FINALLY THE DAY HAS COME

 

Yes I did say I was staying to work another two months but at the time that was supposed to be just working from home and going into work maybe a day or two a week. But I could see that as lockdown eased I was going to become the cannon fodder, in order that my manager could stay home despite her constantly saying she could not wait to get back in!

Plus other things had changed , so I decided that since my head was still believing that I'd be stopping at the end of July , that I would stop at the end of July.

So today is my last day with the bank, after twenty two years and three months exactly, this time round.

I am so looking forward to being my own boss, enjoying being at home and with my family and doing all those things I have had to put off because I had to go into work!

I'm due to become a Grandee again in November, to a little boy and will be available to help out without having to think about work !

The sun is shining and the sky is blue and the world is mine to do as I please... perfect.

Dee

ADVENTURES ARE US!

Some of the boys are outside chatting.

When did mum say she was going to retire? Valentine asks

Well she said July then she said September ! Robin answers

But she's been here all last week and so far all of this one! Percy points out

She's on holiday Robin says

But Dad's still working? Percy replies

That's cos Mum was intending to stop work now but was weak and agreed to work longer !

"So just mum's been off and she's been doing things like gardening " robin says touching the flower at his side

"So at the moment it's all about the garden " sighs Robin

" So what you are saying is that we have no hope of any adventures until it's mid winter and mum's finally retired!" gasps Percy

" Could be " agrees Robin

" I suppose she's wanting to fill all these pots  too" says Valentine

" Maybe !" agrees Robin

"Well  we don't have to stand around and wait for mum!" says Percy with confidence

" We dont ? " " are you sure ? " " Really !"

"yes really , we don't " declares Percy " we can have our own adventures without mum's help !"

The others look a little unsure as sooner or later mum always seems to turn up....

" Are you with me? " Percy cries

"YES" they all cry back

To be continued...

*****************************************************

AT LAST SHE'S ARRIVED !

Well after a small blip, my new to me Sasha's arrived! She was posted from Germany last Wednesday and her tracking said on Friday that she'd be delivered on Satureday! Wonderful I thought , just in time for weekend.... then on Satureday afternoon it said delivered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh no she wasn't!
Then of course I started to worry she'd been delivered to the wrong house or address! I checked all the carport just in case they'd put her there but nothing! I sent off a query as to where my parcel was as it wasn't with me! Of course it was the weekend , so no reply !
So I did spend the weekend slightly concerned she was now in the wrong place and waiting to be collected!

But thankfully she arrived this morning ! So I have named her after her seller, whose name is Evelyn, one of my schoenhut's is also Evelyn, so this Evelyn will be called Evie.

 Oh another No Navel girl I hear you say....

 But not for me just any old no navel...

 But a full blue eyed brunette ! They do not appear very often , if at all! and Evie also has the most beautiful hair , in great condition.

All I have done is change her into an outfit by Ginny of a passion for sasha and added some shoes.

Shoes are by the late Jean Jensen.

 I'm totally smitten ! and I didn't ever think I'd find a full blue eyed brunette especially when I was not even looking.

One of my friend's said to me , she is your retirement doll.. what a wonderful idea, so this is Evie who celebrates my retirement from work and my move into freedom.

**********************************************************************************

THE LAST SUNDAY IN JULY !

Well July seems to have shot passed at an alarming rate!  I have been off work this week having decided to take my annual leave just before I retire. Orginially I was going to retire at the end of this month which is why I booked two weeks off now, then I agreed to stay on another two months as I was working from home and no one had any idea, just how long this covid virus was going to be affecting everyone. But I kept my two weeks off for the end of July because that was fixed in my head that I'd be on holiday !

So what's been happening this week ! Well since I've been off and everyone else in the house is working , I have spent my time cleaning and rearranging the furniture in the living room! I have also been sorting things out, making a trip to the post office, throwing things out, putting things away, making plans...

On Satureday I was looking for something in Paul's workshop and my old studio that's attached to it, when I decided to put away some plant stakes that had been left by the door. I took these down to new /old pot and plant store Paul built. I was shutting the door when I happened to look up over the back fence and thought it looked very open? Then I realised that the old dead elder tree had been removed ! Great I thought they have finally taken it down.... then I noticed that it had in fact fallen down! Fortunately not on our back fence or greenhouse but across onto our neightbours fence and one of the top branches was now resting on the roof of the shed we'd given him!

This is our neighbours side showing a piece of the tree

and this is the tree covering the entrance to our back gate, that mass of ivy in the centre shows you just how thick the trunk is Paul was going to try and push it off onto the ground but it is just too heavy and could cause an accident if not handled properly.

 So I have contacted the local parish council and told them it's fallen down and hopefully it will be removed early next week. It is resting on our fence panel at the side, hopefully it's not been broken.

Meanwhile some of the boys got together outside, no idea what they were talking about but nice to see them together outside and not playing video games!

Adam, Robin, Valentine and Percy looking nice and colourful.

My Sasha should be arriving any minute! Cannot wait to see her !and talking of dolls, I recieved a Zwergnase doll that had one leg shorter than the other! by at least a quarter to nearly half an inch. I emailed the shop that sold her to me and they said to send her back, I asked if the other two dolls I knew she also had in the same sculpt had the same issue , as if they were okay could I see photos and I'd swap her for one of those. She did send me some photos of one she said was the better of the two and could stand better than the other.
When I asked if she could make sure the dolls legs were both the same length, she then suggested a refund.... She'd also emailed the makers who said it was artistic licence to make the dolls in any manner they chose , so these are not faults.................. I took the refund!
Unfortunately if thats the makers attitude to what ARE faulty dolls, they will slowly lose their customer base.

Well this week coming I am finally going to make the custions for my Ercol chair that I bought a while back. I have had the fabric for months and now I have moved the chair into a more prominent place in the living room , it needs it's proper cushions. So hopefully by next week I'll be able to show you the completed chair.

I hope you all have a lovely healthy week ahead.

Dee

60'S SASHA

I was asked if the A Girl for all Time oufit fitted the Sasha's and as you can see above it does, including the shoes, I do love those shoes!

***********************************************************************************

IN SEARCH OF JANE!

A non Sasha post.

I collect A Girl For All Time dolls and I am intending to dress most of them in the regency period style. A good friend recently pointed out a seller on ebay, who was taking offers on the 60's style doll Sam from the AGFAT range.
So I put in a cheeky offer and it was accepted. So once she'd arrived I decided that I'd quite like to change the wig on one of these dolls, so went back to seller and did same cheeky offer on another one , which was again accepted.

 Here is second one in her 60's gear. I do love the shoes on this outfit.

 It turned out that the second Sam on the left had a better fringe than the first on the right. So I decided to remove the first girl's wig.


I have now named the first girl who arrived, Jane and so after a long fight to remove her wig yesterday, this morning I have been trying on wigs from my stock to find one that suits.

This wig always reminds me of the queen of hearts in Tim Burton's film of alice in Wonderland.

 I quite like this wig.

 looks better with hair tied back , should have pulled that ringlet /curl down at front!

I also quite like this one but a little on the white side plus it's two tone.

you can see the brown in the plait I did to pull it back.

So at present I'm thinking maybe this one, but first I'll have a search of the internet just in case there is one that's more perfect for her.



**********************************************************************************

IT'S BEHIND YOU!

 Yes it was the broken pot that I suddenly realised was behind Percy while I was taking the photos , which is an improvement as usually it's not until I have loaded them onto the computer that I 'see' these things and have to go back and take more.

It was pretty much like when I picked Percy up to change him into his new summer clothes and beieved him to be Erik , looked at him and was thinking 'what's wrong with his hair? it shouldn't be like this? I'm sure it wasn't cut short at the front! " Then the penny dropped and I thought , this isn't Erik ! it's Percy and went off to find Erik who was happily standing with Robin and Ragnor !

I really need to pay more attention!

********************************************************************************

PERCY FINDS ERIK'S T-SHIRT!

Back on the fifth one of the village lads was looking for the black and green striped T-shirt to go with the lime green cords he'd been told to change into.

Today he found the T-shirt so was finally able to change out of his scout uniform.
"Percy ! I gave those shorts to Erik and told him to find the t shirt and put them on !" I say

 " No you gave them to me and told me to put them on but you did call me Erik at the time!"
" I did ? "
"You did"
"Well you look just like him "
" In that we both have blonde hair and blue eyes !"
"Exactly!"
Percy rolls his eyes sighing " But my hair's been cropped at the front and Erik has the perfect Gregor helmet!"
" Don't call it a helmet"
"Well it looks like one and he's got the , and I quote " dreamy np eyes " unquote "
"Well your eyes are very nice too!"
"Mmm but not dreamy !"
I decide to change the subject " Come on lets go to the rockery for a couple of photos "

 Percy stops winding me up once we are at the rockery and stands patiently for his photos.

Although he did point out something I'd not noticed, so I took another photo !

 I just had him stay for a couple more.

 "You look very nice in your new outfit Percy " I say
" Thanks mum " he grins and starts walking towards the house " Almost as dreamy as Erik eh! " laughing he runs to the backdoor and inside..  the tike!


NB Can you tell between the two photos what Percy pointed out to me?


**********************************************************************************

SUNDAY 19TH JULY

Well that week was a very eventful one! After working from home for about twelve weeks, I went on a zoom call with the manager and area manager, on Monday, where they said it was now fine for people isolating to return to branch. So I would be required to work in branch for rest of the week.

Now since I was about to start a two week holiday and only had three days left to work before it and the branch had been running on the same staff in there for months, I thought they could have waited until I returned from my holiday but there you go! And since my agreement to work another couple of months was on the understanding that I'd only be in branch maybe a day or two a week not four.......so...

But on the home front I have sold lots of lovely Sasha clothes that I was not been using and have made enough to pay for my Sasha  to be sent to me. I paid her adoption fee and for her travel ticket today and she'll hopefully be here soon ! So exciting as I have not had a new Sasha for ages!

I also received another doll which turned out to have one leg slightly longer than the other! So now she'll have to go back and be exchanged! So annoying! She's got such a nice face too and we all know no doll looks exactly the same, so I hope I like her replacement!

 Paul's worked really hard in the flower garden over the weekend, as I had to get my dolls clothes listed as I had told people, I'd be selling again this weekend. So I have been just coming doing a little work, then going off again. But the four borders are now all bigger, planted up and finished. Now we just have to decide whats going to happen with the grass area.

Which between work, the garden and listing and selling dolls clothes left no time for anything else. But hopefully it will all be changing soon.

Have a lovely healthy safe doll filled week ahead.

Dee

SUNDAY, SO LETS CATCH UP

The weather this last week's been very much sunshine and showers! But also quite cool especially in the evenings! Just as well I have some crochetting on the go to help keep me warm!

It's been too wet to carry on with the garden , so it's just been the odd half an hour here and there doing some weeding or cutting back etc. This also allows time for discussion and the making of plans etc.

The dresser is getting crowded, so there will need to be a change over the coming week, with some dolls being found a new place to gather while others may come along to be able to watch whats happening in the house.

 Paul visited his Dad this week , to help his brother take him for an appointment and he returned with this old leaded window pane. It was covered in some sort of white spots, it was from his neighbours house ( they live in a large Victorian property, both his brother and the neighbours ) and they were having an extension on the side and these had been removed and were being thrown out!
I had a go at cleaning it and managed to get most of the white off but it will need another go to remove the rest.

 It does have a small break in the corner but Paul can easily fix that. We think it looks like an owl!
The world does work in a mysterious way , as I had spoken to Paul recently about making a small house in the garden for Clara and her sibling. When I'd been explaining to Paul what I wanted, I'd said I want it to have old stain glass panels for the windows ! because it will only get limited use, so I wanted it to be decorative as well as functional and here is a window just perfect for it. It's even given me the name , Owl Cottage !

On the doll front , I received the doll I bought with my birthday money, a Zwergnase doll which I bought from a lovely lady in Latvia ,as this was a limited edition that had been sold out in UK for a good while. Her name is Luna-Soley but I will call her Luna and she arrived in six days!

I'm very happy to have been able to get this girl and so pleased she appeared on my birthday when I actually had some money just waiting to be spent!

This weeks been a bit of a roller coaster week with work and one thing and another. But I have sold another doll , which is nice and must now look again at what others can leave the village nest!
Because among other things, it would appear that despite the odd low this week someone out there decided that they'd give me a high!

There are very few Sasha's that I want, most I have been lucky enough to own at one time or another but there is still the odd one, that although I've not been looking for , I would love to add to my Sasha family and so it was that one such Sasha appeared on the bazaar this week!
I'll say no more apart from I will be selling more dolls towards her adoption fee because I'd already spent my birthday money and luckily for me the current owner is happy to give me time to gather the funds.

You'll understand why once she arrives by the end of this month , or sooner depending on sales. I also must reduce the amount of doll clothing I have! I have so much especially for the girls but whenever I dress one so I can sell the clothes, I think oh thats so nice and it goes back in the box, sometimes it's best not to dress them but they do look better if you can see clothes on a doll.

So poor old Rosie here is looking for a new home, along with lots of other dolls and bits and pieces, I'm listing on my sales page, the bazaar for sasha related items and then tonight ebay. I decide that my babies get no attention, so will only be keeping Elton Ron and selling almost everything else on the baby front.

On that note I'm off to carry on finding items taking photos and listing them, it's suprising just how long all this takes!

Have a great healthy week ahead.

Dee

CHAT N SNAP 2020

Cancelled due to on going virus situation. I had hoped as we all did back in April that maybe by September/ October we would have been over this virus and back to all going about our business as normal!

But it's going to be the new 'normal' rather than the old one. With no one knowing for sure that we can avoid a second spike in the virus, which could come around the time of the Chat n Snap, I finally made the decision to cancel.

Naturally I did not want to disappoint people, but at the end of the day we all need to be safe and there was no guarantee that large groups would be allowed to gather or that people would want to gather.

So hopefully we'll all be able to meet up next October to enjoy some fun with our Sasha's. The theme will stay the same , so you will all be able to hone those outfits for your Sasha children.

IT'S THE FIFTH SO DOLL PHOTO DAY!

Yes it's the fifth of July and the doll photos are waiting a nd ready to be viewed, enjoy.

 The boys from gregoropolis are ready and raring to get out on their summer adventures, looking lovely and clean and tidy... just give them ten minutes and they will have total forgotten they were going to be careful and not get dirty!

Over at the gnome house the needle nimble Ursula as made another top and shorts so that this lovely sailor suit and be shared by both Patrick and Ronja. Who are looking wonderful and ready for that sailing trip!

From Carol in Canada we have Alice in her lovely new outfit Mum made.

We also have from Carol, the Princess and the Pea Diorama! I must sort out making adiorama in time for Augusts doll day! Just loving all the details in this!

James William insisted we share this photo taken in celebration of Independence day, yesterday as he felt we should have used this one as it would have been more realistic being outside in those days.. every dolls a critic!

 A heatwave is coming and Teresa's girl is all ready and waiting !

 She's even got her extra large sunglasses on account of it being a ten day heat wave !Best to be prepared!.

Here in the village, Erik's asking Valentine if he knows what happened to the green and black striped t shirt ?

Erik sigh's when Valentine says that was weeks ago , he's no idea! Goodness he thinks if Mum's put it somewhere safe I'll never find it and she'll have not idea either!

Over at Jenni's the new girl's being shown round by her new sister Bjenna, she'll soon settle in I'm sure.


Many thanks to everyone who kindly sent in their photos, still time to add some more and if I have missed any please send me a reminder!

Wishing you all a lovely doll filled healthy week ahead

Dee