A Neverending Saga - it's a matter of perspective!

Ladies, I have managed to pick up another cold.   As I write I am sniffing and blowing and coughing and sighing.  Hubby Biscuit says it's because I got lots of my hair [as in never had my hair this short, ever!] chopped off on Friday and the cold has found it's way in via an exposed neck.  So having never quite making it to 100% well I've taken a wee baby step back again.  I say a baby step as it is all a matter of perspective.  Yes I feel god awful again but so what, Christmas is on it's way and that means I can justify sitting down sewing and knitting all those gifts I have in mind.  

The washing machine has been showing signs of dying the last few weeks and this morning it would not switch on.  It has obviously lost it's battle.  Ah well, I have a large kitchen sink, a bath and arms with which to scrub.  It'll either get mended or be replaced and in the big scheme of things it's no real biggy.  As I say the approach of the ching-ching of jingle bells can ward off pretty much anything even kitchen appliances dying [my gas oven went on the blink a couple of weeks ago too, luckily I have a second electric one].  

So I say Que Sera Sera!

I admit I am finding it easy to be philosophical as this Friday we are off here...

Auldallan Cottage

 (click for more of a looksee, even a virtual tour if you are curious)

...set in a simply beautiful landscape...

this image and above from cottages4you

...for a couple of nights and it will do me the world of good.  A bit of relaxation before December brings it's usual full steam ahead activity.  A break way from home to take some deep breaths [I hope my nose will allow this] and to look at the stars without the pollution of street lights.  We have holidayed there once before a couple of January's ago and I was stunned by the night sky.  

It'll be difficult not to arrive home feeling rejuvenated and refreshed on Sunday.

It's either the thought of this cottage or there being something to that old adage -  'get a haircut, take a load of your mind'.  Either way I am glad I'm taking it all on the chin.

X

No longer a clown....that's a matter of opinion!

It's week two of this awful cold I am experiencing and yes my face has sooked itself back up (as much as a 37 year old face can), my nose is no longer as red as a clown's nose or Rudolph's for that matter.  My house is no longer covered in ickle mounds of used tissues and I am no longer sneezing and spitting (that includes food, I know MINGING!!) all over myself.  

I am however facing the truth that I do not sound sexy and husky and all Mariella Frostrup but like I am crying all the time which is embarrassing when phoning school offices and hospitals to cancel orthodontic appointments.  I am blessed, for the first time in nine years, in being able to be ill and in my jim-jams for days on end as my lovely Biscuits have been taking themselves off to school in the morning.  I have been able, for the most part, to stop dead in it's tracks the dreaded 'Mum' law that seems to state we must keep going no matter what or how ill we get.  I was poorly this time last year and 'kept going' and was still not right at Christmas time so this year, thanks to my Biscuits, I have been resting lots, watched lots of films and thankfully (after only one week of wearing a bandage although I'm not going to get into how bad that week was..ooh the pain!!) have been able to knit and crochet again.  

So I am not dwelling on how little I have been getting done or how sick I am being poorly or how I am going ever so slightly mad cooped up in the house but grateful I am getting to have sick days and blessing the invention of Jakemans Soothing Menthol Sweets.   
I have missed some posts I was planning, namely celebrating this...

...the first birthday of my blog.  My lovely wee blog that has enabled me, for the first time in years, to feel more like me.  Not just Mum and Wife and Housekeeper but silly old clown-like me.  I have 'met' a hopeful, 'restores your faith in mankind', large mixing bowl amount of fantastic people and can not get enough of being reminded how similar we all are and I am not alone in my existential thoughts (forever the Philosophy student).  If I am being honest I thought, in my usual way, I'd get bored with it after a bit but no, a year on I'm still really enjoying it.  So thanks peeps for reading!

Here's to another year!

X

Forgive me Dean!

The weather outside is frightful

and I don't feel delightful

I wish the wind and rain could hear me say

Go Away! Go Away! Go Away!

I want to feel nice and cosey

and not have a bunged up nosey

I wish my cold could hear me say

Go Away! Go Away! Go Away!

Go Away! Go Away! Go Away! 

I am having THAT kind of a day!!

Little beauties!!

On a trip to the local shopping centre on Saturday I escaped from my Hubby (he was car stereo shopping, what's a lady to do?) grabbed my eldest ( to help carry!) and ran for the charity shop, which I mean to pop into more often, just to have a little looksy.............

...........and look what I found! Aren't they pretty!!  In all I got four teacups and saucers; a serving plate; four side plates; a milk jug and a sugar bowl.  All for under six ( I did say six) pounds!!

 I love the pattern and on this serving plate it is so worn because of use and love I have decided.

Didn't I do well??

I also picked up these ickle dishes, only about four inches wide and perfect for butter.  I am very pleased with myself and my purchase.

I am feeling a little clearer today but have more of a normal nose bunged cold.  Under normal circumstances that would seem quite enough of an illness but after the 'flu' like symptoms I've been having FOR DAYS, an 'ordinary' cold is more than welcome for a visit and a cup of tea.  Although......baking a cake whilst having a sneezy, runny nose and cough wasn't exactly easy but I had to do it today so made many fast exists from the kitchen to spread my germs in the hall and had many (OCD like!) hand washes so I did manage it.

I leave you with my beloved KitchenAid mixing away! Ali X

The little things.........

I was thinking that to post a blog today would be pointless.  Does the world need to hear I AM STILL ILL?  This cold have become a Charlton Heston epic.  My youngest is back at school so one down, one to go.  My eldest is STILL on the sofa but today I am allowing him to play the Wii all day if it'll stop him reminding me every five seconds that he hates being ill.  I need to get better......it's my mums 60th this weekend.  I have a special family meal planned and a cake to make and tables to plan etc etc........so I am trying to feel positive and find pleasure in the little things and try REALLY hard to ignore the negative so....whilst toying with the idea of writing or not I noticed on my blog I have a follower. GASP!  I get lovely comments from the lovely Feltgirl ( I love that name, it's a super hero name! A super sewer hero name!) but I have at least one OTHER person who reads my blog.  GASP AGAIN!  Another person who's name I recognize, a talented lady who sold me a fab knitting pattern for a cherry bakewell and at who's new shop at Etsy (crazydazyknits), I was looking at only yesterday, at those gorgeous knitted gingerbread men thinking will I.....?  Have I time for another Christmas knit to add to the list?

I am thrilled and feeling just a little bit better about this horrid cold that has decided to live with me with neither request nor invitation and won't leave regardless of polite hints and hard kicks to the bottom.

Ali X

Will I feel like this forever??

I'm still ill!!!  It's been days now and the novelty of feeling I can sit down all day if I want ( like that would ever actually happen) has definitely worn off in the main because my boys are ill too which means I am no longer a patient but a nurse.  Under normal circumstances being their nurse is just what a mother gets on with but it's a different story when this mother is ill too.

So today will be another day of being relegated from the comfy sofa onto the not so comfy chair and being up and down every two seconds a-bringing and a-fetching with endless cries of MUMMY!  We''ll try to find something to stare at as we can't really cope with any more than staring at the TV..........and I will try to keep my sanity.

I do do hope we all  feel better tomorrow!!!

Friday Poorly Blues!

This is my world today, sadly drained of colour due to a stinking cold.  After walking my boys (very slowly) to school I fell on the sofa with my knitting without even tidying away the Lego Deathstar you can see that my boys were playing with first thing.  Lacking a real fire I have my truly wonderful DVD in the background and my eldest cat Hamish, who jumped into the frame just as I clicked.  In a few moments I will collect my boys, get home, jump in the shower and welcome my jammies and cosy socks to fall on the sofa once again.

Hope I feel better tomorrow!!!