Birds, cliffs and blue skies

What a wonderful day! The Clan and I went to the seaside today and strolled along the beach. 'Strolling' might be overstating the case just a shade... The glorious sunshine was accompanied by some of the strongest winds that only the British seaside-goer knows.

We collected pebbles and oyster shells and, somewhat oddly, spotted a parsnip. What was even odder was when we saw a friend's photo of her day at the beach - different beach, same day - and she had photographed one, too! How extraordinary is that? I am now wondering if there is some poor English person abroad looking for their longed-for parsnip and not finding it...

I stood for a while watching a host of sandmartins fighting the wind - it is one of the few times I have been able to recognise them by markings rather than just their speed. Sometimes they were flying backwards very quickly and other times they were staying in one place with all their might - amazing to watch. I quite lost track of time gazing at birds, cliffs and blue skies...

Happy day.

Five smiles for a blustery day:

1. Pebbles in their rainbow of colours
2. Sandmartins determinedly flying into the wind
3. The scrunch of the beach underfoot
4. Flying kites
5. Parsnips in odd places

Cheery smiles, D x

Glorious children

Now, I might have said this before - my children are wonderful.

Take today, the Boy did his homework without too much complaining, greatly aided by the liberal application of sweets as rewards and then proceeded to be a young gentleman of the first order. The Girl got herself up and made me a cup of tea - an act of superstardom in our home - before getting herself breakfast and not disturbing the Boy and myself as we wrestled with English and Maths revision. The most amazing thing about this is that it was all completed before 10 in the morning! Colour me amazed and grateful...

This was then topped off by an enjoyable day in town with my two as we tackled the shoe and equipment lists before going back to school after the Easter break. A task to strike fear into the stoutest of parents' hearts... The Boy opened doors for myself and the Girl; the Girl was patience personified in the shoe shop when they had only one pair in her size. Such a marvellous day in the company of two wonderful young people of whom I am extremely proud.

Five super duper smiley things for today:

1. My amazing children
2. Lovely ladies and gentlemen in different shops who went above and beyond the call of duty to help my gorgeous children
3. New stationery for school
4. New shoes!
5. My wonderful husband

Cheery smiles, D x

Blue skies...

As much as I love all types of weather, there is something so uplifting about a blue sky. My heart has been lighter throughout the day simply because of the colour above me - wonderful!

The Boy and the Girl came home from a sleepover at the Venerables and have filled the house with noise once again - I would say 'sound' but really... It is marvellous to have them back in the fold.

His Lordship has picked up his new spectacles - despite the silly lady not believing that he was a Lord, harumph! The Girl accompanied him and described her as 'rude', damning indeed. The Boy and Cat were reunited to both their delights and snuggled down with The Phoenix. If you have not heard of this, you are missing out - it is the highlight of the week for the Boy and Fridays would not be the same without it. It is a weekly comic which he has delivered and we all enjoy it - tell you what, I'll pop a link at the bottom of the page...

Okay, smiles for today:

1. Sunshine
2. Blue skies
3. Having family pop round
4. The Venerables
5. The Phoenix Comic http://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk/

Have a wonderful weekend full of joy and smiles!

D x

The white stuff

I have a confession to make to you all... I love the snow. Even the unseasonal, freeze-your-socks-off stuff. I love it.

I am starting to understand that this makes me just a tad unusual as most of my friends, family and acquaintances would rather not be surrounded by the white stuff for more time than is necessary. I have a strong feeling that this is because I do not have to go and work in it; I am assured of this by His Lairdship whose feelings on the white stuff are more mainstream. I really enjoy watching the flakes as they float and skitter through the air and gently land on the ground before fading into the earth. It is a form of meditation and relaxation for me, a moment to let my mind free-wheel...

The Marvellous Mrs M and I are at the start of a new venture - we hope it is going to be fabulous for us and the village. Mind you, anything which Mrs M creates is usually of the highest quality and style!

Right, five smiles for today:

1. It snowed again
2. Lunch with friends
3. Planning lessons - I know, not the norm
4. Silence
5. Watching the birds on our feeder

Have a marvellous day whatever the weather,

Cheery smiles, D x

It's been a while...

Life has been full of surprise and joy at our house... so here is a quick update and I really truly promise to put something on here every few days xxx

Five smiley smiles for a glorious sunny day:

1. His Lordship now lives here all the time
2. I have finally finished my advent scarf from 1st December last year - it is veeeeeeery long
3. The Girl is learning to play the flute
4. The Boy wants to be a blacksmith and farrier
5. I have work after half-term for a whole term...

Happy days!

D xx

Autumn days

Waking up on sunny mornings in September is one of my favourite things... As the low, bright sun flares through the trees and you can smell the crispness of the air, I feel truly awake. The clarity of the light is amazing and it is at moments like this that I really wish that I could draw or paint what it is that I am seeing! 

This is also one of my favourite times of year because it is a time of new beginnings. The Girl has gone up to her new school and seems to be enjoying it. She is making friends, learning new things and joining in with new activities. The Boy is much more settled this year - I do believe that he missed having his sister with him last year! He, too, is trying new things and seems to be growing up almost before my eyes. I noticed the other day that he has become a bit of a 'gangling youth' with limbs that seem to long for his body - looks like a growth spurt is about to hit... Ah well, back to the shops for more clothes it is!  My goodness, I cannot believe how quickly they grow, to me he is still a babe in arms...

Five autumnal smiles for you today:

1. The colours of the leaves
2. The nip in the air
3. Cold tips of noses
4. Kicking leaves as you walk through the woods
5. A shaft of light through bare trees

Cheery smiles, D x

Mixed blessings

As I write this, the sun is shining through the window and all looks well with the world. My family and I have spent a lovely weekend with friends at the seaside and at home. We are blessed...

But whilst this goes on, I am aware of feeling guilty for enjoying the simple things as one of my friends would give anything to enjoy those again. This weekend his son was killed in a road accident, bad enough to begin with, but then to discover that the person who caused this wrenching of life from the universe did not stop... It is beyond belief and my heart goes out to my friends and their family and all who knew Timmy. He was a good man who worked hard, loved all and laughed - his sunny spirit is the one thing that all of the comments have said will be remembered. What a legacy this 27-year-old is leaving - to love and be loved is one of the greatest things in this life.

My heart goes out to the family left behind...

D x

http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/latest-news/hit-and-run-update-family-s-heart-rending-tribute-and-plea-1-4268356

Birthdays

It is the younger Venerable's birthday today - and we have spent a few lovely hours together. We have chatted and laughed and put the world to rights - all over coffee and cake!

The Younger Venerable is one of my heroes. She has managed to be light and love to so many people throughout her lifetime without seeming to try too hard, just being her caring self in everything that she does.

Happy Birthday, YV!

The Boy and the Girl are starting to feel more settled in their school routine, I do believe that they quite missed each other in their separate schools last year! They chat in the morning on the way to the bus stop and I hear them giggling, or disagreeing, on the way home long before I can see them from the window - happy days...

His Lairdship is working as hard as ever and hoping for a transfer in the very near future; in fact we are all hoping for that as soon as possible. I do miss him during the week - and not just for babysitting! It is the simple companionship of an evening, having someone to share a laugh with and to cuddle up next to on the sofa...

Five smiles for the day:

1. Sharing birthday smiles
2. Home-made lemon curd
3. Cats cuddling up next to you
4. Enjoying the last days of the summer
5. Dinner with friends

Cheery smiles, D x

Being...

Sunshine is one of my many favourite types of weather - it lifts my soul to the blue skies and I sing as I do my chores around the house and garden. I like to sit outside when I am all alone and just gaze at the trees as I have a lovely fresh coffee, quite often accompanied by a biscuit...

We went to the vintage day at the local water mill with the Venerables on Sunday - it was Senior Venerable's birthday - and we thought it would be a good thing to do. It was more than good, it was amazing... We strolled in the sunshine as the music from the folk group floated in the air. We watched the spinning, the smithying and the green oak worked. We ate scones and chatted to craftspeople who really knew their stuff and were more than happy to share that love with everyone who asked. We learnt about the mill and the process, we saw the flour baked into loaves and got to sample them. We even watched the morris-dancing, albeit briefly. We learnt about making coracles and the Girl was taken for a ride in one on the millpond. The Boy had a close up view of the workings of the steam engine, where no one else was allowed.

We came home weary but fulfilled with our hearts and minds buzzing about the beauty of the simpler things in life - strolling and talking, birds and insects, music and laughter. 

Such things as these make life wonderful...

Five sunny smiles for all of us:

1. Family time and ties
2. Outdoor music
3. Hand-crafted things
4. Birthdays - no matter which number
5. Scones piled high with jam and cream

Cheery smiles, D x

A sunny Saturday

Just a quickie on this lovely sunny day...

Five smiles for you:

1. Sunglasses
2. Unexpected invitations that you are free to take up
3. Friends popping round
4. Home-cooked meal with extra veggies
5. A red, red sky at night

Cheery smiles, D x

Last day of summer

Well, the six weeks of precious time with my family is coming to an end - and for once, I am very sad. The Boy and the Girl have become such wonderful people in this past year, I am bursting with pride whenever I think of the gorgeous beings that they are now.

The Girl is off to a new school tomorrow and is looking forward to it already. Her clothes are ready and she is planning to lay them out tonight so that she looks her absolute best in the morning. Her big brother is already at the school and I am not sure how he feels about it! He is certainly eager to see his friends again - we seem to have been away when they are home and vice versa. I have a feeling that mornings are about to become very interesting indeed - at least we have enough bathrooms to stop most of the arguments!

Being a supply teacher I am back to work too, at some time in the near future. One of the things I love about my job is the spontaneity of it - I never know what I am doing from one day to the next but that's fine by me.

His Lairdship has managed to spend more than two full weeks of the holidays with us and it has been a real joy. Our family feels complete when he is here, as is only right.

Five smiles for today:

1. Back to school haircuts
2. Early nights...
3. ... and relaxing baths
4. New exercise books - oh the smell...
5. Sharp pencils and clean pencil cases

Technically this may be six but I just could not resist!

Cheery smiles, D x

Testing, testing, one, two three...

Oh I have sooo much to share with you - and it is all good!

As you can imagine, the last few months have been extremely hectic and I shall share that with you bit by bit - you don't need to be overwhelmed by someone else's life, your own can be busy enough!

These last six weeks have been the summer holidays for our children - and The Boy and The Girl have had a whale of a time! We started with a week in Northumberland and had so much fun... The rugged bareness of the landscape is so very different from that down here in sunny Suffolk. Where we have gentle rolling hills reminiscent of the once flooded landscape, Northumberland has a landscape which has forced its way out of the waters and then continued onward and upward towards the birds wheeling in the sky...

We flew on brooms at Alnwick and played with jesters, we got lost in the Labyrinth at Cragside and claimed the hill at Hadrian's Wall - a real, proper family holiday. I love it up there and was so happy to spend time with my Look-a-like S and the marvellous Long-suffering G! We all just needed to relax and reconnect with ourselves and our family - we succeeded... We played together, ate together and laughed together - such happy memories were forged in the old chapel.

One of the most amazing things was the opportunity to meet Nell, the blind and deaf dog. The fact that she can hear from just one ear and see nothing and next to nothing from her eyes does not change the fact that she is the most gentle and caring dog I have ever met... Awe-inspiring!

Okay, my five smiles for you:

1. Family holidays come rain or shine
2. Sharing laughter with friends
3. Walking on history
4. Birds in the sky
5. Delicious new recipes for cake

Cheery smiles and love to you all, D x

Oh good grief!

to quote Charlie Brown... When life suddenly feels very hectic without you actually doing any more in life, without adding anything, why is it that the things you really enjoy are the first to be pushed to the outskirts? I've thought about this as I have raced from vet's to doctor's to optician's to school recently and have come to an important decision. It may not be life-changing but it is life-affirming... It is perfectly alright to take some 'me time' when you are feeling this pushed - in fact, it is vital, how else will you cope with everything that life throws at you?

So this is what I now intend to do - take time for myself when I feel at my busiest. And also get a good night's sleep, although I must confess that I am not so good at that and then I wonder why I feel tired the next day...

So, in the interest of my (vague) sanity, here are five smiles for today:

1. Celebrations of all things in life - great or small
2. Hugs 
3. Amazing friendships
4. The smell of dry earth after rain
5. Finishing works in progress

Cheery smiles, D x

I'm back...

I apologise most sincerely for the delay in writing - it has been one of those busy wonderful times in our household.

Here is a large list of things that have made me smile in the last couple of weeks:

1. Sunshine
2. My cats enjoying the sunshine
3. More importantly, my children outside playing
4. Working in the sunshine in the garden
5. Planting our new rose in the front of the house
6. Finishing things that I have been making
7. Spending time with my parents
8. The Venerable Lady buying yellow shoes
9. Swimming in the rain
10. Daisies in the garden
11. Foraging walks with the Marvellous Mrs M
12. Clearing out
13. Making little smiles for other people
14. Being pestered for more smiles - you know who you are! Thank you xxx
15. Smiling at people in the street
16. People smiling back...
17. Wonderful wool shops
18. Beautiful jumbly haberdasheries
19. Midweek meals with the Friends Over the Road
20. Baking
21. Having a wonderful family and friends

Some of these things are ones that I take for granted, but each and every one of them is, in some way, a smiling miracle. 

Cheery smiles, D x

Yes, I know...

It has been ages but finally I seem to have scrounged some time and energy from somewhere to write a little something here...

Since my last missive, when it was parties galore, I have been busy working - I was surprised, too! I have been helping out at the primary school with some French for the year 4s, the Girl is in that year and so I am more than happy to try to give an extra boost before it's off to middle school. The Girl will be in the last intake to the middle schools in our area, quite sad really. It means she will now be one of the youngest in her school for the next three years...

The Knitting Club is going well, out of the eleven members about eight are now quite confident knitters and the others are catching up fast - don't tell anyone, but I'm really enjoying it. And I've got to get a piece of work finished for the Jubilee celebrations in our village - the Women's Institute is having a stall/display so I shall put something out for them. This could be the push I've been needing to finish the blanket that I'm crocheting - finally! The bunting that our WI made was spectacularly long, there is a huge amount of talent in that group, and some people try to keep it very well hidden...

My private students have now finished their work with me for their French GCSE - it's always fabulous to see how far people progress and how confident they become just when they need to. It's one of the things that I love about teaching, the little successes that make a student smile from within.

Since I took the leap of leaving my previous job at the beginning of the year I have done a great deal of soul-searching - writing these pages really helps me, too - and am starting to realise that the things that make me happy are not those that I would previously have considered. I have less money but more time, I travel less in the car but more in my soul, I have time to notice all of the little things rather than trying to race from one thing to the next without really enjoying anything.

I am happy.

Five smiles from my corner of the world:

1. The bird box being used for the first time ever
2. So much sunshine
3. Silent moments
4. Celebrating with friends
5. Granny's bonnets in my garden

Cheery smiles, D x

Busy, busy bee...

Okay, we have partied and partied and partied and partied this week...

First with friends - fabulously feasting with the Marvellous Ms. Our occasional get-togethers of curries from barely warm to blow your head off and all through the spectrum. His Lairdship and Mrs M are of the milder variety, along with the children. Mr M and I, however, are at the hotter end of things, the one which warms the cockles of your soul and blasts them out of your socks! Fortunately, the others allow for us - we are given our own end of the dining table with extra water and fire extinguishers. Ooh, isn't it fabulous when someone else cooks for you? Even better when they wash up, too!

Then it was the Girl's birthday party which involved a trip to Norwich, five other Girls and the reluctant Boy. It was fantastic - Build-a-Bear parties are perfect, you just turn up and then the staff make the whole experience as much fun as seven young children could possibly need. And to top it all, everyone takes home a bear of their own - aaahhh... It was really one of the best parties we have ever done, especially as our Extended Clan were so well-behaved in a popular pizza restaurant afterwards that a large percentage was deducted from the bill for us. His Lairdship and I nearly burst with pride.

The next day it was thirteen years since His Lairdship and I tied the knot, and what happy years they have been, too. We celebrated by going out to lunch and then home for pudding, really we were too full even to think of pudding, and, besides, I do make excellent coffee...

And the rest of the week has been a blur of work and appointments and life in general, all good!

Five smiley smiles:

1. Reading
2. Being with the Clan, extended or otherwise
3. Parties :o)
4. The nodding of pansies
5. Chatting over the fence

Cheery smiles, D x

May? Already?

Where has this year gone? I know that it has been very full and busy - but really, May? This is a lovely month in our clan as it is the Girl's birthday and mine and His Lairdship's wedding anniversary the next day. And, in most years, this is the turning point of the year when exciting things happen with light and gardens. I'm not quite sure that this is happening this year, what with the wettest drought on record here in the UK!

This year is our 13th wedding anniversary - the traditional gift for this is lace. How pretty... How lovely... How can I buy something for a 6'3" tall long-haired and bearded biker that is lace? Any ideas will truly be appreciated... I have been racking my brains for ages and have come up with some ideas for decorating fairly butch things with lace, I just can't see it somehow! Hopefully inspiration will strike in time...

Five cheery smiles for you:

1. Friends popping in for a cuppa and staying to supper
2. Unexpected compliments
3. Birthday plans
4. The Venerables
5. A dry-ish day!

Cheery smiles, D x

And it rained...

... and it rained and it rained. In amongst the tempest between the flashes of lightning and the rolls of thunder there was a moment's respite. And in that moment there was the most beautiful rainbow, a double one, right across the sky. It is a sight that never fails to gladden my heart.

It amazes me that in the middle of horrible times there is always a little ray of light. For me, in this awful week, it has been to see how much the people I used to work with have pulled together. Friends have all been there for each other with love, support and understanding. Throughout the week they have carried on working so hard and so professionally to bring lives into the world and help to create miracles every day for other people. Midwives are truly amazing people and deserve so much respect from each and every one of us.

Five smiles:

1. Rainbows
2. Midwives everywhere
3. New life
4. Hugs
5. Stillness

Cheery smiles, D x

Hannah the Beautiful

Hannah was a bundle of love and laughter wrapped in a dazzling smile. She was gentle, intelligent and funny - very funny, indeed. When I first met her she was a student midwife just entering her final year of training and yet I felt as though I had known her much longer. She came to the ward and learnt from everyone and taught us all, too - she had a harsh word for no one and a kind hug for everyone. She was a very special person.

As she grew in her skills and confidence and came through her graduation, it was clear to everyone that she shone in her love of her job. Nothing was too much trouble and she was always the first to lend a hand. Once graduated, she lost none of her gentleness and respect for life, if anything it seemed to grow. She was a wonderful young lady full of vibrant life and love.

Today her colleagues and I found out that the shining star had been turned out. She shall be missed so much by all of us who knew her, she will always be Hannah the Beautiful in spirit as she was in person.

May you rest in peace, Hannah, it was an honour to have known you and shared your light xxx

And breathe...

Well, I did it. I went back into the classroom and I loved it. Mr Mentor controls the supply teaching at the school I went to in a dim and distant past. He knows what I'm good at and gave me classes in my own subjects - French and German - hurrah! And the students were fabulous, I'm not saying that they always will be but for the last week they were - I'll take that.

This Friday was 'The Big Sleepover'; the Girl and the Boy had a friend to stay for the night to avoid any of the issues that arise with just the one child having someone to play with. The Girls, as they shall be known, were very good and spent most of the evening tickling His Lairdship or tucked away in their bedroom dancing and goodness knows what else! The Boys were also very good and hid away from civilisation in the bedroom playing with lego and other things that ten year old boys do... So far so good. Supper was pizza and garlic bread, not home-made as I had a long day at work, which disappeared within minutes. More playing ensued, marvellous.

Then came Bedtime. The Girls are younger and were off to sleep before 9.30pm - excellent. The Boys... oh the Boys... Suffice to say that His Lairdship and I were tucked up in bed and sleeping before they settled down at, they think, about 1.30am. And then the Girls woke everyone up for breakfast at 8.00am.

How we were all so cheerful I have no idea - but it worked!

Five cheery smiles for you:

1. It is sunny again
2. My friend running in and finishing the London Marathon
3. Sleepovers for the Clan
4. Children being children
5. Inferno pizza...

Cheery smiles, D x