Girls have arrived in my son's life!!!

I suppose it had to happen...my 14 year old son is interested in girls. And they are interested in him!!!! I spent so long reassuring him that he was good looking and cute when he was about 9 or 10, and thought no-one whould ever like him, and now he comes in and announces that the ladies think he is SEXY!!! I knew I would never have to worry about Becci as she was able to cope well with her teenage angst ( most of the time, there were worrying years there too), but I never had a brother and don't really know what to expect with a boy!!!! He doesn't want me to tell him anything about sex and relationships ( what do I know anyway?!) and he avoids telling me anything apart from the odd name or two. "I don't need to know anything he is a boy and they keep it to themselves".... apparently! But having read an article in Margriet today, all about young love and SOA's etc, it seems to me that I should worry more than ever before, and that is a worry in itself! So I am going to take the advice offered in the magazine and take him for the odd car-ride where he is a captive audience and tell him ( avoiding eye contact so as not to embarass him apparently...) all I can. And maybe buy 'that book" they recommended from Bol.com!!!!! He won't thank me I'm sure, but maybe it will offer him the advice he is probably looking for, without asking me or his dad, or admitting he wants to know it in the first place!! Boy, am I glad that those teenage years are a long distance - often fond, sometimes hilarious, but mostly great memory. What ever happened to Paul Standon; Gary Steer; Colin Aldred, Simon Butcher, "Peedub", Brian Rumblelow, and all the others.......................................??????

Baby doves

There are two baby doves sitting in this nest which is in our neighbours trees! They were extremely well hidden until William thinned the trees out as they are ones in the garden that are trained into flat circles etc. Mummy dove was very attentive sat on her babies until they were quite large and fluffy. After that she sat on top of the chimney to observe them for afar. In this last week they have moved out of their over-crowded accommodation onto the branches and are making short experimental flights into our garden!! They are lovely plump young birds now and we expect them to fly further away any day now! But it would be lovely to see them sitting in our tree next year, and even making another nest or two with babies of their own, aah!!!!

everything works again!!!!

When I say "everything" I mean my paintshop pro program which I have been mistakenly calling photoshop ( and got Peter to download first before recognising that I didn't recognise it!)...and I have got nice new piccies to scrap and blog!! Aren't you happy?!! It has taken him a long time to do it so thank you Pete for perservering with the b..... thing and getting it right for me. Hasn't it been a delightful weekend with temperatures in Deventer on Saturday that reached 28C!! We went to Zwolle for the Knotsegekkekaarten en scrapdagen beurs ( that's a mouthfu!) and met Chantal from Scrapfever. What a sweetie she is ! A really nice young lass who was doing good business I think. We added our fair share to her profits with Peter treating me to the Bind-it-all machine amongst a lot of other things. Don't know how it works but will give it a go soon. I have got a workshop this thursday evening for a returning customer which I am looking forward to as I feel ready to get on and SCRAP again!! And I started with the covers of two small albums today...not sure how happy I am with them yet though..but DID do a quick layout of Genghis which is nearly perfect as far as I am concerned!! Not a lot on it but I love how the colour of his collar is mimicked in the choice of colour etc. Once it is finished I'll add it here so you can decide for yourself what you think of it! I could go on but I am tired and the television has got an interesting programme on shortly that we want to watch about Griff Rhys Jones walking over the highest peaks in England. it is called MOUNTAINS and is on at 22.00 folks BBC1.

do you know what a tube is?!!!!

reading Inekes blog and looking at her scraps I read that she was talking about using tubes..so I went to credits and ended up in Scrapbook Flair and it seems no-one else knows what a tube is!!!! And even when I read the explanation I still don't have the foggiest idea! Thank goodness I only struggle with UTEE and other such stuff!! Hopefully we are going to the Knotsekaarten-scrapbookdagen in Zwolle tomorrow. I hope to buy the bind-it-all machine there and get some more paper. I'm a bit disappointed with a neighbour who asked me to make two framed scraps of his son and promised to bring me the photos...and then forgot all about it!! Having already been to Ikea and bought the frames and Chantal given me the paper to use, it feels rather a let-down. Still, maybe he will sort something out this weekend but I am not holding my breath! This has happened a few times before; people ask me about a project, I prepare and buy the necessary stuff in readiness for them to use and they never show up! Is it me or is it the state of society today, that people are too busy with other things to remember a commitment to someone else! I am feeling rather PMT-ish so excuse the tone! And to top it all, I went out of my way to cook a delicious evening meal for my husband and family since he was flying in from Verona at 5pm. When he didn't phone me around 6pm I rang his mobile; no answer. I made Tim two tosti's as he was hungry and got a white wine spritzer for myself...rang husband again only to get him this time and be told he was sitting at the airport having a drink with his boss as he wasn't hungry having already eaten in Italy!!!!!! And I was not mad?!!!!! NOT the day to mess with me I'm afraid! Got a horrible coldsore on my face, a few extra kilos water swilling around inside my body and murderous thoughts tormenting my brain. GRRrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!! More spritzer I think, Jeeves!!!!

So I cried...

when Lorelei was crying at Rory leaving for her first job!!! And Luke and she kissed and he gave her the necklace so that means they have made up....and it was sad. But a good ending with the hint of future episodes, PLEASE?!!!!!

blowing the cobwebs away

the storm last night - or rather the extreme wind and rain - was a comforting sound lashing the windowpane. I felt safe and secure and happy in our attic bedroom. No mosquitoes biting me; not too hot or sticky; and a sense that AUTUMN IS HERE!!!! (Gosh, was that summer??!!) Seems so, which was quite short and sweet and not very good. But hey, autumn is my favourite time of year so I am not complaining!! I went to the garden centre at Hoogwoud yesterday - enormous, Ineke; you'd love it!!! All the Hallowwe'en stuff out and the trickle of winter pansies in between the leftover summer bedding plants, but no Christmas!!! Glad really, too soon, but Loes assures me that they have a super-duper show, so can't wait!! I did buy a heather and a bowl of pansies - or rather Viola's (the small ones), for the garden to continue with the colour of summer, but that was all. What I was tempted to buy is another matter!! There is a gorgeous indoor home decoration section, as well as DIY, and I was looking at the lamps and tables and other cushions, settees etc with lust! Check out this site too; www.westfriesebeurs.nl since that is where I am headed this morning!!! It is in the adjoining village to ours so a stonesthrow away, and in this wind that is great. HUGE, full of new and second-hand goodies and I want a small side-table for over the radiator in our hall. Peter managed to hang our mirror and my scrap of Tim and Genghis last night, but we still need the coatrack and small table.....so in a few minutes I'm off there for a browse. Fancy all of us being in Ikea at the same time!!!! And Ineke, dying to see what you make with the plastic box and lightbulbs!!! Kate has added some Nikon filters to her photoshop which are great apparently (tip for you Ineke!)! And I think that you probably know that using brushes is HOT in scrapping right now too??? Just what exactly does THAT involve?!!!! Oh, I have to get back into the swing of it all, regardless of my photoshop disaster!! Just need the inspiration of new photos to use really - help me! PS. sorted out how to "feed" thanks! and glad I solved the mystery of the photos for you!! Enjoy Poland this weekend too Ineke!

Oh My gawd............

tonight is the VERY LAST EVER GILMORE GIRLS. I've watched all 182 episodes so cannot miss this one!! I am so sad! Of course with Rory leaving Yale it had to happen, but what is going to happen between Luke and Lorelei???????????????? Let you know tomorrow!!!

I'm getting excited!

Knowing that we are only 3 weeks away from our weekend in England is cheering me up no end! I am so looking forward to it. Check this site out before I forget: www.catpottery.co.uk They make cats and the ones for the garden are wonderful. I have fallen in love with them and Peter and I are seriously thinking about saving up for one for our anniversary. I have mailed them, though, to ask whether they do Siamese ones, which would be fantastic of course!!! This site is also great for finding Bed and Breakfast places : www.bed&breakfastinyorkshire.co.uk We are staying in Stanbury, at Ponsden House, which is just outside Haworth, famous for the Bronte sisters ( and brother!). So far this is the itinery:- Friday morning arrive Robin Hood Airport and pick up hire car etc. Drive over to Maltby and see old house and buy fabric for curtain in hall at Dunhelm. On to Meadowhall Shopping Centre for an hour or so, then over the tops towards Derbyshire for the Ladybower Reservoir ( Dambusters film fame) and lunch at The Strines 16c Coaching Inn. Up and down the wiggly roads towards Penistone and on towards Leeds and out across towards Burley in Wharfedale and Ben Rhydding and The Cow and Calf rocks above Ilkley. Potter around Ilkley a bit and then drive over the moors towards Haworth. Evening meal booked at The Old Silent Inn with Lindsey and Jerry too. Next day to Hebden Bridge and the village there with walks around the area, and then out onto moors or to Aysgarth Falls etc. Evening meal?? not sure yet, as we might still be out and driving around. Sunday a slow wander around Haworth etc and then back to the airport. Hopefully the weather will favour us and allow William and Lily the opportunity to see how magnificent and beautiful my home truly is.

the card reader is working...we hope!

Peter suddenly came down this morning and said he thought he knew what to do to get the reader working again...so I got the memory card and downloaded all the photos in the hope that...and although my beloved photoshop is not yet back (boo hoo) I am able to let you see some photos from last weekend when we were busy with painting the tops of the houses! It must be a male thing, to be so keen to play with with this enormous toy!! William, Peter and Dennis had hired it for the weekend ( curtesy of a certain local business..) and Marcel got his hands dirty moving it around etc. Us girls stood around a bit and thought it was interesting for a while, but then we just let them get on with it! The results are super though - the paintwork has come up a treat and the row looks as good a new! (almost, hmm..) Glad that you were willing to get up there and do it chaps!

Happy Birthday Xander!!

yes, Xander is 6 today! Not that he cares- off into the sunshine already, full of Whiskers, ears ringing from his happy birthday song, and determined to enjoy his day!!

This is probably how he hopes the day goes.........Genghis and Xander lying on the sunlounger, full stretch!!! We don't get a look in and have to make do with the ordinary chairs. It is here indeed a CATS LIFE!!!!

Ah well, who would wish it otherwise? HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMUFFKINS!

new stuff from Ikea

to scrap, of course! In the new Creatief met Foto's magazine they showed how to scrap clocks....and I think that is a great idea for christmas presents!! So we are off in search this morning, and then I hope to make the first one as a "test". And I have been asked to create two layouts for in frames for someone, and they want the Ikea frames, so got to pick them up too.... any excuse!!! I am going with Lily and Sara so nice to have company. I haven't driven into Amsterdam for ages so the route is a bit vague in my head right now, but I am sure we will find it ok. The weather is cold and wet and rather autumnal wouldn't you agree? Horrid! I am not sleeping well due to the rain in the night and Peter working into the small hours and then coming to bed - albeit "quietly" according to him, but I hear everything. Poor dear is working too many hours right now and getting stressed with all the work. He cannot cope with it anymore but doesn't seem able to get the help he needs from Michael, his boss. My chap isn't getting any younger and he can't do what he used to and feel great, so I feel very sorry for him and hope he can reward himself with a sunny holiday in October!!! (and us too!). Men in Trees and Ugly Betty start this Monday - hurray!!! Tim and I became fans of UB when we were in England in May - great show, and M in T's is already a huge fave of ours from the first season. Monday night TV is back on track!!! Everwood comes to a close again today, but they are the repeats from the last season so I have seen them all........but it is SO GOOD!! I hope it comes back to Saturday nights when MacKleods Daughters ends...not that we are telly addicts of course!!!! Gilmore Girls finishes next week too, and I wonder what will happen between Lorelei and Luke.................been following this series for at least 5 years now, can't give it up! Sad that it had to end with Logan but I think it was inevitable. Keeps us all guessing! Anyway, got to get ready for going to Ikea. Tim is off swimming in Hoorn with the usual crowd, so I am pleased to see him out of his room for a day!!! Go Tim!!

boys and their toys!!!!

I wish my card reader was working so that I could add the photos to this weekends activities in the Vierkant, Westwoud! Peter, William and Dennis were able to paint the top of the houses with the aid of a "hoog werker", which is a sort of crane called a Niftylift.......well, what do I have to add???? They loved the thing!!!! Levers, knobs, noises, blood, sweat and tears, and it was FUN! The weather held until we were done, which was amazing as then the heavens opened and it rained quite persistently for the rest of the evening. So now 3 out of the 4 houses look sparkling clean and the other........... I hope to get the photos on the blog asap folks! My contribution was to paint the inside of the front door and frame which I now have to do again today as it is dry enough for the second coat. Then we can wallpaper the hall downstairs and finish the lambrisering and get to the finishing touches ( the part I enjoy most!), and we will have a rather splendid entrance at last! I hope we get it done this week otherwise it will "linger on " and I hate that!!! The sun is shining again this morning and I am expecting our hairdresser to arrive any time soon so I will go!

not quite back to normal, but

things are improving computer-wise and I am finally daring to re-organise my favourite scrap-blogs etc and read what is going on in the scrap-world! Not quite "second life" but equally addictive I'm afraid! I have got an ear infection which is making me feel a bit cranky, but I got some drops today so I am hoping it will soon be over. A sore red inner ear is quite unpleasant! I actually started to scrap again today, after a dry spell, and it felt great! I was busy with the paper out of the scrapfever scrapkit which I received last week, and it was perfect for Gertrude the duck! I haven't got my photoshop back as yet but will let you see it once I do. I have also signed up for a crop in November...........nothing like good planning, eh? and to participate in a RAK ( random act of kindness) thing for Christmas. I sort of get what I have to do, but then all these other messages start to confuse me and I get lost again! I think it means an extra present for me under the Christmas Tree so that is an absolute toppie!!!! Just to tell you that I had a great e-mail from Ineke this morning with a film of her wedding album for Johan and Kasia, and it was fantastic! She has done an amazing amount of layouts covering the bride and groom's life histories and it is superb. And all done digitally......got to admire the girls ability AND stamina!!!!! She must have been scrapping 24/7 to get it done on time!!! If you look on her blog I am sure she will add it there soon; the skrepwep one that is, in my list of favourites. Only 4 weeks until we are off to Yorkshire for the weekend with our neighbours!!! I have got a rough itinery planned out now, and think it will cover different aspects of England for them - and us! Peter has got me a new lens for the camera ( and for him too) which has just arrived and it can make the colours spectacular I think...when I get used to it! And Loes will be home this weekend from her 4 week holiday in CHINA. Can't wait to hear all about it, Loes, when I come for coffee next Tuesday, and then we can start with the album, eh?!! I am so glad she bought all her paper etc when we saw it in Simpel Scrappen, in Den Helder, as since then so many new things are in the shop that it is out of sight now. Going to be FANTASTIC I bet !!!!! And the work thing is ok, going well I think. I am glad I had decided to take it slowly though, and not get too many hours spoken for right away. It will be enough to have about 12 per week....!!!! Enough to fund my scrap addiction anyway!!!!

damm thing crashed!

Computers are fine so long as they WORK, and mine hasn't been for ages! It was difficult to get it started before our holiday but I was getting in eventually and then POW! lights out, nothing happening, dead. Peter is working really hard to get it back into working order but not everything is there yet, and most of my saved information is gone into cyberspace! All that loverly jubberly GONE..........................I have just spend one hour getting my e-mail adresses back in Incredimail but I still have to get all my letters and animations and skins downloaded etc so a lot of work!! Hence nothing on the blog lately! So this is just so that you all know what happened and that I will continue with mailing and blogging once it is all back together again!! Just like Humpty Dumpty!!!! Bye!

introducing Gertrude

This is Gertrude, or Gertie, our "resident duck" on our pond! She was a baby duckling last year that I used to feed as she cannot quack and was getting bullied by the other ducks. I taught her to come to a little place in the reeds to be fed away from the others, and she was happy with that idea. She will almost eat out of my hand now, and is getting quite fearless! She is not afraid of our cats either; Genghis has no interest what so ever, and Xander does his best to catch her but she has the "upper wing" being able to fly!!!! She usually arrives in the afternoon around 2pm and wanders around the garden or swims in the pond, waiting to be fed. She does try to quack but nothing happens, so she has a silent quacker I'm afraid!! She is very sweet really, and getting more and more brave.

Here is Xander sitting by the edge of the pond watching Gertie swimming around!!!!! Lovely sight!

went well I think

with the first afternoon of work in oh, about 3 years!!! Beautiful weather of course but we were outside all the time so no complaints there! It was very pleasant actually and I enjoyed the experience even though (having pushed a wheelchair after that massage I had before the holiday),my neck is killing me and all I want to do is sleep! I think it will work out fine if I just take it slowly and don't rush into too much at once! So until next week then...more sun I hope!