Dahl's BFG.
Was Mrs Twit a detective?

4. What is your favourite music album?
The music round on any quiz
leaves me staring blankly.
But put Take That on a loop,
best clear the dance floor frankly.


5. Which colour do you most dislike?
Beige, greige, taupe or nude
leave me feeling meh.
Fading in doesn't cut it baby.
Be as bold as you dare.

 
6. Name a poem or song which makes you feel emotional.
It's wrong to get emotional
over a Snail and a Whale.
But Julia Donaldson
sure can tell a tale.

One is now obliged to nominate a bloggle of bloggers who are also worthy recipients of this award.
I nominate:

@Older_Mum
@mumoldersingle
@FromFunToMum

Have fun with it x

365Project Week 38

It's been all about the instancy of my mobile this week. Quick snaps and experimenting on BeFunky and Instagram. My real camera is missing me. It is pinning in the corner. We haven't had a row, there's no kissing and making up to be done. It's just cumbersome and, well, it's a pain to carry around even though I know I take better pictures with it, much better quality, focus and resolution.

So I promise, my lovely camera, that we will go out and play this week.

Unless it rains.

The sun was with me and my mobile all this week, shining onto tired faces, casting shadows of the veins from a fallen leaf, spotlighting the swan family, highlighting lovely toys in the catalogue, glinting through the supermarket skylight onto the toy bus, streaming through sunflower petals and bouncing off my coffee cup.

Please can we have a few more days of sun before we have to face the inevitable gloom of Autumn rain?


Joining in with The Boy and Me.

If you would like to see any of this weeks photos in more detail, head over to my 365project.

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day

So picture the scene.

You're hanging out your bathroom window, with your zoom lens set to the max, pointing in the general direction of a particularly colourful cloud formation over your neighbours garden, when you realise your neighbours are actually sitting in their garden, speculating why you might be (seemingly) taking photos of their hedge?

Not to be outdone, your neighbour goes and retrieves his zoom lens and rather nice camera attached, and takes photos back in your direction. Meanwhile, your children, eager to catch a glimpse of the colourful cloud formation for themselves, are hanging out of the bedroom window just to your right.

Thank you neighbour for forwarding on this particularly (un)flattering photo of the Big One.

Can you think of a caption? Sure you can!
Don't forget to head over to Mammasaurus for more captioning antics.

Morning

Breakfast is THE most important meal of the day. Fact.

Some say this is because it provides the vital vitamins, nutrients and nourishment your body needs after fasting for 8 hours or more. I say it is because I am a moody old grump before I've had my earl grey and cereal, and you don't want a moody old grump in the house any longer than absolutely necessary.

You would imagine that this would be incentive enough for the Mr or any (and I include the Wee one in this) of my children to leap out of bed in the morning and get breakfast on the table before my grumpy feet find my slippers. But no. It is normally my grumpy self that provides the fuel to kick the grumps into touch.

This photo is my post-breakfast self, kicking my pre-breakfast self, for forgetting to take a breakfast photo for The Gallery. After fuel, I felt a little playful with my cheerios ;-)


Joining in with The Gallery at Sticky Fingers.

Worship

That moment when you glance out the window, and are compelled to grab your camera, pad across damp grass in your socks, kneel and worship at the alter of Sunflowers.

*sigh*

Piles of Pennies For Piggy Bank Kids

About 6 weeks ago DorkyMum launched her brilliant pennies for babies initiative for Piggy Bank Kids, and we decided to join in by first making our money box and then saving loose change.

Loose change. Funny expression that, now you come to think about it. By definition change that is loose would be change that is unrestrained, not held in, free to roam. Thing is, I'm pretty careful with the pennies and I round them up and keep them safe and tidy in a purse. I suppose having a purse in which to keep the pennies is a bonus. The Mr on the other hand, is traditional and does not have a purse, a man-purse or any other kind of purse. He has pockets and that is where his change is kept in check. Again, not really roaming loose.

Pennies left abandoned on the top of the washing machine however, rescued from certain drowning in deep pockets, are fair game. As are coins spotted lurking down the back of sofas, where they have made a bid for freedom from the same said pockets. Then there are the ones spilled from strangers pockets or purses, teasing us from the pavement.

The content of our piggybank is mostly from a weekly clear out of my purse where I have been lazy and couldn't be bothered to count out the right money at the till and handed over whole pound coins or notes instead. Does anyone else still do that? Count out the right money? Do I look tight by doing that? I suspect I do. I also suspect that I annoy the sales assistant who then has to count my pennies before putting them in the till. But then the sales assistants who give me my change on top of the receipt annoy me, so that makes us even.

We also cleared out small change from the children's money boxes. Their idea. I can't tell you how chuffed I was that they wanted to do that.

Here is the pile of pennies. Not mountainous I grant you but a large enough pile to have caused a small calamity if they had been allowed to roam free and be true to the term loose.

Oh, and we found a sixpence in the stash. Absolutely no idea how that got in there. Time travelled possibly.

And the grand total is ..... *insert sound of drum roll here*

£9.95 (and a sixpence)


I am a smidge embarrassed that it is not more but every penny counts doesn't it.

If you have a small stash of loose change that has escaped your purse or pocket and is looking for a home, please consider donating it to Piggy bank Kids where it will be put to very good use. There is a simple donate page on their website.

You can also make a text donation to PiggyBankKids by texting 70070 with the message PIGY10 followed by the amount you want to donate eg  PIGY10£5, or PIGY10£10 etc.

365Project Week 37

This weeks collage is a collection of moments.

Moments when...
I wanted to throw my laptop through the window.
I enjoyed guilty McDonalds.
my patience was tested by a toddler who didn't fancy sleeping in his own bed.
I looked left and noticed a pub window for the first time.
I let my creative juices flow and tried out block printing.
I realised Summer was over.
I relished being child free but missed them.


Joining in with The Boy and Me.

If you would like to see any of this weeks photos in more detail, head over to my 365project.

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day

I spy with my little eye a perfect caption opportunity!

What the dickens is going on?


Suggestions in my comment box if you don't mind x

Queen of Captions Mammasaurus kindly requests the pleasure of your company over on her blog. Off you toddle.

Spectacular Speculations - Graffiti

I speculate.

I have written before about my love of people watching, how I imagine little back stories for people I see in restaurants, how I speculate about how things got to where they are now (like a single shoe in a gutter or half a pair of glasses on a bench) or where our neighbour goes every morning with his daughter (at least we think it is his daughter. See. Speculating again) in one car, but returns later, alone, in another car.

So when I see this graffiti on a fence:

I have to speculate.

Here are my alternative speculative theories regarding it's authorship and intended message.

Theory 1:

Thinking his captors have not missed him yet and not realising civilisation and potential rescuers were merely yards away, the mute escapee took his can of red spray paint that he'd carefully concealed for just such an occasion, and started to write 'HELP'. Unfortunately, his captors were fast to realise the handcuffs they were holding no longer had a hand within them and caught him before he could finish scribing his desperate plea. Hope he's okay.

Theory 2:

Her passion for abstract art and her strict Renaissance loving parents were not a happy mix, so the rebel in her would sneak out early in the morning to get a quick fix of urban creativity. Sadly on this occasion, her father had slept badly after a heavy curry the night before and taken Rembrandt, their elderly spaniel, for an early stroll. He happened upon her before her she could complete her urban cityscape. I have taken the liberty of anticipating what the finished artwork might have looked like.

Theory 3:

It had been a particularly tense match at the bridge club and Geoffry was still confounded how Lionel had pulled that winning rubber out of the bag. He had replayed the match over and over while he sipped his sherry in the bar afterwards and became certain that foul play was afoot. He knew his wife wouldn't want him to make a scene so instead, he made an excuse to pop outside to the car park. Armed with his red biro he located Lionel's car and set to writing "HE CHEATS" on the fence with a large arrow pointing accusingly at his Vauxhall Passat. Geoffry would come back next week and finish his expose just as soon as he had bought another dozen red bics.

You may now vote for your favourite theory ;-)

Beauty

When I look at this photo I see a thing of beauty.

Sleek smooth rounded lines. Soft sky blue curves polished to perfection. Headlights winking, teasing me.

I walked passed her. I walked back again to admire her. I paused and dared to touch her. I entered her and sat upon her upholstery.

Her owner pulled a couple of catches and revealed her hammocks suspended from above, and then he dropped her drawers to demonstrate how they became a stairway by which her hammocks were oh so easily accessed.

Honk.

I love her. I want her.

She was not for sale.


Joining in with The Gallery at Sticky Fingers.

Up up and away

We have very sweet kind and generous neighbours who thoughtfully brought us some paper lanterns for The Princess to celebrate her first day of school.

We waited until Saturday night to release them so she could stay up a little later than normal so it was dark enough to see their flame pass above the rooftops.

I intended to take a photo but someone* had switched my phone to video and I caught this moment (literally a moment so don't blink) just after take off.

We watched it float across the sky, in the direction of her school and we decided we would look for it on the playing field today certain that it would have come down there. We didn't find it.  So she decided it had landed at her old nursery by mistake.

*the Big One

Joining in with Mobile Monday over at CakesPhotoLife

365Project Week 36

A week of firsts and lasts.

Last day on the beach
First school shoes
Last kick about before an early bedtime
First day at school, nursery and in Key Stage 2
Last rays of sunlight streaming through the bathroom window
First pedicure
Last days of summer in a bodge-it-and-hope-it-stays-up teepee

What did you do for the first time this week? And anything for the last time?


Joining in with The Boy and Me.

If you would like to see any of this weeks photos in more detail, head over to my 365project.

Silent Sunday

Saturday is Caption Day

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside
Oh I do like to be beside the sea

You get my drift right?

Today's caption opportunity comes to you courtesy of the Sheringham art trail.

Caption at will!
And then go here -> Mammasaurus
And caption some more.

Capture the Norfolk Colour

We spent the last week of the school holidays in Norfolk, land of big skies, Cromer crabs and some of the countries loveliest beaches. In the same week I was tagged by BavarianSojourn to join in with 'Capture the Colour', with the colours being red, green, white, yellow and blue. This was originally a competition held by TravelSupermarket.com which is now closed (!) but you can still go and see the stunning travel photography of the winners.

I love that little bundle of red huddled up against the unseasonal chilly wind.

Why the variations in colour and texture of seaweed surprise me I do not know but this lime green variety caught my eye on Cromer beach.

After a hard days crabbing there is nothing like a glass of chilled white sauvignon blanc to help you unwind.

I am astonished at how many months of child benefit I would have to save to be able to afford a beach hut so in the meantime I will aspire to a bright yellow one, just like this.

And given Norfolk is the land of big skies I had to include one of the sky. I was very lucky to see a big blue sky, and how fortunate that The Wee One was wearing blue on that day too.

I'm certain that you have got some colourful shots from the summer holidays, so why not join in and stretch out your summer holidays with photo memories.

Back to School

Today has been a day of transitions; The Big One started key stage 2 and if he thought homework was an unnecessary evil before, I can only speculate on how he will adjust to the next level; The Princess started school today, going into reception class with at least a dozen of her friends from pre-school and siblings in the playground; The Wee One had his first taste of nursery, going in, not just to collect The Princess, but to be a big boy by himself.

Not a tear was shed.

The Big One brushed us off at the school gate, independent and seemingly too big for a goodbye kiss now.
The Princess once settled at a table with some pens and paper, confidently said bye bye and didn't glance over once as I left the room.
The Wee One happily played for an hour with me, then ventrured outside with the other children. On seeing me through the door, he authoritatively told me to "Go away."

I am no longer needed.*


*except perhaps at home time, when they are hungry, when they fall and hurt themselves, when they have a bad dream, when they just need a cuddle.


Joining in with The Gallery at Sticky Fingers.

365project Week 35

We packed this last week of the school holidays full, topping up the holiday memories to overflowing, by visiting a local car fair and fantasizing about which car we would like, by pretending they were locked behind huge iron gates (okay, that was my fantasy), catching up on some movie watching (my favourite characters from Toy Story are the aliens) and heading to Norfolk for a few days break.

Beaches, crabbing, beaches, pub lunches, beaches, walking, ice creams, beaches. As much time outdoors as we could possibly fit into 5 days, despite some gloomy weather. They love the beach and will inevitably get soaked, by rain or sea. It was a much needed break to a place we love, where we can instantly relax and recharge. Of course I left with a fantasy about packing up and living there, imagining a career near the sea, the children spending all summer on the beach, and the dog permanently wet from chasing balls into the sea.

I think I found a little bit of me in Norfolk that I have been missing. I'm working on the theory that if I keep going back I'll find even more of me again.


Joining in with The Boy and Me.

If you would like to see any of this weeks photos in more detail, head over to my 365project.