Incredible

Thank you so much Ineke!! I have just sat and watched all of Les Miserables and it was magnificent! Not a dry eye in the house!! It was so great seeing the original stars at the end because they were the ones performing the show when I went to see it an incredible 19 years ago. We sat somewhere high up in the gods right at the very back and I was suffering from morning sickness as I recall, being pregnant with Tim at the time. We'd travelled all the way down from Yorkshire by bus as well...........but my memories of that day are still fresh in my mind, so if you want to see it again?.....I'm your gal!!!
Sue xx

First year present

For that empty space on the wall.........

I am hoping this will arrive soon!!! Always a tricky business but I am placing my trust in air mail and hoping for a safe arrival! I love it! Actually I really like all Jeanne Oliver's prints and artwork so it was really the text that made me choose this particular one for our home. I am looking  forward to welcoming her in!
Sue xx

365 days later.........

our first year here in Lutjebroek is over!! We have survived, and not only that, we have arrived at the end of that year intact, whole, complete. At the beginning I was full of fear and anxiety about our ability to cope and survive with so little behind us. I knew nothing about so many things key to that survival, but I have learnt so much in retrospect, that I know now, that I can cope with so much more. If happiness were to be measured in money terms, then we are on the brink of depression, but measured in emotional terms, we are joyous millionaires. No regrets- that is what life is about. Taking ones chances, doing what feels right and true, and not thinking so hard about the consequences that it prevents action. Its gone so quickly this year of ours, and we have grown as individuals and as a family. Sure, I can wish for more. I can dream about achieving my goals about turning the whole house into a lovely place to live, but there is still plenty of time to do all that. One of the best decisions I made was to start my training to become a counsellor. That has given me so much support this year, and brought my decaying grey cells back from the brink of extinction! It has set me on the path to my future, however that may turn out, and I can't wait to start the second year. I know some really great ladies that I would otherwise never have met. I have rediscovered the resources within myself, and found that there are people out there willing to help us if we only ask them to. My faith has been restored thank goodness, and my personal seagull is flying high once more.
Sue xx

Exhausted

The best brushes ever!! 

Brushes, paint, tape, paracetamols, newspaper...think I'm ready!!

Almost at the end of the first coat- what a difference!!

Everything back in its place...aaah.

I completed the wall, two coats 'n all, got everything back into its place, cleaned and tidied, and now I need to go to bed! It looks great, but needs something to liven it up.......I'm thinking something above the windows.....maybe a pelmet so I can introduce the white and red theme and tie it all together somehow...it needs a little something more........
Sue xx

Lunch break!

This is my rest hour thank goodness. I have spent the morning painting the long wall in the living/dining room, and got one coat on which has pleased me immensely. I have photos to show you but they are downstairs and I am currently up in my little snug and have no energy for climbing stairs. I will add them at the end of the day, promise.
Actually I am pleased with the colour - Wimborne White - from the Farrow & Ball collection, however, the shop where I buy it makes its own alternative paint up to their colours so it is NOT the real Macoy, but just as nice! I like the eggshell finish as it wipes clean easily, and matt doesn't. That simple really. Already the room seems much lighter and brighter and I think we will enjoy it once it is all completed. We are in discussion about whether to chose another shade for the back wall or do the same white. I talked about it in the store yesterday but was not convinced with their view, so the jury is still out on this one!
Anyway I better go and get started on the second coat............makes sense to do as much as possible today, and sit with my elbow in a padded sling all day tomorrow!!! Ouch, it really is painful..........
Sue xx

Lovely day

spent outside with Ineke who braved the traffic and ventured north to visit me! Having had such a lovely day yesterday I was worried it might not last but once the early morning clouds had lifted it was sun all the way. We even took Le Tour de Lutjebroek ( which takes longer than you imagine! ) before a healthy lunch and more relaxing. Finka has declared Ineke her new best friend - I think she recognises a true cat lover when she meets one, and purred and allowed herself to be stroked and stayed on her chair whilst we were outside too. It seems she is just afraid of men, restricting her favours to just one or two. Can't say I blame her!! Ineke had brought some computer gear along so that I can now watch some movies on my imac. It took a while to configure everything but she came prepared and it all worked before she left, so that is a treat in store for a rainy day. All I need to do now is buy a disc and watch it on the 'big screen' in blue-ray!!!
And I finally bought the tub of paint for one wall.......yes, the spirit moved me sufficiently to make the decision to start. The wallpaper went on in February and we are six months further along, so its time. A sort of celebration of our one year here. It feels right to do it now, make that statement, and continue moving forward. I am dreaming of that little counselling practice too.............I wish I may, I wish I might............
Sue xx

Busy in the garden

One under, one on top of the cover!!!

Cherie, the Cherry Tree!

Picture on the wall

..eventually going to be surrounded by this creeper!!

I tidied the front whilst I was busy, too!

Our thin bit is filling up nicely now

Part of the back border

The sun timed it perfectly today as I had energy for the garden which badly needed attention after the recent rain. And with my work schedule looking pretty full on for the coming month and a half, it was time to make a start and get it all neat and tidy again. The main task was planting the tree and creating the  small border around it. I think she fits in very nicely! The larger tree will wait til autumn but this was car-sized so we upped her in, and found her a spot along the sunny side fence. The cats were not impressed as you can see - bottoms facing away from me!! I have got Bursitis in my left elbow which restricts my working too long and hard unfortunately, and at the moment it is quite painful again. Not boding well for painting a wall, which is worrying as I was finally going to start! Still will, but maybe with a bandage to support it?  The front garden is growing up fast - so handy having the sunshade already in situ when we moved in a year ago. We have them front and back and they are super handy. Sadly we don't live next door to keen gardeners, so maintaining the garden weed-free is impossible. Sometimes I feel as though I am fighting a losing battle, but then again, we want ours to look pretty so what alternative to more elbow grease is there? Exactly!! None!!!
All in all a hard days work both indoors and outside, and I am feeling pretty tired right now. I fell asleep for a while in the stool outside, which was heavenly, but a good nights sleep is what I really need tonight.
Lets hope we both get one!
Sue xx

at last!

The sun is out!!! Hurrah for a sunny day - get out there and enjoy it folks!!
Sue xx

that's it!

So, I have done with fiddling and adjusting sizes and being precise about everything..........this is how it stays for the foreseeable future!! But what is foreseeable? How far into the future can I see?....
Hope you like the changes anyway, and can live with them as I can.

Today was fun! I was totally planning a different day to the one that it turned out to be; but much better in so many ways so I am not complaining! Having got some chores out of the way before 8am Tim suddenly decided he needed to do some shopping, so we looked up the weather forecast for Hoorn and Alkmaar and decided to follow the sun! It was really nice having the morning in Alkmaar together. We haven't been for about a year, and had been thinking about the annual summer trip to buy necessary items for Tim's holiday, so it was great to do that today. He bought some good stuff and was sensible with his money which pleased us both, and had a nice lunch, though our favourite diner is no longer as nice as it was sadly....the decor has changed and it just doesn't have the same ambiance as it did with the previous owners...........but the food was still good! Anyway, on the way home we stopped at the garden centre ostensibly to buy the additional Box plants I needed, but really to look at what was on special offer etc. and came home with a little trained Cherry Tree!!! So Cherie has joined us in the garden!! Tim was handy at shifting the sand and adding the soil etc so the tree is in the ground and tomorrow I will get the Box bedded in. Then we were able to drill the holes for the nice wall hanging.........smiling faces all round!! A few shrubs are required so that the cats don't see the soil and think they are meant to be in there.............and I will take a photo or two. It rained off and on the rest of the afternoon so all this was accomplished in between showers, and there is still some work to be done before we are satisfied. Maybe that BBQ will be on the list next year.................

My friend Ineke is coming on Thursday and having read her latest blog post I am glad that what I was planning on serving us for coffee and lunch is not going to ruin her healthy eating regime, or mine for that matter!! So no worries, we will be good and enjoy the food without gaining anything!!! :-)
Sue xx