Don't worry, I'm still alive ! rofl

I'm so sorry for not posting in almost a month, things have just been so hectic around here!

First the GOOD NEWS !!!

I've finally managed to get the motorbility car ordered ... yeah!!

here it is

I gave in and took the means testing to get it, because fostering were still argueing about paying the 'costomer contribution' and I just got so fed up with it all. In the end, after the testing, they agreed to pay £1350, and I got the demo man around to my house with the manual car for another test drive and to do the paper work. I'm having the silver version - I think the black looks like a taxi/hearse - lol and it will be ready about February time. There is just so much room in the back for Jack, and with the lowered floor, he's not sitting perched up high like in some other car conversions, and there's plenty of room for Adam and Stacy when they come to stay too. I'm so excited and can't wait for it to finally arrive :-)

The nursing help is now in, and after a few weeks of keeping an eye on them to make sure I was happy to leave Jack in their hands, I can now go out on a Thursday evening 7 - 10 :-). Ofcourse being just a couple of weeks before Christmas, most clubs are stopping or having their parties, but atleast Cindy and I can look forward to going to a line dancing club when they start back in January ... yehaw!!!
We are taking advantage of this new free time though. Christmas Eve is on a Thursday this year, so we're going out for a lovely meal, and then on Christmas Day, I'm putting out a buffet and we'll be able to relax and enjoy our selves with out worrying about the cooking and cleaning up ... heaven!

I've had a bust up with my sister. It's been a long time coming and after harsh words have been said we've agreed not to have any thing to do with each other. She's been ignoring my messages, texts, parcels etc since August and when I finaly confronted her about it she went off on one and called me jealous, spiteful, bitter and evil just to mention a few of the names and accused me of not being interested in her grandchildren, when I'd sent two parcels and a card and hadn't had an acknowledgement much less a thank you! ....... She won't be missed.

I still haven't done any stitching :-( I've well and truly lost my mojo! My poor friend Jan is still waiting for her birthday present from Oct! I've got it lying next to the sofa and it keeps calling me but I just can't be bothered with it. I'm going to put it all away until after Christmas, and then perhaps, if it's not shouting at me all the time, I might get the urge to pick it up again! I'm sure that once all the argueing with fostering and my sister has finaly stopped, I'll feel like relaxing with my stitching again.

I'm going off to read all your blogs now, and catch up on what you've all been up to this last month. I'm sure you've put me to shame and have some gorgeous needlework to show off :-)

Have a very Merry Christmas and a loving, prosperous New Year every one xxxxxxxxxx


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still no further forward

I haven't blogged in a while .... again... life is just so stressful lately, I feel like shutting the doors, closing the curtains and just hibernating until things get better. Unfortunately, that's not an option and I just have to get up every morning, and get on with it, trying to put a smile on my face!

Fostering ... still no further on than the last post! The nursing agency has been approached, finally, but they still haven't got Jack assessed, so I'm still waiting for the nursing help to arrive. I'm hoping it will be with in the next week or two, but I won't hold my breath!
The deposit for the motorbility car still hasn't been approved :(. After the meeting I mentioned in the last post, I thought they would get things moving quite quickly, but 3 weeks went by, I sent 2 emails, which he didn't acknowledge, then he went on holiday, with out doing any thing about it! I was so frustrated, I sent an email to the other senior manager. She at least replied, but still nothing happened. In the end I sent another email telling them that I was going to a private fostering agency and that they'd hear from that agency about the protocol meeting, in the near future. THAT got them moving! Chris Dennison sent me an email .... while he was on holiday at home .... and said that he would get things moving as soon as he got back in to the office. In the mean time, the other manager, arranged for a slot at the Budget Management Panel, to ask about the car deposit, and gave Jack's social worker the go ahead on the nursing help. Well, she went to the BMP with the wrong information and they didn't agree to paying the money until other options had been looked at! All of them I've already looked at !!
This was on Thursday last week and I still knew nothing until I rang Jack's SW this morning and she got hold of the manager, who text Chris, who then rang me! He is in London at a conference and he made a big deal of saying he was phoning me while he was having his lunch, as if I care that he took time out between courses! I told him the information was wrong, but I would ring the Motorbility scheme ... again .... and get the info from them ... again ..and I made it quite clear that I'm not happy!

I spent over an hour on the phone with a lovely young lady at the grants department, and she talked me through it all, again, and I was right! By this time I was near to tears with frustration, so I agreed to being means tested (she did it over the phone bless her), and after going through it all, and giving her all the financial details etc, she said I could have a grant, but that I would have to pay £1400 towards the car. I've sent the managers an email, saying their information WAS wrong, but that they've won, and I've been means tested and that they'll have to pay the money that's outstanding. I'm just so angry at them for not supporting me in this, after all Jack is THEIR child !!!
I won't forgive them or forget this.
I usually get what ever Jack needs out of my own money, but from now on, I'm claiming every penny. I've just bought a rain cover for his wheelchair and it cost £55, (can you believe that?) so I'm putting a claim in for that straight away.

While all this was going on, I had 3 weeks of tooth ache to deal with. I had a tooth ache for a couple of days and it didn't go away ( you hope don't you? lol) so I went to the dentist. I couldn't see my usual man, and the lady I saw thought it was a gum infection because a tooth in the area of pain, was loose. She gave me some anti-biotics to take for a week, but they didn't work, so back I went. I saw my man this time, and he said he agreed with her and it was the loose tooth, I said I thought it was the back one next to it, but he said no he couldn't see any thing wrong with that one and promptly removed the tooth. Off I went, numb tongue and cheek, feeling like JaJa Binks off Star Wars, happy to think that two weeks of pain was finished with.
It was Janine's birthday at the week end, so that night we all went out for a meal. I'd just ordered my food when the numbness wore off and the pain started back again! Thank goodness for cupfrofen! I managed through the evening and the next morning, I was back at the dentist. I saw yet another dentist, and even though I said it was the back one, he said he couldn't see any thing wrong with it and he agreed the right one had been taken out, but thought that the back one was hyper sensitive so coated it with some thing to stop the pain. All week end I was in pain still, so on Monday morning, I took myself off to the doctors to get him to check that it wasn't an ear infection, neuralgia or sinus's but no, he said it was dental pain. So off I go again, back to the dentist to see if I could get in the next day. My dentist had just had a whole family cancel their check ups, so he whipped me straight in, and whipped the back tooth straight out .... wham bam thank you mam .... pain free !!! 3 weeks of pain, stress and sleepless night, finally at an end. He still couldn't find any thing wrong with the darn tooth, but at least it's gone lol

As you can imagine I haven't had the least enthusiasm for stitching and haven't touched a needle in weeks, so there's nothing to show I'm afraid. I haven't visited the forums either so I've no idea what's going on, but I'm hoping that once things calm down and I get settled again, I can catch up on what every ones been up to.

Your all still in my thoughts xx

I'll be putting my mind to Christmas now, so here's hoping for a brighter time ahead :-).

outcomes !!

well I finally had a meeting with the two senior fostering managers.

They came to my home at 6pm one evening, my manager (a man!!) was 20 mins late and the first thing he said was that he'd be leaving at 7.30 to pick his daughter up from the train station! That set us off to a good start don't you think? The previous night, they'd been to a meeting with a parent until 10pm but I obviously wasn't going to get that amount of time!
I introduced them to Jack, who, bless him, was having a real good thrash around on his bed/playpen. He really showed them how mobile and energetic he was lol . Then we sat down and I geared myself up for a good fight to get what I wanted. What a let down !! He said yes to every thing with out an argument !! lol
He said that there was no way I would be expected to be means tested for the down payment on the motorbility car, as Jack wasn't my child and it was their responsibility to provide every thing I need to make looking after Jack easier ........ so why were the social workers not saying the same thing to me???
He said yes to the nursing care once a week, with the option of it increasing as time goes by .
He said yes to them providing the £500 for a special wheelchair swing for in the garden.
I felt really rather deflated!! I'd geared my self up to having a right good argument and it didn't happen lol

Mind you, it's been a couple of weeks since the meeting and nothing has come of these promises yet, so I don't know why I felt happier? I might still have a fight on my hands.

The lady from the private fostering agency came the night before this meeting so I had a good idea of my worth :) She was very positive about my experience and said she would recommend me for their agency. I just have to wait for their managing team to finalise it and then I can decide finally, which way I'll go.

On the stitching front, I haven't done any thing really, but I did get around to doing the making up on this little ornament, I really love this one. It was going to go to my friend Kathy in Aus, with the santa's, but I've decided to keep it myself lol


Jack has had a trip to the doctors with a 'rattly' chest this week, but it's not any thing to worry about, no infection, so he got his flu jab while he was there.
I've had another gum infection and am on more antibiotics from the dentist. I don't know what's happening with my gums lately. I clean my teeth twice a day use inter dental brushes and use mouth wash too, so I don't know where it's coming from. I've a feeling I'll end up with having a couple of teeth out if it carries on ! It's been an on going problem for the past 15 yrs, with teeth working loose then having to be taken out with no decease or infection, it's so frustrating!

My sister's daughter had her babies on Wednesday. She had Twins, a boy, Thomas (after my dad) weighing in at 7lbs 3oz and a girl, Rose at 5lbs 13oz .... good weights for twins!!! ..... and so the next generation is starting!

I bought myself a couple of miniature roses a couple of weeks ago, they were red and pink. The pink one was a lovely colour, but when the new buds came through, they turned out orange! How strange is that? I had four flowers two pink and two orange on the same bush! rofl

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Owl's, horses and santa's ...

I've finally managed to get some photo's to down load on to blogger, so here are the pictures I was trying to show in my last post.

The lovely card and owl from Karan, along side just some of my owl ornaments.





Dillon, Janine's new horse is next, I didn't manage to take the photo directly side on, so he looks a bit small on the back end, but he isn't IRL , honest lol. In this photo, Janine had been riding him and the girdle got a bit loose, so she stopped to adjust it and Dillon went straight in to 'relax' mode with his back hoof raised and resting. He's such a sweet natured lad :-).
Just to give you an idea of his height, I'm 5'7" and when I'm standing next to him, my face is level with his mouth !! Needless to say, I don't get too close unless he's the other side of the stable door rofl



This final picture is of the Mill Hill Beads Kits, called Santa's Wardrobe. I have just finished doing the boots. These are for my friend Kathy in Sth Australia. She does some fabulous beaded ornaments and doilies, so I thought I'd try these for her as a change from the usual stitching I do They are lovely and bright IRL.


On the fostering front:- I've contacted a national private fostering agency, and they are sending one of their workers out to see me next week, for a good chat and to see if they can offer me a better support package ...... well, lets face it, any thing they offer will be better than what I'm getting now !!! So as the saying goes ....... "watch this space" !

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October already!

I just don't know where the time has gone this last month!

I haven't felt like blogging this last month as it's been quite a stressful month, and my mam always said "If you've nothing good to say, then don't say anything" and I've definitely not had any thing good to say for the last few weeks!

No! ... I tell a lie, I have some thing nice to tell you about lol . I had a tidy up in my craft corner, (well, it's supposed to be a corner, but it had spilled out into half the room, hence the tidy up lol ) anyway, I ended up with some things that I thought were too good/useful to throw away but I didn't want them, mostly card making things, which I'm not doing so much of this last year. I sent them to Karan hoping she could use them. Thankfully, she liked them, and she very kindly sent me a thank you card .... hand made of course .. and a really cute little stitched owl because we both share a love of these gorgeous birds.

I'VE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO ADD A PHOTO OF THEM AND DILLON BUT BLOGGER WON'T LET ME!

The second 'nice' thing is that Janine has got herself another horse. She decided to plunge straight back into it and is now the proud owner of Dillon, a 6.2hh Irish Draft/Draught ... I'm not sure which spelling it is rofl . He is such a sweetie, and gives Janine kisses :-). He is however, quite strong, and this week, he poked his head out of the stables and lifted the frame off it's hinges, when he lifted his head up!!! Janine is going to put some mesh over the open bit, so he can't stick his head through again lol

The third 'nice thing' is that it was Cindy's 22nd birthday on the 22nd of this month, and we managed to get a nurse and carer in to look after Jack for 3 hrs so we could go out for a family meal. We had a lovely time, very relaxed and happy, then the girls went off in to town to meet up with friends and continue with the night, while I went home to relieve the ladies. The ex and I went half's on a reconditioned lap top for Cindy, which is the only thing she wanted, so she was a very happy little bunny :)

The reason I'm 'ticked off' is STILL the same ... lack of support and understanding from the fostering department!!

I've been asking for some nursing/carer help for a couple of years now and nothing is happening. It's all about who has to pay for it!! Also since Feb, I've been wanting to get a different wheel chair accessible car, because the VW Transporter's steep ramp is getting too hard to use now Jack's getting bigger and I'm getting older! Rather than buy a second hand one for £7000 +, I'm prepared to go down the Motorbility route and lose the £40 + per week part of the DLA that Jack receives. but because the car would need to be adapted for a wheelchair, they require a non refundable down payment of £4, 475, which I can't afford to pay obviously. I have already paid out to buy the VW in the first place because I was told they would't pay any thing and I desperately needed it to take Jack to his hosp appointments etc. As Jack is looked after by the local authority I think it is down to them to pay the deposit, after all he is 'their' child, but they're insisting that I apply for a grant and be means tested so they will only have to pay the £200 min contribution! I'm really not happy about that. I'm waiting for the two service managers to come and visit as a result of the letter I wrote last month, (it will be 9 weeks by the time they come.. prompt don't you think?) I tried 3 times phoning my head manager to ask him about this motorbility grant situation and left 2 messages, but he only got his under manager to ring me and as I'd named her in my letter of complaint, she was not accommodating and said if I didn't like her decision to talk to the manager ..... which is who I was trying to talk to in the first place !!!!!!!!!!!!
This is just one part of a long list of 'moans' I have about their treatment of me, and not only does it effect me emotionally, it's having an adverse effect on my whole life, because of the constant phone calls etc. If I didn't love Jack so much, I'd tell them to stuff every thing and they'd have to put him in to residential care which would cost over £4000 a week instead of the measly £177 they pay me for Jack's care !!!


and ... to top it all off, I didn't receive my exchange in the Mail Art exchange that I took part in on the Stitch and Stash Forum :(. Every one else receive a beautifully made envelope, but me, I'm just so disappointed :(. I thought about taking part in the christmas one, hoping that I'd get one back, but I've so much to get through before Christmas, I know I won't have time to stitch one.

As you can imagine, with all this going on, there is no stitching getting done, so I don't have any thing to share with you on the stitching front unfortunately :(



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September already!

My goodness the 'summer' has flown by, probably because we haven't had much of a one! It's been such a shame that the summer holidays had such changeable weather and not a lot of sunshine!

MAIL ART ... It's reveal day on the Stitch and Stash board, . Mine took a week to arrive at it's destination, but it arrived in one piece and Bec's liked it :) unfortunately I haven't received one yet so I'll show the the one I did

I tried to leave enough room for the stamp and the recorded delivery sticker, which is enormous lol. I'm glad to say they managed to be placed with out encroaching on the stitched area.

My daughter Cindy, chose the 'sunshine' yellow for the inside as it was summery she said lol


We were supposed to enclose a card, and the one I stitched and made up, didn't fit .... note to self: check the size before you make the card! So I enclosed a stitchers note book instead, which I forgot to photograph.

I'd like to take part in another exchange like this, it was (is) very exciting waiting for the postman to arrive to see if they arrive in one piece lol This was a first for all of the ladies taking part and I know I would change some things a little bit for the next one, but that's the best part, learning as you go :)

Janine is on the look out for another horse. She thought about it and decided that it was silly to leave all the equipment that she'd bought for Niko, just lying around as it cost a lot of money. She's also still got the stable free, so she's looking for another one. And so it starts again, mum driving her miles around the West Midlands looking at horses!! lol ... I don't mind, she's been through such a lot, I just want her to be happy again.

I had a phone call from the Ass. Director of Looked after children and young people, on Tuesday. I'd written a letter saying how upset I was about the lack of support, and she said all the usual 'suck up' phrases that I usualy get ... 'Oh we don't want to lose you, your too valuable' .... 'You do such a fantastic job, we wouldn't want to lose you' ... 'We'll do all we can to support you' ... So we'll see what comes of her promise to talk to both team managers to see what can be done. I'm not holding my breath!!

I went to see a friend of mine yesterday, a fellow fostercarer but with a different county. She has two foster babies at the moment, one 7 months and a two week old new born. It was lovely having a cuddle but I don't envy her the sleepless nights lol


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Boy am I glad August is coming to an end!

I've had quite a stressful month!

1. I'm in a battle with fostering, for more support. I've been asking for some nursing help one night a week so I can go out and have a life out side of fostering, but it doesn't get any where. I've asked for some financial assistance to get a 'Motorbility' car ( I have to put a down payment of about £3/4000), because I paid for the VW transporter I have, and I only need it because of Jack, and therefore fostering should be providing it, but that's not getting looked in to either. Every time I ask for something, like the mileage allowance for the 199 miles I drove to take Adam, Stacey and Jack to Ludlow in South Shropshire, I get told no, it's within your fostering allowance! I didn't have to take them to Ludlow, I could've said no, but because Jack's family live there, I said I'd do it and Jack could have a contact visit with his family at the same time as long as I got the mileage and was told yes.
We left home at 10.30 am and after taking Jack to his mum's, then driving Adam and Stacey to the week end carers, then going back to Jack's mum's, having a cup of tea and then taking him to see his gran and grandad in Bridgenorth, having another cup of tea and then driving him to Hope House where he was staying for the week end, I finally got home at 7.30 that night, and hadn't had a single bite to eat the whole day!!!
When I handed the mileage form in, my link worker said that because I had 3 children, the mileage allowance built in to the payments meant I didn't do enough miles and couldn't claim... I was not happy as I'd been told I could claim before I agreed to do it. I took the form off her and tossed it in to the bin and said that from now on I wouldn't be doing any transporting and they'd have to pay for taxi's . She hastily retrieved the form from the bin and said she'd see what she could do!!
I am sick to death of having to fight for every single thing, and sorting every thing else out on my own! You'd think that they'd consider the fact that to put Jack in to residential care would cost over £4000 A WEEK, and they only pay me £177 so they should be supporting me in every way they can, to keep on saving all that money !!!
To top it all ... and the final straw for me ... when I said I wasn't going to have the second lot of two children this week because of the following paragraph, they showed no concern at all for my daughter or my family only anger that I'd let them down at the 'last minute' dispite the fact that I gave them the names of two carers who could step in.

2. My poor daughter Janine has had a terrible time over her horse this month. Niko was loosing weight, swelling up and getting itchy, and getting agitated so she called the vet out. The vet said it was an allergic reaction and gave him an injection and some cream, he seemed to pick up a bit, but was soon showing the same symptoms again. The vet then did some blood tests and said his liver function was down but didn't know why. He went from bad to worse so in the end Janine ended up taking him to a specialist horse vet up in Liverpool for investigation. It turns out he had liver failure and poisonous pneumonia, probably from eating ragwort weeds (the previous owner said he was in a field full of it but didn't bother with it ... well he obviously did as Janine's paddock doesn't have any at all!) He was too far gone and had to be put to sleep this week.
We've had several trips to Liverpool, to take Niko, to go back and say good bye, to collect the ashes etc. As you can imagine, Janine is heartbroken and has been very upset . So now we've got a beautiful wooden inlaid, box with Niko's ashes in, sitting on the fire hearth because Janine is too upset to have him buried just yet.

RIP NIKO XXX


On the stitching front, I've just taken part in a Mail Art exchange on Stitch and Stash. We had to design, stitch and make up an envelope, enclose a card and post it 'naked' through the mailing system. I posted mine off 4 days ago and still haven't heard if it arrived safetly neither have I received one in return, so I do hope that they make it through in one piece! I'll post a pic when and if, it arrives with the recipient!

I had a week end break up in Edinburgh to see the Military Tattoo on the 14th Aug. It was a lovely week end away with my friend Irene and I managed to meet up with Diana and her lovely children too :). We had one or two little bits of excitement ... the lens in my glasses fell out and I only just managed to stop a man from standing on it in the shop! I then had to try and walk along the street with one lens intact, to the nearest optitions. It happend to be Spec Savers but they couldn't fix it because they didn't have a small enough screw! I went in to M&S and the lovely lady gave me some selotape and we did a 'Jack Duckworth' on the glasses until I could get to Boots optitions and they fixed it, tightened up the other screw and cleaned the glasses all for no charge! What service!
That night, after watching the wonderful show we got in to bed about midnight only to be woken again at 01.00 with the fire alarm going off! We spent an hour out in the cold, watching the 3 fire engines and the fire men, running around, only to discover that a silly man had lit up a cigarette in his room and set the alarms off!!
The next day we spent a couple of hours in Carlisle then set off back home. Irene and I have agreed to do another coach trip in the new year, perhaps to York ... any one live over that side of the country??? Fancy a coffee ??? lol

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summer activities

It's been a hectic time in the Taylor Household.

I've had Adam and Stacey for the last 2 weeks and boy have they kept me on my toes lol We've been lucky to have some lovely weather most of the time and we've been out and about. We took a picnic and went to Ellesmere to enjoy the mere. It's just been refurbished and it's lovely. The children fed lots of ducks, played in the playground after lunch, and we walked around the mere, through woods.



On the days we didn't go out, they spent most of the time in the garden looking at the butterflies that seem to have come out in hundreds, and were fluttering around the buddlea all week.

I'm going to Edinburgh on Friday to see the Military Tattoo :) I'm really looking forward to that. I'm also going to meet up with Diana and her children on the saturday :)

Next week I've got a bit of peace then I've got another 2 little ones coming for a week. These two are 2.5yrs and 3.5yrs old, so I'm really going to be ready for a rest when they go back lol I think I'm getting too old for this job!

On the 'sister' front .... I sent her a picture message of a lovely pink babies bolero cardigan with 'fluffy wool' around the edges and cuffs that's I'm giving her daughter who's pregnant ... I don't have Emma's number or I'd have sent the message straight to her. Karen hasn't had the decency to reply much less say thank you. I sent a parcel with that and two little cardigans to her house to give to Emma. It should've arrived yesterday, but still no response from her .... she's only confirming my thoughts about her!!

At the beginning of the month I went to another Mind Body and Spirit Fayre that was being held in town. After wondering around I sat down to a medium, Micheal. Now I don't know if you believe in it, but I choose to :) I made a point of not giving any answers other than a yes or a no so I didn't give him any thing to work on. He said that two people came forward, a man and a woman. The man was letting the lady talk but he'd brought her to 'show her the ropes' lol Micheal said that she was my mum, and that she said enough of the tears, she wants to see me smile again. She thanked me for the specific flowers that I put down for her (carnations, her favourite) and said she was beside me when I was looking through the old photo's (the previous day) and the one of the man beside a chair was my uncle (I'd been wondering who he was!) She also said that I was like a best friend to her not just a daughter (she'd said that just before she died too :-) ) and I knew how she would have done things so what I'd done was right ..... do you think she meant the garden and cleaning the bungalow? She also said that I'd get what I wanted at Christmas, and Micheal thought she meant I'd 'see' her, but I'm wondering if she meant the bungalow would be sold, so we'll wait and see on that one. I came away feeling so much better, and a lot happier knowing that she's still with me :)

Well, I'll have to get off and make a start on the tea ... these kids do nothing but eat rofl

A Rant !!

This post is not about stitching so if you don't want to listen to me moaning about my family please turn away now .... lol



I some times wonder if my sister is actually any relation to me at all. She's so selfish and spiteful!!!

I went up home for 4 days this week, to see my brother Barry and sister Karen and to see mam and dad's bungalow before it gets sold. The one and only time I can get a full week of respite from Jack. When I told my sister I was going up to Shields to see them, she said she had her 'man friend' staying for a few days and could I put it off for a couple of weeks! She knows full well that I have to book the respite in November , for the coming year, and I couldn't just change it at the last minute..... gggrrrr!!! I'd booked Cindy and myself in to the Travel Lodge so there was no problem with accommodation thankfully. In all the years I've been going back home, Karen has NEVER put us up, even though we'd have to sleep on my parents sofa and floor, so I had no expectations of her letting us sleep at her house this time.
My brother Barry, a confirmed bachelor, on the other hand, made us very welcome and cooked us two lovely evening meals. Karen managed to spare us one hour when she came with my niece, after work to Barry's flat. Even then, when I laughed at my niece for still wearing a thong when she's 6 months pregnant with twins, Karen managed to make a nasty remark back at me.

While I was up there, I wanted to see the bungalow, one last time, and say my good byes as I haven't seen it since Mam died when all her furniture was still in it. I wasn't very happy about the state of it. My niece and her partner, rented it over the winter months, but moved out in April and it's been empty since. The paintwork was dirty, the windows were dirty, the work tops were stained and the gas cooker was FILTHY. As for the garden, my dad's pride and joy, it was over grown and full of weeds. I'd said to my sister that I'd pay for mam's gardener to go back in on a regular basis to keep it clean and tidy so it looked good for the viewers, but Karen said she would do it. Well she obviously hasn't touched it in months !
Rather than have a confrontation about it, I contacted the gardener and arranged payment and for him to go in once a fortnight and keep it looking nice. I gave the neighbour a key so he could let the gardener in the back garden through the gate and then lock it up after he'd gone. Then Cindy and I cleaned the bungalow, put air fresheners in the rooms and left it smelling and looking clean and tidy. When I told Karen what I'd done about the garden (I didn't mention the house being dirty), she was really horrible and among other things said I was 'petty'!!
I haven't asked her to pay for it, not like the time she bought the electric hedge trimmer and strimmer when my niece was in the bungalow and THEN told me and Barry about it and that we were paying a third each! Atleast with the gardens tidy it will give the bungalow a better 'kerb' appeal , not to mention that it was my dad's pride and joy and I want it kept nice in his memory and my mam would be horrified if she thought people were looking around her house and seeing it dirty.
I think that because Karen's dealing with the estate agent, as I don't live locally, she thinks that she's got total say on what goes on and I should ask her permission to do any thing. I'm just so mad at her at the moment, and when the bungalow gets sold, I honestly don't think I'll have any thing to do with her any more.

I'm sorry to have this moan, but I just felt like I had to vent it some how and this is less explosive than me shouting around the house rofl.
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I forgot to mention ..

... I received another fostering award last week. I've been fostering for 16+ years and at the awards ceremony that they hold every 2 yrs I got my 15yrs award of a gorgeous Coleport China figuring called 'Moments'. It matches the ones I got for 5yrs and 10 yrs and sits on my mantle piece.

Moments

sisters (for 10 yrs ) and sleepy head (for 5yrs)

They don't have any more of these left, so I wonder what I'll get for 20 yrs? ... If I'm still fostering lol
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another week has gone by ...

... I don't know where the time has gone?

Jack is on school holidays for the next 6 weeks so I'll be kept quite busy :)

The weather has been very disappointing for the start of the school holidays, we've had rain for every single day of the past two weeks, except for 2 days. Such a shame for the children. It hasn't been cold though so that's one small mercy I suppose. My next door neighbours have gone to New Zealand for 3 weeks and asked me to water their garden, but I haven't had to do it yet, lol . I do go and water the tomato plants in the green house, and managed to pick some peas and cherry's before the birds got to them. I've frozen the peas down and put them in Jason's freezer because even though he told me to eat what ever grew, my girls didn't like the fresh peas .... not birds eye enough for them rofl
My garden is looking quite nice, even though it's been a struggle to get out and do any work with all the rain we've had.

this is a tobacco plant that I was given free at a garden centre, and although he said it would have lovely hanging flowers, he also said they'd be colourful, but he got that wrong, they're a pale yellow and not inspiring, but very eye catching all the same.
the quiet corner is coming along nicely with the budlea and the climbing rose in bloom
The back border is still a little 'thin' but when the shrubs grow a bit more they will fill out and look less 'new' lol
the wisteria is grown nicely up and over the shed, but still hasn't bloomed, it's 3 yrs old, so hopefully next year it might?
the roses have been blown away and the new buds are still to open so this side is looking a bit colourless, but the mombretia is starting to come in to bloom now :) the begonia in the pot was tiny when I got it and I never thought it would fill out like this, it's lovely.

I haven't had much time to do any stitching lately, so still no pictures to show, but I am coming along with the Coq Au Pins, and hopefully, I'll get that finished and made up soon. I'm not expecting to get much done until the children go back because I've got Adam and Stacey coming for a fortnight next week end, and there's no way I'll get any stitching done while they're here.

I'm off 'up north' tomorrow for a couple of days, to visit my brother and sister. I promised my Mam I'd keep an eye on Barry and this is what the trip is in aid of rofl Cindy is coming to keep me company and we're going to meet up with Jacqui and her daughter and granddaughter on Tuesday, which will be nice for Cindy as Kate is a similar age and she won't have to listen to me and Jacqui talking :) rofl

I must point you in the direction of this blog. She has some gorgeous recipe's and I tried Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken yesterday ..... it was yummy !! Although I would recommend using some tin foil in the bottom of the pan as the sugar burnt onto mine and took A LOT of soaking and scrubbing to get off rofl.

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It's been a busy time this last week :)

On Saturday I took Jack to his aunty Nic's wedding reception. As I mentioned before, they got married a couple of weeks ago in Italy and were having the reception for the family on Saturday. It was a lovely day! Every one made us very welcome and made a big fuss of Jack. His dad and partner and their two little girls, stayed with Jack and I the whole time and I never once felt out of place :) We sat at table 1 and the staff were fantastic with Jack, and couldn't do enough to make sure he had the right food and enough of it. He actually had two dinners lol. They brought out the children's 'mains' with the adults starters so they didn't have to wait too long, but Jack's blended dinner looked like soup and I thought that was what it was rofl I asked for a second one when I got my main course and it came back much thicker and it went down much better :) They included Jack in the photographs and even made me join in with a couple. I managed to get some nice one's for Jack's bedroom, of his dad, sisters, grandparents etc.

grandad and gran
Daddy, Jay, Lilly and Zoe

The handsome young man, before we left for the reception :)

The happy couple loved the stitched piece I did for them, and after they'd had a look it got passed around several tables and was much admired :) ... I was lucky, there wasn't any stitchers there so they all thought it was amazing because they didn't know any better rofl

On Monday I took Jack to see Dr Hulme his epilepsy consultant. She was very happy with him, but decided to increase his evening medication to see if we can stop the morning seizures. It took a couple of days, but it seems to be improving slightly. He had one as he was coming out of the taxi after school and the driver was very upset to see Jack's seizures in full swing :(

On Tuesday I had to take Jack to the xray department to have his fluoroscopy xray. He had to have two different drinks, different thickness's, and with the barium mixed in, so they could see how he swallowed and what happened in his throat. He was very calm and relaxed and behaved beautifully, but it wasn't what I wanted lol. I would've liked him to be more active and 'difficult' so they could see how he copes then, but it wasn't to be. Even though he was very calm, he still 'seeped' the fluid in to his airways, but managed to get it back into the correct tube as he swallowed. So the result is, he's got to have all his food and drinks very thick, and they'll check him again in a few months as he grows and his throat changes. He doesn't need a gastrostomy tube just yet :) :) :)

On Wednesday I had my own appointment with the breast cancer specialist. I passed with flying colours and next year will be the final one :) It won't be the last check up though, as I took part in a radiology trial and will be checked every year for 10 yrs :) I can't believe it will be 5 yrs in December since I found the lump !

Thursday saw me in the hairdressers having my hair done, and the hairdresser decided that I should go mad and have a bit of colour in my fringe! So now I've got a subtle PURPLE through it! lol

and finally .... Today my link social worker came for my supervision meeting and brought me my 15+ yrs award for fostering. I couldn't go to the award ceremony so she brought it to me. I've got a framed certificate and a beautiful Coleport figurine of a mother and child in white to match the two I got previously. A little boy with a teddy for 5yrs and two sisters for 10 yrs . I've been fostering over 16yrs and hope to keep going with Jack for atleast another 5yrs so I should make my 20yr award :) :)

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Lynn Ireland asked me where I got the Twice in a Blue Moon rose from, so here is a link to a site I found, that gives the suppliers of this rose, in different counties.
I hope this helps you Lynn and you can find one in memory of your mum x

It's been quite a while since I last posted. I'm afraid I've been busy pottering about in the garden, and not spending so much time on the computer.

It's lovely being able to spend time in the garden, not just 'working' but sitting and enjoying the summer is so nice :). I must confess to not liking the hot weather we had for the week a short while ago, it was just too much for me. I couldn't sit in it, and I couldn't sleep because it was still so warm at night, so I just closed the curtains, turned on the fans, and stayed in doors for that week rofl . I know, there's no pleasing me lol. The problem is, my garden is south facing, so gets the sun from early morning until sunset and it's a real suntrap ..... lovely in the winter but when the temp gets above 23c, I have to find shade very quickly. The actual temp on my patio, when the met office was saying it was 26c, was nearer 36c!!!!

However, it is lovely to see the garden in full bloom and to benefit from all the 'pottering' I've been doing. I waited for months for my mams rose bush to flower, it's called Twice in a Blue Moon and is a gorgeous lilac. As soon as the flowers came out, the weather changed, the rain came down and the wind got up, resulting in all the rose petals going flying over the garden and not one rose left in tact ..... rofl .... who'd be a gardener !

On the stitching front, I've made a small piece for Jack's aunty Nic, who got married in Italy two weeks ago, and is having the wedding reception in Telford on Saturday, to which Jack and I are invited. Well, Jack's invited, I'm just going along to push him, because he couldn't get there any other way rofl I took the center piece from the Sweetheart Tree Anniversary Sampler and just framed it in a silver frame. I hope they like it. They didn't want gifts as they've lived together for 18 yrs (!!) but I'm sure this is some thing they won't have :)

I have got the appointment through for Jack to have the xray on his throat, while he's swallowing his food and drink. It's for next Tuesday. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I'm sure they're used to dealing with special children like Jack, and will know just what they're doing. I'm really hoping that he doesn't have to have a gastrostomy peg fitted, he loves his food and it's one of the only pleasures he has, so to take that away from him is going to be very hard :(

AND NOW TO SOME THING REALY STUNNING !!!

My friend Jan was late in sending me my birthday gift. I wasn't bothered by that as it spreads the gifts out a bit lol . She has made the most stunning Etui in ribbon embroidery! The reason it was late is because she was nervouse of making it up and needed some time to concentrate. She has recently had an operation on her ear so the recouperation time was just what she needed. I think she's made a fabulous job :) :) . The only problem is that now she has upped the anti for my next gift to her rofl

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School Arts Week Project

This is what I have been busy with at the local junior school. For Arts Week they decided on African art, and Mrs Griffiths, who is co-ordinating it all, collared me in Mrs Rose's class one lunch time. ( I go there on a Thursday to teach her class how to cross stitch.). She asked if I could help that class do some thing for the event in stitching and said she was thinking " Sunset, mountains, silhouettes, etc" I said " are you confusing this class of 8yrs olds with a GCSE class?" lol Any way, the upshot was that I found some fantastic fabrics in our local fabric shop, many of them were for quilting place mats etc. So I grabbed them and together with Mrs Rose we toyed with several ideas, the main thing being that I could get the children to cut out the animals and quilt around them .... hopefully and we'd put together some sort of hanging. These came out fantastic, although when I told the children to pull the stitches a bit tighter to make the animals stand out a bit, the lad who did the legs of these rhino's got a bit carried away and pulled that tight I couldn't straighten the material again rofl. I took them home and machine sewed the borders on them, while the children painted the background with another 'helper' who obviously had a great 'eye' and did a fantastic job with them. Mrs Rose got the projector out and 'projected' an image on to some black felt like paper and the children drew around and cut out, the Masai Warrior. We purloined some of Mrs Rose's bead necklaces and cut out some fabric to make the cape and decorations and the boys ran around the school field to find a suitable twig to act as the warriors staff/spear lol

The final day was putting it all together, and we decided that fabric glue was the best bet, as trying to stitch it all together was going to be a night mare for the children. We left it to dry for a couple of hours then I took it home and sewed on the backing and the tabs. I did a few crafty stitches on the animal pieces as they hadn't glued right to the edges and I didn't want them falling off while it's hanging up lol When I took it in on Friday, the kids, and the headmaster, who came in for a sneaky peak, thought it was amazing.
It will be going up in the assembly hall on Monday with the rest of the school's work, masks, prints etc But just for now, Mrs Rose has hung it on her class wall so they can all admire their handy work rofl

Today is Fathers Day here in the UK and hopefully dad's all over the country will be getting spoilt. I'm especialy thinking of my own dad today, I miss him so much . The girls gave their dad some smellies, beer and chocs today, and tomorrow they are taking him go-karting as Janine had to work today and wasn't free.

where does the time go?

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted, the time has just run away with me!

We've got some lovely weather at the moment and I've been spending time in the garden, tidying up and rearranging the pots, furniture etc as well as the weeding and lawn mowing, which ALWAYS need doing!

I've cleared the 'quiet' corner under the pergola and set up a new patio set I bought which matches the one I already have. The shop have 20% off every thing this week end so I couldn't miss that opportunity lol. I also bought Jack a metal butterfly mobile for in the quiet corner, which he loves. It has a little battery powered motor on the top and it turns the mobile around constantly. It's brilliant for when there's no breeze to do it. :) The wind chimes he bought me for my birthday ;) have been moved there too and the sound is just wonderful. It's a lovely place to sit, out of the sun, to read or stitch the afternoon away.

I'm having a few problems with Jack's feeding at the moment and it seems he's asperating his food (breathing it in to his lungs). If left, it can cause serious life threatening problems, so I've asked the GP for an x/ray to see where the problem is. It may mean Jack having a gastrostomy tube fitted into his tummy and being tube fed :( He really loves eating so it will be a real shame if we have to do down that route :(

The garden is coming along nicely :). As you may remember, I had it dug up and re modeled 3 yrs ago, so it's been a little bare up to now. The right hand border is looking a treat just now, the spring flowers have finished and the shrubs are now in bloom. Most of these I took from my Dad's garden, but the rhododendrom and the twisted hazel (which you can't see but is just to the right, were presents.I've put some plants into pots on the patio and they're looking good too. I especially like the Cape Daisy, I think it's really beautiful, and the hanging baskets are just gorgeous !

My youngest daughter Janine is away this week end at the Download rock Festival in Derbyshire. She's had good weather so far, and is having a whale of a time with her friends. She text me at 00.15 one night to say she was at the fair!! The down side is that she lost her mobile! She used her friends phone to ring me and ask me to block the sim, which I did straight away, then rang back yesterday to say she'd found it again! What do you do with them???? lol

Blogger has, on the odd occation, let me post some comments on your blogs, but it is still not right. I quite often can see the shortened version of your new posts but when I click on them to read the blog all I get is a white blank page ....gggrrrr! I have noticed that Julie hasn't been posting and I hope she's ok. She mentioned not feeling very well, so Julie, If you read this, I hope your feeling better soon, big (((hugs))))

As a quick PS I must just mention that I had another visit to the herbalist last week and she's very pleased with my progress, as am I :). I'm feeling soooo much better, more like my old self again. I have more energy and enthusiasm, I'm sleeping much better (although I'm still snoring! rofl), and I feel much more possitive. So thank you Karan for your postings about your visits, as I wouldn't have thought to visit Therese if I hadn't read about your progress after visitting your herbalist.

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Up, Up and Away !!!

We have actualy made the trip in the hot air balloon !!! I bought the tickets last September for Cindy's 21st birthday, but it's taken 9 attemps to actualy get up in the air, as they were all cancelled because of various unfavourable weather conditions.
The day started at 04.30 for me, the girls managed to stay in bed an extra 30 mins!! We had to be at the launch site for 06.00 for the initial briefing. We had to get in to the basket before it was attached to the balloon and practise getting in and out and getting in to the landing positions! It was no mean feat getting in, I can tell you! The basket is quite high and only two little foot holes to help you. Most of us 'older' ladies had a job getting in rofl
Once the balloon was inflated, which took about 30 mins, we all climbed back in and they started adding more heat to the balloon to get us in the air. The burners give off a LOT of heat and felt very warm on the head! The basket rocked a bit before we lifted completely and was a little bit scary, but we lifted off ok. The rise is quite quick and Cindy was a bit nervous but once we got up to the height the pilot wanted ( a woman by the way :) Lyndsay Muir) she was soon hanging her head over the side to see where we were and who's house she could see lol
Unfortunately for us, the balloon went, because of the wind, over the other side of Whitchurch and we didn't get to see our house . We'd been hoping to take some arial photo's of it! Also, there was a bit of low cloud and we couldn't see any thing when we entered it. It was very spooky! No noise and nothing but white ..... quite scary!! The one good thing though, was we got a lovely view of our balloon shadow on top of the cloud... awsome! We came lower again and floated north west over the town and out in to the country side towards Chester. At one point we went over the 'hunt' kennels and the fox hounds started howling! The kennel maid was not happy and we could hear every word of her sarcastic mutterings as it all came up as clear as a bell rofl
The flight lasted about 45 mins before the pilot had to find a suitable field to land in. One that didn't have crops, cattle or pillons in.
The landing was not as bad as it could have been. Lyndsay said she thought we might drag and tip so we had to get into our 'landing' positions, but we bounced about 3 times and landed upright .... phew!!! We then had the job of helping to pack away the balloon which was great fun, if quiet heavy work! After we'd got it all packed away and on the trailor (which had followed us along all the country lanes and got permission off the farmer to go on to his land) we had a champagne/ bucks fizz toast and got a signed certificate as a momento of our flight.
I had to make a slight detour, via a public foot path and style which was covered in stinging nettles, to behind a hedge .........!!! before we climbed on to the side of the trailor and got transported across 3 fields back to the road and the waiting mini bus. The driver stopped off to give the farmer a bottle of whiskey and a bottle of wine ( he could have had 2 free balloon flight tickets, but what farmer would want them? lol ) as a thank you, and then we drove back to the launch site and home.

You can see some of the photo's HERE

These were taken by the ex on his phone as we were taking off. As soon as I get the ones from our camera's of when we were IN the balloon, I'll share them too, but I have included the one of the balloon shadow :)

It was an awsome experience and one I'd reccomend to any one. Even if your scared of heights as Cindy and I are, you feel very safe as the basket sides are quite high and sectioned off so you do feel very safe.

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Phew it's warm!

Isn't this lovely weather we're having just now?

I confess it's a tad too warm for me, but I'm not complaining!!! Oh no, not after the summer we had last year lol

The garden is looking gorgeous with the rhodedendrom and the geraniums in full bloom and the rose bushes finally coming in to bud. I was starting to think they'd given up on me, but they're coming along nicely. The clamatis is showing some buds too, although mine is a later flowering one and the potato plant ( I don't know it's 'official' name) has some lovely purple flowers on it. I think my peony bush is dying though :( I'm watering it copeously but the sun seems to have done it's damage and it's looking very limp.

Did you see Britain's got Talent? Wasn't it good? I thought the acts were brilliant and most of them deserved to be in the final. I voted for and was glad that, Diversity won, I thought the choriography was brilliant and the skill of the dancers was just some thing else. I would have liked the saxofinist to come second I thought he had a very real talent, but Ms Doyle had a lovely singing voice I must admit (even though I wasn't one of her fans) As for Holly !! I'm sorry but after her paddy and foot stamping in the semi's, I don't think she should have been in the finals, and if she hadn't been a 'cute little girl' I don't think she'd have been given a second chance.

Talking about 'cute little un's' here's my boy enjoying the sunshine over the half term holiday, now isn't HE a cutey???? although I think 'handsome' would be more appropriate rofl He had a visit to the barber the day before and had all his hair cut off to keep him cool and it's suddenly made him look like a regular 12 yr old even though I still see him as my 'little boy' rofl

No stitching to show this time, it's been too hot and sticky to stitch, but I'll make up for it when it cools down, which should be Wednesday

I'm hoping that it stays dry and no wind as we have booked Cindy's 21st birthday, balloon flight for that morning. This will be the 9th attempt and if we don't get up this time, it will almost be her birthday again!! So keep your fingers and toes crossed for us :)

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I've been a busy girl

I've been stitching again! Two finishes in one week! unheard of rofl

I bought this kit at the Nimble Thimble on the hardhanger week end. I didn't realise at the time but the whole thing comes already made up, you just have to stitch the centre piece and away you go! It even comes with the cushion to wrap it around, although I think Chris added that herself. The colours match Cindy's bedroom, so she's claimed it lol I was suposed to be starting a wedding sampler for Jack's aunty but got side tracked when I pulled this one out rofl

The girls had a day off today so they took me out for my birthday. They have realy spoilt me this year! They bought me two blue pots for the patio, the one below is with the camilia I potted up when we got home.... and Poppy getting a look in too with her summer hair cut :)

This is one of the two hanging baskets they got me for the back of the house. My friend Jane bought me two for the front, so now I'm complete lol

These gorgeous little mushrooms have wobbly heads that move in the wind. I've admired them at Bridgemere every time we've gone and this time Janine insisted I choose a set. Don't look at the weeds, I haven't had time to pull them up yet!

and this gorgeous wind chime is what Jack got me ;). It's got the most beautiful chimes and sounds so mellow and relaxing.

The girls also made me breakfast and gave me cards, chocs and a new book before taking me out for the day! What with the present I've had earlier this week, I have been well and truly spoilt this year :)

Here are a couple of pics of the rhododendron and the wild geraniums that are coming in to flower now. I picked the geraniums from my dad's garden and they're really blooming this year, I think of him every time I look at them :)

Stitching to show!

Now don't faint!!! lol

I've stitched these for my friend Kathy in Australia, for Christmas. I know I'm early, but I get so bogged down with stuff at the end of the year it's always a rush to get things done and I don't enjoy doing them.

I did the Santa face a couple of months ago, and bought the coat and a set of boots while I was at the Nimble Thimble for the hardhanger week end. They are done on perforated paper, which I'm not enamoured with, but they are worth the effort as they come out lovely. I used sticky backed felt to back them to hide the stitching (it's difficult to be neat when your putting in beads after the stitching) ... well that's my excuse any way rofl




I'm sorry the one is on it's side, I don't know why that is as it's the right way up in the photo album? You'll just have to tilt your head to the left and squint rofl

I'm not ignoring you!

I'm having a difficult job with blogroll . It won't let me put posts on your blogs. I managed to get one on Jacqui's this morning and thought 'Yeah I'll go back to the others now' but it just isn't playing the game.
I can put posts on my blogs .... obviously! ... but blogroll just won't let me play with you any more.

So ... to all of you with wonderful stitching HD's , WELL DONE THEY'RE LOVELY I get so inspired when I see your fabulous finishes, but some how mine don't look as good as yours lol

... to all of you with news to share about your holidays, children, house moves, and life in general I'm enjoying reading about them and send my best wishes to you all.

Love Lynn x

It's that time of year already!

It's the end of May and that means it's almost my birthday and today is the anniversary of Mam's passing.

I can't believe it's one year already! Where does the time go?


This picture was taken during my brothers birthday meal before she got ill, and it's one of the best ones of her, as she hated having her picture taken and wouldn't smile properly for them. She didn't realise this one was being taken and she's so natural and relaxed. I've blocked off the bit with me on it as I'm pulling a face and I don't want to frighten any one rofl.
I put a memorial in the Shields Gazette, her local paper and my DD's and I put some flowers on her grave today. We spent some time there tidying around the stone and looking at the rest of the graves in the Garden of Remembrance. It's so pretty there right next to the church, with the sun shining down on it and being sheltered from the wind. I've expressed a wish to be placed with Mam so at least I know where I'm going to end up lol.

My friend Jane popped round unexpectedly this morning with two hanging baskets for me. One is a late Christmas present and the other is an early birthday present lol. Jane, with the best will in the world, is always late with things and to get a birthday present on time is very good, but to get one EARLY is unheard of rofl




When they start growing they'll look gorgeous !

I've got to say, that the herbalist's 'witches brew' is doing me the world of good, I feel so much better these days, full of energy and enthusiasm, I'm sleeping better and the hot flushes are minimal and best of all, I'm not falling asleep as soon as I sit down during the day! I go back next week to see her for my 3rd visit, so we'll see if she wants to leave/change/stop the treatment or to carry on for a while longer.
I've got my mojo back for stitching too :) and have been doing one of the beaded tree ornaments I bought last week end. Perforated paper is not my favourite, but the ornamensts look lovely when they're done.

My ex husband, Richard, gave us all a turn last week end. He was admitted to hospital with irregular and rapid heart beats and pains in his chest. After various tests and monitoring they said it wasn't a heart attack or angina, but don't really know what it is. They've put him on warfarin and beta blockers and said if his heart doesn't regulate itself in 5/6 weeks they'll have him back in to 'shock' his heart back in to rhythm again. I took the girls in to see him (they didn't have the confidence to drive to the hospital them selves) but it didn't go down too well with the girlfriend :(. If she thinks, that after being together 20 yrs, I'm not going to be concerned and want to see if he's ok, she's got another think coming. I'm not going to be wanting him back, but I'm not going to turn my back on him either. He is the father of my children when all's said and done. That said, she's not averse to asking me to do some sewing for her!!!!