Frustrating

How frustrating - we have been having problems with our internet connection for a while now, but this last week it has been so intermittent that it has been driving us mad.  So slow it times out or just disappears losing all data.  After complaining, yet again, a very helpful chap rang saying he had 'tweaked' the signals, obviously not enough as it hasn't been much better, couldn't even write a simple comment on my blog this morning without it spluttering.  So apologies for not replying to your lovely comments, lets hope he can tweak it a bit more.

Not much on the crafting front either, Friday was completely wiped out with a stinker of  a migraine that lasted into Saturday too. Flashing lights, sight disturbances, couldn't even stand the light, anyway, bit better now, somehow they always wipe you out for days.    

 Hubby took this photo of the whirling flower windmills, he has been busy making more too so looks like I shall have to get the paints out again

whirling windmills

Last weekend we were helping to clear the ermita (plaza) and to clean the church, old school house and general area ready for the fiesta this coming weekend.  This week the council will deliver the portable bar and then Friday we shall be helping set everything up.  Have to try to store up some sleep as we certainly will be getting very little next weekend.

Oh dear now its changed the font and won't let me change it..........think I will leave the computers alone for a bit.......just have to sit here ready to pounce when the signal comes again.

take care

Flower power

Took a break from the mini's as hubby kept his promise and made me some more flowers, so I spent yesterday afternoon painting them.  They really whizz round in the breeze we have at the moment..  I also refurbished some other garden ornaments that had become faded in the sun.

no watering necessary!

Some more painting today, 

did take a before photo, but its still drying so will have to wait to take the after

another flower has been made so off to paint it

take care

Fairies and dragonflies

I have wanted to add interest to the garden for ages now, odd quirky things that were different.  Well hubby made me a flower and a windmill with a promise of more to come, but whilst in the UK I found this......

Fairies in the garden

I hung a crystal from the bottom which throws beautiful colours when the sun catches it, also I found one with dragonflies which I hung in the almond tree and proved extremely difficult to capture in a photo.

Dragonflies 

For the last couple of nights we have been in the pool around midnight - its 29C and like a bath, especially as there wasn't any breeze, so nice to just relax and cool off.

A friend said it looked like an exclusive spa 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking into the Naya 

.I decided to make another shop to go into the Victorian Street, good for a change round and added interest.  I chose a haberdashery and have been busy making the various items associated with it - it is rather time consuming but fun, especially trying to think of ways to produce authentic 1/12th scale notions

Cotton reels, knitting basket and a selection of wool in hand made baskets

 What is a girl to do when its so hot and you can't unzip your coat?

Lucy

 

This is Lucy, one of our eldest furries squeezing herself into a basket meant for kittens 

I am also quite chuffed.... do you remember this.......

advocado stone - 21.5.13

 well this is how it looks now.......

now 2 months old

 I bought some root ginger which had fresh looking nodules on, so me being me, I sliced the root rather like you would a chitted potato and this is the result....

ginger 

apparently the foliage is rather unimpressive which doesn't really matter as what matters is what is going on underneath..............

Oh well had better get on with some more minis, bolts of fabric, sewing patterns...............

Have a great weekend, take care.

All balmy

Hot days, pool has reached 29C, my kind of temperature! just right for some gentle excercise, followed by beautifully warm balmy evenings, nice for a BBQ.  We light it in our enclosed courtyard which is tiled and bricked just in case a little spark escapes on to the campo, as our Riu Rau (summer kitchen) doesn't have running water or a sink, it's also far easier to stay closer to the house, especially for just the two of us. 

Hubby uses almond wood as well as charcoal, lovely flavour 

 Another evening I made my version of paella - certainly not authentic but we like it this way.

Hiding the slightly 'burnt' bottom which everyone seems to go for

 I have wanted some interesting features in the garden and asked hubby to make some flowers, (pic next time|) and he also decided to make this windmill.  He used to make and refurbish full size ones when he was in NZ usually from metal though.  He is going to make another with a different support.

Just needs painting

On the craft front, I have a couple of finishes for the pressie box - another cowl and dish/wash cloth.  I have also embarked on a miniature project and have been making the components, but being out of context they don't really mean much as yet.........

take care

Next chapter

Did they like the box Fiona just asked me, I'm pleased to say yes to that, they loved it, I gave it to them after the wedding breakfast and it was soon put to good use as little momentoes were collected and added to it, then during the week I saw DIL looking through it all and I was pleased that I made it the size I had.

DD and I said goodbye to our menfolk on the Monday as they were travelling back whilst we stayed on.  A little retail therapy - why they call it therapy I don't know, it's not something I enjoy very much and it was just as frustrating as in Spain with sizes and styles - although I did find a nice winter coat 1/2 price, waterproof and with a removeable lining, and I did surcome to the lure of W H Smith's and was amazed at the array of craft magazines, certainly many more than when I left the UK, and do you know, somehow a few of them managed to squeeze in my bag........

hmmm - well it was a big bag!

 I did take a litle project along with me, just in case there was any time?? and found it just right for a little time alone, reflecting

just have to finish it now 

We went to different restaurants, mainly Thai style, and the week just disappeared, another BBQ on the Friday then our flight home on the Sunday evening.  We did have to buy extra baggage weight - we had collected lots of different food items that are impossible to get here, pressies for the future, along with some nice garden items, oh and a few clothes as you do..........

SIL had asked me at the wedding about making some mice that she could fill with cat nip, so I took some quiet time and knitted these little chaps

We had another wedding to attend the next weekend, so as DD was again a bridesmaid, she was thrown into all the preparations and rehersals, but it was a beautiful day and a very different style of wedding, with hand tying and the bride and groom responding to their own vows read by the bridesmaids. The party went on all weekend.
Phew busy busy......

Where do I begin.......

......to tell the story of where I have been........
To start, I was chuffed to have successfully flown on my own for the first time, the special assistance staff at Alicante airport were first class, whizzed me round the departure lounge, waited ready for boarding and whizzed me on first, I arrived at Exeter UK half past midnight to....... wait for it..... yes Rain!
An emotional greeting awaited as both DS and future DIL were there, this was the first time I had actually met with DIL,
The first week zoomed by, mainly trying to organise their belongings as they had just moved and more guests were expected to stay, collecting the music gear, a million other things, also 3 birthdays during the week and a BBQ on the Friday introduced us to our new family from the Philippines and US and thankfully the air strike over France had ended so hubby caught his flight too.

Somehow the morning of the wedding just disappeared, last minute panic chasing parcels for DS's top hat, no time for the planned 'hairup', it was squeaky but we made it.......

DD and DS

With my two favourite men

 

My beautiful daughter

Party fun

Happy couple

 The best man's speech was supurb - we had scanned in various boyhood photos, yes even that one.....(the one on the rug) but he did cover his dignity with a large star.......and Simon had created a brilliantly funny This is your life which had every one in fits of laughter.

Hubby was the entertainment for most of the evening - and as most of the guests didn't really know it was his profession, they were quite blown away with the show.  During the breakfast I had been approached by the coordinator telling me I was in line to give a speech.......quite out of the blue, no prep, I declined which was a good thing as the father of the bride spoke for about an hour...!!!! but I also had a little surprise for them.......

Back in 1975, hubby and I used to sing together, so we had been practicing very hard to be able to do a special song for the couple...........so for the first time in ???? years (actually 38!) we sang together again
Laby Siffre It must be Love, and This is your song, they went down very well with calls for encore, DS was very surprised and pleased, as were a few others, especially as I don't normally try to stand out.... dont think I will give up the day job lol

2013 / 1975

An excellent day, meeting old friends, forging new friendships, catching up with family and of course a new beginning for the happy couple......I believe they are wishing to replicate the whole thing in the Philippines next year......a challenge..................