Easter 2016

I hope you all had a Blessed Easter despite, or because of, the weather!

We were very blessed, spending time with both of our girls et al.

I bought all the eggs in good time, all the chocolate ones at any rate, Little Soldier would have a knitted egg and SILR would have a home baked cake.


There was only one egg that I could buy for PJ .......

.... had to be didn't it!!!!

  
 How he laughed but I had so much pleasure for weeks before...........




I have a Despicable Me fan in the family so .........

First thing on Saturday I baked a cake and managed to get it all cooled down and into the carrier before we left home to make a few errands and visit DDC.  The cake still needed some butter icing to go with the jam through the centre but I had no icing sugar.  When we arrived I added the icing sugar pattern atop the cake..... no photos I'm afraid.
Clever SILR popped round the shop and bought some cream!!!



I started knitting LS egg a week ago but had to take off a few days ...... health is important!!!
I managed to finish knitting Little Soldier's egg on Good Friday .... cutting it fine I know!!  

The instructions suggested coating the egg with hairspray to create the form but I just left it 'soft'.  Love this little toy - Alan Dart is just soooo clever!!
We took the eggs round with us as DDC had invited us for tea ..... with SILR doing the cooking I knew I was in for a treat ..... he did not let us down .... a lamb dinner!!!
I came home with some Easter Mallows!  Never knew these existed!!!  I am saving these for 'that' day when I will sit and enjoy ........

DDN doesn't 'do' chocolate so I cheated a bit and bought a white chocolate cow!!    


This was greatly appreciated as she can make the cowshed from the box and SILA can eat the egg!!!





I received some flowers, from which I made two arrangements so am really happy!!!


A beautiful yellow and purple one and then........


 .....a completely different one, in oranges and gold!

Altogether a great Easter!!

Thank you Lord for all these Blessings, You are mighty.

Who's Maurice?

As many of you know, I am trying to trace my Ancestors.  
I have had an online account for several years, have been contacted by a relation in South Africa who has provided me with lots more information.  Very exciting!
I recently found some letters sent to me some time ago by cousins.  One of my cousins sent me a copy of the family tree and with it enclosed a beautiful letter.  Reading this letter through I discovered some more information, given by 'Maurice'.  
Who is 'Maurice'?
I am intrigued .........



While looking for some images for a swap, I found some postcards that my Mother had saved.  Really old ones ........

My Mother was born in 1905, she was the youngest child with three older brothers, and these cards go waaaayyyy back.

Some were sent in 1916, some were hand delivered.  There are cards from her Mother and Father, brothers, friends and cousins.

Therein lies another mystery or two .....

There's one from cousin Amy and cousin Hilda - very young writing but no date - I don't remember any mention of these cousins.

Some 21st Birthday cards - one from cousin Lily and another from Auntie A (could be G) - there is an address on Auntie A so I will try to sort that one out.



There is also a 21st card from cousin Mabel.
 yeah!!    I remember going to visit cousin Mabel (Auntie to me) when I was very young.  She is listed on my family tree along with her son Eric.

I hope to show off these postcards on Cardius Bloggus where they will be copyrighted to me as these are.



UPDATE:  I have since found out that Maurice is another cousin - on my Father's side of the family.

The Tumble Dryer is dead ... Long live the Tumble Dryer!

A long, long time ago, back in the days of yore .....

Well, many years ago ... we think about 18years ago.... I acquired a tumble dryer.  It wasn't wanted, was sitting in the garage of my daughter's new house, totally unloved so I took pity on it and brought it home. 

It has thanked me by being a humble servant working away, drying my washing load after load. 

 When the door fastener broke, PJ 'fixed' it - well, it worked didn't it? 
Yes! for more years....  

Just before Christmas the heating began to 'play up', sometimes it was hot and sometimes it was cold.  I managed to keep it working until last weekend ..... the day I dreaded arrived.

The Tumble Dryer was dead.


Eventually we chose a new one, a smart white one, Indesit, to match the washing machine.

PJ stripped down the dryer to take it away for scrap, so that there was just a space waiting .....

I had washed two loads of clothes ready for when the dryer arrived.  I wanted to try it out to make sure that it works ok... and it does!!! Both loads are dried and put away ...... in less time than my previous one.  
The only danger I can see is that it is so quiet ....... I will forget it has been switched on!!!

Wonder if this machine will still be working in 20 years time ..... I am not holding my breath .....

The Chickens are getting closer .....

We (PJ)  waited for the better weather and better health to start off again with preparing the Chicken Ranch.
PJ has sunk some of the sleepers into place now, taking his time and only working when he has the next day to rest and recover. 


The lawn looks a tadge sad but we know that the grass will grow again and Mother Nature rarely gives up on the garden.


The soil is well trodden down although it was rotovated after it was all cleared of plants.  

More sleeper 'pieces' were cut and brought home yesterday so the shorter piece is now a 'sort of' step!



One more side to do .... the apple trees side.  This has been left until last, trying to let the trees start into growth so that they will survive the digging round their roots.



The bushes at the top of the garden look neat behind their sleeper but for how long I wouldn't like to guess.  I would imagine that by the end of the summer we will be trimming them back out of the way of the chickens!!!

At least we have an almost clear patio, just the one piece of sleeper brought over yesterday.