Jam tomorrow

There really will be jam tomorrow!

I've had a wee bit of a busy week, what with leaving the life of a freelancer behind and re-entering the corporate world (well, as corporate as a funky little ad agency a stone's throw from Carnaby Street can be - loving it so far!).

But today is my "working from home day". Subtle cough. Hmmm.

Anyhoo, moving swiftly on...

So guess what I made?

Strawberry jam! A taste of summer in a jar.

It was sooooooo easy peasy lemon squeezy that I think I'll have to go strawberry picking again and make some more. Then, if I also make some funky little fabric jam jar lid covers, we could have some potential home-made pressies for seaonal celebrations!

Feel all virtuous and domestic-goddess like now.

Better go and do some paid work now. Oops.

What a lovely pear

I've been a naughty, naughty girl today. I found a fabulous fabric shop in South London called Fabrics Galore and I let myself run riot with my credit card! The experience, I swear, was as good as it gets at 10am on a dullish Wednesday in June. Not quite orgasmic I'll admit, but pretty damn good all the same.


Want a peak at my stash? Oh, OK then, here you are:


Isn't it beautiful? A thing of glory I tell you.


Spots, dots of all colours. Think I'll pair this with the pears for some cute shopping bags for my mum and mum-in-law.


This divine Amy Butler design is crying out to be made into a swishy skirt no?


This funky little floral print has yet to reveal it's final form to me. Maybe pyjammies for me?



More divine Amy Butler, again not sure what I'll use this for, but I just know it will enrich my life somehow, so I had to buy it.


And last but not least, these groovy stars are destined to be made into pyjammies for Miniegg I think and probably some fabric hearts too.

Oh retail therapy. Sigh.

During a global recession. Sigh.

Naughty naughty.

But oh so satisfying.

Good neighbours

I live in a lovely little street. There are trees every couple of feet and a field of allotments at the end of the street. The houses are (generally) well kept and everyone has a garden with lovely flowers.

Our neighbours say hello and some will stop for a wee chat now and again. Most however, like to keep themselves to themselves. Which is fine, because that's how we like it.

We like our privacy.

So when some very close friends decided to buy a house in our street we were immediately thrown into a vortex of confusing emotions. These were our dear friends that we enjoyed spending time with. But this was OUR street!

Suddenly it all felt a bit Single White Female. They started talking about getting an allotment (we've been on the waiting list for over a year), they like the same schools, would they bother to phone ahead or would they just walk straight in to our little house without knocking? Would our every move now be under the scrutiny of our friends (they never put their bins out in time; how can they see out of those windows?; don't they know what a car wash is for?; not out for a run this morning then?; that child is out of control!; they just haven't made the effort to get to know their neighbours; not very friendly really are they?; well, I never...).

Jealousy reared it's ugly head.

We have a two bedroom ground-floor flat. They were buying a 5-bedroom house! 5 BEDROOMS!

In OUR street!

Would it all end in tears?

Thankfully the answer to that question, so far, is no.

Our friends moved in to their gorgeous 5-bed house yesterday and although I'm still insanely jealous (5 BEDROOMS!!), I am now also insanely happy for them.

It's so lovely to have real friends just over the road. I can pop over for a quick cup of tea. They can borrow milk. Our boys will grow up together, running in and out of our houses, playing football in the street, walk to school together (when the time comes) and always have a playmate close-by to call upon.

It's good to know there are nice people just seconds away that we can call upon.

Our road is now also their road.

So with all my heart, welcome new neighbours, welcome to our and your road.

Home is where your heart is

Simple things

Christina at Soul Aperture (whom I recently discovered thanks to rock chick julochka) invited everyone to post a list of simple things that bring you joy.

So here is my list of simple things that delight my senses:

hearing

:: the sound of my baby sleeping

:: the noise rain makes when it falls on our funny corrugated conservatory roof

:: hearing I love you, spontaneously

:: the sound of my sweet baby's laughter

smell

:: the smell of home baked cakes

:: the smell of freshly ground coffee beans

:: the smell of rain on hot pavements in the summer

:: the smell of lavender

:: honeysuckle

taste

:: chocolate

:: an egg dip dip sandwich, eaten on a picnic blanket with my baby and my hubbie, surrounded by nature

:: proper fish and chips, soaked in vinegar, eaten straight out of the paper wrapping on a windswept beach in Scotland

:: strawberries grown in our garden and popped into our mouths as soon as they turn red

touch

:: the feel of cool cotton sheets on a balmy summer night

:: a kiss stolen from my babe as he sleeps

:: when my hubbie cuddles in to me when we're sleeping

sight

:: an egg dip dip sandwich, eaten on a picnic blanket with my baby and my hubbie, surrounded by nature (ok, I cheated bit and included this twice but that's because it brings me so much joy)

:: my baby running barefoot through grass

:: the sea - just seeing it calms me

:: my two favourite boys just being together

I hear thunder, I hear thunder...

Image: Bidgee, Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve

Can I tell you a secret?

I adore thunder storms.

They give me goose bumps.

They excite me.

They send shivers down my spine and make my eyes twinkle with expectation.

I love the sound of the rain pounding the pavements, splashing onto car roofs and tapping on the window whispering "let me in let me in"

Oooh.

We've just had a super thunder storm here. I feel all charged up.

I feel ali-i-i-ive (as sung by dearly departed Freddie)

What gives you goose bumps?

Creative lovliness

So it's time to move on from all those boring posts about tonsil (yawn, old news) and bring you evidence of my latest bout of creativity.

You see, I have a new love. Image: singerco.com

Isn't she lovely! Not too fancy, not too proud. Just a good old-fashioned girl.

And this is what I've created so far:

::1 yard sale wrap skirt from Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. So swishy!

::1 heart to give to my yummy hubbie to thank him for tolerating my boringness recently

::1 welcome to our road heart for my new neighbours that are moving in down the road


There, that should brighten up this dusty old blog a little.

6 days post-op

And so the yikky throat continues.

As I type, the pain does seem so be a bit more under control than it was yesterday, but I know that could all change.

My throat does seem to be healing. Just a lot slower than I ever imagined. We had a trawl through the old internet superhighway last night and lots of other people seem to be following the same course of recovery that I am - why I didn't think to look up recovery rates before I went for the damn op I'll never know. I think I maybe thought that ignorance was the best policy!

Up till now I've been trying to be brave and eat lots of mean things like toast and muesli. But I've had enough. I'm off to make some of these:

5 days post-op

Today I have:

::1 grumpy husband (probably low blood sugar, he ran 13 km this morning in a thunder storm)

::1 challenging toddler

::1 mother of a sore throat

::2 very sore ears

::1 packet of jelly

::1 tin of condensed milk

My hope is that the last 2 item on that list will combine to make a wonderful childhood pudding that will soothe my throat and placate both toddler and hubby.

Will let you know the result!

4 days post-op

Today has passed in a bit of a blur.

Hubby and Miniegg went off with my mum this morning and spent the day in London to let me sleep. And sleep I did! All morning. I must really have needed it.

Then I invited one of Miniegg's friends round for tea with her mum. Was probably a bit silly really as I was in serious pain by the time they got here, but they're in the middle of some major building work and my friend sounded really fed up. So Miniegg and I baked a wicked chocolate cake:And suddenly the world seemed a nicer place (and the Tramadol kicked in!).

Day 3 post-op

It's Friday and I'm in pain.

I think the past 2 days have lulled me into a false sense of security but in reality, it was just the remains of the general anaesthetic swishing around inside me that kept the pain at bay.

But it's here now. And it hurts like hell.

Was really upset by a friend today as well. I'd booked us a weekend away camping, to give us something to look forward to, so I asked my friend today if she's pop in to feed the cat. She was less than enthusiastic. It really pissed me off - I'm always offering to do things for her, feed her cat, run errands etc. But when I ask for one thing from her, she can't commit. So annoying.

And I'm in pain. Serious pain. And my lovely mum goes home tomorrow. How will we cope?

Day 2 post-op

Well, my initial optimism disappearing by early afternoon yesterday and I had quite an uncomfortable evening. Finally managed to get on top of the pain killers in time for bed.

Today has come in waves. I was quite uncomfortable first thing, but then perked up enough for some sewing with my mum (good mother-daughter bonding!). But then by lunch I was ready for a snooze.

I feel quite guilty really. Putting everyone through this.

Day 1 post-op

Rough night, but more due to noisy railway workers than tonsil surgery.

Throat feels yik. Really yik. But the pain is very manageable and I feel quite sprightly! Must be much fitter and healthier than I realised.

Eating is difficult, but I know I must to avoid a throat infection.

So glad mum is here.

Goodbye tonsils, hello pain

Urgh.

It is now 6 days since I merrily waved goodbye to my tonsils and it has not been fun.

Tuesday morning we headed off to the hospital for 7.30am. I was doing my usual emotionally detachment thing, while poor hubby did all the worrying for me. We left Miniegg and home to be spoilt by my mum.

Checked in and then I was taken through to the day ward. Had to say goodbye to hubby at this point - they don't allow visitor to cut down on infection rates. Must admit, I did get a bit teary when sat all alone in my cubicle wearing one of those fetching hospital gowns. Yeuch.

Anyway, it wasn't long before my lovely consultant came to see me. She told me I'd most probably be first since I have a latex allergy thanks to years of lab work. I couldn't really think of anything intelligent to ask her, so her visit was brief. Next, was the anaesthetist. A lovely fellow Scot, who put me completely at ease. Then before I had time to get nervous, a second anaesthetists came to double-check all my details and wheel me through to theatre.

I felt like such a prize plum being pushed through on my bed. And I couldn't even see as I'd been told to leave my glasses in my bag. I decided that partial sight was probably a blessing.

Bless them, the anaesthetists did their best to lighten the mood and be funny while they prepped me for theatre (did you not bother to bring any veins with you this morning then?). But before I knew what was happening one of those vile oxygen masks was coming towards me and I was being told that I'd soon be asleep...



...Next thing I remember is waking up with a very very dry throat. And that horrid taste that anaesthetic leaves in your mouth. Or is it the oxygen mask? Who knows - but it is gross.

I spent a groggy couple of hours feeling dizzy, slowly sipping on water until I managed to get a nurse to give me my specs. Didn't feel quite so dizzy and disorientated once full sight was restored! Also managed to text hubby and let him know I'd survived, so he couldn't go running off with any blondes just yet.

That first day, although I felt wiped out. The pain really wasn't that bad. It was more a discomfort than anything. Managed to force down a custard creme biscuit which felt and tasted like sawdust, then they let me go home.

I love camping!

It's official - I love camping

We set off Saturday morning for our first ever camping trip. We didn't venture far - just to a campsite 30 minutes down the road, but the experience was wonderful, despite a few hiccups.

The highs:
:: not caring about time, just doing what we wanted when we wanted
:: cooking outside - our single burner suitcase stove rocks!
:: eating outside - sausages never tasted so good
:: no TV or any other mod cons to distract us from family time
:: having time (away from mod cons) to have real conversations with hubby
:: the sense of adventure we had pitching our tent for the first time
:: making toast with our fold-up toaster - so quick! so yummy!
:: visiting Standen (NT property)
:: spotting an adder (yikes!) sunbathing by the little stream behind our tent
:: watching our little one wake up and wander out of the tent into the sunshine then exclaim "mummy! we're still camping!!"

Low points:
:: choosing to pitch our tent only yards from a busy road - too noisy
:: broken tent pole means we have to wait til it's fixed/replaced before we can go camping again
:: friends deciding they all want to join us next time on hearing about EHU for TV's and satellite dishes (fine if that's your thing, don't want to offend anyone, but we camp to avoid these)

So, despite a severe lack of sleep due to traffic noise we can't wait to go again and are well and truly hooked!