Five on Friday

I thought I would join in with Amy's  'Five on Friday' 

As the theme also seems to be Christmas  and I have just started decorating this week, I thought well, why not?!

Initially I didn't really want to put a tree up this year...but on Wednesday I needed some distraction from pain so I thought just go for it, and before I knew it I had both trees up and decorated!

1:  Our Lounge.

Just a few of the decorations we have collected over the years.  All have special meaning and significance.

2:  Outside

The decorating outside hasn't really started yet as my husband has been unable to put the lights up this week due to work commitments so they will have to wait until Monday when he will have a bit more time.

From outside looking in, this Nativity Scene was made by my older son when he was about 7 years old if I remember rightly.  (or possibly younger)

This snowman was our last year's bargain at 75% off!

3: Dining Room

On my writing bureau

On top of the wall unit.

4: Kitchen Doorway

5: In my Garden

Not Christmassy, but still gorgeous to look at, it amazes me that I still have some roses and a Hebe blooming at this time of year.

Pain

I have been walking everyday for over six weeks now, sometimes twice a day, especially now we have the puppy as well. You would think the walking would be getting easier!

Instead, I am getting sorer and sorer it seems...  I am a little bit worried about how much the pain is intensifying over the whole of my back area.  My left leg feels 'funny' when I walk too far as well, it started the other day when we overdid it a bit over at Ashridge Estate, but it hasn't eased up at all and starts to feel 'heavy' after a while during the walk.    But it is the back pain that is bothering me the most.

I wake up in the morning with what feels like sore muscles all across my neck and shoulders which eases up slightly but then gets worse again during the day.  My lower back aches by the time I get back from my walk, and bending down to take the dogs leads off is uncomfortable, and by the end of the day the whole back is in 'screaming' mode.

Even the spa doesn't seem to be helping much.  I have started back on the Magnesium yesterday and am hoping that it might help.

Hence why not a lot of blogging has been happening.

Soggy Saturday

It was a lovely sunny morning, although the ground was damp and a lot of water droplets on the roses.  I took the dogs out for their early morning walk, put a load of washing on the line and headed off to do the shopping.  By the time I got back I was feeling decidedly 'off' with a very heavy feeling in my head and there really was nothing to it but to head off to bed.  

By mid afternoon the rain was coming down - I guess I should have realised that the weather was about to turn, my body knows in advance.  Perhaps the pressure had dropped I am not sure.  

Our local Sainsburys has a book sale shelf and I picked up a couple of interesting hardbacks today.

The first I have already started reading, although not a lot as fell asleep.  Reading seems to do that to me an awful lot lately, seems I can only manage a few pages.  Is this common I wonder?

This also looked interesting.  

A large Pyrex mixing bowl.  I do like these bowls and use them a lot, and didn't have one this size.

I saw this for 49p and it rings true, and I need it as a reminder as I try to clear my house of 'things' and yet ironically I have just added to them by buying this!  Oh well, there is no logic apart from it matches another I have.

So now just need to decide where to hang them.

I saw this piece of gingham and although really don't 'NEED' anymore fabric, I do have plans for this and hope to use this in the next week.

The next couple of purchases...  I am not sure I can really 'explain' those away.

The first is a 'The Bear Factory' monkey...  I was feeling especially down today, for a variety of reasons, pain being among them and worry about our youngest son...and then receiving a £23 plus customs bill for some small blocks of wood I carve my Hitty dolls from.  This was supposed to have been sent as a gift - it was, but for some unfathomable reason the person put a high value on them!  Plus I also discovered that the PO don't accept CC payments and I didn't have the cash, so the package is still sitting there.  It is ludicrous to have to pay that amount for small blocks of wood, that don't even cost that much!  Anyway, on to the 'reason' ...I saw this cheeky little face looking at me from the £1 soft toy bin, and I always look in these for soft toys for the dogs to play with.  I picked up the monkey and accidentally squeezed him and he said 'I LOVE YOU' so well, the deal was sealed.  

I have decided as a bit of fun I will use him for my 30 Days One Object  photo challenge.  Prompts are taken from 'FMS PhotoADay'.  Whether I always use the prompts depends on if they take my fancy and give me the inspiration I need/want.

I have called him 'Romeo'

1: Art 

2: Something.  Has a G on the end NOT a K - the same applies for other words such as anything and everything!

3: Warm.  This was me today!

Hmm...these especially I cannot explain - they were three for a pound.  Actually they will probably be gifts.  

Earlier on in the week we bought this fabulous foot stool. 

I believe it is probably from the sixties or thereabouts, it is in lovely condition and the perfect height and size.  I use foot stools a lot when sitting down in the evening and had needed a slightly higher one than the one I had.  Love its retro look which of course doesn't match anything else we have!

Finishing up this post with some photos of some of my roses taken the last couple of days.

Last Sunday in August

I woke bright and early this morning - well actually I do most mornings - not necessarily feeling bright, usually stiff and sore, but hey 'bright and early' sounds better :-)

I was pleased to see that there weren't any puppy 'presents' awaiting me this morning.  Once the dogs had been out, had their breakfast, I took them for a nice walk.  I have walked nearly every day in August as I had planned and sometimes twice a day - more so lately, especially now Stanley can go out for walks.  So hopefully will eventually get fitter and lose a few of the extra pounds I have put on in the last year.

We had some very ripe bananas in the fruit bowl, and rather than throw them away I thought I would try a new recipe using them and made a Walnut and Banana Tea Loaf.  It is very tasty.

Wednesday is our day for taking my Mother in Law out for lunch  - a very enjoyable lunch was had sitting outside at one of our favourite Cafes.

I spent the afternoon in the garden, dead heading and pruning some of the roses, weeding and also planting a rose that I bought a couple of weeks ago.  The guinea pigs were also cleaned out, something they were happy about!

I picked some of the lavender and have hung it up to dry.

The bees really enjoy the lavender.

This pretty rose is one of my small 'patio' roses - I think it is called 'Carefree Days' and was bought many years ago - it is quite petite.  Very pretty rose that has just started flowering the last few days.

The Marigolds are still looking good

As are the Petunias.

I am on a quest to try and find a recipe for Madeira Cake like my mother used to make...I remember her cake so well and I know my sister and I used to really love it.  But so far I haven't been able to replicate it, although both recipes I have tried so far have turned out well and tasted nice, they haven't met the mark or had the taste or consistency of my Mum's cake.  Of course, it may have been her own recipe, and sadly I don't think she will remember now.  It may have been the difference in flour, as I have noticed that on a whole cakes and baking are definitely different here to how they are in New Zealand - my tried and tested recipes are never the same here as they are there, and vice versa...strange.  

This cake above was nice, although perhaps a little dry after the first day.  It still got enjoyed though.

Well August has almost reached a close...I can't believe how quickly it has flown by.  September tomorrow and the Sailor and his Fiancee are back home in just under two weeks!  I guess I better get his room ready again - I have been using it in my quest to sort and clear the rest of the house!  Yikes!

Time for a spa and then to watch the last of BBC iplayer - we are banning all BBC from our computers tomorrow - with the introduction of them wanting to charge a TV licence for Iplayer now, (we don't have a television)  we will no longer be able to watch it and to be honest we are quite sick and tired of their completely biased and one-sided reporting so have decided to block it altogether - we can get news from more reliable sources, especially if we want to know what is REALLY going on...but that is another subject!

Friday Flowers and what not.

A very wet and dreary Friday, so what better way to spend it than a bit of sewing now I have cleared my sewing table which is in our conservatory.  After last nights failed attempts today was much more successful.

Elsewhere in the house.

Fortunately I picked some roses yesterday before the rain today.

I also changed the table cloth to something bright and cheery - which just happens to match the roses!

I also took a few photos of the flowers yesterday

This one was taken today, but many look a lot soggier!

A few days ago...

'What's that?!

Huh?

'It's a ghost!'

Arghh!  You're kidding me?!  Where?

What really happened next....

Ah sweet Percival.

Bliss.

Little Stanley is growing fast and has his second vaccination last week so we can take him out next week.  Let the lead training begin!