Time off for good behaviour

Peter and I actually got to go out for a quick meal and a trip to the movies tonight, by ourselves. Well I mean both of us together, not by ourselves separately, without kids.
We went to Pippi's for pizza. Which arrived very quickly and tasted brilliant. I think Peter perhaps enjoyed his bottle of beer.

The film we went to see was "Married Life". Not quite what I expected and quite slow, but ok. All that and we were back home by 7:30pm.

Sorry about the dark pics, I don't like to use the flash in a restaurant as it can be a pain for other diners.

Who's trying to hide in the cabbage tree ....

Who is that hiding in the Cabbage Tree? Is it a bush baby or a lost kola? Or is it the Cheshire cat?
Nope, its a fluffy Buffy cat.
Can you spot the cat in this picture.
Yip, its Rana taking a rest from chasing old cabbage tree leaves around.

Today's Daisies #61

As I haven't posted any pics of daisies for a while, here are some that survived the storm.

Down at the creek today #8

Down at the creek today, now the torrent is gone, there is a new lair of muddy sludge.

Down at the creek today #7

Down at the creek today there was a lot of water. A big storm just past through dumping a tons of rain on just about all of NZ. This is where our lower garden usually is, with a creek running through it. Today we have no lower garden just a torrent running over it. I do have a video, just can't get it to load at the moment. Our house is in the upper garden, so well above the water level, no worries there touch wood.

This is what it should look like down at the creek.

This is ......... what I did last night

This weeks this is topic was kind of free form, each blogger taking part in the meme could chose their own theme. I choose .......... this is what I did last night. No this is not a normal night's meal destruction in the Daisy household. We had a bunch of very good friends over for a meal. Peter cooked Pizza and did some salads. Katherine brought the cheese board and dips as a starter and Keriann brought her brilliant Tiramisu as dessert. Really I should have taken a picture of the before, not the after, as the table looked so cool.
Unfortunatly it was all too much for Peter who collapsed at the end of the evening, groaning that he could not cope with cooking and drinking wine at the same time. Now has that ever stopped any of us girls, I am sure cooking improves with a glass or two of wine.
The last remaining bits of pizza were polished off by an errant teenager when they managed to get home.
Unfortunatly the washing up fairies did not visit us last night. So I just grabbed a bowl of yogurt and went back to bed to wait for them.

Finished with minutes to spare .....

Last Sunday I went to my first baby shower. Baby showers are not a Scottish tradition. Obviously I waited till the last minute to start making a cot quilt as a gift. There I was on Sunday morning still in my PJ's busy quilting away. I did finish the quilt, but with just minutes to spare.

A project finished at last. Maybe this will spur me on to finish some of the other projects. Maybe that is what I need to finish my other projects, a deadline. Or maybe I should spend more time quilting in my PJ's, instead of running around at the weekends washing, ironing, shopping (the dull supermarket kind) and being a taxi service for my teenagers.

This is ............ things that make me happy.

This is a list, in order, of the things that make me happy.

My family laughing together.

My wonderful hubbie and his strange sense of humour. I had to kiss a lot of frogs before I found him. Incase you are wondering what he is doing, he is trying to hide his double chin, that he doesn't have.
My garden, other people's gardens and gardening.

Having outings, dinners and coffee with the brilliant friends I have made in NZ.



Quilts, patchwork, quilting, my stash of fabrics and quilting shops.

Life in general, when everything lines up.

Coming out of the movies after seeing a great movie. Saw Momma Mia last week with friends, a very feel good movie.



Walking in the early morning sunshine.


Finding a truly beautiful bargain in an op shop (thrift shop, junk shop, charity shop).

The beauty of the unexpected simple things in life.

Shopping. Yes, I know I am very shallow.

Oh and winning the lottery would make me happy, then I could travel back to see my Mum and Dad whenever I wanted.



BTW there is a very cool quilt give away over here, shhh don't tell everyone. I would feel pretty happy if I won it.

Travelling

Above travelling in the UK. The roads from Manchester were really busy, but the closer we got to Horncliffe the quieter and narrower the roads got.
My trip back from work in New Zealand in comparison to travelling in the UK above. Sorry this one is not in order, but you get the idea. No traffic hardly at all. Peter was driving this time, so I could take pics from any angle.
These pictures I took a couple of days ago while going to work with Peter in the morning.
They are to good to include in a mosiac type photo.

The mist was just lying beautifully in the fields.

I love the shape of the poplars in the winter.

Today's daisy #60 has been stolen

Peter has whipped in quickly and stolen my today's daisy. They are now over here. The mangosteens (not to be confused with langoustines) did taste very very nice if I kept my eyes shut. But as soon as Peter pointed out that they looked like grubs that was it for me, I could not eat them anymore.

This is ........ what gives me goosebumps.

Music is what gives me goosebumps. Some songs just cover me in goosebumps, bring tears to my eyes and let my mind soar. This is not the list of my favourite songs. This is the list of the ones that make me feel. I would probably give my right arm (as long as there was very little pain) to be a musician. Unfortunatly I never will be. My two eldest have inherited the musician gene from their Dad, so far they have not used it, but I know it is there just under the surface and one day might bubble out when they need it. There are a few of these tunes so please be patient while I share with you.

The all time best and greatest song for me is this one, Kiss from a Rose by Seal.



And Roachford "Only to be with you", tingles my spine every time.



And another one. I am sure this one does it for most of us girls.


Almost finished my list, I love, love, love this song. Maybe tomorrow by STEREOPHONICS!!!



And lastly this song just picks me up so much when I need a good kick up the bum. Coldplay and Clocks.



Almost forgot to add, isn't you tube so cool. You can look up all those old videos, music and comedians, they are just there when every you want, almost live on your laptop or PC. I know that it has been abused in the past and probably will in the future, which is a shame. I have just spend a brill Sunday afternoon, watching the above videos and others that I had not thought of for years. I am just off back to oggle Paul Rodgers and Bad Company.

Personality

I love to do personality tests, so when I saw this one over at Curly Pops' blog, I could not resist.

The results were spot on for my personality. Not so sure about my job, clergy or missionary, I don't think so. I did spot photographer in there, not a career but definatly a hobby. I am a software developer and I love it, it is the perfect job for me. My brain just loves puzzles and finding a way through them. Guess I better not change career path any time soon.

Just gone back and looked at Curly Pops' blog, she seems to have my career recommendatations. Perhaps we could swap suggested careers Cam if you see anything in my suggested careers that you would like.

Nicola's personality type:

Quietly forceful, original and sensitive. Tend to stick to things until they are done. Extremely intuitive about people and concerned for their feelings. Well-developed value systems which they strictly adhere to. Well-respected for their perserverence in doing the right thing. Likely to be individualistic, rather than leading or following.

Careers that could fit Nicola includes:

Counselors, clergy, missionaries, teachers, medical doctors, dentists, chiropractors, psychologists, psychiatrists, writers, musicians, artists, psychics, photographers, child care workers, education consultants, librarians, marketeers, scientists, social workers

Distant Castles

North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders are full of castles. Some of them ruins like Norham castle and some of them in pretty good nick and still lived in like Bamburgh. Due to lack of time we did not actually get to visit any of them on our recent trip. We just got distant views of Bamburgh and Lindisfarne castles from the Barn restaurant at Beal. Bamburgh is my favourite castle, but I have never been to Lindisfarne castle yet.

The Barn at Beal is worth a visit also. It has really good food, very helpful service and a fantastic view over the causway to Holy Island.

You can see the full pics here.

Smells like spring is on its way

While trudgeing up the drive this morning, to collect the mail from our mailbox, I past the most amazing smell. It pulled me right out of my moaning about the cold mood and remind me that Spring is just around the corner. As you may have guessed already I am not a winter person, I hate the cold days. Unless you look very close this is not a very pretty plant, but is smells heavenly.
Just to back up the 'Spring is on the way' theme, my one and only snowdrop is in flower. Hopefully if I treat it nicely next year I might have more than one plant.

Berwick and the Tweed

Today's travel pics are of Berwick, the Tweed from Horncliffe and looking over the Tweed to Berwick. If you want to see the more pics visit my web albums.
I love the snap above, it is of the Fishing Shiel where my Grandad used to work as a Salmon Fisherman. The original shiel burnt down a few years ago and has been rebuilt. I bet it is a lot more comfortable now than it was in my Grandad's day. I think for about six months of the year the men used to live in the shiels all week, fishing with nets at night depending on the tide. There are no salmon fishermen on the Tweed anymore, that way of life has gone. Now there are only hobby fishermen on the Tweed.
Tommorrow's holiday pics are of castles.

The Latest Project and Today's Daisies #59

At the moment I have so many projects on the go. One quilt half pieced, one quilt in design phase, three quilts that need backed, 3 tablecloths to make, pj trousers to make, 2 dressing gowns to make, one hand pieced hexagon quilt started and one hand pieced tea cosy started. So, I just thought I might as well start another project. This one has to be completed by Sunday 20th July, as I am off to my first baby shower. I have never been to a baby shower before, it is not really a Scottish thing. I was quite looking forward to it until the girls at work pointed out that it was a bit of a cross between a Tupperware party, where you don't spend money, and a hen party! Anyway back to the quilt. As I don't know if the baby is a girl or boy and I don't know the pregnant girl very well, I was really stumped. I had no idea of colours or patterns. Then I saw a pattern for a scrappy quilt with little castle like houses and little faces peeping out of the windows, I was inspired. I did not have any fabric with little people on I am using animals at the windows instead. So far I have only used fabrics from my scrap bags and my stash, which makes me feel very thrifty. I love scrappy quilts. The coolest thing is I get to put some daisy fabrics in the foreground of each block, and it does not matter if the baby is a boy.

Grounded

Sorry I don't have a pic to go with this post. But I just have to say grrrrrr again. I tried to start my car yesterday, unfortunately the battery was as flat as a pancake. Peter charged it up for me, started the car and everything was ok and ready to go this morning.

This morning I tried to start the car and it turned over but would not start. So I tried charging the battery again, still the car would not start. Time to call Terry down at the garage. Terry arrived an hour later, hooked the car up to his fancy black box. Turn it over he said and it should start now. So I turned it over again, still nothing happening. Hmmm said Terry, that does not smell quite right, I will need to look at this down at the garage, I will send the low loader out to pick up your car. How long do you think it will take to fix, I said. Hmmm probably tomorrow morning, I am a bit busy today, was his answer.

After another hour the guy with the low loader arrived to pick up the car. How he reversed up our narrow drive with its twisted start I do not know. Just climb in and steer and I will winch you on to the truck, he said. Hmmm, I said, think I better get my eldest son, reversing is not one of my main talents. My eldest did a great job and off Cys (that's my cars name, another story) went on the low loader. See you tomorrow I thought. I should have known better.

Two hours later Terry phoned up. Have you been having lots of problems with your car, he said. Nope, said I, it has been running ok. That's very strange, he said, as there is no pressure at all in two of the cylinders. I have no idea what that means, but it sounded serious. It will be Friday at the earliest before I will be able to fix your car. Yikes I thought, school holidays and no car. Is that going to be expensive, said I. Yes, very, said Terry!

So here I am first day of the holidays and I am grounded, there is no escape.

Today's Frozen Daisies #58

This morning's daisies were painted with frost.
There were even icicles on the window sills. I wish spring was here.

Edinburgh

Today's pics are from Edinburgh. Not the traditional pics of the castle or the crags in Holyrood park. Instead we spent most of the time in Edinburgh stuck in traffic jams. I had a very romantisised view of Edinburgh and missed strolling along Princes Street on a crisp frosty morning. That idea has been totally removed from my brain. I love Edinburgh, but never again will I go there by car. We will get the train next time.
We have nearly reached the end of my pics from our visit to the UK. Below is one of the last previews.

This is my most treasured childhood possesion ...

This chair is about the only childhood position that I have, and I love it. I don't know what happened to the rest of them. There are a few things I wish I still had, like my Dolls House and my copies of the Narnia series. The chair is made of yew and oak, and has one rail missing on the back, an accident when my middle kid used it as a seesaw! Which in a way is a good thing. The chair without the damage was very old and very, very valuable. Now it is not worth as much so I can relax, not worry and enjoy it. And yes just in case you wondered, I can still fit into it with a lot of squeezing.

Mid Winter Christmas

One of the brilliant things about New Zealand is you get two christmases each year. One in December and one in June, mid winter down here. The mid winter christmas is usually just a christmas meal, none of the hassle of pressies. Yesterday we went to Keriann and Ian's for a very, very delicious christmas meal. As is also traditional in New Zealand, you take along a plate of something yourself. I was going to do a Pavlova but was worried that it would not be good enough. New Zealand is after all the home of the pavlova. So just incase I did my usual christmas pear, chocolate and cranberry trifle too. The pavlova worked out ok thanks to my work mate Vikki's instructions. So I took them both, you can never have too many desserts. Unfortunatly I don't have any pics of the meal itself, I forgot to take my camera.

Mum's Garden, today's daisies and more

June is one of the most beautiful times in my Mum's garden. Actually Mum's garden looks pretty all year round. But I like it best in June when the daisies are out, the smell of the roses drifts through the air and the bees buzzing in the background. You can see more pics of Mum's garden on my Picassa Web Albums here.

Pic below is tomorrow's topic.