Friday 30 August 2013

AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

 Yesterday my now 14 year old daughter had a birthday party with her friends.  Eight teenage boys and girls were here between 4 and 9 p.m.  I have to admit I was very impressed with their manners and their behaviour.  I drew the line at them chasing my hens, as they were playing Truth or Dare and decided to challenge one boy to round up the hens.  Luckily I overheard the plan and intervened.  I didn't want my hens having a heart attack!  It was the first time I had met most of the friends of my daughter, I had seen one or two of the girls before but mostly they tend to meet up in town for milkshakes or shopping so I only see them at pick up and drop off times. 

It got me to thinking about the old saying "birds of a feather, flock together".  I know we all worry desparately that our kids wont get in with the wrong crowd, go astray, wander off the path;  I have four daughters and all of them have always chosen friends who reflect the values and beliefs that they have been brought up with.  Its very hard to "make" your children do something or behave in a certain way, the only way we can be sure that they do grow up in the right way is to set an example to them, to talk to them and try and guide them.  If my girls have had problems, whilst part of me is itching to go and fight their corner, I have to sit them down and ask them what they would like to happen in the particular situation they find themselves in, would they like me to go and speak to someone on their behalf or would they prefer to deal with it themselves and if so what tack will they take.  If it was someone else going through this how do they think it should be dealt with.  And then watch with heart in mouth as they go off to deal with it.  Obviously there are going to be times when they cant sort things out alone and then we do have to intervene but so far it seems to have worked. 

A couple of months ago one of my daughters had been invited to go swimming for the day at a friends house, another girl had been invited that my daughter didn't like very much as she said the girl was unpleasant and bad mannered, so I asked if she still wanted to go, what was it the girl did that upset her and how could she deal with it.  My daughter decided she still wanted to go but with the proviso that if the girl was too difficult and she didn't want to stay she would text me and I would collect her early.  As it turned out the girl didn't go to the swimming party but at least my daughter felt empowered to deal with it if she had. 

My late husband used to say you would meet the same type of people where ever you went in life, if you changed job or belonged to a group, the same types of people would always be there.  Ive found this to be true enough.  I have also tried to explain to the girls that its better to have a group of friends rather than just one whilst they are at school, obviously when we are older it is different and I have found that I now have several really good, close friends and a wonderful group of acquaintances.

Today, being my daughter's actual birthday she decided she would like us to go to Exmouth for the day.  I used to have all my family holidays down there as a child and its a beautiful beach and the water is so clear and clean for swimming in.  Amazing rock pools and every year we all go down for a family day out, the whole family gets together, we sit on the beach, swim, eat loads, play crazy golf and go to the playpark where they have lots of things to do including these amazing Swan boats

You have to pedal with your feet to get them around the lake but great fun.  Also there are trampolines, model boats to steer around a small lake and for the younger children a large adventure playground amongst other things.  Everything is paid for with tokens that you buy at the kiosk.  Crazy golf is my favourite and I cant believe its been there since I was six or seven and now I am 51 and I am still playing the same game!! 

We had a great time today, Im glad my daughter decided to choose Exmouth, especially as they go back to school next week, it was a brilliant day out and we all feel sleepy from the sea air and the swimming now. 

Have a good evening everyone. 

Wednesday 28 August 2013

TRAINERS ANYONE?

Phew what a day!  This morning we set off to pick up our ordered school uniform from the local secondary school.  When we arrived the lady behind the counter suggested that my daughters try on the jumpers.  I had ordered large, well, we could have gotten both of them in one jumper!  So its turned out that they have small instead as even the medium size was hanging off them.  Shirts and jumpers acquired we then put some petrol in the car and headed off to collect a small rigid heddle loom that I purchased on ebay a few days ago.  I had put the postcode into Google maps and followed the directions, sadly not all the roads seem to have signs and I ended up getting very confused but we stopped and asked a very kind lady who said we were on the right road and it was just the next turning up the road. 

Loom collected we then drove into the next town intending to go onto the motorway and drive to a large Asda to get some new school trousers and trainers for No 3 daughter.  By this time both younger people in the car had rumblings in their stomachs so we de-camped to MacDonalds for lunch and then realised there was a smaller Asda nearby.  Two pairs of trousers were found, but no trainers were on sale in the store at all.  So we went to a nearby Matalan, no they didn't sell trainers in the store only online, no good to us.  Back to our home town, in the Asda there, no trainers, back into the local town and to Clarks shoe shop and hurray one pair of trainers. 

Finally we came back home, phew.  The loom is now warped up and I am making a scarf in Alpaca to sell on my other page Wits End Fibres.  I am a happy bunny to be weaving again as I find it very relaxing. 


 

Tuesday 27 August 2013

GETTING BACK TO SCHOOL

Tomorrow I shall be taking two reluctant children to pick up their new school uniform and to then go and buy some new trousers.  I think its going to be difficult to get back into the routine of getting up early and getting organised.  Im not sure I remember when we have had a summer holiday when we have all been so relaxed.  Why this is I cant say, it just seems to have been that way this year.  Going back to getting up at 6.30 a.m. is going to shock my system, never mind people who haven't been getting out of bed until at least 10 a.m.!  Still its been lovely having the girls at home for this long and spending time together, I have really enjoyed it, precious days.

I suspect I may be persuaded to purchase new stationery as well, although judging by the amount that is currently sitting upstairs in the "art cart" I really don't think its needed but of course there is nothing like having new things to go back to school with.

Today has been fairly busy, I managed to finish a copper and silver bangle which is now on my facebook page and I have started working on a similar necklace.  New wire will soon need to be ordered as I am fast running out of my thicker copper wire.  This is going to have to be ordered on the internet as my local shop doesn't stock pure copper wire. 

I also need to invest in some new tools, I want to add a bracelet mandrel to my collection of tools, these vary greatly in price and quality but I cant go on using my old china pot as it isn't going to stand up to being bashed with the hammer much longer!!  I think Im going to have to bite the bullet and just go for a metal one.  I have just managed to purchase a little vice to go on my worktable for wire twisting and despite seeing expensive ones on the internet I managed to obtain a wee little red one at my local hardware shop for £2.60!  I thought that was a bargain.  It is sturdy enough, sadly though they don't sell mandrels!

This evening will be taken up with a little networking and finishing off some knitted gloves for my other facebook page. 

Have a good evening everyone.

 

Monday 26 August 2013

FLIPPIN COMPUTERS AND A VERY PROUD NANA

Here I sit, grinding my teeth in frustration at this silly website and yes Mr Blogger I hope you are reading this as you have completely deleted my "talesfromtheworkroom" blog and reinstated the old Pure Inspiration fibre blog, GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Why?  Everything was working fine until today, all I did was sign in and away we went but Oh No, not today, today you decide I don't flippin exist!!!  WELL I DO and Ive now had to start a new blog.  I AM NOT IMPRESSED and if you do it again I AM LEAVING YOUR SITE.

There hopefully that should get the point across, oh I hate computers sometimes.  I am sure my life used to be a lot simpler without internet and mobile phones and all that texting and messaging and facebooking!  My friends used to just ring me up for a chat, now all we seem to do is text.  I know, I know, its the way the world is going and its essential for my business etc, but I think Im turning into a grumpy old woman.  I just want to be able sometimes to switch everything off and have a day without a screen.

I often threaten my family that when they have all grown up and left home Im moving to the isles of Shetland, one of the more remote islands which is only accessible six months of the year due to the weather and high seas, in a one bedroom cottage with a large freezer, a sturdy old landrover, a dog and my spinning wheel (when I get one) and a winter's supply of fleece.  There I shall be happy, no phone, no internet, just letter writing.  And no visitors.  But that would be wrong of me wouldn't it?, Wouldn't it?  Oh but sometimes I am so tempted.

Anyhow, down to the business of the day, this morning we drove over to the equestrian centre where No 2 daughter works to watch my little grand daughter take part in a fancy dress rider and pony class at one of their bank holiday horse shows.  It was great fun, lovely weather, the bacon butties were yummy, oh and of course my grandchildren were as adorable as ever.  Here are a few pictures of Pirate Matilda on Basil the pony and I will point out that whilst the pony is wearing an eye patch, he is actually blind in that eye so it didn't affect his vision at all.  Matilda and Basil one first prize and she was a very happy little girl with everyone cheering her on.




So one very proud Nana, and one very happy little girl with her large red rosette and a little toy pony as her prize.  And of course her mummy and daddy were also amazingly proud of her.

Lets hope this works okay now on my Pure Inspiration page and I apologise profusely to all my readers for the confusion and the change of blog.