Penultimate night in my wee hoose!

The packing is on track.
I have the outhouse/shed to sort tomorrow and a redcurrant bush to pop into a large pot and also some small fern things. I need to sort the garden really I do.

I have cleaning of the bathroom and litchen cupboards, washing, my book case to decant, plates and other bits to find homes for. Oh and curtains to take down.

We are taking the majority of the freezer food  to Biggles house tomorrow so I can defrost the freezer. Will also move most of the fridge contents.

I am quite pensive.... This house meant a lot to me. It was my first permanent home- was supposed to be. Somewhere I could put down roots and mellow a while... maybe not forever and ever but it may well have been... somewhere I could invest time in the garden, neighbours etc.

Halloweens have been lovely as have the two Christmases I have spent here and the two summers with barbecues, flower growing. It is close to a beautiful part of the coast line.


The new house was too good to turn down but its not ours ( Weeny girl and I's) We will make it nice but I'm still searching as I know this isn't where the story ends. Where that is who knows....

 Its lovely for Weeny here. There is a play park at the bottom of the street, it is very safe, few cars lots of other kids and surrounded by families. The new place is very nice but not the quite as nice. Its the end of town I would have preferred not to be in but such is life.

Where we go to next and if we ever own again will be decided on at a later date.... am still keen on Durham  - not the city of Durham but the further out places like Crook or the villages. I will miss the coast but I can cope.  Weeny would miss it dreadfully she loves the beach with a passion though there are always holidays!


Ho hum  xxx

Last christmas....... or was it the one before that.....

Taking a break from the chaos that is moving house.... am pondering my all time favourite christmasses

Hmmm in no order of prefererence - difficult to decide as they are all different.

1. Prague - Opera in Christmas day to see la traviata, nothing stops in Prague over christmas but it is very christmassy in a lower key less commercial way. Ate Carp on Christmas eve - traditional Czech meal 2004

2. Brunei - - tropical - fabulous- heat- islamic - minimal christmas! Done this one three times! Got a tan! 1993, 2006, 2009

3.  Last yeas - Weeny girls first I get CHRISTMAS - so lovely for that and a day spent in matfen Hall on Boxing day with Biggles was lovely - scrabble by an open fire getting tiddly or tiddlier on irish coffee....2010

4. Childhood ones - the bones that are a bit blurry now with mum and dad still alive and well before Dad got ill. The ill ones don't count 1972-1984ish

5.The Christmas that never was.........2007

I had planned a wonderful christmas  for myself and plan to do it one day.

As a non christmassy person and hating the commercialism I decided to escape to the Lakes with my then Labrador - booked way in  advance - cottage, books, food and dog for a week and able to explore.....peace, beauty, fires, mince pies... ahhhhh

Anyhoo found out I was pregnant and would be 38 weeks by then so a remote cottage on my own was not to be.............. one day however when I have a dog again.... I couldn't sgo so cancelled but buggered off to the Isle of Wight to catch up with my sister and family who were visiting her inlaws and got myself a lovely apartment for four nights. Poor dog couldn't come however so went into kennels.

(I couldn't bear to be with ex's family and have managed to never spend a christmas with them - to much focus on money, gluttony andd self self self. - and they have lots of outside lights at christmas....... how horrendous. Wreaths yes - but come on!  electricity - wasteful  environment never thought of, splash the cash obviously!!!



Any favourite christmases???

PS Als done one in Tunisia - last minute - not great, travelled on Christmas day, spent time drinking and smoking and checking out old and ancient ruins -  Not as islamic as I would have liked - ie they had decorations!!! bleurgh!!!

Am sorry but I am really sickened by the OTT adverts for food and gluttony at Christmas. Its a day.
The waste is disgusting.

The food for our day will not be wasted. We have chicken and get a corn fed one from the butchers as a Turkey even a Turkey crown is far too much.

Some spuds, carrots, brussels, cauliflower and brocoli, stuffing, and a few pigs in blankets. make our own sauce - white, cheese and good old gravy - all done.

Pea soup - frozen pea soup - home made bread -starter

Two bottles of wine and a few beers (4) is  more than enough and lasts for Boxing day jollities as well - thats for two people and we often have stuff left. Doesn't go to waste can keep till new year!

Pavlova - home made with berries fruit etc as we don't do pudding or cake, (few home made short bread biccies/fairy cakes for weeny girl to make) Nice with a cup of tea.

Where do you have room for all the rest unless you are having a party on another day??? 


Ridiculous and wasteful if you ask me.

Never enough room for supper..... and it would be chicken sandwiches or cheese board snacks there was.

Why do I need to purchase sausage rolls, prawn rings, bottles of baileys.... Silly silly silly.

Will prob spend an extra £30 all in. Pah!   Get fed for two days with leftovers for soup, curry etc etc and pavlova lasts us at least four days puddings.


Frenzied food shopping - There is just no need. Please people - give your greedy money to charity rather than defrost your prepacked sausage rolls and end up chucking them in the bin.


Tut tut tut

Shops open again by Tuesday!


Eeek  Off to pack some more.

Stuffed again!!!

BACK BOX CAR EXHAUST - £97.50

Bloody bloody hell

Have bit bullet and purchsed cooker on interest free credit for 1yr. ( See above issue) means I get a reasonably decent cooker ( investment) Gets delivered 22nd and fitted hopefully as long as both have right gas lock thing.

Have wrapped pressies and sorted to store at Biggles place. Am attacking each room individually. And cleaning as I go and labling etc.

Glad Ebay sorted Weeny girls christmas.

Also had to pay for  Swimming lessons -  I had this set aside. Once you start you just can't stop. It would be silly and a waste of money.

Internet, phone, tv fitted 6th January! Should be able to take morning/day off work.

How will I survive!!!!

Dear Chums - an enforced hiatus!!!

I am moving.

21st December.

I have the weekend and Tuesday to organise stuff. Monday I must go in to work as we care inteviewing for a new post and I am on the panel. It is essential that I am there.

I need to procure an oven of sorts

Checked out house - I will need the following asap

Cooker - ideally want one with double oven so can use small oven to cook stuff for me and weeny.
Curtain rail things - to keep curtains up and keep heat in and stop burglars and nosey neighbours form peering in and protecting ones modestly lol ) modest I ain't)
Bedroom carpet - can wait till sales for this - floor boards okish and I have a posh persian rug lol
Shower attachment for washing
Outside storage box thing for garden tools and weeny's bike.
Wardrobes - or clothes hanging things - I can wait for these! Freecycling starts now!

House fine other than that- carpets and floor covering in other rooms.

I need to paint the living room - remove a blue colour - magnolia wash comming on!!! may be Biggles will be nice on Monday and slap a coat on before I move.... if I ask him nicely - won't take long only half the wall that is blue....  Fingers crossed eh!


Also I may have to get TV aeriel fitted - not sure if Sky have done their utmost to disconnect aeriel I will book aeriel chap for Thursday 22nd just in case.


Phone is a pain. No line into property - not sure when BT will be able to come to do cabling..... no interweb  ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Social death.....


So enforced hiatus dear chums.... as of 21st approx midday.   How long will the drout go on for????
Who knows!!!!

I will research cookers and curtain rails and garden storage boxes and check gumtree and freecycle. 

Have little storage in the house only one cuboard so do require some outdoor storage for a lawn mower, strimmer and barbecue and childs bike.

Will need a plumber to fit dishwasher and a joiner to fit cat flap as well. ASAP!!!!  Poor puss's need to stay on otherwise. I don't do litter trays- nor do they very well either.


Time for research then!!!


Any pointers to good prices, knowledge on fitting a gas cooker or shower attachments are all very very much appreciated!!!!

Update.....

yah boo sucks
1. Cracked Windscreen  £60 - could have been worse and could be more I suppose.
2. Goal for moving - potentially 21st Dec
3. Need to pay rent tomorrow 282???
4. Removal  fees £350
5. £1700 for excess/shortfall, estate agent fees and solicitor.


I am in major deficit. I need to obtain a stand alone cooker. I am hoping they have left flooring.....

oh well,  must get on with it......

Letter to Santa

We posted our letter to Santa - popped it in the post box . It is filled with pink sparkly glitter so will cheer up the posties when they get it. I our address in as well. See if Royal Mail reply.. They used to given the time. We may have left it late or they may not do it anymore.

We need to wrap pressies and bake. Biscuits - to be given to friends, jam tart things as weeny doesn't like mince pies, choc brownies, maybe some tiffin..... All good to cut up and give as gifts. need some paper bags or plastic wrapping. Ok maybe not the jam tarts - we will scoff the lot!!!

Also need to pay for more sodding swimming lessons £68 for the term!!!! Ahhhhh   We will carry on. I need to hand the cheque over this week sniff.

No news on moving. I sign for new tennancy beginning on 19th so will have to stump up rent as well as mortgage for a while. grrr solicitors.


Santa visit may be out this year. The Alnwick Garden is charging £5 plus enterance to the garden. Sorry I only want Santa.  Not paying the extortionate entry fee or the silly hot choc prices.