21 April 2012

What A Busy Week!


Hello, hello!

What a very busy and sociable week I've had.  Whilst absolutely lovely, I am now craving some home time.  Today finds me with my hair scraped back, comfies on and looking an absolute bugger but I really don't care as I'm officially hiding from the outside world.  My face is scrubbed clean but slathered with antibiotic cream - horrid bumpy rash/infection thing all over my chin.  Hmm, attractive.  D has just told me I look "natural and sexy" though!  Good job love is blind.

So, this week, I've spent some time with my lovely sister-in-law and baby nephew, I've had lunch out with a dear friend, I've had supper out with another dear friend (big blow-kiss to Rebecca who tells me she checks my blog every day!), I've had doctor's appointments, school meetings, art class ...

As I say, busy.



Yesterday, Blondie Daughter's school year group trouped to a nearby college for a mini workshop on Victorian Life and Charles Dickens.  I volunteered as a parent-helper because the lady running it was Lucinda Hawksley, Charles Dickens' great-great-great granddaughter.  She was brilliant.  I gather she originally trained as a teacher which didn't surprise me - the way she engaged the children was fabulous.

Whilst on a literary theme, permission to indulge in a proud mummy moment?  If you listen to BBC Radio 2, you may have heard mention some time ago of Chris Evans' Breakfast Show 500 Words creative writing competition?  Open to 13 year olds and under, I encouraged Blondie Son to submit an entry.  We received this email a couple of weeks ago ...

Congratulations! The story you submitted, “Vaermina”, is through to the next stage of the Chris Evans Breakfast Show 500 WORDS competition.

Next, it will be sent to the National Literacy Trust for the second stage of the judging process. If it makes it into the Top 50 stories, we will let you know by the end of April. 

We received 74,000 stories and this one is in the top 2,000, which is a brilliant achievement. 

Well done and good luck!

The 500 WORDS Team
The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, BBC Radio 2


Even if he gets no further, we're chuffed to bits!  My son, the writer!!! :-)

In purchase news, I'm extremely pleased with this new rosy throw...


It's from Tesco believe it or not.

I've loved Katie Daisy's artwork for some time and finally treated myself to one of her prints ...


It's propped up on my bedside table while I decide where to put it.

Gorgeous isn't it?

In crochet news, I've frogged my spring ripple blanket (I was making heavy weather of it for some reason) and, instead, am revisiting this old friend ...


... but I'll tell you more about that next time.

D has a gig tonight so it's a deep bubble bath and an early night for me.  Oh yes, and new Primarni pyjamas ...


xxx

Edited to add ... I'm going to start replying to comments using the 'underneath' option so do please check back if you've asked a question or said something lovely ...

29 comments:

  1. A very busy week :) Know how you feel we've had one of those here this week - been lovely to have a home day today.

    Well done to BlondieSon :) xxxx Fingers crossed he gets a bit further on - even so thats an amazing achievement :)

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  2. Lovely post, the rosy throw is gorgeous and loving the colour combo on your stripey crochet. Well done to Blondie Son too, what a great achievement!
    Victoria xx

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  3. Well done Blondie Son - how amazing to get through to the next stage, you must be a very proud mummy. I love the throw and pyjamas. Your blanket is very pretty - what is frogging? I think I will follow your katie daisy link .... xx

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    1. 'Frogging' is something I've picked up from Blogland. I think/hope it means undoing and starting over. If it actually means smearing my crochet with jam and putting it out for the birds then I will feel very silly ...! x

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  4. Fantastic news about Blondie Son, what an achievement! Congratulations!and lots of luck for the next stages. Lovely post too. xx

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  5. I love Katie Daisy. I have a few of her prints but want more! I love the throw..it looks very cosy : )

    Gemma x

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  6. I do love your posts ,your words are always from the heart and you always make me smile ,well done to your son you must feel very proud xxxi love your crochet too xx

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  7. Love your jimjams and throw ... Might just have to nip to Tesco! Xx

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  8. Lovely photos... I'm coveting your doily! Well done to BlondieSon, no wonder you're all so chuffed.
    Enjoy your evening!

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    1. Thank you, it's lovely isn't it? It was 50p - rescued from the bottom of a basket at a vintage craft fair. x

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  9. Yay! For blondie son :) well done him. What a fantastic achievement and hope it encourages him to continue writing (and reading). What a gorgeous throw too. And as always lovely photos xx

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  10. Huge congrats to BlondieSon - that's amazing!

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  11. Congratulations to your son, what an achievement! I hope he gets through to the next stage. Keep us posted x

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  12. well done blondie son!!!!! what an achievement - proud mummy moment for sure! ;0)xx ...Oh' your home is so dreamy! those yellow spring colours- so bright and cheery- I love the print!...and that throw and blanket, lovely colours! xx

    ejoy your time at home, enjoying homely things...hope you're enjoying the art class. I miss being surrounded by creative people in a class setting...but luckily i have blogs with creative peps ;0)x

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  13. Hi I just found you via serendipity, well done to your son, I love all things literary, thats a great achievement, good luck to him for the next stage.

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  14. Well done Blondie-Son! That's a great achievement! Love the jim-jams xxx

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  15. That is great news about your son - the writer! Congratulations to him hon. I think he gets his talent from his Mummy...I just love the image you painted of hair scraped back, comfies on and face scrubbed clean (snap!). Somedays you just really need the kind of peace and comfort ah? Love, love, love the pretty purchases too - bliss. Have a great week sweets. Becks xxx

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  16. Hello Heather,
    Congratulations to your very talented son...you must be so proud and fingers crossed for the next round!
    Love your Katie Daisy print...the colours are always so pretty...I'm a big fan too...
    The tesco throw is fab..it has a lovely vintage look and I just love the colours in your happy tulips!
    Hope you have a great week,
    Susan x

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  17. Well done to your son, how marvellous to reach that stage, and good luck for the next one! Your photos today are so lovely, with beautiful colours. The crochet is really gorgeous!!
    Have a happy week, Heather.
    Helen x

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  18. Well done Blondie son, what an achievement!

    Love the comfy rosy things, hope snuggling in for the weekend did the trick after your busy week x

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  19. well done little man!!!!!

    i love the throw!!!! may have to get myself one of them!

    and i love katie daisys work too xx

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  20. I'm so in love with English blogs and bloggers I can't stand it! And I can't get enough! It's like I've come home which I may have! LOL! The colors, the talent, the beautiful crochet and roses and flowery prints! LOVE!!!! I always vacillated on my decorating schemes but not any more! COLOR everywhere thanks to you and some other blogs I'm following. The only problem is a lot of it I can't get in the U.S. Everything we get is from China...nothing against them but I LOVE your stuff! Like Garden Gate! Even Canada gets their stuff but not here....boo hoo! But I will "carry on and stay calm" and continue to spend hours on the internet tracking down Cath Kidson and anything remotely rosy and English. You gals are SO talented! Thank you for all the wonderful inspiration...oh and do I love those pjs and that throw! YUM!
    Also, congrats to your son! What an achievement! You go guy! And who knew that Charles Dickens relatives were still around! Fascinating!
    Okay...I'll stop...for now! LOL! But I'll be back for some more English inspiration!

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    1. Ah bless you! Thanks so much for your lovely comments. I've always loved colour (and have frequently felt displaced amongst the magnolia-walled-types with whom I seem to surround myself) - Blogland excited me too; there was suddenly a world of people out there like me! So I know exactly how you feel!

      Heather x

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  21. Sorry I'm a bit late at commenting but have had a few non blogging days (as you probably know from my garden post - thank you for your lovely comments by the way!) I think your new blanket is gorgeous - always best to try something else if you are not happy with it initially, no point soldiering on to the end and then still being unhappy with it! Love the new stripes though, sure that one will be a keeper! The new rosy throw is lovely too - damn I was going to pop into Tescos today as well, should have done! Well done to your boy too for his writing, hope he makes it in to the next stage :) Jenny x

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  22. Thank you all for your fab comments. You're all lovely you are. Hxxx

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  24. delicious post heather! Great news about the competition (we all wrote ours on holiday but forgot to send them in in time!) and fingers crossed for the next stage. beautiful flowers, gorgeous crochet, tesco you say?, fab print, and how exciting to meet a Dickins rellie. That might even get ME in to school to help!
    fee x
    (not adverse to helping you understand, just didn't enjoy when Cleggy was Headmaster!!)

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  25. Everythings's coming up roses here Heather! So many lovely rosy things, love the beautiful art work, pyjamas and throw.

    Well done to your son for having got through to that stage - amazign achievement! You must be so proud!!

    Have a great Sunday Heather!

    Gill xx

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Anyone ever told you that you're a peach? xx

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