Online chums

I've 'met' hundreds of people online ( in a non sleazy dating site kinda way ) via Yahoo chat rooms ( about photography - it was called The Darkroom ) first off back in 2000. We'd only just bought our first computer and went on the Internet for the first time. I think it was 2p a minute in the evenings and weekends and it was infuriating for people wanting to speak to us on the telephone because it was always engaged! I then branched out into Facebooking years later and then Blogging and then Twitter and Google+! I do have Instagram, but I never use it and as for Pinterest - I don't get it. I don't use it. Mainly because I can't say it. It's a stupid word.
Anyhooo
Out of the hundreds of folks out there, I hold a select few close as proper real life friends. I do have lots of proper real life I can touch them everyday if I want friends. But my online friends are just as dear to me.
I'm not naming names today I case I miss anyone inadvertently out! Except, of course, my 'close personal Twitter friend' Nigel Slater!
But
Three I've kept from the year 2000. They know I love them all truly madly deeply. The bonds we have forged and shared, I believe I'll keep til the day I die. One day we will meet for real. There are then a good few who I 'met' on Twitter through one of my original three. I've a good bunch of Twitter chums who I then upgraded ( hehehe ) to my personal Facebook. I just love the funny people on there who can make me laugh my head off and then quickly offer a bit of TLC should you need it!
Two of them ( recent birthday girls ) write far superior and  funny blogs than mine could ever be!
There's my  bloggy chums who are just so fantastic because it's like a secure online group for kindred spirits who 'meet' up by chance. Some of whom, I'm in personal contact with. Some of whom, I've met and it was like we were old childhood friends.
So to all my friends far and wide, I cherish you all!

Today, though, I'm going to introduce you all to Natalie, or Tilly as I calls her in my phone. She's an original Twitter chum. One of my first follows/followees
She is ace. She makes me snort with laughter and for quite some time, we've whinged a bit and shared a it of our weight loss endeavours!! She's gone public now in her quest for slenderness! I can't ! Mainly because of my job, but mainly because of my squeaky voice!
So I'm going to share her videos here. Do click and watch, you can't help but giggle as she goes off camera to the fridge, peers into the camera as you would if it was a mirror to rub make up out of your eye!
We whatsApp each other daily helping each other out. Mine is mainly a running commentary of what I've eaten, what I want to eat and mindless nonsense about my day!! We are now at week 8 in supporting each other. We are each doing our own thing and that's fine.
Here's her channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbPr1vWhgTB2ihEMt7Ckldg

Week one

Week eight ( yesterday )

Long may it continue!
The last video I laughed and laughed my way through then right at the end she made me cry!

Here's to you Natalie! Let's not be scundered! Boogie Wonderland!

Lots of love from

Rachel *Many friends* Radiostar xxx

The Hokey Cokey

I bring my bedding plants in,

I put my bedding plants out,

In out

In out

Shaking the soil all about

It's Springtime Hokey Cokey

Weather's turning around

That's what it's all about.

Ohhhhh plants in the kitchen

Ohhhhhh plants in the garden

Ohhhhhhh plants in the kitchen

In out in.  Out

Think I need a greenhouse! 

Snowing yesterday. Snow this morning. This is not right. I'm usually back in flip flops by now! 

It's a good job I'm British and therefore legally required to whine about whatever weather is happening right now! 

I wanted to share this quite local legend with you T'other day, but orange hands took over. Update - a light shade of Tangerine has been reached. 

Anyway...you may have seen/heard this but I'm carrying on regardless! 

En route to Miss 21's and back via the Motorway. You go on possibly the most scenic route on the motorway in the land.

Betwixt two little northern towns called Tebay and Kirkby Stephen there are some woods that you can see from the roadside that I call the Honeymoon Woods. 

There are several stories regarding the origins of this heart shaped wood. 

One is that a young couple eloped to marry against all wishes of their families a la Romeo and Juliet. On the Wedding Night, the husband killed the wife then killed himself and their heartbroken families planted the woods where they were found. 

Another is a young farmer planted the wood in memory of his young wife who died on their wedding night. 

Someone ( if you do a bit of google searching ) rather disappointingly came up with the truth of it's actually just a visual illusion due to how the trees have grown in the cleft of the valley. 

I choose to ignore the science and go with the love story! 

Last but not least is this screen shot of my 'Map my Walk' route of the mile I did last night at Night Owls. It makes me laugh every time I look at it!! 

It was a bit of a maths challenge set  by the children as we were trying to work out if 13.5 laps of the netball court was 1km, how many laps was a mile? They calculated approx 22 laps. It's actually about 20. 

Right off to comment and make a brew. 

See you soon. 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *Roger Bannister* Radiostar xxx 

First day back

With my still orange hands >>>>>>

Does it say anywhere on here, may cause embarrassing hands? No...

Always always read the small print folks!! 

>>>>>>>>and still wanting to be in bed, I took Barry back to school! After about three minutes it felt like we'd never been away! 

 I thought I'd share some of my Garden Centre purchases in a bid to cheer myself up. 

Perfect for my garden

No filter needed. Just a perfect colour! I've honestly not enhanced the photo! 

I also got a Japanese Acer and a tub for by the front door. Some cherry tomato plants for the hanging basket by the back door. I'll show you the hanging basket for the front soon. It's a gorgeous silver grey colour full of plants. Only £13. No mess of making it either, plus I'm supporting the local economy! I also bought some osteospurnams and some other purple flowering bedding plants to go round the bottom of the tree. We bought some fancy black grasses to go in as interesting fillers along the borders and some new herbs to go in the terracotta strawberry barrel thingy we got off my Pa in law. So at the moment I'm going through the rigmarole of putting them outside in the day, then bringing them back in at night! It's the end of April and it's BLOODY cold still!! 

These are the dark purple tulips in the back. Look at how healthy that delph looks! The White powder on the blue tub is from the ash pan from the fire. The HG spread the ashes but didn't wipe the pot clean. Tut. I've also loads of bluebells flowering now. 

This is one of the frilly tulips out the front. I'm not sure I like them! I think I prefer my tulips smooth! 

Last night was all about 

It was MAGNIFICENT! So much to discuss!! No spoilers but I laughed my head off when I saw this depiction of a particularly moving poignant part of the show. The quote is so heartfelt. 

Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!!! 

Right that's enough nonsense from me, it's 8:19am and I need to get sorted for work! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *looking forward to the three day weekend* Radiostar xxx 

Orange hands

This last week has proved that Spring sprang and the promise of Summer is coming. This current weekend, however, has proved that we live in England and should know better! This photo nicked off Facebook proves it all.

Today I will probably be mostly wearing warm clothing and lots of it! 

The postlady delivered the sweetest smelling letter I've ever had! Suzanne from No.38 http://lifeatnumber38.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/crafty-and-medical-week-ahead.html?m=1 sent it to me. I didn't know whether to drink it or bathe in it! 

Thank you Suzanne X The Rose lemonade is divine. I'm not sure of the spicy chai at all. I'll give it another go!

Orange hands.

I'll tell you the story before I show you. 

Monday it was cold, Tuesday it was warmer so I went and gardened, but when I sat out it was only halfy warm. Where the half of you is facing the sun, the other side is freezing cold. Wednesday, however, was 360 degrees warm. So, because I couldn't walk properly or bend or anything due to  non athletic gardening thighs from the day before, I sat and read my book. It was an unputdownable page turner. I read it til the end. 

Now, I have always always loved being outside and love to get a tan, despite all the skin cancer warnings. But now I'm getting quite the old biddy I seem to have developed a skin condition called PMLE - poly morph light eruption or something?!! It's an allergic reaction to one of the lights in sunlight. It triggers prickly heat all around my collar bone and shoulders, my forearms and the top of my feet and my shins. It's unsightly and sometimes itchy. So I now use factor 30 minimum when I go outside. I have yet to find the one with the right formula for me as some can aggravate the condition making my skin react faster!! So as I was reading I had factor 50 on round my neck chest and shoulders. I'd rubbed some in on my arms and legs. 

But I was out in the sun for a good two and a half hours from 3pm . I was so engrossed in the book I didn't realise I was getting sunburnt. 

After I came in and had a shower, I used my new expensive 'Atfersun'. I lathered it on. I went to bed. The usual prickly heat areas were hot and angry, so throughout the night I applied it liberally and often. Not needing to look where it was going. It did the trick. Soothed, moisturised and I looked forward to the effects of the - what I thought - deeply moisturising and nourishing - mysterious 'tan intensifier' it proclaimed proudly on the front. 

I got up next day, never noticed anything, went about my chores. It was only when I was doing some mending I'd been going to do all fortnight, mending bras - death by underwire was imminent unless I took action - that I stopped. And looked. And thought. Bloody hell Rachel your hands are filthy. My brain reasoned I must have picked something rusty up. My brain then reasoned, I had no rusty things TO pick up. 

These photos MASSIVELY UNDER ESTIMATE how orange my hands and between my fingers were.are.

These photos were taken after frantic scrubbing with exfoliator and pumice stone. 

Turns out, 

Tan Intensifier

Is sodding fake tan!!! 

They are still orange now. Four days later. In Gateshead yesterday I kinda fitted in with the locals but I was still mortified! 

My arms and legs look healthy, if a bit stripey. My face, where I rubbed in the residue, looks healthy where it touched. 

Orange betwixt my fingers.

It's as bad today. The photos really do not show up the orangeness. 

I'll be back soon to share the beautiful flowers and plants I've bought today from the garden centre! Bet you can't guess the colour! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *oompa loompa* Radiostar xxx

Monday's Child is....

The old rhyme goes 

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace, 

Wednesday's child is full of woe

Thursday's child has far to go

Friday's child is loving and giving 

Saturday's child works hard for a living

But the child that is born on the Sabbath Day is

Bonny and blithe and good and gay. 

Mr 19 is Monday - I think he is fair of face, beautiful in his Mother's eyes ( and all the young ladies hmmmmm )

Miss 21 is Friday, like me and my beloved Nanna - who used to tell me this rhyme. All three of us are definitely loving and giving. Although I used to be bitterly disappointed that I wasn't born on a Sunday because I wanted to be bonny! 

The HG is full of grace, apparently. Well he dances like Suggs from Madness to every song, I suppose he glides up and down ladders all day and he's very polite and well mannered! 

Mr 19 had a lovely birthday at work! Welcome to being a grown up, son! He got money which has been stashed in his car fund and a few things he'd asked for. 

I won again at Mother of the year by failing to have any candles in for the cake. My friend almost reported me to Social Services for suggesting I could just put a tea light on top, so off to the shops I went! 

Mr 19 pointed out that I'd only used 16 candles! 

I pointed out to Mr 19 that he wasn't too old for a slap, birthday or not! 

He wasn't too old to have Happy Birthday sang badly to him and to blow his candles out and make a wish! Ahhhh. 

Just as he asked, chocolate fudge cake with plain fondant icing. In fact,  I could have probably got away with sticking the candles into a block of fondant icing! 

I spent yesterday from 3pm in the garden. I cleaned the table. I watched Mr Blackbird come very close to eat up all the goodies I put out for him. I finished the book I was reading. It was a page turner. Totally unputdownable but left me a bit 'meh' at the end. What I didn't realise, was how strong the sun was and I came inside with two very red arms with bright white Vs  at the elbows where my arms had been bent holding the book! 

I put loads of blue and purple tulip bulbs in last October and the ones out the back are finally blooming! 

( Please excuse the fascia board, the HG seems to think it's perfectly reasonable to store it behind my blooms! ) 

They look redder in the photo than they actually are. 

The ones in the front are frillier! And a different shade, almost black according to the packet. However, they are not showing off yet, so we will have to wait! 

 RIP 

Victoria Wood 

She was my first and original comedy hero ( pre Dawn French ). I'm funny because of her. I was really sad to hear she had died. 

One of my favourite sketches of hers was shown in her Midlife Christmas show. It was a spoof advert about all the accident helplines there are. I think I've mentioned it before. I've looked for a clip online but haven't found it. Slippedonachipdotcom! I can hear her voice doing it. Claim to fame here. When I were a lass, she lived not far from me and my Dad fixed her car! 

A true comedy legend. A very funny, clever person indeed. 

Right, this Friday is twinged with the sadness that it's the Friday before I'm back at work Monday Friday. I'm not sure what I'll get up to, but I'll enjoy it whatever it is! We are off to see Miss 21 tomorrow, I'm really looking forward to seeing her :-) 

Lots of love from 

Rachel * What day of the week were you born on and are you like what it says you are?* Radiostar xxx 

I'm going outside, I may be some time.

Yes it's a famous quote, but I've used it for years on Facebook! It basically applies to me, all Summer! 

Barry took delight in taking several baths in the sunshine yesterday. I brought him outside with me as I tackled the garden.  I did the front first which only took an hour. Mainly pulling up little weeds from the cracks and crevices. My FW* neighbour's front garden is covered in weed they never remove. It does my head in. It looks a bloody mess. I can't understand it as she's always gardening out the back. 

Anyway it was glorious in the sunshine. I actually got the chair out for the first time this year and sat out with a drink! I filled four gardening bags with garden waste from the border. Lots of died back shrubbery from last Autumn! I'm afraid the torrential endless rain we had kept me from going out and I left it to go feral. I seem to have lost two delphiniums from either too much wet or the slugs so I shall have to replace them. I'm cross because I wanted a better display this year with plants at the same stage! Not to mind. I'll buy them later on in the year. 

I'll remind you of the photo I took at Castle Howard, this is what I'm wanting to recreate along my wall! 

I was going to plant some seeds, but time was running out. I need to find them, see what I have and what I want to grow. Think I've seeds for all sorts. Beetroot do very well in my garden and I am determined to grow some Cavelo Nero for ME to eat NOT the bloody wildlife so will also have to buy serious butterfly defence paraphanalia. 

I thoroughly scrubbed all of my bird feeders. I've loads! I do get some lovely visitors, but not as many as I'd like because of NDFC. 

To all those people asking for Photographic evidence of my CiCC. Nope. It ain't going to happen! 

Now then, it might be the Queen's 90th Birthday tomorrow and I do love the Queen but more importantly it's my baby boy's birthday! Being an elective C Section baby ( due to Miss 21's complicated arrival - 2 weeks overdue, induced, 24 hours labour, 3cm was all I got to, emergency C Section ) I got to choose the date of his birth. It had to be two weeks before my due date so I was less likely to spontaneously go into labour. I was given the option of the 19th - too early I thought, the 21st - The Queen's birthday or the 23rd - St George's Day. It was horrible to be told actually that I couldn't try a normal delivery  because that's what my consultant said , so we decided the middle date. Mr 18 will become Mr 19. So tomorrow I will be making him a birthday cake. I've not asked him yet, but I bet you all £10 he asks for chocolate fudge cake or toffee fudge, but whichever it will be he'll ask for it to be covered in fondant icing.......watch this space! 

Right, I must away to my chores!**Bye for now 

Lots of love from 

Rachel * just asked him, yep you all owe me a tenner * Radiostar xxx 

*FW neighbours - F^%kwits - absolute morons. Also owners of NDFC. We call them Weirdobob and his insane parents. She's alright, but their brat is a completely out of control little shit and the dad is a moron. I can feel my bile rising as I give them brain space and I've a thousand sentences full of vitriol desperate to spring forth from my fingertips...but no, kind words or no words Rachel!! People are strange! They probably can't stand us! Me, on my moral high ground, with my two beautiful, well brought up, polite, bright, fantastic upright members of the human race offspring, with my gorgeous blue fenced garden, with my lovely hardworking HG etc etc hehehehehehe 

We wish they'd move! ( Our neighbours on the other side are fine! ) 

**away to my chores - lay in bed a bit longer, replying to comments and reading other blogs! 

Post 525

I find it utterly ridiculous that I have managed to waffle on for five hundred and twenty five posts! I am a rubbish blogger as I don't post every day or even regularly when I come to think of it! But it's mine and I'll do as I please! I love my little blogworld, all my little blog chums and the community feel of it! I love commenting on other blogs, I love reading and replying to my comments - which to be honest are often far superior to what I've written in the first place! Bloggy love! 

Today's post is just going to be the usual mismatch of rambley nonsense.

First off, it's windy, cold and grey outside as opposed to clear blue sky, bright sunshine yesterday. The HG and I went for a stroll ( in a bid to help the 'Get Rachel Thinner' cause ) . Halfway down the canal I discovered I'd not set my watch activity record thingy off, but it was ok BC I'd set the Map My Walk thingy on my phone. Only when I got home to look at the stats - I'd not pressed 'start workout'!! So I don't know how many steps I did! But obviously, it was loads. I did look like I was out on a walk with my carer though. 

Picture the scene. He's 6ft, I'm 5ft tall and round! He strides along and I shuffle quickly behind him! I was wearing leggings and a calf length navy dress and my trainers which are actually technical running shoes, they'll never be technically used, but they are really pretty.

Here are my trotters showing them off! The HG muttered about how bright they were. I topped off my look with my Mac and sunglasses. I call my particular style 

CiCC. This is Care Int Community Chic. I pull it off very well! 

Knitting news 

The HG's Jumper update. 

The back is done. Am onto sleeve 2 now, then I'll do the front. 

Cushion update.

I think I'm definitely neater on the non bamboo pin as I predicted. However, I've double checked and I don't like the pattern. I've cabled up a bit and will carry on but look at how the button band is k2p2, and then where I've started the main body, some parts match up and others don't. I've the correct amount of stitches on, I've made no mistakes as apart from it not sitting as straight, the top piece is the same. I might have a go at re writing the pattern to get it looking better!! I'm not sure that a double row of garter stitch would have improved it before starting the main part? I'll carry on with this until the end and then I'll see. 

Right, am off to see a friend and her gorgeous girl this morning. Then I might just pootle until tea time! Looking forward to the next part of Marcella tonight if I can stay awake! 

I can hear Barry downstairs. He's been at his other Mummy's for the first week of the hols and now he's here! 

I'm always pimping his cage, she says! Last time I bought him a willow ring which he was highly suspicious of...

Here he is thinking WTAF have you put in my cage now you mad bint??? 

But I knew he'd love it! It frames him beautifully! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel * might do post 526 tomorrow* Radiostar xxx 

Executive Decisions

I don't know about you but I'm always making executive decisions. I've just made one now! 

This is the cushion cover I'm knitting so far...

The needles came with the kit. I hate knitting with wooden needles. It doesn't matter the size - these are 10mm- I just find them too smooth and slippy. Which is insane. You would expect that my much preferred metal pins would be smoother and less grippy. 

So the E.D I just made  - I'm re starting the knit, on my own 9mm metal pins. They are the biggest ones I own. I'll probably gift the wooden ones away, or use them as kindling! 

Other E.Ds today will most likely involve what to have for lunch, what to throw away - I'm midst tidying my room- and what to watch n the telly box! 

I'd like to take a moment to discuss tea. 

I used to take milk with my tea, but I liked my brew to be weak, but not milky. I got so incredibly fuss arsey over it that I gave up milk in tea all together. So now I always have a 'one -dip' . I'm such a cheap date. It's so weak I should probably give up the tea bag altogether and be done with it. However, when one is faced with all the pretty boxes at the supermarket it's hard to not look! 

My absolute favourite favourite flavoured tea is not pictured here. But it's Tetley Green Tea with lemon. It's the best by a mile. I love a Lady Grey and an Earl and I'm very partial to a very berry tea in M&S cafe! 

However, here's what's next to my kettle at the moment. 

Some of them are off on a visit! Now the Twinings steamed green tea tastes exactly like bog standard green tea. The fudge melts are DELICIOUS! Miss 21 also had but took with her some Cherry Bakewell tea! 'Twas lovely when you are trying to not stuff cake and biscuits in for the foreseeable. 

Now I turn to something else entirely. It's the work of the devil. I have a dear online chum who raved on about it. I think there's something very wrong with her. She needs help. 

Comforting my arse! 

It is rank of the rankest proportions. I love licorice, pontefract cakes, allsorts, root licorice you chew from the health shop. Not this. 

It's the smell of warm soil that hits you once the boiling water hits the tea bag. Once you have a sip, it tastes vile, like I imagine the water in a vase would taste like this, after the flowers died three weeks ago. There's a warm hint of licorice right at the back of your throat right at the end, but enough of one to make me do it again. The box is really pretty though. 

Have you seen the recommendation on the front of the box? Well

I recommend not drinking it at all! This box is on its way to my mad friend two tea bags lighter. Two? Did I brave another? No, the other one will be packaged carefully and headed across the county in a taste experiment! I just hope my mild reaction won't put the recipient off!! 

What Executive Decisions have you/do you make? Have you a favourite tea? 

Lots of love from

Rachel *Top Brass, drinks tea* Radiostar xxx 

Monday off!

Hello and Welcome to Monday, day one of my Spring break! 

I much prefer this way of having a long weekend for Easter then two weeks off two weeks later! 

I'm in a jolly mood. Five weeks of not eating bread apart from the odd test slice of my own homemade stuff, made the scales shine favourably this morning. I'm not going to jinx myself by giving out weights, goals, losses, gains, etc etc because a) it's a never ending thing and b) it's so boring! 

Right. The Muse gig was the best gig I have EVER been to. The spectacle blew my mind. I was sweating like a pig in a heatwave by the end of it. I jumped, danced, waved my arms in the air like I just didn't care, clapped when Matt Bellamy instructed me to, made new friends in the audience and put a video on you tube of the start! Muse music is like nothing else. It moves me. They can combine classical music, with heart pounding drum and base. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy. The lights, lasers and drones were just awesome. I'll share a few of the 983 photos I took here! None of them exude the excitement they caused! 

 We had brilliant seats, I could almost touch him!! 

Those coloured orbs had cameras in them! They spookily floated around the arena. 

I love this photo I took of the lead singer floating above the ground mid jump. We had good seats but I much prefer to be in the crowd you can see at the side of the stage. 

This was the very beginning! 

As you can see, we were sat behind where all the magic happens! So close I could twiddle the knobs!! I love how it spells Muse!! 

Unbelievably we managed to spot our niece and her fiancé in the crowd! Though her poor beau fell and badly twisted his ankle in the mosh pit. He'd consumed alcoholic beverages. It's his own fault!! If you find the man in the lime green t shirt, trace your finger across a bit and our niece is wearing a black strappy dress and she's blonde shoulder length hair! We didn't know we'd both be there, though wasn't the first Muse gig we've both attended! I'm her coolest Aunty! 

Here, they flew a MASSIVE drone round the arena. It was like a jumbo jet! 

I tried to get a shot to show you, if you've never been, just how massive the arena is. I think it can fit 20,000 people in it! Every single seat was filled. The support band, Nothing but thieves, were really good too. 

I just loved it. 

Ok enough about that! 

A few people asked what my newest wool buys were for. Mainly little summery baby cardigans. I've decided I'm going to knit as many as I can and then see if people would want to buy them! I am under no illusion that I'll make my millions! But if I can use up some of my stash and make a few pennies, I can then just buy more guilt free!!! 

Alas I'm such a slow knitter, it'll take some time. The HG's jumper update : sleeve 1 done. Back, I'm 1cm away from starting shaping for the armholes! The size is XL and even though it's just plain stocking stick, it is only on 3.75 needles! I think I've 185 stitches on at the minute. ( excuses excuses!! ) 

Had something else to tell you but I've totally forgotten now. Need to get up and dressed because Anthony from DPD is on his way to mine with a parcel! Ooooo exciting! ( it'll be more fishing crap for the HG no doubt! ) 

Right, I'll be back to answer all your lovely comments on my blog later on. 

Lots of love from

Rachel *no school face* Radiostar xxx 

Thursday night

Sees me watching The Shannara Chronicles. It's really the HG's programme; he's currently watching it through his eyelids. We watch a lot of programmes like this. I then have the joy of watching it all again. My programmes are of a superior quality!! 

Like The Walking Dead!! Im hooked. I've binge watched it now from the beginning but as I get towards the end of Series 6, I'm slowing down because I don't want them to run out! Fortunately I've 'The fear of the walking dead' to look forward to! 

I'm finally on holiday for two weeks. I do not return to school until Monday April 25th. Bring on the Summer I say! Just the SATS to get through. Oh and I somehow found myself agreeing to go on next year's London Trip! What is the matter with me?!!! 

We've started a new round of Lego friends club. And the heartmelty moment of Wednesday was when a wee little soul, who really struggles to make friends, said this at our 'share your model' segment after the free play. The LFs each make a model and bring it to the table and explain what it is and why they made it. ( Encourages speech ) The others then can ask a question about it or pass a comment on it. ( Encorages peer communication skills ) They find this extremely difficult at first. It's why they've been chosen to be a LF. 

"I'm a bit shy.......but I just wanted to tell you I think it's beautiful." 

What a little darling!! 

Talking of little darlings...

Here are a little trio of my Spring bears that I've put out. They all have names, but right now I cannot recall what they are and as I'm blogging from my bed and they are downstairs, I'm afraid they'll have to remain anonymous. 

 Isn't he/she so cute?!! 

These are my other three Spring bears I put out. Twee. Some might say dated and tacky. But I don't give a flying fig! I'd quite happily apply those adjectives to myself!! 

This is a photo of the set of the latest Muse tour. I'm GOING TO SEE THEM TOMORROW NIGHT!! 

A lot of my newer bloggy chums might not know that going to concerts and live music set my heart and soul ON FIRE! It's when I'm at my very best and I come alive. I bloody love Muse. Their bonkers music manages to make my mind soar. It uplifts me. The power of being in a crowd of thousands singing and moving in unison is absolutely magic to me. I love them. I love them. I love them. This is the sixth time I'll have seen them. If you don't know who they are, they are three blokes from Devon who are basically the best live band in the universe. You will have heard more of their music than you realise. It's used a lot for backing tracks on the telly. It's tinkly piano, amazing guitar riffs, drum beats to die for and  Matt Bellamy can sing like he's an electric guitar. It's opera. It's heavy rock, it's moving. They put on a show. My adrenalin is already getting going. This time tomorrow I'll be waiting on the stone steps of the MEN arena waiting to leave, elated and zinging ( and sweaty with my fringe stuck to my face ) with the sheer buzz of it all. They will not disappoint. We are not going in the mosh pit this time. We are seated. I just hope I'm quite close! If I'm not. I don't care!! I'm going to sing and dance my socks off! I will also try to take some photos! I cannot wait! Plus as I'm not at work, I'm having my hair done in the morning. I might even slick a bit of eyeliner on and release my inner rock chick! I think I'll insist on a pre coach pub lunch and drink, a pre gig drink in Manchester and that'll be my lot! I do not see the point of getting legless, like a lot of folks do at these things, because I do not want to miss a single second by having to go for a wee!! The tickets cost too much!! I cannot wait! 

Meanwhile... 

In other rock chick news, I've been sorting out some of my latest buys of gorgeous wool! Because yanno, I was DESPERATE for some!  It's all rather squishy gorgeous. And all was in the sale. 

                                                                                    This stripey wool isn't new, it's from the first ( and so far only ) pair of socks I knitted that took three years to finish!! 

Last but not least, as befits my wild rock n roll lifestyle, here's the poppy so far. The differing shades of pinks and purples are jolly hard to work out! It's far clearer in this photo than it is in natural daylight.  I have to keep shifting which bits I'm working on with the light I have. It also takes me longer than I think others would be doing it! 

Right, best get to sleep. Else I'll be all knackered looking for my night out! Not pretty! 

Lots of love from

Rachel *died my hair cosmic blue again, not really that blue, it's more of a blue black, that shines blue in the sunshine* Radiostar xxx 

New test post.

I'm writing this on the blogger app on my iPad. I always used to use the one on my iPhone which now seems defunct. It's the photos that seem to be glitching. 

I'm going to try now to add some in. 

This is just a nice frothy jug of yeast. Can you see it? 

Love from 

Rachel *pressing publish* Radiostar X 

Gifts from afar attempt 3

Well, I'm starting this post for the second time. I thought I'd show you the lovely stuff Miss 21 brought me back from her epic trip to New Zealand. It's a very long way. 

It all arrived in a beautifully made heavy New Zealand cotton bag ( that's now for knitting projects....)

I'm laughing my head off at the photograph of the rather unfortunate positioning of the Kiwi bird biscuit cutters!!! It's actually a mama and her chick, I think! I'm going to look up an authentic NZ biscuit recipe for their maiden batch - which won't be yet as I'm not eating biscuits and the like in a final attempt to release my inner thinner! 

There's a sweet little pot teabag holder for brew time. She has the same one in her new flat! This brings me comfort knowing we are leaving squeezed out teabags on the side in a similar fashion! 

Last but not least is an absolutely stunning NZ jade necklace. The photos to not do the dark shade of green stone with the odd light flashes in it. I've worn it and it's so warm and smooth. I love it. 

Tried to get a close up - still rubbish! 

Other things I have to tell you... Not much really! 

Just same old same old. Go to work, despair over the impossible task of seeing the children through their SATS, go to Night Owls, home, tea bath and bed and repeat. More about work later. 

Meanwhile back at the ranch....

This is the posh plug socket, on the posh wallpapered wall, reflecting the deep pile posh silver carpet that is now my craft room!! 

There's the posh light shining it's gorgeous reflections into the posh silver linen wall paper of the other wall and the silvery trees of the plug socket wall with matching posh light switch! 

It was, of course, Miss 21's bedroom. 

I didn't take a photo but it has posh floor length silver linen curtains at the window with a posh silver/grey Austrian blind! 

It did have this posh Indian silver topped lantern with posh rattan ball lights in it, but she took that along with the matching mirror!! 

So I've started moving in! This is the gorgeous wardrobe that she wasn't allowed to take. Partly because being solid oak, it nearly killed her Dad carrying it up the stairs, alright, solely because it nearly killed her Dad carrying it up the stairs! It's never ever being moved either. 

Oh you can just see the curtain! 

My sewing patterns are in the little brown box. My crochet hooks, wired knitting needles, cable needles and large stitch holders are in the wee owl box ( that originally had greeting cards in ) next to it. 

My wool and fabric will be stored in the main body of the wardrobe along with mine and the HG's best togs! We are getting new wardrobes ( yanno in about 100 years ) and we have no room! 

I'm going to reuse pour old computer desk as a sewing table and I'll just take a dining chair upstairs for now to use. Eventually we'll put a little double bed settee in, when we find one we like that'll go! But when Miss 21 comes back she'll have to make do with the electric double air bed we have. That, by the way, is in Gateshead on her sparebed! They had to use it on their first night as we weren't bringing her bed and mattress until the day after. They complained it kept going down and that they were freezing cold on it and the sheet kept slipping off. These two young bright people with degrees...hadnt inserted the little nozzle correctly and hadn't realised that the mattress had a shiny plastic side and a warm flocked deep pile side. Hmmmm now which way is up? Because clearly they couldn't read the instructions either!!!! 

They'd been FREEZING! Well yes! You would trying to sleep on cold shiny plastic!!! 

Hilarious! I laughed my head off! 

Anyway...work is one stressy place right now. The teachers ( quite rightly ) are in uproar. The SATs papers are like A Levels. I'm having to watch in agony as my special six cry at having to learn the difference between a co ordinating conjunction and a subordination conjunction. ( Yesterday's Learning Objective ). 

It's not what they are, I was covering yesterday and every child in that room was identifying and writing their own sentences with subordinating conjunctions. It's remembering all these technical terms. And there's shitloads. To be honest, I wouldn't have got 100% on the sample SPAG test they've just done. Only 7 out of 30 actually got 50% or more. We are guessing that that's going to be the pass mark. No threshold have been released yet. 

Fancy having a go yourself? 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2016-key-stage-2-english-grammar-punctuation-and-spelling-sample-test-materials-mark-scheme-and-test-administration-instructions

I've been having technical issues with the publishing of this. Don't know if it's me or blogger playing up but hopefully it'll work this time. 

Here's the bread I baked yesterday. 3/4 white bread flour 1/4 spelt 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *I think I fixed it* Radiostar X