Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone.I just hope that all my blogging friends have a healthy  happy and peaceful 2017.Fingers crossed .Love to you all.Barbaraxxxxx

Super Saturday

 No matter what I do I can't get this the right way round.It is the programme from Aladdin.The Wok'n'Roll pantomime that we went to see on Saturday afternoon at Theatr Clwyd.

 We had super seats and because we were on the end of a row two of the cast members came and had a chat with Ruby before it started.We were close enough to the front to get splattered by a water pistol.It was brilliant ,noisy but really good fun.

 Outside Theatr Clwyd this week is this installation.It is touring Wales promoting Wales as a great place for adventures.Wales is EPIC.You can see the scale of it .Quite impressive.

We came home,had some tea,thegirls got their PJs on and we snuggled under a duvet and watched the Strictly Come Dancing final.They stayed at ours overnight and we took them back home at lunchtime on Sunday.Emily slept for 12 hours.She had been on a midnight hike with Scouts and idn't go to bed until 2am!!!She needed tocatch up on some sleep with another week of school to go.
A lovely weekend for us but it also gave Mum and Dad a break.

Where will you be spending Xmas?

We are going to our son's in Cambridge.It is a three and a half hour journey by car,sometimes longer depending on traffic.We are going on Xmas Eve and I am convincing myself that all the foreign lorries that clog the A14 will have gone home to Hungary,Bulgaria,Poland etc.Fingers crossed that the weather is fine.

Second thing.How do I get my list of followers up to 100?!!!!

Amendment

Back from the concert which was brilliant.He is Richard Durrant not Dunant oops

MY husband is 75 today!!!

 Yes.Charles is 75 today.Only a few grey hairs,apart from his beard.He doesn't wear glasses.I think he has worn pretty well.He has had a lovely day with lots of cards,presents and phone calls.Our daughter and family came over and we went out to lunch.

Back at ours for birthday cake.It looks as though Emily is about to set her hair on fire!!
Tonight we are off to Theatr Clwyd to see /hear a guitarist,singer and violinist.The guitarist is Richard Dunant.I think it is candlelit.We shall see and then a nice glass of wine when we get back.My present to C is trip to Paris on Eurostar in the Spring.
Must dash,theatre calling.

What a lovely day we had on Sunday

Last Sunday we were invited to my niece's home near Preston,about an hour away.The occasion was my bother and sister in laws Ruby wedding.Peter,my brother, married a German girl in 1965.They were wonderfully happy.They had two daughters and then Ute became ill.She had malignant melanoma.She had all the treatment,seemed to be OK and had a third child.She had almost reached the magic five year mark clear of cancer when it returned.She sadly died aged 32 ,leaving three children aged 9 ,6 and 4.We were all heartbroken.AT this time Peter was a Methodist minister .A young lady at his church helped him out when Ute was in hospital baby sitting for him.Well, to cut a long story short Peter married Janet,40 years ago last Sunday.Janet was 23 when she took on three children and the role of a minister's wife.She had never cooked,washed etc for a family.She has been AMAZING!!!They went on to have a son of their own.All four children were there on Sunday plus seven grandchildren and what a happy bunch they are.She joked that the first wash she did when they got married she was faced with 17 odd socks!!!Janet has had health problems over the years(ME) but is quite well at the moment and enjoying life.
I wanted to share this occasion with you ,with all the gloom around at the moment it was wonderful to share this truly happy day.

Any suggestions ...

I have failed to load a photo of a mountain of wool that I have.I have been making blankets,scarves,socks etc for years and have ended up with lots of part balls.Any suggestions of what I can make.Anything for charities would be fine.Hope you can come up with something.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO BLOGGER? is it only me?I can't load photos and the whole format has changed.

An update on my health,tests etc.Following a colonoscopy and an endoscopy it has been decided that I do not have IBS.I have microscopic colitis,a small hiatus hernia,acid reflux and probably Bile Acid Malabsorption.Nothing nasty turned up.Phew!I am now trying two different kinds of medication and can report life is getting better.I have still lost a lot of confidence but hope as time goes on it will improve.We managed to go and see our Cambridge family two weeks ago.Four hours in the car but I was OK.We are there for Xmas which is a little daunting.

Hope you are all well.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the USA.

Lots of love.Barbarax

Autumn colour at Ness Gardens.

 To get to Ness Gardens on the Wirral you go through the pretty village of Burton.This thatched cottage is called Bishop Wilson's cottage and was built in 1693.

 Two more lovely cottages.

 Today was sunny but very cold.A search was made for scarves and gloves.Above red Cornus stems.

                                         Marigolds.

                                          A beautiful Acer.

                                         
                                       A very pleasant walk.I am feeling much brighter.Meeting up with daughter Sarah and granddaughters Emily and Ruby tomorrow.I am going to treat them to some new clothes and Grandpa will buy us lunch out,I hope.

A surprise gift from my daughter.A bit of Autmn colour.

 You may remember from my last post that I have been having some health problems nothing major just a nuisance.I was chatting to my daughter on the phone this morning telling her what had happened when I saw the consultant on Saturday and she obviously sensed I was a bit down and half an hour later the bell went and this lovely bouquet was delivered via Interflora.What a brilliant idea and it has really cheered me up.More about my health later.

 We still have a bit of colour in the garden.Nasturtiums never flower where I plant the seeds ,they just appear!!!

 We have planted quite a lot of these cyclamen.I love their vivid colours.

 We have two very big trees in our not very big garden(and one that hangs over our fence).Both these trees have Tree Preservation Orders on them so we can't cut them down or even trim them with consent from the local authority.All those leaves are going to fall in our garden over the next couple of weeks!!!!!That will be a job and a half picking them up and will certainly burn some calories.

ABack to my health.I have always been told I have IBS.The consultant I have seenwho did the colonoscopy thinks I may have Bile Acid Malabsorption.The colonoscopy biopsy showed I have Microscopic Colitis ,so called because you can only see it with a microscope.He has put me on Colestyramine.It seems loads of people diagnosed with IBS actually have one of these problems.My fingers are crossed that when I get the dose right I shall be better than I have been for years.The downside I have to have a low fat diet.NO CHEESE!Holidays to France will never be the same again.I have an Endoscopy on the 11th November when he will have the full picture.

Games for the ipad?

 What happened to that?Havn't a clue!!It is a picture of Hay Day about the only game I play on the I pad.
I am sorry I havn't blogged in ages but I have had a really terrible time with my IBS keeping me close to home and very fed up.I was getting no joy from my GP or my hospital consultant and have ended up paying privately to see a different consultant.This Friday I am having a colonoscopy and to prepare for that I shall be stuck in the house.Lots of crafting and reading but I thought I might download some games for my ipad.Any suggestios,please?

 On the subject of reading I thought I would show you some books I have enjoyed recently.This one is set in Seattle.

 This book is based on a true story.It is about slavery and the real life abolitionist sisters,Sarah and Angelika Grimke.

 I am a great fan of Isabel Allende and this didn't disappoint.

Anne  Cholawo gave up a lucrative job to go and live on a remote Scottish Island.

Have you any recommendations?

I was very upset to read  of the untimely death of Helen's (Josie Kitten) husband.I read her blog and you really feel you get to know people so this has really affected me.

A busy few days.

 I did all this last night and was just about to press publish and it all disappeared.Fingers crossed.
Last Thursday we decided to have a little tripto Biddulph Grange garden.We havn't been for years and it seemed much smaller than we remembered.Quite a hard walk round as there are 400 steps.

                                         The Chinese Garden.

                                             The Stumpery.

 As we didn't spend as much time here as we thought we moved on to Little Moreton Hall.This is 500 year old timber framed hall and has wonky floors everywhere.A real Tudor treasure.

 The day after,Friday,was the 40th birthday weekend of our wonderful local theatre.Penblwydd Hapus is Happy birthday in Welsh.We took along our granddaughters Ruby and Emily with us.
Theydid a drumming workshop which was amazing.A poetry workshop with the Welsh children's Laureate

 They tried on masks and costumes.Some,from the pantomime, were so heavy.

 We went to a dance performance which at the end the audience joined in and suddenly realised the dancers had gone and they were stillcarrying on!A great day was had by us all .

Yesterday we went to the Lady Lever Art Gallery to see an exhibition of lino cuts by Picasso.
This afternoon we have had a guided tour of Chester Cathedral.Sorry,no photos.
Tomorrow I am meeting up with 15 others who were in college with me.We left 50 years ago.Will we recognise each other and will I come back thinking I look the oldest with my white hair and wrinkles.

I had a bit of a spend earlier in the week!

 Last Monday we had arranged to meet my brother and his wife for lunch halfway between their house and ours.Looking at the map I realised we would be going quite close to Black Sheep Wools.They have a great craft barn and stock all makes of wool including all 58 shades of Stylecraft DK which is brilliant for blankets.They have a café so with OH with his coffee and a paper I indulged my self for 45 minutes.
I bought some extra wool to complete the above blanket(only started to use up some stash but I always run out and have to buy more)

 Over the winter I want to make a blanket for the conservatory.The rug is various shades of greens and cream.Obviosly I couldn't take the rug so it done out of my head and although on here they don't look to match,they do.

 Thenin the bargain bit I spotted this Debbie Bliss reduced to £2.49 a ball.Bargain.I will have someof that.

 I only bought one ball ofsock wool.Very restrained!

I treated myself to a new cross stitch kit(why it is on itsside I have no idea.


I find buying yarn off the internet very tricky.Colours are never accurate so this was an opportunity not to be missed.This lot should keep me busy over the coming months but I must say the amount of wool is a little daunting.Watch this space!!!
Watching the Olympics will get me started.
Have a great weekend everyone.Babrbarax

what is happening in Blogland?

No photos in this post.I just wondered what is happening in Blogland.A lots of us seem to have lost our "mojo.I have 93 followers (I would love more) but don't hear from many and lots of blogs I followed in the past have stopped blogging.
So,I thought if I did a little resume about me it might inspire others to do the same and kick start us all again.
Here goes.
I am a retired Primary school teacher.I used to teach little ones but retired when I was50 due to dodgy knees.I am married and have two children.Matthew lives in Cambridge and works in London(going into Kings Cross/St Pancras each day.Abit worrying with all the terror threats)He has three children.Ella 17 this Saturday.Finlay 13 and Angus  9. Matt's wife runs a coffee shop in Cambridge cb4.Sarah lives in Northwich in Cheshire and is a teacher.She has Emily who is 11 and about to start Secondary school and Ruby who is 8.
I live in North Wales which is beautiful.Lots of mountains ,castles and lovely coastal scenery.We live ten miles from Chester ( in England) which is a lovely city.
I love any form of crafting.Knitting,crochet ,tapestry and cross stitch but love try new things.I read a lot,go to the theatre and to see films .We enjoy going to France as my OH speaks French fluently.I have IBS which blights my life and I do get down at times.Do you fancy doing a little resume to get us all going again.
Lots of love to you all.Barbarax

Back from the Loire Valley in France.

 We have had a week in the Loire Valley in France.The weather was mixed,a bit of rain and then temperatures at 35 degrees making it very hot and humid.As a result out came all the bugs!!I got bitten quite badly and ended up,when back home, on a course of antibiotics as the bites were infected.Not very pleasant.The antibiotics made me feel sick so I have been feeling a bit out of sorts.I finish the tablets today and feel much better.
This is the cottage we stayed in and it was very nice.We reckon we have stayed in at least 23 gites(cottages) in France over the years and this was one of the best.It was in a small village which had a bar/restaurant and also a small shop.There were lots of empty shelves in the shop but they did sell bread and milk.

 We were a 10 minute drive into Amboise and this the chateau that we visited.During the 15 and 16th centuriesit was a favourite residence of French kings.In 1516 Francis the first invited Leonardo Da Vinci to visit.He ended his days here and is buried here.

 Statue of LeonardoDa Vinci

 The chapel where he is buried.

Another day we went to the Chaumont Garden Festival held in the grounds of the chateau.This is an international festival and is an annual event.The gardens are on display all summer.

Ruthin Craft Centre

 This lovely Centre for Applied Arts is only a twenty minute drive from our house in the pretty town of Ruthin.There are three exhibition areas showing different work.

 This glass work by Bob Crooks is in one of them at the moment.He is one of the leading glass artists in the UK and the works are stunning so I thought I would share some with you.

I did take photos of the other two exhibitions but Blogger won't let me load them so they can be for another day.

Back from Menorca

 We are back from Menorca.We had beautiful weather.This is the view from our balcony.

 We stayed in a place called S'Algar.Very quiet.

 We had a visit to Mahon the capital using the local bus.

 How about this for a choice of colours?

 Lovely flowers.Hibiscus.

 Bottle Brush tree.

 Help needed here.Does anyone know what this plant is?

It was a very restful week.It was good to feel the sun on ones face but is it worth all the waiting around at airports.We did all inclusive so we ate and drank too much.I think we decided this was not really our kind of holiday.We like our own space too much.Theprospect of a week in a cottage in France  I think is more"us" or a few days away in the UK.

Hope you can help with the flower