A quick catch up aka where did the time go?

Good afternoon

Ok who is making this year whizz by so quickly? How can it be July already?

Here's a mosaic for June - very hard to pick just 6 pictures for the month;

A birthday with a theme song - and of course the answer was yes ;) An anniversary worth celebrating - 45 years! A rare snap of me and my boys, the first batch of home grown raspberries, many meals in the sunshine and me and my Morris man.

On to July - 3 big events all running back to back - Big Son's leavers dinner, Little Son's leavers Prom and a big Morris event up on the north Norfolk coast;

 Big Son - all 18 1/2 years of him

 With his gorgeous girlfriend

 Little Son - ok so not so little anymore

With his girlfriend - they travelled with 6 friends in a very smart stretch Lincoln limo.

Both of them had a fab time with their friends - celebrating ends of eras and beginnings of new chapters.

3 pics from a fab if wet weekend away dancing - 2 taken by someone else and one snapped by me;

Someone got confused - he heard the phrase 'dancing' and thought it was a pole-dancing event ;)

Camping gear has been sorted, washed and dried and is sitting on the front room floor awaiting another trip soon - folk festival time - here's hoping its a bit drier - still haven't got any wellies!

See you soon 

xxx Vicki xxx

Summertime fun

Good morning

Another sunny start here - with an increase in the pollen count too - which means I am sneezing like Mr Sneezy from the Mr Men series but hey ho.

Its been a lovely and busy past week here at No6. I have to keep a written note of who is doing what/when/where. The best thing - big son finished his exams and whilst he still is slightly 'shell-shocked' from the whole finishing thing, his big smile has appeared and the stressed look from the past few weeks has gone.

We decided to celebrate the end of exams for both boys at once and properly. It involved takeaway pizza, their favourite beer/cider, a huge water fight with water bombs& super soakers and this monster paddling pool;

 Doesn't look too huge in this picture but here's how it looked when we blew it up and propped it up overnight in the dining room;

It's large enough for those two giant boys of mine to lounge around in/throw each other and me into as well.

Here's big son on his first day of school 13 1/2 years ago;

 Apart from one leavers BBQ today at lunchtime, that's the end of school till results day in mid-August.

This past weekend of course was the summer solstice/midsummer. Our Morris side headed a few miles inland to the village where we practise and to their Midsummer Folk Festival. The weather was perfect for dancing and camping. I've topped my tan up nicely.

As I was getting the camping stuff and kit sorted for the weekend I snapped this pic of our morris kit;

 

Oh yes, I've tweaked my kit again and added a corset top - surprisingly comfy to dance in.

Here's me and my man together yesterday;

One last photo for today - a snap from the garden of one of my favourite things about summer - the geraniums coming into flower;

Right I'd best go and wake little son - he seems to think he might sleep till school for him restarts in September - sadly I have other ideas!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

A handful of good stuff

Good evening

Its that age old problem again - lots to write about but not enough spare time to sit down and do it.

Part of the busy bit comes to an end tomorrow - Big Sons final exam. We've something planned for tomorrow night which involves water, cider and lots of fun - must remember to take a photo or two!!

Here's just a few good bits from the last week;

Picking the first raspberries from the garden.

 

 Opening the curtains to find its another sunny day.

 A leisurely weekend breakfast - just me - the boys were still asleep.

 Warm, sunny evenings - perfect for another BBQ.

A very rare photo - me and the boys together - at a get-together with my family.

 

I promise to be back soon with photos from tomorrow promised celebrations and also from a weekend of folk music and Morris dancing which I'm taking part in.

BTW did I mention - last exam tomorrow! I'm almost excited as Big Son is!! 

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

3 @ No6 - settling in rather well.

Afternoon

Well nothing for ages and then 2 posts in 2 days and photos taken for another!! Blimey not quite sure whats happened - perhaps its the sunshine?

We've been very lucky here in Suffolk and its been a mostly lovely this weekend. I've spent time with some of my family - sitting in the sunshine yesterday at one sisters and today I've been to the big local boot sale with another. Have some purchases to show you another day.

Thanks for the welcome back. I thought I'd show you how well we've settled into our new home - been here 9 months now and it feels forever. All the big expensive jobs have been done and there is decorating which needs doing which should start to happen once exams are over and teenagers are about to help with the heavy lifting and high up bits!!

Have spent the last few weekends trying to get on top of the gardening - apart from a quick lawn cut nothing really happened when we moved in and there have been 9 months of weeds to clear - slowly getting there and now the fun bit of adding colour can happen.

 The patio got jet washed and we have been eating out here lots. The hammock is permanently outside so power naps can happen when it all gets too much!

 I forgot to take a picture when the apple tree was in blossom - trust me - it was gorgeous. See the bottom of the garden? Those are raspberries - going to be a bumper crop if we beat the birds!!

 A car boot sale purchase this morning - Norbert the Gnome - I love these little fellas - he's the first of many I hope for this garden.

Tomatoes growing in a sunny sheltered corner.

 Even the boring fence panels have started to get prettied up - strings of bunting to brighten the view from the kitchen window.

Now inside - I took these pics this morning and then spent this afternoon, tweaking things, moving things about and hanging more things on the walls! I am getting a dab hand with a hammer - tempted to buy a drill soon and learn how to use that!!

 The dining room is a sunny spot - I spent hours in here the other day getting reacquainted with my sewing machine. I bought muslin months ago to make new 'nets' for the front room - finally I hemmed it and they are up. More muslin to get tomorrow as my bedroom needs new 'nets' too. I've ordered some gorgeous red velvet curtains so when all is done I can show that space off to you.

 Still my favourite room - the front room. One sofa died and a second armchair was acquired - now both boys are happy and have man-chairs - complete with crocheted and handmade cushions and quilts!! This is one room which needs painting - we had to replace the radiator in January and the new  one doesn't cover the old space.

 My spot - complete with reading pile, project bags and my ipad.

 The ever growing photo wall - still space left and I've loads more pictures to get printed and framed.

 For once the fireplace is almost tidy!

The fireplace in the kitchen got shelved out and its proved most useful - I can fit so much stuff on there - must just paint the wall behind it one day!!

See that flowery thing to the side? Well its going to get used now - the ironing mountain is rather huge and I want to wear some of it this week!!!

See you soon with some pretty car boot bargains to share and (hopefully) pictures of a rather lovely WIP new skill I am learning!!

xxx Vicki xxx

Hello again

Good morning

Well that didn't last long - nearly 3 months away from blogland and a little look to see whats been happening and reading a few favourite blogs again and here I am - resizing photos and trying to condense the past 3 months into one managable post!!

Things have been busy here at No6 - both boys have been working hard towards exams - Big Son is doing A Levels with a view towards leaving home and going to Uni in September and Little Son is almost through his GCSEs and is planning on going to 6th form in September. Both are also preparing for end of school Proms - can't wait to see both my boys all smartened up and ready to party with their friends and girlfriends.

Anyhow - where did we leave off? Oh beginning of March - here's what happened afterwards;

I had a birthday and was thoroughly spoilt - flowers, balloons, cake and 2 nights out with friends. Little baby nephew turned one and we had a big family party to celebrate. Then it was Mothers Day and my lovely boys spoilt me again.

April - a belated birthday celebration with someone special. A Morris dance out at Snape Maltings. Easter with loads of chocolate. My cute nephew with a cuddly orange I'd just bought him.

May sees that start of the proper Morris dancing season. We headed as a side down to Rochester in Kent for the first bank holiday weekend. We had a massive camp area with about 7 caravans and 10 tents. We danced all day on the Saturday and half the Sunday. One of the things I am now getting use to is having my pic taken by random people and I love hunting them out on Flickr at a later date. Here are just a few pics from the weekend - some taken by friends and others by random strangers!!

 Me and some of the other girls in the side

 Me again 

 and again

 Just one more!!

Once the dancing for us was done on the Sunday we headed to one of the pubs to a gig by a band we are good friends with and despite us all being tired most of us danced the whole gig!!

The following weekend I watched the Ladies Tour of Britain come through Suffolk - what a difference a week made - it was wet and a bit chilly but those girls didn't seem to notice as they whizzed by.

Last weekend was actually spent at home! Time to make an assault on my garden - weeds to clear, grass to cut and tubs to plant. Once it was all done - time to build the hammock and spent a little time studying the inside of my eyelids!! 

Right I think that's enough for today. Time to get sorted, hang washing out and then head to see one of my sisters and my little niece and nephew. I saw cute pictures yesterday of someone who is coming to live with them in a few weeks time and I need to hear all about it!!

See you soon 

xxx Vicki xxx

Goodbye 2013

Hello

One last post of 2013 and then its gone - goodbye.

Its been one heck of a year - a serious roller coaster ride - some highs and some lows. Looking back at it all now - wow what a year - a dodgy soap script perhaps? All in all its been ok - lovely new house, a gorgeous new nephew, new hobby, new friends, amazing old ones who've really stuck by me and helped more than they'll ever know, that long hot summer, lots of camping, dancing, live music and spending time with my two wonderful boys who have grown up so much this year. In just a few days time - Little Son turns 16 and then 3 weeks later that Big Son of mine will be officially an adult - 18!!

I've taken quite a few photos this past year and I put them neatly into monthly folders on my pc - here's a mosaic of a favourite from each month - there's a strong theme running through I think!!

January - Snow and lots of it

February - Live music - Bellowhead in concert

March - Red Nose Day

April - My first Morris dance out - I was so scared!

May - First Morris festival - no nerves :)

June - Big Son and Little Nephew

July - Me - recovering from surgery in the sun

August - More live music - Jon Boden at Folkeast

September - My boys in Cambridge visiting my little brother

October - Last dance out of the year

November - Doctor Who's 50th celebrations at No6

December - Us 3 on Christmas Day in our Christmas jumpers

I think 3 things that sum up my life rather well - family, music and dancing.

Talking of family - we sort of managed it - 6 cousins in one phone - not all looking the same way and some pulling lovely silly faces as only small boys can;

Here's to much more of that in 2014 - lots is already planned - concerts, festivals, more dancing and family fun and I know I'll be sharing plenty of photos with you.

Thanks all for visiting, commenting and emailing in 2013 - its meant such a lot to me.

See you in 2014 

xxx Vicki xxx

Almost the end

Good morning

Only just - I managed to sleep in till 10.30 this morning! We're due out at 12 and there's a mad panic going on for breakfast and showers - I'll leave the boys to go first and I'll have a hurried shower once they are finished - oh the joys of being a Mum!!

How was your Christmas? Ours was lovely - time spent with family and friends and the day itself spent happily as a 3 :)

All 3 of us in our Christmas jumpers - it was very hard to get all of in the same photo - it was a selfie style and even with big sons Mr Tickle arms it proved quite a challenge.

We'd been organised and prepared all the lunch the day before - all that needed doing on the day was getting it cooked and everything finished at the same time. Whilst it was cooking, little son took on the task of setting the table - we'd decided that we'd all have our favourite beers/ciders with our meal so he hunted down all the tankards too;

The dining room faces south so it was lovely seeing the sunshine whilst we ate our lunch :)

In the crackers were wind up reindeer's and Santa's - after we'd eaten we raced those for ages - those on my FB or IG feed will have seen the video clip.

The rest of the day was spent doing what we wanted - reading, playing new games, listening to new music or just sitting together watching the Christmas Doctor Who - we are all going to miss Matt Smith - not sure if I will take to this new Doctor.

Boxing Day morning, I was lying in bed thinking about getting up when a text came through from my Mum - did I want to go to Aldeburgh? Yep - so quickly, up and showered and off we went. Firstly to watch the crazy people taking part in a sponsored Boxing Day swim in the north sea;

and afterwards a quick walk around the town a visit to a couple of shops to their sales - it means I can part with a few more bits that no longer fit me to the charity shop - see everyone wins ;)

Right I'd best be off - another day - another get together - today's challenge - getting 6 cousins ranging from Big Son who is almost 18 and Little Nephew who is 9 months old  into the same photo and looking at the camera!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas

Good afternoon

Just a few spare minutes to myself so time for one final look at blogland for 2013.

Those that read regularly will know 2013 has been one heck of a roller coaster ride here in the VV household - however on balance despite life seeming like a dodgy soap script at times it hasn't been all bad. There's been a new hobby, new friends, a fantastic new house, a gorgeous squishy new nephew, plenty of fun, that long hot summer, lots of camping, loads of live music and best of all, those wonderful boys of mine have grown up so much are just the best a Mum could ask for.

Here's just a few pics from the last few weeks;

The mantalpiece is becoming more cluttered with Christmas stuff - just how I love it :)

Cards from both boys of course but this one from Big Son made me laugh loudly - I think it rather sums up my new life rather well!!

I finished this stocking for my new nephew rather quickly - had completely forgotten I'd made them for the others when they were small - I expect come Christmas morning it will be full of parcels for his first Christmas.

Christmas jumper wearing - we've all got them - just need to get a photo of the 3 of us together.

 Little Son off to play in his bands Christmas concert - I went with a friend and we had a good evening singing along :)

Big Son off to the 6th forms charity dress up day - they raised over £500 in local towns for 2 charities.

Straining this years Sloe Gin - such an awful task ;)

Sampling time - with a shop bought mince pie - I know shocking!! I will get some made it just life is all rather hectic at the moment. Looking forward to closing the door on Christmas Eve after the carol service and sitting down with another glass of sloe gin.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx