I Must Stick to My Guns

The issue?

Tori getting the bus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to her problems this is a major problem for her. K took her on a dummy run in the summer, catching the bus from the local town all the way up to Swindon, then from there to college and back again. Telling her where to ding the bell etc. etc.

Today T doesn't need to be in college till 1pm and asked for a lift, I said 'no'. So she had a choice, go in with Dad at 7am or get the bus. She chose to get the bus. I've said I will put her on the right bus at our end, this bus terminates at the Bus Station, where she gets off, she then has to find by either remembering or asking where she gets the number 14 or 15 to the college!!!
This is the bit she is worried about, the asking and the dinging of the bell at the right place to get off!! She has been told she has to ding the bell after the roundabout that takes you to the cinema, but between the petrol station and the traffic lights that come after this roundabout, but, should she miss it and see the college whizzing past just get straight up and ding the bell and get off at the next stop and walk back!!!!!
As I've said it is very hard to get lost in the UK!

I must not give in!
I must not give in!
I must not give in!

I hate this part of being a mum!!!!!!!

My baby!



Part 2

Spent the morning talking through everything, reassuring her she couldn't get lost. Then told her if really, really necessary I would come and rescue her 'but' only after we had spoken through any possible problems on our mobiles!!!

So we get to the bus stop and she says 'you can go now'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get 2 texts and then a call saying she was there! Piece of cake!!

Kids hey!!!

Time on my Hands, Not Really!

I have found it really difficult to be on my own again. As you know being alone has never really bothered me, I usually enjoy my own company. But having had a houseful since May and all of a sudden I am totally alone for 12 hours a day, quite a shock really!
The advantages are the house stays tidy....... yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I can do what I want at any time really. The only problem is I have a list of things to do, but don't really know where to start? So............ as I said I shall give myself this week to get used to being alone, then next week the work begins..........

so what have I got to do
In the Garden or outside
build the greenhouse, tidy the shed and find the connector for the water butt while I'm at it, sort out the front garden, repot the pots, weed the drive, jetwash the eglu before winter sets in tidy up the veg patch, plant bulbs, mow lawn, string up onions, make lids for 2 coal bunkers that need them. Go Blackberry picking.

In the House
paint the bathroom and sort out the floor in there, clean the kitchen carpet and have another go at the lounge one too,touch up paint work in kitchen, clean all upvc windows inside and out, wash front windows. I've painted the front door so it looks lovely and yellow again instead of pale and wane

Knitting
Finish hug for Tori, slippers for mum, something for Madison, Zoe said she wanted a hug too. Plus all the Christmas things that need doing
Sewing
Surprises for Christmas so can't say!!!
Make some more Bath Bombs!!

that is not a complete list either just how I decide what to do when I don't know, do any of them have a higher priority? No not really! Could they be left to next year? Yes, except for the Christmas stuff.

Right to continue the walk down the garden yesterday, there is still alot in flower, the sweetpeas have been wonderful this year, definately grow again



Hubby has enjoyed the Gem Squash, reminds him of 'Rhodesia' so definate for next year



The sunflowers where later this year, but as you can see the climbing french beans are still going strong, these are the ones that have grown whilst I've been up north. They are from Lottie and will be a definate, definate for next year.



Marigolds have self seeded amongst the gravel... such a cheerful flower



the old metal wash tub has been beautiful this year, I really love the red of this geranium, I think I may have a go at over wintering them, never done it before.



Remember Yolanda at Bliss well in the spring she had pots full of tulips, thats what I plan to put in these tubs, something else to add to my 'todo' list!!!!!

The old metal chicken feeder, with fuschias and busy lizzies still in bloom



Well I'm exhausted so off to put my feet up and have a coffee, care to join me? Sorry no choccy bics though!!!!!!!!!

September View Down the Garden!

We had our first frost yesterday morning!! Which is worrying, especailly as we still haven't got the 2nd greenhouse up!!! Yesterday afternoon, I lit the front fire, as you know we don't have central heating, so I can't just flick a switch. It is something that is considered, as it can be very time consuming to light then let it out then light it again, but it was definately cold enough to light and has remained in overnight so has kept the chill off, which makes for a more comfortable feel!

It is a while since we took a troll down the garden, I apologise in advance for forgetting to switch the flash off!!


from the back door looking across the greenhouse parts strewn patio



hasn't everything grown, my brugmansia still in flower, cannas coming into flower too!In the next pic you can see the new very large water butt, which is in situ, but not connected! Why? Because the connector to the downpipe is somewhere in the shed and we can't currently find it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I mainly took the pic to show the brugmansia's in flower

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Through the baytree arch, which needs cutting back. Let me know if you want some bayleaves by the way? To the veg patch, I think you can see why my poor little veg patch struggles, with a 6ft fence on the right and a 6ft laurel hedge on the left!!!!



another brug in flower, just look at all the buds!!!



Past the chickens to the building site!!!!!! Deja vu? me thinks, I'm sure it looked similar to this earlier in the year!!!





Looking to my right, to the pond and 2nd patio area, lots of brugs here too.



The sleepers which will be the base of the 2nd greenhouse, if we ever get it up?



A quick peek in the greenhouse.....




As you can see loads and loads to do but no energy to do it.. hrmph!!!! I shall give myself the rest of the week off then whether I want to or not I have to get that greenhouse up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggerty Jig!!

Phew! what a week! Well the funeral went well? Can a funeral go well? It was really lovely to meet up again with my cousin S, I used to write to her when she was at Uni, she is godmother to Kathryn and now lives in Spain with her husband P and they have built there own house, we will be visiting soon I hope!

Mum was OK although I do think its made her realise just how fragile she is. Aunty M and her had been friends since they where 14!

Anyway a BIG bonus to going up is I got to see my lovely Great Niece again. What a character she is. My goodness her mum will have her hands full when she gets older.



We got back Sunday and yesterday K decided she wanted to go up to Uni, so we packed her up and off we toddled, so I spent the day helping her settle in. It was hard leaving her but I did and without tears too!!!!

The next pic is especially for K as she was particuarly worried about Sassy! She follows her round , runs to her when ever she hears her and is basically her shadow whilst she is home. When I went to bed Sassy was curled up on Kathryns empty pillow cases, so I picked them and her up and moved her across to Tori's room. She was still there in the morning when hubby went into wake T. I had seen her come in earlier so after everyone had left this morning, I went to see where she was



all curled up on Tori's bed!!!!!