Happy Christmas!

The last three weeks have absolutely flown by.  I have been staying at work at lot of the time, just so that I don't have to drive in the snow or ice.  I have to say though, it has been a bit of a chore, waited on hand and foot by a housekeeper, three meals a day cooked for me, bed made and room cleaned every day, oh it has been tough!!  But I finally finished work yesterday and now have almost a week off.  Not all teachers get nice long holidays, our students are there all year and actually want to learn which makes you feel a bit guilty when you take any time off.
I handed over commodoreship of the sailing club a couple of weeks ago having done it for three years and I feel like I finally have my life back!  Although I enjoyed most of it, you always get one or two idiots who are determined to make life as difficult as they possibly can, despite the fact that you do the job for free and for the good of the club.  But now I am free of them and don't have to have anything more to do with them! However, I did have a lot of support from some really great people who I would like to thank.  The majority of the club members are fantastic and TSC is a really special and unique club.
The kitchen is almost done (sore subject considering I have ten to breakfast tomorrow and ten to dinner the day after!).  I can't wait to get back to the barge which has been a bit neglected for the last few weeks as we have been getting the house ready to put back on the market.  I do go down to the waterfront and say hello every so often!
Once I can get this place cleared up, the decorations up and the presents wrapped, I might begin to feel a bit more christmassy.  I am really looking forward to the New Year and having time for family and friends and the barge and allotment.  So Happy Christmas to everyone and here's to the New Year xxx

The Easy Way!

I don't know why we are going to all the bother of restoring the barge when there are obviously easier ways....................

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/08/homemade_houseboat.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

Margy's Surprise

I was tickled pink to read this post by Margy at Powell River Books Blog:

http://powellriverbooks.blogspot.com/2010/11/introducing-fran-at-bonnie-of-clyde.html

Margy and her husband live in a floating cabin in remotest Canada surrounded by the most beautiful scenery.  They have a floating garden and a floating log store.  It is certainly somewhere that I would really love to visit.


Her blog is well worth a trip to learn more about their fascinating lives and surroundings.  She also does a regular Friday Sky Watch post that I find really interesting, as I love the fact that our skies can be so different at the same time.  But there is something there to please everyone:  some recipes, book reviews, boat trips etc etc.

Margy says that she is constantly learning new 'English' words when she reads my blog but I also learn new words from her.  It is strange that we both speak the same language yet some words are so different.  She recently blogged about her  burpless cukes, which I had to google to realise she meant cucumbers!  Well Margy, right now I am dead on my plates of meat, so I'll just have a quick butchers at some of the blogs I follow, then climb the apple and pears for a good night's kip!!

Hi to everyone who pops over from Margy's blog.  Please don't be shy to say hello.

It Gets Worse!!

Yesterday the kitchen disappeared and today the floor has gone!  All these joists are having to be replaced due to a leak over a long period of  time which we didn't discover until the worktops seriously parted company with the tiled splashback.  Although I joke about the upheavel, I do appreciate that I am one lucky girl to have a husband who can do all this type of work.  Heaven knows what it would cost to have to pay builders to come in, but I am sure Pete could tell me exactly!!

Look What He's Done !

This morning I went to work without a care in the world, but look what I came home to!  A few weeks ago the kitchen collapsed due to a long standing leak under the cabinets, so this had to be done.  However, I didn't expect it to be quite so drastic!  The floor has got to be replaced and then the entire kitchen.  I did ask what we were going to have for dinner, but Pete had already been to the chip shop at lunchtime so I popped up to the chip van for a portion of chips and a curry sauce.  Not good for my waistline or purse!  Tomorrow we are going out kitchen shopping, if we cannot get one on ebay first.  Watch this space! 

Happy Birthday!

This is my favourite middle son Stuart and his lovely girlfriend Kerry.  Yesterday, for my birthday, Stuart treated me to a surprise night in London.  We had a lovely meal at TGIFs (their veggie burgers are wonderful!) and then we went to see Love Never Dies.  The show was fantastic and the effects are absolutely amazing.  He took me last year to see  the Phantom of the Opera, so it was great to see this sequel.  Thank you Stuart, I had a really lovely time.  But today is Stuart's birthday.  (See even as a baby he was considerate enough to hang on long enough for me to enjoy my birthday first!)  HAPPY BIRTHDAY Stuart, I am very proud to have such a special and considerate son like you. xxx

Some Girls Get Diamonds.....

Some girls get diamonds for their birthdays, others get chocolate and flowers.  This is my birthday present.....

Now, do not get me wrong, I am absolutely chuffed with it.  I did originally want a pink one, but Pete said he would not be seen dead ever wheeling a pink one!  As it was, he got some serious stick at Doe's, where he is a regular customer, when he went to buy this!  On a practical note, I wanted a wheelbarrow that was light and yet sturdy and this definitely meets that criteria.  As well as using it on the allotment, I can use it to carry stuff, such as shopping, from the carpark to the barge.  On top of that, Pete got me a load of horse manure for my two new raised beds.  Oh, I am so spoilt, bless him!