Found it!

Don't you hate losing things? I will admit that I have 'tidiness issues' and today brought things to a head.

Let me explain, I am in the process of making a jumper for the Boy and have been for about two years... I bought some delicious Noro wool in shades of blue and green. I started to make a jumper and then decided that I didn't like the pattern. So with the help of Miss G, I started to un-knit the jumper. I have since re-started with a pattern that I like and am making good progress. So much so that I realised I would soon need the remainder of the gorgeous wool to be able to finish it... You're ahead of me, aren't you? Suffice to say that after two hours of searching it has been found. As have the long lost library book, the ten bags of yarn that was just too lovely to leave in the shop and a large book of ghosts - in German...

I may have to admit to 'yarn' issues to go with my 'tidiness ones. Okay, it's time for some serious stash-busting!

Today's five huge smiles:

1. Finding the missing wool (it really is too gorgeous)
2. Spending time with my best friend
3. Knitting...
4. A big stash of yarn :o)
5. Supper with marvellous friends

Cheery smiles, D x

PS: 'Stashbusting' is the act of using all the yarn you already have to make lovely things before you buy any more... It's always a possibility!

Hurrah!

Hurrah and fine things - what a gorgeous weekend! The weather, family and friends all combining into one enormous smile...

I had a fabulous day on my birthday. The gifts were wonderful and very 'me' and the friends were even more 'me' - love and thanks to everyone who helped to make it a fabulous day xxx

Yesterday, Saturday for those of you who are in different time zones/planets, I had a girls' night out with some lovely people. We went for a drink and then to the old cinema in town to see 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' - it was hilarious, uplifting and touching in equal measures. If you should get the chance, go and see it - it will warm the cockles of your heart :) We all came out smiling and joyful with renewed vigour for life - wonderful...

Today we all went for a stroll around the nearby lake in the spring sunshine and warmth. So much growth was starting to come through, despite the fact that the water levels are quite worryingly low. I have photos of violets and snowdrops (note to self: take camera on walks, not just phone)! Then we came home and started to tidy our little plot of garden, lots of bags for me to take to the tip tomorrow, I love doing that. We also re-introduced the cats to their leads and took them out into the garden. Reggie loved it, Elwood thought we were mad - he could well be right...

Today's five smiles:

1. Afternoon strolls in the sunshine
2. Celery and dip
3. Really good films
4. Having a sort out
5. Cats on leads!

Cheery smiles, D x

Birthday smiles - hurrah!

I love birthdays! This is mainly because I have a wonderful family and friends with whom I share them. I am so blessed and spoilt on these days, it is unbelievable...

It started with my husband coming home early this week, just so we can be together when I wake up - his Lairdship goes to incredible lengths to make the whole family's time together very precious. This morning I was woken with a cup of tea and cuddles from the whole clan before the children had to go full speed ahead for a day at school. They brought me cards, both hand-made and carefully chosen, gifts again of both kinds. They had made me a whole set of little cards with loving thoughts on them, beautiful. There were book tokens, too - I am building a stash of them to put towards something very lovely!

The Marvellous Mrs and Mr M came round for a quick cuppa before the hurly burly of their days. And brought me a lovely gift - a stash of yarn, some daisy cupcake cases, some daisy ribbon and a mad tiger tape measure for my work bag! A quick tidy up before we were off to round three...

The Venerables had an electrical emergency so off we went post-haste, problem fixed, on to town - his Lairdship drove straight through town to one of my favourite pubs for lunch with the Venerables! I try not to think of myself as gullible but fear that I may well be so...

After picking up the Girl and friend from school it was back home for a party tea - chocolate cake decorated by the Girls, nibbles, cheese straws, gingery ginger cake, lemony bites and spicy snacks... Mrs and Miss M, Super Ms S and family and a jolly good time was had by all.

Five smiles today - oh, what to choose?

1. Mornings with my family
2. Opening birthday cards in bed
3. New, delicious-smelling perfume
4. Gorgeous kitchen equipment
5. Friends and family to fill my home with smiles :D

Cheery smiles, D x

And in case you were wondering, yes, we did have lashings of pop for tea, too! xx

Sunshine and warmth

These come in so many different guises. Today was very warm, up to 18 C here, and sunny all day long. Everyone smiles and is much more laid-back when the weather is like this... fabulous!

Of the other sort of warmth, the one from the heart, I spent the day with my Mum. The Venerable Mrs R and I went shopping - new shoes and pre-loved lambswool cardigan - in town. We had so much fun giggling at silly stuff together and chatting, we haven't had a chance to do that for ages. We managed to squeeze in a trip to our favourite café, too.

And then there was His Lairdship surprising me by coming home early this week - he can be awfully sneaky when he wants to!

My five smiles for today are:

1. Sunny days
2. His Lairdship creeping up on me in the playground...
3. Spending time with my wonderful Mum
4. Stew and dumplings
5. The Girl planning my birthday tea for me and cooking up a storm

Cheery smiles, D x

And breathe...

I could get used to this not working malarkey! If only it were a viable option for us... Never mind, I am using this time to catch up on me and do little bits and pieces. For the first time in ages I don't have a schedule set in stone, I can come and go and potter. I bumped into my friend today as I wandered back from the Co-op - to have the time to stop and chat with her was a real joy :) Just five minutes in my day, but five minutes of loveliness and my day was all the richer for it.

I am baking more, cooking proper meals more - even tonight's pizza was home made! - and tomorrow is stew and dumplings, which used to be a real weekend treat, it's been fun to plan the menu for the week and be able to stick to it. This is unlikely to help my waistline but my mental plane is flourishing! The Girl has made cheese straws tonight, the Boy made Gingery Ginger Cake on Monday... And we're going to do more baking tomorrow ready for Friday when it is a significant day in our family life, we shall have candles on the cake!

Five smiles today:

1. Bumping into my friend
2. Making a quick pizza
3. Laughing with my children
4. Organising a trip to the cinema
5. Relaxing

Cheery smiles, D x

Hugely smiley day!

What glorious weather today! Children in the garden, washing on the line - all too exciting!

His Lairdship and Mr M went on a play date to a model shop and came back very excited with lots of bits and pieces. Mr M wanted to make his car go faster, and it does; his Lairdship and the Boy are getting quite advanced in their plans to take over the house with model trains... More track was bought today along with fishplates, which are apparently an essential piece of model trainery kit and not a nasty rash!

Meanwhile, back at HQ, the Marvellous Mrs M and I were cooking to our hearts' content in a girly, team-work way. We are both quite competitive but work well together in the kitchen. The Curry Feast was declared worthy of high accolade - eight clean plates - and then followed up by home-made pavlova. This did not touch the sides for the most part! Such fun...

As I strolled home with the Boy we were discussing the constellation of Orion and admiring Betelgeuse, as you do, if you're unsure it is the pink-hued star on his right shoulder. However, neither of us could remember the name of his left shoulder star... Further investigation is definitely required!

Five very smiley things:

1. Curry feasts
2. Meringue
3. Frosty walks
4. Star-gazing
5. Good night kisses from the Girl and the Boy

Cheery smiles, D x

Where did the week go?

Good grief, I can't believe that it's Saturday already... I have been meaning to write this since Thursday! That's the thing with family life, it bowls along at such a pace that it is all too easy to lose track!

Wednesday evening was my leaving dinner with colleagues from the hospital at Strada - I had a wonderful time... My friends came along and we shared a fantastic meal and lots of laughter. Then they spoilt me rotten, I was given a huge card, a planter for the garden, a white daisy, some gorgeous bubbles and, to cap it all, a new bag... Cath Kidston no less - I am so chuffed it is unbelievable!!! It is red and flowery, absolutely perfect for me.

Thursday was lunch with my parents and then dinner with one of my best friends, the Super Ms S and her girls, Friday was playing catch-up with family and friends, today was chill-out and shopping and tomorrow it's round to the Marvellous family M for our big curry cook-up!

In between all this, here are the smiles:

1. Excellent friends
2. Good food and service :)
3. Shiny new handbags :D
4. Catching up with family
5. Warm, un-disturbed baths...

Cheery smiles, D x

End of an era...

Today was my last day working at the hospital on the maternity ward - I felt quite down as I really loved the people there. I've had flowers and a card and lots of hugs and been treated to scones, too. Lots of people came round simply to say goodbye. I shall miss the madwives - they are some of the most dedicated and giving people I have ever had the privilege to meet.

And so on to pastures new... I have to hand in my paperwork tomorrow for going back on to the supply teaching register. I shall have a quick pop around the town, too!

It was the WI meeting tonight and we had fun playing with fans... It's always good to catch up with people and have so many shared laughs! And the tea and cake afterwards is pretty good, too!

My list of five:

1. Hugs from colleagues, this is kind of bittersweet
2. Finding my degree certificates!!!!!
3. Wearing my own clothes to work instead of the dreaded uniform...
4. Giving back the dreaded uniform!
5. Meeting new neighbours

Cheery smiles, D x

Gorgeous friends, gorgeous day...

What a beautiful, if chilly, day. Who'd have thought we would get down to -9 C in England?! The light was amazingly gentle and made our town look even more beautiful than it usually does... Mrs A, who is seeing it all for the first time, cannot believe how lovely it is. She is also rather taken with the cats - who are very, very sweet. And she likes the Boy and the Girl, too - mind you, they are even sweeter than the cats!

A very chilled day all round...

Lovely, smiley things for the day:

1. Cats stretched out in front of the fire
2. Walking in the cold sunshine
3. Still catching up...
4. The Girl loving her new haircut
5. My amazing family :)

Cheery smiles, D x

They made it!

Hurrah - his Lairdship made it home through the snow, apparently our village does indeed have its own weather system! And, just as wonderfully, my friend Mrs A has made it here :) We have spent the most wonderful afternoon catching up properly with tea and cakes - thank you to the school PTA - on the past seven years. Just to cap it off, the Marvellous M's popped round to join in with supper from the local Chinese - very delicious indeed...

The fire has been re-built and is burning brightly thanks to his Lairdship's ministrations. I thought that making it last until Wednesday was pretty good for a novice.

And now it is half-term, time for everyone to breathe and catch up. We may even have time for a touch of housework...

Today's smiles:

1. Catching up with Mrs A
2. Impromptu suppers with friends
3. A blazing fire
4. PTA cake sales at school
5. Cats investigating warm fires

Have a wonderful half-term...

Cheery smiles, D x

Will it or won't it...

It is quite cold here at the moment and lots of people are saying that they're watching snow falling. Not here! My family have always said that our village has its own weather system and it would seem that we're right... The only foreseeable problem is that his Lairdship and my friends may not make it here this weekend - this would be a very bad thing :(

On a brighter note, the Marvellous Mrs M and I went for a pop today with her oldest daughter. It was a surprise pop for me as I had no idea where I was going. It turned out to be the loveliest cafe in Lavenham called Cafe Knit - yarn, good coffee and cake! Could anything make us happier? Very little actually, apart from everyone being safe to travel this weekend. I was very restrained in the yarn shop and bought one ball of wool for Miss G Pixie's hat. She would like one like the one that I made for myself but in a darker blue... I've almost finished the purple one for my friend, too :) What a fab day, big smiles and hugs all round.

Today's smiles:

1. Suffolk in the snow
2. Cafe Knit - big smile for this one and a repeat visit already planned!
3. Salt and sweet popcorn mixed together in a big bowl
4. Finishing a project
5. Carrot cake

Cheery smiles, D x

Serendipity

'Happy accident', 'pleasant surprise' 

Don't you just love the word 'serendipity'? It is one of my favourites, although that is quite a long list if truth be told. To me, serendipity sounds as lovely as it is - I even looked it up in the dictionary to be certain that I wasn't completely wrong in my understanding...

I love happy accidents - when you stumble across exactly what you've been searching for in a charity shop for less than a pound/dollar/krone (!) or bump into a friend who is going for a coffee at the same time as you when you least expect them... These are the happy accidents that make life so much fun!

Today's five happy things:

1. Cheese and celery loaf - yum!
2. Friends feeling so much better
3. Impromptu shows from the Girl and her friend
4. A heartfelt apology
5. New shoes :)

Cheery smiles, D x

Sssssh.....

Good evening, how are you feeling today?

I have had another good day - I have done something that I have been putting off for ages, six months all told. For some reason I had a mental block about this piece of paper that I have to send off, I knew where it was, I knew what I had to do, I just could not do it... Well today I did it! Hurrah and fine things! I have also made an appointment for next week for the penultimate step in my changing life. An altogether fulfilling day :)

Five glorious things to smile about today:

1. Day 2 and the fire is still going strong
2. Finding something you thought was going to be tricky is actually quite easy
3. Crunching snow under foot
4. Warm baths
5. A house which is gradually tidying itself...

I'm at work tomorrow for the first time in a week so am going to treat my self to an early night.

Cheery smiles, D x

A good day :)

Good evening, I hope that this finds you as well and rested as it does me...

I've had a lovely day today catching up with friends - both in person and on the phone - always such a good thing to do. My Gorgeous G rang today for a proper catch-up. Our children were at school, our husbands at work and a cup of tea to hand meant that we could witter on in our usual happy way without having to negotiate other people's whims! I should explain that this wonderful sister lives in Norway and we used to live within five minutes walk of each other; cups of tea post-working days were essential. We both miss that. Despite living far apart geographically speaking, we remain close and treasure any time that is spent together.

Another friend had time for a cup of tea this morning after dropping children at a snowy school, it is so good simply to take the time to catch up - and very important to the sanity of every Mum who knows the morning rush...

Today's cherishings:

1. The telephone
2. Cups of tea
3. Home-made biscuits (I fear that they have disappeared again at the speed of light)
4. Keeping the fire in all day
5. Online shopping

I should explain that the fire is usually his Lairdship's area of expertise, for me to keep it in all day and not kill it completely is some kind of miracle for which I am very grateful!

Cheery smiles, D x

Giggles and snowballs

Why is it that the silence of snow is so complete? Does it really muffle every little sound or is it just that we are more relaxed when we see this pure world around us?

The Children have been out to play today - as have his Lairdship and myself... Giggles and snowballs flying in equal measure between the family! The cats have had their first experience of snow - their verdict was 'definitely too cold!' I haven't seen them move so quickly for a long time... Elwood decided it was safest to view everything from the sanctuary of my shoulders, not the easiest way of moving around a snowy garden :)

His Lairdship is cooking a marvellous roast for lunch with all the trimmings - this is our almost every Sunday treat - and he does it so beautifully, I am very lucky.

Today's five smiles:

1. The silence of the white stuff
2. Jumping into a pristine patch of snow
3. The scent of dinner gently wafting through the house
4. Snowball fights
5. Cuddling up with an afternoon film and the Children

There may be some more smiles later!

Cheery smiles, D x

A friendly day...

Good evening, I hope you have had a lovely day - we certainly have! The Boy and the Girl have had friends round to play today - as this means them disappearing for about three hours, it is beautifully relaxing for his Lairdship and myself :)

This evening the Marvellous Mrs M was away, so the Marvellous Mr and Miss M came to supper. The Boy prepared potato wedges, carrots, kale and sausages for everyone - delicious! I was persuaded to make volcano pudding - one of the Nigella recipes that has our household's seal of approval - definitely not a diet day today...

Cheery smiles for a gorgeous day:

1. Sharing simple food with good friends
2. A blazing fire
3. Children old enough to really help around the home
4. Snuggly jumpers that are like old friends
5. Laughing...

As I write we have no snow here, although it has been reported about ten miles away, my thoughts and smiles go to anyone who is starting to feel the effects.

Cheery smiles, D x

Curtains...

Does anyone else have a thing about curtains and the way that they affect the light coming into the room? I'm prepared for it to be just me, one of my many foibles!

Allow me to explain... In our bedroom his Lairdship and I have vintage red curtains that used to hang in my childhood home. They are beautiful quality and have daisies all over them, this could be why I have always loved them. Anyway, yesterday when I walked into my room after breakfast, the sunshine was pouring through these curtains and the room was bathed in the most beautiful rose-pink light. It was a heart-warming moment at the beginning of the day. So that is why I love curtains and the play of light that they allow :)

And here are today's five icy-cold smiles:

1. Mittens!
2. Crocheting a purple hat for my friend
3. Warm Christmas hats from my children
4. Studio Ghibli films - Nausicaa of the valley of the winds was today's choice
5. Catching up with old friends

Cheery smiles, D x

Sunshine and ice

Despite the chilly temperature today, it was very beautiful out there. Ten minutes to scrape the ice from my windscreen and then a beautiful drive to work. A brilliant parking space at the workplace, too! I work on the first floor of the building and as I looked out on to one of the flat roofs I was sorely tempted to climb out for a quick slide. It was as slick as an ice-rink. Had it not been over 20 feet up I would have been out there like a flash!

So my five sunshiney smiles for today are:

1. Sunshine - no matter that it is very frosty...
2. My lovely friend who offered the Girl supper and a long play with one of her best friends
3. My son inviting friends round out of the blue
4. Seeing Orion - my favourite constellation
5. Still having the urge to slide when I see a patch of ice

I now have a week off work, this is always a cause for celebration. Lots of mundane things to do but I hope to be able to fill in the gaps with some smiles!

Cheery grins, D x