SUNNY SUNDAY

Well we are now baking in the blazing flaming June sunshine... even if it's only managed to arrive at the very last few days of the month!

It seems we go from one extreme to the other.. pouring cold rain and now blazing hot sunshine .. and yes as a true Brit .. this weather is too hot!    Don't get me wrong , I enjoy some lovely sunny warm weather the same as everyone else but not this 30 plus, it's fine if you are unemployed /retired and can stay home and choose when and if you go out but it's no fun if you have to go out when it's just too hot.

But the early mornings and late evenings are just lovely and a great time to get outside and actually enjoy the warm weather.


Saturday ,weather wise , was way too hot by early afternoon, Paul, trooper that he is, spent almost all day taking out the old sink, with help from a friend with plumbing experience, and then, alone, fitting the new sink and the worktops.

Today Sunday , at least it's a nicer heat, lovely and warm with a breeze much easier to get things done.

At last things are coming together in the kitchen, the new sink and tap is in , the wooden worktops have had one coat of protection/sealer on it, will need another plus then waxing with wire wool. Today Paul's added the three doors he had ready and waiting and as cut the door for under the sink and the piece of infill for the corner at the bottom. The three doors need another coat of paint before the handles are added.

So we took a trip out to a tile showroom and found some tiles we liked, bought a couple of samples to decide which to go with.

We need white to help give the kitchen some light but were thinking of maybe having a line of the blue going round too.

We considered this teal blue also but decided the darker blue would be better.

However I wanted something different for behind the range cooker and saw some nice patterned tiles
 which turned out to be William Morris ! I know I cannot seem to escape from the man!

I am really fancying these for behind the range and have ordered a sample so I can decide for sure.

We also liked these which we saw in the store , these are based on the arts and crafts movement too.

 much lighter but introduces red, I do like red but was planning on keeping to blues and yellows.
 So we'll decide once the samples arrive as to which one we go with but it's WM that have the edge at present.

Because we are going to have the patterned tiles behind the range , we'll just have the long white tiles between the units and worktops.

Well another month's passed in a blur! Tomorrow we start the second half of the year, July a lovely month, in which I have a week off! and also a birthday !

So wishing everyone a happy healthy week ahead.

Dee

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 2

Wolfgang



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GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 1

SUNDAY SO SOON....

Well what a week that was ! rain rain and yet more rain ! With a little bit of dry weather just to save us from floating away!
The grass is now like a small meadow in the flower garden but although we have just had two lovely warm and sunny days, we've been too busy to get round to cutting it.

Although I did do a little weeding but still lots to do but it will get done over time, I just have to remember to take my gloves out with me when I go down the garden, so I can pull a few weeds as I pass.

Paul's been busy so it was not until today that more work was done in the kitchen.

I spent the morning clearing out the bottom cupboards ready for Paul to remove and replace them with the new one and the worktops and sink.

 Dishwasher removed and all ready for the change. I phoned my SIL to come and help remove the butler sink because it's heavy and Paul always seems to think I can manage the other side! But my right hand's grip is very weak due to the arthritis and old age! So not wanting to drop it , as I want to use it as a planter out in the garden, I called in my SIL.

But alas we ( that's the royal we ) could not undo the water pipe connection to the taps! And since Paul didn't want to land up breaking it and then needing an emergency plumber he stopped trying!

However we removed the old cupboards and put two of the new ones in, Paul did ask if I wanted half the worktop put in place but when I found out I'd need to help him take it back outside again when it needed cutting down to fit to the other half once the sink was removed , I declined!
So he bought in the off cut so we had somewhere to put the kettle.

Now we need a plumber to come and help remove and refit the sinks , which is a pain but better safe than sorry! But at least it's slowly coming together !
We are going to go with white between the worktops and top cupboards but in what ? Tiles? Acrylic? Glass ? The last two look great and very bright to reflect light but are very pricey for someone who is trying not to spend a fortune, so I will need to go look at some tiles to see if there is something that will fit the bill.

I'd like to say that I have been whizzing round , sorting things to donate, sell or recycle but it's been much more of a slow plod! But things are moving along , even if slowly and I am at the same time making decisions about where things can go etc.

I finally ordered a large outdoor storage box for the patio sofa cushions, after them spending most of the last two weeks sitting on the small yellow sofa in the dinning room and the larger ones propped up against the door in the living room. It should arrive this week ,  another week that will have more rain, so once it's been put together and  perfect place found for it to stand , the cushions will finally have a permanent home and the sofa will be once again available to use!

I have also sold a couple more things on ebay, so that's nice that they are finding new homes.

Well It's now actually Monday although I did start typing this at about 11.45 pm Sunday, so I'd best be off to bed since I've work tomorrow and lots to do.

I hope you all have a lovely healthy week ahead and those going to the festival in the US have a great fun filled time. I'm looking forward to seeing all the photos.

Dee

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT PART TWO

Lots of grunting and groaning can be heard coming from inside the folly!
"Zak push it harder!"
" I am! You try pushing your side harder!"

"Together on three! "says Toby " Three!"
"What happened to one and two? " demands Zak

"Why do we have to hide it again? " asks Zak
" Stop asking questions and push harder!"

The boys have been arguing so much they've failed to hear the approach of  a vehicle... finally Toby listens..... over the sound of an approaching car? he can just make out singing.. " and if one green bottle should accidentally fallllllllll... theyyy be fifty one green bottles hanging on the wallllll "

"Shh !" whispers Toby " Someone's coming"

Zak is glad to stop trying to push and rests ,catching his breathe, while Toby looks over towards the archway... is the sound getting nearer....

Yes ! " Quick Zak come and stand in front of the sleigh! Quick !"
"What?  Why? "
" Just do it!"

" 49 green bottles hanging on the wall l l "

into view drives a small vintage open top bus .. full of singing ... bears.. " and if one green bottle should accidentally fa l l l l l l l  "

As those on the top deck belt out their song, Gertie on the bottom deck groans " Who on earth decided to sing ten green bottles! I'm sick of hearing about green bottles!"
Just as her best friend Amie ,is about to reply the singing stops and Gustave bangs on the roof " Halt! Halt! "
"What now " complains Gertie " He cannot need to go again? " surely!"
"Look " calls Gustave " Zak and the naughty Toby .. over there !"

" Oh no he's seen us !" whispers Zak
"Start walking towards them " Toby whispers back

Edward climbs out of his seat and stands and stretches beside the bus, these long bus journeys were hard on his old stuffing!
" Hello lads" he calls cheerfully " what are you up to? so far from the house  "

Hurrying forward and hoping that Edward cannot see the red sleigh " Nothing " says Toby back " Why do we have to be up to something!"

Edward moves towards them, so they hurry faster.
" I didn't mean it like you were UP TO something " Edward says soothingly " I just wondered if you were playing or such "
Giving Zak a dig, not missed by the ever seeing Edward , Toby says in an aside " Don't say a word!" Toby knows that if Edward asks Zak directly he'll spill the beans like the big sissy he is!

"Did you have a good holiday? "Toby asks trying to change the subject " The weathers been awful here all week... rain and cold ...terrible!"

Not fooled one bit Edward heads back to the bus and climbs back in his seat " Alas " he replies " last weeks terrible weather was the same for us but we did have a lovely two weeks before that "
" Good Good " mutters Toby

Leaning out the bus Edward asks " Can you lads follow us home to the house? I'm afraid we may run out of petrol before we get there plus another couple of hands will help us unpack the bus much quicker "
Toby's about to say no when he looks at Edwards face....... drat .. he knows if they don't follow the bus Edward will get back out for some reason and go look where they've left the sleigh!
so he replies " Of Course love to help come on Zak "

Gustave bangs on the roof " Forward!" he commands
Stanley, who is driving, calls out angrily " I don't need you keep telling me what to do and when to do it!"
Gustave looks down " Shall I drive? "
There is a collective gasp on the bus and breaths are held
" No thanks " says Stanley " I've no wish to lose another life after last time !"
" That was NOT my fault !" he growl's his accent thickening "If that old bear had nor step out in front of me I'd not have landed us in the bushes!"
"Whose he calling an OLD bear " demands Amie from down on the lower deck " I'll have you know I'm younger than you!" she shouts at the ceiling!

Toby and Zak follow the bus listening to the bears argue
" I'm bearly " snigger's Gustave " 35 where as you are at least 80 if you are a day!"
"WHAT! " screeches Amie " Stanley STOP THIS BUS!  I'm going to box that bear's ears until he's deaf  a post , like the one he's got for a brain "
"I'm not stopping" grumbles Stanley " we had to wait half an hour earlier ,while you chased him round the lanes and you didn't catch him then and you won't now! " he huffs " and I've no more energy for carrying your portly self back to the bus again "
"Stanley!" says Gertie shocked, as Amie's speechless ... well for a few minutes

everyone, even the boys wait with baited breath for Amie to speak...

"Stanley Blenkenforth  if you think I will EVER make you another of my award winning cream and apple puffs ,EVER again you are sadly.." here her voice deepens " mistaken "
"Oh hush you silly woman " laughs Stanley softly, winking at Amie's red face in the driving mirror " You know I love every inch of that plump little chassis ! "

After the barest of pauses the  occupants of the bus burst into voice " AMIE! you sly old thing ! are you and Stanley an item!" demands Gertie " I'm your best friend and you didn't tell me !"
"Well you'd have told everyone" says Amie
Hugo at the back of the bus asks " What's a chassis? and where does Amie keep hers? " pausing to think he continues " and why does Stanley love it all and can I have one of your award winning cream and apple puffs , I'm starving "
Upstairs Gustave is again offering to drive the bus " Come on Stanley you can go cuddle Amie's chassis that you love so much " he laughs
Anastacia , he's own truelove, pushes him in the shoulder from her seat behind him " Gustave behave! you don't want to miss out on having some of Amie's cakes then next time she's baking do you? "

"Now look what you've done Stanley !" says Amie wondering how to explain to young bear cub Hugo what her chassis is and should she be telling a cub of his tender years such things?
Toby and Zak listening to the goings on bus totally forget all about the sleigh and start asking questions of Zebedee riding on the back looking at them
Zebedee smiles from under his Inca style hat " Hug any good trees while I was away boys? " he asks


Meanwhile as the bus and boys move further away in the garden....

from out of the bushes comes a very stately reindeer , looking some what relieved.

Stepping in front of the sleigh he pauses.. that was a close thing if those lads had got this further into those bushes I'd have had trouble getting it out again.
Deciding it would be too dangerous to wait until dark to return the sleigh to the north pole, he starts to mutter a spell that binds the sleigh by invisible ropes to his body.

Using the last of his magic dust ,he mutters the spell that will make him and the sleigh invisible to anyone should they look skyward for the next couple of hours. Sighing he starts forward promising himself that's the last time he does Rudolf a favour.. Comet can you just go down to the south and bring me back a .. never mind .. he'd fallen down before he could complete  Rudolf's request.. those drone things people were flying now need to be controlled he mutters , then with a blink the folly is empty and a child looking up sees a ripple in the sky as if something just passed by but nothing was there?




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SUNDAY SUN!!

YES! it's true today we are having some SUN! it did not arrive until an hour or so ago ( 2 pm ) and who knows just how much longer it will stay with the very strong gusty wind that's blowing but it's so nice to finally see it!

We in England have had a week of almost constant rain ! Cold nights and cool days! I even put my scarf along with my long winter coat back on to protect me from the rain and cold  ! Where is Flaming June? I did catch a small glimpse on Friday when I was driving back to work for a good friends leaving do but since I was in the car and it was late afternoon there was no chance of enjoying it!

Although the weeks appear to be rocketing past the work is almost on at a standstill! But then we have both had a heavy week.

And yesterday we had friends coming to dinner , only to just be finishing a late lunch, due to me working the morning, for the door bell to ring and Paul to bring our old next door neighbours into the living room. We'd not seen them for about nine years! They'd been in the area and thought they'd knock to see if we were in.
 We had a lovely catch up and despite the length of time since we'd last met, it was just as if they'd popped in from next door!
( I'd lost my address book a few years back and it was not until last year that I managed to find their address to send a card and note ) So their address and contact details are now in the new address book.

So by the time they'd left and we had about twenty minutes before our friends arrived for dinner , so we had a full day that was perfectly spent with our friends.

I found this beautiful plate on ebay, it's from the 1930's and it's the first one from this maker that I'd seen in this colourway. So I snapped it up looking forward to adding it to my small collection from this company.

I knew it would fit in my new kitchen's colour palette of blue and yellow.

Only for it to arrive and be broken... : (

I think , this plate's lasted almost 100 years only to be failed by wrapping in flat bubble wrap and a slim box! Yes I have been refunded but I'd rather have this plate in the perfect condition it started it's journey in! I cannot bring myself to throw it out, so I'm going to see if Paul can repair it but I'll be forever aware it's damaged. So now I'll be looking out for another..... I think it will be a long long search taking years...

The kitchen ,due to work and visitors, came to a standstill this weekend but I am ever hopefully that progress will be made next weekend. I did however donate a large box of paperback books to charity and have decided to donate a lovely Denby tea set I own , along with some other china to another charity shop. I also sold another doll, so the possessions are slowly going down, although Paul says I'm also doing my hardest to just increase them in another way! ( He's referring to my vintage china! )


On a different note because this afternoon been lovely and sunny although very windy I have been able to get outside and see just what Toby and Zak were up to ! So I'm off to write the rest of that tale ready for publishing on Monday or Tuesday.

Have a lovely Healthy fun filled week ahead.

Dee

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT...

"Toby! Your not supposed to be outside!" Zak calls after Toby, who is hurrying down the garden
" Yes I am " answers Toby

" You are not! " says Zak catching up " Mum said you was not allowed out after school for a month because you went to Norfolk "
" Exactly !" says Toby

" Exactly? " asks Zak
"Yes exactly " replies Toby " Mum said I was not allowed outside after school for a month  correct?
" Yes"
" Well it's Saturday so there is no school so I can come outside "

Zak's not quite sure that's what Mum meant when she banned Toby but asks instead " Why are we going to the folly? "
" Because " Toby says , finally stopping , so Zak can catch his breath....

" Because " repeats Toby his voice lowering " Last night when everyone was in bed ,I was standing on the kitchen counter trying to reach the biscuits when I saw a bright light and heard a thud at the bottom of the garden "
Keeping his own voice low Zak asks " How did you see a light if you had your head in the biscuit barrel? "
" I didn't have my head in the biscuit barrel! " says Toby raising his voice, then dropping it low again " I'd dropped a biscuit on the counter and was trying to find it when this light appeared, I saw the biscuit , then wondered where the light had come from! "
" And "
"and it came from down here because I was facing the back doors and could see the light through the gap in the curtains !" says Toby triumphantly

Then Toby's off again heading for the archway into the folly, Zak hurries on behind.

The boys stop near to the opening. Toby looks serious, Zak worried.
" What if it was an alien space craft ? " worried Zak
" Cool!" says Toby

" Maybe you'd best stay here Zak, then you can go get help if it's aliens!" Toby says gleefully
"Let's go get help anyway " Zak pleads shakily
" Nah ! "

 
Toby goes over to the archway, then looks inside " Wow! " he exclaims turning to Zak he calls " You just got to see this! " then he's gone.

Zak moves closer to the archway , he's feeling a little sick in his stomach " Toby ! Toby ! " he calls softly not wanting to let any aliens inside know he's around!

Muttering to himself shakily " Toby if you are being eaten by an alien I'm never talking to you again!" he moves closer and peeps round .

Once he manages to open his eyes , which were refusing to open, he sees Toby grinning at him.

"Come on Zak " calls Toby loudly " Look it's Santa's sleigh ! In our garden! "

Finally Zak manages to unfreeze his limbs and walks up to Toby . "Why would Santa's sleigh be in our garden in June! " he tells Toby " It must belong to Mum or Dad "
" What would they be doing with a red sleigh just like Santa's ? "
" How do you know Santa's sleigh is red? "
" because it is "
" That's not an answer " scoffs Zak

" We need to hide it " Toby looks around " maybe we could pull it into those bushes? "
" Why do we need to hide it? "
" Because we don't want the others nabbing it, it's ours, our secret " grins Toby happily
" according to you it's Santa's and he'll probably be back tonight to claim it !"
" Not " says Toby smugly " If he cannot find it!"

" That's stealing! " says Zak shocked
" Is not!"
"Is Too !"
"Not"
"Too" "
"Not"
"Too"
while they are arguing they fail to notice they are no longer alone...

"Just great " something sighs " Kids "


to be continued....




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