After a long time trying to deal with WordPress’s little foibles, I’ve given up – I’m moving blog home to –
www.picnicsandpets.blogspot.com
I really hope to see you there !!
xxxxx
I think I need to make another batch (blushes)
May 27, 2009 — ClareErm……those cookies didn’t last long *blushes*.
Ok, while I brush crumbs off my top, I’ll update about non cookie orientated news. Dave’s stepdad is still in hospital, still not looking good. His mum is near to a nervous breakdown I think, and the entire family is trying to help.
I’ve finished the most enormous, most difficult assignment yet on my degree. 18 pages long !!! I posted it yesterday, and felt a huge wave of relief as I handed it over. I only have to do the last 15 questions on the interactive assignment now, then this course is actually finished. My next course has already started, but it’s not to a set timetable like the last one, so I can easily catch up on that. It’s the Life in our Oceans course, one I’ve been looking forward to enormously.
The girls are off for half term this week, and we’re just taking things pretty easy. I was hoping to goa nd see a film with Dave tonight(we’ve been trying to go on Orange Wednesday to save money, but Norman’s illness has restricted us). But flaming football is on so Dave wants to watch that instead.
MEN !!!!
xxx
Persevering with pancakes !!
May 19, 2009 — ClareDave’s stepdad came home yesterday, but already there are complications. He’s in so much pain all the time, he’s being sick and refusing to eat so he can’t take his steroid tablets. Dave’s mum is absolutely frantic with worry, which meant Dave being down there at 6 o’clock this morning.
On the bright side (and we try to look for ANY bright side at the moment, lol) I did some sewing this weekend !! Ok, I only turned up trousers for Mickey and Dave, and adjusted a pair for myself, but it was heaven to get out my sewing machine and realise that it still works. I’m now planning on making a few things for Mickey’s birthday (shhhhhh !! don’t tell her !!).
My study at the moment is scary. I’m basically spending the entire school day, every day, working on my final assignment for this science course, I can’t believe how much there is to do on it. If I’m not studying I feel guilty. I have to actually be productive or I feel as guilty as hell – last night Mickey made me lie down for a bit and just switch off. Not easy, but I managed an hour curled up on the sofa. Now back to the study again !
I think that Dave and Mickey have finally got over their pancakes with strawberries and ice cream phase. After making them at 10 pm for the last two nights (life is crazy for us so we’re eating at crazy times) I think it’s finally safe to put away the pancake pan for a while. It’s amazing that something so simple is so loved ! Yesterday I bought a huge jointy of beef from Sainsburys – last night we had roast beef in gravy on baguettes with chips. Tonight is the turn of a good old fashioned roast dinner, complete with yorkie puds !!
And NO pancakes !!
xxxxx
Yet another busy week
May 15, 2009 — ClareLots happening this week !!
Dave’s stepfather is coming out of hospital on Monday. They don’t know how long he’s got, but they’re getting support fpr him at home with home-helps , Macmillan nurse visits and meals on wheels. Dave’e mum has been driving us crazy this week – every little improvement Norman makes she says is thanks to God, and her massaging. Nothing at all to do with all the medical care and physio that he’s getting. She even phoned my 20 year old niece on Wednesday sobbing down the phone that whoever came to see her that noght should ‘be prepared’ for what they find, which of course we all took to mean that she was intending to end it all. We all rushed down there within 10 minutes and she’s happily munching on a sandwich !!!
Lots of baking and cooking – St James Beef, Red Onion Chutney Sausage Rolls, Beef casserole, barbecue chicken amongst others.
I tried a recipe for Rosemary and Raisin bread from ‘A Year in Bread’, http://ayearinbread.earthandhearth.com/2007/12/susan-holiday-breads-italian-rosemary.html and Mickey absolutely loved it !! She ate most of it the same day, just sliced and buttered. It turned out very similar to the picture on the website (which is a huge surprise to me, lol) and worked well even in the bread machine. I am generally awful at yeast based breads, and much prefer working with batter based ones, but this is definitely a ‘make again’. The cheese and onion bread I also tried didn’t turn out so well *blushes. I’ve just made a dozen chocolate muffins for our mechanic to say thank you for finally finding out how to stop my car alarm going off all the time, and tonight I need to make strawberry and white chocolate muffins to take out with us, as the girls and I are going to Mum’s caravan in Wem for the day – hopefully for a barbecue !!!
I caught up with an old friend this week, who I lost contact with over a very big upset in the past. We really cleared the air, and feel so much better for it. We’re now catching up on what’s been happening in our lives, which is taking quite a while, lol . What can I say – we’re busy women !!
xxxxx
Good news….
May 11, 2009 — ClareThe first parcel of wool has arrived !!!
I ordered some some from ebay which arrived this morning. It’s ‘Ruffled Ribon’ which knits up like silk, so I’m planning to make a scarf for one of the girls for Christmas with it. Yes, it’s onlyMay, but given our financial standing at the moment I’m trying to collect presents all year round so that we won’t be hit with a huge bill in December.
I’ve also received some Prima dressmaking patterns that I bought from ebay. I used to do a lot of sewing and hope to take that up again. As ever, being in the middle of a seriously heavy study session I’m aching to be creative !
I also discovered a wonderful wool called Big Softy by Sirdar. It knits up on 10mm needles and is available in some gorgeous colours – I think it works out at 9 stitches to 4 inches on a tension square. That’s huge !! lol. I should have no problem knitting something with that !! I’ll order some along with a pattern book at the weekend.
Yesterday we got about 100 plants in the garden – we filled the front borders and also created a new border in the back garden along where we buried Lucy-cat. Still loads more to plant, but we ran out of time ! I had to finish the gardening so that I could get tea ready – bacon wrapped chicken breasts, italian roast potatoes, vegetables…..and then my famous pancakes with ice cream and strawberries !!
Lucky, lucky Dave !
xxxx
Bad news….
May 11, 2009 — ClareDave’s stepfather has been diagnosed with both brain cancer and lung cancer. He was taken ill a couple of weeks ago, nothing major, just feeling a bit dizzy, off his feet a bit. Now he’s in hospital with a very grim prognosis.
Dave’s mum has tremors, which is similar to Parkinson’s disease. She’s shakes uncontrollably and it has affected her in manyways. Norman (Dave’s stepfather) was her carer, so we’re allnow in the position of having to share her care. She insists that she is totally fine – SHE can handle Norman, and look after him when he comes out of hospital. SHE can do all the gardening, shopping,cooking, cleaning etc. Her determination to look after hims is admirable but her refusal toactually accept her own limitations isn’t. Last week she tried to grill some bacon for her lunch and the window cleaner had to do it for her – she couldn’t do it, she nearly had a terrible accident with it.
So the next few months/years are going to be so, so tricky and horrible for everyone.
Poor Norman – he’s the one in hospital dying of cancer and Dave’s mum is everyone’s main concern.
Assignment submitted !!!
April 29, 2009 — ClareI got my assignment done, but not completely. I had to miss off a question because I was ill on Monday and not exactly fully recovered yestetrday so my mind was functioning at full speed. Quantum physics needs TOTAL brain capacity, lol. Still – I should get a decent mark.
I’ve just been to Sainsbury’s (even remembered to take my bags for life – very proud of myself) and stocked up on baking ingredients. Often, after I’ve been really pushing my studying because of a deadline, I’ll feel an enormous urge to have what a friend and I call an ‘apron day’. Just catching up on little bits of housework and cleaning that I’ve left because of study pressure. These days usually always end in a baking marathon, so I’m now well prepared !!!
Mickey and I are going to see a friend of hers in the play ‘Maggie May’ tonight so it will be lovely to get out for the evening. Next Wednesday, Dave and I are actually going out . TOGETHER !!!! AS A COUPLE !!!! Ok, so it’s a movie then the pub, but at least it’s a date with the gorgeous man I married. Those are very few and far between these days.
xxx
A long wait….
April 26, 2009 — ClareQuite a while since my last post, but we’ve been pretty busy !
We decided that the loss of Lucy cat left too big a gap in our lives, so last week we adopted a cat from the RSPCA. His name is Henry, and was taken to the RSPCA by a woman who found him in the road having been crushed by a car. His front legs were totally crushed, but have been rebuilt with a series of metal pins, which led to the kennel maids at the home calling him Metal Mickey !!!
He’s amazing. He’s three years old and looks just like the Felix cat in the adverts, black and white and gorgeous. You;d never know he’d had such terrible injuries – he acts like a normal cat. He climbs everywhere, chases everything and generally has a wonderful time. He made himself at home with us right away, and its as if he’s always been here.
Seeing him playing reminds me of how Lucy-cat used to be when she was a kitten. It’s really painful at times to see him doing things that she used to do, we still miss her so much.
Work and study are still busy for me. Another long hard day at the pub yesterday but at least we didn’t need any police cars to sort out the kids party this week !!
We had a lovely day today – badminton, then Dave took the girls and Jorge around the local park for a swim in thepond and a very long walk, the swim in the pond leaving Jorge in need of a lovely bath !! After that we had a bbq, and then finally planted three lovely fruit trees in the garden. I’ve waited SO long for that !!
Let’s hope the rest of the week goes as well…..I have to get a big assignment in for midnight on Tuesday…fingers crossed that I make it !!!
xxx
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