Biopsy

Today was the day - we travelled up to St George's, Tooting for Em's biopsy, they were checking for damage done by wheat/gluten as well as taking a small tissue sample for analysis. She is still feeling a little sleepy but otherwise quite well and we are now back home. It was a long day as we had to leave home at 5.15 this morning and we returned at 4.30 this afternoon. The doctor will ring with the results next week. Em is relieved as now she can be wheat free (good thing I took rice crackers with us to the hospital, plentiful amounts of toast on offer after the op but nothing wheat free!)
My Mum and Dad gave Tony and I this beautiful fairy couple lamp for our anniversary present at the end of May. It sits by our pond and glows magically in the late evening.
I have finished the baby blanket which I must photograph and I have started cross stitching a gift for my friend who is leaving school at the end of the summer.

Sydney Opera House and a little hat

Whilst I was visiting Alison's blog I popped over to Elizabeth at Kitty Cafe where Elizabeth had posted a photo of a tiny hat thimble and needle case which used to belong to her Grandmother.

This is my Little thimble/needle case hat which my Gran gave to me, it looks very similar to Elizabeth's and is only slighlty larger than a 50 pence.

Further photos of the Sydney Opera House collage, which the guides have spent two weeks adding items too. I love all of it but the item that made me laugh was the pink car and speach bubble from Sheila's Wheels.

Myself and the other Guide Mum - Jan worked along side pining and stitching, threading needles and chatting to the girls. Lesley our Guide Leader requested a sailing ship like the tall ships race, so I cut out and started to sew a tea clipper and Jan added Sydney in large letters along the bottom. It isn't finished yet and we don't get another opportunity to sew with the girls until three weeks time. So I shall try and do some more sewing before then as it needs to be ready for early August.

I was hoping to do some gardening today but I think it may have to wait until the rain stops.

Hope you have a happy weekend Jane x

Field trips and Father's Day

Last Tuesday I went to Littlehampton with one of our Year 7 Geography classes. We looked at the way the sea moves the pebbles and sediment across the beach and the role of the groynes. The students had work books and completed a field sketch about the sea front showing its commercialisation and development.

Today it is Em's turn to go on the same trip which she is very excited about. As I started this post this morning and completed it this afternoon I can now tell you that Em had a lovely time, it turned out to be a warm sunny day too, perfect weather for walking.
Em's guide unit is joining a summer camp this year which will be all about worldwide guiding.


So they needed to make a 9m x 2m collage for the side of the marquee with Sydney, Australia as the subject. They decided to choose The Opera House using sheets to make up to the correct size, one of the other Guide's mum helped me plot and cut out the sails of The Opera House. I took it all home to dye the sheets blue, then I did all the stitching and added some jeans material to make the windows and the base. On some of the sails I added some wadding and stitched in the ribs of the roof. Last week I took the collage back for the girls to decorate with all things Australian. It looks fantastic but I will take a picture when it is done as there is lots of sewing still to do.
This weekend on Saturday we went to the Amberley Working Museum as they had a Steam Day with traction engines all coaled up and running around the site. Some of the engines were steam rollers used for road laying by local councils whilst others included a fun fair showmans engine, a minature version, a steam lorry and steam bus.
On Sunday, Fathers Day, we visited Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum, East Sussex. It was a beautiful day out wandering around the car collection and walking through the wildfowl reserve oohing and aahing at the ducklings and goslings. The gardens were fragrant with Roses and full of colour, then we were able to enjoy a meal in their restaurant.

A tag!

Lesley has been tagged and I have taken up the tag from her for Six Unspectacular Quirks about me and the rules are:
* Link the person who tagged you
*Mention the rules in your blog
*Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours
*Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking them:

I can't drink wine - sorry I can't stand the taste!
I love tea, but tea in bed in the morning - no chance T gets up at 4.30am!!!!!
I like having my shoulders massaged - they get too knotted up
I love steam trains,
I collect teddybears & teaspoons
I'm scared of moths (stayed in a house with a airing cupboard full of them when I was a child and I pulled out a blanket - still gives me the shivers thinking about it)

Ok so who would like to take up the challenge? I won't tag six people I'll leave it to you to decide. Thank you if you do decide to do the tag.

This week Em has been diagnosed after blood tests as positive Coeliac so now we wait for a biopsy appointment in London for final confirmation. It has taken so long to get this answer it is a relief, but I do wish it hadn't taken so long.

Sadly the Grey Wagtails, having built a lovely nest, have decided not to use it. They are still visiting the garden so I remain hopeful that we may see some young birds soon.

Hope you have a good weekend.

Jane

We're back.

Dorset was lovely but it did rain, so much so that on Bank Holiday Monday the trains had to go along the line under the bridge at walking pace as the water had stopped the points working and the signals too. Sorry the photos aren't very clear but I only had my mobile phone as it was raining. In the distance you can just see an enormous puddle under the bridge, there was a man in a Network Rail coat standing up to his knees in water winding the points so the trains could go through.

We spent the week with my parents and had a lovely time just chillin' out - it was too wet to do much. Although we did visit Broadwindsor craft village which has a lovely jewellery shop - Earth Design, Rumplestiltskin - which stocks unusual yarns and kits for knitting and felting as well as buttons and allsorts of other goodies for felting and crafting. Becca's Quilt Emporium - full of gorgeous fabrics and more crafty goodness. A restaurant serving delicious food then more units selling beautiful cards, bags, toys, scrap booking supplies etc. We also went up to visit Al in Cheltenham and went for lunch to Frankie and Benny's.

One afternoon the sun did come out - well it tried, so we went for a walk and found this very pretty field full of buttercups. Hope your week was good too. Jane x

Half term

I have been tagged by Lindsay

1. What was I doing ten years ago?

I was struggling to cope with a two year old who couldn't sleep due to chronic colic, which left me feeling like a zombie! we had moved into a beautiful old victorian house in Worthing which needed a lot of work and the neighbours weren't very friendly.

2. Five things on my to do list today:

Work, go to the post office, washing, ironing and packing. Yes I managed to complete all of that.

3. Five snacks I enjoy.

Fruit salad, a cup of tea, banana, ice-cream, Chocolate (flake, galaxy, minstrels, revels & Green and Black milk choc you get the idea!)

4. Things I would do if I was a millionaire,

mm, Well it would have to be a cottage in the country with roses around the door and a back garden as well, larger than the shoe box and postage stamp we currently live in. Share my good fortune with family and donate more money to cancer research.

5. Places I have lived:

Epsom, Sussex x 2

Now I am supposed to tag other blogs but if you don't want to do the tag it doesn't matter:

Lucy Locket

Moogs mum

Willows cottage

To everyone else If you wish to join in and I haven't tagged you please do so - Thankyou

The Baby blanket is coming along nicely and I have made all the squares and they need sewing together. But another project must be made before I get on with the sewing up. One of my friends from school is leaving and I have decided to make her something special (I won't say what it is because I know she does read my blog occasionally)

We are off to Dorset to visit the family as it is half term for us. So I will take my new project with me and continue the blanket next week. I hope you have a good week filled with lots of crafty fun Jane x

Thank you Leigh

Look, what arrived in the post today for my birthday. Its from Leigh in America. My favourite colour purple in yarn, a beautiful blue flower brooch and a cute card with a monkey on which Leigh made. Thank you very much Leigh, I love my birthday presents. I shall have great fun finding a pattern for the yarn and wearing my lovely blue flower brooch.
Works in progress: another baby blanket, this time made of crocheted granny squares in a rainbow of colours in baby yarn. It will be for another teacher friend who is expecting in the Autumn.
I am pleased to say that the Grey Wagtails are still with us, building their nest. They chirp and sing to each other whilst they are nesting, both bringing material to the nest. At the beginning it was moss and strips of grass which they have woven into a perfect oval shape and then they have lined it with cream coloured hair or wool. We have had a couple of occasions when a blackbird has landed in the same climber and the Wagtails didn't like it, so I'm hoping that it doesn't scare them away.