A ~ Z of Homemaking Questions

this Questionnaire was from leannes blog somersetseasons copied from allybea's blog.
Feel free to copy the questions to your own blog and add your own answers!

A ~Aprons--y/n If y, what does your fav. look like? yes one with cats on, my brother brought it for me about 10 years ago.

B ~ Baking--Favorite thing to bake? biscuits.

C ~ Clothes line? yes

D ~ Donuts--Have you ever made them? no, dont really like them. but i remember my brother making them when i was about 10.

E ~ Everyday--One homemaking thing you do everyday? cook dinner

F ~ Freezer--Do you have a separate deep freeze? yes, one in the kitchen and two chest freezers in the out house.

G ~ Garbage Disposal unit? no, just the girls and compost bin

H ~ Handbook--What is your favourite homemaking resource? books/Net

I ~ Ironing--Love it or Hate it? Or hate it but love the results? hate it! avoid it where possible! but do love the results LOL

J ~ Junk Drawer--y/n? Where is it? Yes and a junk basket, drawer under kettle and basket on shelf over table.

K ~ Kitchen--colour and decorating scheme. stone colour painted walls, stainless steel assesories, and pine.

L ~ Love--what is your favorite part of homemaking? making sure everyone is fed proper food. and that the home is homely

M ~ Mop--y/n? Yes

N ~ Nylons, machine or hand wash? no dont posess any.

O ~ Oven--do you use the window or open the oven to check? open it

P ~ Pizza--What do you put on yours? tuna, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese yummy

Q ~ Quiet--What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? normally pop in to see what everyone has been up to on the .creativelivingforum.

R ~ Recipe Card Box--y/n? What does it look like? no, just a folder with loose bits in, and books.

S ~Style of house--What style is your house? end of four house terrace, pre war ex army housing.

T ~ Tablecloths or Placemats? placemats, except christmas time then tablecloth and decorations

U ~ Under the kitchen sink--organized or toxic wasteland? Organised,as non-toxic as I can be

V ~ Vacuum--How many times per week? once just upstairs, rest of house swept daily and mopped twice weekly, cept when raining then up to 20 times in a day LOL

W ~ Wash--How many loads of laundry do you do per week? 6-8

X's--Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off? only occasionally, normally have in my head what needs doing, and if i forget, well theres always another day.

Y ~ Yard--y/n? Who does what? part yard for the girls and ferts/polys,fenced off to garden for veg etc. both clean it up.

ZZZ's--what is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed? switching off computer, lights, locking doors, checking downstairs and putting the girls to bed.

the lighthouse

and this is the old lighthouse situated next door to the church below.

inside looking up and towards the right.

some of dover castle history

just a few pics from the other day, this is the church within the castle grounds, beautiful inside, ive taken a few pics of some of the gorgeous stain glass windows aswell and one of part of the roof in the middle tower. it always feels very tranquil within this church, hadnt been inside since last year, lovely.

friday friday

well the cl forum is down again, and i am so glad i now have a blog so i can keep up with some of my friends from there.
it almost feels like ive lost an arm not being able to chat with everyone and see how they all are.

have just had a lovely cycle to tescopolist and the local shop for a few bits we needed. and WOW the panniers make life sooooooo much easier with shopping.

james was playing outside before i went but as soon as he saw me get my bike out that was it, o can i come to please mummy, so out with his bike cycle helmets on and away we went lol, it is more fun with him with me. rather than cycling on my own, and he does seem to make me go faster aswell. :)

friday........

hi all
just a little post today, went to Dover castle again yesterday, had a wonderful time, the children all love it there, they can run around to their hearts content, explore the tunnels, play with all the canons and guns, such adventure and imagination they can use, lovely.

today we have finally got the outhouse sorted out, have moved the freezers round swept it all, and found remnants of an old mouse nest, so all cleaned. we can now get our bikes in and out easier which was the main reason for this little exercise. having brought a new one with my birthday money i really didn't want it getting damaged unnecessarily. we were going to put a bike rack up on the wall but it just wont fit, so have now put mine onto wood to help the tires as is a concrete base and doesn't do them any good, i have also now fitted my panniers and looks really good, so the next shopping expedition will be a lot easier and safer by bike.

i hope everybody has a lovely day.

the harvest

well this is the rest of our veg from our little veg patch this year.

we,ve had to pick our toms, they didnt look like ripening after all the strong winds we've had here the plants got blown over 3 or 4 times despite tying up, so decided to pick them let them ripen indoors then make into pasta sauce.

our leeks again needed picking as some were starting to go to seed, ive eneded up with 5 chopped bags and 2 sliced bags ready for soups and stews in the winter months.

and our carrots, have already had loads of pickings for dinners but decided to get the rest up ready for the freezer. i have 8 bags either for stews or dinners and 2 bags sliced for soups.

all in all quite happy with these, have spent the last 3 1/2 hours preparing them all.

my finished proper knitting from a pattern

well here it is my first knitted project from a pattern, modelled by my step daughter stevie louise, im pleased that ive managed it, only problem now i dont think it will suit me LOL. so will have to find a different pattern for me :) good thing is i know i can tackle patterns now (if easy).

day trip to london part 3

last page i promise. well after the boat trip we had a walk along the river, then took another bus to trafalgar square. afterwards went to charing cross and took the train home again.


James with a living statue wizard.

The London eye from the river view

and finally Trafalgar Square


and TS would not be complete without a pic of the lions ok one lion.

All in all a very busy, tiring, but enjoyable day had by all.................. Im glad its only once a year though..............

hope you enjoy our little adventure to London yesterday.

London day trip.

christine my next door neighbour and I took james and georgia out for the day in London, we started this last year summer hols, and they had such a good time we promised to take them again this year, planning from last visit to do the dungeons and the london eye. next year they want to go on the duck tour bus and london eye again. to be planned ...........


we first got a train to the big smoke, a tube to the dungeons, and fortunately had prepaid tickets,merlin passes so we didnt have to wait 3 1/2 hours to get in only 1/2 . well it was different to what we had expected and georgia was a bit unnerved at times, but they did enjoy themselves immensly, except the last room see below in day trip 2.


we then hopped onto a bus and went through london to the london eye, that was very good, pics on DTL2 below.


then as last year we took a tour boat up the river and back again, they love this and infact is normally the only time we manage to sit down and eat some lunch.




setting off from the launch

cleopatras needle

my friend with georgia and james on the boat

the old navy boat.

day out in london

The London Eye


just as we set off

me and james

the houses of parliament and st stephens tower with the bell Big Ben.

ermm two of the bridges on the thames. i know one in the distance is london bridge.

very high up now think we are at the top.

it was very enjoyable, james and georgia loved it seeing all over London.

we also visited the Dungeons, georgia was very fraut most of the way round, and the first time i think ive ever seen james get scared was at the end jack the ripper jumped into the room we were in, mind that one made me jump aswell.

charity kniting

ive done it, my first finished hat using a pattern LOL,
and its only 4cms tall.
this is for a charity through the CL forum some of us are taking part in.
the link www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit
have a look each hat made and sent to them they give 50p to Age concern.
only took me an hour to make, but accumplished knitters would probably get 5 done in that time. but it is fun to knit and so weeny.

Day of surprises part 2

have had a lovely day today, my mum came to visit, havnt seen her for a long time, we talked about the wedding, and sorted out where they can stay when they come down, a hotel just over the road from us on the A2, went to have a look and it was lovely in there, also if more than 4 rooms booked for the wedding then they will do discounts for us.

...........................................................

think we have finally decided on the wedding dress for me aswell, lovely and purple yes totally different to the colours i have been looking at but very very nice and medieval design, we both decided that yes it would look very nice on me, so will still wait till january before ordering but think this will be the one.

...........................................................

my mum also brought a present down for me from an old family friend a lovely crystal angel.

in its own little worry box, put your worries inside and the angel will take them away for you.

.......................................................................................................................

which brings to mind another lovely gift we received from another very dear friend from CL forum, leanne. she sent down to us a lovely Guardian Angel to take with us during all the hospital visits, to help keep us strong, she blessed it and sent lots of positive vibes with it. which has helped tremendously with everything going on with paul and his treatments.

day of surprises and presents.

Just look at these, arent they gorgeous, they are from a friend from the CL forum, Anne, a wonderful bag for all my knitting, a gorgeous cushion cover and a christmas table mat, just gorgeous, all the work that has gone into making them, you cant see all the detail properly in these pics but it is wonderful.

so a very big THANK YOU to Anne.


my lovely cushion cover, the needlework is lovely.


the underside of the christmas mat.

the top of it. lovely

and a new knitting bag.

i was just so taken aback by the lovely generousity of this lady and all the hard work tha has gone into making them. there is a link to anne's blog on the right, Tootles / anne and you can see even more of her lovely needle crafts.

beds for my girls .

well having to sit still and rest at the moment, i decided to sit at my sewing machine and make

some new beds for the girls.

i made two of these for maggee may.

and two of these smaller ones for tillee tots.

so should now be all snuggly for the winter months ahead, these are filled with an old duvet, cut down. the cost of each bed is £3 for the fleecy blankets i buy for the beds, then sew them up into a type of sleeping bag effect, fill with the duvet and sew up the other end. I did attach poppers once but it made it easier for the girls to undo and cover my kitchen floor in white duvet pieces, so hence they get totally stitched up now.

i also used to make them out of old duvet covers, but found the actual dog fleeces were hardier and easier to keep clean. i also restuffed an old blanket of theirs with a blanket so they had a bed each again for the moment as i threw three out this morning, totally beyond repair and washing, well at least they'd had fun.

i also made two new bags out of some material i picked up the other day in the sales in my favourite shop, so do feel rather pleased with myself today, as never made bags before and they came up rather well. one will be for a swop we are in the process of running on Creative Living forum, and the other will be part of my future mother in laws xmas present, im also currently knitting from a pattern (first time) a beret, and she saw this yesterday and would love one in beiges, so once the first is finished then will commence on that. so one person sorted for xmas.

Everyone Needs Someone

this is a poem i was reading in a book i have by Helen Steiner Rice, Thankfully.. i thought id share this with you as it seemed to ring very true in my own heart.

People need people
and friends need friends
And we all need love
for a full life depends
Not on vast riches
or great acclaim,
Not on success
or on worldly fame,
But just in knowing
that someone cares
And holds us close
in their thoughts and prayers -
For only the knowledge
that we're understood
Makes everyday living
feel Wonderfully Good,
And we rob ourselves
of life's greatest need
When we 'lock up our hearts'
and fail to heed
The outstretched hand
reaching to find
A kindred spirit
whose heart and mind
are lonely and longing
to somehow share
Our joys and sorrows
and to make us aware
That life's completeness
and richness depends
On the things we share
with our loved ones and friends.

stray tomatoe plant!

this is a stray tomatoe plant, from a wayward seed or maybe a droped tomatoe at some time, it is growing outside our front door inbetween the driveway concrete and our house wall, there really cant be a lot of earth down there with much goodness in but hey ho its decided to grow, dont know if it will bear any fruit but we are keeping an eye on it.

the chef !

heres james with the finished blueberry muffins he made, they taste nice, very light and have a tangy ness to them.

at the cooker melting the butter and honey for hobnobs.

pouring the melted mixture into the oats,sugar and flour.

all mixing up.

he does realy well, also weighed all the other ingredients out, as we made some more ginger nuts, aswell. they are all cooked now. and a parcel will be winging its way to a friend of ours in middlesbrough very shortly, as she loves james' ginger nuts. everytime we make them we have to have a parcel for A and a parcel for grandad because he knows how much they all love them.

we have also made a pie for our tea tonight, the remnants of sunday roast dinner.

i cooked a shoulder of lamb with loads of veg on sunday, then yesterday we had shepherds pie and today with whats left of the lamb and veg is making a pie. the girls also got a good meal out of it. so i am feeling very frugal and happy in making a meal go so far.

where does the time and years go ?

all in the bread oven, what funny faces some of them are pulling LOL

one of the small window areas in the gallery part of the castle.

james and maisie, only 10 days between them, they have grown up together, and now are also in the same class at school.

one of the many views from the top of the castle keep.

another view from the castle keep.

and another lovely views aren't they. and i think of the hundreds and thousands of people who have walked, lived, worked or fought here is amazing when you really stop and think. i can really feel the long ago presences, it is a very calm area in this castle, which is perhaps why i love visiting it so much.

the three musketeers, georgia, james and maisie.

a view of some of the keep, king Henry viii stayed here during his life and a lot of the history in the keep is about his life.

another summer school holiday day, i took james to Dover castle again, and met up with some old friendies there today, wow all the children are growing up so quick, i can still remember when they were all bambinos. now they are all at primary school and the youngest starts September, amazing where does the time go ?
well they all had a super time, chasing around with their shields and wooden swords LOL, great, but Dover castle i think must be the most hilliest, staircasiest castle going, i think we must walk and climb up and down miles whilst we are there, but great exercise for everyone. it did start showering when we first got there but turned out to be windy and dry the rest of the day.
visited the secret war time tunnels for the umpteenth time, and we seem to see something new each time, james took his head torch with him today and we stopped at some of the fenced of bits and he shone his torch down the tunnels they thought that was great as seeing things they hadn't seen there before.
i have taken some more pics, mostly the scenery surrounding the castle grounds this time, but will load them up tomorrow.
later in the week i think next door neighbour and i are taking her daughter and james to see walmer and deal castles, one is a ruin in beautiful grounds, however Ive not actually found this one yet but am told the grounds are lovely, the other is a smaller castle in the shape of a Tudor rose, this we have been round before but was a few years ago i think james was only 2 1/2 at the time, hes 8 1/2 now so 6 years ago.
see what i mean, where does the time go.

came back feeling quite shattered again, and made some more soya milk, also used up the leftovers from dinner yesterday and made a shepherds pie and took the girls (my dogs) out for an hour in the woods.

all in all another very busy but enjoyable day and the day flew by.

perhaps that is why the years merge into one and fly by like a blink of the eye.