SUNDAY AFTER A BUSY WEEK

 

Yes it's all been happening this last week. Usually it's quite quiet and just pottering around but it turned into a full on busy week one way and another!.

Since I retired I hardly use my sweet little car and it tends to sit out on the drive, near the car port or sometimes just inside waiting patiently to be taken out and about. But it sat in vain only getting a round every so often and usually requiring the battery to be checked before any planned outing. So I decided that it had to go and we'd sort out about selling it by the end of the month.

Then suddenly on Monday afternoon, our neighbours asked if we were planning on selling, Paul had mentioned it to them recently, to which I said yes, turned out their sister in law was looking to buy a small car and could they come and view it. 

Well naturally I was going out the next day on one of it's few trips, so arranged for them to call the next afternoon. Long and short , it was sold that afternoon and collected on Thursday. I was very sad to see it go as it was a beautiful shiny blue Micra and had done me wonderful service for ten years and probably had another ten or more in it. But it was silly to leave it sitting there not moving for months at a time. So now I will have to share Paul's car, just need to have a few drives of it.

I was shocked when I called the car insurance company, who said even though I had removed one car from the policy it would only save us £4 a month! Naturally I said I'd go look elsewhere if that is the case! So today I saved £22 a month by going with another insurer! How can that be right, that I have to move insurers in order to save when removing a car?? No savings for being a loyal customer of many years! 

Also as I stated in yesterday's post the laptop I had, finally gave up the ghost on Monday and would not turn on! So I started looking at what to replace it with. So a new one was ordered on Thursday arrived on Friday and set up. 

Paul also started working on repairing the fish pond , which we'd kept only half full over winter, so needed to get it sorted before any really hot weather. We decided to take it right back to the start and removed everything, putting the seven fish into a large tub while the work was done. Naturally it rained a few times over the week but it's now all back together with the fish back in, no doubt enjoying the nice deep clean water.

That's the first of lots of jobs that have to be done this year in the garden, next we need to replace all the rotten boards on the raised garden at the end. 

Not much as been happening on the doll front. Well not on the selling side! I did take receipt of two beds and a wardrobe for my Ten Ping doll, whose house Paul's building and the doors and windows arrived for that too. But naturally I'm now wondering if it needs another floor, so I can fit a kitchen and bathroom in, which I had hoped would fit in by splitting each room into a living room /kitchen and a bedroom/bathroom but it would be too tight. So a decision will need to be made before Paul can make the front.

I did also buy Yu Ping, Ten Ping's little sister, so she would have a companion. Plus various items to furnish their home.

I also did not make anything this week, which is bad, since I have so much stuff to be able to make things with, so must do better next week. In that vain I'm off to check out my yarns so I can start on making some of the many things the dolls or family require.

Wishing you all a very happy healthy week ahead

Dee

NO RUNNING BEFORE

 I CAN WALK!   Finally my laptop gave up the ghost! Refused to even turn on, nothing, nada ! Which naturally meant I finally had to stop sitting on the fence and commit to a new one!

So yesterday my new laptop arrived and so far it's looking good! I asked the girls for who to go with and they all said Dell, so that's what I have. It's sturdier than my last one, HP, and also has a bigger screen and was half the price! 

I've spent so many months looking at photos behind a blacking screen, that now the photos seem so bright and crisp!

I just need to get a handle on a few things and I can finally start doing some photo stories and just in time for the Kings coronation! 

AN APRIL SUNDAY

 Well the weathers been wet! They complained earlier this year about how little rain we had only for March to be the wettest for years and this month to have continued replenishing the water levels!. Don't get me wrong, we have seen the sun but it's usually been accompanied by a nice cold breeze.

 In fact Storm Noa was around in the week and I noticed that due to all the rain and wind, the statue of Guinevere on her column was on a slight tilt! So Paul took her off the top, just in case one of the gusts of wind proved enough to tip her over and placed her safely out the way. Today he's re leveled the base and she is back up watching over the house garden but that means another job to add, in making a secure level concrete base for her and her column to stand on, at some time before the winter arrives.

Which pretty much means the garden is a big mess and half the things that would have been done are still waiting and the weeds believe we've gone over to 'natural' planting! We have also lost a few large shrubs over the winter, a couple may renew from the base but most that were caught by the minus 14 temperature will need to be dug up and replaced. Although it's a shame to lose a lovely mature shrub , it does allow for a redesign of the space, so not all is lost along with the plant. But now it's a case of getting out there whatever the weather and getting things moving.

We had to pull out from showing the garden for the church in July, because there is just too much to do and not enough time to do it before the date, so at least we can now plod along at our own pace without worrying. The photo above shows the flower garden, where we dug out a circle intending to pave it while slightly widening the borders but then with Paul waiting on his op, the weather turning cold and then very wet, it's stayed waiting and is now covered in grass etc and will require a good few weeks of work just to get it ready for whatever we decide to do with it but before that can happen, weeding and repairing the pond needs to happen first.

I'm still waiting on getting another laptop, due to the one I'd decided on being out of stock and me not being able to decide on another! Is this an age thing? I don't remember being anywhere near this indecisive when I was younger! I'd decide on something and that would be it and it would not take weeks just a day or so! 

It could also get delayed by the fact I had an issue with a couple of my teeth, so may need to pay for some dental work! 

We've been working on the one sixth doll's house. Adding some satin cherry blossom designed red fabric to some card and then to the walls. Looked nice and flat when added only to bubble up later. So for now it's stays but may need to be sorted out again later. 

took this photo of it's owner Ten Ping checking it out as the afternoon sun hit the red.

I've also been stitching more carpets, one for my dolls house and one for a friend, which I finished yesterday and just need to back and then send off.

I originally planned on making this as just that centre section but then decided to add the extra border.

So I then decided to make one for a friend with a similar look.

After taking this off the frame, Paul kindly pointed out I had missed a small block in the corner, so I managed to remove and replace the missing block and it's now just waiting for the backing. I have to say I have got so used to sitting stitching in the evenings that I feel like something is missing each time I've finished, so another piece of fabric is awaiting a new design. Although I probably should be knitting instead due to the wool sitting around waiting to be used!

We went and saw Princess Clara and young Prince Adam, for the day on Thursday , which was wonderful, they are growing so fast and Adam is now a right chatterbox.

On the doll front all's been quiet, no one's left and no one's arrived! I did sell the small German tin stove which was good. Now I need to get into the studio and find more prop's that can go but as is usual, I see things and think Oh I could use that! even though it's not been used in the years I have owned it!

If you are wondering about the photo at the start of some Rosie Bloom dolls shoes, I decided to share the photo of them as they are some of the first pairs I managed to buy years ago and are a lovely soft leather that have the look of a well worn pair of children's shoes, which I just love.

So I need to go and clear all the things that that have been stored under the gazebo for the winter and all the various pots of plants scattered about the patio, so that now finally we may have some decent weather, the place with look tidy and ready to use.

I wish you all a lovely healthy fun filled week ahead.

Dee

HAPPY EASTER

 FROM GRANNY FORTUNA AND THE SASHA VILLAGE CLAN

HAPPY EASTER WISHES TO ALL

"PLEASE MISS "

 

"Please Magda can I have a cross bun ? "

Magda puts one bun on Lucas's plate saying " Eat it slowly as you only get one today!"

"But what about Socks? He needs his own bun!" 

" Dog's cannot eat currents or some fruits, it's dangerous for them" Magda tells Lucas seriously, so he won't try sharing his bun " I'll find something he can eat "

Magda finds one of Mrs Mum's big dogs biscuits and puts it down for Socks, who then falls over in di at the size of his treat! But he is soon dragging it after Lucas as he heads back to finish watch his children's tv.  Silence reigns... well at least for half an hour!

YES IT'S THE FIFTH DOLL DAY

 I'm getting later and later ! But I was doing some gardening while the day was dry! So lets get this show on the road..

Over at Gregoropolis, the girls are ringing the changes and swapping the blouses belonging to their Ginny's outfits, so they are the same but different!

This is Steve's new girl Lydia or is it? She's not saying since Steve never intended to add another girl but this young lady was not taking no for an answer!

Up in the Borders Simples two girls are strutting their stuff, while looking out for border reevers.. or is that they are them? 

I'm going to show my ages here by saying this photo so reminds me of Mel and Kim, singing " Take or leave us only please believe us, we ain't never gonna be respectable!"  Now that songs stuck in my head!  Me and you Simples ;)

Hildegard's children have braved the cold and found the Easter egg tree! Let's just hope the chocolate ones are n ot frozen when they find them!

Here Lucas has found Ten Ping's house and is checking it out!

"Pardon Lucas? You want snowman wallpaper!"  Oh dear I can see trouble brewing, I'd best go and explain that it's not his room.!

Thank you to everyone for sending in some photos  for doll day, still time to add more.

Now I'm off to find the words to Respectable, I cannot keep sining the same part over and over again all night ! 

APRIL ARRIVES

 The month that is, not a new doll! Normally we would be talking about April showers but we've had more than enough rain in March to be honest, so hopefully we won't get too much rain this month.

We are starting into the fourth month of the year and have done nothing! Especially in the garden! So if the weather starts improving, there is plenty of work ahead outside. I plan to get out into the doll studio this week and make a start on using it, no it's got nothing to do with a certain Granny Fortuna's threats about Easter coming and her shop needing filling! I ain't afraid of no granny!

Easter will soon be upon us as it falls on the 7th this year, so not even a week away! The days are brighter things need to start happening! I say this like nothings happening but there are things happening. it's just me that needs to get the butt in gear and start doing things.

Paul after finishing the townhouse, started on the 1:6th house for Ten Ping. I have ordered the doors and windows for the front which will take a while to arrive.

This house may land up going where the townhouse is and then the townhouse will need a new home! There I was congratulating myself on clearing some space with the dolls sales, only to now be sharing for floor/cupboard top space for all these different size houses that are appearing! And we won't mention the furniture they will all be needing over time!

It's not only been wet here in the UK, it's also been cold, so most of the flowers that would have started to appear around the start of March are finally starting to appear now.

So at least we are starting to see some colour in the garden.

On the doll front, one left and none arrived, which was good. So I will be sorting other dolls items out this week, while I am in the doll studio, hoping to start moving more items on.

So since it's April, it's time for the doll photos, since the fifth is just a couple of days away. So please send in a couple of photos to cheer us all up.

Wishing you all a happy healthy funfiled week ahead

Dee