Word Of The Week

Week 8: 15th February – 21st February 2015

My Word of the Week this week is Baby, well technically 2 words Baby Shower as I had Baby the week before last.

I’ve spent the week preparing for my friend L’s Baby Shower.

Little t; her & her partners baby boy is due at the end of March.

The Baby Shower had a Library theme.
Silly me in my haste forgot to take pictures of all the little bits & bobs I made and the overall day. I do however have a couple.

The invites were done in the style of a book. The Topsy series being a favourite of L’s when she was little.
The details were on a library borrowing card on the cover page, followed by a brief ‘Once Upon A Time’.. Story asking guests to bring books not cards as gifts. Then hand sewn together to bind.

I made name tags that represented library membership cards.

We had a light lunch, followed by cookies and treats made by my friends partner and an ombré cake made by Mr S of all people! The cake topper was little book bunting.

The entertainment was based around a quiz done in teams. The quiz had different parts to it relating to babies and books/nursery rhymes, animals & their young etc.

The decorations had been inspired by Pinterest. I had purchased several children books to display around, I made pompom sheep, laminated The Hungry Caterpillar pictures, purchased mini ducks, as well as making book bunting.
Little t’s Paternal Grandmother brought some helium balloons and a Sash for L.

To end the day we all sat and enjoyed the parents to be open their gifts and as it was time to leave I had made little book worm favours from Marks & Spencer’s Colin The Caterpillars and Make a Wish Bracelets.

All in all I think everyone had an enjoyable day. Now I can’t wait to meet Little t.

Sx

Word Of The Week

Week 7: 8th February – 14th February 2015

My word of the week this week is Allotment.

Hundred Acre Farm is expanding to plot 11a as of Friday 13th February 2015.

I’ve wanted an Allotment for a while and enquired when we first moved in but heard nothing back and with this and that I thought it best not to follow it up.

But late last year; as we decided we wouldn’t be moving just yet, the thought popped into my head again.

Of late, with our main meals for £20 a week, we have been eating lots of vegetables so my rusty brain cogs started turning and I contacted the local allotment group again this time I had mild success in that they replied and put me on the 2 year waiting list.
I promptly forgot all about it.

Then out of the blue this week the chair of the allotment committee rings and announces there are a few plots up for rent would I still be interested.
We set up a meeting to view plots the very next day (I put the phone down and got very over excited; dreaming, planning and anticipating).

I had a couple of little niggles though
A) I had to be realistic in what we could managed; Mr S works long hours, we have very busy weekends as it is and my energy levels & body are not always compliant.
And
B) Money !!! I started to tot up all the bits we would possibly want and then narrowed it down to need. I had a good evening looking on Free Cycle and Gumtree. This is not a scheduled expense at the moment in keeping with plans, so I have not got lots of money to spend.

Sleeping on things I began to worry.

Never or less I meet the chairman after lunch the next day and had a pleasant chat as he showed me around.

Lots of plots had recently been vacated; 6 full plots & 1 half plot.
(These are not national size plots- yes there is a ‘standard plot’ measurement I am learning lots already)
The local plots are half plots & quarter plots on the national standard.

Once I had seen the sizes I opted for a full size as I think we would soon out grow a half plot.

There were lots of lovely plots with good and bad points but as soon as I saw our plot I knew it was for us.

The previous plot holders had obviously cared for this plot and invested time and money – on top of this they had kindly left numerous fruit canes & bushes along with a shed, bench etc and a few tools.

My previous nights worries started to fade.

I think I shocked the chairman as I was quick in making my choice and within 10 minutes had signed the papers & paid in full £30 for the year. He was a little taken aback I acted so quickly but I was sure this was our plot and felt so lucky given the circumstances the previous people had helped by leaving so much.

So let me give you a brief tour of Plot 11a HAF Lottie.

We have a Bench, Water Butt (the bin) and Compost heap at the back of the plot. Also left were lots of handy pots and pieces of wood.

Our shed and a fab little fire pit.
(We moved the bench and placed it on paving slabs to stop the feet rotting and placed the fire pit of slabs too)

Our Strawberry beds and at the back is a Rhubarb crown.

Inside out shed, they left us tools and a few other handy bits and bobs.

Here we have Raspberry canes, Gooseberry bushes and Redcurrant bushes.
We also inherited 3 small trees which we can only guess at what they are currently Im guessing 2 plum trees and an apple.

And that is The HAF Lottie: Plot 11a.

We mind is now whizzing with plans and Im dying to get on as if we are quick we can catch up before its time to start planting out.

That’s my word of the week: Allotment.
I look forward to sharing the developments with you.

Sx

Word Of The Week

Week 6: 1st February – 7th February 2015

It’s Word of the Week time and this week my word is Baby.

I’ve been mostly concentrating this week on my friends Baby Shower.

I can’t wait !
It’s a surprise – so I can’t reveal all I’ve been up to but I can share the invites as L has now seen these.

The theme for the baby shower is build a library.

So off I went with the computer and made some invites based on a book.

One of Mummy to be, L’s favourite childhood book series was “Topsy & Tim” written by Jean & Gareth Adamson, so when it came to the front cover and I found the series did a book called “The Big Surprise” it was my obvious choice for a front cover.
I change the authors on the front cover to my friend & her partners name.

Next I made little old fashioned library borrowing cards to tuck in the front cover.
I used these as the main invite. Adding the Author as my friend and her partner, the date, time, place etc.

My first page of course had to start with the classic opening line “Once Upon A Time..”

Followed by a little introduction invitation.
It has been requested that guests bring a book rather than a card, which will build a lovely little collection for the baby and memories for years to come.

Finally the back cover has a map and directions. The invites were then sewn to bind them.

I’ve obviously been planning other little bits and bobs based on the library theme which I will share with you after the event.

I look forward to reading about your week.

Sx

Word of the Week

Week 5: 25th – 31st January 2015

My Word of the Week for this week is Mediocre.

Everything has been Mediocre which isn’t a bad thing… It just means I am keeping things under control while I am having a trying time.

It actually is quiet positive as it means that the coping and organisation methods are working. As right now I could be sobbing surrounded by the ominous mountain of life. But I’m not I’m enjoying a cup of tea on the sofa in
a clean, ironed pair of PJs and taking a breather from the intensity.

I am listing all the things that need attention that are niggling at me making me feel uneasy so I can address them one by one. Im trying my hardest to over come the frustration and guilt that is felt with pain & chronic medical issues by acknowledging the foolishness to harbour such thoughts as they manifest and cause a greater impact on my health.

I am putting it down to the winter blues.

How are you all feeling? Are you feeling the winter blues?

Sx

Word of the Week

Week 4: 18th – 24th January 2015

My Word of the Week this week is Anniversary.

Monday saw the Anniversary of Mr S and I meeting and the 6 month Anniversary of us getting married.

We couldn’t have wished for a more Wonderful Wedding Day.

Our ceremony was held in my childhood village Church on the most humid day in the year.

It was a very traditional Wedding with Church Service, Wedding Breakfast and Evening Reception.

I loved my dress and cathedral length veil. Mr S looked super handsome in his tails.

My Grandfather was also super handsome! He means so much to me.

I still haven’t sorted our photographs from the wedding so these are a selection of photos that our Friends & Family took.

My Aunt & Uncle surprised us with a Harpist. I had secretly (or not so secretly it seems) wanted a Harpist but had cut one from the budget with the more and more the cost of the wedding went up. So completely overwhelmingly my Aunt & Uncle arranged a harpist for us as an extra surprise present.

I was attended by my Matron of Honour; My Best Friend of many a year, 2 Older Bridesmaids; my cousins, 4 Younger Bridesmaids & A Flower Girl; 4 Nieces & Our God Daughter.

My Matron of Honour made our fantastic cakes.

We had a 2 Tier Lemon Cake, 5 Tier Fruit Cake & 2 Tier Chocolate Cake.
As Well as cupcakes.

I look forward to sorting the Photographers Photographs and sharing a whole post with you.

For others Words of the Weeks pop over to The Reading Residence .

Sx

Word of the Week

Week 2: 4th-10th January 2015

My Word of the Week this week is Remembrance.

A year ago on the evening of 7th January my Grandmother passed away.

Not a day goes by where I don’t think of her in someway she had such an impact on my, our lives.

Its been a year of wanting her there for so many things and sadness she was not, but at the same time happiness that she made such an impression that she is missed & wanted. I still want to tell her stuff, talk to her and for her to have seen things not only in my life but in others that she loved too.

I’m grateful she was the person she was to make me feel that much love for her.

I remember so much so often and so fondly. I still can’t help shed a tear for her and I’m not sure I ever will stop but they aren’t fully tears of sadness my word of the week a year ago almost was Saudade and my tears are this.

So as the Boden Catalogue came through the door on the 7th, I chuckled and flicked through it knowing she would have once been doing the same texting me about the nice things this new season and I Remembered her once again as I do everyday in someway.

Sx

Word of the Week

Week 1: 1st-4th January 2015.

I am back with Jocelyn over At The Reading Residence Word of the Week, having missed the last few months of 2014.

My Word Of The Week for the first mini week of 2015 is Positive .

At the end of last year as well as not blogging or going out in the big wide world much I took some time to prepare for 2015.

It’s all very well making January the starting point for new ways each year but ‘my life’ is full of learnt habits and to change & re-learn these habits in to more productive ways ready for January I started the preparations back in October.

I had lots of existing ways that work but wanted to build on these and make them stronger.

Our HAF household file is making its way into another successful year, but with the addition of set 4 weekly seasonal rotational menu plans with ingredients list; to make meal planning less fuss when I am ill, shopping much cheaper & easier and takeaways a thing of the past. I think mostly otherwise things have roughly stayed the same – “If it’s not broke why fix it”.

Then I’ve purchased a Personal Size Filofax. Which I am not only using as a daily appointment etc diary, but have scaled down to personal planner size our household manual and have included this in my Filofax so that I have things such as routines, monthly aims, details, menu plans all at hand where ever I am.
I will post about my new addiction at a later date.

For 2015 I am also keeping a diary of new words I have learnt so don’t be surprised if some crop up from time to time for my Word of the Week.
I love Learning & I love Scrabble & I love Books and so much more relating to words. Often I find myself looking up a word or a term and jotting it down. Well this year I am going to keep a diary of these words. A new word learnt every day.
(I hate crosswords though)

I have a daily routine established laid out on a spreadsheet and have done for a long while just to keep me focused and to pace myself making my energy last longer. BUT I often fail to stick to it.
So I started a new plan at the end of October and have been slowly implementing it. I still don’t beat myself up if I don’t do everything on the plan for the day, but I try not to push more than what’s in the plan for a day into the day leaving myself exhausted.
I also now leave days in between doing high energy consuming activities. I know my body and I know how I am going to feel but yet mostly to please others I always try and squeeze stuff in well not anymore. 8 times out of 10, I didn’t end up pleasing others as I would have to cancel as I was feeling rubbish or I would force myself to do something and then end up having to rest for longer. Even for the things I really want to do I am being more realistic about my time, there will be another day in the future.

Mr S has a new job. We had a few changes during October but I think we are now on our set road for the moment.
His new job means we are establishing a new routine there. Although it’s still long hours, the journey is less most days and we will eventually in the long term get to see more of each other as the role develops and settles down.

So despite having the flu ! All is extremely Positive within the HAF household.

Sx

Word Of The Week

12th – 18th October 2014

My word of the week this week is Wanderlust.

Wanderlust:

1. A very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.

2. Strong longing for or impulse toward wandering

… Oh Florence you were wonderful.

I’m longing to travel, I have Wanderlust.
I would love to move somewhere new at the moment … We have discussed this for a while. Mr S wants to live on a canal boat, not sure how we fit 1 dog, 4 cats and 4 (5) rabbits on a canal boat. We have discussed moving abroad. But my true Wanderlust is to move to Scotland.

I also have been pinning lots of travel ideas.
Mr S and I have decided that next year we want to start fulfilling some of our travel dreams. Not necessarily big expensive holidays but enjoying the country around us and camping with our boy.

…our boy

Do you ever get a strong Wanderlust?

Sx

Word Of The Week

5th-11th October 2014

It’s late Sunday night, I’ve been thinking about my word of the week since Friday and this week I’m lost for words.

Lots has been happening family related, animal related, relationship related and life related but I can’t think of a word that summaries it all.

So I think this week my word is Lost.

As a household we are kind of at a Loss this week but we are looking into a new direction and forward so it is just the start of a new fork in the road. Things will be clearer in the next few weeks.

Talking of directions; We have had some fun finding some great geocaches though which is always fun.

Until next week

Sx

Word Of The Week

5th – 11th October 2014

My word of the week this week is Sun.

We have been lucky enough to have had a lovely sunny Autumnal start to October.

Which has allowed Mr S, Buster and I to have some lovely walks while Mr S is taking some time off work.
We been able to establish ourselves Geocaching and are now even thinking of placing our own caches… Watch this space.

Who would have thought after a long sunny blue skied walk on an October Friday we would have been sitting outside at the pub having dinner still at gone 7pm it was so mild.

And when next week it’s due to rain well…

Sx