Sunday 30 October 2016

The extra hour

For someone currently stuck in insomniac mood, it's a killer. Because I seem to be having my extra hour betwixt 4 and 5. Yesterday it would have been 5 and 6. Far more civilised. I will spend the day whinging!

We watched a truly heartwarming film ( NOT! ) last night. Called The wee man, based on the true story of Paul Ferris and gang warfare in Glasgow. Left nothing to the imagination. Brutal.

Tea was sausage casserole, mashed potatoes and Savoy cabbage. It was delicious as we've not had it in months. I do laugh though as I have to scrape off all the casseroley bits for Mr 19! He is so fussy sometimes. He doesn't do gravy either. I often wonder if he was switched at birth.

I'm on the cusp of revealing a show and tell. Hopefully I'll make enough progress today with it to get my 'Tah-darrrh' moment. However, how the flipping heck I'll show you will be tricksy. I'm writing this on the web and the add photo link is a bit useless on the iPad. My trusty Blogger App seems to have gone Tits up. I'm sure I'll work my way around it. When I click the photo button and add photos from my phone, it only brings up photos from months ago! In fact I just tried it now and the whole thing froze! Useless.

If I could post a photo, it would be of Sir Freddie Holmes. Miss 22 has bought the puppy a new coat, in what can be only described as a deerstalker style. He looks super snug and cute in it. He's grown so much. He looks more or less like a grown up dog. He's coming for his week's holiday on Thursday night.

I baked. For the first time in forever. I made a double batch of Aunty Olives. Half I made traditional and the other half, I added flour to make it less wet, I also added stem ginger chopped up and a glut of the syrup from the jar. These made thicker, slightly softer biscuits but still delicious! I can't take a photo to show you as they didn't last very long.

I did a stock take of my Tin cupboard. You should be grateful I can't add photos right now because I'd be treating you to a shot of it! Without copying down the whole inventory, I have about 15 tins of soup in, 8 tins of tomatoes, 8 tins of beans and a whole list of tinned pulses I must have bought when I was feeling wholesome. The top shelf is for sweet stuff. 4 tins of condensed milk! Might go down to three today if I make some millionaires shortbread! Loads of tinned fruit and evaporated milk. ( Sunday tea pudding from my childhood ), some mincemeat, jam and emergency rice pudding! Can you believe I'm chatting away about tinned food. I think there's a lot of snobbery about using tinned and frozen food. But it's all good stuff, preserved at its best!

The reason I cleaned out my tin cupboard is because of a dream I had. This weekhere has been TWO programmes on about flipping Edible Dormice. ( What did the Romans ever do for us???? ) Think one was the ITV version of Countryfile and the other Autumnwatch. Both told the viewers of how they are vermin and pest controllers are having more and more call outs to homes because of them. My dream was that I was over run with mice. The Tin cupboard was the only one not to be cleaned out in Summer. I had to check. But I had no evidence of mice, edible or not!

I'm looking forward to watching the new TV programme tonight about Britain's first woman serial killer. The trailers look good. It was dark enough yesterday for lighted candles in the daytime. Dark nights are perfect for cosy sofa viewing. The only good thing about the dark. Readers of this blog from the beginning - if there are any originals out there - will know me by now and how I hate the dark mornings and dark nights with a passion. I much prefer the Summer. Although I'm glad it's colder though I've yet to wear a coat. The heaviest I've gone is a denim jacket. I've only had to pop the heating on a couple of times as it's often colder inside my house than outside!


It's now 5.26am ( 6.26 really ) so I'm thinking about getting up and having a brew. I'm thinking too now, which IS the real time? Did we fettle with the clocks to put them on or back? Just what time IS it??  Does it really make that much difference? Really????

Lots of love from

Rachel *hates dark mornings* Radiostar xxx






















Friday 21 October 2016

Friday morning

It was a typical Autumnal morning start. Dark and misty. I thought I'd been transported into a Sherlock Holmes novel! But the Sun is now shining and all is calm. Well, it would be calm if it wasn't for me breaking the silence with Tena strength coughing. A non productive dry thickly annoying cough. It's given me a headache.

The other part of my Creat and Craft order came. Some lovely jelly rolls. I paid £9 each. A quick look on google sees them £9 and up with p&p to be added on top so I'm satisfied they are bargainous enough!
I think I'll have a go with these later this week! Maybe for some bags. I dunno! I might have a bit of time betwixt seeing to my patient who came home yesterday. 

Anyone got any ideas/patterns/projects for me?? 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *Ward Sister* Radiostar xxx 


Wednesday 19 October 2016

Nothing to show and tell

Zilch
Nada
Nowt
Bugger all

I've done no cooking, no baking, no making.
I've not even been knitting or stitching.
TV watching is minimal




I had had a fleeting thought of writing a little poem but couldn't think of anything to scan with that third line! My brain is fooked to put it bluntly.

Oh  - just added the 'kitchen' line. Maybe there's life in the old matter yet.


I've done no cooking, no baking, no making.
I've not even been knitting or stitching.
TV watching is minimal
And you should see the state of my kitchen.

But I am up to level 1032 on Candy Crush thanks to my love affair with waking up through the night.


I am sure normal service will be resumed shortly.

Never has so little been done by one person before!

Lots of love from
Rachel *truly idle hands* Radiostar xxx

Monday 17 October 2016

It is with regret

That I announce the annual 'Putting away of the sandals and flip flops' has happened. I am back in boots. I think I can account  for 87 and a half percent of my current grouchiness to my feet being besocked and encased. Although my favourite boots in the world are like putting slippers on. This will be their fifth year. I should have bought two pairs. I big pink fluffy heart them. 
I love how I match my bedroom radiator! 

Freddie says he'd love to update you with his antics but he has only got little paws and the typing fatigues him. Plus he is back in Newcastle now, so could I possibly regale his fans for him?! Cheeky boy!

Here he is fast asleep on the settee. 
Doesn' t he look so comfy?! I was ready to go to bed. I just said 'Bed Freddie' and down he got straight into his crate. He's so clever! 
I taught him how to 'roll over' so that's now added to his repertoire. But wait until you see this next pic. 
The instructions go..
Sit 
Down
Wait 
Wait
Wait
Waiiiit
Wait
Go on then!! 
Now I don't know about you, but I'd not last too long if someone put the human equivalent on my mitts! Maybe a couple of rolos or something! 


These are not rolos, these are delicious and nutritious chicken liver training treats that are gentle on the stomach! How amazing is Freddie?!! 

He was also playing a game of 'choose the toy' 
Miss 22 would ask 
Where's the pig or where's the ball and he'd identify it correct every time - until I videoed it! We tried to give him a choice of three but by then he was high on delicious, nutritious, gentle on the stomach chicken liver treats and got giddy! 

Here he is with said Pig. It grunts and it's hilarious watching him play with it. Of course it was me who got it! 

As promised, here are two of my create and craft purchases! 
That's the bag kit, was about £13 I think. Which for the Liberty fabrics I'm assured is reasonable and this sweet book full of sweet makes! 

 Just now need to find some time! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *meeting herself coming back these days* Radiostar xxx 


Friday 14 October 2016

Look who's back

I surprised Nanna and Grandad by going to their house when they were out. I asked mum to take a photo of me, to show Nanna  I missed and loved her so much I was hugging her slipper. 

It was lovely to get fussed over and get lots of sweeties. I'm here till the weekend. 
You can see me here getting ready for bed with my soft cuddly blanket and teddy bear. 

Back soon! 

F xxx


Sunday 9 October 2016

Sunny days

I'm still pegging out with much success thanks to these lovely tropical days and I'm still in sandals! The temperature does drop in the evening this so it was quite cosy in bed last night because I took the Summer 4.5 tog off and switched it to the 10.5 Autumn one. 
I've also switched my little Summer bear collection...

 ...for my Halloween collection! These are some of my most very very favourite bears. 

Talking of Bears........

You know how I go to the Very posh garden centre from time to time? Well they have an absolutely amazing Christmas display section. It's huge and draws people in by the thousands. Anyway, it's started to be assembled and I just love this tree. I mean who wouldn't love a tree made up of soft cuddly polar bears and the occasional plush penguin? 


Cute...but not as cute as Freddie! 

He'd like to thank you all for encouraging him in his writing and he tells me he'll be back to write for you again the next time he comes over on a sleepover! 

Erm, not much else to say really as life is being commanded by the Universe right now. But thank you all for popping over there and leaving me little messages. They mean a lot. I've just not much time really to reply yet. Each time I get back or there's a new update it takes a good hour ringing everyone and letting everyone else know. He's a well loved popular being is my HG! 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *joined Create and Craft TV's club today and ordered some stuff that will mostly likely feature on this blog at sometime* Radiostar xxx 



Monday 3 October 2016

My first post by Freddie

Well, hello folks. My Nanna has been telling me about her two good bloggy chums Poppy and Ted and what. Clever. Doggies they are for blogging, so I thought I'd give it a go. I hope you don't mind if I'm not as eloquent as they are, but I'm only 14 weeks old and still learning.

 My Mum and Dad brought me to see my favourite Nanna - I always wag my tail for her the most and get all wiggly and giggly. Sometimes I get soooo wiggly and giggly I get a bit dribbly - and not from my mouth! We stayed for two sleeps and I was 'A. Good. Boy.'  I also am ' A beautiful. Boy ', ' Nanna's. darling. Puppy.' and ' Freddie No'. Though I'm not as keen on that last nickname because it always means the delicious thing I'm tasting in my mouth gets taken off me. 

One of my most favourite places at Nanna and Grandad's ( apart from the giant brown comfy bed - more on that later ) is the kitchen. Nanna is ALWAYS in there. It smells so nice. She especially likes me sneaking up behind her, when she's in the Cave of Good Smells. I know because she gets all excited with me. 

We've had some lovely meals ( made by Nanna, washed up by Nanna - my Mum and Dad must be exhausted because they do a lot of sitting down and Nanna always mentions something about waiters and hand and foot?  ). I showed off my new tricks to Nanna. I sat, I lay down, I gave her my paw - I'm not sure why they always want my paw, I high fived and I waited - she gave me the DELICIOUS little cold, hard, green sweeties. I also. Took. Them. Gently. 

Mum and Dad went out for a while which meant Nanna and Grandad were mine. Grandad plays with me. I bring him all my toys including the noisy duck. He doesn't realise I'm trying to give him the duck, because every time I bring it back, he throws it away again. He must like my big blue knotty rope though because we always have a tussle over it and he won't give me it back. When he thinks Nanna isn't looking, he lets me lick lots of tasty things. He eats this white stuff in a pot with a metal stick, but I just use my tongue. It's delicious. 

Here I am on my big brown bed. I say it's mine, but I'm a very generous puppy- I do share it with my folks. As soon as Nanna or Grandad went out of the room, I leap up, and curl up just to keep their spot warm. 


Clearly my Nanna doesn't think I'm warm or comfy enough because she gave me this big comfy blanket to lay on. 

She said it came all the way from a nice lady in Wales and that someone called Ben would know how great in feels to snuggle in!


Nanna did make me Get Down though when I brought my favourite toy up for a play. She said it was wet and stinky. I don't know what that means.

Here I am, laid out on my favourite fluffy rug, resting my eyes. It's hard work being a puppy! That's all from me for now. I'm off to see if I can get that long plastic snake back off Grandad. We had the most fun playing with that. I loved running away with it in my mouth. It was black and white. Grandad said that Nanna would tell me off because she needed it to measure things. It was just so fun to chew though. And I didn't believe him anyway. Nanna? Tell me off???? I don't think so!

I'm going to spend a full week with them in November when Mum and Dad go on holiday. I can't wait! 

Lots of love from 

Freddie xxx 



Saturday 1 October 2016

October 1st 2016

All of a sudden, it seems like the weather has realised it's October. It's chilly, damp and windy. September has seen me too hot and grouchy because of it. My bloody heels are rubbed raw and blistered from having to wear shoes when it was too wet for sandals. Grrrr.

Thought I'd share a couple  of my  newest favourite Freddie shots. 

Freddie at the beach pretending to be a kite! 


A rare shot of him being still! He's so clever and now gives his paw, lies down and stays on command.

He's growing fast. He's actually in my house, right now. Miss 22 and the beau and puppy came last night to surprise the HG. 

 These were my  glittery efforts for yesterday's Macmillan coffee morning held at school. Quite apt right now, as we have our own Macmillan nurse. I'm not going into it here but I think if you click my name in the profile bit you'll find a new separate blog. 


Quick, let's have a chuckle. 
Yesterday I was reminded of my very favourite pupil who left last year. The one who has had in in stitches for a long time. Well the teacher I worked with used to run a weekly raffle. There'd be a big box of prizes and the children were rewarded randomly for effort, good work etc with a raffle ticket. The draw took place on a Friday afternoon. 'And the winner is' would be performed by the teacher along the lines of 
Teacher: Class, stand up.
And the winner is....
A girl, ( so all the boys would sit down )
This girl has.......blonde hair ( so all the brunettes would sit down ) 
This girl is wearing black shoes etc etc 
The kids love it. 

This was the first time for our new class. 
T - Class stand up.
And the winner is.......a boy ( girls sit down )
This boy is.......not wearing shorts ( boys in shorts sit down )
This boy is.....wearing a school jumper..

Me to Favourite pupil who is suddenly very busy with something - what ARE you doing??? 
FP - Putting my jumper on!!!! 

Let me tell you, that day we ran two raffles and we might have 'fixed' the outcome of the second draw! FP went home a happy child! 

Right I'm off to make breakfast for my brood and to have some Freddie love! 

Lots of love from 
Rachel *please don't comment about the other blog on here because I won't publish them* Radiostar xxx